Missives from Modern Myths

What's New on Thursday, July 9th.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:57:19 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, July 9, 2009.

Our Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale starts in TWO WEEKS.
In THREE WEEKS, we’ll be going to Connecticon.
Check the EVENTS section for details.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS, both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

100 BULLETS TP VOL 13 WILT (MR) $19.99
    -Final volume of the popular crime comic.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #36 $3.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN BY JMS ULTIMATE COLL TP BOOK 01 $34.99
ANITA BLAKE LC NECROMANCER #3 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
ARCHIE & FRIENDS #133 $2.50
ARMY OF DARKNESS #22 $3.50

ASTERIOS POLYP GN $29.95
    -Asterios Polyp is the story of a bitter New York artist transplanted to the rural Mid-West, where he, and we, discover the self he slowly forgot. This is the first original graphic novel written and illustrated by David Mazzuchelli (Batman Year One, Daredevil).

BACK TO BROOKLYN TP (DIRECT MKT ED) (MR) $14.99
BATMAN #688 $2.99
BATMAN AND ROBIN #1 2ND PTG $2.99
BOOSTER GOLD #22 $3.99
BPRD 1947 #1 (OF 5) $2.99
COLOR GN (MR) $12.95
CROSSED #6 (OF 9) WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
DARK X-MEN BEGINNING #1 (OF 3) DAX $3.99
DARKNESS #78 $2.99
DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 26 REG CVR $12.95
DRAFTED ONE HUNDRED DAYS ONE SHOT $5.99
ELEPHANTMEN WAR TOYS YVETTE (ONE SHOT) $3.50
EUREKA SEVEN NOVEL VOL 01 BLUE MONDAY $8.99

EVERYBODY IS STUPID EXCEPT ME & OTHER ASTUTE OBSERVATIONS $16.99
    -Peter Bagge (Hate, Apocalypse Nerd) collects several years of short strips and long comics essays on politics and pop culture, all filled with his trademark irony, sarcasm, and insight. These pieces appeared in various publications, and this is the first time they have been collected in one book.

FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 07 $10.99
FRUITS BASKET GN VOL 23 (OF 23) $10.99
FURRLOUGH COLOR SPECIAL $5.99
GENEXT UNITED #3 (OF 5) $3.99
GRAVEL #12 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #22 $3.99
GREEN LANTERN #43 (BLACKEST NIGHT) $2.99
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #15 (MR) $2.99
HULK RED AND GREEN TP VOL 02 $15.99
I AM LEGION #4 (OF 6) $3.50
JUNJO ROMANTICA GN VOL 10 (OF 11) (A) $12.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL TP VOL 02 $17.99
KIMIKISS GN VOL 01 (OF 3) (MR) $10.99
LEGEND OF ISIS (BLUEWATER) #1 $3.99
LOVE COM TP VOL 13 $8.99
MANGALICIOUS TICK #1 (OF 3) $3.95
MILO VENTIMIGLIA PRESENTS BERSERKER #1 KEOWN CVR A $2.99
MS MARVEL #41 DKR $2.99
NANA TP VOL 17 (MR) $8.99
NARUTO TP VOL 45 $7.95
NEGIMA GN VOL 23 (MR) $10.99
NGE SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT TP VOL 01 $9.95
NO HERO #6 (OF 7) (MR) $3.99

NOBODY HC (MR) $19.99
    -At first, the strange man covered with bandages unnerved everyone in town. Then they all started to feel sorry for poor Mr. Griffin. And then, slowly, things started to go wrong. The story of the Invisible Man, from the perspective of the ordinary people around him.

PIXU TP VOL 01 MARK OF EVIL $17.95
PRIDE & PREJUDICE #4 (OF 5) $3.99
PRINCE OF TENNIS GN VOL 32 $7.95
PROOF TP VOL 03 THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO $14.99
PUNISHER FRANK CASTLE MAX #72 (MR) $3.99
REBELS #6 $2.99
RED ROBIN #2 $2.99
ROD ESPINOSA PRINCE OF HEROES CHAPTER 2 #3 $3.99
SCOOBY DOO #146 $2.50
SHONEN JUMP AUGUST 09 $4.99
SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATLASH TP $9.99

SINFEST TP DARK HORSE ED VOL 01 $14.95
    -The debut collection of one the most popular web comics, featuring the first 600 strips.

SKRULL KILL KREW #3 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #202 $2.50
STAND AMERICAN NIGHTMARES #4 (OF 5) $3.99
STORMWATCH PHD #22 $2.99
STRANGE ADVENTURES OF HP LOVECRAFT #3 (OF 4) (MR) $4.99

SUPERMAN WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MAN OF TOMORROW HC $24.99
-Before the Crisis on Infinite Earths, before he swore never to work for them again, Alan Moore wrote three great stories about Superman for DC in the 80s. This book collects them all in a stylish hardcover. Check out what the greatest writer in comics can do with the medium’s greatest icon. (This book is also a perfect addition to my Summer reading list from last week.)

SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #5 (OF 12) $2.99
SWALLOWING THE EARTH GN $24.95
THOR TALES OF ASGARD BY LEE & KIRBY #3 (OF 6) $3.99
TSUBASA GN VOL 22 $10.99
UNWRITTEN #3 (MR) $2.99
WAR OF KINGS WARRIORS #1 (OF 2) $3.99
WARLORD #4 $2.99
WASTELAND #25 SPECIAL DOUBLE ISSUE (MR) $5.99
WEDNESDAY COMICS #1 (OF 12) $3.99
WILDCATS #12 $2.99
X-MEN FOREVER #3 $3.99
X-MEN LEGACY #226 DAX $2.99
X-MEN SHATTERING TP $34.99
ZOMBIES THAT ATE THE WORLD #4 (MR) $3.50

New GAMES this week:

New releases:
Wasabi $39.99
-Players compete to complete sushi orders using the ingredients from their hands in a dwindling workspace. Chefs must balance the style points of complex recipes with the need to get orders out the door.

Ideology $49.99
-Sumptuous new edition of the intriguing strategy game that pits, not nations and peoples, but belief systems against one another in the struggle to control the world.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like Aces& Eights, Scion,, Trail of Cthulhu, and Dungeons& Dragons Fourth Edition to old favorites like Warhammer, , Palladium and Unknown Armies. For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from Settlers of Catan, Munchkin,Carcassonne, and Guillotine to Blokus, Chess and Go. We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including Magic The Gathering, minis, Axis and Allies minis, and Dungeons& Dragons minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale starts in fourteen days, on Thursday, July 23rd.
    -Starting in conjunction with the Northampton Sidewalk Sale, we will have our bargain back issues on sale in the store once again. For six weeks, we will have thousands of bargain comics on sale for only $1.00 each, or a dozen for only $10.00. As we did last winter, we will rotate the boxes around every two weeks, ensuring three entirely new arrays of comics during the sale.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: On the second Saturday of each month from 3:00-5:00 PM, staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Next Meeting: Saturday July 11.

Living Forgotten Realms: On the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we are running D&D games here in the store, using Living Forgotten Realms adventures. LFR is the official campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to play. (You can also play the same character each time or alternate characters if you want.) These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Our next sessions will be on Sunday, July 19, starting at 4:30 PM and then on Thursday, August 6, starting at 6:30 PM.

Modern Myths Book Club: Meeting regularly on the last Thursday of every month at7:00 PM.   For July, our Book Club will read TRICKED, Alex Robinson's story of six characters and the one violent moment which links them forever. All our welcome to our meetings, and they are absolutely free. Next Meeting July 30, 2009.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal round table of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting will be on Tuesday, August 4th, 7:00 PM.

Connecticon July 31- August 2: This con has become the biggest and best fan event in our area, with programming for comics, games, movies, SF, fantasy, and, of course, manga and anime. We’ll be there selling pocky, ramune, action figures, and toys, as well as a wide selection of graphic novels and games.

Summer T-Shirt Sale! We have brought our fantasy t-shirts back for the summer! We have about two dozen styles in stock, with displays up on the walls over the comics rack and in the games section. Anything up to an XL is only $17.99, larger sizes only $19.99.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're continuing our Living Forgotten Realms events this month, on July 19th. No D&D experience necessary. The next World Wide D&D Game Day will be Saturday, September 19. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale from July 23 to 26, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. 24 Hour Comics Day will be in October. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics,just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
Five Valley Cartoonists: Gags, Politics, Fantasy: Art show featuring the work of Rebecca Migdal, William H. Foster III, Helena Dooley, Mark Stacy and E.J. Barnes, at the Amherst Area Chamber Of Commerce, 28 Amity Street in Amherst. From June 29 to July 31, with a reception on July 2nd from5-8 PM.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

DEADLARPDead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action role playing game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. On summer hiatus, starting up again on September 12.

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click .

Current eBay Listings:

We haven't added any new items to our eBay store this week.

As always, our regular selection of used

Featured REVIEW:

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Eight (ongoing series, 4 graphic novel collections so far)

-Creator Joss Whedon is continuing the popular TV series in comics format, with stories written by himself and other popular creators such as Jane Espenson and Brian K. Vaughn. This series truly is Season 8, jumping right in when the show ended. Buffy is now the leader of an army of slayers, but she faces a new threat (and honest to god masked super villain called Twilight), who may just have figured out how to destroy her… and make it stick.

I did not watch the series, and have seen perhaps half a dozen episodes over the years. Despite this handicap, the characters and their struggles still capture my interest. A must read for fans of the series, and worth a look from everyone else, particularly stand alone story “The Chain” in volume one.

--MSD

What's New on July 2.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:19:20 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, July 2, 2009.

We will be closed all day on Saturday July 4. We will be open for our normal hours on Friday and Sunday.

Only a month until our next Bargain Back Issue sale.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

AGENTS OF ATLAS #7 DKR $2.99
ANGEL #23 $3.99
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #17 $2.99
ASTRO CITY THE DARK AGE BOOK THREE #3 (OF 4) $3.99
AUTHORITY #12 $2.99
BAD KIDS GO TO HELL #1 (OF 4) $3.50
BANG TANGO #6 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
BATMAN AND ROBIN #2 $2.99
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #31 $2.99
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA FINAL FIVE #4 (OF 4) $3.99
BOYS #32 (MR) $2.99
BOYS TP VOL 04 WE GOTTA GO NOW (MR) $19.99
BUCK ROGERS IN 25TH CENTURY DAILIES HC VOL 02 $39.99
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #26 CHEN CVR $2.99
CABLE #16 $2.99

CALIBER TP VOL 01 FIRST CANON OF JUSTICE $14.95
    -The legend of King Arthur, re-imagined for the Old West.

CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #1 (OF 5) $3.99
CEREBUS ARCHIVE #2 $3.00
CHEW #2 (MR) $2.99
COMICS JOURNAL #298 $11.99
DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #1 $3.99
EMMA VOL 09 $9.99
ESCAPE FROM WONDERLAND #0 (OF 6) $1.99
EXILES #4 $2.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #568 $2.99

FAR ARDEN HC (MR) $19.95
    -Army Shanks is a sailor, a brawler, and a rogue known throughout the Arctic. He has one mission in life: to find the balmy island paradise of Far Arden, somewhere in the Northern seas. If he's to succeed, he'll have find a way past circus performers, ex-girlfriends, orphans, and the Royal Canadian Arctic Navy.

FARSCAPE STRANGE DETRACTORS #4 (OF 4) $3.99
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH RUN #3 (OF 6) $2.99
FLASH MINI NEON SIGN US VERSION $89.99
GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME GN $10.99
GOLD DIGGER #107 $2.99
GOLD DIGGER #108 $2.99
GOON TP VOL 08 THOSE THAT IS DAMNED $15.95

GREEK STREET #1 (MR) $1.00
    -The setting is London in the 21st Century, but the people find themselves living their lives in patterns that echo the dramas of Ancient Greece. Fascinating debut issue from Peter Milligan and Davide Gianfelice.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #38 (BLACKEST NIGHT) $2.99
GREEN LANTERN RAGE OF THE RED LANTERNS HC $24.99
HERCULES TP VOL 01 THRACIAN WARS $14.95
HI FRUCTOSE MAGAZINE QUARTERLY #12 $6.95
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #15 DKR $2.99
IRREDEEMABLE #4 $3.99
JONAH HEX #45 $2.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE CRY FOR JUSTICE #1 (OF 7) CVR A $3.99
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #152 $4.99
LOCKE & KEY HEAD GAMES #6 $3.99
MUPPET ROBIN HOOD #2 (OF 4) $2.99
MUPPET SHOW #4 (OF 4) $2.99
NELSON MANDELA GN AUTHORIZED COMIC BOOK $19.95
OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 12 $10.95
RAPTURE #2 (OF 6) TAKI SOMA CVR $2.99
RED ROBIN #1 $2.99
RED SONJA TP VOL 06 DEATH $19.99
ROD ESPINOSA PRINCE OF HEROES CHAPTER 2 #4 $3.99
RUNAWAYS ROCK ZOMBIES PREM HC $19.99
SAVAGE DRAGON #150 (NOTE PRICE) $5.99
SECRET SIX #11 $2.99
SIMPSONS SUPER SPECTACULAR #9 $2.99
SOLOMON KANE TP VOL 01 CASTLE OF DEVIL $15.95
SPAWN #193 $2.95
SPAWN ENDGAME TP VOL 01 $14.99
STAR TREK OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 EARLY VOYAGES $24.99
STAR TREK WRATH OF KHAN #3 $3.99
STAR WARS INVASION #1 (OF 5) $2.99
STRANGE ADVENTURES #5 (OF 8) $3.99
SWORD #18 (MR) $2.99

SYNCOPATED GN $16.95
    -An anthology of non-fiction graphic essays, the pieces in this book explore the secret world of Coney Island graffiti artists, forgotten pieces of history like the Tulsa race riots of 1921, and critical current events like prisoner interrogation at Guantanamo Bay.

TALES DESIGNED TO THRIZZLE HC VOL 01 $24.99
TERRY MOORES ECHO #13 $3.50
TICK AND ARTHUR COMPLETE WORKS TP $29.95
TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT METROPLEX $3.99
UNCANNY X-MEN #513 DAX $3.99
VERONICA #195 $2.50
VOICE OF THE FIRE SC NOVEL (MR) $14.95
WAR OF KINGS #5 (OF 6) $3.99
WITCHBLADE #128 SEJIC CVR A $2.99
WITCHBLADE TP VOL 06 $14.99

WITCHFINDER IN THE SERVICE OF ANGELS #1 (OF 5) $2.99
    -Sir Edward Grey is Victorian London's only consulting Witchfinder, and Scotland has called him for his most dangerous case yet. A new limited series by Mike Mignola, set in the Hellboy universe.

WONDER WOMAN AMAZONS ATTACK SC $19.99

CORRECTION: Last week, my description of City of Dust was completely wrong (I was thinking of the series Shrapnel, from the same publisher.) City of Dust is an SF story by 30 Days Of Night creator Steve Niles, about a future society in which all fiction has been purged from society, to eliminate the scourge of superstition and organized religion from the earth. This drab future gets much more colorful, however, when people start dying, apparently slain by vampires, werewolves, and other imaginary creatures.

New GAMES this week:

We have just put out about fifty new single D&D minis.

New releases:
No new games this week.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like , ,,Trail of Cthulhu, and to old favorites like ,, and Unknown Armies. For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from , , and to Blokus, Chess and . We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including minis, minis, and minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

Living Forgotten Realms: Next game is TONIGHT, starting at 6:30 PM. On the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we are running D&D games here in the store, using Living Forgotten Realms adventures. LFR is the official campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to play. (You can also play the same character each time or alternate characters if you want.) These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Our next sessions will be on Thursday, July 2, starting at 6:30 PM, and Sunday, July 19, starting at 4:30 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: On the second Saturday of each month from 3:00-5:00 PM, staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Next Meeting: Saturday July 11.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal round table of ideas, tips, and hopefully,inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info,contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7th, 7:00 PM.

Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale starts Thursday, July 23rd.

Summer T-Shirt Sale! We have brought our fantasy t-shirts back for the summer! We have about two dozen styles in stock, with displays up on the walls over the comics rack and in the games section. Anything up to an XL is only $17.99, larger sizes only $19.99.

Board Game Night every Saturday: CANCELED THIS WEEK FOR JULY 4. Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Modern Myths Book Club: Meeting regularly on the last Thursday of every month at7:00 PM.   For July, our Book Club will read TRICKED, Alex Robinson's story of six characters and the one violent moment which links them forever. All our welcome to our meetings, and they are absolutely free. Next Meeting July 30, 2009.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're continuing our Living Forgotten Realmsevents this month, on July 2nd and 19th. No D&D experience necessary. The next World Wide D&DGame Day will be Saturday, September 19. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale from July 23 to 26, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. 24 Hour Comics Day will be in October. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
Five Valley Cartoonists: Gags, Politics, Fantasy: Art show featuring the work of Rebecca Migdal, William H. Foster III, Helena Dooley, Mark Stacy and E. J. Barnes, at the Amherst Area Chamber Of Commerce, 28 Amity Street in Amherst. From June 29 to July 31, with a reception on July 2nd from 5-8 PM.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

DEADLARPDead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. On summer hiatus, starting up again on September 12.

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the Forbes Library in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click here.

Current eBay Listings:

We haven't added any new items to our eBay store this week.

As always, our regular selection of used

Featured REVIEW:

Instead of a review, this week we have a few suggestions for vacation reading. Summer is the season for superheroes, and not simply because it alliterates. Superhero movies are just the thing during the long, hot days of the year, and so graphic novels about Batman, the X-Men and other caped characters. These are meant to be ‘beach books’, uncomplicated page-turners, so Watchmen isn’t on this list (page-turner though it is.)

Here are half a dozen of my favorites:

1) Authority Relentless & New World Order by Warren Ellis, Brian Hitch, & Frank Quitely.
-Superheroes taking over the world for its own good isn’t a new idea, but only Warren Ellis could present such over-the-top tyrants and destroyers that it seems like a really good one, with lots of kick ass super battles and tongue-in-cheek humor, to boot.

2) Kingdom Come by Mark Waid & Alex Ross
-A truly epic story of Superman and the other DC heroes struggling with the balance between their godlike powers and their human frailties, with a shocking climactic showdown, gorgeously rendered by Alex Ross.

3) Astro City: Confession by Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson & Will Blyberg
-The story of a young man from a small town who wants to make an exciting new life in the big city as a superhero. Breaking into the biz isn’t easy, but with some hustle and a little luck, he earns a place as sidekick to the scariest crime fighter in town, the Confessor. The other Astro City books are great fun, too.

4) All Star Superman by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely
-Creating good stories about Superman is one of the hardest jobs in comics, but Morrison and Quitely make it look easy, with a modern myth modeled on the labors of Hercules, and full of wonder and charm.

5) Batman Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale
-Loeb and Sale have done several excellent stories about Batman, as well as other heroes. This story of a hard year in Batman’s life is my favorite. Loeb and Sale have done several other great stories about classic heroes, too.

6) Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday
-Given the ever-expanding, ever-changing roster of mutants and X teams, it’s easy toforget what’s fun about the X-Men. Whedon and Cassaday remember, though,and in this four book series, they remind us in grand style.

--MSD

What's New for Thursday, June 25.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:02:10 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, June 25, 2009.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Free RPG Game Day!

Only a month until our next Bargain Back Issue sale.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER TP VOL 01 $19.99
ALTER EGO #87 $6.95
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #598 DKR $2.99
ARCHIE #598 $2.50
ASTONISHING X-MEN #30 $2.99
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #25 DKR $2.99
AVENGERS INVADERS #12 (OF 12) $2.99
AWESOME 2 TP AWESOMER $14.95
BARACK THE BARBARIAN #1 A CVR OBAMA $3.50
BARACK THE BARBARIAN #1 B CVR RED SARAH $3.50
BART SIMPSON COMICS #48 $2.99
BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #6 $2.50
BRAT PACK NEW EDITION TP (MR) $19.95

CITY OF DUST TP VOL 01 $14.95
-Gorgeously illustrated space opera of war between human colonies in our solar system, and a plucky society fighting for freedom against a fascist military juggernaut.

COMIC BOOK PODCAST COMPANION SC $15.95
DAREDEVIL #119 $2.99
DARK AVENGERS #6 DKR $3.99
DARK AVENGERS UNCANNY X-MEN UTOPIA #1 DAX $3.99
DARK REIGN ACCEPT CHANGE TP $24.99
DARK REIGN ELEKTRA #4 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
DARK REIGN HOOD #2 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
DARK REIGN LETHAL LEGION #1 (OF 3) DKR $3.99
DARK REIGN SINISTER SPIDER-MAN #1 (OF 4) DKR $3.99
DARK REIGN ZODIAC #1 (OF 3) DKR $3.99
DARK WOLVERINE #75 DKR $3.99
DETECTIVE COMICS #854 $3.99
EMPOWERED TP VOL 05 (MR) $14.95
END LEAGUE #8 $2.99
ESSENTIAL DOCTOR STRANGE TP VOL 04 $19.99
FARSCAPE DARGOS LAMENT #3 (OF 4) $3.99
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH INK #2 (OF 6) $2.99
FREDDY JASON ASH NIGHTMARE WARRIORS #1 (OF 6) $3.99
FUSION #2 (OF 3) $2.99
GANTZ TP VOL 05 (MR) $12.95
GI JOE #6 $3.99

GOATS INFINITE TYPEWRITERS TP VOL 01$14.00
-The first book collection of the popular web comic.

GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #1 $2.99
GREEN LANTERN #42 $2.99
GREEN LANTERN TALES OF THE SINESTRO CORPS TP $14.99
GRIMM FAIRY TALES #39 CVR A RON ADRIAN $2.99
GRIMM FAIRY TALES TP VOL 06 $15.99
GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #15 $2.99
HEAVY METAL SUMMER 2009 (MR) $6.95
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #27 $3.99
IMMORTAL IRON FIST TP VOL 04 MORTAL IRON FIST $14.99
INCREDIBLE HERCULES #130 $2.99
INCREDIBLES FAMILY MATTERS #3 (OF 4) $2.99
INDIANA JONES TP VOL 01 TOMB OF GODS $14.95
IRREDEEMABLE #2 2ND PRT $3.99
JLA DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 02 $29.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #34 $2.99
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #28 $2.99
LITERALS #3 (OF 3) (MR) $2.99

LOW MOON HC $24.99
-A thick new collection of stories, varyingly tragic, uplifting, and mystifying (including a quirky story about a sheriff in the Old West having to face his greatest enemy in a final showdown... in a chess game) from Danish cartoonist Jason.

