Hey, folks!  We’ll be open regular hours this winter holiday season, with a few exceptions.  Here’s the schedule!

Wednesday, December 24: 10am-6pm! (closing early)
Thursday, December 25: Closed for Christmas!
Friday, December 26: Noon-9pm! (opening late)

Saturday, December 27: 10am-9pm! (regular hours)
Sunday, December 28: Noon-6pm! (regular hours)
Monday, December 29: 10am-9pm! (regular hours)
Tuesday, December 30: 10am-9pm! (regular hours)

Wednesday, December 31: 10am-6pm! (closing early)
Thursday, January 1: Noon-9pm! (opening late)

Friday, January 2: Normal Hours Resume:
Monday - Saturday: 10am-9pm!
Sunday: Noon-6pm!

Happy Holidays from everyone at Chapel Hill Comics! We hope your winter is fun and relaxing.

Andrew Neal
Chapel Hill Comics
316 W Franklin St
Chapel Hill, NC 27516

The Fourth Annual Kids’ Art Show is opening tonight:

Chapel Hill Comics
Kids’ Art Show Opening
Friday, December 19, 6-9pm

Come get some snacks, buy some art, and meet the artists!

See a small preview of the show here:
http://www.chapelhillcomics.com/content/?p=374

And, we have finally gotten our annual Holiday Gift Guide online, for those of you who might need some suggestions.  As always, if nothing here grabs you, we’re happy to help you out at the store!

Here’s the guide:
http://www.chapelhillcomics.com/content/?p=376

Thanks!
Andrew Neal
Chapel Hill Comics
316 W Franklin St
Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Hello, folks, and welcome to the  2008 Chapel Hill Comics Holiday Gift Guide!  We’re cutting it a little close to the wire here, but, hey!  You still have plenty of time to swing by and pick up a present for that special someone.  Let’s get to it:

Hilarious Stocking Stuffers:

There are two fantastic mini-comics which make pretty much everyone who picks them up burst out laughing: Sad Animals by Adam Meuse and Girls Don’t Poop by Mario van Buren.  They’re perfect gifts for the mature child or the childish adult, and they’re really affordable, too!

Stuff Designers and Toddlers love:

Charley Harper was an incredible designer and illustrator for over 50 years, who worked in a style he called “Minimal Realism.”  We have in stock several of his works, in the form of board books and a memory game.  His design sense is pretty much unmatched, and the animals he illustrated are instantly recognizable, which make this books great for very young kids or for people who are interested in design.  Check them out: Charley Harper’s ABCs, Charley Harper’s 123s, and The Charley Harper Memory Game.

For kids of all ages who haven’t read Bone yet:

Bone!  This is one of our best selling graphic novel series.  It’s a great fantasy book with nice, cartoony art by Jeff Smith, an epic story, lots of humor (the Great Cow Race is one of my favorite things in a comic), and strong female characters.  It works for absolutely anyone who likes fantasy and fun.  It’s a great first comic for you to read with your six-year old kid, but be careful, you’ll love it so much yourself that you’ll come back for the second volume as soon as you’re done with the first.  This is truly an all ages comic, and it’s in my top ten comics of all time.  There are eight volumes of the nine-volume series available in color, with the ninth coming soon, as well as a gigantic black-and-white paperback which includes all nine volumes, and a couple of spinoffs which are also excellent!

For the Buffy Fan:

Do you need to buy gifts for a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer?  Well, you’re in luck!  The eighth season of Buffy is currently ongoing as a comic rather than a TV show.  There are three paperback collections out so far.  The series is overseen by Joss Whedon, creator of the TV show, and the first book was written by him.  And speaking as a fan, they’re a very solid continuation of the show.

For those of you who like our diseases to have big, round eyes:

And there are apparently a ton of you out there, because these have been very popular this year: Giant Microbes! They’re plush top versions of microscopic maladies, like Rabies, Chicken Pox, and Polio, as well as other tiny things, like Yeast and Dust Mites!

