I was within a few miles from Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash in Red Bank NJ. Place was a mob scene and i didnt even bother trying to get into the store let alone actually browse.

Awesome that you were close to there. My store was crazier tan it normally is, but not too bad. Of course, I was there around 2:00 PM, so maybe that had something to do with it.

JK

I absolutely recommend it. Incredibly well-written. Hill is so talented; I loved Heart-Shaped Box - One of those rare books where I really got attached to the characters... 20th Century Ghosts was a great collection of really vivid vignettes (I think he writes more vignettes than short stories)... haven't read Horns yet.

I know that comics are crazy-expensive... Definitely check our your local library; I'm lucky enough that my library network is really expansive; I do most of my comic book reading through them now. Pretty much any comic volume that I want to read I've found through them.

...

Locke & Key Volume 4: Keys to the Kingdom by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (2011)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...rl/locknk4.jpg

I initially thought this volume was a little schizophrenic; the pace was a bit faster than the previous volumes; whereas previously a volume would focus on just a couple of keys and the Locke Kids' encounters with the "Dark Lady," this one lumped in quite a few... But it all came down to a fantastic ending; clearing hill and Rodriguez didn't want to become repetitive and ultimately the ending is brilliant - Looking forward for Volume 5 to come out.


...

Powers, Vol. 2: Roleplay by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming (2011)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...r_roleplay.jpg

Really liked the direction Bendis took the story - Continuing to look forward to seeing this series develop.

Incognito by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (2009)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6.../incognito.jpg

Really fantastic homage to super hero and villain pulp. I really think that superhero comic fans will truly appreciate this work. Highly recommended; I was impressed - Took me a while to get into it, but the story offers some really fantastic pulpy twists and turns. The ending was great. Looking forward to reading the next one.

I read the first two issues of the new Animal Man. Very, very interesting.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

I'm really into it. Such a bizarre story around a realistic family drama. Definitely going to pick up more of these.

And I need to check out Locke and Key.

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Ooo. Well based on your rec, I think I'm going to have to check out Animal Man.

And yes, yes, you do have to check out Locke & Key. Check your local library to see if they have them - That's how I was able to read 'em!! :)

Sweeeet. I'll check this week.

And definitely let me know if you get a hold of the new Animal Man.

I read a comic the other day called 30 days of night, based on the movie. Was quite decent, I certainly enjoyed it.

I'll be honest, I'm new to comic books and am currently just reading a few free ones that I picked up at the comic book shop. I find it a bit intimidating to start reading comics because there's so much out there and I don't know that much about them. If anyone has any recommendations to help me kick off, I'd greatly appreciate it. I'll also be checking out some of what has already been mentioned in this thread.

As for graphic novels, what I've most recently read has been:
-Blankets by Craig Thompson
-Habibi by Craig Thompson
-Elmer by Gerry Alanguilan