Archive for the 'Shop Crap' Category

Week of May 14th

Published on May 13, 2012 in Best Bets, Comics, Reviews-comics and Shop Crap. 0 Comments

We are though the first week on the new location.  Not perfectly smooth (no phone for a week, promises on computers/systems/screens not delivered, lack of coffee brewers, not enough hours in the day… the list goes on and on) but as a whole, it has worked and I think for the best.

Here are some pics of the new digs:

 

The “End of an Era” party was a huge success.  I want to thank all the artists – Ron Wagner, Tyler Walpole, Carter Allen, Tom Finley and Jason Wright – for coming out and being part of the great goodbye.  I hope everyone enjoyed the festivities.  It was not like anything I’d ever seen in the store.  Busier than ever and just a really cool vibe.  Hell, there were people out front just sitting around and even some playing music.  It was all kind of cool.

 

A few things about the new location.  We have coffee… for free.  We have some seating.  You are more than welcome to come and sit and surf the net or work on school or work or free time, er, work… whatever.  Yes, we have had to cut down the space for lounging, but some of it is still there.  Come get your books, stay for awhile.  We will also have some sodas stocked and are fine with you bringing in Ground for Celebration drinks.

The future looks bright.  If things progress in the right direction (and the city isn’t a bunch of complete idiots – yes, a stretch for this bunch) the Des Moines Social Club will be moving into the firehouse on 9th and Mulberry.  We have been asked if we would like to be their coffee shop.  It sounds like a good match and could, if it happens, mark the first comic book shop in downtown Des Moines.  …and we would do full scale coffee again.

 

It is, to some extent, sad to end the shop on the south side, but our time there had run its course.  It doesn’t mean there weren’t any good times, but that just that we hope to make many more in this new space.  Ten years is a LONG time for any business, especially one with some real drawbacks (location, visibility and corporate level competition established by your own landlord) but we made it through… WITH YOUR HELP.  For the first ten years, I want to thank you all.  Customers are the life blood of all businesses, especially small ones.  Without you, we are not still here.  On to the next ten years.

 

(A quick shout out to a couple coffee customers that were like no others.  Don on computers, the caramel guy – who in five years I’m sure I was told your name, and just called you the caramel guy – Carol of the Soy latte, Jamie creator of the Around the Horn, Don of the toddy coffee and Gary – the most regular customer we had, even on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.   Most of all though, Bonnie and Mel.  You two have become like a second set of parents to me over the years.  I will miss most of the coffee customers very much, but Bonnie, I will miss you the most.

 

 

Really nice article on Ron…

Joe Lawler had a great article back a week plus ago on the incomparable Ron Wagner.  It is very much worth a read and can be found on the Des Moines Register’s website.

If you have never met Ron, you should get another chance soon.  I have plans for a few signings in mind for the rest of the year (the new shop should work well for signings) and I hope that Ron will come back.  I don’t think he hated the end of an era signing too much.

 

 

Ronnie’s Best Bets…

Before I attempt to persuade y’all on how to spend your money, I wanna apologize for the site being so quiet lately.  The Cup crew has been way stupid busy with the move, and for some reason our personal lives wouldn’t pause for it.  The act of sitting down meant passing out, not writing.  Also, I wanna say that after the first week, things are falling into place at the new shop… and believe me, it is a total upgrade.  I hope y’all feel the same.  I know I feel awesome about the future of the place.  I feel bad for the coffee only customers, but Matt has already gone over the reasons why with most of you.  It is as it is, but hopefully in the future we can serve you again.

If you are one of our many new customers, Welcome.  Glad to have ya!  My name is Ronnie, I am the shop elf, and I blackmailed Matt into letting me get a few words in every week.  You’ve been warned…

 

Best Bets for this week -

This week brings us the third issue of four really, really good new series.  This creator owned renaissance we are seeing right now is one of the best things to happen to the medium for a long time.  Couldn’t be better timing either, what with the Big Two trying to prove whose gimmick is bigger.  We will see new stuff from:

The Manhattan Projects – the first of the two new Jonathan Hickman written ongoing series at Image. This story takes alternate history, science fiction, the occult, secret military operations and wraps it all up in WWII.  And it works really well.  The first two issues were easily 5 Star comics.

Saga – The much hyped, underprinted (by design?) new sci-fi series from Brian K Vaughn and Fiona Staples is off to an excellent start.  I’m sure you’ve heard enough about it, and the praise is all completely on the mark.  As long as it stays on time-ish and focused, this will be a fun ride.  The art from Staples is worth the cover price itself, especially the doublesized first issue.  The second issue had one of the scariest page turns this side of Hellboy.   Also 5 Stars so far.

Saucer Country – Each of the first two issues could easily be published as an art tutorial book, showing the kids how to draw realistic, memorable characters and settings without relying on flashy poses and impossible muscles.  Ryan Kelly is just fantastic.  I so wish he would do lots more than he has.  The writing itself is just as good.  If the thought of a presidential candidate getting abducted by aliens makes you smile, try this out.  It is an election year after all. 5 Stars as well.

Also, issue three of The Secret History of DB Cooper is due out.  Another alternate history mixed with sci-fi, but this time starring one of my folk heroes, the infamous DB Cooper.  First two issues show promise, I’m interested to see where it goes.

 

Do yourself a favor and check these series out, they make comics a good place.

 

Speaking of excellent use of the medium, Scalped #58 is due out, which means the final issue #60 is right around the corner.  I’ve screamed it from the rooftops, this is the best series I have ever read, most intense series I have ever read, possibly the most important series I have ever read.  I really hope creators Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera have something else up their sleeves, there is going to be a big void in comics when they publish the last Scaled issue.  If you haven’t read it, I feel bad for you.  But, I can easily get you the trades whenever you want.  You got no excuses and in three years when this is spoken in the same snobby circles that Sandman and Preacher are regarded in… well, you will wish you hadn’t waited so long.

 

I am looking forward to reading all those, plus The Sixth Gun #22 and Conan The Barbarian #4.  Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan are making Conan much more enjoyable than I expected.  It’s one of my wife’s current favorites too.  I suppose I will probably also get around to all my usual Gotham City fare, for better or worse.

What are you gonna read?

 

Last week I really enjoyed the end of the Lobster Johnson mini-series and Fatale finished it’s first arc in grand style.  It was also great to see Tyler Walpole, Des Moines’ Native Son, return to the covers of Dungeons and Dragons.  Mind the Gap #1 is off to a hell of a start.  Kinda of an old school whodunit with 48 pages and no ads, it’s well worth the 6 cents a page at $2.99, even if the art is a bit plastic (in my opinion.)