MADAME XANADU #12 (MR) $2.99
MAGIC TRIXIE GN VOL 03 MAGIC TRIXIE & THE DRAGON $7.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #52 $2.99
MMW FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 02 $24.99
MS MARVEL #40 DKR $2.99
MY HEAVENLY HOCKEY CLUB GN VOL 08 $11.99
NEGIMA NEO GN VOL 02 (MR) $10.99
NEW AVENGERS #54 DKR $3.99
NORTHLANDERS #18 (MR) $2.99
NOVA #26 $2.99
NYX WANNABE PREM HC $24.99
OUTLAW TERRITORY GN VOL 01 (MR) $19.99
PREDATOR #1 (OF 4) $3.50
PREVIEWS #250 JULY 2009 $4.50
PRINCESS RESURRECTION GN VOL 06 $10.99
PROOF #21 $3.50
RED SONJA #45 $2.99
REMAKE GN VOL 01 (MR) $12.95

REX LIBRIS TP VOL 02 BOOK OF MONSTERS$17.95
-The world’s toughest librarian faces his biggest challenge yet.

RUNAWAYS 3 #11 $2.99
SECRET WARRIORS #5 DKR $2.99
SGT ROCK THE LOST BATTALION #6 (OF 6) $2.99
SKAAR SON OF HULK #12 $3.99
SONIC UNIVERSE #5 $2.50
SPIRIT #30 $2.99
SQUADRON SUPREME 2 #12 $2.99
STAR TREK MISSIONS END #4 $3.99
STAR WARS LEGACY #37 TATOOINE PT 1 (OF 4) $2.99
STARCRAFT #2 $2.99
SUPERMAN #689 $2.99
TALES FROM WONDERLAND RED QUEEN ONE-SHOT $3.99
TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE TP VOL 07 (MR) $24.99
TEEN TITANS #72 $3.99
TEZUKAS BLACK JACK TP VOL 05 $16.95
THOR #602 $3.99
THUNDERBOLTS #133 DKR $2.99
TIMESTORM 2009/2099 X-MEN $3.99
TRANSFORMERS ALL HAIL MEGATRON #12 $3.99
TREASURY 20TH CENTURY MURDER HC VOL 02 FAMOUS PLAY $15.95

TWISTED TOYFARE THEATRE TP VOL 10 $12.99
-A new selection of the best in sophomoric humor featuring superhero action figures.

UNCANNY X-MEN #512 $3.99
UNKNOWN SOLDIER #9 (MR) $2.99
USAGI YOJIMBO #121 $3.50
VENOM TP DARK ORIGIN $14.99
VIKING #2 (MR) $2.99
WALLFLOWER GN VOL 20 (MR) $10.99
WILDCATS #12 $2.99
WIZARD MAGAZINE #214 SPIDER-MAN ROMITA JR CVR $5.99
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #16 $2.99
WOLVERINE NOIR #3 (OF 4) $3.99
WOLVERINE WEAPON X #3 $3.99
WONDER WOMAN #33 $2.99
X-FACTOR #45 $2.99
X-FORCE #16 XMW $2.99
X-MEN FOREVER #2 $3.99
X-MEN THE END TRILOGY TP $34.99
ZORRO #14 $3.50

New GAMES this week:

New releases:

Changeling Swords At Dawn $27.99
-A new day is coming. It could be for better, or it could be for worse.The tides of change are sweeping across the Hedge. Alliances crumble. New oaths are forged. What will remain the same, and what will be lost forever as a new day dawns?

Steam board game $55.00
-New railroad development game from Age of Steam creator Martin Wallace. For 3 to 6 players, 60 to 90 minutes.

Traveller Hammers Slammers $39.95
-A campaign book based on the popular SF series by David Drake.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like , ,,Trail of Cthulhu, and to old favorites like ,, and Unknown Armies.For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from , , and to Blokus,Chess and . We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including minis, minis, and minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

Modern Myths Book Club: MEETING TODAY @ 7:00 PM! For June, our Book Club will read JINX,the first graphic novel collection of Brian Bendis’s early, self-drawn crime comic, presenting a gritty story of bounty hunters, grifters, and a treasure hunt. We meet on the last Thursday of every month, all our welcome, andit’s absolutely free. The club meets regularly on the last Thursday of every month.

Summer T-Shirt Sale! We have brought our fantasy t-shirts back for the summer! We have about two dozen styles in stock, with displays up on the walls over the comics rack and in the games section. Anything up to an XL is only $17.99, larger sizes only $19.99.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to11:00 PM.

Living Forgotten Realms: On the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we are running D&D games here in the store, using Living Forgotten Realms adventures. LFR is the official campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to play. (You can also play the same character each time or alternate characters if you want.) These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Our next session will be on Thursday, July 2, starting at 6:30 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: On the second Saturday of each month from3:00-5:00 PM, staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Next Meeting: Saturday July 11.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal round table of ideas, tips, and hopefully,inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info,contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7th, 7:00 PM.

Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale starts Thursday, July 23rd.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're continuing our Living Forgotten Realmsevents this month, on June 4th and 21st. No D&D experience necessary. The next World Wide D&D Game Day will be Saturday, September 19. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale from July 23 to 26, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. 24 Hour Comics Day will be in October. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

DEADLARPDead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. On summer hiatus, starting up again on September 12.

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the inNorthampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click .

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have added a set of the complete Countdown To Final Crisis series.

As always, our regular selection of used

Featured REVIEW:

Echo,Terry Moore, written and drawn by Terry Moore, two volumes so far, $15.95 each

Echo is a suspenseful sci fi thriller about Julie Martin, a woman who is unwillingly caught up in the workings of a discreet nuclear institute. Due to her unfortunate positioning during a botched weapons test, Julie is now in possession of anatomic weapon that works using the neural synapses of the human brain. Unaware of what she has inherited, Julie races home to life that is currently unraveling. She is in the middle of a divorce, she doesn’t have enough money to pay her bills or stock her fridge, the one family member she seems to trust is somewhat emotionally unavailable to her and now her chest is covered with a liquid metal that may be radioactive.

There are many people that are attempting to apprehend Julie: The Army, The Institute and a man that is stalking her for the metal on her chest. She has nowhere to go until she runs into Dillon Murphy, a boy scout type who is unwittingly caught up in the same mess that Julie finds herself in.

Each chapter of Echo is begun with a quote by Albert Einstein or J. Robert Oppenheimer, two men who were key to creating some of the most devastating weapons known to mankind. Their inventions changed Earth’s fate forever. Moore use these quotes remind the reader that in any hands power can be lethal.

In a world of fast growing technology do we force ourselves to slow down or do we continue to develop at whatever rate suits us? No matter what we choose, it seems that Moore believes that there should be a system of checks and balances but will that alone stop mankind from destroying the world?

Shannon D

As always, please let us know if you have questions or we can help with anything, just e-mail us at modernmyths (at) aol.com, or feel free to IM if you see us online at AOL.

We offer Gift Certificates in any amount and

Thanks, and see you in the store!

-Michael Dow
Modern Myths, LLC

What's New on Thursday, June 18.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:30:49 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, June 18, 2009.

This Saturday is FREE RPG GAME DAY. Check out the EVENTS section for details.

We have just restocked our Pocky and Ramune. We have Milk Chocolate crunchiness and bubbly Blue Hawaiian back on the shelves.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTSboth in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #12 $4.99
AIR #10 (MR) $2.99
ALL NEW SAVAGE SHE-HULK #3 (OF 4) DKR $3.99
ANGEL #22 $3.99
BARACK OBAMA THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE #1 $3.99
BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #1 $3.99
BATMAN THE BLACK CASEBOOK TP $17.99
BETTY & VERONICA #242 $2.50
BOMB QUEEN PRESENTS ALL GIRL COMICS (ONE SHOT) (MR $3.50
BOYS HEROGASM #2 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #24 $2.99
BRIDE OF THE WATER GOD TP VOL 03 $9.95
CABLE #15 XMW $2.99
CAPTAIN AMERICA #600 $4.99
CAPTAIN AMERICA MAN WITH NO FACE PREM HC $19.99
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #14 $2.99
DARK REIGN FANTASTIC FOUR #4 (OF 5) DKR $2.99
DARK REIGN HAWKEYE #3 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
DARK REIGN MISTER NEGATIVE #1 (OF 3) DKR $3.99
DARK REIGN YOUNG AVENGERS #2 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
DARK TOWER THE FALL OF GILEAD #2 (OF 6) $3.99
DEAD AT 17 AFTERBIRTH #1 (OF 4) $2.99
DRAGON BALL Z VIZBIG ED GN VOL 04 $17.99
ELEPHANTMEN #20 (RES) $3.50
EX MACHINA #43 (MR) $2.99
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS #1 BENITEZ CVR $2.99
FALL OF CTHULHU NEMESIS #3 (OF 4) $3.99
FART PARTY GN VOL 02 (MR) $13.95
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH DANCE #2 (OF 6) $2.99
FUSHIGI YUGI VIZBIG ED GN VOL 02 $17.99
GEEK MONTHLY JUL 2009 $5.99
GESTALT GN VOL 01 $8.99
GI JOE COBRA #4 $3.99
GRAVITATION COLLECTION GN VOL 01 (OF 6) (MR) $14.99
GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #21 $2.99
GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS WAR TP VOL 02 $14.99
GROOM LAKE #3 $3.99
HALO UPRISING PREM HC (MR) $24.99
HELLBLAZER #256 (MR) $2.99
HIKARU NO GO TP VOL 15 $7.95

HITMAN TP VOL 01 A RAGE IN ARKHAM TP NEW PTG $14.99
    -Garth Ennis's black comedy about the misadventures of a super-powered hit man was a fan favorite for years, and is back in print at last.

INCOGNITO #4 (MR) $3.50
INVINCIBLE #63 $2.99
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #14 DKR $2.99
JACK OF FABLES #35 (MR) $2.99
LUCKY STAR GN VOL 01 $10.99
MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #16 (RES) $3.50
MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 #3 (OF 4) $3.99
MASQUERADE #4 $3.50

MICE TEMPLAR TP VOL 01 $17.99
    -Once there were mice who protected the rest of their kind from the world's predators, but those days are just a sad memory now. Until a young mouse hears the call of the gods to take up the fallen banner, and make the order anew.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #26 DKR $2.99
MS MARVEL TP VOL 06 ASCENSION $14.99
MYSTERIUS THE UNFATHOMABLE #6 (OF 6) $2.99
NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 03 $12.99
NEGIMA GN VOL 22 (MR) $10.99
OUTSIDERS #19 $2.99
PEACE MAKER KUROGANE GN VOL 02 (OF 5) (MR) $10.99

PHONOGRAM 2 #3 (OF 7) SINGLES CLUB $3.50
    -Cool fantasy series about a cabal of wizards, for whom music truly is magic. First two issues still in stock.

POWER GIRL #2 $2.99
PROJECT SUPERPOWERS CHAPTER TWO #0 $1.00
PUNISHER #6 DKR $3.99
PUNISHER YEAR ONE TP $12.99
QUESTION THE FIVE BOOKS OF BLOOD TP $14.99
RED MASS FOR MARS #3 (OF 4) (RES) $3.50
REX MUNDI DH ED #18 $2.99
ROD ESPINOSA PRINCE OF HEROES CHAPTER 2 #3 $3.99
RUROUNI KENSHIN VIZBIG ED GN VOL 06 (OF 9) $17.99
SHOJO BEAT JULY 09 $5.99
SIMPSONS COMICS #155 $2.99

SLEEPER SEASON 1 TP (MR) $24.99
    -Holden Carver isn't a superhero; he's a government agent with superpowers, working deep undercover in a super-powered mafia; so deep, in fact, that he's the only left who knows the truth.

SPIDER-MAN NEW WAYS TO DIE TP $19.99
STAR TREK WRATH OF KHAN #2 $3.99
STAR WARS KNIGHTS OLD REPUBLIC #42 MASKS PT 1 $2.99
STARMAN OMNIBUS HC VOL 03 $49.99
SUPERGIRL #42 $2.99
SUPERMAN BATMAN #61 $2.99
TALES FROM WONDERLAND CHESHIRE CAT ONE-SHOT $3.99
TALES OF TMNT #59 $3.25
THOR TRIAL OF THOR $3.99
TINY TITANS #17 $2.50
TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT CLIFFJUMPER $3.99
TSUBASA GN VOL 21 $10.95
ULTIMATE ORIGINS TP $19.99
ULTIMATUM SPIDER-MAN REQUIEM #1 (OF 2) $3.99
WAR MACHINE #7 $2.99
WAR OF KINGS ASCENSION #3 (OF 4) $3.99
WARCRAFT LEGENDS GN VOL 04 (OF 5) $10.99
WASTELAND TP VOL 04 DOG TRIBE (MR) $11.95

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO WORLD OF TOMORROW HC $24.95
    -The world of today is not the one that was confidently predicted even thirty years ago. It seemed so real, but it never actually existed. Is it really gone?

WILL EISNERS SPIRIT ARCHIVES HC VOL 26 (RES) $59.99
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #37 DKR $2.99
WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ #7 (OF 8) $3.99
WONTON SOUP GN VOL 02 $11.95
WORLD OF WARCRAFT #20 $2.99
X-INFERNUS HC $24.99
X-MEN LEGACY #225 $2.99
X-MEN ORIGINS GAMBIT #1 $3.99
YOUNG LIARS #16 (MR) $2.99
ZORRO YEAR ONE TP VOL 01 TRAIL O/T FOX PX ED $19.99

New GAMES this week:

Free RPG Game Day is this Saturday, June 20. Our next Living Forgotten Realms session is this Sunday, June 21. Check out the Events section for details.

New releases:
D&D Eberron Players Guide $29.95
    -Keith Baker's much-admired setting comes to 4th Edition,with official stats for Warforged, Artificers, and much more.

D&D E2 Kingdom Of The Ghouls $24.95
    -The second Epic tier adventure pits the PCs against the right hand of Orcus, the dread Ghoul King Doresain.

Dungeon Tiles 4: Arcane Towers $9.95
    -Another set of gorgeous yet sturdy tiles, perfect for laying out all sorts of dangerous places.

Kids Of Carcassonne $29.99
    -A simplified variant of the popular tile laying, resource management game, perfect for even the youngest players.

Gloom Unfortunate Expeditions expansion $14.99
    -A new expansion for the card game of heaping misfortunes on your family, also by Keith Baker.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like , ,,Trail of Cthulhu, and to old favorites like ,, and Unknown Armies.For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from , , and to Blokus,Chessand . We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including minis, minis, and minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

FREE RPG DAY: THIS SATURDAY, June 20, Noon & 7 PM. We will have a selection of introductory adventures for several RPG systems. Come on in that Saturday, and you can take any one of them home for free. We will be running free demo games of several different RPGs (including a new D&D adventure set in Eberron, written by Eberron creator Keith Baker) with sessions at Noon and evening sessions. We will be running three different tables at each time slot, so space will be limited. Sign up now to get the games that you want. For each game you play in, you get a copy of that adventure, plus another of your choice.
   Noon Games: D&D Eberron, Hollow Earth Expeditions, Paranoia
    7:00 PM Games: D&D Eberron, Geist, Rogue Trader (Dark Heresy)

Living Forgotten Realms: Meeting THIS SUNDAY, June 21 at 4:30 PM. We are running D&D games here in the store, using Living Forgotten Realms adventures. LFR is the official campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to play. (You can also play the same character each time or alternate characters if you want.) These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Our regular meetings are on the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month.

Modern Myths Book Club: For June, our Book Club will read JINX, the first graphic novel collection of Brian Bendis’s early, self-drawn crime comic, presenting a gritty story of bounty hunters, grifters, and a treasure hunt. We meet on the last Thursday of every month, all our welcome, and it’s absolutely free. Our next discussion will be on next Thursday, June 25, at 7:00 PM.

Summer T-Shirt Sale! We have brought our fantasy t-shirts back for the summer! We have about two dozen styles in stock, with displays up on the walls over the comics rack and in the games section. Anything up to an XL is only $17.99, larger sizes only $19.99.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: On the second Saturday of each month from3:00-5:00 PM, staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Next Meeting: Saturday July 11.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal round table of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp(AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7th, 7:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're continuing our Living Forgotten Realmsevents this month, on June 4th and 21st. No D&D experience necessary. The next World Wide D&D Game Day will be Saturday, September 19. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale from July 23 to 26, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. 24 Hour Comics Day will be in October. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

DEADLARPDead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. On summer hiatus, starting up again on September 12.

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click .

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have added a set of the complete House of Secrets Vertigo series, a set of the complete Midnighter series, and an X-Men Supernovas hard cover.

As always, our regular selection of used graphic novels, used RPGs, sets of comics and manga, and action figures are available for purchase, and we urge you to support our official store charity, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, as it continues to fight for everyone's right to free expression.

Featured REVIEW:

Cairo by G. Willow Wilson & M. K. Perker $17.99 in soft cover.

Cairo is a recent Vertigo Original Graphic Novel written by newcomer G. Willow Wilson, and drawn by M.K. Perker, the same creative team behind the ongoing Vertigo series Air. Cairo follows closely in the urban-fantasy tradition of other Vertigo titles like The Sandman, Hellblazer, and Fables, and does that heritage proud.

Cairo features an ensemble cast of characters pulled together by fantastic forces in the titular Egyptian capital. The world of crime lords, IDF soldiers, drug runners, and freedom fighters intermingles with a world of Arabian legend, Islamic mysticism, and ancient magic. Wilson and Perker portray Cairo as a city of history, culture, and enchantment, as well as one of conflict, intrigue, and danger. All of this makes for a rich setting for a compelling and fast-paced story.

Fans of Vertigo’s other urban-fantasy titles will find a lot to like in Cairo. The mix of the magical and the modern-day is familiar, but offers a novel enough take on the formula to present something new and interesting. The book is also easy to recommend to anyone interested in Arabian fantasy and Islamic legend, as they feature prominently in the story.

Mike I.

What's New on Thursday, June 11

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:35:34 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, June 11, 2009.

Favorable Press! The Greenfield Recorder ran an article about JIFFY CON (a twice yearly gaming con that we help to sponsor) in their Arts Section last Saturday, and mentioned us favorably. It’s not on the web, but you can contact the Recorder for a back issue if you’d like to read the article.

Summer T-Shirt Sale! We have brought our fantasy t-shirts back for the summer! We have about two dozen styles in stock, with displays up on the walls over the comics rack and in the games section. Anything up to an XL is only $17.99, larger sizes only $19.99.

Special Wizards of the Coast gift with purchase promotion this weekend. Check out the GAMING section for more info.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTSboth in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

30 DAYS OF NIGHT 30 DAYS TIL DEATH TP $17.99
    -David Lapham (Stray Bullets) spins the tale of a young American vampire trying to hide from a squad of ancient European vampires in the suburbs of Buffalo.

ABSOLUTION #0 (OF 6) (MR) $1.99
ACTION COMICS #878 $2.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #597 DKR $2.99
AMERICAN MCGEES GRIMM #2 $3.99
ANGEL BLOOD AND TRENCHES #4 $3.99

ANNA MERCURY 2 #1 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
    -New story of a real British spy sent on missions to fictional worlds. By Warren Ellis.

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #132 $2.50
ARMY OF DARKNESS #21 $3.50
BATMAN #687 $3.99
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #30 $2.99
BETA RAY BILL GODHUNTER #1 (OF 3) $3.99
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #5 $2.50
BLACK LAGOON GN VOL 06 (MR) $12.99
BLEACH TP VOL 27 $7.95
BOOSTER GOLD #21 $3.99
BOYS OVER FLOWERS TP VOL 36 $9.99
BPRD WAR ON FROGS #3 (OF 4) $2.99

BUCK ROGERS #1 $3.50
    -New comic series about the classic SF hero, a man from the present who awakens centuries into the future.

COLOR OF WATER GN $16.95
DARE GN $14.99
DARK REIGN DEADPOOL THUNDERBOLTS TP $12.99
DEADPOOL #11 DKR $2.99
DMZ #42 (MR) $2.99
DOCTOR WHO AUTOPIA (ONE SHOT) $3.99
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #12 (MR) $3.99
ESSENTIAL THOR TP VOL 04 $19.99
EXCEL SAGA TP VOL 19 $9.99
FABLES #85 (MR) $2.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #567 $2.99
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH ESCAPE #2 (OF 6) $2.99
FINAL CRISIS COMPANION TP $19.99
FINAL CRISIS HC $29.99
FLASH REBIRTH #3 (OF 6) $2.99
FLASH THE HUMAN RACE TP $14.99
GEN 13 #30 $2.99
GENEXT UNITED #2 OF(5) $3.99

GEORGE SPROTT 1894-1975 HC $24.95
    -A beautiful, over-sized elegy for the fictional host of a Canadian local TV talk show. A bittersweet elegy for someone who never was, and a celebration of the greatness of the human spirit in small, quiet moments, from acclaimed indie cartoonist Seth.

GI JOE ORIGINS #4 $3.99
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #37 $2.99
HACK SLASH SERIES #23 SEELEY CVR A (MR) $3.50
JSA VS KOBRA ENGINES OF FAITH #1 (OF 6) $2.99
LIFE AND TIMES OF SAVIOR 28 #3 $3.99
LOCKJAW AND THE PET AVENGERS #2 (OF 4) $2.99

NEIL GAIMAN DAVE MCKEAN CRAZY HAIR YR HC $18.99
    -New young adult graphic novel from the most acclaimed creative team since Lee and Kirby.

PHANTOM GHOST WHO WALKS #3 CVR A $3.99
PRIDE & PREJUDICE #3 (OF 5) $3.99
PROOF #20 $3.50
PUNISHER FRANK CASTLE MAX #71 (MR) $3.99
REBELS #5 $2.99
RED ROBIN #1 $2.99
RED TP NEW EDITION $14.99

RESURRECTION VOL 2 #1 $3.99
    -Ten years ago, aliens conquered the earth. Today, suddenly, they're gone, and the remnants of humanity emerge from hiding and ask: "What now?" New beginning for a cool SF series, now in color.

RUNAWAYS TP DEAD WRONG $15.99
RUNAWAYS TP VOL 08 DEAD END KIDS DIGEST $9.99
SAVAGE DRAGON #149 $3.50
SCOOBY DOO #145 $2.50
SHERLOCK HOLMES #2 (OF 5) $3.50
SHOWCASE PRESENTS GREEN LANTERN TP VOL 04 $16.99
SILENT HILL SINNERS REWARD TP $17.99
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #201 $2.50
SOUL KISS #5 (OF 5) (MR) $3.50
SPIRIT #29 $2.99
STAR TREK WRATH OF KHAN #1 $3.99
STORMING PARADISE #6 (OF 6) (RES) $2.99
STRANGE ADVENTURES OF HP LOVECRAFT #2 (OF 4) (MR) $4.99
SUPER FRIENDS #16 $2.50
SUPERMAN LAST SON TP $12.99
TERMINATOR REVOLUTION #5 (OF 5) $3.50
TITANS #14 $2.99
TOYFARE #144 MATTEL GHOSTBUSTERS CVR $4.99
TROJAN WAR #2 (OF 5) $3.99
UNCANNY X-MEN #511 $2.99
UNWRITTEN #2 (MR) $2.99
WALKING DEAD #62 (MR) $2.99
WAR OF KINGS SAVAGE WORLD OF SKAAR $3.99
WITCHBLADE DARKNESS ANGELUS BLOOD ON SANDS (ONE SH $2.99
WITCHBLADE ORIGINS TP VOL 02 REVELATIONS $14.99
WOLVERINE #74 $2.99
X-FACTOR #44 $2.99
X-MEN FOREVER #1 $3.99
X-MEN THE END TRILOGY TP $34.99
YOUNG LIARS TP VOL 02 MAESTRO (MR) $14.99

New GAMES this week:
Wizards of the Coast Gift With Purchase Weekend: Starting tomorrow, Friday June 12, and running through Sunday, June 14, WOTC has sent us a selection of cool stuff to give away to any customer who buys at least $15.00 worth of their product. That’s D&D books, D&D minis, Magic the Gathering boosters and decks, Avalon Hill board games, and great card games like Guillotine & Innfighting. Swag options include Demonweb minis boosters, Magic half-decks, Forgotten Realms novels, and more. This offer is only good while supplies last, so don’t put this one off.

