RBN: How did this whole thing come about? Had you heard of other stores doing this? It seems like such an obvious idea for a comic shop to do yet I don't think I've ever heard of anyone doing it before.

ANDY MANSELL: This was an idea rumbling around in Dustin's mind for a while. I was always complaining on Wednesday-- New Releases day, that I didn't have enough time to talk about books that really got my blood up. The staff would be trying to sort thousands of new books, assist dozens of customers and half-listen to me frothing at the mouth.

So an idea was born.

I was thrilled that Dustin asked me to moderate. I have always enjoyed the opportunities that Heroes has provided me by letting me run panels at the last three Heroes Cons.

So Dustin thought I would be a natural.

RBN: When you think about book groups, you generally think of people getting together in someone's living room, drinking tea, discussing Jane Austen or John Steinbeck. What did you picture when you started thinking about this book group for comics? How have the first few meetings turned out in comparison to what you planned it to be?



AM: I disagree with you about the vision of book groups you mentioned. When we have had book groups we have met in local watering holes. A few potent potables make for looser lips. The first one was tricky because I still did not know what I was doing. I was so heck bent on throwing out all my theories regarding League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, it became more of a lecture than a discussion group. I worked too hard to try to impress; a tough pill to swallow. However, the last hour really got things going in the right direction.

Fortunately, I took the lessons learned from the first meeting and it turned the next two All Star Superman and Batman Year One into marvelous discussions.

RBN: That's interesting. I noticed at the meeting that I had the pleasure of being present for – the Batman Year One discussion– that you came in with a pile of handwritten notes. You obviously put a lot of work into preparing for these discussions. A lot of people running one of these things might just show up and hope for the discussion to play out naturally but it's really helpful having you generate the talking points to keep the conversation interesting. Walk us through how you prepared for the Batman Year One discussion and what you learned from the previous discussions that helped make this one more interactive?

AM: OKAY--

I read the book 4 times.
Once for pleasure.
Once for themes/structure/narrative.
Once for the art and hidden gems comic or movie allusions.
One last time to finalize the ideas and see what I missed.
I write up all my notes twice and put them into categories. Then, I create at least 10 topics with -- and MOST importantly-- a LEADING question or two for each topic.
I also give myself reminders such as: find the person(s) who did not like the book or does not like superheroes-- and use them as the litmus or devil's advocate.
Another reminder-- if a participant is shy or nervous, I make a point to compliment them for their point.
Another reminder-- no one is wrong; get inside everyone's shoes.
I really write that at the top of every page.

RBN: For the first discussion you chose an Alan Moore book, then Grant Morrison followed by Frank Miller. Obviously you started by hitting all the big names. Talk about how you go about choosing the books.

AM: We fought it out for a few weeks to try to find the right book-- we wanted one that could generate a lot of discussion, so we settled on LoEG.

After that, we spend the last 15 minutes of the discussion time selecting the next book-- we go around the circle twice giving recommendations. Then we put them on the blog and let the conversation and voting begin.

RBN: How do you guys go about promoting this event each month?

DUSTIN HARBIN: The last four months or so we've been trying to dial up the idea of a monthly schedule, i.e., Manga Night, the Discussion Group, and any other events that month, and printing little flyers to give out to customers. The convention kinda screwed that up, just because it's such a vast black hole for time and energy, but we're getting slowly back on track now. And of course we talk it up on our blog, and in our weekly newsletter, the Heroes Hotline. Besides that, we actively push it in the store to people we think we'd like to talk to--for instance, yourself Rich. It's CRIMINAL that you've only been to one! My dream is to get a really great mix of people each month, male, female, young, old, talking about whatever. We're nearing the 10-15 person a month mark, but I'd like to get up around 15-20 ideally, especially since everyone can't come every month.

RBN: Yeah I wish I had been able to make the first few and now, having been to one and enjoyed it thoroughly, I wish there was almost a back issue system for the meetings so that I could go back and review what I missed.

What books would you love to discuss in the future?