This Night of The Owls mini crossover has been a little under whelming, not quite delivering on the promise Snyder gave us over the first 8 issues of the main Batman title.  Batman and Robin #9 was actually pretty good, even if Batman #9 was pretty anti-climatic.  Batgirl #9 was throwaway filler crap. Man, that whole title has been a tragic mistake.  If they were to retcon anything after only nine issues…. oh, and both Detective Comics #9 and Batwing #9 were forgettable.

What did you like last week?

 

 

I asked RJ to return to do a review of a book he had been very excited about and then I was so busy last week I never found time to even get it copied, pasted and posted.  RJ, I am very sorry for that, but it is here finally, unfortunately after – rather than before it “officially” came out.

MIND THE GAP #1

Written by Jim (Return of the Dapper Men, Necrosha: Dazzler) McCann, and art by Rodin (Morning Glories) Esquejo and Sonia (X-Force, X-23) Oback; Mind The Gap is long-form fiction, in the same vein as Morning Glories (also from Image…also a book you should be reading), only this time it’s an (attempted) murder mystery.  McCann takes a page from mystery writers by using this first issue to introduce readers to all of the major characters, and mentions in the text piece at the end of the book, that at least one of these characters is behind the attack that is the impetus of the series.  Apparently at the end of Mind The Gap #1, you know everyone you need to know…you know the what, now as the series progresses, we will discover the “why”.

If straight-up ‘whodunits’ aren’t your thing, let me make it clear that there’s more to Mind The Gap than a simple attempted murder and figuring out who did it and why.  There’s a supernatural element to this story that at first seems like a way to work the central character into the book as a part of narrative, but by the last page, you find out that there’s a lot more going on here than just exercising creative license…and provides the book a reason for continuing longer than what a murder-mystery s/could without overstaying its welcome.

If you’re tired of people going on and on about how Batwoman is “the best looking comic on the shelves”, good news: MIND THE GAP makes Batwoman look like amateur hour,  and barring one of the classic master painters resurrecting and getting into comics, you’re not going find a more beautiful looking book from any publisher currently available.  Marvel fans should be familiar with Sonia Oback’s work, having done work on Uncanny X-Men, X-Force, and the second X-23 mini-series from a few years back; and Rodin Esquejo provides the absolutely stunning and lifelike covers of Morning Glories that you may have seen as you all pass it over every month…I read more than a fair share of comics each month, and I honestly can’t even point to any other book that’s currently being published and is in the same league as Mind The Gap.

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the new Image books these days…mainly, I suspect, based on people trying to make sure they get their hands on the ‘next’ Walking Dead or Chew (read: make a huge return-on-investment), but the fact that they seem to keep selling out, issue after issue, means that the people buying up all the new #1′s like what they’re reading and coming back for more, and Mind The Gap is just as quality as Saga, Fatale, or America’s Got Powers.   At 44 pages, for only $2.99, Mind The Gap is a steal. There’s absolutely no excuse for passing it up in lieu of any of the stuff that Marvel or DC is throwing your way (especially since the delay that pushed Mind The Gap from May 2 to May 9 made it avoid direct competition with Avengers Vs. X-Men and the ‘big’ New 52 Next Wave debuts).

Note from Dark Horse Editor Sierra Hahn on the Massive…

Why you should buy and read Brian Wood’s THE MASSIVE?

I’ve known Brian Wood for about seven years. We first met when I was hired on at DC Comics to do publicity. Wow. I can’t believe that much time has passed, and, oh, how so much has changed. At that time, Vertigo published about 75 percent of my favorite titles, and I quickly maneuvered myself into the position of publicist for the imprint. Brian and Riccardo Burchielli’s DMZ was one of the first titles I worked on, and I got to know Brian pretty well during my two years at the company.

 

When I made the leap to Dark Horse Comics to try my hand at editing, I kept in touch with Brian and pestered him often about bringing creator-owned work to Dark Horse and also gauged his interest in series like Buffy or Conan. As you know, the prospect of working on the Conan title stuck, and it’s proven to be a big success for you and for Dark Horse.

 

But my initial goal remained: to get a creator-owned series up and running. That project is THE MASSIVE—a series that Brian worked on and refined for several years before he finally penned the first issue last summer. Kristian Donaldson (whom Brian worked with previously on Supermarket) came on board as interior artist, fleshing out a big world plagued by a series of unpredictable, enormous, landscape-changing natural disasters. The result is the loss of millions of lives, a worldwide economic crash, and overall political upheaval. At the core of this series are three central characters—Cal, Mary, and Mag—who are seafaring environmentalists struggling to find purpose as the world they’ve spent their lives saving crumbles around them. Living aboard a ship, the extended crew must redefine their core mission (how to save a world that’s already lost) while on the hunt for their missing sister ship The Massive.

 

THE MASSIVE is a series about people and their struggle to not just survive one another, but a world that is slowing turning its back on civilization. It’s a series rife with mystery, evolving politics, and an examination of humanity’s willingness to exhaust resources at the risk of destroying itself.

 

Each issue of THE MASSIVE will include additional content exclusive to the individual comic books, including photos, artwork, maps, and personal notes and journal entries from Captain Callum Israel and other significant characters. It’s a big world that explores big ideas. For all of us behind the scenes on this series, there is a lot of fun to be had in creating this exclusive content, but it’s also one way that we can bring readers closer to the characters and the ongoing struggles that will plague them in these unregulated seas.

 

I’ve long been drawn to Brian’s work because of his ongoing examination of the world’s political climate. Whether or not I agree with his characters’ perspectives on varying political policies, I am continually enlightened, challenged, and entertained by his work—DMZ, Channel Zero, The Northlanders, and, yes, THE MASSIVE. He also manages to work with some of the most exciting artists in comics right now (you gotta check out what Kristian and Dave Stewart are making together . . . breathtaking). Not only that, but all of the books mentioned above have had proven track records of success in your stores. Come June, I hope that you, the retailers, and your customers alike will discover THE MASSIVE—a new world and new characters with great creators from Dark Horse Comics.

What’s not to love?

Sierra Hahn

Editor, Dark Horse Comics

 

The Week of April 30th

Published on April 29, 2012 in Best Bets, Reviews-comics and Shop Crap. 0 Comments

The winds of change are blowing with gale force and to load on top of everything, Comic Book Day is Saturday.  Most of the info is below.

