On Saturday, fantastic Hayes Valley comic book store Isotope played host to Ed Brubaker, who's as hot a writer in the comics industry as anyone. Recently, a story of Brubaker's made headlines nationwide (and Colbert, of course): the death of Marvel Comics' icon Captain America. ...

As part of our big fun December, we're giving away lots of stuff, including review copies of materials previously discussed on the site. Why? Because we like you! For example, do you remember this post? One of the books discussed is the great Smoke and Guns, about which was said: As a former cigarette girl herself, Kirsten Baldock had plenty of material to mine for Smoke and Guns, a Sin-Cityish shoot-em-up about warring gangs......

It was a day like any other, we recall, when Isotope Comics suddenly fell into our lap -- and then, in a blur of capes and shotguns, we were off on the wildest adventure of our lives. Isotope's a swanky/friendly joint at 326 Fell (that's Hayes-Valley-ish), where comix from mainstream to obscure mingle amongst cozy chairs, original art framed by toilet seats, and strange creatures suspended in jars of fluid. It's the kind of......