A Cracking Start to a new Spirit series: Will Eisner's The Spirit #1

When you think of the great icons of American comics, a small handful of brilliant, influential, geniuses comes to mind: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jim Steranko, Bob Kane, and a few others. But one name stands above them all. One creator who gave us amazing stories and characters, as well as influencing the way comics are made and read, the way all the stories that came after his are told. The most prestigious award in graphic storytelling is named in his honor. Hopefully, by now you know I'm talking about Will Eisner!

If you know anything about Will Eisner, you probably know his most famous character is the man in the domino mask known as The Spirit. (If you only know the Spirit from the ill-conceived Frank Miller film, please wipe it from your mind immediately.) The Spirit, aka Denny Colt, is one of the founding heroes of comicdom, so it is only appropriate that DC is giving him another chance to shine in their new First Wave imprint. Many creators have been inspired to give readers their take on this iconic hero, with varying levels of success, but the version found in Will Eisner's The Spirit #1 seems set to be one of the best.

Writer Mark Shultz and artist Moritat do a great jump of jumping in running with the Spirit and his world. If you already know the character, you will find a lot of familiar faces and places in this book. Even though the old gang is all in place, Denny and his friends and foes have all been given some subtle updates to make them just a little bit more contemporary. There is an excellent mix of old and new in this version of Central City. Even if you have never picked up a Spirit comic before, this issue gives you everything you need to get started, while wasting no time with reimagined origins or any similar nonsense.

Denny is a former cop, now thought deceased, who does his best to help the people of his city and prevent the nefarious schemes of the Octopus and his eight crime families. When the families decide that they have had enough of the Spirit meddling in their affairs, they call in a big-shot assassin from Europe-a mysterious killer known only as Angel Smerti. The Spirit catches wind of this plot, but isn't too worried about anything this Angel character can throw his way. Unfortunately, Angel Smerti might be a much more dangerous threat than Denny can imagine...

This book is a cracking start to a new Spirit series. The story is intriguing and fast-paced. The art perfectly captures that feeling of classic Eisner storytelling, but isn't afraid to be new and modern at the same time. If you are a Spirit fan, you don't want to miss this book, but if you have never read a Spirit story before, this is a great place to start.

Try this heaping helping of classic adventure now, while Will Eisner's The Spirit #1 is Four Color Fantasies guaranteed Book of the Week. You wouldn't want to miss out on one of the great icons of comic book storytelling, would you? I think not.

The Breast...I mean, Best Cameo in comics: PVP #45

Nerds are awesome. Lets just get that out in the open first thing. If you're reading this, there is a fair to middling chance that you are some sort of nerd or geek. I know I am. We come in many varieties, but all are equally awesome. So, unless you're reading this as some sort of spy sent to infiltrate our community (Admittedly, this seems unlikely.), you are probably right in the heart of the audience who will love PVP #45.

PVP chronicles the lives and adventures of the nerds, geeks, and anthropomorphic animals who work on the fictional magazine Player vs. Player. Any reader can jump right in to these comic strip-style adventures, without needing any familiarity with the characters. Like the best newspaper strips, you can just jump right in and giggle away. Writer/artist Scott Kurtz gives you everything you need from the very first panel.

This issue actually includes several stories featuring the terror of the giant panda invasion, the WWF vs the WWE, the yuletide horror of Kringus ("Born of the Tears of Children."), and the relationship travails of love, marriage, and bromance. All of these stories are funny, but I'll be honest with you here: if you've never read PVP before, the breast, umm, I mean BEST, reason to pick up this comic is a certain unexpected cameo. Allow me to explain.

When Brent goes searching for a missing co-worker, he ends up at the Liberty Meadows Animal Sanctuary and finds himself face to rack with none other than Frank Cho's Brandy. Blinded and bewildered by Brandy's generous "assets," Brent finds himself unable to get through a single sentence without slipping up and dropping in some breast-related spoonerism. I'd share more of them with you here, but that would spoil the fun. I'll just say that for any dedicated Cho fan, this is a guest appearance you won't want to miss.

Nerds, Comedy, booby puns, giant panda violence, killer Christmas trees, and even an explosion--what more could anyone ask for in a single issue? OK, maybe a ninja would have been nice, but you can't have everything. What you can have is a chance to try out PVP #45 for yourself, with the security of Four Color Fantasies' money back guarantee. Don't wait another minute, because this comic will really "enhance" your huge "rack." Your rack of comics, I mean. I assume it's huge, right? (OK, I couldn't resist one more. I promise it won't happen again.)

X-Men Origins: Nightcrawler

Though his code-name doesn't necessarily inspire the sort of awesome heroic qualities that most superheroes go for, Nightcrawler has long been one of the coolest, most interestingly conflicted, X-Men. (I mean, is he supposed to have giant earthworm powers? Is he the perfect mutant to take along on fishing trips?) Name issues aside, Kurt Wagner's true history has been portioned out to readers over time, with some facts only coming to light 20 years or more after Nightcrawler first joined the X-Men. Luckily, the good folks at Marvel have put all the bits and pieces together in X-Men Origins: Nightcrawler.

This completely self-contained one-shot issue tells the tale of young Kurt's abandonment by his true mother, the mutant shape-shifter and trouble-maker Mystique, and his adoption by the kind Margali Szardos. Unfortunately, adopting this blue, demonic-looking baby makes Margali an outcast. Even more unfortunately, she and Kurt (along with Margali's own children) are taken in by Herr Getmann, so Kurt can appear in his freak show and perform in his circus.

Getmann is a cruel man, who wields his power over Margali's family with threats and physical violence. Kurt is kept drugged and locked in a cage like an animal, not daring to even try to escape for fear of the consequences for his mother. When Kurt is finally given no choice but to flee, he finds sanctuary in the church and a father in the priest who takes him in. Of course, Kurt's life is never easy and it isn't long before the terrors of his past catch up with him...

