Get set for an action-packed AVENGING APRIL!

Have you noticed something super in the library lately? We've been sneaking some of your favorite Avengers in the secret comics shelf! So far we've got Iron Man and the Hulk!

Stop by every Wednesday all through the month of April to see what new avenging Marvel heroes are swooping in for adventure. Here's the heroes who've already assembled and those yet to arrive:

April 1 reveal

April 8 reveal  

April 15 reveal

April 22 reveal

April 29 reveal

 

We're assembling a super team every week, leading up to the big day: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY on Saturday, May 2!

And don't forget that Avengers: Age of Ultron opens on Friday, May 1!

Get ready for upcoming comic events!

Two HUGE comic book events are coming this spring. The first Saturday in May is Free Comic Book Day! As in years past, we'll be participating (stay tuned for details) but if you're in the neighborhood, save the date and plan on stopping by for some free comic books. (Technically, EVERY day is free comic book day here at the LoJ, but we're still totally pumped to participate!)

Then on May 16 and 17 at the State Fair Grounds you'll want to make your way to MSP ComicCon! Formerly known as "SpringCon" this is the area's largest, locally-produced comic book celebration. It's family friendly and packed with comic creators, vendors, and fans!

 Click image to enlarge

Check out their website for a full list of artists and writers in attendance.

Be sure to get both of these on your calendar and watch for updates!

FallCon comic book celebration is coming!

Greetings comics fans! The Midwest Comic Book Association presents FallCon is THIS weekend. If you've never been, it's a daylong event packed with artists, vendors, and superheroes in costume. Lot's to explore and fun for the whole family!

It's also the most affordable comic convention in the Twin Cities at only $8 for anyone 13 and older. Bring a can for the food shelf and they'll knock a buck off.

• WHEN: 10am - 5pm, this Saturday / October 4
• WHERE: Grandstand at the State Fair Grounds
• PARKING: There's plenty of nearby lots or street parking. C'mon, you know you've always wanted to drive around the State Fair!

The Librarian of Justice will be there to to snap up handfulls of new comics for the library.

TO DO:
It's time to tell us who your favorite superhero or comic is! Let us know what you or your young ones might be interested in reading from our little free library and we'll see if we can track it down. Feel free suggest comics in the comments below or send us a note.

Hope to see you there!

FallCon Comic Book Celebration is coming!

Calling all superheroes, wizards, Jedi knights, and geeks of all stripes: the annual autumn celebration of comic books is almost here! FallCon is set for 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Saturday, October 5. Tickets are $8 at the door ($1 off if you bring a canned good to donate).

Check out the guest list to see which of your favorite artists and writers will be in attendance. Nearly all artists have art for sale--some will even do a commission for you on the spot! And if there's a hard-to-find comic on your wishlist, THIS is the place to track it down.

We've been regular attendees for years now and it's great to see so many wonderful comic creators, comic and collectible dealers, and fans of all ages come together. There's always superheroes in costume for you and the kids to get your picture taken with. The whole event is definitely family friendly and a lot of fun!

WHEN: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Saturday, October 5.

WHERE: Minnesota State Fairgrounds at the Education Building

HOW MUCH: $8 for adults / $1 off with canned good / kids 9 and under are FREE!

Hope to see you there!

Super-excited about our super prizes!

A while aback I entered a random drawing from one of our favorite kids' publishers, Capstone Books. Wouldn't you know it--WE WON! (Or were one of several winners, to be honest, I'm not sure.) They sent us this awesome Superman Family Adventures library edition (hardcover) book and a super-big tote bag. The bag is especially nice, since it comes in handy for carrying large loads of books and comics while we rotate stock in the library.

Captsone makes several great series, but we're partial to the superheroic genres, including the SFA we've blogged about before. If the art style looks familiar, you may have see authors Franco and Art Baltazaar work before on Tiny Titans, based on DC Comics' Teen Titans. These are fantastic books for early readers, with lots of action to hold their attention and about the most colorful graphic style you'll find in any comic book.

One thing I'm particularly excited about is the reverse side with a fantastic illustration of Wonder Woman. WW is tough to find these days--she's usually lumped in with the Justice League--so it was a nice surprise to see her get some prominent face-time!

Relatedly, you'll be hearing more about Wonder Woman in the coming months as we seek to track down some more girl-friendly comic book characters for the neighborhood.

Back to Capstone--they're fantastic and they do a great deal of good to promote literacy of all ages, but especially in getting young readers interested. So thank you Capstone for your fantastic books and for the wonderful prizes!

You'll find Superman Family Adventures in the library now, check it out!

Check out  more of Capstone's DC hero adventures:

• Superman Family Adventures series
• Preview of the issue we won
• Their new Man of Steel series

Free Comic Book Day wrap up!

