JUSTIN’S PICK :: SEX #1: Joe Casey is an author with a flair for both compelling high-concept and creative characterization. He also takes great care to pair his unique projects with artists that absolutely suit them, and his new Image title, Sex, is no exception. Newcomer Piotr Kowalski employs a bold, open style reminiscent of talents such as Tonci Zonjic or Ben Stenbeck, offset by a bright and punchy color palette. As the unfeasibility of the superhero lifestyle becomes more and more apparent in today’s staggering, event-driven market, Sex asks the question: what would a hero do without all that great responsibility?

SETH’S PICK :: ROCKETEER: CARGO OF DOOM HC: Didn’t I just write about Rocketeer last week?  Indeed I did, and while there are several other books I’m excited about this week (Winter Soldier #16, Hellboy in Hell #4, Lost Vegas #1), it’s inevitable that I’ll re-read the new Rocketeer collection first thing Wednesday night.  There’s an innocence to Mark Waid and Chris Samnee’s take on Dave Stevens’ classic character, but also a love for the traditions of pulp and adventure stories.  Anyone could wax poetic about the genius of the Rocketeer, but it still boils down to entertainment value, and this collection has plenty of that.  Oh, and there are dinosaurs.  A guy with a rocket pack fighting dinosaurs in 1930’s California.  That’s enough for me.

Happy Tuesday HeroesCon faithful! We’ve got another great guest list update for our 2013 show. Get your tickets today, it’s going to be out best convention yet! Our full guest list (so far) is here. See you June 7-9, 2013!

MARK BROOKS – Artist: Fearless Defenders, Dark Reign: Young Avengers, Ultimate X-Men

RYAN BROWNE – Artist/Writer: God Hates Astronauts, Manhattan Projects, Blast Furnace

MITCH GERADS – Artist: The ACTIVITY, Doctor WHO, Planet of the Apes

SUNNY LEE – Artist: Gen 13, Wolverine, Superboy

JAMES LYLE – Artist: Grimm Fairy Tales, Game of Horror, Abraham’s Journey SECNCS

TED NAIFEH – Artist/Writer: Courtney Crumrin, Polly and the Pirates, Ame-Comi Duela Dent

JOE STATON – Artist: Green Lantern, E-Man, Dick Tracy, Scooby Doo

JAMES TYNION IV – Writer: Talon, Red Hood and the Outlaws

MATTHEW WILSON – Colorist: Wonder Woman, Young Avengers, Phonogram

ALEXIS ZIRITT – Artist: The Package, Rudo, Mekano Turbo, Fistful Apparel

CRAIG’S PICK :: NEMO: HEART OF ICE: When the final volume of Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s most recent League of Extraordinary Gentlemen story–Century: 2009–arrived in comic shops last June, it generated some heat. Sean Collins hand-wrung his way through a review on the Comics Journal website, arguing that the exhausted, dispirited tone of Moore and O’Neill’s story (which, incidentally, posits Harry Potter as the Antichrist and Mary Poppins as Yahweh) was a perfect expression of the Bearded Mage’s personal distaste for contemporary popular culture. Meanwhile, the critics at the Comic Books Are Burning in Hell podcast devoted an entire episode to Century: 2009; Matt Seneca claimed that the most significant British authors of our generation are Moore and J.K. Rowling (suck it, Martin Amis!), while Joe McCullough wondered aloud if Moore’s takedown of Rowling has less to do with jockeying for canonical position, and more to do with a persistent strain of sexism in Moore’s work.

Me? I liked Century: 2009 fine, though none of the Extraordinary Gentlemen tales has ever reached the lucid artistry of my favorite Moore pieces, such as “The Anatomy Lesson” (Steve Bissette and John Totleben!), “The Bowing Machine” (Mark Beyer!) and every single solitary panel of From Hell (Eddie Campbell!). Century: 2009 seemed to me a fine second-tier Moore comic, revved up by the taboo-busting that’s always been a hallmark of Gentlemen. After the way the Invisible Man is murdered at the end of LOEG volume 2, and after the irreverence with which James Bond is treated in LOEG: Black Dossier (not to mention Moore’s dredging-up of “The Galley-Wag” from the Empire’s racist Imaginary), did we really expect Moore and O’Neill to treat the Hogwarts-verse with respect? Why would we want them to?

The next LOEG book, a single 56-page comic titled Nemo: Heart of Ice, drops this week. The central character is Janni Dakkar, the daughter of Captain Nemo, who has inherited the super-submarine Nautilus and decides to explore the Antarctic in her vessel. The description of the book on the Top Shelf Comix website blatantly reveals Moore’s inspirations this go-round–we’ll be plunging into the frozen hell of Charles Dexter Ward/Mountains of Madness territory–though I hope Janni will also sing some Brecht/Weill show tunes like she did in the first volume of Century. (It might be tough to smuggle “Alabama Song” into a story that takes place at the South Pole.) And I bet Kevin O’Neill’s draws some mucousy, multi-orificed, calamari/Caligari Lovecraft creatures..!

