Just added: CALVIN and HOBBES anthologies!

Need to get away from it all? Then stop by the Library of Justice and jump into the feverish daydreams of one six-year-old Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes in Bill Watterston's classic comic strip. We've just stocked several softcovers collecting the daily strips!

It almost pained me to put them in the Library this evening--I kept leafing through them in all their black and white glory. Every panel bursting with frantic imagination!

These are great, easy-to-read digests that are perfect for kids and grown-ups alike--stop by and check 'em out!

New Iron Man trailer and a new foe: THE MANDARIN!

Have you seen the new trailer for Iron Man 3? Here it is if you've not seen it:



So the word is that the new main villain this time around is The Mandarin played by Sir Ben Kingsley.

Our surprise for today is the just stocked first volume of Essential Iron Man which includes The Mandarin's first appearance in comics (Strange Tales #50 February, 1964) in glorious black and white ink.

Color cover and rated "E" for everyone!

The Mandarin as he was first depicted.

Come and check it out! We've got this and more comics anthologies on the way!

Oh, and what did you think of the trailer? Let us know in the comments!

Catch up on your heroes with BIG anthologies!

Has a been a while since you've cracked open a comic book? Maybe you're just looking for a refresher on an old favorite--or want to get the low down on a Marvel or DC character you've always wanted to know more about. Maybe you're totally new to comics.

You're in luck. 

You can digest dozens of stories thanks to the thick, black and white comics anthologies published by Marvel and DC. What they lack in color, they make up in spinning good 'ol yarns about your favorite superheroes from the Golden, Silver, Bronze, and Modern eras of comic book publishing. They're printed on salt-of-the-Earth, pulp paper and show off the beautiful--and oft forgotten--ink work rendered before they were colored.

Both Marvel and DC have put out volume after volume on an array of characters, super teams, and special titles--well-known and not-so-well known. A few in my personal collection include The Avengers, Ant-Man, and Marvel's take on Conan the Barbarian (among some of the best comics every written!).

A few weekends ago, I was a willing participant in that great, nerdly swirl of comic geeks held every autumn at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds--FallCon. The "one day wonder" is a great place to get a good deal on comics--and especially those compiled in trade paperback form. That's just what I did, picking up a few Marvel Essentials collections as well as some DC Showcase Presents volumes.

I selected mainly "Volume #1" books so Library of Justice readers could enjoy the origins and early days of favorites like Superman, Batman, Iron Man, and Amethyst. At least three of these are over 500 pages of some of the best and most memorable stories.

If these become popular reads, I'm hoping to include a few more volumes that I found--maybe even make them a regular item. Let me know in the comments if you enjoy these monstrous anthologies!

Reading Tips:

• Take one at a time: They're BIG volumes, even for voracious readers, so plan to get comfy with a character for a while. 
• Careful turning those pages: The paper is cheap and tears easily (how else can you afford 500 pages of comics?)
• Get a book mark: You'd have to be SUPER HUMAN to read these in just one sitting!
• Return in good condition and help others enjoy these great stories.

Good Reading!