As a huge fan of both these titles, I am super excited to hear that Hellboy and The Umbrella Academy are now available on the iPhone.

Although I am far too stupid/poor to actually own this particular gadget du jour, it is still very cool that both of these rad Dark Horse titles are now portable. Download them @ the iTunes store for only .99 cents each.

They are out, and they are awesome. I just picked up my set @ Chicago Comics.

Get more info here.

I am a huge fan of Brazilian artist Gabriel Ba. His work on The Umbrella Academy and Casanova represents one of the most unique artistic visions to reach comic books in years. His work and relationship with fellow artist/colloborator/twin brother Fabio Moon borders on mystic, and their styles lend themselves to a very special form of story telling.

Luckily for me, this was a big Ba week. With the release of both a hardcover collection of Pixu, his dark graphic novel, and B.P.R.D. 1947, a cool Hellboy spinoff (Both from Dark Horse), I have managed to get a sufficient Ba fix.

Any and all of these works are worth checking out, and you can get them all @ Chicago Comics.

With only one more issue left to be released in Dallas, the second story in The Umbrella Academy saga, now is as good a time as any to read one of my favorite comic books ever, by the leader of one of my least favorite bands ever. Seriously, this book is as good as My  Chemical Romance is bad. Plus, the art by Nerd City favorite Gabriel Ba is some of the best you’ll ever see. This new story line is just as good, if not better, than the stellar first series, Apocalypse Suite.

Direct Link to Youtube Video

So, it’s confession time. I heart “The Umbrella Academy“, the comic book by Gabriel Ba and frontman of one of my least favorite bands of all time, My Chemical Romance, Gerard Way.

Look, I promise I approached the first Umbrella Academy story, Apocalypse Suite, with heavy, heavy skepticism. I went in to the book with intentions of hating it. After all, how could any one associated with, ugh, My Chemical Romance, produce anything not suicide-inducing?

Yet regardless of my undying hatred for his previous work, I have to say, The Umbrella Academy is one of the best comics I’ve ever read. Seriously. It’s a mix of The Royal Tenenbaums, Hellboy, and Jules Verne, and the art by Gabriel Ba is some of the best I’ve seen. The book is a perfect fit for publishing house Dark Horse, and it has quickly become one of their flagship titles.

Issue #1 of the new storyline, “Umbrella Academy: Dallas” is available now, with issue #2 dropping on X-mas day. With a new line of toys coming out in April, and a confirmed movie due from Universal, The Umbrella Academy appears to be nothing short of a phenomenon, and I say hoorah! In fact, I hope The Umbrella Academy is so successful, Gerard Way never has to record a single song again.

Get The Umbrella Academy here.

Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez signs his new toy release “Kill Audio“, today at 4-6 p.m. at Rotofugi. Although I’m not particularly crazy about the band, this dude seems to be everywhere nerdy, including writing Image Comics‘ Armory Wars, and the figure does look kind of cool. For more info about liking something nerdy from a guy who’s band you hate, please see The Umbrella Academy, available at Chicago Comics.