If you are new to the world of the X-Men, this tale, by writers Adam Freeman and Marc Bernardin, sums up everything you might want to know about this dashing mutant hero. If you're an old hand and remember Kurt's first appearance in Giant-Size X-Men #1, this updated version of Kurt's origin adds some new wrinkles to the familiar tale. There is also a handy reprint of that first appearance included here for your perusal, so you're really getting two origins for the price of one!

So, bamf on over to Four Color Fantasies today and try X-Men Origins: Nightcrawler while it is our guaranteed Book of the Week. It is a great read with some nifty art, and you get a complete story with no crossovers or further reading required. Plus, if you're feeling adventurous, you can roll it up, stick it in your pocket, and take it fishing with you. It may not help, but you never know.

Felicia Day sells The Guild

Ever wonder how The Guild of Felica Day’s eponymous web series became the cooperative role-playing team they are? (What you haven't seen The Guild? I insist you pick up the DVDs, or check it out online at http://www.watchtheguild.com/ , right now. Well, after you read this awesome prequel series...) Maybe you're looking for a comic to get your closest gal pal hooked or you're looking for a way to rationalize your own M.M.O.R.G.G. addiction.

Any of these reasons are valid reasons to pick up the Dark Horse limited series The Guild. Felicia Day is responsible for the scripts so the voice of her main character Cyd is spot on and the story tropes, like the opening sequence of her telling us the story through her web cam, are all there. The art by Jim Rugg is believably life-like from Cyds slouched posture to the uncomfortable physical interaction with her boyfriend Trevor. The scenes from The Game are water-color fantasy pretty.

In this first issue, Cyd meets two future members of The Guild -- Bladezz and Vork. The introductions are suitably understated, but fans of the web series will enjoy the subtle selfish behavior of Bladezz and the overt heroic behavior from Vork. Although current fans will love this background story, there's no need to be familiar with the source. As an introductory tale, we are told the story from a fresh perspective. Most readers will connect with Cyd as they watch her work through her awkward social relationships, struggle with finding her identity, and finally escape into a fantasy game world.

As you look for your own escape, check out The Guild. After all, you can't go wrong when it's Four Color Fantasies' Guaranteed Book of the Week.

A Reason to Love the Undead: American Vampire

The popularity of the vampire comes and goes in pop culture, but those blood-sucking creatures of the night are always lurking around somewhere. The idea of the vampire is as immortal as the creatures themselves. Just when audiences get tired of them, somebody finds a way to re-invent the vamps and they come back more powerful than ever. If, like me, you aren't a big fan of the current wave of angsty, pretty, sparkly, vampire lover-boys, then American Vampire may be just what you need to make you love the undead all over again.

Vertigo's newest series, American Vampire is brought to you by a team consisting of Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerue and, a promising writer you may have heard of, Stephen King. The series asks the question, what if vampires change and evolve over time? As new people in new places are "turned," they may well bring something new to the table. If the stereotypical "Old World" vampires infected the landscape of rough and tumble early America, what would be the result?

The first arc of this series tells the story of two particular American vampires. First up is Pearl Jones, a tough young lady trying to make something of herself in 1920s Hollywood. She works hard to survive in this town that tends to chew up and spit out the weak, and she succeeds. That is, she succeeds until she runs into some blood-sucking producers who are actually blood-suckers. Of course, Pearl's story only begins with that fateful encounter...

Next up is the tale of 1880s Western outlaw Skinner Sweet. He's a bad, bad, man, but Skinner is smart enough and mean enough to thrive in the lawless world of the Old West. Little does Skinner suspect that the bloodless banker he's been robbing is something even worse than the outlaw himself. It is clear from the start that Pearl and Skinner's stories are interconnected, and they are just the beginning of generations of American vampires. (I suspect Skinner Sweet is on the fast-track to comic book icon status. You read it here first!)

American Vampire was created by Scott Snyder, but King was so impressed and excited by the pitch he read for the series that he asked if he could contribute. This is not one of those comics adapted from King's work, or based on a story idea he gave someone, this is an actual, scripted comic written by King himself. For the opening arc of this series, he is writing Skinner's introductory tale while Snyder handles Pearl's story. With these two great writers on board, Albuquerque's amazing art seals the deal. He does the art for both stories, but brings a different style to each time period, perfectly capturing the "feel" of both eras.

So, with a viscious outlaw vampire, a '20s Hollywood starlet, intense characters, and great art, there is no possible excuse for you to miss out on this new series. Especially now that American Vampire is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week. If you're ready for some blood-sucking fiends with no sparkle whatsoever, you need to sink your fangs into this comic!

Mysteries will keep you reading: Sparta: U.S.A. #1

Ahhh, the American Dream. You know what that is right? Hard work, patriotism, white picket fences, football, brutally killing your neighbors to get their stuff, and maybe winning a baby on Stork Day. What, doesn't that sound right to you? Well, it may not be the Dream where you live, but it sure is in Sparta: U.S.A.

Wildstorm's Sparta: U.S.A., by writer David Lapham and artist Johnny Timmons, is a new series set in a very strange reality. In many ways, Sparta is the ultimate vision of what 1950s America was supposed to be. It's a place where people work hard to support their families, take pride in their homes and their town, go to church every Sunday, and play football. In fact, EVERYONE there plays football. In a town with under 10,000 citizens, there are literally hundreds of football teams. Of course, none of those teams are as great as the Mighty Spartans, a team so awesome that they never, ever, lose. The Mighty Spartans are the town's true heroes, beloved and respected by all. Especially the legendary Godfrey McLaine, the greatest player in Spartan history.