Free RPG Game Day will be next Saturday June 20. Check out the Events section for info on this promotion, and on the demo games we will offer.

New releases:
We didn’t receive any new games this week, but we do have about forty new single D&D minis since last week.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like , ,,Trail of Cthulhu, and to old favorites like ,, and Unknown Armies.For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from , , and to Blokus,Chessand . We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including minis, minis, and minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Meeting THIS SATURDAY 3-5 PM: Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month from 3:00-5:00 PM.

FREE RPG DAY: Saturday, June 20, Noon & 7 PM. We will have a selection of introductory adventures for several RPG systems. Come on in that Saturday, and you can take any one of them home for free. We will be running free demo games of several different RPGs (including a new D&D 4th edition adventure set in Eberron, written by Eberron creator Keith Baker) with sessions at Noon and evening sessions. We will be running three different tables at each time slot, so space will be limited. Sign up now to get the games that you want. For each game you play in, you get a copy of that adventure, plus another of your choice.
Noon Games: D&D, Hollow Earth Expeditions, Paranoia
7:00 PM Games: D&D, Geist, Rogue Trader (Dark Heresy)

Living Forgotten Realms: On the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using Living Forgotten Realms adventures. LFR is the official campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to play. (You can also play the same character each time or alternate characters if you want.) These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Our next meeting will be on Sunday, June 21 at 4:30 PM.

Modern Myths Book Club: For June, our Book Club will read JINX, the first graphic novel collection of Brian Bendis’s early, self-drawn crime comic, presenting a gritty story of bounty hunters, grifters, and a treasure hunt. We meet on the last Thursday of every month, all our welcome, and it’s absolutely free. Our next discussion will be on Thursday, June 25, at 7:00 PM.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal round table of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp(AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7th, 7:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're continuing our Living Forgotten Realmsevents this month, on June 4th and 21st. No D&D experience necessary. The next World Wide D&DGame Day will be Saturday, September 19. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale from July 23 to 26, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. 24 Hour Comics Day will be in October. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

DEADLARPDead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. On summer hiatus, starting up again on September 12.

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click .

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have added a set of Wild CATS 1-25, a set of Cyber Force 1-30 plus specials, and the D&D 3.5 Eberron Campaign Guide.

As always, our regular selection of action figures, used graphic novels, used RPGs, and sets of comics & manga, are available for purchase, and we urge you to support our official store charity, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, as it continues to fight for everyone's right to free expression.

Featured REVIEW:

San Juan card game, 2-4 players, 20-30 minutes $29.99

San Juan is a resource management and building game. On each round, the first player becomes Governor and chooses one of the different cabinet positions (Builder, Producer, Trader, Counselor, and Prospector) for him or herself. Each player then has a chance to perform the listed action, with the office holder receiving a special benefit, before the next player picks a job. Once each player has picked a job, a new round begins. The game ends when at least one player has built a twelfth building, and the winner is the player with the most victory points.

San Juan features a cleverly simple game mechanic, wherein cards serve both as the buildings constructed and the resources used to build them. The game scales well, presenting an equal challenge for all the listed numbers of players, and will appeal to fans of resource games such as Puerto Rico, Caylus, Alhambra, Settlers of Catan, and Carcassonne. San Juan balances complexity and simplicity quite well, and thus can serve both as an appetizer to heavier games, as well as the main attraction for an evening.

--MMichael D.

What's New on Thursday, June 4.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:47:51 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, June 4, 2009.

We are pleased to announce that we have been voted the Best Comic Book Store in the 2009 Best of the Valley reader’s poll. Thank you all of you for your support.

Over two dozen people came out for World Wide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day last Saturday. Thanks to everyone who joined us.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

AGENTS OF ATLAS #6 DKR $2.99
ALTER EGO #86 $6.95
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #596 DKR        $2.99
ANITA BLAKE LC NECROMANCER #2 (OF 5) (MR)    $3.99
ASTRO CITY THE DARK AGE BOOK THREE #2 (OF 4)         $3.99
ATOMIC ROBO SHADOW FROM BEYOND TIME #2 (OF 5)   $3.50
AUTHORITY #11       $2.99
BANG TANGO #5 (OF 6) (MR)      $2.99
BATGIRL REDEMPTION TP          $19.99

BATMAN AND ROBIN #1 $2.99
-Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, fresh off their marvelous All-Star Superman run, team up for the debut of the new Batman and Robin. A strange and terrible circus is in town, and even Gotham City has never seen anything quite as awful as this.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA FINAL FIVE #3 (OF 4)       $3.99
BETTY #180 $2.50
BLACK PANTHER 2 #5 DKR        $2.99 }
BOYS#31 (MR)       $2.99

BTVS TALES OF THE VAMPIRES ONE SHOT JO CHEN COVER $2.99
-Vampires have become celebrated, visible members of society, while Slayers have had to go underground. This stand-alone story has a look at how ordinary life and expectations change in this brave new world.

CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 ANNUAL #1         $3.99

CHEW #1 (MR)        $2.99
    -Quirky new SF series about a psychic detective who can have visions of any crime...if he's willing to eat parts of the crime scene.

CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #11     $2.99
DARK AVENGERS #5 DKR          $3.99
DEAD IRONS #4 (OF 4)     $3.99
DEADPOOL SUICIDE KINGS #3 (OF 5) $3.99
DEADPOOL TP VOL 01 SECRET INVASION    $14.99
EXILES #3     $2.99

FARSCAPE HC VOL 01    $29.99
-The award-winning show continues as a graphic novel.

FARSCAPE STRANGE DETRACTORS #3 (OF 4)       $3.99
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH RUN #2 (OF 6)       $2.99
GI JOE MOVIE PREQUEL #4 SNAKE EYES     $3.99
GREEN LANTERN CORPS SINS OF THE STAR SAPPHIRE TP       $14.99
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #14 (MR)   $2.99
HOUSE OF MYSTERY TP VOL 02 LOVE STORIES FOR DEAD P    $14.99
IRREDEEMABLE #3          $3.99
JONAH HEX #44      $2.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA TP VOL 03 INJUSTICE LEAGUE  $17.99
JYU OH SEI GN VOL 03 (OF 3) (RES)     $14.99
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #151           $4.99
LEGEND O/T FIVE RINGS DEATH AT KOTEN GN       $24.95
LEGEND OF ZELDA GN VOL 05 $7.99
MIGHTY AVENGERS #25 DKR     $2.99
MUPPET SHOW #3 (OF 4)             $2.99
NEW AVENGERS REUNION #4 (OF 4) DKR     $3.99
NEW MUTANTS #2 $2.99
OCEAN TP NEW EDITION $19.99
OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB TP VOL 12          $8.99
PHANTOM GENERATIONS #2      $3.99
POKEMON ADVENTURES TP VOL 01 2^ND ED $7.99
POKEMON DIAMOND & PEARL ADVENTURE GN VOL 04    $7.99
PS238 #39    $2.99 PUNISHER MAX NAKED KILL #1 (MR)   $3.99
ROSARIO VAMPIRE GN VOL 07 $7.99
SAMURAI HAREM ASU NO YOICHI GN VOL 01 (OF 7) (MR)  $12.99
SCALPED #29 (MR)           $2.99
SEAGUY THE SLAVES OF MICKEY EYE #3 (OF 3) (MR)       $3.99
SECRET SIX #10     $2.99
SHAMAN KING TP VOL 22           $7.95
SHAMAN WARRIOR TP VOL 07   $12.95
SHE-HULK TP VOL 09 LADY LIBERATORS      $14.99
SHONEN JUMP JULY 09    $4.99
SIMPSONS SUMMER SHINDIG #3          $4.99
SKAAR #11   $2.99
SPAWN #192          $2.95
STAR TREK CREW #4      $3.99
STRANGE ADVENTURES #4 (OF 8)      $3.99
SUPERMAN BATMAN FINEST WORLDS HC   $19.99
SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #4 (OF 12) $2.99
TALES FROM THE CRYPT #12    $3.95
TEEN TITANS #71   $2.99

TERRY MOORES ECHO TP VOL 02 ATOMIC DREAMS      $15.95
-Julie thought herlife had gotten weird when an explosion in the sky showered her in a strange silvery metal that molded itself to her body. Now that she’s become an accused terrorist, a federal fugitive, and the target for attacks by a hobo with a strange silvery hand, she knows better.

TIMESTORM 2009/2099 SPIDER-MAN   $3.99
TINY TYRANT GN ETHELBERTOSAURUS         $9.95
TORCHWOOD GN RIFT WAR      $14.95
TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED TP VOL 09        $7.99
TRANSFORMERS BEST O/T UK CITY OF FEAR #5    $3.99
TRANSFORMERS REVENGE FALLEN MOVIE PREQ ALLIANCE TP         $17.99
TRANSFORMERS REVENGE FALLEN MOVIE PREQ DEFIANCE TP        $17.99
TRANSFORMERS REVENGE FALLEN MOVIE TP      $17.99
TROJAN WAR #2 (OF 5)     $3.99

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #133   $3.99
-Final issue of this celebrated new look at Marvel’s iconic every-man, featuring writer Brian Bendis's most affecting dialogue yet.

ULTIMATUM #4 (OF 5)       $3.99
UNCANNY X-MEN LOVELORN TP          $15.99
UPTIGHT #3 (RES) $2.75
WAR OF KINGS #4 (OF 6) $3.99
WARLORD #3         $2.99
WOLVERINE REVOLVER #1       $3.99

New GAMES this week:

Living Forgotten Realms here in the store TONIGHT @ 6:30 PM.

We have just gotten back in stock D&D Miniatures from both the Night Below and Desert Of Desolation expansions. These sets have already been or soon will be declared out of print, and this is probably the last time we’ll have these in stock, so pick yours up while they last.

New releases:
Innsmouth Horror $49.99
-New expansion for the award-winning Arkham Horror cooperative board game, featuring a new suburb (complete with new board), new investigators, new Old Ones, and new kinds of world destruction to avert.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like , ,,Trail of Cthulhu, and to old favorites like ,, and Unknown Armies.For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from , , and to Blokus,Chessand . We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including minis, minis, and minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

Living Forgotten Realms: GAME ON TONIGHT @ 6:30PM!
On the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using Living Forgotten Realmsadventures. LFR is the official campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to play. (You can also play the same character each time or alternate characters if you want.) These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Our next meetings will be on Thursday,June 4 at 6:30 PM and Sunday, June 21at 4:30 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month.Next meeting will be on Saturday, June 13, 3:00-5:00 PM

FREE RPG DAY: Saturday, June 20, Noon & 7 PM. We will have a selection of introductory adventures for several RPG systems. Come on in that Saturday, and you can take any one of them home for free. We will be running free demo games of several different RPGs, with sessions at Noon and evening sessions. We will be running three different tables at each time slot, so space will be limited. Sign up now to get the games that you want. For each game you play in, you get a copy of that adventure, plus another of your choice.

Modern Myths Book Club: For June, our Book Club will read JINX,the first graphic novel collection of Brian Bendis’s early, self-drawn crime comic. We meet on the last Thursday of every month, all our welcome, and it’s absolutely free. Our next discussion will be on Thursday, June 25, at 7:00 PM.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal roundtable of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp(AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7th, 7:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're continuing our Living Forgotten Realmsevents this month, on June 4th and 21st. No D&D experience necessary. The next World Wide D&DGame Day will be Saturday, September 19. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale from July 23 to 26, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. 24 Hour Comics Day will be in October. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

JIFFYCON THIS SATURDAY June 6 at the Hampton Inn in Greenfield, MA. A one day con devoted to small-press and alternative role playing games. A great chance to try some exciting new games in demos run by local creators.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

DEADLARP Dead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action role playing game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. On summer hiatus, starting up again on September 12.

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click .

Current eBay Listings:

We have a special addition to our eBay store this week: three Kingdom Hearts action figures Sora (Halloween Town version), and Cloud and Sephiroth guest-starring from the Final Fantasy games.

We have added a complete set of the Gravitation manga series & prose novels, and Ultimate Fantastic Four hardcovers vol 01, vol 02, vol 03, vol 04 and vol 05.

Featured REVIEW:

My Mommy Is In America, written by Jean Regnaud and illustrated by Emile Bravo, $25.00 hard cover.

Based on Regnaud's own childhood memories, five year old Jean has a kid brother, a dad who is often busy at work, and a nanny. He knows he has a mommy, too, but he never sees her anymore, and none of the grownups want to discuss it. So when the little girl next door tells him that has postcards from his mother, and reads them to him, he's eager to hear more.

A well-paced, simple story with rough, expressive art work a lot of heart, this book remembers the mystery, confusion and trust of childhood much more honestly than many autobiographies. Recommended for anyone who enjoyed Fun Home,American Splendor, Heartbreak Soup, Yummy Fur, or Blankets (among other books.)

--Michael D.

What's New For Thursday, May 28th.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:54:09 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, May 28, 2009.

Comics shipped on Thursday this week because of the holiday. They will ship on Wednesday as usual next week.

World Wide D&D Game Day last Saturday was a blast. Thanks to everyone who joined us.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

ALIENS #1 (OF 4) $3.50
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #595 DKR $2.99
ARCHIE #597 $2.50
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #16 $2.99
AVENGER DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 01 $12.95
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #24 DKR $2.99
AVENGERS INVADERS #11 (OF 12) $2.99
BACK TO BROOKLYN #5 (OF 5) (MR) $2.99
BART SIMPSON SON OF HOMER TP $15.99
BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #5 $2.50

BAYOU TP VOL 01 $14.99
    -South of the Mason-Dixon Line lies a strange land of gods and monsters that only Lee Wagstaff knows. When a terrifying monster emerges from the swamp and snatches her white playmate, her father is accused of kidnapping. In order to save her friend from the monster, and her father from the lynch mob, Lee must brave the Bayou. First book from Zuda Comics, the new web comics imprint of DC.

BERSERK TP VOL 29 (MR) (C: 0-1-2) $13.95
BILLBOARDS HC $14.99
BIOGRAPHIC NOVEL 14TH DALAI LAMA GN $15.95

CHICKEN WITH PLUMS SC $12.95
    -Another celebrated comics memoir by Marjane Satrapi, the creator of Persepolis. Now out in paperback!

CODE GEASS NIGHTMARE OF NUNNALLY GN VOL 01 $10.99
CONAN TP VOL 07 CIMMERIA $17.95
CROSSED #5 (OF 9) (MR) $3.99

CURSED PIRATE GIRL #1 (OF 3) $4.95
    -A beautifully illustrated black and white comic about the adventures of a young pirate girl who really is under a curse. Creator David Bastian has a style reminiscent of Charles Vess and Paul Pope, but distinctly his own.

DARK REIGN ELEKTRA #3 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
DARK REIGN HOOD #1 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
DARKNESS #77 $2.99
DEAD AT 17 ULTIMATE ED TP $24.99
DEATH DEFYING DEVIL TP VOL 01 $14.99
DOGS TP VOL 00 (MR) (C: 1-0-0) $12.99
ELEPHANTMEN HC VOL 02 FATAL DISEASES $34.99
ESSENTIAL X-MEN TP VOL 09 $19.99
FALL OF CTHULHU NEMESIS #2 (OF 4) $3.99
FARSCAPE DARGOS LAMENT #2 (OF 4) $3.99
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH INK #1 (OF 6) $2.99
FUTURAMA COMICS #43 $2.99
GARTH ENNIS BATTLEFIELDS TANKIES #2 (MR) $3.50

GARTH ENNIS BATTLEFIELDS TP VOL 02 DEAR BILLY $12.99
    -A British nurse narrowing survives a Japanese firing squad in World War Two, and sets her sights on vengeance. A heart-breaking story set in the worst war in history from one of the best war comics writers in the business.

GEEK MONTHLY JUN 2009 $5.99
GHOST RIDER #35 $2.99
GHOST RIDER DANNY KETCH TP ADDICT $19.99
GLAMOURPUSS #7 $3.00
GODLAND #28 (RES) $2.99
GOTHAM GAZETTE #1 BATMAN ALIVE $2.99
GREEN LANTERN #39 2ND PTG $2.99
GREEN LANTERN #41 $2.99
GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #14 $2.99
IGNITION CITY #3 (OF 5) WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #26 $2.99
IMPALER #3 $2.99

INCOGNEGRO SC $14.99
    -Gripping noir action in the Jim Crow south, when a light-skinned reporter from Harlem goes undercover to report on lynchings. Now in soft cover.

INCREDIBLE HERCULES #129 $2.99
INCREDIBLE HERCULES TP LOVE AND WAR $14.99
JANS ATOMIC HEART (MR) $5.95
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #33 $2.99
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #27 $2.99
KODT BUNDLE OF TROUBLE TP VOL 26 $12.99
LITERALS #2 (OF 3) (MR) $2.99
MADAME XANADU #11 (MR) $2.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES TP THOR DIGEST $9.99
MMW AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 02 $24.99
MOON KNIGHT #30 $2.99
MOON KNIGHT TP VOL 04 DEATH OF MARC SPECTOR $16.99
MOUSE GUARD WINTER 1152 #6 (OF 6) $3.50
MPD PSYCHO TP VOL 09 (MR) $12.95
MS MARVEL #39 DKR $2.99
MUPPET ROBIN HOOD #1 (OF 4) $2.99
MUPPET SHOW #1 (OF 4) 2ND PTG $2.99

MY INNER BIMBO TP (MR) $14.95
    -There are two sides to every coin, every story, and every person. No matter how hard you try to hide that second face away, you can never get rid of it. That's what one man is about to learn when his under-developed feminine side materializes into a very real, bubble gum-chewing bimbo and turns his world upside down!

NANCY DREW GN SC VOL 17 NIGHT O/T LIVING CHATCHKE $7.95
NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 02 $12.99
NEIL GAIMAN CORALINE TP $9.99
NEW AVENGERS #53 DKR $3.99
NORTHLANDERS #17 (MR) $2.99
NOVA #25 $2.99
POWER UP GN $12.99
RAPTURE #1 OEMING CVR $2.99
RED SONJA #44 $2.99
ROBERT JORDANS NEW SPRING #6 (RES) $3.99
RUNAWAYS 3 #10 $3.99
SKIM GN $18.95
SONIC UNIVERSE #4 $2.50
SPECIAL FORCES TP VOL 01 (MR) $16.99
SPIRIT #28 $2.99
SQUADRON SUPREME 2 #11 $2.99
STAND AMERICAN NIGHTMARES #3 (OF 5) $3.99
STAR TREK OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $24.99
STAR WARS CLONE WARS TP VOL 03 WIND RAIDERS $7.95
STAR WARS LEGACY #36 RENEGADE $2.99
STAR WARS VECTOR TP VOL 02 CHAPTERS 3 AND 4 $17.95
STARCRAFT #1 $2.99
SUPERMAN #688 $2.99
SWORD #17 (MR) $2.99
TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #56 (MR) $2.95
TEEN TITANS #71 $2.99
THIS IS A SOUVENIR SONGS OF SPEARMINT & SHIRLEY LEE $29.99
TRINITY #52 $2.99
TRINITY TP VOL 01 $29.99
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK #6 (OF 6) $2.99
UNKNOWN SOLDIER #8 (MR) $2.99
USAGI YOJIMBO #120 $3.50
WAR MACHINE #6 $2.99
WILDCATS #11 $2.99
WIZARD MAG #213 PACHECO ULTIMATE AVENGERS CVR $5.99
WOLVERINE #72 $2.99
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #15 $2.99
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #36 DKR $2.99
WONDER WOMAN #32 $2.99
WONDER WOMAN LOVE AND MURDER TP $12.99
X-FORCE #14 2ND PTG CRAIN VAR $2.99
X-FORCE #15 XMW $2.99
X-FORCE PREMIERE HC VOL 02 OLD GHOSTS $19.99
X-MEN LEGACY #224 $2.99
X-MEN MAGNETO TESTAMENT PREM HC $24.99
X-MEN WORLDS APART HC $19.99

New GAMES this week:

20% OFF on ALL Dungeon Crawl Classics adventures: SALE ENDS SATURDAY!
Until May 31^st, Goodman Games is sponsoring a sale of all their DCC products, both for 3.5 and 4^th edition D&D, from slim folios to thick hard covers. Dungeon Crawls are well-thought out, self-contained dungeons, perfect for a single session or extended play. Note that all the 3.5 books are out of print, so when we sell out, they will be gone for good.

Living Forgotten Realms here in the store NEXT THURSDAY, 6:30 PM.

New releases:
Because of the holiday, we didn't receive any new games this week.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like Aces& Eights, Scion,, Trail of Cthulhu, and Dungeons& Dragons Fourth Edition to old favorites like Warhammer, , Palladiumand Unknown Armies. For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from Settlers of Catan, Munchkin,Carcassonne, and Guillotineto Blokus, Chessand Go. We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including Magic The Gathering, minis, Axis and Allies minis, and Dungeons& Dragons minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

Modern Myths Book Club: MEETING TONIGHT at 7:00 PM! For May, our Book Club will read PHONOGRAM, Kieron Dwyver and Jamie McKelvie’s story of a post-modern, post-pop wizard, for whom music literally is magic. We meet on the last Thursday of every month.

Living Forgotten Realms: MEETING NEXT THURSDAY at 6:30 PM! On the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using Living Forgotten Realms adventures. LFR is the official campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to do. (You can also play the same character each time or alternate characters if you want.) These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Our next meetings will be on Thursday, June 4 at 6:30 PM and Sunday, June 21 at 4:30 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Meeting: Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month. Next meeting will be on Saturday,June 13, 3:00-5:00 PM

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM. (Pre-empted by World Wide D&D Day this week.)

Western Mass Comics Creators Group:You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal roundtable of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting will be on Tuesday, June 2nd, 7:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're starting our Living Forgotten Realms events next month, on May 6th and 17th. No D&D experience necessary. Let us know if you'd like to sign up. We've also started a sign-up sheet for the next D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23. There will be another on September 19. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. 24 Hour Comics Day will be in October. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

JIFFY CON NEXT Saturday June 6 at the Hampton Inn in Greenfield, MA. A one day con devoted to small-press and alternative role playing games. A great chance to try some exciting new games in demos run by local creators.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

DEADLARP Dead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. On summer hiatus, starting up again on September 12.

Renaissance City Vampire LiveAction RPG. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the Forbes Library in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click here.

