My Fellow Americans, I come to you all today to inform you of some of the really exciting things that are going on in the comics industry. And while I will be focusing primarily on the actions of late of the "Big Two" as they have come to be known I will also take a few moments to discuss what is going on with some of the smaller companies involved as well. I will endeavor to remain spoiler free. I do this for you, the American People.
Things have been heating up in the world, some might even say that there is some hotness on the horizon. When these people speak of this there are two things of which they are likely to be speaking: the first is The Heroic Age. For too long now our Marvel heroes have been mired in Dark Days, perhaps even under a Reign of Evil of sorts ... and now they find themselves be-Siege-d on all sides. But worry not my fellow Americans, for brighter days are coming. A new and bold Heroic Age is only around the corner, should we all wish to see it. We need only persevere a brief while longer. And then these heroes, who have been New for so long, will return to being Earth's Mightiest Heroes. They will no longer have to hide out under rocks or in basements, they will be encouraged to come out into the sunlight and to be washed clean so that they may be once again seen as the heroes we had all known and loved. Perhaps you may have heard who will be bringing about this bold new age of heroism ... but perhaps you have not. For those of you who may find yourselves unaware two names will become important in the very near future, those of Brian Michael Bendis, and John Romita Jr. These bold men will usher in a new age with some familiar faces and with others that are new to our times. Some of these names have been revealed to us and we will share them here.
Richard Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes is a name known by millions in our country as he once stood bravely beside our greatest patriot, Captain America. But in recent years he has taken on the mantle of his fallen, but now returned, comrade. He may look different than we had become used to but he certainly wields The Shield of mentor with the same brazen bravery to which we had become accustomed. We welcome him with the same open hearts that we once opened to Steve Rogers.
The second name and face is also well known throughout not only our country but the entire world as it was worn by a recent invader as she and her people attempted to Secret-ly conduct an Invasion of our world from all fronts. The face worn by the Skrull Queen was that of Jessica Drew. The newly returned Jessica Drew, known the world over as Spider-Woman, has begun a campaign not only to show the world that she is still a hero and is not the menace who wore her visage for so long. She has been revealed as another Avenger as well as having joined one of our Intelligence Agencies, which has come to recent prominence in light of the same Invasion that was lead by the woman, nay creature, who wore her face: S.W.O.R.D. An off-shoot of the far more well known S.H.I.E.L.D. that has protected our earth from those who call her home and yet would seek to do her harm. S.W.O.R.D. protects us from the skies, from those creatures known and unknown who would see Earth as a pawn in a grand galactic game or perhaps as simply a rich source of fresh resources or a labor force awaiting enslavement.
The other source of heat that is on the horizon comes from our friends at DC Comics and is known simply as: The Brightest Day. While we have spent the last six months waiting with baited breath as The Blackest Night has held us all enthralled perhaps the more significant announcement has been the recent admission that after Blackest Night will come Brightest Day. Being brought to us by two names that have become synonymous with the Lanterns of Light, Peter J. Tomasi, and Geoff Johns, Brightest Day promises a year of bi-weekly updates as the universe becomes more illuminated under the watchful eye of The New Guardians.
Another log on the fire is the recent announcement that many of the major players from Blackest Night will be given representation in the recently revived HeroClix game through an upcoming boxed set featuring the Bearers of many of the colors of Light that make up the primary excitement of the Blackest Night Event. The revealed images show both the bearer of the Green 
Light, Hal Jordan as well as the deputized bearer of Red Light Mera, Dethroned Queen of Dimension Aqua and current Queen of Atlantis.
Also coming from DC Comics is the return of one of the most beloved characters of this or any age, Barry Allen. The return of the Fastest Man Alive of the Silver Age began in 2008 with his reappearance in Final Crisis and built last year as his Rebirth began and his reemergence as a front-line character was solidified by his part in the pages of the previously mentioned Blackest Night. But perhaps it is his return to ongoing comics that has people most excited. With this 
spring's Flash #1 written by the aforementioned Geoff Johns and with art by his recent companion on Adventure Comics, the incredibly talented Francis Manapul, Barry Allen couldn't be in better hands as he returns home as Central City's proudest native son and once again patrols her streets leaving behind justice and a tell-tale red blur in his wake. Along with the return of The Fastest Man Alive is another great piece of memorabilia from the folks at DC Comics and while we cannot promise that there will be a compact Flash Costume hidden in the secret compartment (or that there will even be a secret compartment at all) we can promise that this Flash Ring is going to be one of the hottest items of the Spring
Another announcement came recently from actress Erica Cerra who has stated a desire to be considered for the role of Wonder Woman in the eventual Big Screen Live Action Adaptation. And she proposes that her coming turn as Hera in Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief will prove to any doubters that she can pull off the other worldly grace that would be necessary to play Diana Prince, Princess of the Amazons.
Finally we come to the many wonders of the Small Press ... And while I would love to tell you about all the exciting things that are coming from companies like Dark Horse, Image, DDP, Dynamite and others I think that pictures will do them more justice:
Dynamite Brings Kevin Smith's Green Hornet to Life
Archaia Goes Down to Fraggle Rock!
Top Cow Open's Pandora's Box and Reveals 2 New Aritfact Bearers.
Stuff of Legend Returns for 2 Additional Volumes.
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I don't know if there are two phrases that gamers love more than "Collector's Edition" and "Anniversary Edition". Ask any Axis & Allies fan about the Anniversary Edition that was released around Christmas of 2008 and they'll get this wistful and glow-y look about them, or in some cases they'll get a frustrated and angered look and you'll know that they missed out. Ask Euro Game fans about the Collector's Treasure Chest Edition of Settlers of Catan, and the drool will start to pour from all corners; it's certainly a site to behold. Most of the time these are the kind of games that only really serious collectors and those with some serious expendable income will even consider taking home with them, but they are the kinds of games that everyone who loves board games of any kind wishes was part of their home collection.
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Fantasy Flight Games has gone out of their way to make a truly gorgeous product. The announced contents are enough to make other games cower in the corner and wish they could be War of the Rings Collector's Edition when they grow up. It reads as such:;)
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Time: ;)
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