We’re happy to welcome Mark Waid back to HeroesCon in 2014!  Mark’s been to our con many times, but it’s been a few years since his last visit.  In that time, he’s brought a swashbuckling Daredevil back to popularity, and taken Bruce Banner in a new direction over in Indestructible Hulk.  He also wrote Dave Stevens’ beloved character in Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom and in the current Rocketeer/Spirit: Pulp Friction miniseries.  Before that, he wrote just about every character for every publisher, including acclaimed work on Flash, Irredeemable, Fantastic Four, Impulse, Kingdom Come, Captain America, and more.  And if that’s not an impressive enough resume, Waid also worked as an editor for both DC and Boom Studios, and is a co-founder of the digital comics site Thrillbent.  Waid is both encyclopedic and prolific, and we’re excited that he’ll be with us next summer.

HeroesCon 2014 will take place June 20-22.  Stay tuned to this very blog for all of our upcoming guest announcements.

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.

JUSTIN’S PICK :: DAREDEVIL #22 : Mark Waid continues his seminal run on Marvel’s Man Without Fear, ably abetted by the inimitable art of Chris Samnee. This issue finds ol’ Hornhead face-to-face with the Marvel U’s newest contender, the Superior Spider-Man. Matt Murdock is sure to sense something amiss with his old cohort, but the reappearance of a souped-up Stilt-Man might put those suspicions on the back burner. Tightly plotted and wonderfully drawn, Daredevil remains one of Marvel’s most premium offerings.

SETH’S PICK :: ROCKETEER: CARGO OF DOOM #1: The best Rocketeer stories will always be ones by his creator, Dave Stevens.  I am, however, really pleased with not only both volumes of Rocketeer Adventures, but also this new four issue mini series from IDW.  Mark Waid is tasked with the writing duties, and he’s made a career out writing characters with a clear and respectful understanding of their place in comics history.  On Thor: The Mighty Avenger and Captain America and Bucky, artist Chris Samnee showed he could tackle innocent adventure stories and period pieces.  More than anything, IDW’s new Rocketeer stories remind us that even if we’ll never be able to see any new art from the late, great Dave Stevens, we can continue to celebrate his legacy with books like this.

JUSTIN’S PICK :: DAREDEVIL #17: While I’ll be the first to admit that a rotating cast of artists can be frustrating on any book, it also works out sometimes, offering a wealth of stylistic diversity in one handy series. And if Mark Waid wasn’t already a big enough draw to get you to peek at Marvel’s new-ish Daredevil reboot, how ’bout an issue drawn by the one, the only, Madman Mike Allred! Plus: Stilt-Man! Who doesn’t love Stilt-Man?