Current eBay Listings:

Because of the holiday, we did not have time to put up any new books on eBay this week. We'll serve up a double helping next week.

Featured REVIEW:

Garth Ennis’ Battlefields

Harkening back to the bloody and beleaguered battlegrounds of that glorious, generation defining six year stretch of time known as World War II, Garth Ennis returns to deliver tales of daring, courage, sex, and psychological torment, all set to the tune of his favorite genre. Consisting of short, three-issue stories, Battlefields covers more obscure aspects of the war, including female Russian bomber pilots, and British airmen in Indonesia. Similar to War Stories, a previous Ennis collection of short, European campaign inspired vignettes, Battlefields is more of an action oriented piece then its predecessor. Intense firefights and bedroom scenes play a predominate role as opposed to the subtle irony of enemy soldiers huddling together in a crater during an artillery barrage.

Thus far there are three stories, the first two of which are out in paperback, and the third is still coming out as monthly comics.

Night Witches: All is certainly not quiet on the western front as the Russian army sends its first female bomber squadron into action. Told from two perspectives, that of one of the intrepid pilots and a young, German infantryman, Night Witches examines sexism, equality, and the horrors of war.

Dear Billy: Told through a letter to her lover, Dear Billy deals with a British army nurse and her rape at the hands of the Japanese. Her escape leads her to a hospital in India, where she doles out subtle revenge upon captured Imperial soldiers. Coupled with romance and a surprise ending, Dear Billy is a tale of emotional damage and violent consequences.

Tankies: Take one leaderless tank crew, a gruff corporal with an accent thick enough to stand on, the biggest war the world has ever seen, and you have Tankies. Cut off and alone, these soldiers need to find there way back to friendly lines or suffer the wrath of the German Tigers.

--Pete S.

As always, please let us know if you have questions or we can help with anything, just e-mail us at modernmyths(at)aol.com, or feel free to IM if you see us online at AOL.

We offer Gift Certificates in any amount and

Thanks, and see you in the store!

-Michael Dow
Modern Myths, LLC

What's New for Thursday, May 21.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:27:00 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, May 21, 2009.

COMICS WILL SHIP ON THURSDAY NEXT WEEK BECAUSE OF MEMORIAL DAY.

THIS SATURDAY is World Wide D&D Game Day, and we will be running D&D games at Noon and 7 PM. They are free, no experience necessary, and open to all, though space is limited, so sign up now. See the Events section for more info.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

AGENTS OF ATLAS #5 DKR $2.99
AIR #9 (MR) $2.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #594 $2.99
ANGEL #21 $3.99
AWAKEN FOREST GN (MR) $12.95
BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL #3 (OF 3) $3.99
BATMAN MAD LOVE AND OTHER STORIES HC $19.99
BEN TEMPLESMITHS DRACULA GN $16.99

BIG BOOK OF BARRY WEEN BOY GENIUS TP (RES)$19.95
-Barry Ween is a bona fide ten year old super-genius, capable of making death rays and time machines in his parents’s basement, and possessed of a snarky and jaded world-view. He truly is surrounded by idiots who nevertheless rule his life. This popular comedy series by Judd Winick has been out of print for years, but now it’s back in one big book.

BIONICLE GN VOL 05 BATTLE OF VOYA NUI $7.95
BLACK TERROR #4 $3.50
BLOOD PLUS ADAGIO GN VOL 01 $10.95
BOOSTER GOLD 52 PICK UP TP $14.99
BOYS HEROGASM #1 (MR) $2.99
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #23 $2.99
BRILLIANT BLUE GN VOL 01 (OF 2) (MR) $12.95
BROKEN TRINITY #2 SILVESTRI BALTIMORE CON VAR $10.00
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER OMNIBUS TP VOL 07 $24.95
CAPTAIN AMERICA #50 $3.99
COMPLETE DRACULA #1 (OF 5) $4.99
CRIMINAL MACABRE CELL BLOCK 666 #4 (OF 4) $2.99
DARK REIGN FANTASTIC FOUR #3 (OF 5) DKR $2.99

DAWN WORLDS OF FINAL FANTASY HC $29.95
-A beautiful book of art for various Final Fantasy games, done by Yoshitaka Amano.

DOCTOR WHO TIME MACHINATION $3.99
DREAMER #6 $3.99
EX MACHINA #42 (MR) $2.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #566 $2.99
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH DANCE #1 (OF 6) $2.99
FLINCH GN VOL 01 (MR) $11.95
FLOWER OF LIFE GN VOL 04 (OF 4) (MR) $12.95
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST TP VOL 18 $9.99
G-MAN TP VOL 01 LEARNING TO FLY $9.99
GI JOE #5 $3.99
GIGANTIC #4 (OF 5) $3.50

GOON TP VOL 07 PLACE OF HEARTACHE &GRIEF $15.95
-Eric Powell’s tough as nails monster fighter is back for more rollicking adventure.

GREAT UNKNOWN #2 (OF 5) $3.50
GREATEST AMERICAN HERO #3 (OF 3) $3.50
GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #20 $2.99
GRIMM FAIRY TALES #38 $2.99
HACK SLASH SERIES #22 SEELEY CVR A (MR) $3.50
HEAVY METAL JULY 2009 (MR) $6.95
HELLBLAZER #255 (MR) $2.99
HEROES TP VOL 02 $19.99
HIDEYUKI KIKUCHIS VAMPIRE HUNTER D GN VOL 03 (MR) $13.95
HOTWIRE #3 (OF 5) PUGH CVR A $2.99
HULK #12 $3.99
INCREDIBLES FAMILY MATTERS #2 (OF 4) $2.99
INVINCIBLE #62 $2.99
INVINCIBLE TP VOL 10 WHOS THE BOSS $16.99
JACK OF FABLES #34 (MR) $2.99
JIM BUTCHERS DRESDEN FILES STORM FRONT #4 (OF 4) $3.99

JOHNNY HIRO TP VOL 01 (MR) $14.95
-The adventures of a struggling busboy, who must also save the city from giant monsters.

JUGHEAD #195 $2.50
KODT BUNDLE OF TROUBLE TP VOL 25 $12.99
KUROSAGI CORPSE DELIVERY SERVICE TP VOL 09 (MR) $10.95
LIVING FOR TOMORROW GN (MR) $12.95
LOCKE & KEY HEAD GAMES #5 $3.99
MODESTY BLAISE TP VOL 15 LADY KILLERS $19.95
MYSTERIUS THE UNFATHOMABLE #5 (OF 6) $2.99
NOODLE SHOP AFFAIR GN VOL 01 (OF 3) (RES) (MR) $12.95
NYX NO WAY HOME PREM HC $24.99
OISHINBO GN VOL 03 RAMEN & GYOZA $12.99
OUTSIDERS #18 $2.99
PLUTO URASAWA X TEZUKA GN VOL 03 $12.99
PUNISHER #5 DKR $2.99
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL TP VOL 05 SECRET INVASION $14.99
RANN THANAGAR HOLY WAR TP VOL 01 $19.99
SCOOBY DOO #144 $2.50
SIMPSONS COMICS #154 $2.99
SIMPSONS COMICS TREASURE TROVE #4 $3.99
SKRULL KILL KREW #2 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
STAR TREK ALIENS SPOTLIGHT ROMULANS $3.99
STAR WARS KNIGHTS OLD REPUBLIC #41 DUELING AMBITIO $2.99
STEPHEN COLBERTS TEK JANSEN #5 (OF 5) (RES) $3.99
SUPERGIRL #41 $2.99
SUPERMAN BATMAN #60 $2.99
SUPERMAN ENDING BATTLE TP $14.99
TALES OF TMNT #58 $3.25
THOR BY J MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI PREM HC VOL 02 $24.99
THUNDERBOLTS #132 $2.99
TICK KARMA TORNADO COMPLETE WORKS TP $27.95
TIMESTORM 2009 2099 #2 (OF 4) $3.99
TINY TITANS #16 $2.50
TINY TITANS TP VOL 02 ADVENTURES IN AWESOMENESS $12.99
TRANSFORMERS ALL HAIL MEGATRON #11 $3.99
TRANSMETROPOLITAN TP VOL 02 LUST FOR LIFE NEW ED $14.99
TRINITY #51 $2.99
UNCANNY X-MEN #510 $2.99
UNCANNY X-MEN RISE & FALL OF THE SHIAR HC $34.99
VAGABOND TP VOL 29 (MR) $9.95
VAGABOND VIZBIG ED GN VOL 03 (MR) $19.99
VIGILANTE #6 $2.99
WAR OF KINGS ROAD TO WAR OF KINGS TP $19.99
WITCHBLADE #127 SEJIC CVR A $2.99
WOLVERINE NOIR #2 (OF 4) $3.99
WOLVERINE WEAPON X #2 $3.99
WORLD OF WARCRAFT #19 $2.99

YOULL NEVER KNOW HC VOL 01 A GOOD ANDDECENT MAN $24.99
-Cartoonist C. Tyler tells the story of her father’s life, starting withhis courtship of her mother and service in World War Two.

YOUNG X-MEN TP VOL 02 BOOK OF REVELATIONS $19.99

New GAMES this week:

World Wide D&D Game Day is this Saturday. We’ll be running a brand new adventure, Journey Through the Silver Caves, for pre-generated fifth level characters. Sessions are at Noon and 7 PM. Space is limited, so sign up right away.

20% OFF on ALL Dungeon Crawl Classics adventures:
Until May 31^st, Goodman Games is sponsoring a sale of all their DCC products, both for 3.5 and 4^th edition D&D, from slim folios to thick hard covers. Dungeon Crawls are well-thought out, self-contained dungeons, perfect for a single session or extended play. Note that all the 3.5 books are out of print, so when we sell out, they will be gone for good.

New releases:
D&D Monster Manual 2 $34.95
-Over 100 new creatures, from Eladrin Blade Dancers to Orc Terrorblades, to Aboleth Slime Mages, to the demon prince Demogorgon.

D&D Miniatures Dangerous Delves$14.99
-The second part of Wizards’ new model for packaging minis, this set of 40minis (all monsters) are available in packs of 5, with one of 8 different minis visible and four unseen. It’s a better way to stock up on critters for your next campaign.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like , ,,Trail of Cthulhu, and to old favorites like ,, and Unknown Armies.For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from , , and to Blokus,Chessand . We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including minis, minis, and minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

World Wide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day:THIS SATURDAY! If you have always wanted to try D&D and never gotten around to it; or if you have been playing for years, but aren't sure if you'll like Fourth Edition; or if you'd just like to pick up some dice and dungeon crawl for a few hours,this event is for you. This game is free and open to players of all experience levels. Space is limited. Saturday May 23, Noon and 7PM.

Modern Myths Book Club: For May, our Book Club will read PHONOGRAM,Kieron Dwyver and Jamie McKelvie’s story of a post-modern, post-pop wizard,for whom music literally is magic. We meet on the last Thursday of every month. MEETING NEXT THURSDAY, May28, at 7:00 PM.

Living Forgotten Realms: on the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using Living Forgotten Realmsadventures. LFR is the official campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to do. (You can also play the same character each time or alternate characters if you want.) These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Our next meetings will be on Thursday,June 4 at 7:00 PM and Sunday, June 21at 4:30 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Meeting: Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month.Next meeting will be on Saturday,June 13, 3:00-5:00 PM

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM. (Pre-empted by World Wide D&D Day this week.)

Western Mass Comics Creators Group:You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal round table of ideas, tips, and hopefully,inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info,contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting will be on Tuesday, June 2nd, 7:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're starting our Living Forgotten Realmsevents next month, on May 6th and 17th. No D&D experience necessary. Let us know if you'd like to sign up. We've also started a sign-up sheet for the next D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23. There will be another on September 19. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. 24 Hour Comics Day will be in October. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

JIFFYCON Saturday June 6 at the Hampton Inn in Greenfield, MA. A one day con devoted to small-press and alternative role playing games. A great chance to try some exciting new games in demos run by local creators.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

DEADLARPDead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. On summer hiatus, starting up again on September 12.

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. On summer hiatus, starting up again in September.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click .

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have added four new items to our eBay store: the new core book for Desolation (a post-apocalyptic fantasy RPG), a set of the first 20 issues of the 1980s Suicide Squad comic from DC, and a Captain America Volume 1 Marvel Masterworks HC.

Featured REVIEW:

Iron Man Extremis by Warren Ellis & Adi Granov, $14.99

Tony Stark is many things: an Avenger, an inventor, a corporate CEO, a philanthropist, and, of course, the man inside the Iron Man suit. Saving the world from the threat of the day, improving the Iron Man, and running his company keeps his schedule full. He no longer has time for his real passion: inventing new technology to shape a better future for all humans. Unfortunately, the world does not stand still, and when a terrorist steals a biological enhancement system called Extremis, Tony suddenly finds himself, and Iron Man, obsolete.

Warren Ellis has long been one of the best SF writers in comics, and in this story he blends his interests in bleeding edge technology, futurism, and the ways our technologies transform us as a species with a character who has, heretofore, been one of the stodgiest and most conservative superheroes around. More than just a good superhero action story, Extremis takes an eye-opening look at our potential to invent a better tomorrow, the limits of being a superhero, and what it really takes to save the world.

--Michael D.

Thanks, and see you in the store!

-Michael Dow
Modern Myths, LLC

What's New on Thursday, May 14

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:32:01 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, May 14, 2009.

Event Reminder: Living Forgotten Realms this Sunday. Check the GAMING section for more info.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and GraphicNovels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

ACTION COMICS #877 $2.99
ALTER EGO #85 $6.95
APPLEGEEKS TP VOL 01 FRESHMAN YEAR $14.95
ASTRO BOY MOVIE PREQUEL UNDERGROUND #1 $3.99
AVENGERS INITIATIVE TP VOL 03 SECRET INVASION $16.99
AZRAEL DEATHS DARK KNIGHT #3 (OF 3) $2.99
BACK ISSUE #34 $6.95
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #29 $2.99
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA FINAL FIVE #2 (OF 4) $3.99
BLACK PANTHER 2 #4 DKR $2.99
BOOSTER GOLD #20 $2.99
BPRD BLACK GODDESS #5 (OF 5) $2.99

BTVS SEASON 8 TP VOL 04 TIME OF YOUR LIFE $15.95
-The incredible Buffy/Fray crossover. The future is now, as only Joss Whedon can do it.

CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #13 $2.99
CASTLE WAITING VOL II #15 $3.95
CLIVE BARKERS AGE OF DESIRE HC (MR) $14.99
COMICS JOURNAL #297 $11.99
COMPLETE DICK TRACY HC VOL 07 $39.99
COMPLETE LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE HC VOL 03 (RES) $39.99
CONNECTIVE TISSUE $22.99
CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 03 $49.95
DARK REIGN HAWKEYE #2 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
DARK REIGN YOUNG AVENGERS #1 (OF 5) DKR $3.99

DARK TOWER THE FALL OF GILEAD #1 (OF 6) $3.99
-Roland’s world moves on.

DEADPOOL SUICIDE KINGS #2 (OF 5) $3.99
DOCTOR GRORDBORTS CONTRAPULATRONIC DINGUS DIRECTOR $12.95
ELEPHANTMEN #19 (RES) $3.50
FABLES #84 (MR) $2.99
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH ESCAPE #1 (OF 6) $2.99
FLAME OF RECCA TP VOL 31 $9.99
FROM THE ASHES #1 $3.99
FUSION #1 (OF 3) $2.99
FUTURE DIARY GN VOL 01 (OF 6) (MR) $10.99
GENEXT UNITED #1 (OF 5) $3.99
GI JOE COBRA #3 $3.99
GOLD DIGGER #106 $2.99
GRAVEL #11 (MR) $3.99
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #36 $2.99
GUERILLAS #4 (OF 8) $5.99
HELLBLAZER ROOTS OF COINCIDENCE TP (MR) $14.99
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #13 (MR) $2.99
HTCP VOL 01 COS NOTE SPECIAL EFFECTS & MAKE-UP $24.99
I KILL GIANTS TP $15.99
ILLUSTRATION MAGAZINE #26 $15.00
JACK STAFF #20 (RES) $3.50
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #150 $8.99
LIFE AND TIMES OF SAVIOR 28 #2 $3.99
LOCKJAW AND THE PET AVENGERS #1 (OF 4) $2.99

LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN III CENTURY #1 1910 (MR) $7.95
-Alan Moore and Kevin ONeil return at last with the first of a new three part adventure. It’s 1910, Halley’s Comet is passing closer to earth than ever before, and might the world actually be coming to an end?

LUBA HC $39.99
-A full-bodied hardcover collection of all of Gilbert Hernandez’s Luba stories.

MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #51 $2.99
MARVEL ILLUSTRATED ILIAD TP $19.99
NEW EXILES TP VOL 04 AWAY WE GO $12.99
OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 32 $10.95
ORACLE #3 (OF 3) $2.99
PHANTOM GHOST WHO WALKS #2 JOE CORRONEY CVR $3.99
PRIDE & PREJUDICE #2 (OF 5) $3.99
PUNISHER FRANK CASTLE MAX #70 (MR) $3.99
RAWBONE #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99
REBELS #4 $2.99
RETURN TO LABYRINTH GN VOL 03 (OF 4) (RES) $12.99
ROD ESPINOSA PRINCE OF HEROES CHAPTER 2 #2 $3.50
SAVAGE DRAGON #148 $3.50
SECRET IDENTITIES ASIAN AMER SUPERHERO ANTHOLOGY $21.95
SECRET SIX #9 $2.99
SECRET WARRIORS #4 DKR $2.99
SHOWCASE PRESENTS MARTIAN MANHUNTER TP VOL 02 $16.99
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #200 $2.50
SOUL KISS #4 (OF 5) (MR) $3.50
STAR WARS CLONE WARS #6 (OF 6) $2.99
STORMING PARADISE #5 (OF 6) (RES) $2.99
STORMWATCH PHD #21 $2.99
SUPER FRIENDS #15 $2.50
SUPERGIRL #40 $2.99
SUPERMAN NEW KRYPTON HC VOL 01 $24.99
TALES FROM THE CRYPT GN VOL 06 U TOMB $7.95
TERRY MOORES ECHO #12 $3.50
TITANS #13 $2.99
TMNT ADVENTURES TP VOL 01 HEROES IN A HALF SHELL $11.95
TOYFARE #143 TWISTED TOYFARE OBAMA OBI WAN CVR $4.99
TRINITY #50 $2.99
TRINITY BLOOD GN VOL 10 (OF 11) (MR) $10.99
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #132 $2.99
ULTIMATES 3 TP WHO KILLED SCARLET WITCH $19.99
UMBRELLA ACADEMY DALLAS #6 (OF 6) $2.99
UNKNOWN #1 (OF 4) $3.99
UNTHINKABLE #1 (OF 4) $3.99

UNWRITTEN #1 (MR) $1.00
-Tommy Taylor is the boy wizard hero of a long running series of immensely popular books. Tom Taylor is the son of the author of the books, and was the namesake of the character when he was a boy. Now, he’s a man in his 30s, his father hasn’t been seen for over 20 years, and his life is stuck in the shadow of a fictional boy. Then a reporter reveals in an interview that all the photos of his childhood, and all the vital records of his early life, have been faked.

WALKING DEAD #61 (MR) $2.99
WAR OF KINGS ASCENSION #2 (OF 4) $3.99
WOLVERINE #73 $2.99
WOLVERINE ORIGIN TP $16.99
WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ #6 (OF 8) $3.99
X-FACTOR #43 $2.99
X-FACTOR TP VOL 06 SECRET INVASION $19.99
X-MEN MANIFEST DESTINY HC $29.99
YAKITATE JAPAN TP VOL 17 $9.99
YOUNG LIARS #15 (MR) $2.99
ZORRO #13 $3.50

New GAMES this week:

20% OFF on ALL Dungeon Crawl Classics adventures:
Until May 31^st, Goodman Games is sponsoring a sale of all their DCC products, both for 3.5 and 4^th edition D&D, from slim folios to thick hard covers. Dungeon Crawls are well-thought out, self-contained dungeons, perfect for a single session or extended play. Note that all the 3.5 books are out of print, so when we sell out, they will be gone for good.

This Sunday at 4:30 PM is the next meeting of our new series of in-store D&D events: Living Forgotten Realms. LFR is the campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to do. (You can also play alternate characters if you want.) Meetings will be on the first Thursday of every month, starting at 6:30 PM and the third Sunday, starting at 4:30 PM. These events are free, and separate from the D&D Game Days we will also host in the store. (The next Game Day will be Saturday, May 23, with sessions at Noon and 7:00 PM.)

New releases:
World of Darkness Immortals $34.99
Vampire Ancient Bloodlines $34.99
Ars Magica Tales of Mythic Europe $27.95
Traveller Core Book 4: Psion $24.95
Traveller Project Steel $24.95
Zombies!!! 8 Jail Break $14.99
Dead Reign RPG $22.95
Dead Reign Civilization Gone $12.95
Gamemastery Flip Mat Waterfront Tavern $12.99
Dark Heresy Tattered Fates $24.95

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like , ,,Trail of Cthulhu, and to old favorites like ,, and Unknown Armies.For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from , , and to Blokus,Chessand . We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including minis, minis, and minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let meassure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

Second Meeting This Sunday at 4:30 PM! Living Forgotten Realms: on the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using official Living Forgotten Realms setting campaign adventures. In order to play, you'll join the RPGA and create a new fourth edition character for the campaign. You can create it in advance or with our help at the game. As you play, you'll gain treasure and experience for your character to use in later games. These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today!

World Wide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day:Saturday May 23, Noon and 7 PM. If you have always wanted to try D&D and never gotten around to it; or if you have been playing for years,but aren't sure if you'll like Fourth Edition; or if you'd just like to pickup some dice and dungeon crawl for a few hours, this event is for you. This game is free and open to players of all experience levels. Space is limited.

Modern Myths Book Club: For May, our Book Club will be reading Phonogram, Kieron Dwyver and Jamie McKelvie’s story of a post-modern, post-pop wizard, for whom music literally is magic. We meet on the last Thursday of every month. Next meeting: May 28, at 7:00 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Meeting: NEXT Saturday, June 13, 3:00-5:00 PM.   Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group:You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal round table of ideas, tips, and hopefully,inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info,contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; Meeting NEXT Tuesday, June 2nd, 7:00PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're starting our Living Forgotten Realms events next month, on May 6th and 17th. No D&D experience necessary. Let us know if you'd like to sign up. We've also started a sign-up sheet for the next D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23. There will be another on September 19. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. 24 Hour Comics Day will be in October. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. Character creation begins at 6:00 PM, and game runs from 7:00 PM to midnight. Check their website for info on Summer sessions.

DEADLARPDead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. The event officially begins at7, though check in times begins around 6. The game setting location is the city of Gommora in California, the setting time is 1880 "Alternate History Civil War Era." Anyone interested in playing should create a username and login so that we can tailor your account to your preference. Thank you for your interest,and we hope you enjoy yourself. - The GMs: James, Jason, Bish, Pat, Nick

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. NEW GAME, still looking for players.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click .