Uglydolls:

We still have the area’s biggest selection of Uglydolls, which are a perennial seller for us.  We got in a huge shipment at the beginning of the month, so our selection is strong!

For when you want to introduce a new reader to the joys of alternative comics:

We suggest McSweeney’s volume 13!  McSweeney’s is a quarterly fiction anthology, and its thirteenth issue was edited by Chris Ware, of Acme Novelty Library.  It’s been around for several years, but it’s a wonderful anthology so we recommend it regularly.  It contains a true all-star sampling of comics by some of the most respected cartoonists in the field, like Lynda Barry, Dan Clowes, and many, many more.  If you don’t know where to start, this is the place!

Speaking of Chris Ware:

Did you know there’s a new volume of his series Acme Novelty Library?  There is!  This has been a public service announcement.  Thank you.

And yet another public service announcement:

You may not know that Art Spiegelman, creator of Maus and In the Shadow of No Towers has a new book out which has both new material and a fantastic selection of his underground stuff from back in the day.  You know at least a couple of folks who have only read Maus.  Why not show them what else he did?

For the Tori Amos fan:

There’s a great big graphic novel full of comics based on the lyrics of Tori Amos.  This is a very well-produced book.  The design is great, and the production values are through the roof.  It’s pretty to look at regardless, but if you’re a big fan of Tori Amos, you’ll love it.  If you’ve been looking for a way to introduce a friend to comic, and she loves Tori Amos, this is it!  In addition to the standard edition, we also have one copy left of the slipcased hardcover edition signed by Tori, as well.

For the folks who loved The Dark Knight:

Heath Ledger was great in the Dark Knight, wasn’t he?  Do you want to read a graphic novel in which the joker is just as disturbingly maniacal as he was in the movie?  Then the new Joker hardcover by Brian Azarello and Lee Bermejo might be just the thing!

For fans of sick humor:

Graham Roumieu’s Bigfoot books are hilarious.  They are presented as diaries with art which reminds me of Ralph Steadman’s but, well, funnier.  They’re perfect for grownups with a sick sense of humor, but you’d have to look through them to see if they’re the kind of thing you’d like your teenager to read!

Hey, did you hear they’re making a movie…

Seen the trailer for the upcoming Watchmen movie and want to read the graphic novel first?  Well, we have a ton of copies in stock, in paperback and hardcover, as well as a limited amount to the Watching the Watchmen hardcover for those folks who are interested in the process of creating the book!  There’s a reason this has been one of the best-selling graphic novels in the industry and in the store for the last twenty years: because it’s great.

Well, there you go.  Hopefully this guide will make your shopping chores this winter a little easier, and if we haven’t suggested anything here that’ll work for you, come on by the store and we’ll help you find something!  We’re open from 10am until 9pm, except on Sunday, when we’re open from noon until 6pm, and, we’ll be open Christmas Eve until 6pm.  We have a Kids’ Art Show opening Friday, December 19th at 6pm, so you can swing by then and pick up gifts and see art!

Thanks,
Andrew Neal
Chapel Hill Comics

I just wanted to post a few preview images from our Fourth Annual Kids’ Art Show, which opens Friday, December 19, from 6-9pm.  We’re having a party with snacks, live music by Jon Caison and Brad Lloyd, and lots of fun!  Here are just two of the fantastic pieces on display in our event room.   We have thirty-six pieces by thirty-six artists on display.  Come on down and meet the artists, buy some art, and pick up some comics!

Thanks,
Andrew Neal
Chapel Hill Comics
316 W Franklin St
Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Art by Graham Buhrman.

Art by Rosemary Buhrman.

Hey, folks! Somehow this year with the store’s move and the setup of our new POS and inventory program, I found the time to read some comics. And you know what? Some of them were really great. Do you want to know what I loved? Well, read on, friends: it’s my Top Ten Comics of 2008!

