The Comics Run: April 22, 2013

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Hey, comic book world. These are the books I'm super excited for this week. We probably have different opinions, which is why this is the perfect opportunity for you to cruise it on over to the comments and strike up a healthy discussion about this week's most exciting books!

If you want a comprehensive list of everything that’s coming out this week and not just my own picks for what’s hot, check out Diamond’s shipping list.

Superman Family Adventures #12 - $2.99

By Franco & Art Baltazar | DC

DC’s best Superman book is also, sadly, now a cancelled Superman book. Picking up where the spirit of the phenomenal Tiny Titans left off, Franco and Baltazar’s Superman Family Adventures is an all-ages celebratory romp through the world of the Man of Steel, from the classic comics to the Donner movie to the New 52 and beyond.

While this is the book’s final issue, its charm – much like its predecessor – lives on through infinite re-reads and will surely be enjoyed by the generations still to come. It’s just pure fun.

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #22 - $3.99

By Brian Bendis & Sara Pichelli | Marvel

This issue of Ultimate Spidey is a collection of endings in a way. Not only does the recent Venom arc come to its close, but so too does Sara Pichelli’s time on the book. She’s been with Ultimate Spider-Man in some capacity for about five years now, so it’s going to be a major bummer to see her go. That said, she’ll be debuting on Guardians of the Galaxy soon enough while the awesome David Marquez takes over full-time duties for Miles Morales.

This issue promises some big changes for Miles as Spidey, and judging by Bendis’ track record, he ain’t lying.

Jupiter’s Legacy #1 - $2.99

By Mark Millar & Frank Quitely | Image

While Image’s solicitation text for this issue – “the superhero epic that all future comics will be measured by” – might feel like hyperbole, it’s undeniable that the anticipation for this book is through the roof. Millar and Quitely have talked about the book for years, so it’s hard to believe that it’s finally coming out. The general idea is that this universe’s superheroes are old now, and the story follows their children who struggle to live up to the legacy of their parents.

More importantly, it’s Frank Quitely, which is enough to sell me on almost anything.

Witch Doctor: Mal Practice #6 - $2.99

By Brandon Seifert & Lukas Ketner | Image

Witch Doctor is one of those books with endless possibilities for stories; the flexible environment in which these characters exist make it easy for their creators to craft a variety of different adventures. While this is the final issue of Mal Practice, I’m hoping that Doc Morrow and friends will be making a return sooner rather than later. When people ask me what the book is about, I just tell them it’s X-Files meets Doctor Who, and that usually makes their ears perk up a bit.

This is the big finale, so expect some twists and turns as Morrow tries (and perhaps fails) to save a town from the evil forces at work.

The Creep HC - $19.99

By John Arcudi & Jonathan Case | Dark Horse

John Arcudi is one of the best working comic book scribes, no doubt about it, so The Creep was a book I’d been looking forward to for a really long time. A nice chunk of the writer’s work of late has been in the Mignola-verse, but The Creep is a full-fledged creator owned book that mixes a lot of different elements to create a delicious noir cocktail.

The book follows a private detective named Oxel working a case that revolves around the suicide of a teenage boy. Naturally, there’s more to it – the dead boy’s mom is an old flame of the detective, who’s been cursed with a disease called acromegaly, which gives him a disfigured form. If all of these elements sound disparate and crazy, don’t worry. It all comes together in a complex and creative narrative.

Related: if you’ve never read Arcudi’s A God Somewhere, do so.

Joey is a Senior Editor at IGN and a comic book creator. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. After Man of Steel comes out, his life will lose all sense of direction and purpose.

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Darksiders, Red Faction, MX vs ATV Purchased by Nordic Games

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THQ’s remaining assets including Darksiders, Red Faction, MX vs. ATV and more have found new homes. According to THQ, three buyers spent a total of $6.55 million on the company’s remaining assets, subject to court approval.

  • Nordic Games purchased the rights to Darksiders, Red Faction and MX vs. ATV, as well as rights to THQ’s other owned software (Destroy All Humans!, Summoner and more) and licensed software (Marvel Super Hero Squad, Supreme Commander and more) for $4.9 million in total.
  • As announced earlier today, Borderlands 2 developer Gearbox Software purchased the rights to the Homeworld franchise, and THQ has now disclosed that the purchase price was $1.35 million.
  • The rights to Drawn to Life and Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter were purchased by 505 Games for $300,000.