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have added four new items to our eBay store: for the SAVAGE WORLDS RPG, both SUNDERED SKIES and SLIPSTREAM, a box set of the entire CHOBITS manga from CLAMP, and the entire HIGHLANDER comic series. We are also running another benefit auction for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund: another BARACK OBAMA COVER SPIDERMAN #583 FIRST PRINT.

Moreover, our regular selection of action figures, used graphic novels, used RPGs, and sets of comics& manga, are once again available for purchase.

Featured REVIEW:

Captain America Truth by Robert Morales and Kyle Baker

In the 25 years since Watchmen, there has been a trend of re-imaging classic superheroes in new, darker modes. Rarely has this been done to better effect, or with greater respect for the underlying character, than Captain America Truth. Subtitled Red White and Black, this book tells the story of the sordid underbelly of the USA’s Super Soldier Project during World War Two. Inspired by real life tragedies such as the Tuskegee Experiment, this book follows an African-American infantry brigade that signs up to fight Nazis, and winds up being used as secret test subjects for a dangerous new drug. Long before Steve Rogers ever got involved, America was injecting black soldiers with the same formula that turned him into Captain America, and sending them off on suicide missions.

Most of the story follows several black soldiers, and follows their attempts to make the best of the callous cruelty they face at the hands of their own countrymen. Some crack. Some perish. Some find their inner hero. This book could wallow in the injustice of these soldiers’ fate, but instead it celebrates their heroism. Moreover, unlike many grim & gritty re-imaginings, this story doesn’t forget the appeal at the heart of Captain America. Steve Rogers may be white, but he’s fundamentally a decent human being. We learn the story as he does, decades after the war, and his shock is neither feigned nor unbelievable. While shining a light on our dark past, this comic remembers that we sometimes live up to our shining promise. If the idea of people in costumes standing up for all that is good and decent in the world moves you at all, you should read this book.

--Michael D.

What's New on Thursday, May 7th.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:34:16 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, May 7, 2009.

Free Comic Book Day was our biggest and best yet. The store was hopping from the moment we opened until dark. Thanks to everyone who came by!

Event Reminder: Living Forgotten Realms starts tonight. Check the GAMING section for more info.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 02 $18.99
ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 03 $18.99
ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 04 $18.99
ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 05 $18.99
ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 06 $18.99
ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 07 $18.99
AGENTS OF ATLAS #4 DKR $2.99
AIR GEAR GN VOL 12 (MR) $10.99
ALIAS ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP BOOK 01 $34.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #593 $2.99
ANGEL BLOOD AND TRENCHES #3 $3.99
ARMY OF DARKNESS #20 $3.50

ASTRO CITY THE DARK AGE BOOK THREE #1 (OF 4) $3.99
 -Charles and Royal are brothers who used to be a cop and a thief. They haven't gotten along since their parents were killed by super villains. Now, they have a chance at revenge.

ATOMIC ROBO SHADOW FROM BEYOND TIME #1 (OF 5) $3.50
AUTHORITY #10 $2.99
BANG TANGO #4 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL THE NETWORK #1 $2.99
BATMAN THE RESURRECTION OF RAS AL GHUL TP $19.99
BOYS #30 (MR) $2.99
BRICKJOURNAL #5 $8.95
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #25 CHEN CVR $2.99
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #25 JEANTY CVR $2.99
BURST ANGEL MANGA VOL 03 (OF 3) (MR) $10.99
CABLE #14 XMW $2.99
CEREBUS ARCHIVE #1 $3.00
DEADPOOL #10 DKR $2.99
DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS TP VOL 03 $19.99
ESSENTIAL SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 09 $19.99
EXILES #2 $2.99
FAIRY IDOL KANON VOL 01 (OF 4) $7.99
FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 06 $10.99
FARSCAPE STRANGE DETRACTORS #2 (OF 4) CVR A $3.99
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH RUN #1 (OF 6) $2.99
FIRE & BRIMSTONE #5 (OF 5) $3.95
FLASH REBIRTH #2 (OF 5) $2.99
GHOSTBUSTERS THE OTHER SIDE TP VOL 01 (C: 1-0-0) $17.99
GI JOE MOVIE PREQUEL #3 BARONESS $3.99
GOLD DIGGER #105 $2.99

GRAVEL TP VOL 01 BLOODY LIARS (MR) $24.99
 -Sgt. Major Bill Gravel, the best combat magician in the SAS, goes to war with a secret cabal known as the Minor Seven over the forbidden Sigsand Manuscript. Bloody supernatural action from Warren Ellis.

GRIMM FAIRY TALES RETURN TO WONDERLAND ANNUAL #1 $5.99
GROOM LAKE #2 $3.99
HACK SLASH ENTRY WOUND (MR) $2.50
HIKARU NO GO TP VOL 15 $7.95
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #13 DKR $2.99
JONAH HEX #43 $2.99
KULL #6 (OF 6) $2.99
LIFE AND TIMES OF SAVIOR 28 #2 $3.99
LOVE COM TP VOL 12 $8.99
MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 #2 (OF 4) $3.99
MONOLOGUES FOR CALCULATING THE DENSITY OF BLACK HO $22.99
NANA TP VOL 16 (MR) $8.99
NEW AVENGERS REUNION #3 (OF 4) DKR $3.99
NEW MUTANTS #1 $3.99
PARASYTE GN VOL 07 (OF 8) $12.99
POWER GIRL #1 $2.99

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES $12.95
 -A hilarious and engaging blend of the finest in Regency period society, with the most ghoulish of modern fantasy tropes. A post-modern delight for fans of Austen, gothic literature, zombies, action-adventure and period literature.

ROD ESPINOSA PRINCE OF HEROES CHAPTER 2 #1 $3.50
SEAGUY THE SLAVES OF MICKEY EYE #2 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99
SHONEN JUMP JUNE 09 $4.99
SHRAPNEL #5 (OF 5) A CVR DJURDJEVIC $2.99
SKIP BEAT TP VOL 18 $8.99
STAR TREK CREW #3 $3.99
STRANGE ADVENTURES #3 (OF 8) $3.99
SUPERGIRL COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE #6 $2.50
SUPERMAN ESCAPE FROM BIZARRO WORLD TP $14.99
SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #3 (OF 12) $2.99
SWORD OF MY MOUTH #1 $3.99

TANK GIRL REMASTERED ED TP VOL 01 $14.95
TANK GIRL REMASTERED ED TP VOL 02 $14.95
 -Tank Girl was one of the defining comics of the 80s punk scene, with a sly mix of slapstick violence, scurrilous humor, sex, booze and mutant kangaroos, this new edition features an intro by writer Alan Martin, clean reproductions of Jamie Hewlitt's anarchic art, and, best of all, a cheaper price.

TEEN TITANS GO TP VOL 03 BRING IT ON $6.99
TRANSFORMERS BEST O/T UK CITY OF FEAR #4 $3.99
TRINITY #49 $2.99
TROJAN WAR #1 (OF 5) $3.99
ULTIMATUM X-MEN FANTASTIC FOUR PREM HC $24.99

UNDERGROUND CLASSICS TRANSFORMATION COMICS TO COMIX $29.95
 -A gorgeous collection of four essays on the underground US comics scene in the 60s and 70s by noted critics and scene insiders (including Trina Robbins, Denis Kitchen) , and almost a hundred pages of original art, rare photos, and more.

VERONICA #194 $2.50
VOLTRON A LEGEND FORGED #5 SEELEY CVR A $3.50

WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM TP VOL 01 (MR) $59.99
 -When the dead rise and civilization collapses, what will it take to survive? Collecting the first 48 issues of the acclaimed post-apocalyptic series by Bob Kirkman.

WALLFLOWER GN VOL 19 $10.99
WAR OF KINGS #3 (OF 6) $3.99
WITCHBLADE ANNUAL 2009 BASALDUA CVR A $3.99
X-MEN FIRST CLASS FINALS #4 (OF 4) $3.99
Y THE LAST MAN DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 02 (MR) $29.99
ZOMBIES THAT ATE THE WORLD #3 (MR) $3.50

New GAMES this week:

Tonight is the first meeting of our new series of in-store D&D events: Living Forgotten Realms. LFR is the campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules. LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character. If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder. Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to do. (You can also play alternate characters if you want.) Meetings will be on the first Thursday of every month, starting at 6:30 PM and the third Sunday (the next of which is May 17), starting at 4:30 PM. These events are free, and separate from the D&D Game Days we will also host in the store. (The next Game Day will be Saturday, May 23, with sessions at Noon and 7:00 PM.)

New releases:
No new games this week, but we have added several new colors of Dragon Shield card sleeves (perfect for D&D power cards, as well as Magic and other CCGs.)

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like Aces& Eights, Scion,<ahref="http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/product_images/full_size/travspinmarch.jpg">Traveller</a>, Trail of Cthulhu, and Dungeons& Dragons Fourth Edition to old favorites like Warhammer, <ahref="http://www.games-workshop.com/media_customproductcatalog/m1610184_60040199020_40krulebookmain_445x319.jpg">Warhammer40K</a>, Palladiumand Unknown Armies. For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from Settlers of Catan, Munchkin,Carcassonne, and Guillotineto Blokus, Chessand Go. We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including Magic The Gathering, <ahref="http://www.wizards.com/global/images/starwars_article_starterset_pic1_en.jpg">Star Wars</a> minis, Axis and Allies minis, and Dungeons& Dragons minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

FIRST MEETING TONIGHT! Living Forgotten Realms: on the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using official Living Forgotten Realms setting campaign adventures. In order to play, you'll join the RPGA and create a new fourth edition character for the campaign. You can create it in advance or with our help at the game. As you play, you'll gain treasure and experience for your character to use in later games. These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Next Meetings: TONIGHT, May 7 at 6:30 PM and Sunday, May 17 at 4:30 PM.

Meet The Creators: TOMORROW, May 8, 3:30-4:45 PM, in the Mass Mutual Center, Ballroom C, at 1277 Main Street in Springfield, the Massachusetts Library Association will host a signing featuring several comics creators as part of their Graphic Novel mini-conference, including Gail Simone (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Raina Telgemeier (Babysitter’s Club) and others. Admission is free, with a suggested $5 donation to benefit the Springfield Library Association. We will be there selling books. This a great chance to meet some cool creators, and we hope that you will join us.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Meeting: NEXT Saturday, May 9, 3:00-5:00 PM. Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures. No experience necessary. Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month.

World Wide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day: Saturday May 23, Noon and 7 PM. If you have always wanted to try D&D and never gotten around to it; or if you have been playing for years, but aren't sure if you'll like Fourth Edition; or if you'd just like to pick up some dice and dungeon crawl for a few hours, this event is for you. This game is free and open to players of all experience levels. Space is limited.

Modern Myths Book Club: Our Book Club met last Thursday to discuss Blankets, Craig Thompson’s award winning memoir of love, heart break, and acceptance. Most of us had read it before, but all of us were impressed by Thompson's command of the medium, both as an illustrator, and as a story-teller. The story is a simple one, about a young man growing up in a poor, rural, religious family falling in love, getting his heart broken, and growing into a confident adult. While not explicitly autobiographical, the main character is named Craig, and all of us wondered how well Thompson could find something new in a subject explored by so many other fine cartoonists (Seth, Joe Matt, Chris Ware, Jeffrey Brown, et al), and dreaded the possibility of bogging down in its 500+ pages.

Happily, Thompson finds that delicate balance between evoking the power and sweetness that first great romance can have and boring the reader with stilted characters or moping. He does it by expanding his focus to tell us about the characters around Craig, revealing some of the drama in their lives, and allowing us to see how his relationship will progress (and why) long before he does. Thompson also uses his loose and expressive cartooning style well. Swirling paisley designs allowed a blending of the main character’s religious obsession about the afterlife with his awakening interest in this world, and links individual vignettes, that might seem otherwise disconnected, into an uplifting story of artist awakening. In sum, all of us found Blankets an engrossing, well-crafted, and beautiful book that also read far more quickly than its bulk might suggest

For May, we will be reading Phonogram, Kieron Dwyver and Jamie McKelvie’s story of a post-modern, post-pop wizard, for whom music literally is magic. We meet on the last Thursday of every month. Next meeting: May 28, at 7:00 PM.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal roundtable of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; Meeting NEXT Tuesday, June 2nd, 7:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're starting our Living Forgotten Realms events next month, on May 6th and 17th. No D&D experience necessary. Let us know if you'd like to sign up. We've also started a sign-up sheet for the next D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. Character creation begins at 6:00 PM, and game runs from 7:00 PM to midnight. Check their website for info on Summer sessions.

DEADLARP Dead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor ofSeelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. The event officially begins at7, though check in times begins around 6. The game setting location is the city of Gommora in California, the setting time is 1880 "Alternate History Civil War Era." Anyone interested in playing should create a username and login so that we can tailor your account to your preference. Thank you for your interest,and we hope you enjoy yourself. - The GMs: James, Jason, Bish, Pat, Nick

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. NEW GAME, still looking for players.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the <ahref="http://www.forbeslibrary.org/">Forbes Library</a> in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click <ahref="http://www.wmass-chess.us/clubs.htm">here</a>.

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have added three new items to our eBay store: the first twenty issues of the relaunched Amazing Spiderman from 1999 by Howard Mackie and John Romita Jr., and, for the Star Wars Saga D20 RPG, we have both the Corerule book and the Knights Of The Old Republic source book.

Moreover, our regular selection of <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&item=370089306744&sspagename=adme:l:lca:us:1123">action figures</a>, used <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&rd=1&item=370045945284&sspagename=strk:mese:it&ih=024">graphic novels</a>, used <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&sspagename=strk:meselx:it&item=370050166029">RPGs</a>,and sets of <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&rd=1&item=6536094549&sspagename=strk:mese:it">comics</a>& <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&rd=1&item=370065983768&sspagename=strk:mese:it&ih=024">manga</a>,are once again available for purchase. As always, we encourage you all to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

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Hello everyone!  Here's our update for Thursday, May 7, 2009. 

Free Comic Book Day was our biggest and best yet.  The store was hopping from the moment we opened until dark.  Thanks to everyone who came by!

Event Reminder: Living Forgotten Realms starts tonight.  Check the <a href="about:blank#GAMES">GAMING</a> section for more info. 

This week we have our usual sections on <a href="about:blank#COMICS">NEW COMICS</a> and Graphic Novels, recent <a href="about:blank#GAMES">GAMING</a> arrivals, <a href="about:blank#EVENTS">EVENTS</a> both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our <a href="about:blank#eBay">eBAY</a> store, and an in-depth <a href="about:blank#REVIEW">REVIEW</a> of a favorite comic or game.   
 
<lj-cut text="COMICS"><a name="COMICS">New COMICS This Week: </a> ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 02 $18.99 ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 03 $18.99 ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 04 $18.99 ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 05 $18.99 ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 06 $18.99 ADVENTURES OF TINTIN NEW ED HC VOL 07 $18.99 AGENTS OF ATLAS #4 DKR $2.99 AIR GEAR GN VOL 12 (MR) $10.99 ALIAS ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP BOOK 01 $34.99 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #593 $2.99 ANGEL BLOOD AND TRENCHES #3 $3.99 ARMY OF DARKNESS #20 $3.50 ASTRO CITY THE DARK AGE BOOK THREE #1 (OF 4) $3.99     -Charles and Royal are brothers who used to be a cop and a thief.  They haven't gotten along since their parents were killed by super villains.  Now, they have a chance at revenge. ATOMIC ROBO SHADOW FROM BEYOND TIME #1 (OF 5) $3.50 AUTHORITY #10 $2.99 BANG TANGO #4 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99 BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL THE NETWORK #1 $2.99 BATMAN THE RESURRECTION OF RAS AL GHUL TP $19.99 BOYS #30 (MR) $2.99 BRICKJOURNAL #5 $8.95 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #25 CHEN CVR $2.99 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #25 JEANTY CVR $2.99 BURST ANGEL MANGA VOL 03 (OF 3) (MR) $10.99 CABLE #14 XMW $2.99 CEREBUS ARCHIVE #1 $3.00 DEADPOOL #10 DKR $2.99 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS TP VOL 03 $19.99 ESSENTIAL SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 09 $19.99 EXILES #2 $2.99 FAIRY IDOL KANON VOL 01 (OF 4) $7.99 FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 06 $10.99 FARSCAPE STRANGE DETRACTORS #2 (OF 4) CVR A $3.99 FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH RUN #1 (OF 6) $2.99 FIRE & BRIMSTONE #5 (OF 5) $3.95 FLASH REBIRTH #2 (OF 5) $2.99 GHOSTBUSTERS THE OTHER SIDE TP VOL 01 (C: 1-0-0) $17.99 GI JOE MOVIE PREQUEL #3 BARONESS $3.99 GOLD DIGGER #105 $2.99 GRAVEL TP VOL 01 BLOODY LIARS (MR) $24.99     -Sgt. Major Bill Gravel, the best combat magician in the SAS, goes to war with a secret cabal known as the Minor Seven over the forbidden Sigsand Manuscript.  Bloody supernatural action from Warren Ellis. GRIMM FAIRY TALES RETURN TO WONDERLAND ANNUAL #1 $5.99 GROOM LAKE #2 $3.99 HACK SLASH ENTRY WOUND (MR) $2.50 HIKARU NO GO TP VOL 15 $7.95 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #13 DKR $2.99 JONAH HEX #43 $2.99 KULL #6 (OF 6) $2.99 LIFE AND TIMES OF SAVIOR 28 #2 $3.99 LOVE COM TP VOL 12 $8.99 MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 #2 (OF 4) $3.99 MONOLOGUES FOR CALCULATING THE DENSITY OF BLACK HO $22.99 NANA TP VOL 16 (MR) $8.99 NEW AVENGERS REUNION #3 (OF 4) DKR $3.99 NEW MUTANTS #1 $3.99 PARASYTE GN VOL 07 (OF 8) $12.99 POWER GIRL #1 $2.99 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES  $12.95                 -A hilarious and engaging blend of the finest in Regency period society, with the most ghoulish of modern fantasy tropes.  A post-modern delight for fans of Austen, gothic literature, zombies, action-adventure and period literature. ROD ESPINOSA PRINCE OF HEROES CHAPTER 2 #1 $3.50 SEAGUY THE SLAVES OF MICKEY EYE #2 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99 SHONEN JUMP JUNE 09 $4.99 SHRAPNEL #5 (OF 5) A CVR DJURDJEVIC $2.99 SKIP BEAT TP VOL 18 $8.99 STAR TREK CREW #3 $3.99 STRANGE ADVENTURES #3 (OF 8) $3.99 SUPERGIRL COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE #6 $2.50 SUPERMAN ESCAPE FROM BIZARRO WORLD TP $14.99 SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #3 (OF 12) $2.99 SWORD OF MY MOUTH #1 $3.99 TANK GIRL REMASTERED ED TP VOL 01 $14.95 TANK GIRL REMASTERED ED TP VOL 02 $14.95     -Tank Girl was one of the defining comics of the 80s punk scene, with a sly mix of slapstick violence, scurrilous humor, sex, booze and mutant kangaroos, this new edition features an intro by writer Alan Martin, clean reproductions of Jamie Hewlitt's anarchic art, and, best of all, a cheaper price. TEEN TITANS GO TP VOL 03 BRING IT ON $6.99 TRANSFORMERS BEST O/T UK CITY OF FEAR #4 $3.99 TRINITY #49 $2.99 TROJAN WAR #1 (OF 5) $3.99 ULTIMATUM X-MEN FANTASTIC FOUR PREM HC $24.99 UNDERGROUND CLASSICS TRANSFORMATION COMICS TO COMIX $29.95     -A gorgeous collection of four essays on the underground US comics scene in the 60s and 70s by noted critics and scene insiders (including Trina Robbins, Denis Kitchen) , and almost a hundred pages of original art, rare photos, and more. VERONICA #194 $2.50 VOLTRON A LEGEND FORGED #5 SEELEY CVR A $3.50 WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM TP VOL 01 (MR) $59.99     -When the dead rise and civilization collapses, what will it take to survive?  Collecting the first 48 issues of the acclaimed post-apocalyptic series by Bob Kirkman. WALLFLOWER GN VOL 19 $10.99 WAR OF KINGS #3 (OF 6) $3.99 WITCHBLADE ANNUAL 2009 BASALDUA CVR A $3.99 X-MEN FIRST CLASS FINALS #4 (OF 4) $3.99 Y THE LAST MAN DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 02 (MR) $29.99 ZOMBIES THAT ATE THE WORLD #3 (MR) $3.50 </lj-cut>
 
<lj-cut text="GAMES"><a name="GAMES">New GAMES this week: </a> Tonight is the first meeting of our new series of in-store D&D events: Living Forgotten Realms.  LFR is the campaign setting of the RPGA (the long-standing official D&D fan club), and is set in the latest version of the Realms, using the current, Fourth Edition rules.  LFR games are open to any RPGA member with a legal character.  If you aren’t a member, joining takes two minutes and is free, and if you don’t have a character, we can make one up for you on the spot using Character Builder.  Manager Jim C and staffer Michael D will alternate as Dungeon Masters, running different adventures, so even if you come to both games every month, you’ll still have something new to do.  (You can also play alternate characters if you want.)  Meetings will be on the first Thursday of every month, starting at 6:30 PM and the third Sunday (the next of which is May 17), starting at 4:30 PM.  These events are free, and separate from the D&D Game Days we will also host in the store.  (The next Game Day will be Saturday, May 23, with sessions at Noon and 7:00 PM.) New releases: No new games this week, but we have added several new colors of Dragon Shield card sleeves (perfect for D&D power cards, as well as Magic and other CCGs.) Regular Stock Items:   Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games.  We range from new games like <a href="http://www.kenzerco.com/images/rpg/aces_and_eights/playersguidebook.jpg">Aces& Eights</a>, <a href="http://secure1.white-wolf.com/catalog/images/ScionHeroCover.jpg">Scion</a>,<ahref="http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/product_images/full_size/travspinmarch.jpg">Traveller</a>, <a href="http://http:/www.pelgranepress.com/trail/images/Trail%20cover.png">Trail of Cthulhu</a>, and <a href="http://www.wizards.com/global/images/products_dndacc_222127600_lgpic.jpg">Dungeons& Dragons Fourth Edition</a> to old favorites like <a href="http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1280119_60040299026_WarhammerRulebook2006Main_445x319.jpg">Warhammer</a>, <ahref="http://www.games-workshop.com/media_customproductcatalog/m1610184_60040199020_40krulebookmain_445x319.jpg">Warhammer40K</a>, <a href="http://www.palladiumbooks.com/Merchant2/catalog/images/450.jpg">Palladium</a>and <a href="http://www.rpg.sk/files/unknown_armies_0.jpg">Unknown Armies</a>. For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from <a href="http://www.mayfairgames.com/mfg-shop/3000-3299/pics/MFG3067-cm.jpg">Settlers of Catan</a>, <a href="http://www.sjgames.com/munchkin/game/img/cover_lg.jpg">Munchkin</a>,Carcassonne, and <a href="http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic143139_md.jpg">Guillotine</a>to <a href="http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic153979_md.jpg">Blokus</a>, <a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31jQh-gZZyL._SS400_.jpg">Chess</a>and <a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51R40VMJXNL._SL500_AA280_.jpg">Go</a>.  We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including <a href="http://www.spillsjefen.no/images/product_magic_10th_boosterdisplay.jpg">Magic The Gathering</a>, <ahref="http://www.wizards.com/global/images/starwars_article_starterset_pic1_en.jpg">Star Wars</a> minis, <a href="http://www.wizards.com/global/images/ah_aam_1939_picMain_en.gif">Axis and Allies</a> minis, and <a href="http://www.wizards.com/global/images/products_dndmin_216530000_lgpic.jpg">Dungeons& Dragons</a> minis. "But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry.  Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost.  Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either.  (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.) </lj-cut>
 
