JUSTIN’S PICK :: CHARLES BURNS’ THE HIVE: Charles Burns is one of those guys whose work speaks for itself, a talent that’s undeniable. The Hive is part two – following 2010’s X’ed Out – of bedridden performance artist Doug’s bizarre Burroughsian odyssey. Think Tintin Goes to Interzone, and you’re on the right track.

Seth’s Pick :: Hawkeye #3: You’re a normal guy who happens to have a pretty high profile day job.  It just so happens it’s a high stress, high risk gig.  Your co-workers include a big guy who walks around like he’s a god, an old soldier who casts a shadow on everyone, and a rich man-child who can build or blow up whatever he wants.  After a long day, you go home to your modest little apartment, pet the dog, and maybe grab a bite to eat with some neighbors grilling on the roof.  You try to keep your head down, but you can’t help sticking your nose into other people’s business when you know they’re up to no good.  You’d like to kick back, have another beer, and ignore your conscience, but you can’t help yourself.  Sometimes you bring work home with you even when you’re out of the uniform.

Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye is a fine comic, plain and simple.  It’s not too late to read one of the best monthly comics (superhero or otherwise) on the shelves.

HEATHER’S PICK :: A-BABIES vs. X-BABIES #1: BABIES!!! The most adorable one-shot on the shelves this week has got to be the babies of the Marvel Universe. Prompted by the huge popularity of  Skottie Young’s baby variant cover of Avengers vs. X-Men #1, this story written by Young, drawn by Guruhiru, and not constrained by continuity is sure to be one of my favorites of the month. If all that baby cuteness wasn’t already enough, Marvel is also giving us a totally sweet Chris Eliopoulos variant cover. In case that doesn’t satisfy your cute quota for the month, be sure to check out the baby variant covers of other Marvel titles.

HEATHER’S PICK :: MATTIAS UNFILTERED: The Sketchbook Art of Mattias Adolfsson: Wow, does this sketchbook look amazing! Presented in a facsimile Moleskine edition and packed full of very detailed and intricate sketches straight from the imagination of Mattias Adolfsson, a Swedish illustrator who has done illustrations for children’s books, video games and the New York Times.  I first discovered Adolfsson when going through Previews for October and I have been in love with his sketches every since.  Don’t take my word for it, preview his work yourself over on his blog.

PLEASE JOIN US TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT!

Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find helps usher in a new era of greatness in the Mighty Marvel Manner with the launch of UNCANNY AVENGERS by the team supreme of Rick Remender and John Cassaday!

At the Marvel NOW! Launch Party you get to be the first kid on the block to get a hold of UNCANNY AVENGERS #1!

We’ve got the full assortment of variants for this once in a lifetime event, including the sure to be classic“DEADPOOL CALL ME MAYBE VARIANT” by Mighty Mark Brooks and “UNCANNY AVENGERS #1 BABIES VARIANT” by Sensational Skottie Young!

We’ve got some great swag from our friends at the “House of Ideas”, including:

• Uncanny Avengers Mini Posters
• Uncanny Avengers Party Lithographs
• Uncanny Avengers Pins

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

• Heroes being Heroes, we’re pricing our regular Avengers and X-Men back issues at HALF OFF during this special late night event!

AND HEY, THAT’S NOT ALL!

• As a super special treat for our loyal RESERVE CUSTOMERS who want to burn that midnight oil, if you come clean out your reserve bag and make a minimum purchase of $10, you get the regular cover of UNCANNY AVENGERS #1 ABSOLUTELY FREE!

If that’s not a good reason to stay up past your bedtime, we don’t know what is!!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved a good spy story.  I grew up reading Robert Ludlum and watching James Bond.  To this day, 007 remains the measuring stick against which all other action heroes are compared.

Nothing beats a good spy plot and nothing is worse that a half-baked one.  This is true for novels, films and comics as well.

