SETH’S PICK :: HAWKEYE 22: Okay…this looks bad. I’m not entirely sure why Marvel supposedly held up the publication of the Matt Fraction/David Aja finale, or why they decided to start a new (or rather, All New) Hawkeye series before the acclaimed previous run finished. Whatever the reasons, this week we finally get the opportunity to celebrate the work of Fraction and Aja on this the last issue of their impressive series.

Heroes customers and readers of this blog know well that I’ve long championed Hawkeye. Until the Fraction/Aja run, the character was mostly a laughable everyman with seemingly little narrative or aesthetic value. For the past three years, that assumption has been proven wrong time and time again. Both creators exhibited a range of narrative and visual deft. Fraction wove non-linear plot lines, callbacks and deep character studies through Aja’s Mazzuchellian visual motifs and panel layouts. The pair took a fairly bland archetypal concept and elevated it to high comic art. They reminded us of the potential of comics, superhero or otherwise. 

I could write endlessly about why this series is so impressive, but this is, after all, simply a Staff Pick. If you want to enjoy a thorough and critical reading of this series, I’d encourage you to link HERE to the brilliant article on The Comics Journal by our friend and HeroesCon panelist, Craig Fischer. Craig digs into close detail about the many highs and occasional lows of this epic series, and will give you an even greater appreciation for just how unique a work it has been. Thanks, Matt and David, for a remarkable series. Hopefully we’ll see the two of you team up again before too long.

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.

SETH’S PICK :: HAWKEYE #11: I’ve long extolled the virtues of Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye on this blog, in the store, and just about anywhere else I get the chance.  If any of you caught the Hawkeye panel at HeroesCon, you probably saw why I (and so many others) enjoy this book.  There’s something unabashedly joyous about how these two creators continue to push each other’s creativity.  That iron-sharpens-iron mentality is on full display in this week’s issue #11. [Here’s a condensed version of all you need to know to appreciate this issue.  Hawkeye is about the avenging archer Clint Barton on his days off, when he’s away from his world-saving exploits.  In the first issue, Clint fed a dog some pizza.  That dog later saved his life, and was nearly killed in the process.  Clint then saves the dog’s life, and adopts him.  The dog’s collar showed that his name was Arrow, but Clint thought that was a little hokey, so he changed it to Lucky.  Still, Clint and just about everyone else know Lucky as Pizza Dog.] Getting back to that display of creativity that I alluded to earlier, this issue is told entirely from the perspective of Pizza Dog.  That means all the language in the book will be seen as a dog hears it, with only words he commonly hears highlighted.  This issue also deals more with scent thanks to Pizza Dog’s status as – you know – a dog.  All these things alone should pique your interest for this particular issue, but even more, David Aja’s work on this one suggests he not only read Chris Ware’s acclaimed Building Stories, but decided to channel it into a Marvel comic.  Needless to say, this is not only entertaining, but maybe even a little envelope-pushing.  With storytelling like this, it’s no wonder Hawkeye received 5 Eisner Award nominations this year.  I’m betting they’ll bring at least a couple home. 

SETH’S PICK :: MISTER X: EVICTION #1: It’s true that this Saturday is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, and while you know we’ll have plenty of quality free comics to give you, I’d encourage you to ease through the crowds and find this book on the genre side of the store.  If you don’t know about the character or any of Motter’s work, I’d encourage you to give it a look.  When Mister X appeared in the early eighties, it brought several novel elements into American comics, like art deco design, stylish noir, and even German Expressionism.  Beyond the book’s intelligence, just look at a list of its contributers (Jaime Hernandez, Seth, Dave McKean and more) to find reasons to read this title.  It’s a beautiful book that continues to deliver strong stories and design.  This first issue of a new miniseries is a great place to learn about the character, as is the recent Mister X: Hard Candy one shot that collected new Motter material from Dark Horse Presents.  And if scholarly comics don’t do it for you, there’s always Hawkeye #10 out this week.  It just so happens that this issue is the first of the series to feature art from Francesco Francavilla, who will be among the guests at Heroes for the FCBD excitement this Saturday.  Get him to sign a copy and a few of his excellent Black Beetle issues while you’re at it.

