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JUSTIN’S PICK :: HELLBOY IN HELL #1: While all the staff at Heroes are friendly and familiar, at times our tastes can run pretty different. It results in some genuinely good conversation (and good-natured ribbing) but if there were any staff-wide consensus, Mignola-drawn Hellboy would have to be it. I’m sure I’m not the only one picking this, and that should tell you something (i.e. BUY IT).
ANDY’S PICK :: JACK KIRBY’S FOURTH WORLD OMNIBUS TP VOL 04: The final volume of this essential collection completes the series Jack Kirby developed in the early ’70s when he was (arguably) at his creative height. This very affordable paper back edition collects the final issues of his “4th World ” series–The New Gods #11 Forever People #11 and Mister Miracle #10-18. The series were all cancelled before Kirby could complete the saga. This inexpensive edition includes the two attempts to wrap the story lines up– “Even Gods Must Die” from The New Gods vol. 2, #6; and the one-shot “On the Road to Armagetto!” along with the full length DC Graphic novel #4 “The Hunger Dogs”; The intro by Mark Evanier–Kirby Biographer and assistant at the time of the comics original publication. Evanier goes into detail about the series historical context and this sad tale alone is worth the cover price. More importantly, along with the insightful look into the economics of comic publishing in the seventies, you also get over 400 pages of exuberant Kirby art and story. This is a corner-stone of any comics library and a heck of a lot of fun to read and re-read. Enjoy!
RICO’S PICK :: HOUSE OF FUN (ONE-SHOT): Serious comics are for kids! Us grown-ups like our comics violent and hilarious! Thankfully Dark Horse presents all of Evan Dorkin’s hilarious comics from their recent Dark Horse Presents series without all those other “serious” comics Dark Horse presented. It features Milk and Cheese, Murder Family, the return of The Eltingville Comic Book, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Role-Playing Club, tons of new strips, and more. Whether you like your comics hilariously violent or violently hilarious, House of Fun has something for you!
SETH’S PICK(s) :: HELLBOY IN HELL #1/AVENGERS #1: Yes, it’s a two pick week for me. Hellboy In Hell #1 brings creator Mike Mignola back to full-time illustrating his most famous creation. Yes, he killed Hellboy, but now he can take him through all the different realms of hell. Now that HB’s free from the physical world, Mignola can draw whatever he’s always wanted to, without needing to be bound to continuity. It says a lot to me that with all the things Mignola might have done (and it could’ve been anything from more movies to continuing to have other talented folks like Duncan Fegredo illustrate his creation), he really just wanted to get back to drawing Hellboy. That’s something I respect, and have looked forward to seeing for quite a while.
Avengers #1: When the Marvel Now books were announced, I said the two near-guaranteed most promising titles were Thor: God of Thunder and this book. Writer Jonathan Hickman has proved countless times over that he can handle large casts (Fantastic Four and FF) and big concepts (S.H.I.E.L.D. and Manhattan Projects). Now he’s tackling an enormous cast of over 18 characters, and returning the Avengers to big, cosmic stories. Artist Jerome Opena really left an indelible mark on Uncanny X-force, and brought a visual dynamic to Rick Remender’s stories that I don’t think anyone else could’ve done. On paper this title looks like a no-brainer, and I’ll be really shocked if this doesn’t end up being a great book.
JUSTIN’S PICK :: FF #1: The concept of a “New Fantastic Four” is nearly as classic as Marvel’s First Family themselves. And while you’d be hard pressed to beat a line-up like Spidey, Hulk, Ghost Rider and Wolverine, Matt Fraction and Mike Allred promise some interesting adventures featuring Ant Man, She-Hulk, Medusa and the love-‘er-or-hate-‘er newbie Miss Thing. This one could go either way, but whichever direction, Allred’s art is always worth a peep.
ANDY’S PICK :: COMPLETE CALVIN & HOBBES SC SLIPCASE EDITION: Okay–hypothetically–the house is burning down and all your loved ones, pets and important documents are safely outside. You have time for just one more trip– just one chance to retrieve a single chunk of your comic collection before you asphyxiate. Even in a light-headed state, my choice is a no brainer. I would heroically tote–even with my lousy knees– the 22 pound 3 volume hard cover Complete Calvin and Hobbes. It is comic art at it’s very best. Each strip deserves to be re-read and savored. And now you can own the complete run of Bill Watterson’s masterpiece in a new 4 volume soft cover edition. This collection is much easier to lug down a flight of stairs, however the soft cover binding is NOT flame retardant. Regardless, Calvin and Hobbes rightfully belongs in the same breath with the very best of the classic strips– Peanuts, Pogo and Popeye. Buy yourself this complete masterpiece or ask for it for Christmas. And remember this IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP: Drop, tuck and roll!
SETH’S PICK :: MULITPLE WARHEADS: ALPHABET TO INFINITY #2: Okay, I know this is a little longwinded for a staff pick, but bear with me on this one. I admittedly jumped on the Brandon Graham bandwagon late. I didn’t read King City in single issues, and didn’t buy the trade when it debuted. In fact, the first thing I read by him was a short story in Dark Horse Presents called The Speaker. Still, that impressed me enough to get me to buy Mulitple Warheads #1 (and King City), and I’m happy I did. Since the first issue hit the shelves I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around Graham’s work and figure out some way to write about it for a review. It’s a challenge, because Graham’s comics seem like an entity unto themselves. There are elements of manga and science fiction, which anybody can see, but the most striking thing about these books to me is just how much material Graham crams into each issue. I wouldn’t say this is done with excessive dialogue or description, either. There are all kinds of little byways that branch off of panels or that materialize in empty space. Sometimes these manifest in verbal wordplay, sometimes they’re more like little occurences that might have little to do with the overall narrative, but enrich it nonetheless. The end result is that the comics can be read and re-read over and over, with each time offering a chance to catch something that was missed during earlier readings. I avoided Graham’s comics for a long time because I wrongly thought they might be a little too gimmicky for my liking. After having spent some time with them, I now see that he puts a lot of thought and soul into his work, and in the process has created some truly unique comics.
KARLA’S PICK :: MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #1: As a child of the 80’s, how could I NOT be excited about this? My Little Pony was a big deal when I was a kid, and I’m happy to see that some things never change!
Get out and Shop Small tomorrow! Support Heroes and other small businesses in your community on Small Business Saturday. Heroes will be open from 10-9 and we’d love to see you.
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RICO’S PICK :: NOWHERE MEN #1: Earned fame is becoming a foreign concept but Nowhere Men promises a world where top scientists are revered as celebrities. Image publisher Eric Stephenson writes it, Nate Bellegarde draws it, Jordie Bellaire colors it, Steven Finch (Fonogafiks) designs and letters it and I can’t wait for it.
