As a reader, you often connect with a book in a purely random way. While most of the industry may try their hardest to entirely ignore a book, others may adore it with an ever enduring passion. In the past few years Blue Beetle (featuring Jamie Reyes) was that book for me, and one of the main reasons was Rafael Albuquerque and his wonderful art.

Albuquerque created a phenomenal blend of realistic character models with kinetic action sequences and strong visual humor, and worked perfectly in concert with John Rogers' scripts on that book. Since it went away, we've seen covers from him but almost no interiors.

Today though, we get our first interiors from him in a long while, and something with a significant style change: Vertigo's American Vampire. This book is going to be high profile without a doubt because of its Vertigo affiliation and the fact a little guy named Stephen King is co-writing it, but still, I think this is going to be a big time coming out party for one of my favorite artists.

Not only that, but he'll be releasing the first volume of his original graphic novel series titled Mondo Urbano through Oni Press in May, and it is already receiving "the next Scott Pilgrim" praise from those that have read it. As it says in the solicit, it's a series of vignettes that takes readers on a gritty and exciting ride through a world of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. How does that not sound amazing? He's working with collaborators Eduardo Medeiros and Mateus Santolouco on the title, and it's not to be missed...you know, if you like good comics.

Don't forget to pick up either of the titles, especially because after he becomes an industry titan you can say things like "oh yeah, I was reading Rafael's work before he was big time." This is the year of Rafael Albuquerque folks - don't miss out on it.