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.