Brave New Worlds

Drum Roll please – continuing the eclectic selections of the Willow Grove Book Discussion our March book (March 27 @ 7 p.m.) will be our first foray into the world of manga with Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys Volume 1.

So if you have yet to venture out and sit down with the folks at the Willow Grove book discussion group, might we suggest giving Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys a try.

We at Brave New Worlds love to give you great deals on awesome comics! So how could we resist adding more books to our deal racks?! We couldn’t! Read the rest of this entry »

Fate was back in my hands this week as I once again resumed my normal digging through Brave New Worlds back issue comics vault for this week’s gem from February 1975, Daredevil #188 (Volume 1) by Gerry Conway, Don Heck and Vince Colletta.

Talk about a treat as the big bad for this stand-alone story of Daredevil was none other than the Circus of Crime. Just who is the Circus of Crime you ask, sounds like a job for one of Brian’s “Character to Learn More About.”

As stand-alone issues go, this one had a lot happening as it opens with Daredevil returning to New York City after spending some time in San Francisco with the Black Widow (Ah Natasha …).  He takes down some petty thugs who are actually working for the aforementioned Circus of Crime.

Next Daredevil reverts to his alter ego Matt Murdoch so we get some face time with his partner Foggy Nelson.  But alas, the Circus of Crime is worried that DD is going to spoil their party and tail Daredevil to the office.  They attack, and hilarity ensues.

Shea Stadium serves as the focal point for the big finale as the Ringmaster turns a live television benefit into his own power source hypnotizing the crowd and the people at home watching, and then of course robbing them because back in the 1970s villains were only really concerned with making money (the easy way).  I guess Ringmaster’s parole officer failed to mention what his power was before they agreed to put him on live television.

Anyway, Daredevil arrives to save the day (‘natch).  The issue features the first appearance of Blackwing, which should be enough of a reason to pick up this lost treasure.

The Man Without Fear could be renamed the Man Without Poor Writing as Daredevil has enjoyed some top notch storytelling recently with Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker and now Andy Diggle at the helm.  Diggle, joined in issue #505 by Antony Johnston, has really turned Matt Murdoch’s world upside down (like that was even possible anymore).

But Diggle has done the impossible by handing the reigns of the Hand over to Dardevil.  The first few issues have all been about the set up and how Murdoch was going to manage things from NYC, but now he needs to go to Japan and this month’s issue lets us peek into the behind-the-scenes power moves as to why the Hand chose Dardevil in the first place.  A good book just keeps getting better with issue #505.

If you have not been keeping up with Daredevil, have no fear as Diggle’s arc began with Brubaker’s final issue in 500.

As Bendis goes, so do the Dark Avengers.  Words can not really do justice to the work Bendis continues to churn out, especially with this Siege tie-in as we learn more about what the Sentry is up to.  Dark Avengers #14 continues the ride of Norman Osborn and crew, and enjoy it while it lasts as it will all becoming to an end at the conclusion of the Siege.  I don’t know about you, but I am really looking forward to how the Siege plays out, and what is going to happen with the Sentry.

X-Men has always been one of my favorite books as I started reading it back in the Chris Claremont-John Byrne heyday.  Recently it just has not been the same, not until Joss Whedon’s all-too short run on Astonishing X-Men.  Matt Fraction, I am happy to say, has recaptured some of the chemistry and zest missing from the title.

While this week’s issue, Uncanny X-Men #521, continues the Nation X arc which leads up to Hope’s return in Second Coming, we do get some answers as to why Magneto went to the mountain last issue.  For me, this issue was all about the last page, and more specifically, the last panel – enjoy.

Last but not least is Streets of Gotham #9.  I was a little worried that this title may have suffered after Paul Dini left, but Mike Benson’s just completed two-issue story was a nice little piece of writing and finished up on a sentimental note that gives me hope as the book continues.  Dustin Nguyen continues to provide outstanding and underrated pencils.  If you have not given this title a shot, try it out as it might be the best of all the bat books out there.

Until next week …

Leave it to mega-scribe Geoff Johns to weave a tale that combines all the eras of the Legion of Superheroes, which is just what he did along with his accomplice George Perez in the Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds.

I am a big fan of the Legion and really enjoyed Johns treatment of the team as he brought together all of the eras as Superboy Prime made his “triumphant” return to the DC ‘verse.

Johns actually left breadcrumbs of hints for this epic battle back in the Justice League Lightning Saga story that saw the JLA and JSA team-up to find wayward members of the Legion of Superheroes.

Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds (which is available in hardcover at Brave New Worlds) is  a good time with amazing art by Perez who has not seemed to have lost a step over the years.

