Hey guys
you know what is awesome
what is awesome is MATT FREAKING FRACTION
is coming next week to the HOUSE OF SECRETS

(at 6:00 on Wednesday, January 30th)

to sign and celebrate the release of

HAWKEYE #7

which is that one issue where, you know, Hawkguy & HawkKate deal with the aftermath of a natural disaster in their proverbial backyards, and also it’s that one where

FRACTION IS DONATING HIS ENTIRE ROYALTY CHECK TO THE RED CROSS FOR HURRICANE SANDY-RELATED DISASTER RELIEF (phew. Breathe.)

The announcement of the book’s new contents and Fraction’s accompanying gesture, both of which are incredible, can be found here:

EXCLUSIVE: Matt Fraction To Donate His Royalties For ‘Hawkeye’ #7 To Hurricane Sandy Relief

But I’ll let Fraction sum it up (from this Newsarama article):

Matt Fraction: All praise be to [Marvel senior editor Stephen] Wacker on this. I just kind of asked if we could do it and he was the one that had to make the pieces fall into place.
It’s amazing. It’s an amazing thing that he’s made possible. And Steve [Lieber] and Jesse [Hamm] and Matt [Hollingsworth] and Chris [Eliopoulos] have all stepped up, and we all understand what we’re doing — we’re dropping a book into our production pipeline going into the holiday. It’s crazy. But some people still don’t have power, so it ain’t that bad.

Check out the event on FB and PLEASE, spread the word:

It’s here again, the best time of the year:

Join us May 5th starting at 11am to check out this year’s fantastic crop of special-edition FCBD releases (3 per person, please) and meet a few very special guests of a, shall we say, superheroic persuasion. Celebrate comics with a few of your favorite titles and then join us later to find a new favorite, as we welcome:

Jim McCann (Writer) and Rodin Esquejo (Artist),
who will be signing their new book,
“Mind the Gap” from Image Comics
Saturday May 5th, 5-7pm

Facebook Event page is up! RSVP here.

Time: Friday, January 6th, from 5:00pm-8:00pm.

Description:

Friday we welcome Ed Brubaker to the House @5 pm. Ed will be on hand until 8 to sign copies of ‘Fatale’, answer questions, and dish out some multi-media fun.
Gun molls and ‘Criminal’ attire, are highly encouraged at the request of Mr. Brubaker. R.S.V.P encouraged.

ADDENDUM ON SIGNING: We think there should be enough time for Ed to sign other (non-Fatale) books if you have other things you’d like to bring, but we will stare disapprovingly if you’re NOT reading Fatale because you are clearly a crazy person.

ADDENDUM THE SECOND, ON PUNNING: Amy has refrained from calling this event “A Fête Fatale,” but only by an effort of will. Please console her for the lost opportunity by adding your own terrible titles (#FF/FataleFriday/Brubakery/Ed-stravaganza, etc.) in the comments.

We’re having a party!
Allow me to introduce Susan Damon, whose excellent copy I’m stealing from the event page over on Facebook:

“Did you know that Paul Grimshaw and Erik Warfield have their very own publishing company called “Art of Fiction”? Well, you should.

This is the very first event we’ve held for “Art of Fiction”, complete with publications for sale, champagne reception, and artist signings.

A collection of original art, concepts, and prints from Five Color Comics One and Two will be on display and available for purchase. Plus, there will also be limited edition prints by Rodolphe Guenoden and Thomas N. Perkins IV.

For all our loyal customers, old friends, new friends, and hobo drifters wandering past who enjoy art, come celebrate with us.

You don’t have to dress up, but we will!

The entire House of Secrets crew can’t wait to see you all there!”

Check out the event and RSVP here

(Thank you, Susan!)

Top Row: First Impressions (new this week)

Erik’s Pick: Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #2 (IDW)

Why? Because it’s fun! You don’t like fun?

Paul’s Pick: Point One #1 (Marvel)

Paul can’t believe this wasn’t a crappy reprint. Instead, it looks great. Highly recommended.

Amy’s Pick: Northanger Abbey #1 (Marvel)

I can’t believe I even just typed “Northanger Abbey #1 (Marvel).” They’re adapting one of Jane Austen’s more obscure novels, but one I love and am delighted to revisit. Here’s the basic premise: our main character is a sweet, slightly silly teenage girl who longs to have her life become as romantic and dangerous as the plots of her favorite books. See, in Jane Austen’s time, there were all these wildly popular romantic novels written and read largely by women. They were full of gothic horror and melodrama, and looked down on by the intellectual elite. Austen loved them, but wasn’t blind to their faults. What I’m saying here is this: this a clear-eyed, affectionate, hilarious story about a late eighteenth-century Twilight fan. I am so excited for this.

