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The Week of March 5th

Published on March 5, 2012 in Comics and Preview. 0 Comments

Next Week Is C-Day!

We are having a party next Wednesday (March 14th) to celebrate one of our best selling horror books of all time, Crossed.  This is a national day of recognition for the re-launch of the book (now ongoing) with Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows returning.

The party will be from 5:00pm to 8:00pm and we will have Prizes, Variants, Freebies, Discounts, Drink Specials, Sales and yes, of course, Free Beer!!

It is the beginning of the new end of the world, what better reason to have a party.

(…and if you were wondering, YES, we are having an Avengers vs. X-Men party.  It will be Tuesday, April 4th, but I talked about that last week, this week is about Crossed.)

 

Avatar and Crossed…

So, Crossed?  Has there ever been a company or a specific book that screams, “is this the one that has finally crossed the line?”  It might be, but that is exactly why I defend it, stock it and recommend it to th right customer.  However, you need to know a little history to understand why.

It all dates back to the 1950’s.  Entertaining Comics, EC, was not the first company to come under fire for publishing comics.  However, it was their set of horror books that were singled out in the mid fifties with censorship that would eventually cause them to cease publishing.  It was also those horror books that were declared to be one of the main reasons for juvenile delinquency.  No, it was not families moving to the suburbs.  No, it was not those moves creating board latch-key kids.  No, it was not massive social and psychological changes created by a near perpetual war economy for over a decade and a half.  It was Comic Books!!

It is the same type of argument used then that is used whenever there is a school shooting.  “What caused this?  It must be the violent video games or that devil inspired heavy metal music!!!”  You understand this isn’t the case, I understand this isn’t the case, but do the infinitely wiser powers that be understand this?  NO, they do not.  They need a scapegoat and if it isn’t found, and found quickly, they might have to deal with the real problem.

Now, I’m not saying our current slew of violent and gory video games, movies or comic books are safe for everyone.  I am not saying they should be sold to everyone, especially kids, but should they not be sold to those who are mature enough to read them?  That in lies the question about censorship and begins to bring about my extreme support for Avatar publishing.

 

When Crossed came out originally, it was looked at as simply taking the zombie genre to its extreme next level.  If you have never read the book, let me explain.  It takes the typical and extremely overdone zombie plague situation and instead of creating flesh eating cannibals, it turns average citizens into completely depraved psychopaths.  Being chased by a zombie, well, sure, you are in a bad situation, but if the zombie catches you, the worst that might happen is being eaten alive.  Yes, not a real great end, but in Ennis’s Crossed, the people who have turned have their moral centers flipped off.  They have crossed over.  If you haven’t read the comic, well, think of the worst thing that someone can possibly do to you… well, whatever it was you thought of, the book shows you something worse.

It is the comic equivalent of the new film genre dubbed torture-porn.  Avatar, with the success of Crossed, realized – and had already been publishing some rather extreme books up to this point – that there was money to be made in pushing those boundaries.   Like the film genre this comic genre is NOT for everyone.  However, for those who can deal with it and enjoy it, it is offered and I support the right of the publisher to create it, my right to sell it – responsibly – and your right to read it.

However, this is NOT how some feel.  Can you imagine what a political hack like say current Republican presidential candidate and frothy mix-master Rick Santorum would say about Crossed?  He would call for it to be banned – but then he would probably like to see us move back to the mid fifties and the extreme censorship of that era and the next three decades our industry suffered under.

 

I got a call from Avatar about a year ago and was offered an ordering incentive.  I asked why I was being called and my rep, Keith, told me, “Well, you are one of the top 100 shops that sell Crossed.”  I responded, “but we are a small shop.  Really, we are one of the top 100?” Keith responded, saying, “Actually, you are in the top seventy five.”  I was so shocked and said, “I don’t know if I’m surprised happy or surprised scared that my customers are… crazy!”

 

Avatar might be the hardest working comic company in the industry.  They are fighting for space on the shelf against companies that feel whatever they publish should be carried; no matter how poor it is in quality.

It is why I am having a party to celebrate them – and the top horror book being published.  Little companies need as much or more support -and help- than the big two.  The books might not be for everyone, but if you dig ‘em, awesome.  I’ll always stock them for you.  I will never fear the big black specter of censorship.

 

Want even more Crossed… and for free?

