Monthly Archive for August, 2007

The Week of August 27th

Published on August 28, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

Last week I made mention of the pro-wrestler Triple H being rumored to play the part of Thor in a theatrical film version of the comic. If you were unsure if he would make a good Thor, check out Tyler’s drawing

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www.tylerwalpole.com
The thing is Tyler never intended it to look like The Game, it just does and that’s because Triple H looks like Thor (or Conan.)  One more reason this would be the best casting of any comic to film… okay, except Mickey Rourke in Sin City.

Now lets get the comic news out of the way. I want to point out a couple of books you may or may not care about. First, The Last Fantastic Four Story by Stan Lee and John Romita Jr. hits stands on Wednesday. I did not order many of these, as it’s a $4.99 book. If you want it, let me know. Second, there are a bunch of Countdown related books coming from DC this week and over the next couple months. I am ordering sparingly on these as I have no way to judge interest or quality. All of these books are leading to Final Crisis and if that is your thing, let me know and I’ll pull all or some of them for you just like I do for the big Marvel crossovers.
Next I have good news, some necessary news and a question for you this week.
First the good news. I’ve been asked by a few people about Zombiefest. Not to get into to many specifics, but I wasn’t really sure it was going to happen. Lets just say the shop and our landlord don’t see eye to eye on a few things (yeah, just a few) and, well, he hates our festivals we have had in the past. So, I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to happen this year, until I talked to Scott with the Iowa Comic Book Club. Nothing nailed into stone yet, but look for more info in the next couple weeks. It’s a very good chance Zombiefest 2007 will actually happen and it might be the last weekend in October at the State Fair Grounds.
Now for the necessary. I need those of you who have not been in for over a month to come in and buy some comics you have in your box. There are several customers who are stretching the limits of how long I might go before killing their box. I don’t like loosing customers, but when we give discounts and free bags/boards we do ask you to come in on a somewhat regular schedule and get your books. If you need to talk to me about it, just call or drop me a reply to this e-mail. If you are canceling your box, please give us some notice, a month would be nice. We are pretty understanding.
Okay. Enough of the serious stuff and what is more further from serious then pro-wrestling, nothing. I have a bit of a poorly kept secret, I am a pro-wrestling fan. Yes, I know, I know… it’s fake, it’s scripted, blah-blah-blah. For those of you who do not understand the art form that is pro-wrestling please continue past this paragraph to your lists, but for the rest of you I will continue. I watched it with my grandfather when I was a wee-one and have had a love for it ever since. So what does this have to do with comics? Not a damn thing. Except I’ve learned there are a huge number of wrestling fans who are customers at the shop. I go to a few wrestling websites and am compiling a wrestling news e-mail for a few friends all ready, if you would like it sent to you, please send me a reply and I’ll include you.

The Week of August 20th

Published on August 20, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

Last week I commented on a possible Thor movie moving through the pipes (heh, heh) and later that day I found more info by accident. One name being thrown around as a lead is WWE pro wrestler Triple H. How accurate is this? I found it on a wrestling news site and it was credited to a wrestling magazine. At one time Triple H was rumored to be in the running for a possible new Conan. Soon after this came out, H appeared at Wrestlemania in garb similar to what King Conan might wear. So, this new movie news could be just more hype, that with the WWE’s Summer Slam pay-per-view event this Sunday and Triple H returning at the event OR… this is real and they made a great choice. He would make a great looking Thor.
While I was wandering around on the thing called the internets looking at wresting news (YEAH, I’m a wrestling fan. What of it?) I found a great review site called Pulpsecret.com. These are a couple guys who on a semi-weekly basis put up a well produced well thought out podcast. There is a side site called a comic book orange with even better production values. Go check it out and see for yourself.
Sorry, just don’t have much this week…  So, I leave you with a great picture from our day with Spiderman at the I-Cubs game.  My friend Brain Stevens is the photographer and he has more pics to come.
Spiderball

The Week of August 13th

Published on August 12, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

I do have some weird comic movie news this week.  I was sent a link to some news about a Thor movie that apparently is in preproduction.  The director of the film Stardust (based on the Neil Gaimen graphic novel) is directing.  Have we hit the bottom of the creative well that we need a Thor movie?  I like the new comic restart, but some things just don’t transfer well.  I’m guessing this might be one.
Also, when looking at that “news” I found there will be a Punisher sequel and it will be called Welcome Back Frank.  The first wasn’t bad, but this one needs to be even more Garth Ennis like.  The name seems to make me think it may be.  Luckily this one will have 100% less Travolta.
And more… They have released a teaser poster for the worst comic adaptation of all time, Watchmen.  Here’s the link: www.watchmenmovie.com  The poster looks great and is obviously Dave Gibbons art, but there is NO way this movie lives up to the comic.  I’m not even one of those people who thinks Watchmen is the greatest comic of all time.  It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but Allan Moore himself did a lot better.  Take Swamp Thing for example, and film adaptation as well.  None the less, The poster is cool.
And finally, did you get your copy of the Flash Gordon DVD last week?  No?  You go out right now and pick up one of the bestest most colorful fantasy sci-fi films of all time.  I remember why I loved it so much after watching it again.  There is also a really nice segment on the DVD extras from Alex Ross talking about how much he loved the movie.  It reminds us all that it is okay to be a big nerd.  But be warned, do not show it to anyone under the age of 25 or from the “computer graphics are so much better era.”  They won’t get it and won’t understand.

The Week of August 6th

Published on August 7, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

Last week, the film 300 came out on DVD. If you have not seen it, you should. It might be one of the two best comic to film adaptations ever done. (The other is Frank Miller’s Sin City.) If you haven’t seen it (or shame on you if you haven’t read it – I’ll have more copies stocked soon) it’s about the battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartan soldiers took on the armies of Persia. The film is exceedingly accurate to the comic, which is probably the reason I like it so much. Most comic adaptations are trite crap with little to no accuracy to their source material. 300 is as accurate to the comic as it is to the historical account of Greek historian Herodotus, who in his day may have been much like Frank Miller. Let’s just hope they never find All-Star Hercules. The DVD has a bunch of great documentaries on the two disc set as well. If you need to rent the movie, we do have it at the shop.
Only one review this week. If you are not reading Scalped, I ask why? The trade of the first five Vertigo issues shipped last week at a measly price of only $9.99. I’m not going to say how good it is, I’m going to leave that up to my friend Ron Wagner. As you may or may not know, Ron is a local artist who has worked in the comics field for the last 20 years (or more.) Ron doesn’t collect many books anymore, but after he finished issue one, he asked Tyler why he couldn’t work on something like this, describing it as some of the best stuff he has read in years. The book is about an Indian reservation in South Dakota and an attempt by the FBI to catch Tribal Leader Lincoln Red Crow, one of the reservation’s more infamous members. The story focuses around Dashiell Bad Horse who isn’t quite what he seems as he slowly becomes Red Crow’s right hand man. Part noir, part historical fiction, it’s one of the really good reads on the racks. Scalped is written by Kansas City native Jason Aaron, who wrote The Otherside, the excellent Vietnam War which explores both sides of the conflict. Don’t let this one get away from you like Fables, now heading into it’s 64th issue and still the best book being published (all Fable trades available for rent if you do actually want to read something good this week.)