Happy Monday, Source gang. Hope the weekend was pleasant and restful.

Let me be realistic here: We read a lot of comics on a day-to-day basis. Lots of great, exciting stories involving our favorite characters and some new and engaging ones as well. Every once in a while, you come across an issue that really cuts to the core of what made you get into comics -- and what kept you reading. THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #33 is one such comic.

JMS crafts a fun, poignant and entertaining story into one issue, masterfully illustrated by the very talented Cliff Chiang.

Sometimes it's easy to lose titles in the shuffle, with so many books coming out every week. But we wanted to steer you back to this one, because it's certainly a treat. We caught up with Cliff to share some of his thoughts on the issue and he was kind enough to share some of his pencils and inks.

Be warned, though. Some spoilers below. But why not just run out and pick up the issue? We'll wait. Click below for some lovely Cliff Chiang artwork and insight...

I really enjoyed drawing Batgirl in her original black and blue costume, and using the George Perez design for Wonder Woman. The story needed to feel classic, iconic, and somewhat timeless in that regard. However, JMS smartly updated a lot of the references so it's not a "flashback" issue per se. I like the idea that comics continuity is constantly happening and refreshing itself.

I was really looking forward to drawing the women in their civilian clothes; you never see enough of that in comics! Fashion is such a specific thing, and in a case like this, you can't just wing it. Unlike the costumes, the fashion had to be contemporary, or you risk it just being fake and bland. My fiancée was kind enough to round up a great selection of au courant dresses, and I picked the 3 that fit their personalities. So Wonder Woman, Zatanna and Batgirl are actually wearing designer dresses and shoes.

In a story like this, you can really go wild with little touches. Given the "Sex and The City" vibe of the script, I tried to inject as much of the

feeling of my hometown of New York as I could. From the taxis and the advertisements, to the karaoke bar, to the diner with the foil covered plants -- these are some of the things I associate with New York nightlife. On their own the details are minor, but the cumulative effect is a fully-realized, believable world, and you can allow yourself to be carried away by the emotional story.

The penultimate scene was probably the most intimidating for me to draw. I had to remind readers of Brian Bolland's brilliant work on "The Killing Joke" despite our vastly different styles, as well as inter-cut with flashback panels. I borrowed a trick I saw from a John Romita Jr. comic and staggered the panels to give a sense of the "camera" switching back and forth. I rarely do much rendering or cross-hatching, but for the double-page spread, it felt right, to help shock the reader with a different kind of reality. I'm really proud of how the book turned out and hope the readers feel as strongly about it as I do.

Let's go over our SUPERMAN checklist, shall we?

Great writer? J. Michael Straczynski. Check.

Great artist? Eddy Barrows. Check.

Great cover artist? John Cassaday. Check.

Wait, what?

Yep -- you read that correctly. Starting with SUPERMAN #701, the artist behind the masterful PLANETARY and many more amazing projects will be lending his eye to detail and dynamic design work to SUPERMAN's covers. Neat, huh?

But we wouldn't just announce something this big without an image, so here's a first look at John's #701 cover. Enjoy.

The Eisner Awards, considered by many to be "The Oscars" of comic book industry awards, unveiled their nominees for the 2010 ceremony today, honoring a number of key DCU titles and creators. The winners will be named at the San Diego Comic-Con International, the largest and oldest comic convention in the United States.

Let's check out the DCU nominees, shall we?

SINGLE ISSUE:

"Blackhawk and the Flash: Firing Line," by J. Michael Straczynski and artist Jesus Saiz presents the reader with a tale both classic and modern, reminding us of the best, off-the-wall superhero team-ups of the past with a modern twist.

LIMITED SERIES OR STORY ARC:

BLACKEST NIGHT, by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert. The epic, universe-spanning mini-series gets a much-deserved nod from the Eisner judges, capping off an epic year of compelling storytelling and jaw-droppingly beautiful art that dominated the comic book landscape.