Avatar is launching a web comic on C-day as well.  It is called Wish You Were Here and being written by Si Spurrier and drawn by Javier Barreno.  It’ll be put up on a weekly basis on Avatar’s website.  The plot will revolve around a group of Scottish survivors who are attempting to create an island stronghold.  It will eventually be collected in trade.

If you need all the info Go to Avatar’s website for more.

 

Sheldon Moldoff

It is my sad duty to inform you all of the passing of this great golden and silver age artist.  Shelly is primarily known for his long artistic run during the 50’s and 60’s on Batman.  However, he was un-credited as he did the art, but Bob Kane took the credit.  Shelly never felt anger about this though.  He was happy to have work doing what he loved when so many other artist were unable to.

If the name rings a bell, but you just can’t place it, it is because he was the guest of honor years ago at a Xanacon put on by former comic shop (Xanadu Comics) owner James Kirby.  It was Kirby that helped me down my path to what I do today, but it was Shelly who made me want to learn more about the history of comics.

I was at the con when Kirby came over to me and asked me to run Shelly over to the dinner across the street from the hotel the con was at.  I must have had a blank look of shock on my face, “Yes, of course I would do that.”  I took Shelly for a grilled cheese sandwich and talked golden age comics.  It is one of my most fond and pleasant memories I have with comics.  Thank you Shelly, you will be missed sir.

 

Ronnie’s Top Picks and Previews…

A new month and this brings a pretty big week of big stuff.  It was nice to see a Scalped last week, but look at all these new goodies!

Fairest #1 – –Get this for $1.99 if you buy it Wed the 7th!!–

A new ongoing in Bill Willingham’s Fables world, if the quality is anything near the Cinderella mini’s in recent years, it should be a good time.  Featuring a rotating creative crew, the first arc boasts Willingham scripts with art by Phil Jimenez and Andy Lanning.

 

Animal Man #7/Swamp Thing #7 - Two of the best titles that DC has to offer are nearing their crossover they hinted at since the beginning of the series.  Both of these books keep getting better and better and weirder and weirder.

 

Manhattan Projects #1 – A new ongoing from Jonathan Hickman is always worth a look.  A lot of his creative owned series have been some of the best stuff on the racks (Nightly News, Pax Romana), the other half were always ambitious and attempting some new idea or angle (Transhuman.)  This one is supposedly the untold story of events surrounding the creation of the atomic bomb, which was apparently the public cover for all sorts of weird experiments.  Starring all your favorite mad scientists like Robert Oppenheimer,  that old hippy Einstein, and probably some Nazi’s too.  Featuring art from Nick Pitarra who did Red Wing with Hickman last year.

SIDE NOTE – Ronnie’s irrational aversion to Marvel is causing him to miss Hickman’s work on The Fantastic Four.  One of the three best runs on the book in its illustrious history and we aren’t done yet.  Each issue is an amazing science experiment in storytelling, with a really cool family that you wish you were part of.  I wish the style and panache that Hickman writes this book would rub off onto other writers.  Probably too much to ask.

Also, in another month, Hickman has another creator owned book coming from Image called Secret.

 

Also worth your time:

Fatale #3 - Criminal meets Lovecraft written by Ed Brubaker!  Not many copies of this as it has been selling out with each issue.  You need to get this on your hold list if you want it, though I’ll have second prints eventually.

 

Rachel Rising #6 – What would it take to get you to try this? This is what comics are for!  A perfect melding of art and writing.  If you don’t read this book… why are you reading comics?

 

Sweet Tooth #31 – If not now, when? Like Rachel Rising, this is an example of a master comics creator using the full potential of the medium. One of my top 3 favorite titles right now.

 

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #8 – This is one of those rare books that defies all logic: A good Bendis superhero book? A death of a major character, and he stays dead? A book suitable for a 10 year old as well as anyone else? A minority character without an ethnic codename? An exciting angle on Spider-Man? A Marvel book I read? I started buying this for my 8 year old son, but I read it before I give it to him because I dig it too. Highly suggest.

RONNIE?!!? – you read this but not Fantastic Four or FF?  Really?

 

The Green Lantern Animated Series…

The News Man, Dan Finney, has another five sentence review this time of the Cartoon Network’s new Ring Slinging Emerald Warrior, Green Lantern.  Hopefully they get Guy Gardner right.  You can find it here.

 

Note on Gaming at the Shop…

We occasionally have Heroclix tournaments and games on Sundays at the shop.  Next week we will have a 500 point plastic Heroclix game if you are interested or know someone who might be.  All are welcome and if you would like to learn how to play, you are welcome too and Adam will teach.

