Category: Reading Group

Ash Ave Comic Book Club RETURNS!

Posted on | by Drew

by

Drew

After a four year hiatus, the Ash Ave Comic Book Club returns on Sunday, April 21st to discuss Tom King and Mitch Gerads’ latest work, The Winning Card. Originally serialized in the DC Comics anthology series Batman: The Brave and the Bold, King and Gerads pick up where their Riddler graphic novel left off, with a pivot to the Clown Prince of Crime. The Winning Card is a re-imagination of the first Joker story from Batman #1 in 1940, setting out to create a comic book that, as Mitch Gerads has stated, “actually scares you,” the reader.

In one day we sold through the initial dozen copies we received, and we have more copies on the way for anyone looking to read it. Now, when it comes to how the Comic Book Club works, the main sticking point is that you need to purchase the graphic novel from us to attend the meetup. If you have already purchased a copy from the shop last week and would like to attend the meetup, then please reach out ASAP to claim your spot. If you want to attend Comic Book Club, your purchase of the graphic novel and your verbal or written commitment to attend the meetup is what we need. After all, seating is limited. And we have to have one extra open seat, as artist Mitch Gerads will be sitting in and joining us for our meetup… just like the good old days. (Mitch is a great sport, and loves to talk comics. Back in the day, he previously attended the Ash Ave Comic Book Club meetups for his maxi-series Sheriff of Baghdad and Mister Miracle).

Looking forward to seeing old and new faces for the first Comic Book Club in a long while. Shoot the shop a DM or email with any specific questions, or to reserve a seat and copy of the book. We do recommend that you get the book as soon as our restock arrives, and get to reading ASAP so you will have had some time in the week leading up to the event to think it over, and maybe put together some questions, analysis, or criticism to share with our discussion group.

Ash Avenue Comics Comic Book Reading Club | June 2020 | Black Bolt

Comic Book Club June Meeting and Update

Posted on | by delta

Hey everyone, hope this update finds you well. This week we will be hosting our virtual meetup to discuss the Eisner award winner Black Bolt by Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward. This marks our second Google hangout to discuss a comic, it’s not the same as our IRL meetups, but hey, this is our reality for the time being. Next month we will be discussing Mariko Tamaki and Steve Pugh’s graphic novel Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass.

If you would like to participate in our July meetup you can email me at drew@ashavecomics.com to order a copy of Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, and I will collect your info for the google hangout. Our schedule for the next two months is below, and following that is a cover image and summary for this month’s read.  Stay safe, and read more comics!

Wednesday, June 24: Black Bolt 

Wednesday, July 22: Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass


The king of the Inhumans has been imprisoned! But where? Why has he been jailed? And who could be powerful enough to hold Black Bolt? The answers will shock you – and Black Bolt as well! If he is to learn the truth, he must first win a fight to the death against a fellow inmate: the Absorbing Man! As a prison revolt begins, the bounty hunter Death’s Head enters the fray – but is he there to help or to hunt? And who – or what – is the warden of this strange place? Black Bolt’s jailer knows only penance and fear. And soon so will the Silent King of the Inhumans! For if Black Bolt can somehow escape his hellish prison, the journey home will be even more deadly – and his welcome may not be a warm one!

Ash Ave Comic Book Club meetings postponed

Posted on | by delta

Hey everyone, to do our part in limiting exposure from the COVID-19 pandemic we are postponing the Sunday, March 22 Ash Ave Comic Book Club meetup for Frank Miller’s Batman The Dark Knight Strikes Again, and the Sunday, April 5 meetup to discuss Black Bolt. While we are cancelling the physical meetups for the Comic Book Club we are interested in doing a video chat meetup in place of the cancelled physical meetings.

We hope that as the pandemic subsides in a few months that we can again host in store events such as the Comic Book Club.Please drop me a line at drew@ashavecomics.com with any questions or comments.

Comic Book Club March Meeting: Dark Knight Returns + Dark Knight Strikes Again

Posted on | by delta

We’re discussing a classic of modern comics this month at the Ash Ave Comic Book Club, for our March meeting we will be talking about Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Along with Watchmen, this four issue series from 1986 has made an indelible impression on comics and culture at large, Miller showed us the dark future awaiting the Dark Knight. We will be following up the Dark Knight Returns with the 2002 followup the Dark Knight Strikes Again on Sunday March 22, and in April we will be discussing Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward’s Black Bolt miniseries.

Our meetings begin at 6 PM, and we recommend attendees BYOB (be it beer, beverage, or brownies).  Our reading group selections are available in the shop, so drop by to purchase a copy of Batman: Dark Knight Returns or Batman: Dark Knight Strikes Again for our March meetups. Listed below are our next two months of readings, and a photo and summary of the March selection:

Sunday, March 1: Batman: Dark Knight Returns

Sunday, March 22: Batman: Dark Knight Strikes Again

Sunday, April 5: Black Bolt HC


Ten years after an aging Batman retired, Gotham City has sunk deeper into decadence and lawlessness. Now, when his city needs him most, the Dark Knight returns in a blaze of glory. Joined by Carrie Kelly, a teenaged Robin, Batman takes to the streets to end the threat of the mutant gangs that have overrun the city. And after facing off against his two greatest enemies, the Joker and Two-Face, for the final time, Batman finds himself in mortal combat with his former ally, Superman. The original 4-issue miniseries is presented here in its entirety.

 

Comic Book Club February Meeting: Spider-Man Life Story

Posted on | by delta

Our February Comic Book Club meeting is on February 9 (not the first Sunday this month as we accommodate a certain “Super” event), and we will be discussing Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley’s decades spanning miniseries Spider-Man Life Story, and in March we will be discussing the legendary Frank Miller series Batman The Dark Knight.

Our meetings begin at 6 PM, and we recommend attendees BYOB (be it beer, beverage, or brisket).  Our reading group selections are available in the shop, so drop by to purchase a copy of Spider-Man Life Story for our February meetup. Listed below are our next two months of readings, and a photo and summary of the February selection:

Sunday, February 9: Spider-Man Life Story

Sunday, March 1: Batman: Dark Knight Returns

Spider-Man makes history! In 1962’s AMAZING FANTASY #15, 15-year-old Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and became the Amazing Spider-Man! Fifty-seven years have passed in the real world since that event – so what would have happened if the same amount of time passed for Peter? To celebrate Marvel’s 80th anniversary, Chip Zdarsky and Spider-Man legend Mark Bagley unite to spin a unique Spidey tale – telling an entire history of Spider-Man from beginning to end, set against the key events of the decades through which he lived! From the Vietnam War to Secret Wars and Civil War, all the way through to what just might be a 72-year-old Spider-Man’s final mission, prepare to watch Peter Parker age through 57 years of groundbreaking history – and find out what happens to him and those he loves the most! Collecting SPIDER-MAN: LIFE STORY #1-6.