Previously, THQ confirmed it would be selling its remaining assets following its bankruptcy and the sale of its other intellectual property in January.

THQ expects the court to finalize the sales by May 13th.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

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Mark Waid and Dean Haspiel Revive a Pulp Hero at Archie

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You've seen him take on pulp heroes like the Green Hornet, The Rocketeer, and soon, The Spirit, but now comics superstar Mark Waid is taking on a hero you've probably never heard of: The Fox. Along with artist Dean Haspiel, Waid is reviving this classic hero under Archie's Red Circle imprint, where he will be integrated into the Red Circle Universe alongside the New Crusaders.

Our Review of New Crusaders Vol. 1

The Fox made his original debut in 1940 in Blue Ribbon Comics #4, and was later revamped under the Archie banner, where he appeared briefly in the mid-1980s. The traditional story behind The Fox is that he's Paul Patten, a college athlete-turned-ace reporter/photographer, who decides to become a crimefighter so as to be the first on the scene and get the best shots. Whether or not Waid and Haspiel will be keeping that origin remains to be seen.

In addition, Archie announced a new trade paperback called New Crusaders: Legacy, which will collect "new and iconic" stories featuring the Crusaders characters -- including The Fox -- by the likes of Carmine Infantino, Alex Toth, and Steve Ditko. The only downside is that Archie has pushed back the release of New Crusaders: Dark Tomorrow, which will now release in early 2014.

Joey is a Senior Editor at IGN and a comic book creator. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. After Man of Steel comes out, his life will lose all sense of direction and purpose.

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NES Game 'Holy Grail' Found for $8

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A gamer’s $8 Goodwill find has turned into a windfall of at least $12,000.

An unidentified woman bought the super-rare collectible NES game Family Fun Fitness: Stadium Events at a Goodwill thrift store in North Carolina. She is now auctioning the rare game on GameGavel, a video game auction site. The current bid is at $12,000, and there are still six days left on the listing.

She recognized the “Holy Grail” of the Nintendo NES, and recalled its fame from an eBay auction a few years prior for a group of games that fetched over $10,000 due to Stadium Events’ inclusion.

According to her interview on GameGavel, she is planning to use the money she makes from the auction to pay off her student debt.

This isn’t the first time a casual discovery has netted a gamer several thousand dollars. Red Sea Crossing, an independently-developed 1983 game for the Atari 2600, earned its owner $10,000 in a 2007 auction. Last year, a copy of Air Raid fetched $33,000.

When a copy of Stadium Events surfaced in 2011 it sold for $38,000.

Katie Williams is a freelance games journalist and critic. She tweets at @desensitisation and hopes that one day, a bird will tweet back.

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Being Human's Sam Huntington Coming to C2E2

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Sam Huntington, star of Syfy's Being Human, will have his own Q&A panel at Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo this week on Friday, April 26 from 8:15-9:15pm.

The third season of Being Human may have just ended, but fans know that there's still plenty left to discuss. Luckily, Huntington will be on-hand at the convention to talk about his time playing Josh Levison.

The Huntington panel will take place in W470b. For more info, head on over to the C2E2 website.

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Grand Theft Auto 5 Live-Action Commercial Outed

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A fan in Mexico City has spotted the set of a live-action Grand Theft Auto V commercial. In a series of photos, Marco Donjuan shows off various car accidents and destruction as part of the shoot.

"Once I parked my car, I went out to ask about it, [and] one of the staff members told me it was an ad for Grand Theft Auto 5," Donjuan told Polygon. Donjuan says he saw two more cars and “a bunch of washing machines” added to the set.

Earlier today, Rockstar released a teaser video related to Grand Theft Auto V featuring The Epsilon Program. Grand Theft Auto V will hit Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 17th.

We've reached out to Rockstar about the ad and will update this story with any comment we receive.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

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Archer and Armstrong #10 Preview

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On June 5, an all-new arc of Valiant's Archer and Armstrong -- the publisher's best reviewed series to date -- kicks off. Written by Fred Van Lente and featuring art by Pere Perez, the new storyline promises, Archer, Armstrong, and... aliens!

Not to mention that Mary-Maria makes her return to take over The Sect. So basically, Archer and Armstrong is about to get even stranger... but that's a good thing.

We've got an early look at the issue below!

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Joey is a Senior Editor at IGN and a comic book creator. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. After Man of Steel comes out, his life will lose all sense of direction and purpose.

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