 

Week of February 27th

Published on February 27, 2012 in Comics. 0 Comments

Avengers vs. X-Men…

I am going to take a rather heavy look this week at the big Marvel crossover coming April 4th.

So, what is this?

It appears that we will have a major battle, centering around the return to Earth of the Phoenix force, between some members of the Avengers and some teams of X-Men.   Editor and Chief Axel Alonso says storyline is the culmination of ten years of growing storylines in both the X-Men and Avengers books and answers some of the Comic book nerd questions of “who would win in a fight?”

Marvel, years ago, mildly separated the X-Men from the mainstream of their superhero books after they eliminated most of the mutants on Earth in the storyline House of M.  From that point the “endangered species, as Scott Summers – Cyclops – refers to them as, have dealt with their own problems.  They have very mildly interacted in the major events of the Marvel Universe, but only in spin off books.  This allowed the X-teams to develop their own major events that encapsulated their “corner” of that universe.

You can see these in the readers too.  I have very few people reading both X-Men AND Avenger books and I find how Marvel is crafting the books, from the creators they have working on it to the characters fighting in it, a great way to do a very inclusive crossover.

The book will come out twice a month for six months.  So far, Marvel has said there will be only one new book launched in addition to the main title (Versus, a comic that will have the rest of the fighting left out of the main crossover book.)  There will be, of course, story in, I’m sure, nearly all of the rest of Marvel’s comics, but this should surprise anyone.  (Do you remember what Secret Wars 2 was like?)  However, the real question will be if you can read just the main book and understand what is going on – like say Civil War – or not – like Fear Itself or the dreadful Secret Invasion?

The creators I mentioned include the main Marvel brain trust, the New House of Ideas, the “architects” – whatever you want to call them – the biggest writing guns of the company.  They are Jason Aaron, Brian Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction and Jonathan Hickman.  The artists on the main series are John Romita Jr, Oliver Coipel and Adam Kubert.

 

Marvel is certainly pushing this.  They are sitting in a pretty good place with this launch coming out.  They really want to see this do well, frankly, to reassume their place at the top of the comic market.  DC has, since their reboot, been holding fairly close with Marvel in their monthly battle for top dog in overall sales totals.

…But aren’t these events always “fixed” in the end?  Is everything going to be undone?  What is the payoff here?  There is an understandably jaded thought that has grown from all these crossovers that have been done over the years, but Marvel Editor in Chief Axel Alonso responds thusly, “When Avengers VS X-Men ends, the Marvel Universe will be a different place and the ramifications of certain actions by our major characters sets the tone for our new Marvel Universe.  This is the most seismic shift at Marvel in a decade and one that all stems from the events of Avengers VS X-Men. The new and lapsed readers we’re targeting for this event will most definitely stick around for what comes next.”

What is that “next?”  Not sure.  There have been a lot of rumors including restart – which has been denied by Marvel several times – or a true seismic shift, maybe a move where Mutants are “villains” or a “days of future past” reality.  I can’t see how the mutants win, but maybe the House of M – “no more mutants” – is reversed AND are MORE hated and feared… or maybe the ever more real rumor that Brian Bendis will move to take over the X-Men Books is what comes of this… I don’t know, but it’ll be interesting to see.

 

Now, I’ll be honest.  Yes, of course I want you to buy it.  However, you shouldn’t buy what is not for you.  If you are not a superhero comic book reader, then only consider it.  Superhero comic publishing is the overwhelming majority of what is put out in comics though and that is why I felt I should try to get this information out to as many as possible and put my best foot forward in presenting what Marvel looks to be doing with this event.

Maybe I’m just gullible, but I think it could be fairly good.

 

We are having an Avengers vs. X-Men party on Tuesday, April 3rd at 7:00.  If you notice, that is Tuesday, not Wednesday.  Yes, if you come out, you can get the book a day early.  As well, we will have Buttons, Exclusive Litho Graphs, special variant covers, special prizes, sales on back issues, drink specials, a costume contest and for those over 21, Free Beer!  I’ll have more info as we get closer.

 

More Brian Wood?…

There are a lot of customers who are Wood fans, so, I wanted to share this bit of news I found.  Looks like getting out from DC’s exclusive contract was good for getting new work from Brian Wood.  There is a new series coming later this year called Mara from Image.  You can find more info, plus a great bit on the why and how it came about at Comic Alliance.