 

New location coming Saturday May 5th

2608 Beaver Ave.

It has been a long time in coming, but it is almost here.  The new shop is nearly ready to open.

Many are sad that we are leaving the south side.  Yes, I feel for you.  I wish it wasn’t so, but we had little to no options to stay, either on the south side or in our current space.  If you want more details, please ask me when you see me.  I will do my best to help you understand.

Yes, we are losing the prepared for profit coffee aspect of the shop.  This isn’t as big a deal as you might think.  We’ve been squeezed out so badly over the last couple years by the unmentionable wretched neighbors we’ve had moved in near us, but our comic business has sky rocketed.  To lose this aspect, yes, we lose a part that might make us special, but really the costs of running a coffee shop are much larger than you might think.

Instead, we are going to offer FREE brewed drip coffee to customers who browse or buy or just hang out.  This is our gift to you.  Some will say “that is insane.”  (In the coming weeks I will be explaining the grease interceptor ordinance and then you will say “THAT is insane.”  We would be doing prepared coffee and offering beer if not for this.  Want to complain about it, complain to a council member or a board of supervisor.  It is the Water Reclamation Authority, not us who decided the fate of the espresso machine.)  Also, our good friends at Grounds for Celebration are located just across the street from us.  My recommendation, pull into their drive though and order up your mocha or your latte and then come on over and get comics.  All the baristas at Grounds are as good as any of us at the Cup.  Seriously.  Except maybe Ronnie, but he has special powers.

The neighborhood we are moving into has already shown so many signs of embracing us too.  I can not say enough good things about Beaverdale, but will let you know about all of them over the next couple months.  However, the biggest thing I have seen from our new shop is the visibility we will now have from the road and the walk and ride by traffic that is near constant.  This is something we have NEVER had where we’ve been for the last ten years.

Listen, it is a tough racket to run a small business in today’s economic and political climate.  Politicians love to say how much they support us, neighborhoods, landlords and areas of town do too.  But in the end the proof is in the pudding.  Yes, we could stay where we are, and we would not be in existence in two years time.  Period, end of debate.  We have to look out for two things in this, the business itself (our livelihoods, because as much as it sometimes doesn’t sound like it, we like doing this) and you the regular customer.  You will like the new shop and the things to come.

 

New Hours at New Beaverdale Location:

On May 5th we will be open at 9:00 am for Free Comic Book Day

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday – Noon to 5:00pm

Wednesday – 8:00am to 10:00pm

Thursday, Friday and Saturday – 10:00am to 9:00pm

 

Old Shop Hours starting May 5th through May 12th

May 5th – 9:00am to 5:00pm

May 6th through May 12th 9:00am to Noon

 

Friday Night, End of an Era Party

Our last full day is this Friday!!  So, we are going out with a bang.  The End of an Era party starts (officially) at 9:00pm, but we will all be there earlier getting things packed up and set up for the move, but I’m getting ahead of myself.  You are welcome to come at any time.

We will have the typical Free Beer and several artists doing signing and sketching.  We will also have a killer sale on Trades and our old wall.  Plan on some significant discounts.  If it isn’t there when it is time to pack, so much the better.

Also, we’ll have some great coffee discounts as we will need to keep you up so you can help pack.

At midnight, some of the Free Comic Book Day books will be put out.  Then a plea will be put out at 12:15, you can stay and if you want and help us pack up the comics.  We are moving over night and with a little help will open the next morning at the new location.  (We will also be open at the south side shop too on Saturday.)  Why the move to be open on the 5th?  Well….

 

Free Comic Book Day 2012

Yes, the launch of the new shop happens to coincide with Free Comic Book Day.  Much like last year, we will have a midnight release of some of the books (those slightly more geared towards adults) and all of them the next morning at both shops.

This year there will be a limit though.  In years past I have railed on how greedy of a “holiday” this is.  How it brings out the worst in some collectors and how it is NOT free for the retailer.  I’m not going into all that again, as I simply don’t have time.  I’ll sum up my feelings with this, the day needs some fixing from the top (Diamond) and since it is not coming any time soon, we will have to fix it from our end, the retailer.

I have talked with Jeremy at Mayhem and our distributor, Diamond, and we all agree that most shops limit the number of books you can have for free.  Some shops do things differently, but we are going to try something a little more progressive.

We will have a limit this year though.  In years past, the books are gobbled up by free loaders we see once a year, Free Comic Book Day.  You can have six books for free.  DC and Marvel has two releases

Each, those are for everyone.  Then you can have four more of any type.  All others after that we are asking for a donation to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.  (This is merely the first of what we hope to be many events throughout the year with them.  Stay tuned.)

 

Here is a list of the books that will be available and for more info you can go here:

ATOMIC ROBO & FRIENDS           BUFFY/THE GUILD           MEGA MAN       SMURFS & DISNEY FAIRIES

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG                  STAR WARS SERENITY    TOP SHELF KIDS CLUB

TRANSFORMERS #80.5                  WALT DISNEYS DD COMICS          BURT WARD BOY WONDER

CENSORED HOWARD CRUSE       DC COMICS THE NEW 52 #1         DC/SUPERMAN FAMILY FLIP BOOK

MARVEL HEROCLIX AVENGERS FIG          MOOMIN COLOR SPECIAL            MOUSE GUARD HC

SPIDER-MAN SEASON ONE          WITCHBLADE                     YO GABBA GABBA FCB TIME

ANIMAL PLANET WORLD MOST DANGEROUS     ANTARCTICS ZOMBIE KID

ARCANA PRESENTS INTRINSIC                   AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON POINT ONE

BAD MEDICINE #1                            BONGO FREE-FOR-ALL /SPONGEBOB      JURASSIC STRIKEFORCE 5

LADY DEATH THE BEGINNING                     OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK MARKETPLACE

ROCKHEAD & ZINC ALLOY 2-FOR-NONE                 VALIANT PREVIEW          VOLTRON FORCE

DINOSAURS VERSUS ALIENS                       GRAPHIC ELVIS PREVIEW              IMAGE 20

PEANUTS ADV TIME FLIPBOOK                  THE HYPERNATURALS

 

A delay to make you aware of…

Due to the tragic head on collision with a driver in the wrong lane of an interstate and a Diamond shipping truck late last week, the following comics will be unavoidably delayed a week:

AVENGERS X-SANCTION HC
FCBD 2012 2000 AD JUDGE DREDD SPEC
FURY MAX #1
MIND THE GAP #1
RICH JOHNSTONS THE AVENGEFULS #1
SPAWN #219
STAR TREK ONGOING #8

AND REORDERS OF AVENGERS VS X-MEN #2 2ND PTG

Sorry for the inconvenience.  Most should ship next week.