The Spartan version of the American Dream does have a few weird lapses, though. (Aside from all the football, that is.) In Sparta, what you do behind closed doors is 100% your own business, even if that means slaughtering your neighbors to advance your own family. In fact, the mysteriously blue Maestro encourages such noble ambition, unless you mess up and let your actions be seen by the public. It is the responsibilty of every citizen to keep up the facade of life in Sparta. Another odd thing: children aren't born in Sparta, they are handed out on Stork Day, great gifts from the unseen President of the U.S.A. Oh, and then there are the yeti up in the hills. They eat people who go up there, so no one ever leaves Sparta. No one except Godfrey McLaine, that is.

Life in Sparta is seriously shaken up when Godfrey returns home. After he disappeared into the hills, he was assumed dead by the citizens of Sparta. But, three years later, he comes back, bright red and with a message to the people of Sparta that they are living a lie. His plan to take down the Maestro means that nothing in Sparta will ever be the same...

Sparta: U.S.A. is a lot like the darkest Twilight Zone episode ever. Its skewed vision of an ideal America is disturbing, and there are plenty of mysteries to keep readers guessing as to just what is going on in this "perfect" American town. Luckily, you have an amazing opportunity to try this new series out with no personal risk to your life or family. Strap on your football helmet and rush over to Four Color Fantasies today where you can pick up this guaranteed Book of the Week with no fear of reprisals or yeti attack!

A Compelling Start to an Overlooked Crossover: Doomwar #1

He's the baddest dude in the whole Marvel Universe. He's the man with many a plan, the man in the iron mask, the dictator from Latveria. He's the Fantastic Four's greatest enemy, and the one guy NO ONE really wants to cross. He'll wipe you from the face of the Earth before you even know what happened. That's right, you all know who I'm talkin' about. It's DOOM, baby! Victor Von Doom, that is. And he's planning to take over the world.

There are an awful lot of thoroughly hyped event comics crossovers going on in the big two's superhero universes right now. Arguably, a few too many. In between all the Black Lanterns, Sieges, and Hulk Wars, many readers seem to have missed another, less hyped but equally Earth-shattering event: Doomwar.

Of course, Doctor Doom is always scheming up new ways to conquer the world and put a stop to that accursed Reed Richards and his heroic shenanigans, but this time he seems to be onto a real winner. He's teamed up with some shadowy insurgents to wrest control of the Black Panther's country, Wakanda, from its rightful rulers. Taking over one country is pretty small potatoes for Doom, but Wakanda also happens to be the world's only source of the miracle metal Vibranium. In the hands of the right craftsman, Vibranium can make some amazing gadgets, like Captain America's shield, for example. But it can also amplify mystical energy, and Doom has a whole bunch of mystical energy at his fingertips. With ten thousand tons of Vibranium at his command, Doom could easily become the most powerful force ever to walk the Earth. And considering some of the folks who have walked the Marvel U's Earth, we're talking about some serious power.

To conquer Wakanda, Doom had to get King T'Challa, AKA the Black Panther, out of the way. That also means dealing with Queen Ororo, AKA the X-Men's Storm. As you can imagine, the X-Men aren't very happy to see Storm arrested and sentenced to execution for "treason." When an angry T'Challa shows up looking for some help to take back his country, he finds some more-than-willing mutants ready to go kick butt and chew bubblegum. Need I even mention that they're all out of bubblegum?

With the X-Men, the Black Panther, and Doctor Doom already invilved, you can bet it won't be long before even more of the Marvel Universe is pulled into the Doomwar. Writer Jonathan Maberry has gotten this story off to a compelling start. The characters are well-written, the stakes are high, and the drama will quickly pull you in. (And the last scene of the first issue is a definite "Whoa!" moment.) Scot Eaton's art is an excellent complement to the story, with loads of detail that lends the characters and events of this tale some serious dramatic heft. Best of all, this "event" is confined to one limited series, so you don't have to worry about a bazillion crossovers or spin-offs.

So, to reiterate: DOOM, baby, DOCTOR DOOM! (He's got a PHD in kicking your butt!) You know you love him, but if you don't give this guaranteed Book of the Week a try, you just might find yourself on his "naughty" list. Believe me, you DON'T want to be on Doom's naughty list. Pick up Doomwar #1 today, or you'll be sorry you didn't. Why? Because DOOM, that's why.

A Can't Miss Twist on Super-heroics: Incorruptible #3

So, when the world's greatest hero goes bad, really, extremely, blowing-up-whole-cities bad, what are the bad guys supposed to do? I mean, it really takes the fun out of holding the hero's girlfriend hostage if he's just going to turn up and kill her himself. When the villainous Max Damage sees just how bad a hero gone wrong can be, he takes it upon himself to do something to make things right. If the hero has become Irredeemable, the villain has to become Incorruptible.

Irredeemable, from BOOM! Studios, is Mark Waid's first take on superheroic role-reversal. In that series, the Superman-like Plutonian gets fed up with people's ingratitude, complaints, and quibbles. He reaches a point where he truly snaps, and suddenly his god-like power is unleashed on the world. For no particular reason, he destroys whole cities and leaves a trail of destruction across the planet. For many citizens, the Plutonian's rampage seems to herald the end of the world.

Incorruptible is a sister series to Irredeemable, and gives readers another character whose world-view has totally shifted. When the Plutonian goes bad, Max Damage, the only bad guy ever able to stand up against the Plutonian, sees the true horror of what the world's greatest hero has done, he knows he has to change his ways. He has to do what's right and try to save the world. He has to become Incorruptible.

