By now most of you have probably already heard the news that Michael Turner passed away earlier this weekend. While his health problems were public record, this still comes as a huge shock. I was looking around at some talkbacks yesterday where fans were discussing this, and I was little disgusted at how frequently I would see some guy calling himself "Bonerking' or something go on and on about how little they liked Turner's work before then offering some platitude about praying for his family or something like that. I will readily admit that I was never a huge fan of the man's work, but that is so far from important right now it's insane. I think occasionally in the comics hive-mind we stop viewing these creators as human and instead as impersonal comic book machines. I never met Michael Turner, but judging from the outpouring of tribute and genuine sadness and affection coming from those who did I feel saddened that I never had the chance, and it becomes clear to me that my, or anyone else's, opinion on his body or work is completely irrelevant. The industry will definetly be a worse place without him.

In Other news, the new issue of Richmond Magazine features a profile of our satellite store, Velocity Comics Express. Go get a copy and have the picture of Pat framed...FOR MURDER!

I'm running out of ways to implore you people to participate in our current DRAW! BATMAN VS ??? contest. Do you have any idea how easy drawing really is? Some people would try and convince you that it's really difficult--these people should cleansed from the species so as to strengthen the rest of us. Just scrawl down a picture, bring it in, and risk winning some free comics. FREE! The deadline for this one is July 18th. JUST DO IT! STOP SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT AND ACTUALLY DO IT!

Art Blog of the week: More website than mere blog, but totally worth looking at: Eleanor Davis! http://www. doing-fine. com/

PICKS

Astonishing X-Men #25-Lordy Lord! It's the first time in history that the new issue of Astonishing X-Men took less the 18 months to come out! Blame new creative team WARREN ELLIS and SIMONE BIANCHI one way or the other.

Billy Batson & the Magic of Shazam #1 - It's the all new adventures of everyone's favorite pathetic orphan! At least that's the way I look at it. I'm kind of an optimist.

Gantz Vol. 1 - It's the first volume of the manga that everyone has been waiting for! I'm going to guess from the title what it's about...green ants with an urban flair, maybe?

Hellboy The Crooked Man - An all new tale featuring art by living legend RICHARD CORBEN.

Madame Zanadu #1 - Will this be Vertigo's next big hit? It will if writer Matt Wagner has anything to do with it.

Sword Vol. 1 TP - The first volume of this shockingly good modern fantasy epic!

ALSO SHIPPING THIS WEEK!