 

 

Learn from history or be doomed to repeat it…

Found a great article on a bill worming its way through Congress that if passed would label all video game with “Warning: Exposure to violent video games has been linked to aggressive behavior.”  Where did I find this article, on the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s web site.  That would be because the ACLU is using the erroneous verbiage back in the 1950’s that violent comic books caused juvenile delinquency to fight the passage of the bill.  Most certainly worth a look.

 

Chad’s Comic Corner…

The Goon #39 All by Eric Powell, except coloring by Dave Stewart

Hey guys, bear with me here as this is the first comic review I’ve written.  Matt asked me if I could write one to help him out for this week.  I guess he must be a little busy or something.

If you guys aren’t reading The Goon you really, really need to be.  Hopefully this review can help convince some of you to give it a try.

I myself just recently discovered The Goon a little under a year ago and now can’t imagine my comic reading experience without it; consistently one of the best books when it comes out.  How I went so long without it in my life is beyond me.

Issue 39, or the 1st 39th issue, is a perfect jumping on point for new readers, though any Goon is a good spot to jump on.  All you need to know is that the big guy with the cool hat, that’s the Goon and his weird little buddy is named Frankie.  They do stuff and most of the time it is pretty funny.

“Death of the Goon” is the issue where everything changes and everything is new!  Nothing will be the same again!  We find out Goon’s new origin, he also gets a couple new costumes… wait, this sounds like a superhero book?  Oh, that’s the point.  The entire issue is Powell’s plea to look beyond the superhero books and find the real quality in comics.  Powell hammers the point home with a letter to you the reader that’s a call to arms for people to support books that aren’t coming from the big two.

There’s so much out there people.  The Goon really should be outselling Avenging Spider-Man (Maybe it is, Matt? – yes, but barely.)  Creator owned comics need your help, you’re their only hope.  There’s something out there for everyone whether it be Sci Fi, Horror, Crime, Humor, Alternate History or all of those mashed together.  So vote with your wallet…. and come in and buy some Goon trades.

 

Ronnie’s Best Bets…

X-O Manowar #1 –Written by Robert Venditti, Art by Cary Nord and Stefano Gaudiano

Valiant comics makes it return beginning this week with X-O Manowar.  Once a wildly popular publisher selling in the millions of issues under the watchful eye of Jim Shooter with creators like Jimmy Palmiotti, Mark Waid, Rags Morlaes and David Lapham, Valiant was known for having a large roster of titles that all took place in the same universe in a very tight-knit, seamless continuity (something only the Mike Mignola-Verse titles seem to be pulling off these days).  X-O Manowar, I’ve heard described as Conan in an Iron Man suit in space, was one of their most popular titles.  This will be the first of the publisher’s relaunch, with Harbinger, Bloodshot and Archer & Armstrong to follow throughout the summer.

 

Night of The Owls Bat-over begins

The first major crossover of the new DC starts with the #9 issues of Batwing and Detective Comics. Spinning out of Scott Snyder’s awesome Batman run, each Batman Family title will feature the title character battling The Court of Owls.   will not be joining in the fun, but Jonah Hex will be in his All-Star Western.

 

DC’s second wave of new (replacement?) titles begin this week -

Earth 2

Once the home of the JSA and the Golden Age version of most DC characters, this Earth 2 will be a new James Robinson written version.  Looks to be more violent and darker than previous versions.  I suppose that’s how DC will make Alan Scott and Jay Garrick more relevant?

 

World’s Finest

A Power Girl/Huntress team up title, apparently the Paul Levitz written Huntress miniseries from the New 52 first wave is being retconned, to be replaced with the original Paul Levitz created Earth 2 Huntress.  This will be the first major retcon of this new redesigned, streamlined, better-than-ever universe (?).  What?  Yeah, I don’t get it either…

Other New, New DC 52 are Dial H for Hero and GI Combat.  Also, considered in the re-re-launch/boot is a new number one of Batman Inc.

 

Action Comics #9

Not to be outdone in the parallel universe game, Grant Morrison will also be featuring stories of three earths in Action Comics #9.  Could this be the start of Elseworlds in the new DC?

 

I’m looking forward to reading Animal Man, Pigs and Swamp Thing, as well as checking out XO Manowar. I’m sure I’ll get the Night of The Owls issues too. What are you gonna get?

 

The Week of April 22nd

Published on April 22, 2012 in Best Bets, Comics, Preview and Shop Crap. 0 Comments

New Shop

We are ever closer to opening day for our new location, 2608 Beaver Ave.

If you know all about this, skip on down to the bits of “news” on some great new series set to come out soon.  If you don’t know about it, here are some details.

We are starting the switch over from old shop on Fleur to New Shop in Beaverdale over night between May 4th and 5th.  We will have an End of an Era party starting around 8:00, that will include artists signings, specials, sales and free beer as well as laying out some of the free comic book day books at midnight.

Than we pack.

The comic book switch over will happen in the dead of night and in the first glimmers of the new dawn, 9:00 am, we will reopen in Beaverdale for a big grand opening and Free Comic Book Day event that will go all day and will also have artists signings, specials, sales and free coffee.

Anyone who would like to stay and help us move, is more than welcome too, though no one will be looked down on if you opt for bed.  Only the insane do something like this.

Sometime this week we should have the first pics of the front room of the new shop up on facebook.

 

I know some have bitched about this move.  It is nothing personal, it is NOT a slight to the south side.  I live on the south side of Des Moines.  If we could stay, we would.  However, after ten years, you must understand that financially, you need to consider what is best for a business first and this is what is best.  I can’t really tell you about all the amazing things we could have in store for the future, but they are great.  The new shop will be great.  I promise.

Next week I’ll have a list of new hours and hours for the old shop for the remainder of its existence.

 

New Sin City?!?…

Looks like a second Sin City movie is finally going to see the light of day AND start filming as early as this summer!  “yeah, yeah, we’ve heard this before.”  I think this time we might be actually be headed toward it happening though.  ComicsAlliance had a nice article about it.