Max (who, by the way, has the greatest super-villain name EVER) turns in his henchmen, burns millions of dollars worth of ill-gotten gains, and even abandons his secret evil lair. He and his teenage side-kick, Jailbait, team up with police Lieutenant Louis Armadale to find a way to take on the Plutonian, or at least to defend themselves and others from his wrath. In Incorruptible #3, their search leads them to mad-scientist Dr. Origin, the man resposible for Max's powers. Their reunion in NOT a happy one...

Incorruptible is written by the always-excellent Mark Waid, with excellent art by Jean Diaz. If you have been reading Irredeemable, you cannot miss Incorruptible. If you haven't read Irredeemable, this book works just fine on its own. For a great twist on the traditional way things work in superhero comics, you can't do better than this. There are no moral absolutes, but there are many ambiguous gray areas to explore.

When you can't trust your heroes, who can you trust? You can trust Four Color Fantasies, of course! Try Incorruptible #3 this week, and you have our incorruptible money-back guarantee. Don't get Max Damage-d, read this book!

Unexpected storytelling, powerful art: Demo #1

Everybody dreams. Sometimes we dream about things we want. Sometimes we dream about things that scare us. Sometimes, we dream about weird stuff that doesn't seem like it should be lurking in our head. Whatever your dreams are like, I think we can agree that dreams are made of some powerful stuff. Sometimes, that power can be pretty terrifying.

In Demo #1, The Waking Life of Angels, young Joan has had a bad dream. In her dream, she sees someone falling from the top of a massive cathedral. There is a man there who may be helping, or who may have pushed the victim to her death. Joan sees this dream playing over and over again every time she closes her eyes. The dream itself doesn't get a chance to come back because Joan can't sleep anymore. Every time she tries, that dream starts playing in her mind, and she stays wide awake. After nine days without sleep, the dream is becoming a serious issue...
Vertigo's Demo #1 is actually the return of this critically acclaimed series written by Brian Wood and drawn by Becky Cloonan. This series is unique because each issue tells a stand-alone story, with no recurring characters or ongoing plotlines to follow. The central idea is about young people with unusual powers, but these are not teens who discover that "with great power comes great responsibility" and suit up to fight crime. These are short but powerful tales about how the gifts affect the lives of everyday people, proving that special abilities may not always be a good thing.

Wood's stories are intriguing and unexpected, and Cloonan's black and white art is gorgeous and powerful. Together these two creators are doing something very different from the standard superhero story. That's not something you want to miss out on, right?

It's not a dream (or a hoax, or an imaginary story) that you can try out Demo #1 all week at absolutely no risk to yourself or your wallet! This awesome comic is guaranteed all week long at Four Color Fantasies. Stop dreaming and start reading!

Marvel Boy: The Uranian #1

Uranus: the mysterious 7th planet in the solar system, also universally acknowledged as the planet with the funniest name EVER. I mean, we all know nothing good ever comes from Uranus. Uranus is dark and scary. Oh, and gassy. Uranus is definitely gassy. Aliens from Uranus? I certainly can't imagine anything worse. So, I think we can all agree that it would be best if we just avoid the topic of Uranus entirely. Unfortunately for the hero known as Marvel Boy (AKA The Uranian), it is impossible to discuss his origins without occasionally mentioning Uranus. Let's just hope we can all be mature enough to get through this.

Marvel Boy: The Uranian #1 is actually a pretty excellent spin-off from the amazing, and under-rated, Agents of Atlas. Written by Jeff Parker, with art by Felix Ruiz, this series takes a look at how the Golden Age hero Marvel Boy first came to our world. Bob Grayson was a human boy whose super-genius father, desperate to escape Earth after witnessing the atrocities of Nazi Germany, built a rocket that allowed them to escape to the 7th planet. The Uranians there were humans colonists who, for thousands of years, had taken a different path. They developed a very different society, and amazing technology that allowed them to achieve miraculous feats.

Bob has returned to Earth to know more about his people, and to try to set an example of a better way for them to live. He wants to be a hero, but finds out that humans aren't quite ready to accept his help. Going around telling people that he's from Uranus certainly doesn't help. Luckily, Bob Grayson meets a comic book creator looking for a new hero, a man who can give Bob some help in becoming the hero he wants to be. First order of business? A catchy name that people can remember! In short order The Uranian becomes Marvel Boy, and a hero is born!

Of course, things are more complicated than they seem. The Uranian Council may have goals in mind beyond simply helping the human race. His isolated upbringing on Uranus has made Bob awfully naive and open to manipulation from those who would use him for their own purposes...

The first issue of this series is loaded with extra value, too! Not only do you get the all-new story of Marvel Boy's first adventures on Earth, you also get two nifty Golden Age reprints of Marvel Boy stories from the early 1950s with art from Russ Heath and Bill Everett. So, no more juvenile Uranus jokes from me. Just head over to Four Color Fantasies and try out our guaranteed Book of the Week-Marvel Boy: The Uranian #1. It's a great book, and you'll develop a new respect for the oft-maligned 7th planet!

Good story, hilarious art: House of Mystery #21

I don't know if you are in the market for real estate in this tough economy, but today I am hoping to interest you in a house. Not just any house mind you, this House is special. Not a House of Cards. Not even a House of Pancakes. I'm talking about a House.....of MYSTERY. (Insert appropriately spooky musical sting here. I mean, if you want to.)

Vertigo's House of Mystery #21, by Sturges, Rossi, and Aragones, is both the starting point for a new story arc and a self-contained, done-in-one story. How is such a thing possible? Well, it's like this: the House of Mystery is one of those legendary places that can be accesed from many places and times. Currently, it is located in the equally magical Stormfort Goblin Market. Of course, for some people, once you actually get to the House of Mystery, leaving becomes much more difficult than arriving.