 

Ronnie’s Best Bets for 2-29

Batman Beyond Unlimited #1 – For fans of the cartoon with the coolest intro ever, we get an attempt at a new series.  This time around, the possible future Batman is getting drawn by one of history’s greatest Batman artists, Norm Breyfogle!  That’s enough to get my attention.  We’ll also see the reintroduction of the Justice League Unlimited as a back-up.  For those of that persuasion, this will be a print collection of a current digital release.  Did I mention Norm Breyfogle?

 

Scalped #56 – As we near the end of this series, writer Jason Aaron (Wolverine, Wolverine and The X-Men) has upped the ante to way past intense levels.  Hurry and catch up, this soon to be legendary series is one of the best things in comics in years.  Aaron will also be at the Planet ComiCon next month in KC, go marvel at his epic beard.

 

Tiny Titans #49 – This all ages series is set to conclude at #50, which is a dang shame.  50 issues of tongue in-cheek fun-poking at the DC Universe; all with jokes that will make you and your child laugh. Every issue includes all sorts of puns – only the longtime DC reader will get- mixed in for fun.  It also included the only DC published self examination of the line wide reboot and may be the only place you get to see some of your favorite recently erased characters.  The series dialogue and plotting is centered on clever storytelling, and the art is the perfect match for the writing.   Add in the fact you get 3 or 4 related stories per issue in a one-and-done format, a letters page full of fan art, and the fact we sell more of this than Amazing Spider-Man (and most of the Avengers books), this will be a sorely missed title.  It was announced that the creative team will be moving on to an all-ages Superman family title, but with the loss of All New Batman Brave and the Bold too… makes you wonder where DC’s heads are at.

 

Did y’all catch the easter eggs in last week’s All-Star Western tying it into the Court of Owls story in Batman?  Pretty cool.  When I first heard that this series was gonna place Jonah Hex in 19th century Gotham (what business has Hex got up in the North East!?), I thought it would be the worst casualty of the reboot, and I said so loudly.  Well, now I’m tasting my foot.  Palmiotti and Gray know how to write Jonah, their previous run on the character cemented that, and even with this editorial mandate of folding it into the Bat-Universe, their love for the character shows.  Now that the current series has found its legs, it’s back on my pull-list.  The back-ups have been fun too, bringing back some long forgotten western characters from DC’s past.  Now if we could just get us some Scalphunter….

 

The Week of February 20th

Published on February 20, 2012 in Comics and Events. 0 Comments

Your Weekly E-Mail from Cup o’ Kryptonite.

 

Not a lot of news this week.  Could have used such a slow week last week, but that is the way of comics I guess; big weeks and small weeks.

 

Order Note – If you have anything you want ordered out of the February previews, it needs to be submitted by Wednesday.

 

Bad news on getting Mike Richardson to our shop.  We found out on Tuesday that we didn’t win the contest, not real surprising, but hey, we gave it a shot.  Pretty honored to even make it that far.  Oh well, next…

 

Reminder of stuff happening…

3XWrestling is Friday at All Play!

I’ve been remiss in mentioning 3X over the last few months, but I shouldn’t be.  You should see what they have done with themselves.  The production value has become top notch.  (Seriously, if you watch Ring of Honor, it is hard to tell a difference.  They have really stepped it up.)

The next event, Reign of Terror III, is Friday February 24th and will see several great matches including Ryan Slade getting his King of Des Moines Championship match against Iron Man Mark Sterling.  Also, former WWE, WCW and ECW champion Perry Saturn will be in action.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Cup and at a discount too.

 

Neighborhood 3 at the Des Moines Social Club…

This is a new play that you might have interest in.  It is about Zombies, Video Games and broken families and has been getting great reviews.  Also, I can offer you a discount on tickets.  If you order on line and go through midwesttix.com and use the code COMICS you can get them for only eight dollars a seat.  However, you are going to have to go soon, show goes through the 26th.

 

Comic Book Men…

So, I guess there was this show on after last week’s airing of AMC’s Walking Dead.  It was called Comic Book Men.  Created by Kevin Smith, it was, I assume, in the vein of the reality show Pawn Stars.  Normally, this is not my thing – especially the Kevin Smith part, but a couple reviews have me wanting to see it – in the same way you can’t look away from a train wreck.

The first review is more positive.  It is a Five Sentence review by Dan Finney.  Though not an ultra high endorsement, it isn’t anything like the one from Comic Alliance.  Holy Cats, that one is a beating and a half!  So much so that one of the loser members of show fired back at them rather harshly.