1. MESMO DELIVERY by Rafael Grampa

This was my favorite comic of the year. I love it unconditionally and have read it at least five times. It’s ridiculously violent, ridiculously detailed, and just plain ridiculous. it’s about truckers fighting in a truck stop. There’s a part where a dude TAKES OFF HIS HAND AND REPLACES IT WITH A GIANT HAND! Whew. Please forgive me for shouting. It’s like Geoff Darrow meets C.W. McCall. It is perfect.

2. GUS AND HIS GANG by Chris Blain

This one is about cowboys who rob banks and have romantic misadventures. It’s funny. It reminded me of Joann Sfar’s Vampire Loves, but with Cowboys instead of monsters. What a treat. The art is fluid and whimsical, without losing its consistency. I’m very happy about all the French comics which are showing up here these days, and this is one of my favorite.

3. BLACK JACK by Osamu Tezuka

The first two volumes of this seventeen-volume series are out now, and they’re delightful. They’re short stories about Black Jack, the world’s best mercenary surgeon. Osamu Tezuka was a great cartoonist, and I’ve enjoyed almost all of his books which have been released here over the last several years (MW was my favorite book of the year in last year’s list), and this is no exception. It’s light-hearted, but also really dark at times. I recommend the hardcovers, which each contain a story expunged from the Japanese paperback edition for being too disturbing. The first volume’s bonus story was about conjoined twin’s and the second was about… even worse baby surgery stuff. Don’t let me pressure you, though; we have the cheaper paperbacks too!

4. DISAPPEARANCE DIARY by Hideo Azuma

This is an autobiographical biographical comic by a cartoonist who disappeared from his home and job and became homeless. He’s left out the most horrific parts of the story in order to make it more fun, and weirdly enough, it is. So there you go: it’s a weirdly fun autobiographical comic about an cartoonist who bails on his wife and job, sleeps in the park, and scrounges beer, cigarette butts, and food from the trash. At times he also works for a gas company and seeks treatment for alcoholism. It’s very compelling.

5. HELLBOY: IN THE CHAPEL OF MOLOCH by Mike Mignola

My favorite Hellboy comics are Mike Mignola’s short stories, like The Corpse, the Iron Shoes, and Heads. In the Chapel of Moloch is a return to form. It’s a single issue comic which has all the great Hellboy stuff, namely, monsters and hittin’. Oh, it’s so good.

6. BPRD: THE WARNING by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis, and Dave Stewart

I bet you thought I was going to cheat and list all the Hellboy and BPRD stuff together so I could put more comics on the list, didn’t you? Wrong! The Warning has been great just like every other BPRD story that this team has put together and deserves its own spot on this list. BPRD: 1946 was also exceptional, and while I was dubious about anyone who’s not Guy Davis drawing BPRD the same way I was dubious about anyone other than Mignola drawing them originally, Paul Azaceta was perfect for the story.. Wait, I guess that was cheating. Oh well. Get over it, I love BPRD!

7. MONSTER, by NAOKI URASAWA

It’s a thriller about a surgeon who saves a little boy’s life and then chases him through Europe after he grows up to become a serial killer. It’s a fantastic thriller. I’m about to have a fit waiting for the 18th and final volume. Highly recommended!

8. SAD ANIMALS by Adam Meuse

It’s a collection of drawing of Sad Animals. What else do you want me to say? …no, that’s too short. This is a hilarious little self published comic which features on each page a, well, a sad animal. It’s four bucks, and I think we’ve sold more copies of this mini-comic this year than anything except maybe that Obama comic from IDW. It’s the type of thing that people notice, pick up, flip through, and then bust out laughing.

9. BOY’S CLUB by Matt Furie

Single page comics about these animal dudes who do drugs and turn into things. Sometimes there’s no punchline except for the fact that a dude turns into something hilarious. Occasionally that dude will say something or throw up, though. It’s so dumb, and so funny. The strip with the kiwi in it cracks me up every time I read it.

