SETH’S :: ANT-MAN #1: You have to give Marvel a little credit for some of their recent publishing strategies. Since they were acquired by Disney and their films became one of the hottest commodities in Hollywood, Marvel has gotten increasingly better about publishing new comics that have a more obvious correlation with some of those t.v. and movie projects. Just a few weeks ago they published a new SHIELD comic, and this week we see two new series that will hopefully appeal to new readers. Operation Sin #1 sees an Agent Carter comic just in time for the new show, and Ant-Man #1 arrives just in time for the first film trailer. Ideally, such cross-promotional efforts will translate into more people walking into comic shops.

I’m particularly excited for the Ant-Man comic. Whereas most of the other Marvel Film properties have had multiple comics series over the years, Ant-Man is a relatively unexplored character. He’s one of those characters who has been a go-to guest star in the past, but hasn’t really had much by way of his own series. Marvel wisely tapped Nick Spencer to help define Ant-Man before the film. He’s coming off an acclaimed run on Superior Foes of Spider-man, and should do a nice job developing the criminal turned tiny hero. Ramon Rosanas provides the art, and while I’ve not seen much of his previous work, the previews suggest his cartooning is a good choice for this series. Wrap it all in one of the nice covers by Skottie Young or Chris Samnee, and you have a fun read for the week.

SETH’S PICK :: CAPTAIN MARVEL #1:  The former Ms. Marvel has been enjoying a resurgence in recent years, and that can largely be attributed to the work of writer Kelly Sue DeConnick.  Her last Captain Marvel series was as much a character study as it was an entertaining super hero romp.  For this new relaunch, DeConnick is teaming with David Lopez, an artist who, though he might not be a household name, has well established himself as a reliable and gifted artist.  Now, I know there are some among you who are weary of the increasing number of relaunches or new #1 issues.  Recent weeks have proven, however, that it’s worth giving some of them a look.  The recent debuts of She Hulk, Wolverine and the X-men, Ms. Marvel, and Moon Knight have all acted as reminders that there are plenty of opportunities for genuinely fun new comics.  I’d also like to point out that DeConnick is writing at the top of her game at the moment.  Her Image series Pretty Deadly remains a category-defying series that is also well worth your patronage.  With DeConnick’s momentum and the looming probability that Captain Marvel might appear on the big screen, it’s a good time to catch up with the character.

SETH’S PICK :: MOON KNIGHT #1: Moon Knight has often been treated as a multiple-personality-laden Batman of sorts.  While the jumbled nature of the guy under the mask is intriguing, I’ve always been partial to the character’s horror elements.  With this new relaunch, the creative team of Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire seem poised to integrate both elements of the odd character for new readers.  Though you might not initially recognize the character’s new look (white business suit sans the cape), you’ll no doubt remember that Ellis does still occasionally write solid comics for Marvel.  The fantastic Nextwave series jumps to mind.  And it’s worth noting that Shalvey and Bellaire, though they’ve already made names for themselves in their respective areas of comic making, do seem to have an opportunity to take their storytelling to interesting new places with this character.  I should also mention that this book has been building advanced buzz in recent weeks.  Don’t be surprised if this one sells out quickly.

Bonus Pick: Muppets Omnibus: Over the years on this blog I’ve written at length about the genius of Roger Langridge.  While his Fred the Clown will always be my favorite, his work on the Muppets is downright joyous.  Aside from being genuinely funny throughout, Langridge’s art is impeccable.  This summer he’ll be returning to HeroesCon, so do yourself a favor and stop by his table to bask in the awe of his original art pages.  Like me, you’ll probably wind up spending your money on several of his incredible pages.  

SETH’S PICK :: BLACK WIDOW #1:  There are several new Marvel reboots/relaunches coming up in the next few months, and I’m anticipating a good number of them.  We’ll see Felipe Smith and Tradd Moore starting a brand new car-driving Ghost Rider, Jason Latour teaming with Mahmud Asrar on Wolverine and the X-men, Kelly Sue DeConnick returning to Captain Marvel, and Mike Allred on Silver Surfer.  Add to that list this week’s Black Widow #1 by Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto.  Edmondson has a knack for collaborating with exceptional artists, and he’s done it again here.  Who doesn’t want to see Phil Noto illustrate a Black Widow series?  Start the year on a good note with this comic, and don’t forget about those other upcoming debut issues hitting the shelves soon.  

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.

JUSTIN’S PICK :: MARVEL NOW WHAT #1: Marvel Comics have a pretty decent track record of self-parody, from Not Brand Echh, to the wonderful send-ups by Fred Hembeck, on through to Chris G’s Mini Marvels. The tradition continues with Marvel Now What #1, an anthology guaranteed to tickle the McRibs of many-a Marvelite. The Skottie Young cover alone is worth the price of admission, but you can rest assured that the House of Ideas has plenty of yuks lurking in these pages. Now, can we just get a third series of Strange Tales? Please?

SETH’S PICK :: NOVA #3:  Like many of us who grew up reading comics, I freely admit that I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for the characters I loved when I was a kid.  You might have even heard me in the store extolling the virtues of the nineties comic, New Warriors, which was one of those books I loved.  I say all that to say that even though this new Nova isn’t the same one I grew up with, I knew I’d give it a shot.  What has surprised me about this new book is how much it reminds me of the innocence of old Marvel Comics.  I’ve never been a diehard fan of Jeph Loeb, and while I’m not blown away by everything he’s doing on this series, it seems to me that he achieved exactly what he set out to this time.  It’s all about recapturing that innocent young hero for new readers.  It’s made all the better by the art team of Ed McGuinness and Dexter Vines, who are as reliable as ever.  It’s old school Marvel cosmic characters for a new age, and it’s actually quite fun.

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 :: UNCANNY X-FORCE #1: I know there’s a substantial fanbase of Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-force among our blog readers, and I happily count myself among you.  We all know and respect the work Remender, Opena and Ribic did on the title, but it’s understandable to be a little skeptical about this new version.  Since I haven’t read much of his previous work, I can’t tell you much about new writer Sam Humphries, but the team he has assembled (including Spiral, Storm, Psylocke, Fantomex-ish Cluster and Puck) seems like an interesting way to start.  It’s also interesting to me that the always reliable Ron Garney will be working on this series, and that he’s moving away from his recent pencil-driven work on books like Wolverine: Weapon X to now work with an inker.  Most of the new Marvel Now books have been enjoyable, and this one has the potential for that as well.  I should also mention that Young Avengers #1 also hits shelves this week.  Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie are a consistently entertaining collaborative team, and they should work wonders with these characters. 

SETH’S PICK :: NEW AVENGERS #1: I’ll admit that, while I think Brian Bendis’ run on Avengers is respectable, it never really did much for me.  The Illuminati idea, though, was one that always seemed promising.  You’ve got Marvel’s smartest heroes secretly convening to stop threats only they can.  It’s a good idea that should realize more of its potential under the direction of new writer Jonathan Hickman.  If his Avengers title is the sprawling, huge cast facing off against even larger threats, then New Avengers looks to be the converse – a small group operating in a more hidden manner. If you’re a fan of Black Panther like me, you’ll be happy to know that T’Challa will also be a big part of New Avengers.  I’d also be remiss not to mention that the artist of this book is Steve Epting, who did some nice work with Hickman on Fantastic Four.  I’m not exactly sure what the pair has planned for this title, but I’m betting it’s worth a look.