Read the reviews, watch the show and decide for yourself.  I am not a fan of Kevin Smith, his writing or, for the most part, his movies (though Clerks was very good, he hasn’t really done anything of high quality since, though I will admit that Red State was not a total waste of time.)  I expect this will just make me mad, so, in the end, I will probably not watch it.

 

The Justice League of Hanna Barbera…

Do you ever see something on line that isn’t real, but if it was you would support.  I think I found one for sure.

 

Review…

Peter David and Mark Waid’s Marvel comics

This is less a review and more fan boy praise.  If you don’t read either of the regular books these two write for Marvel, X-Factor and Daredevil respectively, you are missing out.  Both are such throwbacks to older days and reminders of what comics used to be.

Most recently X-Factor, whose sales have been slowly increasing, has had a plot with Madrox the Multiple Man dying and hoping multiple worlds at each death.  Daredevil, whose sales now show crazy numbers like the book has never seen, has been slowly developing a mega plot involving super villains like AIM and Hydra while not really doing arcs at all, but just small one or two issue super hero stories developing the character.

Why do I mention these two writers and their books?  I mention them because I like reading old comics. I mention these writers who don’t feel the need to be part of the bigger more massive universe spanning plots.  Yes, both get pulled into crossovers, but both still write simple stories of good versus bad clad in spandex.  Comics we used to read.  Both are such fresh departures of what else is being done by both of the big comic houses and reminders of what and why we used to read.

Currently, these two old dogs are only on one book each for Marvel, but I hope the brain trust that is running the mickey mouse operation sees the quality they are putting out and allow them the opportunity to take over more.  How much better could Marvel be if the old guard were to reign over it?  We will probably never know, but I need not wonder, I just pull those old books off the shelf and I see what could be and has been.

 

The Week of February 13th

Published on February 13, 2012 in Comics, Matt's stupid ramblings, Preview, Reviews-comics and Shop Crap. 0 Comments

Your Weekly E-Mail from Cup o’ Kryptonite.

 

Sorry if all the posts are a little abbreviated.  I type this in the middle of nowhere northern Wisconsin while driving back from the Eagle River Pond Hockey Tournament.  The team with Cup o’ Kryptonite representation lost all three games and may have been the worst team, standings wise, in the tourney.  Oh, well, we had a lot of frozen fun anyway.

 

Cup o’ Kryptonite was named number 28 of the top fifty reasons “why we love Des Moines” by Juice Magazine last week.  Most of the accolades or write-ups that the shop gets are nice and all, but I am really proud of this one.  Thanks Joe.  For a full list of the 50 reasons, you can check it out here.

 

We should find out Monday, at some point, if we are hosting Mike Richardson publisher of Dark Horse comics.  I’ll announce if we did on the website and the Facebook.  Don’t expect one.  We are the little shop up against a couple giants.  I’m sure Mr. Richardson would have a great time at the Cup, he would do things he wouldn’t do anywhere else (like make coffee,) we were the most creative in our pictures, but those other shops are just too big.  Either way, it was an honor to even be nominated.

 

Tony Moore’s Lawsuit against Robert Kirkman over Walking Dead…

Below there are links to a bunch of sites with the news of this creators rights suit.  Some of the links are better - journalisticly – than others but there is more than likely far more to this than some of the comic media reports, you can be sure.  All media, like all people, keep contacts close.  Robert Kirkman is a shrewd promoter and I’m sure has many contacts with many people in the comic industry.  So take read the “news” with a grain of salt.

You can guess what side of the coin I side with here.  Though not a close friend, I consider Tony a great guy that I always stop and say hi to when he is at a con I’m attending.  Without a doubt one of the best artists in the industry, he is a fantastic, if quiet, guy.  The little time I spent with Tony, I can tell you, he is not the type of person to put forth a “frivolous” lawsuit.  However, that is just my opinion.

The bigger picture with comics being made into movies anymore, you must have something in place from the get-go or this will happen.  When Hollywood money gets involved you are looking at cash flows that can turn everything into crap.

The Comic Alliance’s article can be found here.

The Comic Book Resources article can be found here.

The Hollywood Reporter’s article can be found here.

 

 

Stupid DC…

I don’t want to say I told you so… but…

There was a poll that retailers were encouraged to take to give DC feedback on their big changes they made with the re-boot/New 52.  Those poll results were released last week and I can tell you I am A) not surprised in the least and B) that we were not close to the actual results that were released, which shouldn’t surprise me either.