<lj-cut text="EVENTS"><a name="EVENTS">EVENTS:</a>  FIRST MEETING TONIGHT!  Living Forgotten Realms: on the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using official Living Forgotten Realms setting campaign adventures.  In order to play, you'll join the RPGA and create a new fourth edition character for the campaign. You can create it in advance or with our help at the game. As you play, you'll gain treasure and experience for your character to use in later games.  These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play.  Space will be limited, so sign up today! Next Meetings: TONIGHT, May 7 at 6:30 PM and Sunday, May 17 at 4:30 PM. Meet The Creators: TOMORROW, May 8, 3:30-4:45 PM, in the Mass Mutual Center, Ballroom C, at 1277 Main Street in Springfield, the Massachusetts Library Association will host a signing featuring several comics creators as part of their Graphic Novel mini-conference, including Gail Simone (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Raina Telgemeier (Babysitter’s Club) and others.  Admission is free, with a suggested $5 donation to benefit the Springfield Library Association.  We will be there selling books. This a great chance to meet some cool creators, and we hope that you will join us.<o:p></o:p>Miniatures Painting Workshop: Meeting: NEXT Saturday, May 9, 3:00-5:00 PM.   Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop miniatures.  No experience necessary.  Feel free to bring your own figure--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes.  Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month. World Wide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day: Saturday May 23, Noon and 7 PM.  If you have always wanted to try D&D and never gotten around to it; or if you have been playing for years, but aren't sure if you'll like Fourth Edition; or if you'd just like to pick up some dice and dungeon crawl for a few hours, this event is for you.  This game is free and open to players of all experience levels.  Space is limited.   Modern Myths Book Club: Our Book Club met last Thursday to discuss <a href="http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog/covers/blankets_copy0_lg.jpg">Blankets</a>, Craig Thompson’s award winning memoir of love, heart break, and acceptance.  Most of us had read it before, but all of us were impressed by Thompson's command of the medium, both as an illustrator, and as a story-teller.  The story is a simple one, about a young man growing up in a poor, rural, religious family falling in love, getting his heart broken, and growing into a confident adult.  While not explicitly autobiographical, the main character is named Craig, and all of us wondered how well Thompson could find something new in a subject explored by so many other fine cartoonists (Seth, Joe Matt, Chris Ware, Jeffrey Brown, et al), and dreaded the possibility of bogging down in its 500+ pages. <o:p></o:p>Happily, Thompson finds that delicate balance between evoking the power and sweetness that first great romance can have and boring the reader with stilted characters or moping.  He does it by expanding his focus to tell us about the characters around Craig, revealing some of the drama in their lives, and allowing us to see how his relationship will progress (and why) long before he does.  Thompson also uses his loose and expressive cartooning style well.  Swirling paisley designs allowed a blending of the main character’s religious obsession about the afterlife with his awakening interest in this world, and links individual vignettes, that might seem otherwise disconnected, into an uplifting story of artist awakening.  In sum, all of us found Blankets an engrossing, well-crafted, and beautiful book that also read far more quickly than its bulk might suggest For May, we will be reading Phonogram, Kieron Dwyver and Jamie McKelvie’s story of a post-modern, post-pop wizard, for whom music literally is magic.  We meet on the last Thursday of every month.  Next meeting: May 28, at 7:00 PM.<o:p></o:p> Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy.  Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM. <a href="http://www.freecomicbookday.com/"> </a>Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal roundtable of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com.  Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; Meeting NEXT Tuesday, June 2nd, 7:00 PM.  Modern Myths Gaming Table <a href="http://http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=3v9bkb4alt2mhgclfcljc3dqgg%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York&pvttk=7f0ecb02ba43193c1d63eb79b567f94c">Google Calendar</a>.  To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars.  If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM. Looking Ahead: We're starting our Living Forgotten Realms events next month, on May 6th and 17th.  No D&D experience necessary.  Let us know if you'd like to sign up.  We've also started a sign-up sheet for the next D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23.  <a href="http://www.freerpgday.com/">Free RPG Day</a> will be Saturday, June 20.  We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale.  We plan to do at least one more convention this year: <a href="http://connecticon.org/">Connecticon</a> on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September.  If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can.  We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.   Classes & Job Opportunities: We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know. Around The Valley: This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.   <a href="http://www.springfield.omegawolfstudios.com/news.php">Lost Homes</a>Changeling Live Action RPG.  Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. Character creation begins at 6:00 PM, and game runs from 7:00 PM to midnight.  Check their website for info on Summer sessions. <a href="http://deadlands.omegawolfstudios.com/LARP/news.php">DEADLARP </a>Dead Lands Live Action RPG:   -DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor ofSeelye Hall at <a href="http://www.smith.edu/about_visit_directions.php">Smith College</a> in Northampton, MA. The event officially begins at7, though check in times begins around 6. The game setting location is the city of Gommora in California, the setting time is 1880 "Alternate History Civil War Era."  Anyone interested in playing should <a href="http://deadlands.omegawolfstudios.com/LARP/register.php">create a username</a> and login so that we can tailor your account to your preference. Thank you for your interest,and we hope you enjoy yourself.  - The GMs: James, Jason, Bish, Pat, Nick <a href="http://www.renaissancecity.net/">Renaissance City</a> Vampire Live Action RPG.  NEW GAME, still looking for players.   Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the <ahref="http://www.forbeslibrary.org/">Forbes Library</a> in Northampton.  For information on chess groups in our area, click <ahref="http://www.wmass-chess.us/clubs.htm">here</a>. </lj-cut>
 
<lj-cut text="eBAY"> <a name="eBay">Current eBay Listings: </a> This week, we have added three new items to our <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Modern-Myths">eBay</a> store: the first twenty issues of the relaunched <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370197664119&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123">Amazing Spiderman</a> from 1999 by Howard Mackie and John Romita Jr., and, for the Star Wars Saga D20 RPG, we have both the <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370197682032&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123">Core</a>rule book and the <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370197683571&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123">Knights Of The Old Republic</a> source book. Moreover, our regular selection of <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&item=370089306744&sspagename=adme:l:lca:us:1123">action figures</a>, used <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&rd=1&item=370045945284&sspagename=strk:mese:it&ih=024">graphic novels</a>, used <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&sspagename=strk:meselx:it&item=370050166029">RPGs</a>,and sets of <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&rd=1&item=6536094549&sspagename=strk:mese:it">comics</a>& <ahref="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&rd=1&item=370065983768&sspagename=strk:mese:it&ih=024">manga</a>,are once again available for purchase.  As always, we encourage you all to support the <a href="http://www.cbldf.org">Comic Book Legal Defense Fund</a>.<spanstyle='mso-spacerun:yes'>    </lj-cut>
 
<lj-cut text="REVIEW"> Power Grid board game from Rio Grande $44.99  Recommended.      Power Grid is a board game in which players compete to build the biggest and most efficient network of power plants.  To do this they must bid on new plants, purchase resources to power them, and expand their power grid into new cities. Each turn is split into five phases.  In the first, the players determine the turn order based on the number of cities each player built into.  Worst position goes to the leading player, best position to the player that is doing the worst.  In the second phase players auction for new power plants, which get more efficient (but also more expensive) as the game progresses.  Next, players buy resources such as coal, oil, trash, or uranium to power the plants.  Phase four has the players building their network of cities on the game board.  Finally, the players burn the resources needed to power their plants, and get paid based on the number of cities they are supplying with power.  The final turn of the game occurs when any player builds up to a specific number of cities (which varies depending on the number of players); the winner is the player capable of powering the most cities, with leftover money used as a tie-breaker. There are a couple of very clever game mechanics that create interesting strategic decisions and make Power Grid one of my all-time favorite games.  The resource market, for example, uses supply and demand to dynamically set prices.  Resources are lined up along the side of the board on a numbered track that represents their current price.  As they are bought, the prices go up.  At they end of every turn they are replenished by a set amount, which changes twice over the course of the game.  Analyzing and anticipating the demand and replenishment rates then becomes an important factor in choosing what type of power plant to buy.  If many of the other players are burning coal, then even a very efficient coal plant can be a costly proposition. The dynamic turn order also poses interesting strategy opportunities.  The player with the least number of cities gets the most options during the auction phase, the best prices during the resource phase, and first dibs on cities during the building phase.  The player in the lead in terms of cities gets the fewest options for bidding on new plants, the worst prices when buying resources, and the greatest chances of seeing their building routes cut off by other players.  Deciding when best to pull ahead or hold back in order to affect your position adds an interesting extra level of strategy to the game. Power Grid is designed for 2-6 players (though it’s probably best with 4 or 5), is recommended for players 12 and older, and takes about two or three hours to play.  It comes with a double-sided board with maps of the US and Germany, and can be expanded with several additional boards, which give the game a lot of replayability. -Mike I.</lj-cut>

What's New on Thursday, April 30.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:33:36 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, April 30, 2009.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY IS THIS SATURDAY! Check the EVENTS section for more info.

We have just started a Twitter account under the name Modernmyths. Now you can follow what's going on here at the store in short, quick bursts.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

ARCHIE #596 $2.50
ARCHIE HIGH SCHOOL CHRONICLES TP VOL 01 FRESHMAN YEAR $10.95
ASTOUNDING WOLF MAN TP VOL 02 $14.99
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #15 $2.99
AVENGERS INVADERS #10 (OF 12) $2.99
BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL THE UNDERGROUND #1 $2.99
BATMAN GOTHAM AFTER MIDNIGHT #12 (OF 12) $2.99
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA CYLON WAR #4 (OF 4) $3.99
BIG ADVENTURES OF MAJOKO GN VOL 01 (OF 5) $7.99
BLAZING COMBAT HC $28.99
COMICS REVUE #274 $6.95
CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #10 $2.99
DARK AVENGERS #4 $3.99

DARK REIGN CABAL DKR $3.99
-Norman Osborn has assembled a secret cabal of ambiguous heroes and cruel villains to divide up the world and rule it with him, but who are these people? What do they want, and why do they play along with a man they know to be a murderous, paranoid egomaniac? This comic features down to earth stories about larger than life characters.

DR DOOM MASTERS OF EVIL #4 (OF 4) $2.99
DRAW #17 $6.95
ENDERS GAME BATTLE SCHOOL #5 (OF 5) $3.99
FAR WEST BAD MOJO #2 (OF 2) $3.50
FARSCAPE DARGOS LAMENT #1 (OF 4) $3.99
FINAL CRISIS LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #4 (OF 5) $3.99
FORTEAN TIMES #248 $11.99

GARTH ENNIS BATTLEFIELDS TANKIES #1 $3.50
-More compelling human drama in the midst of the worst war ever, from one of the most acclaimed writers of war stories in comics.

GI JOE #4 $3.99
GI JOE ORIGINS #3 $3.99
GREEN LANTERN #40 $2.99
GREEN LANTERN CHRONICLES TP VOL 01 $14.99
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #35 CORRECTED COPY $2.99
GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS WAR TP VOL 01 $14.99
HARDY BOYS GN VOL 16 SHHHHH $7.95
INVINCIBLE HC VOL 04 ULTIMATE COLL $34.99
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #26 $2.99
LITERALS #1 (OF 3) (MR) $2.99
LITTLE LULU TP VOL 19 ALAMO & OTHER STORIES $14.95
MADAME XANADU #10 (MR) $2.99
MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #15 (RES) $3.50
MANHUNTER TP VOL 05 FORGOTTEN $17.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #35 $2.99
MARVEL ASSISTANT SIZE SPECTACULAR #2 (OF 2) $3.99
MASQUERADE #3 $3.50
MMW AVENGERS TP VOL 01 $24.99

MODERN MASTERS SC VOL 20 KYLE BAKER$14.95
-Kyle Baker has produced an excellent and varied body of work over the past twenty years, publishing with both the Marvel & DC, and for small presses. His stories range from romantic comedy (Why I Hate Saturn) to slapstick (Plastic Man) to serious history (Nat Turner). This book features interviews covering his books, his art, his technique, his work experiences, and more.

MS MARVEL #38 DKR $2.99
MUPPET SHOW #2 (OF 4) CVR A $2.99
NEW EXILES TP VOL 03 ENEMY WITHIN $12.99
NOVA #24 $2.99
PATH OF THE ASSASSIN TP VOL 15 BAD BLOOD PART 2 $9.95
PHONOGRAM 2 #2 (OF 7) SINGLES CLUB $3.50
PREVIEWS #248 MAY 2009 (NET) $4.50
PROJECT SUPERPOWERS TP VOL 01 $19.99
PROOF #19 $3.50
QUEEN & COUNTRY DEFINITIVE ED TP VOL 04 (MR) $19.95
RASL #4 (MR) $3.50

RESURRECTION TP VOL 01 $6.00
-Ten years ago, aliens invaded the earth. They quickly destroyed all organized resistance, and the human race survived only by running and hiding. Today, for no apparent reason, the aliens have suddenly gone. The remnants of humanity emerge from their bunkers and ask: “What now?”

RUNAWAYS 3 #9 $2.99

SECOND THOUGHTS GN (MR) $9.95
-A brief encounter at an airport changes two people’s lives forever. A well-regarded debut graphic novel by Swedish cartoonist Niklas Asker.

SHERLOCK HOLMES #1 $3.50
SKAAR #10 $2.99
SONIC UNIVERSE #3 $2.50
SPAWN #191 $2.95
STAR WARS ADV TP VOL 01 HAN SOLO & HOLLOW MOON OF $7.95
STAR WARS LEGACY #35 STORMS PT 2 (OF 2) $2.99
SUPERMAN #687 $2.99
SUPERMAN BATMAN #59 $2.99
SUPERNATURAL RISING SON TP $14.99
TEEN TITANS #70 $2.99
THORGAL GN VOL 05 LAND OF QA $19.95
THUNDERBOLTS #131 DKR $2.99
TRANSFORMERS MAXIMUM DINOBOTS #4 $3.99
TRINITY #48 $2.99
ULTIMATE IRON MAN TP VOL 02 $14.99
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN TP BK 02 ULTIMATE COLLECTION $29.99
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK #5 (OF 6) $2.99
UNCANNY X-MEN #509 $2.99
UNKNOWN SOLDIER #7 (MR) $2.99
WAR MACHINE #5 DKR $2.99
WITCHBLADE #126 SEJIC ALL BEEF EDITION $2.99
WIZARD MAG #212 TOP 100 GN LAST 15 YEARS CVR $5.99
WONDER WOMAN #31 $2.99
X-MEN ORIGINS WOLVERINE #1 $3.99
X-MEN PREM HC PROTEUS $19.99

New GAMES this week:

We have restocked on D&D Dungeon Tiles, and we now have several copies of every in print set in stock. Whether you have embraced fourth edition, or cling to an earlier version, these sturdy map tiles are great props for any game.

New releases:
Magic The Gathering Alara Reborn
-We have boosters, Intro Decks and Fat Packs for the last installment in the latest Magic expansion. On Sale Today!

Level Up Magazine #1 $1.99
-Goodman Games has started a new magazine, full of new content for Dungeons & Dragons 4^th edition. Over 50 pages of ideas for DMs and PCs, new weapons and powers, and more from Blackdirge’s bestiary. A cool new gaming resource for a great low price.

Cortex RPG $29.99
-Core rules book for the Cortex rules system from Margaret Weis Games. Now you can create characters and campaigns in all sorts of settings, using the same rules as the Firefly, Battlestar Galactica,

World Of Darkness Armory Reloaded $29.99
-This book includes an array of artifacts, weapons (blessed, cursed or future tech), as well as a new look at Fighting Styles for the World of Darkness system, and even guidelines for retooling the combat rules to suit your particular tastes.

Talisman board game Dungeon expansion $39.99
-this expansion for the revised 4^th edition of the classic fantasy board game includes five new characters, a new board, new spells, new treasures, and 128 dungeon encounter cards.

Serenity RPG Six Shooters & Space $24.99
-A book full of ships, equipment, weapons and other accessories for your crew to beg, borrow, steal or even just transport as you head out into the Black.

Trail of Cthulhu Shadows Over Filmland $39.99
-Ken Hite & Robin Laws bring the Cthulhoid to the celluloid in 1930s Hollywood.

Mage The Awakened Summoners $31.99
-This book offers a thorough exploration of summoning magics, with all the different realms from which Mages can call for aid, and the prices they must pay to get it.

Savage World Winterweir $35.00
-A dark new fantasy setting for the Savage Worlds RPG, detailing three continents, a powers generation system, and cosmology for parallel worlds.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like Aces& Eights, Scion,, , Munchkin,Carcassonne, and Guillotineto Blokus, Chessand Go. We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including Magic The Gathering,

EVENTS:

Modern Myths Book Club: Our Book Club meets TODAY at 7:00 PM, to discuss Blankets, Craig Thompson’s award winning memoir of love, heart break, and acceptance. We meet on the last Thursday of every month to talk about the book we picked at the previous meeting. Join us tonight, and maybe next month we'll talk about your favorite book.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: May 2, 2009. We will have about twenty new free comics from over a dozen publishers, and we'll be giving away a free copy of each one to everyone who wants one while supplies last. This is a great way to check out some books that you don't normally read, and even for people who don't read comics at all to see what all the fuss is about. THIS SATURDAY, 11 AM to 11 PM.

Meet The Creators: NEXT FRIDAY, May 8, 3:30-4:45 PM, in the Mass Mutual Center, Ballroom C, at 1277 Main Street in Springfield, the Massachusetts Library Association will host a signing featuring several comics creators as part of their Graphic Novel mini-conference, including Gail Simone (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Raina Telgemeier (Babysitter’s Club) and others. Admission is free, with a suggested $5 donation to benefit the Springfield Library Association. We will be there, selling copies of all their books for them to sign. This a great chance to meet some cool creators, and we hope that you will join us.

NEW REGULAR EVENT! Living Forgotten Realms: Starting next month, on the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using official Living Forgotten Realms setting campaign adventures. In order to play, you'll join the RPGA and create a new fourth edition character for the campaign. You can create it in advance or with our help at the game. As you play, you'll gain treasure and experience for your character to use in later games. These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Next Meetings: Thursday, May 7 at 6:30 PM and Sunday, May 17 at 4:30 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Next Meeting: Saturday, May 9, 3:00-5:00 PM. Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop minis . Novices and old hands welcome. Feel free to bring your own--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal roundtable of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; Meeting NEXT Tuesday, May 5th, 7:00 PM.

World Wide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day: Saturday May 23, Noon and 7 PM. If you have always wanted to try D&D and never gotten around to it; or if you have been playing for years, but aren't sure if you'll like Fourth Edition; or if you'd just like to pick up some dice and dungeon crawl for a few hours, this event is for you. This game is free and open to players of all experience levels. Space is limited.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're starting our Living Forgotten Realms events next month, on May 6th and 17th. No D&D experience necessary. Let us know if you'd like to sign up. We've also started a sign-up sheet for the next D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost Homes Changeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. Character creation begins at 6:00 PM, and game runs from 7:00 PM to midnight. Check their website for info on Summer sessions.

DEADLARP Dead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. The event officially begins at 7, though check in times begins around 6. The game setting location is the city of Gommora in California, the setting time is 1880 "Alternate History Civil War Era." Anyone interested in playing should create a username and login so that we can tailor your account to your preference. Thank you for your interest, and we hope you enjoy yourself. - The GMs: James, Jason, Bish, Pat, Nick

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. NEW GAME, still looking for players.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the Forbes Library in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click here.

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have added two new items to our eBay store: the complete Quiver Green Arrow story by Kevin Smith and the Aces & Eights RPG Player's Guide.

Moreover, our regular selection of action figures, used graphic novels, used RPGs, and sets of comics & manga, are once again available for purchase. As always, we encourage you all to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Featured REVIEW:

Chrononauts card game from Looney Labs $20.00 Recommended.

History is full of tragedies. Who wouldn't go back in time and shoot Hitler, or save the Titanic, if only they could? Well, you could, and you did, and congratulations: now the future world from which you came no longer exists. You are stuck in the past, and the only way to go home is to change history.

In this face-paced and charming card game, players set up a grid of 64 different years, ranging from 1865 to 1999, which are either lynchpin moments when history changes, or else ripple points, which become disrupted when their lynchpin is pulled, and must patched to avoid catastrophic paradox. Our wayward time travelers play various cards (Inverters, Patches, Artifacts, Time Warps) to mould reality into the pattern they need to go home--but be careful. Too many unresolved paradoxes, and the universe comes to an end.

This game is tons of fun. It's easy to learn, quick to play, and, with several ways to win, has enough strategy to be interesting but not so much that it discourages casual play. You can also play simplified versions for kids, and a solo version.

There is also a companion game, Early American Chrononauts, which can be played alone, or combined with the original set.

-MSD

As always, please let us know if you have questions or we can help with anything, just e-mail us at modernmyths(at)aol.com, or feel free to IM if you see us online at AOL.

We offer Gift Certificates in any amount and and Wish Lists that are perfect for birthdays and gift registries all year round.

Thanks, and see you here at the store!
-Michael Dow

What's New this Thursday, April 23.

modernmyths@aol.com — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:55:17 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, April 23, 2009.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY IS COMING NEXT WEEKEND!

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #592 $2.99
ANGEL #20 $3.99
ANGEL SMILE TIME #3 $3.99
ARMY OF DARKNESS XENA TP VOL 01 $16.99
ASTONISHING X-MEN #29 $2.99
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #23 DKR $2.99
AZRAEL DEATHS DARK KNIGHT #2 (OF 3) $2.99
BART SIMPSON COMICS #47 $2.99
BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL ARKHAM #1 $2.99
BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #4 $2.50
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA FINAL FIVE #1 (OF 4) $3.99
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA ORIGINS TP VOL 01 ADAMA $14.99
BEST OF SIMON & KIRBY HC $39.95
BLUE BEETLE BOUNDARIES TP $14.99
BOYS OVER FLOWERS TP VOL 35 $9.99
BPRD TP VOL 10 THE WARNING $17.95
BUCK ROGERS #0 $0.25
CODE GEASS SUZAKU OF THE COUNTERATTACK GN VOL 02 $9.99
CTHULHU TALES TP VOL 04 DARKNESS BEYOND $15.99
CTRL+ALT+DEL TP VOL 01 THIS IS A GREAT IDEA $12.95
DAREDEVIL #118 $2.99
DARK REIGN ELEKTRA #2 (OF 5) DKR $3.99

DARK TOWER TREACHERY PREM HC $24.99
    -The net of lies and betrayal draws tighter about Roland, his friends, his family, and his homeland.