WRITER:

Geoff Johns, ADVENTURE COMICS, BLACKEST NIGHT, THE FLASH: REBIRTH, SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN, GREEN LANTERN. What more can be said about Mr. Johns? He's had a stellar year, hasn't he? Whether he was bringing back the dead and spreading mutli-colored rings in the pages of BLACKEST NIGHT or reinventing one of modern folklore's greatest legends in the pages of SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN, Johns has blazed a trail through the DC Universe by making the supremely difficult look almost too easy: strong stories focused on strong characters with no frills.

WRITER:

James Robinson, JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE. One thing that can be said about James Robinson as a writer? He takes risks. Whether it's launching a Justice League series starring Congorilla, a blue-skinned Starman and Supergirl or having one of comic's most-beloved heroes shoot an arrow through Prometheus' skull, let it never said that Robinson plays it safe. And it's that daring and innate knowledge of these characters he so clearly loves that earned him the nod.

PENCILLER/INKER and COVER ARTIST:

J.H. Williams III, DETECTIVE COMICS. You read that correctly. That's TWO nominations for superstar artist J.H. Williams III, who clearly poured everything he had into his work on the Batwoman story in DETECTIVE COMICS. It was Williams' vivid and constantly evolving linework and almost innate ability to construct a page -- and do so in new, daring ways -- that helped literally paint a picture for the reader, and really made Kate Kane a real, breathing character for an entire generation of fans to embrace. Bravo!

PAINTER/MULTIMEDIA ARTIST:

Mauro Cascioli, JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE. Mauro Cascioli made tragedy real. With his realistic, painterly style, Cascioli brought a gritty, three-dimensional sensibility to a book that collected some of the most daring and imaginative characters in the DC Universe. Whether it was a battle of super-powered beings among the clouds or an archer's aching sense of loss, Cascioli has it covered, and he showed as much in the pages of CRY FOR JUSTICE.

COLORING:

Alex Sinclair, BLACKEST NIGHT. Seems like a no-brainer, huh? But not just anyone could bring to life the vivid spectrum of powers and emotions that form the crux of BLACKEST NIGHT -- from the raging reds of Atrocitus to the serene blues of Saint Walker and everything in between, Sinclair made the reader feel like they were on the sidelines watching a fantastical light battle that was as awe-inspiring as it was dangerous. Not an easy feat, folks.

GRAPHIC ALBUM (REPRINT) and PUBLICATION DESIGN

ABSOLUTE JUSTICE. Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Doug Braithwaite's all-star story of of heroes and villains got the spruced up Absolute treatment in 2009, and we finally got to see the book's amazing artwork presented as it should have been -- in an expanded and high-end format.

Congrats to all the nominees. 2009 was a major year for the DC Universe, and it's great to see the talent recognized by such an esteemed organization. Fingers crossed!

It's been a busy few weeks for Mr. Straczynski, huh?

Not only did we announce his upcoming run on both SUPERMAN and WONDER WOMAN, but just last night, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES spoke to the superstar writer about another DCU original graphic novel, SAMARITAN X. What is SAMARITAN X? Too early to get into too much detail, but you can sate your curiosity by reading the full CBR interview, excerpted below:

CBR News: At this point, I'm sure the project and its conception is very new so let's start with the basics: What is "Samaritan X" both in terms of its story and its format, and how did this come about amid all your other writing work at DC and beyond?

J. Michael Straczynski: Starting with a graphic novel and a potential regular monthly series thereafter, the book is about the Samaritan X Hospital, based in Gotham, which specializes in individuals with super-powers. At its core, it’s a human drama set against the backdrop of super-human characters from the DC Universe, where the skills of ordinary men and women may mean life or death for the strongest among us.

Samaritan X is as impressive outside as it is inside: a twenty-story gleaming glass and steel tower with two landing platforms on the roof, bullet-proof glass three inches thick, a staff of the best and the brightest in a variety of disciplines, and every high-tech, cutting-edge medical, scientific and diagnostic tool ever created, all in service to an area of specialization, and a clientele, that is utterly unique.

In a world where super-powered individuals fight a never-ending battle against evil, Samaritan X is where those wounded on either side of that struggle come to be treated and saved. Within its walls the essential human drama of life and death is made even more intense by its application to those whom the world calls heroes or villains, the celebrated and the vilified, the nearly immortal and the previously invulnerable.