They show that what DC wanted, didn’t happen.  They didn’t get a ton of new readers in (we did) nationwide and that it really didn’t broaden the reader demographics much.  The poll was conducted with over 5,000 readers of comics.  There is a link below with some of the numbers.

This is not good for DC.  Though they thought they would be pulling in all these NEW readers, it is simply not the case.  Readership on the books is starting to change on their books, now in month six and these numbers show why (in my opinion.)  Without the new readers, there is nothing keeping people on the new stuff.  Sure the new books off the bat appealed in the sense that we were lead to believe they were something they have proven to not be, we now see that in September of last year, people were buying a lot stuff they weren’t sticking with and haven’t stuck with.  I got a lot of, “I’ll try these and cut down in a month.”  I’m still getting the cut downs and more and more every week.  However, the biggest books are selling better than before the reboot and are, for the most part, staying steady.

What does this mean for the future?  The sub books will all get cancelled and new sub will get started, run and get cancelled… just like it has been and will always be.  The problem is, sales will slowly sink as older more established readers, who are overall more sick of the big changes, stop trying the new stuff.  I really think the old continuity will creep back, eventually, and – sorry Arlen – I think Marvel sees that a reboot, doesn’t help, in the long run, to do anything more than give you a multi-month spike and eventually sink you below where you were overall.

What else it tells me?  Superhero comics are not where creativity lies in the industry.  You can trick the non-hero or other company’s primary readers to give your superheroes a try, but in the end, the best you can do is get a multi-month spike and eventually sink you below where you were overall.

-sigh-

A little sad, really.

Find much more here on Comic Alliance.

 

 

Evil Marvel…

If DC is stupid, Marvel is evil.  Last week Marvel offered a “deal” to remove the counter suit against Ghost Rider creator Gary Friedrich.  They will drop it, IF he pays $17,000 to them for the sale of Ghost Rider merchandise at conventions.  This too is over creator rights and there has become a great response from other creators, especially Steve Niles, in raising money to help.

Find more click here on Comic Alliance.

 

 

Quick Review:

Conan The Barbarian #1 – Written by Brian Wood and drawn by Becky Cloonan.

I can’t write a novel on this one, but I’ll just say it was fantastic and the best the book has been for many years (since Mike Mignola did his brief three issue stint.)  This is a great read with a great jumping on point and creators behind it.  I know that Conan isn’t for everyone, but if you are a peripheral reader of the character you will enjoy it.

 

Ronnie’s Best Bets for Feb 15th:

BPRD Long Death #1 – Ah, BPRD. Always a solid read. If you’ve never read it, give it a chance. Don’t fear jumping in, in the middle, I did and was immediately hooked. For those that have been following along, I believe we will see the aftermath to whatever the fate of Johan was at the end of the last arc, which is really bugging me. This series is always a cut above with excellent art, writing, and a very tight continuity. This seems to be a trend with all Mike Mignola-verse stories (Hellboy, Lobster Johnson, Baltimore, Witchfinder, etc.)  It is easily the highest quality universe in comics and BPRD is the best of the pack.

 

Batman #6 – The startling end of #5 suggests that this issue will be the big showdown between Bruce and The Court of Owls, or at least the beginning of it. Writer Scott Snyder has shown us that he is an expert of long form stories, so I expect this run to have elements that continue for a long time. Which is a very good thing indeed. This is the only Batman book that is a must read right now. Snyder is taking the best elements of good horror and applying it to Gotham City in a way that makes you feel like it should have always been done this way. Just like his Detective Comics, pre-reboot, this is sure to be classic, legendary run.

 

Also looking good this week…

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi #1 – This title is being hyped as revealing the origin of the Force and the Jedi.

Super Dinosaur #8 – An all-ages books in the best sense. Me and my son both love it. Probably Kirkman’s best current work.

Hellblazer #288 – DC’s highest numbered book. If you like JL Dark, this is the better Constantine.

Catwoman #6 – This title is better than you think! I swear it! It’s not Shakespeare (or Brubaker) by a long shot, but it’s a big dumb fun adventure book. The first issue was nothing like it’s growing into now. Certainly a better Gotham book than Birds of Prey or Batgirl OR Detective Comics OR Dark Knight OR Huntress OR Red Hood OR Odyssey….

