AUGUST 22, 2008


Whew! Have you ever met Mark Millar and Tony Harris before? If not, then you must have missed the big shindig on Sunday, which we've been talking about nonstop for 3 months. Sucks to be you--it was awesome!



People were showing up to get in line pretty much from the time we opened the door, but it wasn't until around 1 or 2 that the story really got PACKED with people, not only waiting to meet Mark and Tony, but just plain old shopping--we cleverly held a storewide sale the same day, so there were a ton of people buying half-off back issues and trades, plus all the other stuffs. INCLUDING the exclusive War Heroes #1 Tour of Duty Edition, a special tour-only variant that you can only get at one of the 7 tour locations. Ahem, ahem, we've got a few left if anyone's looking for one--just give us a ring.

I could continue to describe the day, including the signing itself, the special guest stars Tommy Lee Edwards and Nathan Edmondson, and the thrilling afterparty replete with employee drunkenness spirit. But fortunately I've already described it, both a little bit on our blog, and a lot in the massive Flickr set devoted to the event. Check em out for more!

In other news this week, we announced today on our blog that the George Romero signing scheduled for September 19th has been cancelled. I know, I know! But apparently Mr Romero has a late-breaking film obligation which will occur at pretty much the same time as the schedule Light Factory film retrospective we were partnering with. The very nice staff at the Light Factory assure me they're trying to reschedule for early 2009, and we will almost certainly be a part of the event if so. And of course we'll let you know!

And if you need something to perk you up, there's always the big Harvey Pekar/Alison Bechdel signing coming up on October 17th, as part of the PLCMC's Novello Festival! This should be a HUGE event, so get your boogie shoes on now!

And don't forget: coming up next Saturday is the next Heroes Discussion Group, this time featuring Watchmen! This should be a good one, especially with master deconstructionalist Andy Mansell at the helm. In fact, we're expecting such a big turnout that for the first time we're going to have it on a Saturday, at 6pm. We'll meet here and then traipse tra-la-la across the street to have some dinner and drinks while we talk. So BRING CASH, which will make splitting up a big check a lot easier. Also DO NOT BRING any attitude. We have a pretty great group, so if you're a schmuck, feel free to stay at home and enjoy the Olympics instead.

Okay, and with that we'll sign off for another week. Until next Friday, keep your eyes peeled on our blog for more news, and have a great weekend!

SHORT REVIEWS
by Daniel Von Egidy

ASTONISHING X-MEN #25:  This issue both elated me and bummed me out.  It elated me because it’s a great jumping on point (the first issue by Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi) with a lot snappy  dialogue and a nice bit of set up for a X-Men mystery adventure.  What bummed me out was that I haven’t read X-Men since Grant Morrison left 5 years ago and  like nothing has happened in the X-books since that time except for "House of M" and now they're in San Francisco. 

IMMORTAL IRON FIST #17:  Nobody, myself included, had much faith in the new team on Immortal Iron Fist which for sixteen issues plus specials was Marvel’s best book.  Well the new writer proved us all wrong by turning in a really good first issue that continues the things set up by Fraction and Brubaker while distinguishing himself (Duane Swierczynski) enough to give the book that shiny new feeling. 

CROSSED #0:  Avatar Press is an odd thing.  They went from a “Bad Girl” publisher to a place were creators like Warren Ellis, Alan Moore, and Garth Ennis can do work that tends to be rather self-endulgent whether that’s Moore’s pontifications on Magic, Ellis technobabble, or Ennis gross-out mega violence.  The art also tends to be rather mundane sometimes.  But once in a while the company will hit on something pretty solid.  Last year was Ellis’ Black Summer; this year it's Ennis’ Crossed.  There was enough in this little prologue issue to get me interested for what’s coming next and for a dollar why not give it a try?

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN:  The week after the incredible success of Iron Man, this new series (which with the impending conversion of "Iron Man: Director of SHIELD" to "War Machine" has essentially become the characters fifth volume) by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca made its debut and four issues in is one of Marvel’s most compelling reads.  If your still high on the movie or looking for a good new read then this would be the way to go.

SUPERMAN AND THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES HC:  Probably my favorite story so far this year.  I’m not one to buy something twice if I have the issues I’m not gonna shell out for the trade and vice-versa.  But I loved loved  L-O-V-E-D this story.  It’s relatively a simple plot about Superman going back to the future to help his childhood friends in the Legion of Superheroes fight an oppressive status quo.  But it also touches on themes of segregation, true friendship, and how people react to rejection.   Gary Frank’s art is beautiful and Geoff Johns keeps the story moving at a steady clip and if you don’t know who the Legion is he fills you in without plodding exposition.  If its good enough for me to buy twice it's good enough for you to buy once!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2008 | 6PM
DISCUSSION GROUP: WATCHMEN
Our next installment of the ever-growing Heroes Discussion Group focuses on the best-known graphic novel of all time: Watchmen! This is sure to be a great discussion, especially with our own Andy Mansell at the helm. We'll be meeting at the store and going across the street for dinner/drinks, so be sure and bring CASH so we can make things easy on our servers!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2008
GEORGE A. ROMERO: CANCELLED!
Due to a scheduling conflict, the Light Factory has been forced to cancel their George Romero retrospective, which means that we will not be able to feature Mr Romero in an in-store signing as we'd planned. Hopefully the event will be moved to early 2009--rest assured we'll let you know as we learn more!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2008
HARVEY PEKAR & ALISON BECHDEL
In association with The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County's Novello Festival of Reading, meet two "Titans of the Graphic Novel." Store signing at Heroes precedes a lecture the two are giving at the ImaginOn uptown! Harvey Pekar is the writer of the AMERICAN SPLENDOR series and subject of the film of the same name; Alison Bechdel is the author of the multiple-award winning FUN HOME graphic novel.