Brave New Worlds started on a dare in Willow Grove Pennsylvania April\'s Fool\'s Day 1989. It was originally named the \"Comic Book Store\" until the shop moved to Jenkintown.
Brave New Worlds has been serving the greater Philadelphia area\'s comic book and toy needs for over 20 Years.
You can visit Brave New Worlds in one of 2 locations:
Willow Grove - 433 West Moreland Road Willow Grove, Pa. (215.657.8838)
Hours - Sunday 11-6, Monday-Friday 11-9, Saturday 11-7
Philadelphia - 55 N. 2nd Street Philadelphia, Pa. (215.925.6525)
Hours - Sunday 11-6, Monday-Saturday 11-8
Archive for the ‘Staff Picks’ Category
Featured Creator @ BNW
Vaughan is the mastermind behind the Vertigo series Y, The Last Man (probably the next awesome television or movie adaptation out there, yeah I am starting that rumor here), the Wildstorm (DC) series Ex Machina and Marvel’s Runaways. In addition, he also penned the original Vertigo graphic novel Pride of Baghdad and was a writer on a little television show called Lost, in which he was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award in 2009 (maybe you have heard of it or caught it on the tele).
He got his start in the business in 1997 at Marvel where he scripted the Ka-Zar annual before going on to write some of the big properties at both Marvel and DC including Batman and the X-Men before settling on his own creations – the aforementioned Y, The Last Man and Ex Machina.
He has been recognized several times for his abilities, receiving the coveted Eisner Award in 2008 (along with artists Pia Guerra and Jose Marzan, Jr.) for Best Series for Y, The Last Man and in 2005 as Best Writer for his work on Y, Runaways, Ex Machina and Ultimate X-Men, as well as Best New Series (along with Tony Harris) for Ex Machina.
Some of his work that we cheerfully recommend to all comers include;
Y, The Last Man
This original series ran for six years and was a breath of fresh air as Vaughan told the tale of literally the last man on Earth. A mysterious event (plague or something) hits the world and simultaneously kills every living mammal possessing a Y chromosome (and we do mean everything), except for the main character Yorick Brown and his male monkey, Ampersand (don’t ask us). This is their story, and of course you know it’s an adventure. Just think about what you would do if you were the only man left (with your male monkey of course), the fun you could/should/would have?
It’s “the best graphic novel I have ever read,” Stephen King said. (Yes, THAT Stephen King!)
Ex Machina
Another six-year run as an original series by Vaughan (maybe he likes the number six?), Ex Machina tells the story of Mitchell Hundered (aka The Great Machine). Our very own George raves non-stop about this book with all it’s political intrigue. The story chronicles the life of the world’s first and only superhero while he serves as Mayor of New York City after his actions on 9/11. The book also flashbacks through his time as The Great Machine. It’s a great ride with some amazing artwork by Tony Harris.
“Ex Machina is half X-Files, half West Wing and 100% genius,” Publishers Weekly reviewed.
Runaways
Vaughan went to Marvel with Runaways as an effort to attract young new readers and initially was planned as a six-issue mini-series. Seven years later the Runaways are still a staple at Marvel, although Vaughan moved on a few years later while the book was at the height of it’s success.
Runaways is about a group of teenagers who uncover a secret about their parents, that they really are evil doers called the Pride. The Runaways steal resources from their unknowing parents and learn about their inherited abilities.
It’s been called “one of the best original concepts from Marvel in 30 years.”
Other notable titles in stock by Vaughan include his run on Ultimate X-Men (#46-65, Annual 1), Wonder Woman (v2 #160-161) and a brief stint on Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #6-9. All the above titles and more are available in trade paperback and hardcover deluxe editions at Brave New Worlds.
Snow? Schmow. First Friday! Innernette!
Brave these blizzard like conditions tonight and help support some local comic artists and illustrators down in Old City. Also Jason Aaron (writer of Scalped and Wolverine) quit Alan Moore.
What I Liked This Week
Avengers Children’s Crusade #4
Allan Heinberg (w) Jim Cheung, Mark Morales (a)
I have said this before (in this very column) and will say it again, Avengers Children’s Crusade is hands down the very best title Marvel is producing right now. I loved this past issue, with Heinberg’s nod to Marvel’s old school stories in the beginning. Not even at the halfway point of it’s nine-issue run, each issue leaves you clamoring for more and is chock full of super-hero goodness. Don’t want to give anything away, nut we do learn a little bit about whether or not Doom’s bride to be is actually who we think (and hope) is it. And Heinberg is also writing Doom with such a zeal that I wish that is all he wrote, all Doom all the time (and I am sure that character would agree as well).