 

The Week of February Sixth

Published on February 6, 2012 in Comics, Preview, Reviews-comics and Shop Crap. 0 Comments

I am happy to announce we have made it into the final five of the “Get Mike Richardson to Come to Your Shop Contest to promote Dark Horse Presents #10” contest.  We are in the hands of the company now.  They will decide of these final five who the publisher will visit. Wish us luck.

Why are we so high on this?  Because it is Mike FREAK’N Richardson!!  This is THE independent publisher, fighter against the big two, mighty supplier of comics not wearing tights, the seven foot frost giant – in a suit coat jacket!!  I have the most respect for Mike Richardson.  To me, he is the last of a bread – long forgot – that believes in direct market because of what he publishes.  He was once selling comics out of the back of his trunk, he knows what retailing is and knows what it was like to be a retailer… The execs at DC/Marvel have never known and will never know what we are dealing with or what we have to think about on a daily basis.

Why Dark Horse Presents?  First time reading this blog, huh?  Last week was issue #8.  Below, I review why this is THE best book being published in comics today.

Either way, win or lose, This is a Huge Honor.  Look at the other four we made it into the final five with and we did it with your help, your kind words.  They are all pretty big shops, dwarfing us, but obviously not dwarfing our awesome customers.

Man I love Dark Horse Comics.

-sigh-

Which is a terrible lead in to…….

 

Who watches the Watchmen, again?

Anything big get announced this week?  Yeah…  Though not a big shocker that they announced this (we sort of all knew it was coming) the collection of the writers and artists is.  Here are the names of the books, bannered Before Watchmen, and who is on them:

RORSCHACH (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo

MINUTEMEN (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke

COMEDIAN (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: J.G. Jones

DR. MANHATTAN (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artist: Adam Hughes

NITE OWL (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert

OZYMANDIAS (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Jae Lee

SILK SPECTRE (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke. Artist: Amanda Conner

 

So, are yeah pissed or excited or merely, meh?

I have already heard several people say how disappointed they are that they need to revisit these old stories.  As you might have guessed, Alan Moore announced his less than displeased accurate irritation towards this – “I don’t want money; I just don’t want this to happen,” questions were raised on creator’s rights, again, and DC seems to think this is the greatest thing since sliced bread or at least the comic equivalency (which is probably something published by Dark Horse – like Concrete or Usagi Yojimbo or Dark Horse Presents or, well, something better than… this.)

Some of these titles make a lot of sense, with the creators.  Almost like they planned it out, actually thought out who would work best on what book.  Well, except J. Micheal Straczynski… I guess his are only four issues, he MIGHT finish that… might.

I guess I’m just thinking what would this amazing list of creators do to sales on their recently re-booted regular books, which continue to slide?  Sure, these will do well, but…  but…

I have no interest in reading any of these.  There is nothing that can be written in these books that wasn’t done already in the original twelve issues – available in a handsome Absolute Edition – but there isn’t a bad artist on these books.  I guess they should be looked like art books, with some really good artists in them.

These books will be released one a week for however long it takes.  It just makes me think what could be done with what they are already releasing… oh, yeah, this makes even MORE that is being published.  To me, we don’t need seven more books, just make the books that are being published… the best they can be.

…but, this is what we are getting.  Meh.

 

But this is not the only prelude that has been written…

If you want a little Watchmen prelude history, I recommend this Comic Book Resources link.  It is interesting for a great many reasons, the least of which is how Alan Moore worked on this role playing project too.

 

 

Review…

Dark Horse Presents #8 by various writers and artists.

I can not tell you how much I love this comic book.  Every single time it comes out, I hold it until last thing I read… ‘cause it is THE best comic being published AND it really is many of the best comicS being published, but I’ll get to that.

If you read it, you understand all this.  You know why it’s cover price, at $7.99, is actually a steal.  If you read it, you understand why it is the best comicS being published with a page count of 80 and the number of stories reaching ten.  (start the abacas tumbling in your head and you see that a standard issue stupid hero book from, say, DC is 20 pages at $2.99 or from Marvel 22 pages for $2.99 or $3.99 if Bendis is writing it.  Think of the 30 page monsters for $3.99 and yes those are tears of sorrow… so we will stop and move on.)