One thing that isn't difficult, however; is paying your tab. All you have to do to keep the drinks coming is to tell stories. The folks at the House are pretty starved for entertainment. If you can keep the stories flowing, you can drink all day. What a deal! I'd like to see you pull up to the drive-thru at Sonic and offer to pay for your lunch with the story about how you fell off the roof that one time. It may be a great story, but it's not gonna buy you a sammitch. Only at the House of Mystery!

So, this issue not only introduces readers to the regular residents of the House, and all their troubles, it also gives you the terrifying tale of a new patron. Wilfred Brimley lookalike, and old-timey cowboy, Blind Buck pays for his 100% beaver eyeball free sarsparilla with the story of how he and his outlaw partner Dandy Dirk Prescott faced off against a true "abomination." Featuring a creature that is best decribed as "Satan's pet grizzly sicking up a jellyfish," and hilarious art from the always amazing Sergio Aragones, this story is worth the price of admission all on its own. But, rest assured, the rest of the book is actually pretty darn good too.

So, if you're lucky enough to find the fabled entrance to Four Color Fantasies (of Mystery?), you should definitely belly-up to the bar and ask for a copy of House of Mystery #21. (We're not really in the real estate business. Sorry if the intro was misleading.) Not only is it a great comic, largely eyeball-free, but it is also guaranteed all week! Unfortunately, you have to buy it with real money, not a story. Though, if you have a great story, like the time you journeyed to the underworld and fought Cerberus for a jelly doughnut, you're welcome to share!

Chimichanga: An all-ages romp from Eric "The Goon" Powell

Chimichanga! Not only is that a fun word to say, it is also a yummy treat. It's a well-known and widely accepted fact that bearded little girls like nothing better than a tasty chimichanga. Of course, the pursuit of tasty deliciousness is never easy, especially when you're an adorable litle tot who lives with the freak show in a traveling circus.

Chimichanga #1 is the demented, yet undeniably cute, brainchild of Eric "The Goon" Powell. If you don't already know Mr. Powell's work, you should feel a great sense of shame burning within you. Powell is a mad genius who has made the world a better place by writing and drawing brilliantly twisted tales of hillbillies, zombies, stink apes, and Peaches Valentine in The Goon. He has brought us tragic tales of a broken hero and inappropriate jokes involving greased pigs all in the same book. He's managed to win Eisner awards for the quality of his poop jokes! There's no denying it takes an uncommon mind at work to win an Eisner for poop jokes.

Chimichanga is what happens when such an amazingly disturbed mind decides to create a more kid-friendly, all-ages type book. The book stars a lovable little bearded girl who, as mentioned above, loves a good chimichanga. One day, on her pilgrimage to the chimichanga stand, she encounters a farty old witch who needs a lock of her luxurious beard hair for an unspeakable witchy potion. Our heroine agrees, but only in exchange for a weird egg vomited up by a vulture. (Yes, you read that right.)

On the way home her egg hatches, giving birth to a big, weird, hairy, ape-thing. Nothing too strange about that, right? In fact, our heroine's new friend becomes the new attraction that just might save the fading old circus: The Wild Chimichanga! Thank goodness, because the amazing two-eyed goat and Randy, the man with the strength of a slightly larger man, were just not drawing the crowds they once did!

Powell's work in this all-ages book is just as demented and off-beat as fans have come to expect from The Goon, but with a lot less violence and cussing. Chimichanga is a great way to warp the kids in your life, or just a great read for you, the discerning comic book reader. I bet you haven't read one single book all month that starred a bearded little girl, or a boy-faced fish, have you? Now Four Color Fantasies is giving you the perfect opportunity to correct that tragic oversight! Shake your chimichangas on over to the shop and try this comic while it is our guaranteed Book of the Week!

Two great tastes, Holmes and Zombies:

"You got zombies in my Sherlock Holmes!"
"No, you got Sherlock Holmes in my zombie comic!"
Experience a marvel of the ages as the world's first consulting detective faces down the fearful hordes of the undead!

Whichever way you look at it, these ARE two great tastes that taste great together. Obviously, zombies have had a huge pop-culture resurgence in recent years, and I find it hard to think of that as anything other than a good thing. I mean, what story or setting isn't improved by the inclusion of decaying, flesh-munching monstrosities out to slurp down some tasty brains? I think the answer is self-evident.

Arthur Conan Doyle's Victorian detective has also been getting some much-deserved renewed attention lately. There are comics and books telling new tales of the world's most famous investigator everywhere you look. Oh, and there's a little movie coming soon starring Robert Downey Stark Jr. that will give modern audiences a whole new perspective on Holmes. It was really only a matter of time before someone was clever enough to put these two great ideas together. Luckily for discerning comics readers, it was Ian Edginton and Davide Fabbri!

Wildstorm's Victorian Undead is the book where it all happens. When the people of London, 1854, see an astounding light show in the sky, most think it is just a miracle to marvel at. Of course, we know that nothing good ever comes of mysterious lights in the sky. Sure enough, it's not long before the dead start to rise, and they're feeling bite-y.

Fifty years later, the undead have been forgotten, but Holmes and Watson are called in to investigate a mysterious death. Made all the more mysterious by the fact that the dead man seems all-too lively. In fact, he has a positively disturbing hunger for human flesh. I say!

Edginton's Holmes stays true to Doyle's immortal character, but the writer does not hesitate to bring some new elements to Holmes' world. With mind-control devices, evil automatons, and, of course, the undead, this version of Holmes lives in a slightly more fantastic London than Doyle ever imagined. Though these liberties may offend some purists, no writer can compete with Holmes' creator when it comes to traditional Holmes stories, so it is no bad thing to bring something new and different to this world. Fabbri's art perfectly combines the gaslit, urchin-filled, streets of London with meteors, robots, and brain-hungry corpses.