10. DEMON OMNIBUS by Jack Kirby

I love Jack Kirby’s seventies comics. Kamandi, 2001, and Devil Dinosaur are my favorites, but I like all of it. I read these Demon comics years ago and didn’t really enjoy them, but I decided to reread the series when DC re-released it this year in fancy hardcover form. It’s great, and I don’t know what I was thinking! There are some two-page action spreads in here that just kill me. It’s yet another example of why Kirby was the King.

So there you go: My top ten comic release of 2008. Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think!

Thanks,
Andrew Neal
Chapel Hill Comics

Hey, Folks!

This Monday, December 15, is the submission deadline for our 4th Annual Kids’ Art Show!  Parents, if your kids are participating, please swing by the store this weekend or on Monday and drop off your kids’ framed art!

The Art Show itself is Friday, December 19, and from the submissions we have received so far, it looks like it’s going to be a good one!

The show opens Friday, December 19, and the opening will be from 6pm until 9pm.  If you’re not in the show, please come by and meet some the artists, and maybe purchase some original art!

Not sure what Kids’ Art Show I’m Talking about?  Just click here for information about the show and submission guidelines:

http://www.chapelhillcomics.com/content/?p=356

Thanks,
Andrew Neal
Chapel Hill Comics
316 W Franklin St
Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Here are the titles we are scheduled to receive on Wednesday, December 11, 2008! This includes comics, graphic novels, and other stuff from Diamond, our primary comic distributor, but does not include other comics, books, and other fine items which we receive throughout the week from other distributors, and direct from publishers.

COMICS AND MAGAZINES
100 BULLETS #98 (MR)    $2.99
30 DAYS OF NIGHT 30 DAYS TIL DEATH #1    $3.99
ACTION COMICS #872 NEW KRYPTON    $2.99
ADAM LEGEND OF BLUE MARVEL #2 (OF 5)    $3.99
AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #27    $2.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #580    $2.99
AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE #5 (OF 6)    $2.99
ARCHIE & FRIENDS #126    $2.25
ARMY OF DARKNESS #15    $3.50
ASTONISHING X-MEN GHOST BOXES #2 (OF 2)    $3.99
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #24    $2.99
BOOSTER GOLD #15    $2.99
BPRD WAR ON FROGS #2    $2.99
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #8    $2.99
CIVIL WAR HOUSE OF M #4 (OF 5)    $2.99
COMICS REVUE #271 (C: 0-1-2)    $6.95
COURTNEY CRUMRIN AND PRINCE OF NOWHERE    $5.95
DEATH DEFYING DEVIL #1 (C: 0-1-0)    $3.50
DETECTIVE COMICS #851    $2.99
DMZ #37 (MR)    $2.99
DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS SERIES 2 #1    $3.99
ELEPHANTMEN #14    $2.99
FINAL CRISIS #5 (OF 7)    $3.99
FINAL CRISIS REVELATIONS #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
GEN 13 #25    $2.99
GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #15    $2.99
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #31    $2.99
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #8 (MR)    $2.99
INVINCIBLE #56    $2.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #27 SIGHTINGS    $2.99
LONE RANGER #16 (MR)    $3.50
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #46    $2.99
MARVEL APES #0    $3.99
NIGHTWING #151    $2.99
PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #127    $3.69
PHONOGRAM 2 #1 (OF 7) SINGLES CLUB    $3.50
PUNISHER WAR ZONE #1 (OF 6)    $3.99
SAVAGE DRAGON #142    $3.50
SECRET INVASION DARK REIGN    $3.99
SECRET SIX #4    $2.99
SIMON DARK #15    $2.99
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #195    $2.25
SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE SEASON 2 #5 (OF 5)    $2.99
STAR WARS CLONE WARS #3 (OF 6) (C: 1-0-0)    $2.99
SUPERMAN BATMAN #54    $2.99
SUPERMAN BATMAN VS VAMPIRES WEREWOLVES #5 (OF 6)    $2.99
TERRY MOORES ECHO #8    $3.50
TIME MANAGEMENT FOR ANARCHISTS #1    $3.99
TITANS #8    $2.99
TOYFARE #138 MARVEL UNIVERSE CVR (C: 0-1-2)    $4.99
TRANSFORMERS MAXIMUM DINOBOTS #1    $3.99
TRINITY #28    $2.99
UNCLE SCROOGE #383 (C: 0-1-2)    $7.99
WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #698 (C: 0-1-2)    $7.99
WATCHMEN #1 NEW PTG    $1.50
WHAT IF CAPTAIN AMERICA FALLEN SON    $2.99
WIZARD MAG 2009 PLATINUM MARVEL EVENT CVR (C: 0-1-2)    $5.99
WIZARD MAG 2009 PLATINUM PROJECT SUPERPOWERS CVR (C: 0-1-2)    $5.99
WIZARD MAG 2009 PLATINUM WATCHMEN MOVIE CVR (C: 0-1-2)    $5.99
WOLVERINE FLIES TO A SPIDER    $3.99
WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ #1 (OF 8)    $3.99
X-MEN SPIDER-MAN #2 (OF 4)    $3.99
YOUNG LIARS #10 (MR)    $2.99
YTHAQ FORSAKEN WORLD #1 (OF 3) (MR)    $5.99

