STAFF PICKS :: HAWKEYE HC VOL. 1 :: NOVEMBER 6, 2013
SETH’S PICK :: HAWKEYE HC VOL. 1: It’s true, I’m writing about Hawkeye again, but for good reason. This week you can pick up a large format hardcover collecting the first eleven issues of the acclaimed series. There are several reasons why I think this is a worthwhile idea. First is the oversized format, which allows you to enjoy David Aja’s work on a larger scale. Secondly, you get all of Matt Fraction’s best Hawkeye stories (Pizza Dog, Hurricane Sandy) in a single volume. And thirdly, this is a mainstream comic that manages to not only deserve all its critical acclaim, but still understand the importance of being entertaining. After writing about this book for this blog several times in the past year, moderating the Hawkeye panel at this past year’s Heroes Convention, and talking about the title’s merits to anyone who would listen, maybe it’s time I stopped my unabashed promotion of it. Then again, it’s hard to not write or talk about good comics. Ultimately, this hardcover is an expansive way to enjoy one of the year’s best series.
HEATHER’S PICK :: X-MEN: BATTLE OF THE ATOM #2: The conclusion to this year’s X-Men event is finally here! Has it only really been 10 weeks since mutants from past, present, and future have had me on the edge my seat for what happens next? Admittedly, I love any book that features a Quentin Quire Phoenix, but this has been a series that I have been looking forward to as each new book as it came out week to week. While I am excited to see how it ends, I will hate for it not to be in my reserve bag after Wednesday.
ANDY’S PICK :: THE GREAT WAR: THE FIRST DAY OF THE SOMME: Imagine a battle that was so devastating, so bloody that on the first day of this months offensive, 20,000 British soldiers well killed and another 40,000 were seriously wounded.By it’s end there were over 1,000,000 casualties and there was virtually nothing to show for this insane loss of life. This event–the infamous Battle of the Somme– needs to be forever remembered so the debacle of trench warfare is remembered in the hope it will never be repeated. The great cartoon journalist Joe Sacco (Palestine, Safe Haven Gorazdhe and Footnotes from Gaza– all highly recommended) presents the events of this entire first bloody day, July 1, 1916. MR. Sacco shows the the events of the day with the use of a 24 foot long panorama that is printed on accordion-fold paper. It comes in a handsome slip case and includes a 16 page booklet filled with background material. this is a major project by one of this generations best cartoonists. Do not miss it.
SETH’S PICK :: SANDMAN: OVERTURE #1: Like it or not, it’s hard to deny the depth and range of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, or the mark it left on our beloved comics medium. Like it or not (part two), Sandman is a book that warrants all the attention it’s received over the years. It is nothing if not thought-provoking. So here we are twenty five years after Sandman debuted, and Vertigo is appropriately ushering in a new mini series from Gaiman. Overture is notable for a few reasons. Aside from the fact it’s the first time Neil’s returned to these characters in a good while, the series features art from J.H. Williams III, whose particular artistic inclinations seem ready-made for Sandman work. What’s more is that Overture deals with an often puzzling chapter of Dream’s past: what happened to him that lead to him being imprisoned prior to Sandman #1? Sandman: Overture is at the very least a book worth noting in your comic travels this week. Who knows? This could very well be a fine addition to the legacy of one of comics’ most enduring libraries of the past quarter century. 
JUSTIN’S PICK :: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES VILLAINS MICRO-SERIES #7: IDW’s Turtles ongoing has been a commendable mix of old and new, blending elements of the Mirage books with the 80s animated series, all while adding its own twists and flavors. Now, this supplemental series does something no Turtles book has dared to do before: introducing Bebop and Rocksteady to mainstream continuity. Despite being fan favorites for those of us who grew up with the show, B & R remain a sharp reminder of the commodification of a beloved indie success story. Regardless, such politics are moot in the presence of quality entertainment, and I, for one, am super-excited to see these mutant marauders brought into the stapled fold.
