November
9 Review: Heroes, Vol. 1

Creators: Aron Eli Coleite, Chuck Kim, Joe Pokaski, Oliver Grigsby, Pierluigi Cothran, Christopher Zatta, Andrew Chamberliss, Harrison Wilcox, Jesse Alexander, Mark Warshaw, DJ Doyle and Timm Keppler, writers;  Tim Sale, Michael Turner, Koi Turnbull, Micah Gunnell, Marcus To, Travis Kotzebue, Phil Jimenez, Jordan Kotzebue, Jason Badower, Staz Johnson, Michael Gaydos, Steven Lejeune, Adam Archer and Tom Grummett, artists.

DC/WildStorm, 240 pages, color, hardcover, $29.99

So? This collection of 34 short comic stories that weave in and out of the show's first-season episodes is an excellent reminder of how much fun the show was in its first season (and how lackluster its second season has been so far). Reading these all in one sitting is much more fun than it was scrolling through them online, though fans that really know the ins and outs of the plots of the first season will likely get the most out of these stories. What makes this work is the stories are short, and at five pages, they can't dawdle the way so many comics do. These read almost like good manga, in that they're quick and addictive. The art is solid, with some excellent turns by the likes of Michael Gaydos and workhorse Micah Gunnell, and benefits tremendously from top-notch coloring and lettering. This is a nice-looking book, complete with a retro comicbook design that, oddly enough, evokes the look and feel of Silver Age Marvel Comics (and strangely, it's not exactly clear if this is being published by DC, as the cover says, or its WildStorm division, which is what it says inside the book). Tim Sale's paintings are turned into slightly worn covers for each of the 34 episodes and the hefty volume boasts an interview with the writers and an introduction by actor Masi Oka. A pair of very cool covers by Jim Lee and Alex Ross make this a must-have for fans of the show, even at a slightly pricey $29.99. Grade: A-