What was so amazing about the first film was the accuracy of the translation.  There has NEVER been a better adaptation of comics to film and probably never will be.  If you think back, the original was what REALLY launched the comic to film insanity.  I don’t care what anyone says.  It was Frank Miller, as insane as he is, it is HIS work that is responsible for big companies taking the risk with Iron Man, Thor, Batman, whatever.  It started with Frank.

So, something to hope for out of this, besides another great Rodriguez movie with a ton of death, killing and accuracy to the source material, is the possibility of new Sin City comics… probably published by Dark Horse too.  That is good for everyone.

 

The Massive…

Some of you may know about this book, the rest of you will.  Coming in June from Dark Horse is Brian Wood’s new creator owned book, The Massive.  It is a story of what happens after the end of the world, but unlike most post apocalyptic stories, it will run like DMZ and be set in as close to reality as it is possible with a futuristic story like this.  Some sort of Science Fact, not fiction, if you can have such a thing about future thinking stories.

Over the next month, Ronnie and I will be bringing you a near weekly update on this book and collected Channel Zero (also coming from Dark Horse soon.)  I want to see The Massive as one of our biggest sellers.  I think that won’t be a problem after seeing the huge increase in Conan, after adding Brian Wood as the writer (quadrupled sales with him writing it.)

Just prepare yourself, The Massive is coming.

 

Tiny Titans, not done just yet… Superman Family ready to Launch…

I had a conversation with Art Baltazar at C2E2 and asked him many questions (if you’ve never met him or Franco, they are – without a doubt – some of the best people working in the industry) not the least of which was about what happened with Tiny Titans.

If you don’t know the book ended on issue 50 last month and as a retailer, I can tell you we were showing increased sales every month for the last year plus.

Art told me that it was not cancelled, it was stopped.  DC wanted to relaunch the series with a new number one and the creators were reluctant to cheapen it with the gimmicky restart.  So, a compromise was reached when they were asked what they wanted to do.  They said why not a superman series.  Hence the upcoming Superman Family Adventures, which will be highlighted in the FCBD release from DC.  I have read the little story and can tell you they have the essence of the character Superman better than anyone has for many, many years.

Also, Art said that Titans will be in an upcoming issue of Superman Family and will return in a new volume in the future.  So, fear not Tiny Titans fans.  They will return.  Ah, Yeah!!

As an aside, last year I told Art that sales on Tiny Titans was more than Amazing Spider-man, which prompted him to stand and shout, “I OUT SELL SPIDER-MAN IN – where you from?”  uh, Des Moines… “IN IOWA!!!  AH, YEAH!!!”

As an aside to the aside, everyone who was getting Tiny Titans need not worry about even talking to me about Superman Family, I am just moving your pull over to the new book.

 

Punk Rock Jesus!…

Just announced is the July release of Punk Rock Jesus, a six-issue mini-series written and illustrated by the super awesome Sean Murphy, to be published by Vertigo Comics.

Sean has been hinting and teasing about this project for years.  Best known for his work on Joe The Barbarian with Grant Morrison and American Vampire: Survival of The Fittest with Scott Snyder, and infamous for Jason Aaron’s run on Hellblazer (and Scarecrow: Year One, but I digress).  He also showed off his writing ability in Off Road.

Punk Rock Jesus, what the heck could that be about? According to Sean himself:

“Punk Rock Jesus is my next OGN about what would happen if a major broadcasting company tried to do a reality show of Jesus Christ by cloning him from the Shroud of Turin.  Mayhem ensues between different types of fans: religious people who love/hate the show, angry politicians worried about Jesus running for president one day and scientists who morally appose (sic) cloning.  Eventually the project collapses and the young clone has a breakdown when the show “eliminates” his mother because of ratings.  He runs away, tells the world that he’s an atheist, and fights the power by starting a punk band, The Flack Jackets.  His bodyguard is the witness to the whole epic, reminding him of his own IRA struggle in Belfast when he was young, fighting a different sort of power.  The script is meant to bring up different types of beliefs and comment heavily on the poor state of our country and terrorism in general.”

So, why should you care?  Not only will this series have some of the best art on the shelves, but it will do what comics do well.  An ambitious, nutty plot entertaining the crap out of you, while it also questions and explores topics that most popular media won’t touch.  The very reasons why you loved Preacher, The Invisibles, Transmetropolitan and, I suppose, Crossed.  Every time a series successfully breaks barriers like this, the medium, as a whole, is moved forward.

I’ve got a gut feeling this will be one of the best series of 2012, and I urge all of you to give it a shot.  I believe it will be solicited in the May Previews catalog in a couple weeks, so make sure you pre-order it.  (If you’ve never done a Previews pre-order, just ask the jerk at the counter how.  It’s simple and not only ensures you will get what you want, but lets us know what our customers want and helps us order and stock more accurately.)  Otherwise, this will be the series you’ll be pissed you could only get a 2nd print of, or pay out your nose on E-bay.

Murphy sums up his reasoning for doing this project thusly, “I’d be neglecting my responsibilities as an artist and an atheist if I put off Punk Rock Jesus any longer. Especially in an election year.”  Man, this series is going to rock!

 

Ronnie’s Best Bets

BPRD: Hell on Earth – The Pickens County Horror #2 of 2

If there is one book this week I can honestly recommend, it would be this two issue mini-series.  The first issue was excellent, along with one of the best covers in recent memory (Becky Cloonan.)

If you have never read BPRD, this is your perfect chance to find out why it is so consistently one of the best series every month.  The shop has a few copies of #1 left, but ask nicely and I can get more.  Get it, love it.  No excuses.

I’m also gonna grab All-Star Western #8, American Vampire #26, Spaceman #6 and Pigs #7. Probably take a look at The New Deadwardians #2, the first issue showed some real promise.

What are you gonna get?

 

The Week of April 9th

Published on April 9, 2012 in Best Bets, Comics, Events and Shop Crap. 0 Comments

Little punchy as I write this.  Haven’t slept much this week.  Some writing below may be marginally vulgar and barely coherent, but what else is new.. Hardy, Har, Har.

 

Yep, we are still moving…

Urgh.  Is it June yet?

Yes, we are still moving – for those of you who are sad we are moving.

No, it is not May and we have not yet moved – for those of you who are happy we are moving to 2608 Beaver Avenue, right in the heart of the Beaverdale business district.

The big event will take place over a two day period.

Friday, May 4th we will have an End of an Era party starting at 8:00.  This will have a slew of artists signing and sketching, big “we don’t want to move all this” sales, drink specials and free beer.  At midnight we will put out some of the free comic book day selections.  (I say some, because some of them will be put out the next morning at the new shop.)  Then at 12:15 we start packing.  Everyone who would like to stick around and help is welcome.