We had a STUPENDOUS turn out for Free Comic Book Day--more than 40 people showed to come grab some free comics! We also had plenty of games and fun activities to win prizes. Due to some spotty weather, we moved the festivities indoors. Hopefully next year we'll get some sunshine! Here's a photo highlight of all our super-hero patrons (sorry, one or two is a bit blurry):

Some sidewalk chalk to let folks they've come to the right place...

I was pretty proud of my homemade Free Comic Book Day signage....

Picking out free comics!

These amazing and delicious superhero and Star Wars sugar cookies were made by our friends from Two Smart Cookies!

Batman joins the Avengers for a photo op...

One of the activities included a "create your own superhero" lab...

Here's one of the superhero creations--not sure what the best part is here: the hair? the pants? or the fact that this guy is a MIND TWISTER!

And because Free Comic Book Day was also Star Wars Day (May the Fourth Be With You!) We also had a make-your-own lightsaber workshop!

A few rounds of Captain America's Target Toss....

Thanks again for everyone who came out to the Library of Justice on Free Comic Book Day! It was a blast--we hope to see you again next year!

Happy Birthday to the Man of Steel!

Last week--April 18th to be exact--the world's first and best-known superhero turned 75 years-old! It's probably not escaped you that coming June 14, Superman returns to the big screen in Man of Steel. The most recent trailer is nothing short of fantastic!



For a while now, geeks (like myself) around the world have been wondering what (if any) particular story might serve as source material for the film. While this new interpretation will be the third time in the last 30+ years that we've seen Kal-el's origin on screen, it appears that the filmmakers are going for a different flavor of Superman. One with more angst about his purpose on Earth and a tougher road out of adolescence.

Now there are plenty of Superman comics out there that cover his origin, but one of my personal favorites was published a few years ago. The Birthright storyline gave us a more in-depth look at Clark's personal motivation for wanting to do good with his powers, by learning more about the world outside of Smallville--before moving on to the big city of Metropolis.

Clark is just starting out as a reporter and travels to Africa in his early 20s. I won't spoil it--you really should read it--but in trying to help some newly made friends he learns a few hard-knock lessons about his own limits. The result is likely the most human depiction of Superman we've seen to date. Clark fuses his Kansas and Krypton upbringings into a single vision to do good in for the entire planet (not only Metropolis)--through his earthly talents (journalism) as well as his otherworldly ones (super powers).

While we've seen Supes care for the planet before, before Birthright we never really got see Clark--or at least young Clark--get his feet wet and learn about humanity.

It's no secret that the storyline carries through themes from the (now ended) Smallville TV series. My guess is that this story might have been an influence on the new film. Though (again, don't want to spoil the comic's story here) it looks like some locations may have been changed.

Birthright and Man of Steel also share a similar threat in the form of enemies from his former homeworld Krypton. General Zod, the main villain from Christopher Reeve's Superman II, appears to be the key adversary in this latest rendition as well. There's a twist in Birthright that I won't give away, but I think there's enough evidence here to say that it's had an influence on choosing Krypton's most-wanted rebel. Lex Luthor has a great part in the comic as well--it remains to be seen if he'll show his shiny, bald visage in the film.

In any case, you should stop on over to the Library of Justice soon and check out the great Superman stories we've got in stock. Oh, and happy birthday Supes--you don't look a day over 30!

Now in the Library of Justice:

DC Showcase Presents: Superman Vol 1. (See anthologies)

Superman: Birthright

Various issues of Superman Family Adventures

SFA is a fantastic kids comic about Supes and his gang (Supergirl, superdog Krypto, Lois Lane, etc.). It featurs fantastic artwork by Franco and Art Baltazar and is a superlative entry into comics in general--as well as Superman lore. We've got several issues from which to choose.

More on Superman's 75th birthday:

• LA Times tribute 
• Comic Book Resources: Fans choose on the greatest Superman stories
• Comics Alliance: Superman (and co.) comic art through the years

Valentine's Day Reader Treats!

Wither yon Lois, Clark? Thou art a cad!

Scandalous!

Happy Valentine's Day! Or happy spend-some-quiet-time-with-a-book-or-comic day! We slipped a couple of romance-y themed treats into the library this morning. Young Romance from DC Comics is a revival from the days of yore and yesteryear, published just for the occasion. It's chock full 'o sweet superhero stories--including one with Superman and Wonder Woman--plus a few punch-out Valentines to woo your own cuddly caped crusader. (Too much?) It's recommended for hormonal teens and starry-eyed lovers.

We're also really excited to have a copy of New York Times bestselling novel A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It's not your usual tawdry romance between a vampire and the witches who love them. It's much, much better than that! (Emily swears by it.) It's romantical, yet keeping with our Fantasy February theme. We know what you're thinking--that this is like that other notoriously cringe-worthy, vampires in love book series. Don't go there--this one really is well written. We're not judging. (But we do have standards!)