AM: I still believe the three best books for discussion would be Ice Haven, Fun Home and Ordinary Victories...
My absolute dream discussion would be if we could get everyone to read Schulz and Peanuts - 1 volume of Peanuts from the late 60s and then Peanuts 2000 (the final year). Then throw in the recent Comics Journal-- the responses to the biography. Now that would be a awesome!!

DH: Well, my tastes are a little different. I would really REALLY love to dig into some challenging stuff, especially highly visible stuff like David B.'s Epileptic or Sammy Harkham's The Poor Sailor. Those are both just pure comic books, saturated with goodness. They're pretty advanced, though, and might be harder for some regular superhero readers to dive right into. Also From Hell, although we'd need a whole weekend to talk about that one. Maybe a Discussion Group retreat?

RBN: Are there any books that you think would not make for a good discussion? What is the criteria that makes a book worthy?

AM: Originally, I would have given the criteria as clarity of vision and consistency of execution. To me the two keys to art, but now in retrospect... it is the story and the characters that are the key. The plot has to grab and challenge. You have to identify or be polarized by the characters.

Here is the best example I can give: Little Lulu - One of my favorites - comic art at it's zenith. We could discuss the pacing, the set up and pacing of the humor, but it would only work as part of a larger discussion-- say comparing Stanley/Tripp to Barks. In order to have a solid discussion, the readers need something to hang their hat on.

One more example: you can look at a Rothko all day, but sit in a group and try discussing one painting. You wouldn't get too far without putting it in context of movements, the times, his contemporaries..etc.

Our next book will be Jeff Smith's Monster Society of Evil-- I do not believe this book works as well as I thought upon first reading... This will make a very challenging and exciting discussion.

DH: I would point out right away that our next book is NOT actually Shazam; we decided to go with Sandman Volume 4: Season of Mists instead, mainly because a) it's been requested a LOT, and b) oddly, because neither Andy nor myself particularly like it, which will pose an interesting challenge, and maybe make for even more interesting discussion. I'd rather read and talk about Shazam, but probably more because I'm a big Jeff Smith fan than out of any love for that book. I suspect there's not much to talk about.

RBN: What's the setting and atmosphere like for the discussion? How interactive does the discussion usually get?

AM: Best questions ever! We meet in the store, in the back where it is cool, the chairs are close to each other and uncomfortable. You have to sit up and listen.

If I had my choice I would have it in a local watering hole-- a wee bit of the wet loosens the lips-- but this goes against the feel and the attitude of Heroes Aren't Hard to Find.

I try to sit at the head across from everyone so I can make eye contact with everyone. It really works.

The group is getting more interactive every week. Some of it is a comfort level, most of it is because I am finally figuring out how to do it.

The first meeting was a lecture, the last two have been pure discussion

RBN: Do you have any advice for other stores that would like to start a venture like this?

DH: I would say to just dive right in--that's what we did. I can't overstate how great Andy is at this stuff, so maybe step one is to find an Andy. Step two is to make sure no one is left out or minimalized, so it's a real discussion and not just a couple of people talking. Even when someone comes up with some really oddball left-field observations, we try to welcome all opinions. It also helps that we vote each month on what the next topic will be--I think that helps the group members feel invested in the group's focus and direction.

AM: Start simple.
If your first book Maggots or Screw Style-- it may very well put off a lot of the readers.

Build slowly-- get people involved.

Invite an opposed opinion or two. Some of our best conversation came from one reader who loved Superman but hated All Star and we had at least two participants for Batman Year One that do not read superhero books at all.

Offer water.

Best of all-- have an artist in the group--Andy Smith took about 15 minutes and showed us all the storytelling tricks Mazzuchelli used on Batman Year One. We were dazzled!!!

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More information about The Heroes Discussion Group can be found at the excellent Heroes Online Blog. Photos from each event were taken by Dustin Harbin and can be viewed here.

Anyone in the Charlotte area should check out these lively and informative discussions. The events are monthly and are hosted at the Heroes Aren't Hard To Find store. Look for info on the next event at http://the-heroesonline-blog.blogspot.com/