Saturday, May 5th we open at the new shop at 9:00am.  We will have face painting for kids, a few straggler artists that either didn’t go home or couldn’t make Friday’s event.  It’ll also launch our Free Coffee for the People initiative.  (As you may know we are not going to be able to serve coffee beverages for profit at the new shop, so we have decided to just give the coffee away for free.  You come in and browse, you can have free coffee.)

The old shop will continue on very limited hours after the fifth.

Any questions on the great switch, please ask.

 

Best Deal of the Year…

In the April Preview’s catalogue is one of the coolest damn shirts ever released in the comic industry, a Fish Canner’s replica jersey.  “What is a Canner’s jersey?” you might ask.  This is a replica jersey T-shirt as worn by the Dockside Fighting Fish-Canners.  These are nearly the same stellar jerseys worn by Wide Receiver Freddy “The Fink” Finkle, Center Zeke “Potato Cake” Herbert and Quarterback Art “Pretty Boy” Moon.  The almost exactly same jerseys worn by the multi-ejected, repeated referee kindney puncher and fullback Ray “Bloody” Nabranski.  These are the just about exact jersey worn by franchise rushing record holder (423 yards in one game!!) The Goon.

The shop has had a few hockey jerseys for some lame rec league team before, but those are dumb in comparison to these gems.  Green, black and light blue with the Canner’s logo on the front, you can show your Dockside pride with style now.

“Wow Mister, I’ve always wanted one of those!  How can I gets it and do you offers a special deal for us simple folk?”  Sure do!  If you pre-order and pre-pay we will give you a 25% discount!! The jersey is normally $34.99 and offered in Medium, Large and Extra Large (also in Double Extra Large, but it costs two dollars more.)  They are expected to ship on July 18th.  Order Now!!

When we have our Iowa Cubs night at Sec Taylor Stadium (“Hey, dummy, it’s called Princip…” Shut your pie hole, I’ll call it what I want!!) you can then wear the official jersey of the shop!

(Disclaimer: Possible softball before possible not yet set game; night at I-Cubs won’t even possibly happen until late July.  Don’t pester me about this.  I have other things on my brain right now.)

 

The F@#%ing Eisner Awards…

I was going to list out the nominees for this year’s Eisner awards in the weekly for you.  Thought you all might like to see what was honored with what most consider the highest marks in comics.  The Eisner’s are thought of, by some, as the equivalent of the Academy Awards (or Oscars) in film.

However, as I was cutting and pasting I noticed two GLARING omissions!!  Because of this, you can look them up on your own because if these two didn’t get a nod, seriously, there is something so wrong you don’t need to see them.

The first is the first volume of the Rocketeer.  There was not a better anthology published last year (or in the last ten years) and that includes Dark Horse Presents.  How this near perfect comic series could be left off either best mini-series or best anthology means the committee is either blind or dumb.  (I vote both!)  Sure they got a few nominations right, like some of their kid title nominees and Usagi is back on the nominations again – why it was missing the last couple years as the quality has not dropped but gotten better, I do not know – and they included a few mild nominations for some very deserving writers like Mark Waid on Daredevil, but then I read…

That Dave Stewart wasn’t nominated for best coloring!!  They need to name the award after him he has won it so many times.   How good is Dave Stewart?  He is listed on the cover of Dark Horse Books he colors!  Colorists are artists too and Dave Stewart is the best.  To leave him off means there are five more deserving of HIS award then him, and that is a crock of sh!t.  You can disagree with me on any facet of comics you would like and you may have some validity to your poorly worded argument, but Dave Stewart is the best damn colorist working in the industry.  Period.  There is NO discussion.

These awards are either worthless or fixed.  (Why fixed?  See two years ago when best series was won by The Walking Dead, right before the TV show came out.  That is how fixed they are.)

So, f#$% the Eisner Awards!  I’m done with them.  There will not be any signs in the shop about them and there will be no more tabs telling you what won best series and writer and artist.  You disrespect the best, you are dead to me.

 

It has been brought to my attention…

A good customer was in the shop today and talking with the employee on duty at the time when a curious bit of info was relayed that caught my ear.

The book Astonishing X-Men #48 sends this group of X-Men including Northstar in a new direction with a major media centered event happening in issue #50 that will probably send “frothy mixture” of hate and stupidity Rick Santorum threw the roof.  However, in that issue #48 there is an editing over site that questions if an editor is even looking at the book/script/pages at all.

Editing is not an easy job.  You need to check everything from continuity to spelling to style to managing a schedule.  However, that is why there are a few different levels of editing on any one comic.  Different editors do different things.

So, in issue 48 at the beginning of the comic Northstar is called by his actual name, Jean Paul.  Then twice more in the book he is called Jean Claude, including by his boyfriend Kyle.  I understand mistakes, but come on!  I can’t even come up with a good enough reason for a no prize.  Sure, Gambit might forget or not know his name – he is just a dumb thief from the terrible dregs of nineties comic creation.  Maybe he likes Van Dame movies.  Maybe he was recently concussed during a super fight, but no way Northstar’s main squeeze forgets.

So how many editors and other staff missed this, at least six.  Come on Marvel, I get it.  He’s Canadian and you are showing your blatant discrimination.  If cancelling Alpha Flight wasn’t enough you are now intentionally messing up a great super powered Canuck’s name.  Maybe just mad because they know Lord Stanley’s Cup is headed to Vancouver this year.  Screw the Rangers.

 

Need to do some catch up on AvsX…

If you have picked up and read Avengers vs. X-Men #0 and #1 and don’t normally read either main title, you might find yourself a little lost.

Well, Comics Alliance has what you need, a little catch up.

Here is the link and though not full of lots of crazy inane facts, it is nice and fairly comprehensive.  A good starter for those of you who might need a little info.  It is all about enjoying comics, you know.

 

Ronnie’s Best Bets…

There’s quite a few interesting new series starting this week:

Secret

The second-in-a-month new ongoing series from Jonathan Hickman (FF, Manhattan Projects) teams with his Red Mass for Mars artist Ryan Bodenheim.  This title is reportedly going to explore the way private security firms have a bigger role and more power than it should and how our government likes it that way.  Also includes espionage at the highest of stakes.  Cool.

Alabaster Wolves

Written by award winning novelist Caitlin R. Kiernan, this dark fantasy story is based on her short fiction book Alabaster.  This mini-series will follow a young albino girl in the southern US as she hunts monsters and demons, something she has been doing since she was a child.  The preview art from Steve Lieber looks suitably creepy.