DEAD SHE SAID HC $19.99
DEATH DEFYING DEVIL #4 $3.50
DEMON FLOWERS GN VOL 03 (OF 5) (MR) $9.99

DETECTIVE COMICS #853 (NOTE PRICE) $3.99
    -The conclusion of Neil Gaiman's two-part elegy for Batman, "Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader" has finally shipped. We still have part one in stock.

DRAFTED TP VOL 02 $18.99
DYNAMO 5 #21 (NOTE PRICE) $3.50
ELEPHANTMEN #18 (RES) $3.50
EX MACHINA #41 (MR) $2.99
FALL OF CTHULHU NEMESIS #1 (OF 4) $3.99

FREAKANGELS TP VOL 02 (MR) $19.99
    -World civilization has collapsed, and London has flooded. The only place with healthy food and clean water is the enclave carved out by the Freak Angels, and now they're under constant attack by truly desperate survivors. Gripping SF series by Warren Ellis and Craig Duffield.

GAMBIT CLASSIC TP VOL 01 $24.99
GEORGE R R MARTINS WILD CARDS #5 (OF 6) HARD CALL $2.99
GHOST RIDER #34 $2.99
GI JOE COBRA #2 $3.99
GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #13 $2.99
HELLBLAZER #254 (MR) $2.99
HIGURASHI WHEN THEY CRY GN VOL 02 ABDUCTED BY DEMON $10.99
HULK #11 $3.99
HULK PREM HC VOL 02 RED & GREEN ADAMS CVR $19.99
I AM LEGION #3 (OF 6) $3.50
IGNITION CITY #2 (OF 5) WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #25 $2.99
INCREDIBLE HERCULES #128 DKR $2.99
INVINCIBLE #61 $2.99

JACK OF FABLES #33 (MR) $2.99
    -Part Two of the Great Fables Crossover. It's a threat so dire, even Jack bothers to call Fabletown with a warning.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #32 $2.99
KICK ASS #6 (MR) $2.99
KODT BUNDLE OF TROUBLE TP VOL 24 $12.99
LIVE FOR LOVE GN (MR) $12.95
LOVE COM TP VOL 10 $8.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #47 $2.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 12 JUMPING DIG $9.99
MARVELS EYE OF CAMERA #5 (OF 6) $3.99
MASQUERADE #2 $3.50
MESS OF EVERYTHING GN $19.99
MIGHTY AVENGERS #24 DKR $2.99
MISTER X CONDEMNED #4 (OF 4) $3.50
NEW AVENGERS #52 DKR $3.99
NEW AVENGERS TP VOL 09 SECRET INVASION BOOK 02 $14.99
NEW BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SEASON ZERO TP VOL 02 ART $19.99
NO HERO #5 (OF 7) (MR) $3.99
NOVA TP VOL 04 NOVA CORPS $14.99
OUTSIDERS #17 $2.99
PURE HEART GN VOL 01 (OF 2) (MR) $12.95
QUESTION TP VOL 04 WELCOME TO OZ $19.99
RED SONJA #43 $2.99
ROUGH STUFF #12 $6.95
SAVAGE DRAGON #147 $3.50
SCALPED #28 (MR) $2.99
SCALPED TP VOL 04 THE GRAVEL IN YOUR GUTS (MR) $14.99
SGT ROCK THE LOST BATTALION #5 (OF 6) $2.99
SHE-HULK TP VOL 08 SECRET INVASION $14.99
SHOWCASE PRESENTS LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES TP VOL 03 $16.99
SKRULL KILL KREW #1 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
SOLANIN GN $17.99
STAR TREK ALIEN SPOTLIGHT KLINGONS $3.99
STAR TREK MISSIONS END #2 $3.99
STAR WARS DARK TIMES #13 BLUE HARVEST PT 1 (OF 5) $2.99
STAR WARS KNIGHTS OLD REPUBLIC #40 DUELING AMBITION $2.99
SUGGESTIVE EYES GN (MR) $12.95
SUPERGIRL #40 $2.99
TALES DESIGNED TO THRIZZLE #5 (MR) $4.50
TERMINATOR SALVATION MOVIE ADAPTATION #0 $3.99
THOR #601 $3.99
TICK BIG BLUE DESTINY COMPLETE WORKS TP $29.95
TOKYO MEW MEW GN $9.99
TRANSFORMERS ALL HAIL MEGATRON #10 $3.99
TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED TP VOL 08 $7.99
TRANSFORMERS ARMADA TP VOL 03 $19.99
TRANSFORMERS MAXIMUM DINOBOTS #5 $3.99
TRANSFORMERS REVENGE FALLEN MOVIE PRQ ALLIANCE #4 $3.99
TRINITY #47 $2.99
VIKING #1 $2.99
WAR THAT TIME FORGOT #12 (OF 12) $2.99
WILDCATS #10 $2.99
WOLVERINE ANNIVERSARY $3.99
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #14 $2.99
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #35 DKR $2.99

WOLVERINE PREM HC NOT DEAD YET VAR ED VOL 20 $19.99
    -It's Logan, as only Warren Ellis can write him.

WOLVERINE WEAPON X #1 $3.99
X-FORCE #14 XMW $2.99
ZMD ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION #4 (OF 6) $3.25

New GAMES this week:

New releases:
Small World board game $50.00
    -Players seek to expand their civilization on a board that's just too small to accommodate everyone. A light-hearted game of brutal conquest for two to five players.

Le Havre board game $70.00
    -Players compete to manage their seaport (constructing ships and buildings, loading and selling cargo) as they vie to become the wealthiest.

D&D Arcane Power $29.95
    -The second Power supplement for fourth edition, this book offers dozens of new powers, feats, class builds, rituals, magic items, and other exciting options for all Arcane classes.

D&D Minis Players Handbook Heroes Set One $10.99
    -This new minis series features packs with transparent packaging and three non-random heroes, as well as cards with new class powers only available in this set.

Monty Python Fluxx Castle Expansion $3.00
    -Seven new cards, including three new goals, to add to the silliness of the best card game combining Fluxx with Monty Python ever.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like Aces& Eights, Scion,, Trail of Cthulhu, and Dungeons& Dragons Fourth Edition to old favorites like Warhammer, , Palladiumand Unknown Armies. For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from Settlers of Catan, Munchkin,Carcassonne, and Guillotineto Blokus, Chessand Go. We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including Magic The Gathering, minis, Axis and Allies minis, and Dungeons& Dragons minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

Modern Myths Book Club: Our Book Club meets on the last Thursday of every month. For April, we will be reading Blankets, Craig Thompson’s award winning memoir of love, heart break, and quilting. We’ll be meeting to discuss it NEXT THURSDAY, April 30^th at 7pm. Hope you can join us!

NEW REGULAR EVENT! Living Forgotten Realms: Starting next month, on the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using official Living Forgotten Realms setting campaign adventures. In order to play, you'll join the RPGA and create a new fourth edition character for the campaign. You can create it in advance or with our help at the game. As you play, you'll gain treasure and experience for your character to use in later games. These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Next Meetings: Thursday, May 7 at 6:30 PM and Sunday, May 17 at 4:30 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Next Meeting: Saturday, May 9, 3:00-5:00 PM. Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop minis . Novices and old hands welcome. Feel free to bring your own--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal roundtable of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting is Tuesday, May 5th, 7:00 PM.

World Wide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day: Saturday May 23, Noon and 7 PM. If you have always wanted to try D&D and never gotten around to it; or if you have been playing for years, but aren't sure if you'll like Fourth Edition; orif you'd just like to pick up some dice and dungeon crawl for a few hours,this event is for you. This game is free and open to players of all experience levels. Space is limited, and we are already taking sign ups.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're starting our Living Forgotten Realms events next month, on May 6th and 17th. No D&D experience necessary. Let us know if you'd like to sign up. We've also started a sign-up sheet for the next D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23. Free RPG Day will be Saturday, June 20. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon onJuly 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as youcan. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. Character creation begins at 6:00 PM, and game runs from 7:00 PM to midnight. Remaining spring dates: 25 April.

DEADLARPDead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action role playing game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. The event officially begins at7, though check in times begins around 6. The game setting location is the city of Gommora in California, the setting time is 1880 "Alternate History Civil War Era." Anyone interested in playing should create a username and login so that we can tailor your account to your preference. Thank you for your interest,and we hope you enjoy yourself. - The GMs: James, Jason, Bish, Pat, Nick

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. NEW GAME, still looking for players.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click .

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have added four new items to our eBay store: a set of Buffy Season 8 first twenty issues, a complete set of the Marvel Knights series, the Artesia RPG core book, and a set of the complete Blade series.

Moreover, our regular selection of action figures, used graphic novels, used RPGs, and sets of comics& manga, are once again available for purchase. As always, we encourage you all to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Featured REVIEW:

Gunnerkrigg Court volume 1 Orientation by Thomas Siddell, available in hard cover from Archaia Press. $26.95
Antimony Carver is a precocious and preternaturally self-possessed young girl, starting her first year a stuffy boarding school, which just happens to have robots zipping alongside body-snatching demons, ghosts, fairies, and friendly shadows. This volume covers her first year in this strange and threatening place as she adapts to it... and it adapts to her.
This series features tons of adventure, mystery, and myth, leavened with the mundane concerns of school children. It's a great comic for all ages, and especially for fans of Harry Potter, Bone, Girl Genius, Courtney Crumrin, Castle Waiting, and Neil Gaiman (who calls it his favorite web comic).

-MSD

What's New for Thursday, April 16, 2009

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:14:42 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, April 16, 2009.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

100 BULLETS #100 (MR) $4.99
-The final issue of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's critically acclaimed crime series.

100 PERCENT HC (MR) $39.99
-Paul Pope's edgy cyberpunk epic, now available in hardcover.

3 GEEKS SLAB MADNESS #3 (OF 3) $2.99
ACTION COMICS #876 $2.99
AIR #8 (MR) $2.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #591 $2.99
BATMAN LOVERS AND MADMEN TP $14.99
BATTLE ANGEL ALITA LAST ORDER TP VOL 11 $9.99

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA GN ECHOES NEW CAPRICA $12.99
-A collection of three untold stories set during the occupation of New Caprica, from the third season of the hit television show.

BETTY & VERONICA #241 $2.50
BEYOND WONDERLAND #6 (OF 6) $2.99
BLACK LAGOON GN VOL 05 (MR) $12.99
BROKEN TRINITY AFTERMATH KIRKHAM CVR A $2.99
CAPTAIN AMERICA #49 $2.99
CHIBI VAMPIRE GN VOL 13 (OF 13) (MR) $10.99
COMICS REVUE #276 $6.95
DAREDEVIL #117 $2.99
DARK TOWER SORCERER #1 $3.99
DINOSAUR HOUR GN VOL 01 $7.99
DMZ #41 (MR) $2.99
DYLAN DOG CASE FILES TP $24.95
ENDERS SHADOW BATTLE SCHOOL #4 (OF 5) $3.99
ESSENTIAL DAZZLER TP VOL 02 $19.99
EXILES ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP BOOK 01 $34.99
FABLES #83 (MR) $2.99
FARSCAPE STRANGE DETRACTORS #1 (OF 4) CVR A $3.99
FLASH GORDON #4 $3.99
GEEK MONTHLY FEB 2009 $5.99
GEEK MONTHLY MAY 2009 $5.99
GODLAND #27 (RES) $2.99
GOLD DIGGER #104 $2.99
GOLD DIGGER TECH MANUAL #2 $3.95
GOTHIC AND LOLITA BIBLE VOL 05 (OF 6) $19.99
GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #19 $2.99
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #35 $2.99
HALO UPRISING #4 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99
HERBIE ARCHIVES HC VOL 03 $49.95
HEY SENSEI GN (MR) $12.95
INCOGNITO #3 (MR) $3.50
INU YASHA TP VOL 37 $8.95
IRON MAN TP LEGACY OF DOOM $14.99
JSA HC VOL 04 THY KINGDOM COME PART 3 $24.99
JUNIOR ESCORT GN VOL 03 (OF 4) CRAZY STAR (MR) $12.95
LIVING CORPSE HACK SLASH ANN #1 $4.99
MAN WITH NO NAME #9 $3.50
MIGHTY AVENGERS TP VOL 04 SECRET INVASION BOOK 02 $14.99
MOON KNIGHT #29 $2.99
MYSTERIUS THE UNFATHOMABLE #4 (OF 6) $2.99
NIGHT SCHOOL GN VOL 01 $10.99
NIGHTMARE INSPECTOR YUMEKUI KENBUN GN VOL 07 $9.99
ORACLE #2 (OF 3) $2.99
PASSIONATE THEORY GN (MR) $12.95
PERHAPANAUTS TP VOL 01 $17.99
PHANTOM GENERATIONS #1 $3.99
PLANET OF BEER SC $14.95
PRINCESS PRINCESS PLUS GN $12.95
PUNISHER #4 DKR $2.99
PUNISHER WAR ZONE PREM HC RESURRECTION MA GNUCCI $24.99
RAMPAGING WOLVERINE #1 $3.99
REBELS #3 $2.99
RED RIVER GN VOL 25 $9.99
REX MUNDI DH ED #17 $2.99
SI AFTERMATH BETA RAY BILL GREEN OF EDEN #1 $3.99
SIMPSONS COMICS #153 $2.99
SOUL KISS #3 (OF 5) (MR) $3.50
SPIDER-MAN TP KRAVENS FIRST HUNT $14.99
SQUADRON SUPREME 2 #10 $2.99
STAND AMERICAN NIGHTMARES #2 (OF 5) $3.99
STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION GN VOL 01 (OF 2) (RES) $10.99
STAR WARS CLONE WARS #5 (OF 6) $2.99
STEP GN VOL 01 $10.99
STRANGE ADVENTURES OF HP LOVECRAFT #1 (OF 4) (MR) $4.99
SUNSHINE SKETCH TP VOL 03 $10.99
SUPER FRIENDS #14 $2.50
SUPERGIRL WAY OF THE WORLD TP $17.99
SUPERMAN BATMAN #58 $2.99
TALES OF TMNT #57 $3.25
TINY TITANS #15 $2.50
TOYFARE #142 DC UNLIMITED WOW CVR $4.99
TRAIN TRAIN GN VOL 01 (OF 3) $12.95
TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT JAZZ $3.99
TRINITY #46 $2.99
UNCANNY X-MEN #508 $2.99
VIGILANTE #5 $2.99
WALKING DEAD #60 (MR) $2.99

WAR IS HELL FIRST FLIGHT PHANTOM EAGLE TP (MR) $19.99
-A gripping story of World War One aerial combat by Garth Ennis. Fans of his War Stories and Battlefields series should not miss this.

WOLVERINE NOIR #1 (OF 4) $3.99
WOLVERINE TP DANGEROUS GAMES $19.99

WONDERMARK TP VOL 02 CLEVER TRICKS STAVE DEATH $14.95
-Victorian engravings reassembled into hilarious comic strips. Ninjas on unicycles? Yes, please!

WORLD OF WARCRAFT #18 $2.99
X-FACTOR #42 $2.99
X-FILES #6 (OF 6) $3.50
X-MEN LEGACY #223 $2.99
YOUNG LIARS #14 (MR) $2.99
ZORRO #12 $3.50

New GAMES this week:

Jim is away at the annual Game Manufacturers Association's annual trade show in Las Vegas. We hope that he will be back with some interesting new games next week. (We are expecting Arcane Power for D&D...)

New releases:
Magic The Gathering Duel Deck Divine Vs Demonic $19.99
-The newest "Duel Deck" box includes two ready-to-play 60-card decks, showcasing the best angelic and demonic cards from Magic: The Gathering's past.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like Aces & Eights, Scion, Traveller, Trail of Cthulhu, and Dungeons & Dragons Fourth Edition to old favorites like Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, Palladium and Unknown Armies. For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from Settlers of Catan, Munchkin, Carcassonne, and Guillotine to Blokus, Chess and Go. We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including Magic The Gathering, Star Wars minis, Axis and Allies minis, and Dungeons & Dragons minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

Modern Myths Book Club: Our Book Club meets on the last Thursday of every month. For April, we will be reading Blankets, Craig Thompson’s award winning memoir of love, heart break, and quilting. We’ll be meeting to discuss it at our next meeting: 7pm on Thursday, April 30^th. Hope you can join us!

NEW REGULAR EVENT! Living Forgotten Realms: Starting next month, on the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using official Living Forgotten Realms setting campaign adventures. In order to play, you'll join the RPGA and create a new fourth edition character for the campaign. You can create it in advance or with our help at the game. As you play, you'll gain treasure and experience for your character to use in later games. These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today! Next Meetings: Thursday, May 7 at 6:30 PM and Sunday, May 17 at 4:30 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Next Meeting: SATURDAY, May 9, 3:00-5:00 PM. Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop minis . Novices and old hands welcome. Feel free to bring your own--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal roundtable of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting is Tuesday, May 5th, 7:00 PM.

World Wide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day: Saturday May 23, Noon and 7 PM. If you have always wanted to try D&D and never gotten around to it; or if you have been playing for years, but aren't sure if you'll like Fourth Edition; or if you'd just like to pick up some dice and dungeon crawl for a few hours, this event is for you. This game is free and open to players of all experience levels. Space is limited, and we are already taking sign ups.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
We're starting our Living Forgotten Realms events next month, on May 6th and 17th. No D&D experience necessary. Let us know if you'd like to sign up. We've also started a sign-up sheet for the next D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23. We plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost Homes Changeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. Character creation begins at 6:00 PM, and game runs from 7:00 PM to midnight. Remaining spring dates: 25 April.

DEADLARP Dead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. The event officially begins at 7, though check in times begins around 6. The game setting location is the city of Gommora in California, the setting time is 1880 "Alternate History Civil War Era." Anyone interested in playing should create a username and login so that we can tailor your account to your preference. Thank you for your interest, and we hope you enjoy yourself. - The GMs: James, Jason, Bish, Pat, Nick

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. NEW GAME, still looking for players.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the Forbes Library in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click here.

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have added five new items to our eBay store: a D&D 3.5 Edition Complete Arcane HC, a D&D 3.5 Edition Complete Adventurer HC, a D&D 3.5 Edition Players Handbook II HC, a D&D 3.5 Edition Drow Of The Underdark HC, and a set of Inu Yasha, Volumes 1-20.

Moreover, our regular selection of action figures, used graphic novels, used RPGs, and sets of comics & manga, are once again available for purchase. As always, we encourage you all to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Featured REVIEW:

Pluto: Volumes 1 & 2 (of 7), by Naoki Urasawa, Trade Paperback, $12.99 each

Pluto, the new series from Viz Media, combines the talents of two of the greatest names in manga. Naoki Urasawa is the award-winning creator of Monster and 20th Century Boys, known for his dense, suspenseful storytelling. With Pluto he has decided to take on the grandfather of manga, Osamu Tezuka, and his well-loved children's character Astro-Boy. With the help of long-time plot collaborator Takashi Nagasaki, the cooperation of Tezuka Productions, and the supervision of Tezuka's son, Urasawa has re-crafted the classic Astro-Boy story "The Greatest Robot on Earth" as a mature detective story.

The story of Pluto follows German detective Gesicht as he investigates a series of murders. It appears that someone is targeting the seven great robots of the world, a group that includes Gesicht himself as well as the childlike Atom (as Astro-Boy was known in Japan).

The two volumes (of an eventual seven) that have been released so far have been mature, suspenseful, dark, and completely engrossing. The setting shows us a future of robots and human living together unlike any we typically see in science-fiction. Though bound by Asimov-style laws and granted far fewer rights than humans, these robots live their own lives. They have jobs, homes, spouses, and vacations. This world is fleshed out further over the course of the first two volumes through its history, including a recently-ended large-scale war fought by robots that haunts many of the main characters.

Though the premise of taking a children's story and reworking it for adults is one that can easily descend into kitsch, Pluto is never "edgy" or "adult" for its own sake. Urasawa is often praised as a master storyteller, and it's clear why. Pluto is a mature, multi-layered story that uses its unique setting and characters to discuss issues such as the nature of memory, the meaning of war, and the tragedy of a 2-tiered society. It's also just a wonderfully suspenseful thriller in its own right. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

-Mike I.

As always, please let us know if you have questions or we can help with anything, just e-mail us at modernmyths(at)aol.com, or feel free to IM if you see us online at AOL.

We offer Gift Certificates in any amount and Wish Lists that are perfect for birthdays and gift registries all year round.

We also blog (semi-) regularly at LiveJournal, so check us there, too!

Thanks, and see you in the store!

-Mike Isenberg
Modern Myths, LLC

What's New For Thursday, April 9, 2009.

modernmyths@aol.com — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:43:55 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, April 9, 2009.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

AND THERE YOU ARE GN (MR) $15.00
ANITA BLAKE LC NECROMANCER #1 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
ARMY OF DARKNESS #19 $3.50
BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL #2 (OF 3) $3.99
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #28 $2.99
BOOSTER GOLD #19 $2.99
BOYS OVER FLOWERS TP VOL 35 $9.99
BPRD BLACK GODDESS #4 (OF 5) $2.99
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #12 $2.99
COMICS REVUE #275 $6.95

DARK REIGN HAWKEYE #1 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
    -Norman Osborn created his own team of Avengers, and put the psychotic assassin Bullseye on it in the guise of Hawkeye. This series explores what happens when Bullseye has to 'play nice'.

DARK TOWER GUIDE TO GILEAD $3.99
DEAD IRONS #3 $3.99
DEADPOOL SUICIDE KINGS #1 (OF 5) $3.99

DOCTOR WHO FORGOTTEN TP $19.99
    -Any intelligent being is the sum of its memories--and timelord with 10 distinct lifetimes is even more so. So when the Doctor finds himself in a great hall, unable even to recall how he got there, he must find a way to remember before it's too late.

DRAFTED TP VOL 02 $18.99
EXILES #1 $3.99
FATE STAY NIGHT GN VOL 03 (OF 5) $10.99
FUSHIGI YUGI GENBU KAIDEN TP VOL 08 $8.99
GANTZ TP VOL 04 (MR) $12.95
GEN 13 #29 $2.99
GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE TP $14.99
GREEN LANTERN #39 (ORIGINS) $2.99
GRIMM FAIRY TALES #1 APRIL FOOLS ED $5.99
GRIMM FAIRY TALES #37 $2.99
HARVEY COMICS CLASSICS TP VOL 05 HARVEY GIRLS $19.95
HEAVY METAL MAY 2009 #123 (MR) $6.95
HELLBLAZER PRESENTS CHAS THE KNOWLEDGE TP (MR) $14.99
HELLBOY NOVEL FIRE WOLVES $12.95
HOSHIN ENGI TP VOL 12 $7.99
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #12 (MR) $2.99

IGNITION CITY #1 (OF 5) WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
    -New series of pulpy alternate earth noir from Warren Ellis. When Ruby finds out that he space pilot father has died, she travels to the artificial island of Ignition City to find out why.