In case you missed hearing about this at our recent Charlotte MiniCon, Heroes is teaming with writer Matt Fraction for a special offer benefiting the American Red Cross and their Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.  Fraction wrote a special stand alone issue for Hawkeye #7 that directly deals with the hurricane.  In addition to writing the story, Fraction is donating all of his royalties from the issue to the Red Cross.  That means the more copies people buy, the more money the Red Cross will make.

In conjunction with Fraction and the Red Cross, Heroes is offering a special signed copy of Hawkeye #7 for $10.  As of this writing, there are less than 100 copies still available.  You can stop by the store and reserve your copy today.  All of the money we receive for this book will go entirely to the Red Cross, and each transaction will be kept separate from other store purchases.  Our costs for the book, shipping, and Matt’s time are all being handled by us and aren’t included in the $10 price of the book.  That means all of the money will go straight to the Red Cross and their relief efforts.  We’d also encourage you to donate more than $10 for the book if you’re able.

We applaud Fraction and his work to maintain awareness of the Red Cross and their work helping those afflicted by Hurricane Sandy.  Reserve your copy of Hawkeye #7 today and help us raise money for those who desperately need it.  

SETH’S PICK :: HAWKEYE #7: Aside from being one of the more unique superhero comics on the shelves, this week you have another, even better reason to give Hawkeye a try.  In the immediate aftermath of of Hurricane Sandy, writer Matt Fraction was moved to pen a story about the everyman Avenger dealing with those affected by the storm.  This makes perfect sense, as the book is very much grounded in the actions of an ordinary man facing down big obstacles.  If that’s not enough of a reason to check it out, it’s worth noting that Fraction is donating all of his royalties from this issue to the Red Cross.  That means the more copies of the book that sell, the more money the Red Cross will get to help those in need.  You can buy this book and know that you’ll be making a small difference in the lives of others.  The other nice thing about this issue is that it’s kind of a jumping on point, so if you missed Hawkeye #1-6, you can still read this book and be on the ground floor.  Hawkeye has become a regular sell-out for us, and for good reason.  Pick this one up, read one of comics’ best superhero books, and help raise money for the Red Cross all at the same time.

Charlotte Mini-Con is fast approaching, and with all the “AMAZING” things we have in store for you, we’d also like to direct your attention to some of the wonderful charities that we will be hosting at Sunday’s show.

Here’s a direct link for a FREE pass!

The Charlotte Chapter of the American Red Cross will be on site raising funds for Hurricane Sandy Relief as well as for various other disaster relief causes. For a minimum donation of $10.00 to the American Red Cross attendees can reserve a copy of Hawkeye #7 signed by writer Matt Fraction. (more…)

RICO’S FAVORITES OF 2012:

Favorite Superhero Book of 2012: I admit I am in the tank for Matt Fraction, David Aja, Javier Pulido and Matt Hollingsworth’s new Hawkeye comic series. It’s more 70’s action movie comic than superhero book so I kind of feel like I’m cheating by picking it in the superhero category. It’s a great book though and it stars an Avenger that everyone knows from comics and movies so I think it’s fair. Also, I just heard Jesse Hamm is drawing an issue or two in 2013 and that guy kills too so grab Hawkeye before it goes away like all things this good do. (more…)

SETH’S FAVORITES OF 2012 :: It’s been an eclectic year for comics.  Amid all the relaunches and reboots, company-wide crossovers and such, there were still some truly entertaining books that caught my attention.  It’s like I always say, you might not like everything new, and might not like the directions of some books or companies, but if you take the time to look around, you’ll find plenty of quality comics to enjoy.

Favorite Super-hero Book of 2012: Wolverine and the X-men/Hawkeye: I couldn’t narrow it down to one.  Wolverine and the X-men, in spite of having to weave in and out of the giant Avengers vs. X-men story, managed to be one of the most consistently joyous comics of the year for me.  Much of this is owed to writer Jason Aaron, who kept the tone of the book consistent, which may well have been a challenge this year.  Kudos also to artists Chris Bachalo and Nick Bradshaw for matching the energy and humor in Aaron’s scripts, and adding their own unique takes on these characters.
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RICO’S PICK :: HAWKEYE #4: It’s still a great time to start following the new Hawkeye series. Javier Pulido is drawing a two issue story arc starting this issue. It’s great when the regular series artist takes a couple months off and someone with a unique visual style steps in. Pulido had great runs on Spider-Man, Robin and Catwoman and he’s going to be a perfect fit on Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye.Dav