Though this comic is filled with mysteries and weird-happenings, the greatest mystey is why you haven't read it yet. The game is afoot my faithful friends! Shamble on down to Four Color Fantasies, and we'll allow you to purchase a copy of this mysterious marvel at no personal risk to yourself or your wallet. Your enjoyment is guaranteed! You won't waste a shilling, and you may flaunt your tasty, tasty brains without fear of reprisals or excessive appetites. Read Victorian Undead #1 today!

Female Noir: Stumptown #1

Ever since Sherlock Holmes solved his first case, Private Investigators have taken center stage as the super-stars of crime fiction. They can do the jobs the cops can't touch. They can act on the fringes, or even well outside, of the law. As fictional PIs go, there tend to be two schools of thought: you've got your glamorous, smooth-talking action heroes with cool sports cars, or you've got your seedy, alcoholic, loner who just barely gets by and is only a step away from the darkness of the criminal underworld. The hero of Stumptown is much more on the seedy side.

Oni Press's Stumptown, by Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth, stars Dexedrine Callisto Parios, Dex to her friends, an investigator who clearly has her share of human frailties. Based in Portland, Oregon, Dex seems to be trying her best to take care of herself and her special-needs younger brother, but she drinks too much, smokes too much, and she definitely gambles too much. Not the best recipe for success, by anyone's standard. Unless you're trying to find yourself homeless or on life-support, I suppose.

In Stumptown #1, her gambling has gotten Dex into a lot more debt than she can handle. Luckily, Sue-Lynn, who runs the show at the Whispering Winds casino, offers Dex a way out. All she has to do is track down Sue-Lynn's missing teenage grand-child, Charlotte. Unluckily, this gets Dex involved with some very bad people from Portland's criminal underworld. The kind of people who take you out to the lake for a swim. At night. After they've shot you a couple of times.

Stumptown feels a lot like Brian Bendis's much-missed Alias, with all the fantasy, super-hero elements removed. Greg Rucka has already made a name for himself as a mystery/crime novelist, and he brings that pedigree to his work here. Dex feels like a real person, and the mystery pulls you in to her world right away. What seems like the simple case of a runaway teenager is quickly revealed as the tip of a much darker, more dangerous, iceberg. (If they had icebergs in Portland, Oregon, which I'm pretty sure they do not.) Matthew Southworth's art perfectly captures this dark world, and his meticulously researched images of Portland lend this a very authentic feel.

So if you're in the mood to investigate some dark deeds in the middle of the night, or just want to read about someone else doing so while you watch from a safe distance, you should track down some leads to find yourself a copy of Stumptown #1. Honestly, we've done most of the work for you. Just head over to Four Color Fantasies and carefully investigate the shelves. You'll be reading this Book of the Week before you know it! No gambling required: it's guaranteed!

Hunter's Fortune #1

Have you ever, in an idle moment, thought about how great it would be if some mysterious relative you never knew suddenly died and left you an enormous fortune? C'mon, you know you have. How about if we sweeten the deal by throwing in a gorgeous executor of the will, a femme fatale or two, and a mysterious archeological artifact? All that and more is up for the taking in Hunter's Fortune #1.

Boom Studio's Hunter's Fortune, by Andrew Crosby, Caleb Monroe, and artist Matt Cossin, tells the unlikely story of Hunter Prescott. Hunter is a typical young slacker. He's three months behind on his rent, his car has been towed, and if he moves in with his even more useless buddy Trip, they might be able to afford to get the electricity turned back on. Luckily for Hunter, just as he seems to be going through the worst day of his life, a mysterious, beautiful, and well-dressed woman shows up with a limo to whisk him away from all his troubles.

Of course, he soon finds himself with a whole NEW set of problems. Hunter's Uncle Max, who Hunter has never even heard of, has died and left Hunter everything. Everything, in this case, is an estate worth 650 million dollars. Good old Uncle Max! Hunter soon discovers that his wayward uncle was a treasure hunter of the highest order, and the only condition for keeping the vast esate left to him is that he has to carry on Max's work. By finding the one artifact that eluded him, King Arthur's sword, Excalibur. How hard could it be, right?

The elements of this story are nothing new: lost treasure, beautiful, but dangerous, women, coded journals, mysterious keys, an ancient arifact, and an everyman hero. However, these old tropes stick around for a reason. They're loads of fun! The story moves along very quickly, with the writers setting up everything we need to know about these characters as economically as possible. Max and his buddy Trip are instantly likable losers, and the cast of characters around them is put in place without a wasted line or panel. Cossin's character designs are unique and interesting, with just a hint of manga influence. Great art and a fun story make this book a must-read for fans of high adventure!

If you like Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, or (like me) can't stop playing Uncharted 2, you are sure to love Hunter's Fortune! Fortunately, you don't have to climb up a Tibetan mountain, or discover an ancient civilization to enjoy this book. In fact, you don't have to take any risks at all, because Hunter's Fortune #1 is guaranteed all week at Four Color Fantasies! Just look out for the boulder strewn, flaming, Path of Doom we installed by the front door. It seemed like a good idea at the time...

Amazing Characters, Quotable Lines, Gorgeous Art - Overdose on Sugarshock Today

Sugarshock! No, it's not a delicious new breakfast cereal, OR the condition you might find yourself in after eating a box of Twinkies and washing them down with Mountain Dew. Sugarshock is the greatest, most rock-tacular, band on the planet, or even in the universe! (Second only to their arch-nemesis Sensitive Guy, anyway.) They make music that speaks to everyone, except for Vikings, and they will totally rock you, as soon as you work out the six or seven issues in subclause 72B that have to do with merchandising rights....