America’s Got Powers

Artist Bryan Hitch, who has worked on just about everything at the Big Two, and writer Jonathan Ross (Turf and longtime BBC anchor) bring us a 6 issue mini-series of a world with a whole lot of superpowered teens running around San Francisco.  Sounds a bit familiar, but instead of putting them in a special school, they are on a reality TV show competing to be a member of a superhero team… and not be dead.  The premise is pretty goofy, but the advance reviews have been really strong.

Secret Service

From writer and hype-man extraordinaire Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Nemesis, Red Son) and artist Dave Gibbons of (the original, near perfect, should be left alone) Watchmen fame comes a new series.  That’s about all I can tell you, there is next to no information released other than Mark is pretty sure this is the greatest thing that has ever happened… until his next series.

Northlanders #50

Rather than a new series, this is the last issue of a terribly underrated one.  Writer Brian Wood’s (DMZ, Channel Zero, Conan, the upcoming Massive) Viking series had many unique elements to it.  Each arc has been a standalone story of northern barbarians, which has meant you could pick up anywhere in the series without missing out on any continuity.  He has been able to secure some of the best artists in the biz to work on this series.  Great ones like Danijel Zezelj, Becky Cloonan, Ryan Kelly, Fiona Staples and Riccardo Burchielli, many of which I would never have pictured doing anything like this.  The current arc has been the longest (and best) at nine issues, with most being three to five issues capped with a one-shot.  All of them have been a complete, satisfying story.  I highly suggest that you pick up one of the trade paperbacks or a one-shot.  I never cared about Vikings (Editor’s Note – Because Ronnie is a racist against the superior Scandinavians.  Stupid Ronnie.), nor would I ever want to, but a good story is a good story.  And this has been one of the best reads out there for the last 5 years.  R.I.P.

 

I personally am looking forward to Secret and Northlanders.  Alabaster Wolves sounds interesting, so I’ll probably give that a look.  I’ll also probably grab Conan #3, Lobster Johnson #4, Saga #2, Saucer Country #2, Spongebob #8, Thief of Thieves of #3 and Unwritten #36, as well as some of the Gotham City books.

What are you gonna grab?

The Week of April 2nd

Published on April 2, 2012 in Best Bets, Events and Shop Crap. 0 Comments

Avengers vs. X-Men Party Tuesday April 3rd 7:00

The mega-crossover is nearly a pone us and to celebrate the launch of the big event we are having a party and are being allowed to sell issue one that Tuesday night.  We will also have Sales, Discounts, Prizes, first shot at Variant Covers, maybe some cake and – of course – Free Beer!

I know several of you are into costuming and by all means you are encouraged to dress as an Avenger or an X-Man.  We might try and come up with a game or two as well.

Should be a good time and think about it, what else are you doing on a Tuesday night?

 

Launch of Adventures of Nikki Harris #4, ALSO on April 3rd

Local comic creator Carter Allen will be launching issue #4 of The Adventurs of Nikki Harris Tuesday, April 3rd.  While another comic company (who must not be named) is launching their own universe-shattering event, Nikki and her friends and foes battle it out in the far future, with the fate of the galaxy at stake!  Or was it for a new iPad(tm)?  Either way, creator Carter Allen will be signing copies of the Giant-Sized issue, sketching, having the occasional beverage and offering his opinions on why the comic cross-over peaked around the time Gary Coleman met Knight Rider… or was it when Simon and Simon teamed up with Magnum P.I.?

For more info and some art check out the comic book bin AND if you want to get an earlier issue… early…  One through three are at the shop right now.

 

More on the Move…

So, we continue work on the move.

If you don’t know, we are moving to 2608 Beaver Avenue.  It is happening on May 5th and will coincide with Comic Book Day.  We plan an End of an Era Party on the 4th with big sales, a huge in-store signing and a midnight packing party followed by a crazy move to the new shop and re-opening at the Beaverdale location at 9:00 am the next morning.

We will also be open on the south side that day as well as Sunday and select hours after the 5th, but all comics will be moved overnight between the fourth and fifth.  After that move, for two weeks we will have very special hours posted online and on the door.  However, if you would still like to get your hold box at the south side location, you may, but you will have to talk to me to set that up.  Also, as change in comic collector’s lives can be a bad thing, I am making an offer to set up delivery.  I currently deliver to one account and am willing to deliver to more.  Your business is important to us and we are willing to do what we need too to make it the move right with you.

Now, coffee customers.. I don’t have as many special arrangements for you.  We have to do away with our espresso part of the business.  This is not by choice.  Ask your city why ordinances are in place to stifle growth by small business.  Ask your city and county how much fat, oil and grease we put down the drain.  Ask why an ordinance is in place that has no inspection, no exemptions but instead blankets businesses with uncompromising restrictions.  Ask why a business can’t sell coffee or serve bottled beer (lots of grease, oil and fat in a capped bottle of beer.  Yes, if I sold you a beer… in a bottle… and you drank it, handed the empty back to me, I would STILL need a grease interceptor.)  That is what we dealt with when we had to decide if we would continue doing coffee or expand to serving other beverages.  Yes, I will write MUCH more on this, you can be sure.

If you have any questions on the move, please e-mail or talk to any of us.  We will do our best to answer them.

Next week, I might have pictures posted on line of the new place.

 

Now let’s get to some comics.

Dan Didio’s Reign of Terror…

Last week Comics Alliance ran an article written by Dan DiDio, one of the five heads of the DC hydra (I think his official “department” is head of publishing) about his successes at the helm over the last ten years.  This is what he had in a form of a countdown…  (shocker that didn’t make it on there)

1. BATMAN #608/HUSH, 2. IDENTITY CRISIS, 3. GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH, 4. SUPERMAN/BATMAN: SUPERGIRL, 5. COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS, 6. INFINITE CRISIS, 7. 52, 8. SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE,

9. BATMAN, GREEN LANTERN AND THE “FIVE-YEAR-PLAN,” 10. THE NEW 52

Here’s the link with the genius’s write-ups on each of these “fantastic” selections.  Please go read it and maybe it wipes out my bitching, or maybe it strengthens it.  You be the judge.

I don’t have time to get into a long winded diatribe about A) how poor this list is ripping on each and every one of these and B) how bad of an editor/executive/whatever DiDio is/was/will be.  Instead I’m going to point out three things missing from the list.