But what are these “best stories” I speak of… well, in the latest issue there are none other than a BPRD story entered around and connected to Hellboy’s death, a new chilling Beasts of Burden story and Brian Wood’s latest venture to the less than perfect future in The Massive.  Those alone were, for me, more than worth the price of admission, but we also receive a (I think Bleeding Cool’s?) Rich Johnston story of elderly murder and a crazy time travel story that will leave you paused and thinking.  But, more than all of those, it was the post apocalyptic Tarzan story that really tripped my trigger.

Some have said, “oh, I don’t like this story” or “that story” and to that I reply “me neither.”  That is what is great about anthology publishing, you don’t have to love everything to still get a great deal and enjoy a majority of what is in it.

The book does pretty well for our shop, I just wish THIS style would catch on for more stupid heroes.  Can you imagine a Bat-family or Super-family book? Or at Marvel, maybe an Avengers Family book…… oh, wait, all of these ideas have been tried and failed.  Why, did they fail if this is so good?

I’ll tell you why.  In all of those stories above I didn’t even mention all the creators that worked on it.  Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Duncan Fregado, the greatest colorist in the world Dave Stewart, Evan Dorkin, Jill Thompson, the greatest Batman Artist ever Neal Adams, Howard Chaykin, Tom Yeates, Brian Wood, Kristian Donaldson, spot illustrations by (the best artist in the world?) Geof Darrow, a great intro to every issue by Mike Richardson and that is only about half the creators in the book.

I could go on, but I’m not going too.  I now leave it up to you to decide what is value and what is quality.

 

Matty J’s look ahead…

Three words, Conan the Barbarian.  If that is not enough it is a new jumping on point at issue #1 AND it is being written by Brian Wood and drawn by Becky Cloonan.  I did some research on this and found that Becky is the first (non digital only) Conan artist since Judith Hunt’s King Conan three issue stint in the mid eighties!  (Marian Churchland did a Myspace Dark Horse Presents story, but digital comics aren’t the same.)  That is pretty big news in and of its self, but toss in the fact that she is a perfect fit (in my eyes) for this book – long thin, dark eyed, dark haired, dark souled people – and Brian Wood, well, I love nearly everything he touches.  It will be interesting to see his take on this important character.  I think this is a match made in comic heaven, but I am biased and love Howard’s Barbarian… but don’t take my word for it.

 

Ronnie’s Best Bets…

Conan The Barbarian #1 – Who would’ve thought the creative team behind the awesome Demo and Channel Zero:Jennie One would make a barbarian comic? Who would’ve thought that I would be excited for a barbarian comic? Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan, some of the best creators out there, are gonna be tackling the beloved Conan story Queen of the Black Coast. I’ve never read the story, but it’s apparently a really good short tale that has many years in the middle left vague, which is where this series will focus. Brian got me to read and love Viking stories in the excellent Northlanders,and I have loved Becky’s art in Pixu and Wolves, and Matt says Conan is cool (he’s been right before, I think?), so I’m gonna give this a shot. I hear it’s about a boy from Norwalk.  If you need a preview, try this link.

 

Penguin: Pain and Prejudice #5 of 5 - I don’t hear people talk about this mini-series much, but it is actually doing a really good job making Oswald into a dark and vicious figure. I don’t think anyone can change the fact he is themed off of an ice bird, so inherently ridiculous. But this is Gotham City. Everything there is themed off something dumb. In the end, this has been an above average series with pretty cool dark art. Way better than what David Finch and Tony Daniels has been doing to Gotham.

 

Severed #7 of 7 – Don’t worry, you get your dose of Scott Snyder awesomeness this week, which these days amounts to 3 out of every 4 weeks. We live in good times. This is the final issue of the best horror story in recent memory. If you haven’t been reading it, you are really missing out. I’ll loan you mine for a $100 deposit. Also, there are whispers that there will be another mini or more set in this world. Good times indeed.

 

Dungeons and Dragons #15 – I just wanted to remind everyone that the covers for this series have been done by Tyler Walpole, Des Moines Native Son. Support local creators and buy this. Feed Tyler’s kids before they eat him!

 

Also Looking Good This Week:

All New Batman the Brave and the Bold #16 – The highest numbered Batman title! Possibly the 2nd best Batman title!  (Ronnie is wrong, this is the best Batman title.)

Black Panther:The Most Dangerous Man Alive #529 – Final issue! You missed out!

Lobster Johnson – The Burning Hand #2 – Mignola-verse! Better than the Avengers!

Spongebob Comics #7 – 4 or more laugh out loud one-and-dones per issue!

Strain #3 – Vampires del Toro!

Thief of Theives #1 – Cat burglers!