Also, Janet Lee is very, very good.

Bottom Row: Second Thoughts (great stuff that shipped last week)

Erik’s Pick: The Goon #36 (Dark Horse)

Why? Because it’s fun! You don’t like fun? (Amy’s paraphrase)

Paul’s Pick: Fear Itself 7.1: Captain America (Marvel)

If you’ve spoken to Paul in the last week, you already know how much he loved this issue, which is all the more striking since he was not exactly positive on Fear Itself… itself. But Fear Itself 7.1 (from Ed Brubaker and Butch Guice) was the stuff his dreams are made of. If he hasn’t demanded you read it, it’s only a matter of time: save yourself a lecture and pick it up now. (It really is great)

Amy’s Pick: Heart #1 (Image)

I know this is at the bottom, but I really hope you all made it here. This book rules! This is pretty much just like Northanger Abbey, but in this book when you attend a social gathering and are matched with a partner, you don’t so much dance as hit each other in the face until somebody can’t get up. At least that’s how I think it works; I know nothing about MMA. I have a feeling I have the perfect guide in Blair Butler (whose first comic this is), though, because I’ve already made the first, most important breakthrough: last week I didn’t care about MMA or this guy, and now I care about both. Hey! I just realized: Blair Butler… Nancy Butler… the Butlers did it! Man, Heart and Northanger Abbey are totally the same book.

NEWS

Image Comics has gone day-and-date digital! So this week I’m including them below my regular DC links. What do you guys think?

It’s official, DC has followed through on their pricing plan, so the Week One #1s (and later today the Week Two #1s) are priced a dollar below their prices at launch. That means most of the new 52 issues will be $1.99 digitally, or you can drop us an e-mail and we’ll put aside a second print for you.

(Editorial comment: Boy, I have never been so glad to see second printings. Between those and Paul’s magic restocking powers, we’re almost done with the lists we made for you guys during last month’s sellouts!)

DC

(Editorial comment: Batwoman! Frankenstein! Demon Knights! Week Two rules.)

Batgirl #2

Batman and Robin #2

Batwoman #2

Deathstroke #2

Demon Knights #2

Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE #2

Green Lantern #2

Grifter #2

Legion Lost #2

Mister Terrific #2

My Greatest Adventure #1

Resurrection Man #2

The Shade #1

Suicide Squad #2

Superboy #2

Image

And we now have Image going same-day digital as well, if I have my info right, so try out these links this afternoon:

Blue Estate #6

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Liberty Annual 2011 #4

Morning Glories #13

Pigs #2

Who Is Jake Ellis? #5

This is it, folks! Month 2 kicks off today with 13 returning series and two new minis from DC:

Soapbox moment: we have our first schedule alteration. No Batgirl #2? So they shipped Red Lanterns #2 early? Glad they’re making an effort to even things out, but DC! You need to publish cheat sheets with release dates (like you did to promote Month One) in every single issue, and you need to be consistent! It’s so rewarding to be able to tell people what’s coming and when!

Action Comics #2

Animal Man #2

Batwing #2

Detective Comics #2

Green Arrow #2

Hawk and Dove #2

NEW: Huntress #1 (of 6)

Justice League International #2

Men of War #2

OMAC #2

NEW: Penguin: Pain and Prejudice #1 (of 5)

Red Lanterns #2

Static Shock #2

Stormwatch #2

Swamp Thing #2

Trying something new this week! The links above should take you to the page for each series, rather than the new issue itself. That way the links are live right away and you can just hit refresh at 2pm EST to see the new stuff.

September links:
Week Four
Week Three
Week Two
Week One

This is it! Week Four, everybody!

As of Wednesday September 28th at 2pm EST, the following links should go active at the House of Secrets Digital Store!

All-Star Western #1

Aquaman #1

Batman: the Dark Knight #1

Blackhawks #1

The Flash #1

The Fury of Firestorm: the Nuclear Men #1

Green Lantern: New Guardians #1

I, Vampire #1

Justice League Dark #1

The Savage Hawkman #1

Superman #1

Teen Titans #1

Voodoo #1

Again, these links will not be live until Wednesday at 2pm EST, so until then, or if you missed any others, check out:

Week One, Sept. 7th

Week Two, Sept. 14th

Week Three, Sept. 21st