Steel #1 Reign of Doomsday
Steve Lyons (w) Ed Benes (a)
Doomsday back, and dude I don’t think anyone is going to be able to stop him. But at least we have characters who will try as in the title-character of this issue. I headed in not wanting to like this, but found myself compelled by Lyons’ story and Irons monologue that ran throughout the entire issue. I think the Reign of Doomsday which continues in Outsiders next week looks to be a promising winter tale.
Ultimate Comics Captain America #1
Jason Aaron (w) Ron Garney (a)
In Jason Aaron I Trust. This is another title I did not have high expectations for this week, and once again was pleasantly surprised. Aaron is writing Steve Rogers a little harsh in this book, but the book’s premise is an interesting one, having Rogers face the Captain America of the Vietnam War, and just wait to see who that is.
Generation Hope #3
Kieron Gillen (w) Salvador Espin (a)
There’s a moment in this issue, which really closes the door on the opening arc of the title, that Hope tells Cyclops to let her be the Messiah. I thought this was a really interesting moment for her character, Cyclops and the book. While our one-eyed friend has been touting her savior-like qualities, Hope has never really accepted this role. It was an interesting turn of events and really sparked the story for me.
What I Liked This Week
Batman The Dark Knight #1
David Finch (w/a) Scott Williams (a)
When a comic artist decides they want to write, a lot of times it comes off like an actor that wants to sing. More often than not you get Eddie Murphy’s Party All the Time. However, that is SO NOT THE CASE with Finch’s first effort as an author as I found Batman The Dark Knight #1 very entertaining. The art is Finch’s usual awesomeness and enough of a reason to pick up the inaugural issue of this new Batman title. But the story is sweet as well, as Finch interweaves a couple of different story points/mysteries that had me wanting more at the end, i.e. I did not want this issue to end.
Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine #4
Jason Aaron (w) Adam Kubert, Mark Roslan (a)
We are at the halfway point with this six-issue mini-series and wait until you see the last page. The reveal of the mechanic who has been pulling all the strings since issue number one is none other than … (well of course I am not going to tell you, but I can let you know that I did not see this one coming). Along the way its the usual fun with the time-traveling comedy team of Spider-Man and Wolverine. Plus, besides our big bad we also get a look at some literal crusaders and a new dynamic duo. All this for four bucks is a STEAL!
Daken Dark Wolverine #4
Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu (w) Giuseppe Camuncoli, Onofrio Catacchio (a)
Last issue saw the return of the Fantastic Four just in time to watch Daken die. Of course he’s not dead, first this is comic books we are talking about and second, he is the main character of this title. That being said, there is a little bit of a mystery surrounding an infiltrator in the Baxter Building. You probably know who this mystery man is, but it’s the aftermath that is the fun. Way and Liu seem to be having such a large time writing this title which is so seductive and manipulative. I can’t stop myself from loving this book.
Ultimate Thor #3
Jonathan Hickman (w) Carlos Pacheco, Dexter Vines (a)
I love a good time travel story. Check. Anytime you couple Nazi’s and mystical artifacts, a good time should be had. Check and check again. Add those fun items to the fact that it is Hickman writing the tale and Ultimate Thor is the bomb (as in boom goes the dynamite!). Dad (who looks an awful lot like Sir Anthony Hopkins (fava beans anyone?) gets to kick some butt and take out one of his offspring in the process (I wonder which one?). After years of questions about who Ultimate Thor really is, answers are coming in bunchs, as in apples from the tree of Asgard.
What If #200
What If’s are usually hit or miss for me, and probably all of you as well. Generally Marvel releases them like celebrity deaths – in bunches with number 200 being the third in three weeks. Since it’s a milestone, we get three different tales. The first a What If? Siege story by Marc Guggenheim is a pretty interesting take on an alternate ending of the battle of Asgard. As is the case too often with these stories now, it moves and ends too quickly. As an added bonus, Stan Lee returns with an all-new What If the Watcher Killed Galactus? revisiting his classic first Silver Surfer-Galactus tale from Fantastic Four #48-50. But wait there’s more (you get these great steak knives; kidding) as What If #35, what if Elektra Had Lived is also reprinted in this issue – with Frank Miller revisiting his classic tale as well. A bargain at $5!
Is this Christmas? No. It’s Iowa.
Well I for one hope you have all of your Holiday things taken care of and are all ready to destress with some links!!! Get to clickin’!