I highly recommend this five-issue mini-series, which will serve as a great launching point for this summer’s Brainiac and the Legion of Superheroes crossover in Adventure Comics by former-Legion writer Paul Levitz.

Enjoy!

It was a dark time for the Marvel Universe, and we are not talking Norman Osborn’s current reign.  No, it was the early 1990’s and Thanos was doing his best Brain impersonation (narf!) – trying to take over the world in the Infinity Gauntlet mini-series.  While that mini-series was going on, its impact was being felt in Manhattan as Thanos delivered Eon’s decaying corpse to Four Freedom’s Plaza.  Of course we are talking about Quasar #27 “From Here to Maternity,” this week’s Random Retro Comic Review, blindly selected by Brian.

Quasar #27 brought some of the Infinity Gauntlet to Earth, as Quasar inadvertently opened a portal in his office in Four Freedom’s Plaza that Thanos dropped Eon through, infesting Earth.  If not stopped, Eon will cover the planet up to 12,000 feet above sea level.

Mark Gruenwald and Greg Capullo pulled out all the stops as Marvel’s heavy hitters all make an appearance – Moondragon, Jack of Hearts, Squadron Supreme, Him and Her.  Quasar is stuck inside Eon and Thanos has manifested four former Protectors of the Universe with their very own quantum bands in which to face Quasar – Ree, Stygian Strabender, Tantra and Marvel Boy.

Quasar’s defeat of the quartet helps him save Eon’s unborn child – Epoch, which this issue marks the first appearance.

The quote of the book came on page 24 as Eon drains into a hole in the planet that Jack of Hearts has created, and when he comes upon the drain, Quasar cries “Holy Spumoni!”  Yeah he went there.

It was a fun and self-contained issue.  There were a lot of things going outside the book that impacted the story, but readers could pick this issue up, read it and not be lost, like me.  The nice thing about the comics from this time period – about 20 years ago, is that editor’s notes were still littered throughout, explaining other events to keep readers caught up.

Capullo’s pencils, coupled with Keith Williams inks were detailed and probably a little under rated compared to some of what we are seeing in today’s books.

Chill! We've got your comics right here!

Brave New Worlds has survived the storm of the year (that is until it snows again next week).

More importantly, both locations (Old City and Willow Grove) are open for business on Thursday, February 11 and have new releases in stock and ready to sell.

So what are you waiting for, dig out your cars and get into the store for the latest books.

It was a mini-series that introduced the word “event” into the comic vernacular.  It was a mini-series that changed all the rules and spawned countless spin-offs, rip-offs and oh yeah, a Secret War.

Of course we are talking about the next book in the Brave New Worlds Willow Grove Book Discussion – Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s epic, Crisis on Infinite Earths.

That’s right, the Willow Grove club will be dissecting, arguing and just waxing poetic about the story that changed the DC Universe forever.  Introducing new characters like the Anti-Monitor, and killing off quite a few as well with a couple truly heroic deaths, including one character who just made his triumphant return after 20-plus years.

It’s a battle across time and space (and is there any better way to battle than across time and space I ask you?).

So, dust off your copy, or pick up a new one (Brave New Worlds Willow Grove has plenty in stock) and come join us on Saturday, February 27 at 7 p.m. at the store for a good discussion, food, beverages and a Crisis on Infinite Earths (Grant Morrison eat your heart out)!

Wizards of the Coast will launch D&D Encounters, a new global program of weekly organized play for Dungeons and Dragons, on March 17th. The program is designed to engage players in regular play with other local gamers, to allow them to try new characters, and to try DMing for the first time.

The program will be deployed through D&D Encounters Play Kits, which will be provided to stores beginning March 10th. The Kits will include materials to support twelve players and two dungeonmasters for one to two hour play sessions each Wednesday, including adventures, maps, tokens, rewards for players and DMs, and a promo poster which doubles as a play tracker.

The first mini-campaign, which will run from March 17th to June 2nd, features the dungeon of Undermountain in the Forgotten Realms. “It’s organized into three chapters of play, with each chapter including a few encounters/play sessions,” according to a WotC spokesperson. “It’s set up to be an ongoing narrative that continues through each session and chapter.”

Players can use their own characters, characters they create at the store, or one of six pre-generated characters that come with the Kit.

Participants will receive Renown Points for completing encounters, finishing quests, and engaging in other adventuring activities. Points will be redeemable for in-game rewards.

This Sunday in Willow Grove we will be running sealed deck and booster draft events for the new Magic set called Worldwake.  The main event will begin at noon, with a booster draft to follow around 5 PM.  The entry fee is $30 per main event and $16 per booster draft.  Come test your Magic skills against some of the area’s best players!