Stop by the Library of Justice and check 'em out!

Wednesdays Mean New Comics!

Wednesdays are very special for the curators of the Library of Justice. It means the possibility of fresh stock! For those not in the know, NEW comics arrive in stores every Wednesday.

Just like new movies on DVD hit shelves every Tuesday--and hit theaters every Friday--Wednesdays belong to comic books and graphic novels. And yes, it's technically after Wednesday, but try to ignore that for a sec, and focus on NEW COMICS!!

Comics for Kids...

Today we grabbed some new issues to refresh the Library, including two favorites with our younger patrons. Both are great titles for kids of all ages.

UP, UP, AND AWAY--FOR GOOD.
Superman battles a rogues gallery while aided by his closest pals (Lois, Supergirl, Superboy, and his dog Krypto in Superman Family Adventures. The art style is colorful, simple, and full of energy and excitement (and a few gags only parents could love). We were sad to learn recently that DC Comics is bringing the series to a close soon, so it was essential to scoop up some issues. We're still not sure why Supes is packin' up his cape for this kids-oriented title, but we suspect Lex Luthor is involved....

A BOY. AND HIS DINOSAUR. IN A SPACE SUIT.
Super Dinosaur is about a boy and his talking tyrannosaurus rex, Super Dinosaur (with a name like that, it's kind of setting him up for success, yes?). They square off against the evil Maximus, fight crime, go on adventures, you know, the usual. But the best part is the suit. SD might have quite the bite, but his reach isn't so great (he's got tiny arms). Yes, that totally does not sound "super". So they gave him a cool Iron-Man-like suit of armor complete with full-sized arms controlled by two teeny joysticks his widdo claws opewate so he can do AWESOME things like kung-fu! I told you he was SUPER.

Comics for Teens and Grown-ups...

Did you see Zero Dark Thirty and want to learn more about the black ops strike teams that are America's last defense against terrorists? Then get ready for some globe-trotting, high-tech excitement!

Foshay? FO'SHO!
Just out this week is an all new issue of The Activity, illustrated by local comic creator and artist Mitch Gerads. Team Omaha, a highly-trained and specialized, covert strike team are the stars, as they bring down terror cells around the globe. For this week's story, Mitch and writer Nathan Edmondson have the team taking out assassins in a familiar destination--Minneapolis! You may have seen the write-up in the Star Tribune about the issue this past weekend.

We also have a trade paperback of the first several issues in stock. Catch up with Team Omaha's missions and check out The Activity! 



The WATCHMEN have arrived!

Finally, we have an excellent copy of what is likely the most-revered and well-known graphic novel of all time--WATCHMEN! Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons comic opus is not for the faint-of-heart or readers with low stamina. Every page packs in gripping drama in this modern noir tale filled with suspense and an ensemble of unforgettable characters.

If you saw the movie but never read the graphic novel you OWE it to yourself to read the much more nuanced and riveting source material. Seriously, WATCHMEN. Do I need to say more? Should I say it again? WATCHMEN.

WATCHMEN.

The word has lost all meaning.

WATCHMEN.

It's back again! (I'll quit while I'm ahead.)

Have a question for the Librarian of Justice?

Are you looking for something COOL to read in comic or graphic novel form? Need a reccomendation?

Do you have little ones and wonder where's a good place to start with superheroes and their ilk?

Are you looking for something graphical but more for grown-ups? Without superheroes?

Have a question about a comics in general you're dying to ask?

Then Ask the Librarian and have your question answered on the blog!*

Whether you're new to comics and graphic novels or you're an old-hat when it comes to sequential art forms, we can help. If we don't know the answer, we'll track it down. Feel free to leave us a note in the Library of Justice or just send a message to headquarters using the Keep in Touch page of the message in this post.

OPERATORS ARE STANDING BY!

*This assumes of course, your question is something that can be asked in polite company, you dig?

JUST ADDED: New Superhero books and comics!

The Library of Justice received not one, but TWO packages packed with super-powered donations recently....

The first is a fresh batch of classic comics from Eric in Salina, Kansas, which included single issues of Batman: Shadow of the Bat, Iron Man, Sword of the Atom, Richie Rich, and others:

The second delivery comes from Jeny in Houston, Texas, who also is a librarian (like, with a real Masters in Library Sciences and everything!) and sent these library-quality hardcover DC superheroes books for young ones:

Click images to enlarge 

Thanks for the generous donations--you guys are real heroes of literacy! Several of these are now available in the Library of Justice. Single issues on the secret comic shelf, hard-backs on the main shelf.

Enjoy!

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!