When I went to the Pop Candy party last month at Isotope in San Francisco, it was the first time I’d ever set foot in a comic book store. Pop Candy columnist Whitney Matheson is always recommending graphic novels and comic books, and I can certainly understand the allure now. Meeting Heroes artist Tim Sale was also an influential factor on my new hobby.

I am attending Comic-Con in San Diego this summer, primarily for the Lost panel and pop culture experience, but most of the booths and other panels will be foreign to me. I wanted to at least get a feel for the style of graphic novels out there before I go, so I chose one literally based on name recognition alone.  Pride of Baghdad is written by Brian K. Vaughan, who is a writer and producer on Lost. It is a compelling tale about a family of lions who experience freedom and danger after the zoo in Baghdad is bombed during the war.

Because Superman is my favorite superhero of all time, I borrowed Superman: Red Son from a friend with a sizable graphic novel collection (that I will be pilfering now and then). I have not read it yet, but it re-imagines Superman as a Soviet hero, which is a fascinating concept.

Initial thoughts, questions and crazy theories about tonight’s new episode are now posted on my other blog, Get LOST with JOpinionated.

Don’t forget to set your DVR/TiVO…the second half of Season 4 begins next Thursday at 10pm on ABC. Lost will now air in this later time slot, after Grey’s Anatomy.