INFINITE HORIZON #4 (OF 6) $2.99
JUNJO ROMANTICA GN VOL 09 (OF 10) (A) $12.99

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED HEROES TP $12.99
    -Fun adventures with the Justice League, in the art style of the JLU cartoon series.

LA CORDA DORO TP VOL 10 $8.99
LEGEND OF ZELDA GN VOL 04 $7.99
LOCKE & KEY HEAD GAMES #4 $3.99
MAID SAMA GN VOL 01 (OF 6) $10.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #50 $3.99
MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 HC $19.99
MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 #1 (OF 4) $3.99
MARVEL ZOMBIES TP VOL 02 $15.99
MARVELS EYE OF CAMERA #3 (OF 6) $3.99
NARUTO TP VOL 42 $7.95
NARUTO TP VOL 43 $7.95
NARUTO TP VOL 44 $7.95
NORTHLANDERS #16 (MR) $2.99
PUNISHER FRANK CASTLE MAX #69 (MR) $3.99
ROSARIO VAMPIRE GN VOL 06 $7.99
SAMURAI DEEPER KYO GN VOL 34 (OF 38) (MR) $10.99
SCOOBY DOO #143 $2.50
SECRET SIX #8 $2.99
SHONEN JUMP MAY 09 $4.99
SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE DOOM PATROL TP VOL 01 $16.99
SKETCH MAGAZINE #39 (C: 0-1-2) $6.95
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #199 $2.50
SPIRIT #27 $2.99

STAR TREK COUNTDOWN TP $17.99
    -A unstable star threatens the Romulan empire, and Ambassador Spock, now living openly on Romulus, must arrange an unprecedented collaboration between the Romulans and the Vulcans, or billions will die.

STAR TREK MISSIONS END #2 $3.99
SUPERGIRL COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE #5 $2.50
SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #2 (OF 12) $2.99
SWORD #16 (MR) $2.99
TALES FROM WONDERLAND TP $12.99
TERMINATOR REVOLUTION #4 (OF 5) $3.50
TERRY MOORES ECHO #11 $3.50
TIMESTORM 2009 2099 #1 (OF 4) $3.99
TITANS #12 $2.99
TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED ARRIVAL TP $12.99
TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT DRIFT $3.99
TRIGUN MAXIMUM TP VOL 14 MIND GAMES $9.95
TRINITY #45 $2.99
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK #4 (OF 6) $2.99
UNCANNY X-MEN HC MANIFEST DESTINY $29.99
VAMPIRE KNIGHT TP VOL 06 $8.99
WAR OF KINGS ASCENSION #1 (OF 4) $3.99
WITH THE LIGHT RAISING AUTISTIC CHILD GN VOL 04 $14.99
WOLVERINE WEAPON X #1 $3.99
WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ #5 (OF 8) $3.99
WORLD WAR 3 ILLUSTRATED (MR) $5.00
YOU WILL DROWN IN LOVE GN (A) $12.99
YOUNG LIARS #14 (MR) $2.99

New GAMES this week:

New releases:
It's been a quiet week for new games, but we did restock on some items we haven't had for a few months, including Reaper pre-painted minis, the Last Night On Earth board game, and the Song of Fire & Ice RPG core book. We have also picked up a number of D&D 3.5 edition books, including PHBs and DMGs, as well as several sets of Mage Knight Artifacts packs, full of 1" scale props that are great for dressing up a D&D adventure.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like Aces & Eights, Scion, Traveller, Trail of Cthulhu, and Dungeons & Dragons Fourth Edition to old favorites like Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, Palladium and Unknown Armies. For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from Settlers of Catan, Munchkin, Carcassonne, and Guillotine to Blokus, Chess and Go. We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including Magic The Gathering, Star Wars minis, Axis and Allies minis, and Dungeons & Dragons minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:

NEW REGULAR EVENT! Living Forgotten Realms: Starting next month, on the first Thursday and third Sunday of every month, we will be running D&D games here in the store, using official Living Forgotten Realms setting campaign adventures. In order to play, you'll join the RPGA and create a new fourth edition character for the campaign. You can create it in advance or with our help at the game. As you play, you'll gain treasure and experience for your character to use in later games. These events will be free, and open to anyone who wishes to play. Space will be limited, so sign up today!

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Next Meeting: THIS SATURDAY, April 11, 3:00-5:00 PM. Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop minis . Novices and old hands welcome. Feel free to bring your own--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month.

Modern Myths Book Club: Our Book Club meets on the last Thursday of every month. For April, we will be reading Blankets, Craig Thompson’s award winning memoir of love, heart break, and quilting. We’ll be meeting to discuss it at our next meeting: 7pm on Thursday, April 30^th. Hope you can join us!"

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: May 2, 2009. We will have more than a score of new free comics from over a dozen publishers, and we'll be giving away a free copy of each one to everyone who wants one while supplies last. This is a great way to check out some books that you don't normally read, and even for people who don't read comics at all to see what all the fuss is about.

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal round table of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting is Tuesday, May 5th, 7:00 PM.

World Wide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day: Saturday May 23, Noon and 7 PM. If you have always wanted to try D&D and never gotten around to it; or if you have been playing for years, but aren't sure if you'll like Fourth Edition; or if you'd just like to pick up some dice and dungeon crawl for a few hours, this event is for you. This game is free and open to players of all experience levels. Space is limited, and we are already taking sign ups.

Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Modern Myths Gaming Table Google Calendar. To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
Free Comic Book Day will be May 2 this year. We will hold another D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23. We also plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least one more convention this year: Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost Homes Changeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. Character creation begins at 6:00 PM, and game runs from 7:00 PM to midnight. Remaining spring dates: 11 April, 25 April.

DEADLARP Dead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action role playing game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. The event officially begins at 7, though check in times begins around 6. The game setting location is the city of Gommora in California, the setting time is 1880 "Alternate History Civil War Era." Anyone interested in playing should create a username and login so that we can tailor your account to your preference. Thank you for your interest, and we hope you enjoy yourself. - The GMs: James, Jason, Bish, Pat, Nick

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. NEW GAME, still looking for players.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the Forbes Library in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click here.

Northeast Wars IX Gaming convention in Burlington, VT, April 3-5.

Current eBay Listings:

This week, we have put up for bid a copy of the first printing of Amazing Spiderman #583, in which Spidey meets Barack Obama, and with a variant cover featuring the president. This is a benefit auction, with half the proceeds going to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

We have also added four new items to our eBay store: a D&D 3.5 Player's Handbook, a D&D 3.5 Dungeon Master's Guide, a D&D 3.5 Edition Complete Divine and D&D 3.5 Spell Compendium.

Moreover, our regular selection of action figures, used graphic novels, used RPGs, and sets of comics & manga, are once again available for purchase.

Featured REVIEW:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, prose novel with illustrations by Dave McKean. Hard cover, $17.99

One foggy night, a man called Jack kills an entire family with a knife, all except for a two year old boy who toddles into a nearby graveyard. The boy is rescued by the cemetery's ghosts, who adopt him, name him Nobody Owens, and raise him as their own. Each chapter is a new adventure as Bod grows up, leading up to a confrontation with the killer who has never stopped hunting for him.

This book is vintage Gaiman, creepy and charming enough for grown-ups, subtle and exciting enough for kids. Fans of Gaiman's other work, or excellent fantasy or children's stories (Narnia, Louise Cooper's Dark Is Rising, Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book, the Hobbit), will gobble this wonderful book up, and newcomers to his writing will probably be swiftly won over, as well.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

-MSD

As always, please let us know if you have questions or we can help with anything, just e-mail us at modernmyths(at)aol.com, or feel free to IM if you see us online at AOL.

We offer Gift Certificates in any amount and Wish Lists that are perfect for birthdays and gift registries all year round.

Thanks, and see you in the store!

-Michael Dow
Modern Myths, LLC

What's New For Thursday, April 2, 2009.

modernmyths@aol.com — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:22:01 GMT

Hello everyone! Here's our update for Thursday, April 2, 2009.

This week we have our usual sections on NEW COMICS and Graphic Novels, recent GAMING arrivals, EVENTS both in the store and around the Pioneer Valley, new postings to our eBAY store, and an in-depth REVIEW of a favorite comic or game.

New COMICS This Week:

AGENTS OF ATLAS #3 DKR $2.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #590 $2.99
ANGEL BLOOD AND TRENCHES #2 $3.99
ARMY OF DARKNESS #18 $3.50
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #14 $2.99
AUTHORITY #9 $2.99
AVENGERS INVADERS #9 (OF 12) $2.99
BANG TANGO #3 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL MAN BAT #1 $2.99
BETTY #179 (NOTE PRICE) $2.50
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #4 (RES) $2.50
BLACK PANTHER 2 #3 DKR $2.99
BOMB QUEEN TP VOL 05 BOMBASTIC $16.99
BOODY BIZARE COMICS OF BOODY ROGERS GN $19.99
BOYS #29 (MR) $2.99
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #24 CHEN CVR $2.99
CABLE #13 XMW $2.99
CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS 70TH ANNIV SPECIAL #1 $3.99
CHRONICLES OF CONAN TP VOL 17 CREATION QUEST $17.95
DARK REIGN FANTASTIC FOUR #2 (OF 5) DKR $2.99
DC WILDSTORM DREAMWAR TP $19.99
DEADPOOL #9 DKR $2.99
DEADPOOL CLASSIC TP VOL 02 $29.99
DR DOOM MASTERS OF EVIL #3 (OF 4) $2.99

DUNGEON ZENITH TP VOL 03 BACK IN STYLE $12.95
    -Taking a pause from the Monstres sub-series, Zenithreturns! This time with the art of Boulet but still written by the Sfar/Trondheim duo! Two stories continue the heydey of Dungeon. In the first, Isis is to be married to the Keeper, but she wants Herbert! Besides, the whole affair promises to ruin the Dungeon completely. In the second, besides the continued Keeper financial mishaps, Herbert wishes to make his comeback to his hometown where his name is mud. He disguises himself with a potion that makes him "the mask of death." Only one problem - if he laughs, he becomes himself again!

FARSCAPE #4 $3.99

FLASH REBIRTH #1 (OF 5) $3.99
    -Following the events of Final Crisis, Barry Allen has returned from the grave. But can even the fastest man alive keep pace with a world that's moved on?

FORTEAN TIMES #247 $11.99
FREEDOM COLLECTIVE ONE SHOT $3.95
GACHA GACHA NEXT REVOLUTION GN VOL 09 (MR) $12.99
GI JOE #4 $3.99
GI JOE MOVIE PREQUEL #2 DESTRO $3.99
GLAMOURPUSS #6 $3.00
GRAVEL #10 (MR) $3.99
GREATEST HITS #6 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
HAUNTED TANK #5 (OF 5) (MR) $2.99
HELM TP VOL 01 $14.95
HI FRUCTOSE MAGAZINE QUARTERLY #11 $6.95
HO HC $19.99
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #12 DKR $2.99

IRREDEEMABLE #1 $3.99
    -Mark Waid writes this new series with a simple premise: whatif the world's greatest superhero decided to become its greatest super villain?

JONAH HEX #42 $2.99
JONAH HEX BULLETS DONT LIE TP $14.99
JSA TP VOL 02 THY KINGDOM COME PART 01 $14.99
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #25 $2.99
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #149 $4.99
MAO-CHAN GN VOL 02 $14.99
MASQUERADE #2 $3.50
MOTHER COME HOME HC $22.99
NEGIMA GN VOL 21 (MR) $10.99
NEGIMA NEO GN VOL 01 MAGISTER NEGI MAGI (MR) $10.99
NEW AVENGERS REUNION #2 (OF 4) DKR $3.99
NOBLE CAUSES #40 $3.50
PREVIEWS #247 APRIL 2009 (NET) $4.50
PRIDE & PREJUDICE #1 (OF 5) $3.99
SAMURAI 7 GN VOL 01 (MR) $10.99
SAVAGE DRAGON #146 $3.50
SCALPED #27 (MR) $2.99

SEAGUY THE SLAVES OF MICKEY EYE #1 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99
    -Grant Morrison's most over the top series continues.

SECRET WARRIORS #3 DKR $2.99
STAR TREK COUNTDOWN #4 $3.99
STAR TREK CREW #2 $3.99
STAR WARS OMNIBUS EMISSARIES AND ASSASSINS $24.95
STRANGE ADVENTURES #2 (OF 8) $3.99
SUPERMAN BATMAN #57 $2.99

SUPERMEN FIRST WAVE OF HEROES (1939-41) GN $24.99
    -Of the 22 stories appearing in SUPERMEN, the vast majority haven't seen print since first publication,including the notorious 1939 Wonder Man debut by Will Eisner. Wonder Man lasted one issue after a successful DC Comics lawsuit cited the similarity to its son of Krypton. This lawsuit inspired more individual and offbeat approaches,and it's on these mavericks and oddballs we focus this collection. The roster features such notables as Basil Wolverton, Jack Kirby, Jack Cole, Fletcher Hanks, Ogden Whitney, Lou Fine, Charles Biro, Fred Guardineer, and Dick Briefer. Fighting villainy is hard work and in SUPERMEN it's downright ruthless.

TALES FROM THE CRYPT #11 $3.95
TEEN TITANS #69 $2.99
TEEN TITANS ANNUAL 2009 #1 $4.99
TRANSFORMERS MAXIMUM DINOBOTS #4 $3.99
TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT JAZZ $3.99
TRINITY #44 $2.99
WAR OF KINGS #2 (OF 6) $3.99
WARHAMMER 40K DEFENDERS OF ULTRAMAR TP $16.99
WHAT IF TP SECRET WARS $19.99
WITCHBLADE #125 BACHALO DANI CVR A $3.99
X-MEN FIRST CLASS FINALS #3 (OF 4) $3.99
XXXHOLIC GN VOL 13 $10.99

New GAMES this week:

New releases:
Our new games shipment will be arriving tomorrow. We will list them on next week's newsletter, but they'll be on sale this weekend.

Regular Stock Items:
Modern Myths is a full-service game store as well as a comics store, and we carry a wide assortment of board, card and role playing games. We range from new games like Trail of Cthulhu to old favorites like Unknown Armies.For board and card games, too, we run the gamut, from Blokus, to Chess. We also carry boosters and starters for a few collectible games, including minis.

"But what if you don't have it?" I hear you cry. Let me assure you: if it's in print, we will gladly order it for you, at no extra cost. Moreover, we do game orders at least once a week, so if it's available, you won't have to wait long, either. (And, yes, this applies to paints and minis from Games Workshop, as well.)

EVENTS:
Board Game Night every Saturday: Join us for a wide range of European-style board and card strategy games. Newcomers welcome! We'll provide the games and teach the rules, but you can also bring your favorites. A great chance to try before you buy. Every Saturday evening, 7:00 to 11:00PM.

Modern Myths Book Club: Our Book Club meets on the last Thursday of every month. Following our get together last week, staffer Mike Isenberg writes:

"Our book club selection for March was the Tintin adventure, part of a classic children’s adventure series by Belgian cartoonist Herge. Tintin is a boy reporter who, along with his dog Snowy, travels the world solving mysteries and getting into adventures in exotic locales. The Calculus Affair is a stand-alone story revolving around a new invention by Professor Calculus, a regular Tintin character. When Calculus’ research into ultrasonics leads him to discover a potentially devastating new weapon, he becomes the target of two rival European nations locked in cold war. It’s up to Tintin, Snowy, and Captain Haddock (Tintin’s gruff sea-faring companion) to keep Calculus out of danger.

"The six of us in attendance this month began our meeting discussing our past experiences with the Tintin series. Most of us had read these books as children, but few of us had returned to the series before now, and were pleasantly surprised at the sophistication and“adultness” of the story. Tintin may be intended as a children’s series, but we found it to be very entertaining and enjoyable even as adults. Much of the rest of the meeting was spent marveling over Herge’s craft as an artist. We discussed the “clear line” style that Herge pioneered and its influence on many other of our favorite artists, such as Moebius, Geoff Darrow, and Hayao Miyazaki.

"After wrapping up the discussion of Calculus Affair, the group turned its attention to deciding what we’d be reading for the following meeting. This is one of the best parts of our club, because there are always many good ideas and interesting back-and-forth picking the next book. The people who join us have such a broad range of interests, tastes and knowledge of comics that, each time, we usually hear about at least one cool book that's new to us, and we always wind up with something worth picking up. For April, we decided on Craig Thompson’s award winning memoir Blankets. We’ll be meeting to discuss it at our next meeting: 7pm on Thursday, April 30^th. Hope you can join us!"

Western Mass Comics Creators Group: You can join other local comics creators, amateur and professional, for an informal round table of ideas, tips, and hopefully, inspiration! Newcomers (published and non-) always welcome. For more info, contact Scott Sheaffer by email: KMacAlp (AT) aol (PERIOD) com. Meetings are the first Tuesday night of every month; next meeting is April 7th, 7:00 PM.

Miniatures Painting Workshop: Second Saturday of every month. Staff member Pete S. leads a free workshop for folks who want to paint Warhammer, 40K, and other Games Workshop minis . Novices and old hands welcome. Feel free to bring your own--from any game--or we can provide you with a sample mini, paints and brushes. Next Meeting: Saturday, April 11, 3:00-5:00 PM.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: May 2,2009. We will have more than a score of new free comics from over a dozen publishers, and we'll be giving away a free copy of each one to everyone who wants one while supplies last. This is a great way to checkout some books that you don't normally read, and even for people who don't read comics at all to see what all the fuss is about.

Modern Myths Gaming Table To see if our table at the back of the store is available for an event, or just see what we have going on here at the store, add "Modern Myths Gaming Table" to your list of Google calendars. If you'd like to reserve our space, email us at MODERNMYTHS (at) AOL (period) COM.

Looking Ahead:
Free Comic Book Day will be May 2 this year. We will hold another D&D Game Day on Saturday, May 23. We also plan to set up a booth for the Northampton Sidewalk Sale in late July, which will mark the start of the Summer Bargain Back Issue Sale. We plan to do at least two more conventions this year: I-Con on April 3-5 and Connecticon on July 31-August 2. We will celebrate our seventh anniversary in mid-September. If you are organizing a convention or other event, and you would like us to participate, please contact us as soon as you can. We had to pass on a couple of great opportunities last year because we didn't find out about them in time.

Classes & Job Opportunities:
We aren't aware of any new classes or jobs for either gaming or comics, just now, but if you hear of any, please let us know.

Around The Valley:
This is a new sub-section, for regular events happening in our area.

Lost HomesChangeling Live Action RPG.
Springfield: Lost Homes is a game of Changeling: the Lost (White Wolf). Lost Homes explores what happens to people who come back out of Faerie: their struggles to remain connected to the mundane world, endeavors to avoid their Fae captors, and descent into madness. Held on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College. Character creation begins at 6:00 PM, and game runs from 7:00 PMto midnight. Remaining spring dates: 11 April, 25 April.

DEADLARPDead Lands Live Action RPG:
-DeadLARP is a live-action roleplaying game using an adapted form of Pinnacle Entertainment Group's award winning Savage Worlds system. Events are held every other Saturday nights on the third floor of Seelye Hall at Smith College in Northampton, MA. The event officially begins at7, though check in times begins around 6. The game setting location is the city of Gommora in California, the setting time is 1880 "Alternate History Civil War Era." Anyone interested in playing should create a username and login so that we can tailor your account to your preference. Thank you for your interest,and we hope you enjoy yourself. - The GMs: James, Jason, Bish, Pat, Nick

Renaissance City Vampire Live Action RPG. NEW GAME, still looking for players.

Pioneer Valley Chess Club meets every Saturday at 1 PM at the in Northampton. For information on chess groups in our area, click .

Northeast Wars IX Gaming convention in Burlington, VT, April 3-5.

Current eBay Listings:

We have added four new items to our eBay store this week: an Expanded Psionics Handbook for D&D 3.5, the complete Books Of Magic Life During Wartime series, the complete Two Faces Of Tomorrow comic series, and the complete run of Grant Morrison's first Invisiblesseries.

Moreover, our regular selection of action figures, used graphic novels, used RPGs,and sets of comics& manga, are once again available for purchase. Thanks for your patience during our refit and, as always, we hope that you will give generously to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Featured REVIEW:

This month, instead of reviewing something recent, Mike Isenberg took a look at an entire completed series.

Y:The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra, 10 volumes in trade paperback, $12.99 to $14.99 each,published by DC.

Recently, I decided to read my way through all ten volumes of Y: The Last Man, the Vertigo series written by Brian K. Vaughan and drawn by Pia Guerra. The story follows young amateur escape artist Yorick Brown and his pet monkey Ampersand, apparently the only male survivors of a mysterious world-wide catastrophe that has killed off every other mammal with a Y chromosome and left the world a post-apocalyptic chaos of women fighting for power, trying to restore order, and attempting to come to terms with likely being the final generation of human beings on the planet.

Although the subject matter is often very dark, Y: The Last Man is nothing if not fun. While Vaughan does not shy away from the opportunities for social commentary and feminist theory that the premise affords him, the series is first and foremost an adventure yarn. Yorick’s quest is to cross the country with the world’s foremost geneticist to find out why he and Ampersand survived the plague, in the hopes of using the knowledge to save humanity from extinction, and then to find his girlfriend, with whom he lost contact during the catastrophe.

Yorick rarely takes his role as “last man on earth” very seriously, and constantly brings comic relief to the series through ever-present one-liners and witty pop-culture references. Balancing things out are Yorick’s companions: socially awkward Dr. Allison Mann, the previously mentioned geneticist, and deadly serious Agent 355, Yorick’s bodyguard. Neither one gets Yorick’s jokes, and between the two of them they are able to keep the tone of the series from getting too flippant.

Speaking of tone, this is one area in which Brian K. Vaughan proves himself a master. The tone of Y: The Last Man can turn on a dime, adeptly shifting from jovial to funereal and from sedate to suspenseful at a moment’s notice. As a result the stories are unpredictable and riveting. Vaughan expertly walks the fine line between dramatic and melodramatic, keeping the story moving firmly between the bounds of overly serious and overly trivial.

If I had one complaint with the series it would be that it lacks a strong overall structure and taken altogether reads less like a cohesive whole and more like a serial. This isn’t terribly surprising, given that it was produced over nearly five-and-a-half years, but I felt the story would have been stronger had the overall plotting and pacing been a bit more thought-out from the beginning. That said, the stories do flow from one to the next fairly effortlessly, and on an issue-to-issue level I often found myself in a genuine state of suspense, needing to find out what happened next, so Vaughan and Guerra were clearly doing something right.

Y: The Last Man is a great read for any fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, socially-consciously sci-fi, or grand adventure tales. Over the course of ten volumes it never once failed to entertain. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

-Mike I.

As always, please let us know if you have questions or we can help with anything, just e-mail us at modernmyths (at) aol.com, or feel free to IM if you see us online at AOL.

We offer Gift Certificates in any amount and

Thanks, and see you in the store!

-Michael Dow
Modern Myths, LLC