Sugarshock is also a comic from the amazing creative team of Joss Whedon and Fabio Moon. But not just any comic! Oh no! It's a hilarious, bizarre, amazing work of insane genius. And also the best thing Joss Whedon has ever written. And he's written a lot of great stuff, so, you know, Sugarshock is really, really, excellent. (Also, this comic would not be the pinnacle of graphic storytelling that it is without Fabio Moon's brilliant art!) This work for the ages was actually created to launch Dark Horse's online version of Dark Horse Presents, an anthology designed to show off the work of the best creators out there, giving them a chance to do unique and experimental work. Those of you who weren't paying attention may have missed this great story when it first appeared but, luckily for you, Dark Horse has collected the whole thing into one awesome One-Shot Wonder!

So, who is Sugarshock, you ask? The members of this amazing quartet are Dandelion, Wade, L'Lihdra, and Robot Phil. Dandelion is a punk rock girl who may or may not belong to a secret government agency that may or may not authorize her to use deadly force when necessary. She also has a theory about Lincoln that would truly shake the world's historians, and she really, REALLY, hates Vikings. Wade is an incredible drummer, an alien princess, and has a dangerous tendency to go through groupies at an alarming rate. L'Lihdra is Wade's mystically enhanced bodyguard, and a deadpan guitar goddess. And Robot Phil is a robot. Named Phil. He likes to ride shotgun, and doesn't think it is cool that Dandelion keeps threatening her friends with deadly force.

In this Sugarshock One-Shot, our heroes must face the musical threats of Sensitive Guy, AND the universe-wide Battle of the Bands! You can't miss this comic, because, if you do, you will never find out the fate of the Earth. Or the fate of Wade's groupies. Or the fate of Robot Phil's legs. Will Dandelion unleash deadly force? Or the titanic power of the Saddest Song in the World? What's up with Abraham Lincoln, and those dirty, dirty, Vikings? There's only one way to find out the answer to all these questions! Read Sugarshock!

So, don't be a Viking. Head on over to Four Color Fantasies today, and pick up a copy (or two!) of Sugarshock, while it is our guaranteed Book of the Week. If you like great comics, you will love this book. It has an amazing cast of characters, a load of hilariously quotable lines, and gorgeous art. If you don't love it, you might as well hang out with a bunch of soulless squirrels. Is that what you want? To hang out with squirrels? Stupid squirrels.

Fight for Freedom of Speech the Fun Way: Liberty Comics #2

One of the best things about living in America is that you have the freedom to read whatever you want. You get to make the decisions about what is worthwhile or entertaining for you. Nobody can tell you that a book is too political, too controversial, too blasphemous, too sexy, or too violent for you to read. You get to think for yourself. Hooray for freedom of speech and freedom of thought!

Unfortunately, we don't always get to keep freedoms without a fight. There is always some chowderhead who wants to think for you. Someone who decides that this or that book just isn't right, so you shouldn't be able to read it. Why, some books might give people funny ideas, and we don't want funny ideas, right? The list of great books that have been banned at one time or another in our free country is pretty staggering. (I won't even try to list them all here, but you can check out http://www.banned-books.com/ for more information.)

What you may not realize is that comics face a greater threat of censorship and lawsuits than books without pictures. It may be because pictures can evoke much stronger reactions than just words on the page, but I think it is more likely that ignorant people still make the ridiculous assumption that comic books are strictly a children's medium, so anything challenging or shocking in a comic or graphic novel MUST have been created to to harm children. There are many cases from the last few years alone in which publishers, creators, store owners, and readers have found themselves arrested and charged for creating, publishing, selling, or simply reading, a comic book that someone else found offensive. If you are a reader, a small shop owner, or a struggling creator, a charge like that can have devastating consequences. Fortunately, that is where the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund comes in.

The CBLDF raises money to support people in the comic book community who find themselves targeted by those who want to stifle our freedom. They hire lawyers for defendants who can't afford to defend themselves and provide publicity that brings much needed attention to censorship cases that might otherwise slide under the radar. They do good work that helps people who have been victimized by those who want to prevent free speech. If you want to know more, you should check out their website at http://www.cbldf.org/index.shtml Not only is there a lot more information there, you can also check out endorsements from famous CBLDF supporters like Neil Gaiman and Jeff Smith, so the site is well worth a little of your time.

At this point, you may be wondering what this all has to do with the Book of the Week. Wonder no more! There are many ways to support the CBLDF, but the most fun and easy way is to simply buy this week's guaranteed book: Liberty Comics #2. This anthology comic is loaded with great stories and art from creators like Jason Aaron, Ben Templesmith, Mike Allred, Paul Pope, Paul Grist, Neil Gaiman, Jim Lee, and many, many others. These stories are all in some way about freedom to read, write, or think what you want, and the book's sales help raise money for the CBLDF. You can help out AND read some great comics at the same time! That's a deal that you just can't pass up.

Celebrate the fact that you have the freedom to come out to Four Color Fantasies and buy Liberty Comics #2. You can choose between the awesome Tim Sale Free Speech cover or the amazing John Romita Jr. Kick-Ass cover, but either way you need to try this comic. There is also a can for CBLDF donations by the register, so you won't have to carry home any annoying, rattling, change. Man, we're good to you!

Get Hooked on Card: Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow

In history of human warfare, when things get really, truly, desperate, we start throwing children into combat. When things get to that level of desperation, when we are willing to sacrifice anything and anyone for a chance to stave off defeat, the final battle is already on the horizon. If this pattern holds true in the future of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game series, then the human race may well be fighting its last war.

The alien Formics have kicked humanity's butt twice, and now they are preparing for one massive, final, attack. The best hope now is to recruit the very best of Earth's children, and train them to be an unstoppable fighting force. Andrew "Ender" Wiggin is one of the best of the best. He excels at strategy and war games, and he quickly becomes one of the International Fleet's brightest stars. Of course, success in games does not mean Ender will be able to save the world when the time comes for the real thing. If he is going to succeed, he's going to need a lot of help.