The first is the Absolute size format.  Scott Dunbier (now of IDW) was a great editor that came up with this amazing larger format collection that, yes, did cost a fortune, but also is the finest printings of comics known in the industry.  Dunbier left DC and moved over to IDW and is responsible for the Artist Edition there.  I guess though DiDio wouldn’t want to showcase something that also shows the failure in DC to keep up with publishing, in collected form any part of its past.  Since Dunbier’s departure from the company, all the archives have also ground to a halt.  But, really, who cares, since DiDio has the new 52 to play with and DC’s history and past have been wiped clean.

I want to include Wednesday Comics in this list too, but I think it should be put with the Absolute format as it was kind-of the Absolutely best comic to come out from DC during DiDio’s run.  Like a Sunday funnies newspaper format and published once a week, with only a page of story per issue it was both a challenge to create and a marvel to be hold.

The second I would wonder about is Final Crisis.  So, one of the better written of any major crossover in comic’s history is absent.  Could this have anything to do with most of Grant Morrison’s work seems to be missing as well?  Morrison’s Batman is THE best the character has ever and probably will ever be done.  Wouldn’t this be a proud moment?  I guess if he had very little to do with it, then maybe not.  And if that is the case, at the very least the major crossover that was so amazingly well done should be one of his “accomplishments” unless it was quality and therefore not able to be added to this wretched list.

What struck me dumb by this list is how many really badly written stories (Earth One Superman, return of Supergirl) are on this list and how many of the fantastic are missing.  Maybe again this points to how bad many of the new 52 books are.  If quality is so easily overlooked at DC these days it does make it much easier to see why Justice League is their number one seller.

The Third and last is the lack of diversity of names in the creator side.  There are only the top echelon of creators in this list.  Loeb, one of the worst of the current “Top” writers in the industry is on here twice.  Johns, who is now with DiDio as one of the five heads in the DC Hydra, is on here six times.  Even JM Stracynski, who quit two very big, very high profile books during this reign of terror – I guess that didn’t make the list – is highlighted.  But Grant Morrison, arguably the best comic book writer in the industry today, has to share his “highlight” with Geoff Johns.  A comic book company is only as good as the creators who work for it and the lowering of one of the greatest, someone who should be a shining beacon of your success, is a great mistake that WILL come back to bite you in the ass.

I could continue, but DiDio does so for me.  He mentions Before Watchmen and this reminded me of what should have been on this list; the elimination of Paul Levitz as Publisher.  This should have been number one on his list of accomplishments.  You would NEVER have seen Before Watchmen or The New 52 under Levitz.  You never would have seen much of the junk done by DC in the last two years under Levitz.  Would you have seen the first legit challenge to Marvel’s dominance either?  No, I don’t think so, but quality, steady publishing would have been the norm, not the aberration.

First I need to give the devil his due, DiDio does say that all three of these could and maybe should have made his list.  But they didn’t and Earth One Superman did!  It is the worst thing, comic or other wise, I may have ever read in my life.  I quote someone close to me, “is Superman retarded in this book?  He looks like he kind of has down syndrome and acts like… we’ll he is mentally handicapped.”  That beats Final Crisis or Wednesday Comics, Dan?  Maybe you are mentally handicapped.

In closing on this horrible thing…

I’ve already written to much on a link I should never have even clicked on, but I wanted to relay a conversation I had that really sums up the New DC.  I talked to one of my favorite non regulars (as he lives in the Quad Cities not in Des Moines) this weekend.  I was amazed to hear he collects near nothing from DC anymore, but as I was talking to him I realized he is an old school collector who had been enjoying the more simplistic, less dark, less violent DC of his youth and now can’t relate to this new DC.  I agreed with everything he had to say about it and looking over this list realized we had been seeing bad for years, just at least we hadn’t been slapped in the face.  It was the reboot – that was initially, emphatically NOT a reboot – that has so disenfranchised us that we take a long look at comics in general and makes us wonder how much our youthful love of comics can be pushed before we push back and say “enough!”  Thanks Dan DiDio, that is your greatest accomplishment and your greatest disgrace.

 

Ronnie’s Best Bets…

I want to point out a few good series that you may be missing out on. Some of these series are selling out fast, but ask me and I will see about getting 2nd prints. This spring we have seen an explosion of quality creator owned series. All of these series are the kind of titles that show why comics are a very unique medium, and that there is much to be done with that medium that we haven’t seen yet.

 

The Manhattan Projects – By FF writer Jonathan Hickman with his Red Wing partner Nick Pitarra, The Manhattan Projects is an alternate history story starring the likes of Einstein and Oppenheimer. A very smart, very strange title.

For fans of Fantastic Four/FF, theoretical science, and Warren Ellis.

Second issue is scheduled for April 18th.  An under shipped second printing of number one arrives this week.

 

Peter Panzerfaust – This is another of those “classic fairy tales set in our modern world” stories, but so far it has been a ton of fun. Technically a retelling of Peter Pan, this is more of a war story than anything else. The first two issues are set in France during WWII while the Nazi’s are advancing across the country. Peter is an American caught in the crossfire while Calais falls. The art is great and so far the story has been a lot more exciting than Fables has been of late.

For fans of war stories, Fables, and big dumb fun.

Third issue is scheduled for April 11th.

 

Saucer Country – One issue in and this is already one of my favorite series. A Sci-Fiction/political mash up featuring presidential elections, alien abductions, immigration reform and saving the entire world. The art by Ryan Kelly (Local and the awesome new web comic Cocotte) is just stunning.

For fans of the West Wing, X-Files and incredible art.

Second issue is scheduled for April 11th.

 

Fatale – The current Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips title is a mix of pulpy crime and terrifying horror. It seems that any style or genre that this team tries (Criminal, Incognito), it’s gonna be one of the best titles out there.

For fans of HP Lovecraft, good Alan Moore, and Hellboy.

Issue four is scheduled for April 4th.

 

A few more to consider: Dark Horse Presents, Thief of Thieves, Saga, The Secret History of DB Cooper. Plus this spring/summer we are gonna see The Massive, a new Tank Girl series (with Jim Mahfood art!), The Channel Zero Omnibus and the re-release of Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles in an oversized 1500 page hard cover! …drool…

 

Those are some series that I believe deserve some attention from all you smart readers out there. I can guarantee they all will be a funner read than any of the Big Two’s spandex books. We seem to be in the middle of a creator-owned renaissance, which makes this a very good time to be reading comics.