76 #4 (OF 8) 2.99 55.0
AFTER THE CAPE II TP 14.99
ALL NEW ATOM #25 2.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #564 2.99
AMERICAN DREAM #5 (OF 5) 2.99
AMERICAN SPLENDOR SEASON TWO #4 (OF 4) 2.99
AMORY WARS II #2 (OF 5) 2.99
ANGEL AFTER THE FALL #10 3.99
ANGEL AFTER THE FALL #10 10 COPY VIRGIN RUNGE INCV
ANGEL AFTER THE FALL #10 25 COPY VIRGIN GARNER INC
ANGEL REVELATIONS #2 (OF 5) 3.99
ANITA BLAKE VH GUILTY PLEASURES HC VOL 02 DM ED 19.99
ARCHIE AMERICANA SER TP VOL 08 BEST OF 60S BOOK 2 11.95
ARMY OF DARKNESS #10 LONG ROAD HOME 3.50
ASPEN SHOWCASE ASPEN MATTHEWS #1 TALENT CALDWELL C 2.99
ASTONISHING X-MEN #25 MD 2.99
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #7 2.99
AVENGERS INITIATIVE PREM HC VOL 02 KILLED ACTION 24.99
AVENGERS INVADERS #3 (OF 12) 2.99
AVENGERS INVADERS #3 (OF 12) COIPEL VAR
BALTIMORE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER & VAMPIRE PX HC 39.95
BART SIMPSON COMICS #42 2.99
BATMAN #678 RIP 2.99
BATMAN #678 VAR ED RIP 2.99
BATMAN VS THE SCARECROW 2.99
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #1 2.25
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #1 VAR ED
BLUE BEETLE #28 2.99
BONE COLOR ED SC VOL 08 TREASURE HUNTERS 9.99
BOYS #20 2.99
BRIT #7 2.99
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #16 2.99
CABLE #5 DWS 2.99
CABLE #5 SILVESTRI VAR
CAPTAIN AMERICA TP OPERATION REBIRTH NEW PTG 29.99
CEMETERIANS TP VOL 1 9.95
COMPLETE K CHRONICLES TP 24.95
COUNTDOWN PRESENTS SEARCH FOR RAY PALMER TP 17.99
COUNTER X TP VOL 01 X-FORCE 19.99
CROSSING MIDNIGHT #19 2.99
DARK TOWER END WORLD ALMANAC 3.99
DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME #5 (OF 5) 3.99
DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME #5 (OF 5) BERMEJO VAR
DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME #5 (OF 5) LEE SKETCH VAR
DC SPECIAL RAVEN #5 (OF 5) 2.99
DC UNIVERSE SPECIAL REIGN IN HELL 80 PAGE GIANT 4.99
DEVI TP VOL 04 14.99
DOCTOR WHO #5 3.99
DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS #8 3.99
DYNAMO 5 #14 3.50
ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS TP VOL 4 16.99
FABLES #74 2.99
FANTASTIC FOUR PREM HC LOST ADVENTURES STAN LEE 24.99
FAT CHUNK GN VOL 01 ROBOT 12.95
FEAR AGENT #22 1 AGAINST 1 (PT 1 OF 6) 2.99
FRESHMEN SUMMER VACATION SPECIAL 4.99
FX #5 (OF 6) 3.99
GANTZ TP VOL 01 12.95
GHOST WHISPERER #4 3.99
GI JOE AMERICAS ELITE #36 5.50
GIMOLES SECRETS OF THE SEASONS TP 14.99
GREAT CATSBY GN VOL 06 (OF 6) 24.99
GRIMM FAIRY TALES #28 2.99
GRIMM FAIRY TALES PIPER #3 (OF 4) 2.99
HELLBLAZER FEAR MACHINE TP 19.99
HELLBLAZER PRESENTS CHAS THE KNOWLEDGE #1 (OF 5) 2.99
HELLBOY II MMPB GOLDEN ARMY 6.99
HELLBOY THE CROOKED MAN #1 (OF 3) 2.99
HORROR BOOK TP VOL 01 14.99
HOUSE OF M TP AVENGERS 13.99
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #3 2.99
HUNTRESS YEAR ONE #4 (OF 6) 2.99
HYPERKINETIC #1 (OF 4) 3.50
IGOR MOVIE PREQUEL #3 3.99
INFINITY INC #11 2.99
INVADERS CLASSIC TP VOL 2 29.99
JACK OF FABLES #23 2.99
JIM BUTCHERS DRESDEN FILES #3 (OF 4) WELCOME TO TH 3.99
JOKERS ASYLUM THE JOKER #1 2.99
JONAH HEX #33 2.99
JSA CLASSIFIED #39 2.99
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #43 2.99
LORDS OF AVALON SOD #6 (OF 6) 2.99
LOVE THE WAY YOU LOVE #6 5.95
LUCHA LIBRE #5 6.99
LUCKY VOL 2 #2 (MR) 3.95
MACK BOLAN THE EXECUTIONER DEVILS TOOLS #4 (OF 5) 3.99
MADAME XANADU #1 2.99
MADAME XANADU #1 VAR ED
MANHUNTER #32 2.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #41 2.99
MARVEL ATLAS TP 14.99
MIGHTY AVENGERS PREM HC VOL 02 VENOM BOMB 19.99
NARUTO TP VOL 30 7.95
NEOZOIC #5 2.95
NEW BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SEASON ZERO #10 2.99
NEW DYNAMIX #4 (OF 5) 2.99
NIGHT O/T LIVING DEAD ANNUAL #1 4.99
NIGHTWING #146 2.99
NOBLE CAUSES #35 3.50
NORTHLANDERS #7 2.99
OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 09 10.95
PATH OF THE ASSASSIN TP VOL 12 THREE FOOT BATTLE 9.95
PATSY WALKER HELLCAT #1 (OF 5) 2.99
PILOT SEASON ALIBI #1 3.99
PROGRAMME #12 (OF 12) 2.99
PROOF #9 2.99
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #21 2.99
RANN THANAGAR HOLY WAR #3 (OF 8) 3.50
ROGUE ANGEL TELLER OF TALES #5 3.99
SAVAGE DRAGON #136 2.99
SECRET HISTORY THE AUTHORITY HAWKSMOOR #4 (OF 6) 2.99
SECRET INVASION #1 DIRECTORS CUT 4.99
SECRET INVASION FRONT LINE #1 (OF 5) SI 2.99
SHONEN JUMP AUGUST 08 4.99
SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN TP VOL 03 16.99
SONIC X #34 2.25
SQUADRON SUPREME 2 #1 2.99
STAR TREK ASSIGNMENT EARTH #3 3.99
STAR TREK MIRROR IMAGES #1 3.99
STAR TREK NEW FRONTIER #4 3.99
STAR TREK YEAR FOUR ENTERPRISE EXPERIMENT #3 3.99
STAR WARS CORUSCANT NIGHTS MMPB VOL 01 JEDI TWILIG 7.99
STEPHEN COLBERTS TEK JANSEN #2 OF(5) 3.99
STORMING PARADISE #1 (OF 6) 2.99
STRANGE & STRANGER WORLD OF STEVE DITKO HC 39.99
SUPERGIRL #31 2.99
SUPERMAN LAST SON HC 19.99
SUPERNATURAL RISING SON #3 (OF 6) 2.99
SWORD #9 2.99
SWORD TP VOL 01 14.99
TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #47 3.25
TEEN TITANS TP TITANS OF TOMORROW 14.99
TERRY MOORES ECHO #4 3.50
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE RAISING CAIN #3 (OF 3) 3.50
TEZUKA DORORO GN VOL 02 13.95
TOR #3 (OF 6) 2.99
TRANSFORMERS BEST OF UK SPACE PIRATES #5 3.99
TRINITY #5 2.99
TURNING POINTS LITTLE ROCK NINE GN 7.99 40.0
USAGI YOJIMBO TP VOL 22 TOMOES STORY 15.95
VINYL UNDERGROUND #10 2.99
VIX #1 (OF 3) 3.50
WALKING DEAD #50 2.99
WAR THAT TIME FORGOT #3 (OF 12) 2.99
WARRIORS GN RISE OF SCOURGE 6.99
WASTELAND #18 3.50
WATER BABY 9.99
WILDSTORM REVELATIONS TP 17.99
WIZARD MAGAZINE #202 MCNIVEN WOLVERINE CVR 5.99
WONDERMARK BEARDS OF OUR FOREFATHERS 14.95
WRITE NOW #18 6.95
ZOMBIE TALES #2 3.
99

Don't go chasing waterfalls--
Tom Batten