Ender's Shadow is a companion series to the main Ender's Game books. This series shines a spotlight on some of the troops under Ender's command. This book not only gives these supporting characters a chance to shine, it also allows us to see how Ender influences those around him. His leadership does not offer love and kisses, but it does force the incredibly young soldiers of the International Fleet to become the best fighting force they can be.

The first issue focuses on the very young, very small, Bean. Bean may be tiny, but he has the fastest reflexes around. Rather than babying him, Ender forces him to live up to his reputation. Or to fail horribly in the attempt. This series does a great job making kids like Bean feel real and three dimensional. It is hard to imagine what it would take to turn pre-adolescent kids into a force that can defend the world against a terrifying alien opponent, but Ender's Shadow puts you right there with these kids.

If you have never read the Ender's Game novels, or even any of the comics, Ender's Shadow #1 is a good place to start. It has action, pathos, cool battle suits, and all the pre-teen drama you could ever ask for in a book about sweeping space battles. All you have to do to try it out is make your way safely to base (AKA Four Color Fantasies), and plunk down a few measly dollars. If you don't like it, we'll guarantee your money back! Though we make no guarantees about your ability to slip past enemy lines without being ambushed.

Hauntingly Good: Hector Plasm: De Mortuis

Well, somehow it's October again. The spookiest month of the year! As the wind grows colder and the days get shorter, tradition has it that the dead get restless. As the days hurtle toward All Hallows' Eve, there are bumps in the night and eyes peering from the shadows. If all this has you a little bit spooked, you need a little help from Hector Plasm!

Hector Plasm: De Mortuis is a collection of short stories, by Benito Cereno and Nate Bellegarde, featuring the eponymous ghost hunter, demon slayer, and all-around undead handler. Hector was special from the moment he was born with a caul over his head. This fateful birth put him immediately on the path to become a Benandante, one who communicates with the dead.

Of course, not all of the dead are bad news. Helpful spirits train young Hector in the ways of the Benandante, and prepare him for the difficult life of a wandering ghost hunter. As an adult, Hector wanders the world, accompanied by Sinner and Saint (A couple of largely useless spirits!), helping both people and ghosts, wherever and whenever he can. It is not an easy life, but it IS action-packed and occasionally hilarious!

Hector's world really has everything! Insightful storytelling, scary haints, intense action, and laugh-out-loud moments. These tales will certainly appeal to fans of Mike Mignola and Guy Davis, but they have a unique charm all their own. Each story stands on its own, and each one is amazing in its own way. The stories are excellent, the art is stylish and spooky, and the dead are awfully darn creepy. The creators are clearly hoping to bring readers more from Hector in the future, and I sure hope they get the chance.

If you're feeling all Halloween-y, and want to revel in some supernatural comic book fun, you better gather up your good-luck charms and head over to Four Color Fantasies to snag a copy of this scary Book of the Week. Not only are you guaranteed your money back if you don't like it, we'll throw in the additional guarantee that none of our copies are actually haunted or accompanied by supernatural manifestations of any kind. Hector Plasm: De Mortuis: it will NOT age you ten years in 20 seconds, and that's a promise!

Not in the Doghouse: Beasts of Burden #1 Delivers

Who is the last line of defense against the Lovecraftian horrors that go "squish" in the dark? Who will save us from the unspeakable powers of darkness and despair? Who will be there to put a stop to the Witch Cats and Cannibal Frogs? It isn't the Ghostbusters. It isn't even Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. The defense of the human race is all up to Rex, Ace, and Orphan! Don't worry, we're in good paws.

That's right, the Eisner Award-winning team of Evan (Milk and Cheese) Dorkin and Jill (Scary Godmother) Thompson are back with the squad of heroic neighborhood pets they introduced in the Dark Horse Book of (Insert scary noun here.) anthology series. Dark Horse has wisely seen fit to give this amazing duo and their adorable, yet ferocious, animal monster-hunters their own series: Beasts of Burden. It's about time these touching, funny, exciting tales got the spotlight all to themselves!

Beasts of Burden #1: The Gathering Storm takes place in the picturesque town of Burden Hill. A seemingly quaint and lovely town, Burden Hill's green fields and white picket fences harbor some terrifying secrets. It seems like there is always something weird lurking in the shadows, so the neighborhood dogs and cats have formed a team of paranormal investigators to put the bite on evil when it rears its ugly head. Craziness can strike at any moment, as it does on a clear summer morning when the Beasts suddenly find themselves pelted by a rain of frogs. Even worse, these cannibal frogs quickly start scarfing each other down and growing at an alarming rate. It isn't long before frogs are not enough to feed the aggregate horror lurking in the woods....

Though Dorkin is best known for biting, satirical, humor, he gives these noble pets humanity that tugs at the heart, while always leaving room for a laugh or two. Thompson's beautiful painted art is a joy to behold, and makes every critter in the book a distinctive and loveable (furry) star. If you have any kind of a soft spot for animals, there is no way you won't immediately feel attached to these four-pawed protagonists. But don't make the mistake of dismissing Beasts of Burden as a cutesy animal comic for kids. These are intense and involving tales that will capture the attention of any reader, especially fans of supernatural scares. The big bad in this first issue, and the gruesome way it is dispatched, would give even tough guys like Hellboy and Constantine reason to pause.

Though these characters have appeared before, the first issue gives you eveything you need to jump in and enjoy. (Even better, Dark Horse has made all of the original stories available, for free, on their website!) The first issue offers an amazing, complete, story, but leaves a few dark hints that will leave readers anxious for the next issue. We're so sure that you will love Beasts of Burden #1, that it comes with a money back guarantee all week at Four Color Fantasies. Keep an eye out for suspicious frogs, and be sure to wipe your paws before you come into the store!