2 Books I Read This Morning!
Normally I try to generate a list of comics I really wanna read on New Comic Day but it’s been all crazy with the fast approaching Christmas Deadline. Though this morning I made sure I took the time to read 2 comics at the top of my read pile!
A FEW BOOKS YOU MAY’VE MISSED
Rather than look at what I really wanna read tomorrow (here’s tomorrow’s list) I figured I’d take a quick look at a few things that you may have missed (and that I have really been enjoying)
What I Liked This Week
Thor The Mighty Avenger #7
Roger Langridge (w) Chris Samnee (a)
What have I not said about this book that remains? It is a fun ride. I think the appeal is for both comic and non-comic, hero and non-hero fans, it’s that universal. Langridge has been able to touch on something very simple and basic in his portrayal of the Asgardian God of Thunder – humanity.
By taking Thor, giving him amnesia and setting him down in Broxton, Oklahoma the everyday Jane (Foster) and Joe can travel the same path to find out just who and what is going on. It does not take long for Thor to start piecing things together, but a lot of the fun is in those pieces connecting – just like a jigsaw puzzle Yo.
Only one issue remains and after reading the latest effort in issue 7 this week, it appears Langridge will be taking Thor The Mighty Avenger out with a bang.
And whether he’s drawing the normal everyday folk of the town and the museum or its the Warriors Three and Sub-Mariner, Samnee’s storytelling pictures are really the perfect compliment for this title.
I don’t know what else is left to say. It may be too late to save this title, but it’s not too late for you to start enjoying it. And if you missed the first few issues, Marvel released the first four issues in a collection with some old classic Kirby tales this past week – on sale at Brave New Worlds, ‘natch!
See you next month for my review of the series conclusion.
New Avengers #7
Brian Michael Bendis (w) Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger (a)
I almost feel as if I should never write anything about New Avengers because I really love each and every issue. It is so much fun. It’s like if your friends and family were all super heroes, that’s what it feels like. Just chilling, arguing, fighting (sometimes even the bad dudes as well), laughing and smiling.
One of the things that makes issue #7 stand out this month is the inclusion of Squirrel Girl. That’s right, you read that correctly, Squirrel Girl makes and appearance and you just know that Bendis will be working his mojo on this character like he has so many over the past 10 years in the Marvel Universe.
Sometimes I feel like the Marvel ‘verse is Bendis’ own personal playground littered with action figures. He finds the one know one plays with (this month being Squirrel Girl) and makes everything about that character.
I am going to really enjoy the ride that is coming.
Another reason why this book is so special is the inclusion of Victoria Hand. This might not be the analogy, but I look at hand being from across the aisle (take your pick, democrat or republican). Hers is a different point of view than the spandex crew, but they both want the same thing, they just have different ideas on how to get there.
This month especially now that all the sorcerer supreme wackiness has settled down, the team realizes just who is in their midst. And oh yeah, ol’ Spidey continues to have the luck that only he can have in this issue.
It’s cold outside, Innernette
It’s gotten really cold recently and it only plans on getting colder for next week. When it gets cold I always feel like it’s quieter out there…and that may be because everyone is inside enjoying their comics. That or watching awesome videos on the innernette.
What I Liked This Week
American Vampire #9
Scott Snyder (w) Rafael Albuquerque, Mateus Santolouco (a)
Issue nine this week sees the conclusion of the “Devil in the Sand” arc, and what a finish it was as the story moves at a breakneck (no pun intended) pace. There are lots of exciting things happening to almost everyone involved in the book. Snyder does such a great job of building the suspense, that you really question as to who will survive (at least I did).
Albuquerque’s pictures are amazing once again, as his style lends itself to the unique vampire vision this book has. Every vampire interpretation is always a little different, to Joss Whedon’s “dusting” to the pretty-looking ones in Vampire Diaries (I’ve watched one episode).
Since issue one, Snyder has done a spiffy job of shifting back and forth through time, and this episode is no exception as we start out in the past, witnessing the origins of Cashel and how he came to this little hamlet of a town. Just when you think his entire world has been turned all topsy turvy, it gets better. Trust me, things will not always be as they seem.
Anyway, as final arcs go, this one had it all, big reveals, new beginnings and of course a great big battle followed by a one-on-vampire showdown. It’s good stuff, trust me.
And if you want to give this book a shot (and why haven’t you yet?), Brave New Worlds has the first five issues available in collection in stock today. You can thank me when you see me, its that good.