BOOKS, MANGA, GRAPHIC NOVELS
AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL TP BRAND NEW DAY VOL 04    $16.99
AMERICAN FREAKSHOW GN    $17.99
ARCHIES GREATEST HITS TP VOL 01    $9.95
BATMAN JOKERS ASYLUM TP    $14.99
BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL TP VOL 20 DEMONS LAIR (C: 0-1-2)    $19.95
BLOOD PLUS GN VOL 04 (C: 0-1-2)    $10.95
BRAVE AND THE BOLD LORDS OF LUCK TP    $17.99
CAMELOT 3000 HC DELUXE EDITION    $34.99
CAPTAIN AMERICA TP CHOSEN    $19.99
DAREDEVIL MAN WITHOUT FEAR PREM HC    $24.99
FLY TRUE STORY COMPLETELY MADE UP GN    $14.95
GOTHIC AND LOLITA BIBLE VOL 04 (OF 6)    $19.99
GREEN LANTERN SECRET ORIGIN HC    $19.99
JACK OF FABLES TP VOL 04 AMERICANA (MR)    $14.99
JSA HC VOL 03 THY KINGDOM COME PART 2    $24.99
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES THE MORE THINGS CHANGE TP    $17.99
NICOLAS GN    $9.95
NOCTURNAL CONSPIRACIES NINETEEN DREAMS GN    $14.95
ROCKY GN VOL 02 STRICTLY BUSINESS    $12.95
SGT FROG GN VOL 16 (OF 16)    $9.99
STAR WARS LEGACY TP VOL 04 ALLIANCE (C: 1-1-2)    $15.95
SULK GN VOL 02 DEADLY AWESOME (MR)    $10.00
TEZUKAS BLACK JACK PX HC VOL 02 (C: 0-1-2)    $24.95
TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE TP VOL 02    $24.99

OTHER ITEMS
WACKY PACKAGES FLASHBACK 2 STICKER $3.99

Thanks,
Andrew Neal
Chapel Hill Comics
316 W Franklin St
Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Hello everyone,

We hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a good one, and that anyone who doesn’t also had a chance to relax this weekend!

A couple of notes about this week’s schedule:

We will be closed this Tuesday, December 2 in order to add the store’s inventory to our new Point of Sale program.  We will reopen Wednesday, December 3 for regular hours.

Also, new comics will arrive on Thursday rather than Wednesday this week due to the holiday last week.

Thanks,
Andrew Neal
Chapel Hill Comics
316 W Franklin St
Chapel Hill, NC 27516