Best known for his legendary autobiographical AMERICAN SPLENDOR series, which was published independently and also by Vertigo in recent years, Harvey Pekar was a unique and definitive voice in the industry that will never be replicated.  

The comic book industry kicks into high gear next week, as creators, companies, studios and fans converge on San Diego for the biggest pop culture event of the year, San Diego Comic-Con. But why wait?  

The following DC Universe titles are scheduled to arrive in stores in January:  

We shared some nice WONDER WOMAN #600 news with you guys yesterday, but why stop there? It seems like the sellout craze is spreading across the DCU, with ACTION COMICS #890, BATMAN BEYOND #1, BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1-2, BIRDS OF PREY #1, THE FLASH #1, GREEN ARROW #1, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #1, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1, SUPERMAN/BATMAN ANNUAL #4 and ZATANNA #1 flying off the shelves.  

There are some characters that connect so strongly with readers that they take on a life of their own, becoming more than just ink on a page. Like modern fables and folklore, comics create strange and exciting worlds and landscapes for readers to visit and experience, and they populate these worlds with characters so well-defined, it’s as if we’d known them forever.  

In a gorgeously drawn story by Jordi Bernet, Jonah Hex gets paid a visit by a who’s who of Western heroes – the Trigger Twins, Cinnamon, Nighthawk, Bat Lash, and Scalphunter! Check out this page for a taste, then to see what happens next, hunt down JONAH HEX #57, in stores today!  

It’s almost here. The biggest pop culture event of the year – San Diego Comic-Con. Have you got your tickets? Mapped out your schedule? Figured out your to-buy list? Well, we’re here to help. We’ve got a complete breakdown of all the DCU panels happening at the show. Just click below for the complete list, and don’t forget to visit our sister blogs to get the skinny on Vertigo and WildStorm’s presence at the show.  

  Heroes are a lot like us. They have jobs. Significant others. Bills. And pets. But what if those animals they keep around as loyal companions also fought crime? That’s the questions DC and Capstone imprint Picture Window Books – a children’s publisher of illustrated fiction and nonfiction – hope to answer with DC SUPER-PETS, a new series of leveled chapter books. The project is slated to last through fall 2012 and produce 24 new titles for young readers.  

WONDER WOMAN #600 – as you could probably tell – was all the buzz last week, and with good reason. The issue unveiled a new costume designed by Co-Publisher Jim Lee timed to the launch of writer J. Michael Straczynski’s run on the series. Well, the news doesn’t stop there. We’re happy to announce that the issue has sold out, and that the second printing will feature a new cover by regular series artist Don Kramer.  

There’s always a ton of amazing artwork funneling through the halls here at DC, and it’s fun to stop and showcase a number of the cool variants that will be featured on the cover of upcoming books. So, for you perusal, here are the covers to BATMAN: THE WIDENING GYRE #5 by Gene Ha, GREEN LANTERN #56 by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #47 by Alex Garner, GREEN LANTERN CORPS #50 by Patrick Gleason and a double-shot of JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #6, with covers by Cliff Chiang and Kevin Maguire.  

TURF #2 sold out at distribution level; Image Comics takes it to press again Jonathan Ross and Tommy Lee Edwards’ TURF — a Prohibition-era tale of vampires, gangsters, and aliens — is a certified hit with the sell out of issue #2! Image Comics is reprinting the issue, and it will be available on July 21, 2010.  

Co-Creators Jane Wiedlin and Bill Morrison Debut Lady Robotika at Two Bay-Area Comic Shops WHO: Lady Robotika, the inter-galactic rock ‘n roll sexy cyborg heroine, is the brainchild of Jane Wiedlin (legendary guitarist for the Go-Go’s) and Bill Morrison (Eisner Award-winning creative behind The Simpsons Comics, Futurama Comics, Roswell, Little Green Man and Heroes Anonymous), and she makes her debut in comic stores nationwide on July 14.