SETH’S PICK :: ROCKETEER: HOLLYWOOD HORROR #1: Whenever I talk or write about IDW’s new Rocketeer stories, I like to mention my opinion that any artists who work on the character pale in comparison with its creator, Dave Stevens.  No one will ever make Rocketeer stories better than Stevens.  However, I usually follow up that statement with this one:  I love the way IDW has created new stories that both revere and uphold Stevens’ legacy.  Their two volumes of Rocketeer Adventures read like a love letter to Stevens’ creation, and the Mark Waid/Chris Samnee miniseries Cargo of Doom fell right in line with the tradition.  This week IDW offers up an all new miniseries by Roger Langridge and J. Bone, along with Walt Simonson on covers.  Langridge, while known for humor and all ages work, has always had a strong connection with comics’ adventure roots.  Look no further than his excellent John Carter of Mars adaptation for evidence.  J. Bone has done lots of work with Darwyn Cooke, and also provided the covers for DC’s Super Friends title.  If you take his previous comics into consideration, it’s easy to see how well he could bring the Rocketeer’s era to life.  Even though I’ll always love Dave Stevens’ work best, it would be a shame if we were denied new stories of his famous creation.  Thankfully, IDW knows how much people care about Rocketeer, and hires creators who equally value the man and his work.  Let’s hope they will continue to produce quality comics that not only pay homage to Stevens, but allow future generations to be exposed to his genius. 

JUSTIN’S PICK :: PROFESSOR FRINK FANTASTIC SCIENCE FICTIONS #1 : Bongo Comics’ Simpsons line of comics are always a treasure trove of talent, offering maximum entertainment value, with multiple stories in each issue. Choicest pickings are one shots like these, focusing on specific characters from the extensive supporting cast. Professor Frink is a perfect lead for this kind of treatment. I’ve immensely enjoyed this current run of one shots, and I’d recommend any of them to any fan of the show.

We’ve got another Heroes Convention  2013 guest list update for you! You’ll be seeing at least one of these a week for quite a while, we’ve got so many great guest joining us this year and we can hardly wait to tell you about them!

SHAWN CRYSTAL – Artist: Deadpool Max, Inkpulp Audio
MATT KINDT – Writer/Artist: Mind MGMT, Super Spy, 3 Story
CHARLIE KIRCHOFF – Colorist: Judge Dredd, Doctor Who, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser

ANDREW MACLEAN | Writer/Artist: Practically A God, Colonial Souls, StrayDogCounty, MEATSPACE

JORGE MOLINA – Artist: X-Men Legacy, Avengers, Captain America

TOM RANEY – Artist: X-Men, Stormwatch, Warlock and the Infinity Watch
STUART SAYGER – Artist: Machete, Bram Stokers Death Ship, Bionicle
CHARLES SOULE – Writer: 27, Swamp Thing, Strange Attractors, Strongman
CAT STAGGS – Artist: Smallville, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

BRETT WELDELE – Artist: The Surrogates, Spontaneous, Pariah, The Light

If you’re familiar with the work of Matt Kindt, you know he’s one of the hardest working creators in comics. Over the past several years he’s received critical acclaim for his graphic novels Super Spy, 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man, Revolver, and Pistolwhip.  More recently, you’ve probably seen his work on Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. and in Mind Mgmt, the monthly Dark Horse title he writes, illustrates and designs.  Kindt’s previous graphic novels suggest he possesses one of the more original voices in comics.  Now with Mind Mgmt, not only do you have further support for his originality, but you’re getting monthly examples of it.  For a deeper look at Mind Mgmt, check out my review of issues 1-5 HERE.  In the meantime, enjoy the interview.

Seth Peagler (SP): Mind Mgmt is your first big monthly book, but it’s also one where you’re writing, illustrating and directing the design of every aspect of it. What were some things that contributed to your decision to tackle something of this scale at this point in your career?

Matt Kindt (MK): Well, to be honest, I feel like graphic novels were getting too easy from a creative stand point. I was getting a little bored. And I was tired of disappearing for a year to finish a book and then launching a book and disappearing again. Now I get to launch a new issue every month and get a little more interaction with readers. I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever go back to a GN format. I’m having way too much fun doing a monthly series. Read the rest of this entry →

RICO’S PICK :: CAPTAIN MARVEL #10: Captain Marvel is a book I’ve wanted to get into since Jamie McKelvie’s great costume redesign was posted online. While I thought the story in the first issue was appealing I just couldn’t penetrate the dark concept-art styled work of Dexter Soy. This issue features the dynamic art of Felipe Andrade colored by Jordie Bellaire. I personally feel this is what the art on this book should have looked like from the start, check it out and let us know what you think!

ANDY’S PICK :: HELLBLAZER #300: Ah, Johnny, we hardly knew ye! It’s the end of an era and (coming as no surprise to the world of monthly comics) the start of yet another new era. Writer Peter Milligan and artists Giuseppe Camuncoli & Stefano Landini along with cover artist extraordinaire Simon Bisley bid farewell to everyone’s favorite neer-do-well occultist in the dirty haunted trench coat. John Constantine was created by Alan Moore and
during the classic American Gothic storyline in Swamp Thing over 30(!) years ago. Since then, ol’ JC has been a Vertigo Universe stand-by. This landmark issue is the third and final part of the last storyline aptly titled “DEATH and Cigarettes”. Hellblazer has been a terrific series and it has proven to be the true flagship title of Vertigo Comics. You owe it to yourselves to give this issue a try. If you love it (and if you are a horror fan, I know you will!) then you will want to go back to the beginning and devour the trade paperbacks. They are legion and they are terrific. And for the love of comics forget that god forsaken movie!