Three of the best comic strips currently being reprinted in collected editions involve super spies and for all Espionage fans–I am going to see if I can steer you all over to the comic strip section of the store and enter the world of double agents, action, global scale danger but above all else terrific art and exciting storytelling.

First up is the granddaddy of them all–James Bond.  Titan books has been publishing the entire run of James Bond comic strip–which ran in British newspapers from 1958 to 1984!!!  Originally adapted by Bond creator Ian Fleming and then handled by other writers including  noted novelist Martin Amis, the Bond strip focuses on the characters from the source material and captures the feel of the original novels.  There is less pyrotechnics and more tense drama.  The Cold War is still threatening to go hot any minute and James Bond is right there keeping the world safe with enough time left over to enjoy his cars, his women and his martinis. (Not necessarily in that order)  Although any of the volumes will do nicely– I highly recommend  Colonel Sun, Death Wing, Golden Ghost, The Man with the Golden Gun, Octopussy, Phoenix Project, Spy Who Loved Me and Trouble Spot . Each volume contains three or four complete and self-contained stories. So pick up any one.  You will end up buying them all and then you will find yourself reading the original novels as well. Great Stuff!

Now, across the pond here in America, the talented comic team of writer Archie Goodwin and artist Al Williamson were asked to breath new life into the long running daily comic strip Secret Agent X-9 which was created by the unlikely team of Dashiell (Sam Spade) Hammett and Alex (Flash Gordon) Raymond way back in 1934!.  Rechristened  Secret Agent Corrigan, Goodwin and Williamson did more than just invigorate the strip, they made it their own.  For over 12 years, from 1967 to 1980, they turned Secret Agent Corrigan into arguably the last great adventure comic strip published in the US.  The stories are fast paced, exciting, economical and intelligent.  The storytelling is clear and beautifully rendered.  Each daily strip contains panels which are never too busy that the art becomes a distraction. Any volume of the IDW published series will do the job, but I especially recommend Volumes 2, 3 and 4. Greater Stuff!

EVERY PANEL is THIS GOOD!!

OK–Bond is a terrific read, and Corrigan is a true high-point in adventure strip history, but I saved the best Spy strip for last – Modesty Blaise.  Along with Steve Canyon and Johnny Hazard, Modesty Blaise is in my top three all-time favorite comic strips.  The plots are intelligent and exciting and above all–consistent. The strip ran in Britain for over 20 years and when the creator/writer Peter O’Donnell finally shut down his word processor, longtime fans were angry. In over 100 adventures, O’Donnell never repeated himself– and more importantly, the strip never “jumped the shark.” What really made Modesty Blaise hum was the relationship between the title heroine and her partner the very lethal Willie Garvin.  Their relationship was unlike any in fiction.  There was no sexual tension– instead their friendship was based on mutual admiration and respect.  And that respect was hard-earned. In these reprint books, the danger is real and the setting, tone and illustration are strictly for adults! Any volume will do the series justice, but Cry Wolf, Death Trap, Gallows Bird, Green-Eyed Monster, Sweet Caroline, Top Traitor, Black Pearl, Yellowstone Booty and Puppet Master are all essentials! Greatest stuff!!!

Now you see what Willie Garvin sees!

So if you are a fan of spy fiction, these three titles really fit the bill.  Give any one a try–you will be back for more.  Like the owner of the Men’s Warehouse, I guarantee it.

ANDY’S PICK :: DISNEY SKETCHBOOK HC: What a dream-project come true! This beautiful hardcover is a 152 page “shared” sketchbook featuring many of Disney’s greatest artists providing Disney character studies–from 1928’s Steam Boat Willie all the way through to 2010’s Tangled!!! This is an absolute must for all animation fans and one of the true Holy Grails for all of us Disneyphiles in Heroesland(™). This is a genuine Disney Studio FastPass(™) and with this much content and variety it will be more fun than my old Viewmaster(™ yet again).