Archive for the 'Events' Category

Drink and Draw

The first official Drink and Draw will be held on Thursday, Sept. 13^th at Beaverdale Tap (formerly A K O’Connors, behind Ace Hardware on the corner of Beaver and Urbandale.)  It will go from 8:00 to midnight and should be a good time.  You would also be welcome to come early and/or stay late.

What is a Drink and Draw?  Well, it really is what the name says it is, you order a drink and draw while you enjoy it.

Yes, that is the simple explanation; however, I have some hopes associated with this.  We already have some great artists in this city, but there is ALWAYS room for more art, especially comic book art.  I want to see connections made and possibly comics come about because of this little social gathering.  Even if that doesn’t happen, with our eventual book binding coming (yes, it is still coming) we might be able to put together a year’s best and actually publish a full book of Des Moines’s Drink and Draw work.  Several other cities do this, why can’t we in Des Moines?

It also presents the option of trying the 24 Hour comic project that is held every year too.  I’ve been contacted to sponsor this, and would, if we could get a good art community behind it.

Also, we are not dead set on just the second Thursday of the month.  If we are getting a decent response we could look at a second night a month and also opening it up to other venues too.

Also, we won’t officially do this with the first D&D, but in October, I want to include writers too either at the same night or a separate event.  Why can’t we include the other important component of comics?  Yes, there is a social aspect to the Drinking and Drawing, but writers need a place to come and discuss ideas, exchange scripts and even jot down ideas, outlines and rough scripts.  In the end, THIS should create comics, because no matter how good an artist is, most of the time they don’t do the whole project themselves.

Really hope you can make it.

Marvel Now?  No, not yet… wait for it… NOW!

I have had a lot of questions about what is comprising this Marvel Now re-launch of books that is constituting the reshuffling and restarting of several titles.  As much as I’ve been asked, I have as many questions myself.  So, I did a little research to comprise a list and a little info for you.

First the information.  We should reintegrate that the Marvel Now initiative is a re-launching of books and a re-shuffling of talent, but not a re-boot of history or continuity like what DC did.  I talked to a representative from Marvel back at C2E2 and he pointed out that there was serious talk of restarting, like DC did.  However, after seeing the overall massive drop off of numbers by just month three, they started backing away from the idea.  Instead, they are going to try this… whatever it is; not a re-boot/re-lunch/re-shuffle.

Marvel Now is also being looked at (by Marvel) as a way to draw in new and lapsed fans.  I don’t see this working any better than DC’s did.  Talking to a couple other retailers and looking at the numbers that DC released from their poll, it didn’t draw new readers and hasn’t been able to keep them.  Nonetheless, I do hope it sparks a little interest.  Some of the combos announced so far (and listed below) are pretty good, so, time will tell.

I found a pretty good piece done on Newsarama (Yeah, I know, I was surprised by the source too) and it went over most of the major questions people have had.  You can find it here. In the article they speculate that there will be about 20 titles in the re-launch of books.  I have listed out the ones I know of or are confirmed (September/November solicitations will probably come out next week.)

Here are the books, the creators and the expected month of release:

Avengers

Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena

Debuting in December

Uncanny Avengers

Rick Remender and John Cassaday

October

All-New X-Men

Brian Bendis and Stuart Immonen

News on this can be found here.

November

New Avengers

Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting

January

Captain America

Rick Remender and John Romita Jr

Novemeber

Fantastic Four

Matt Fraction and Mike Allred

November

FF

Matt Fraction and Mark Bagley

November

Indestructible Hulk

Mark Waid and Lenil Yu

News on this can be found here.

November

Invincible Iron Man

Kieron Gillen and Greg Land

News on this can be found here.

November

Thor: God of Thunder

Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic

News on this can be found here.

November

X-Men: Legacy (or something replacing the X-Book of that name)

Simon Spurrier and Tan Eng Huat

November

Deadpool

Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan (writing) and Tony Moore (art)

And a freak’n unbelievable cover by the Great Geof Darrow.

News on this can be found here. And covers and conversation here.

November

Daredevil: End of Days Mini-series

Brian Bendis and Bill Sienkiewicz

This is not a re-launch of Daredevil, but a long rumored mini-series set at the “End” of Daredevil’s career similar to the Dark Knight Returns.  It is starting in October and will hopefully get past issue one.  (Anyone else remember Daredevil: Target?)

For a little more info and some art go here.

October

And now for all the stuff I have no idea if they are right or not.

A little speculation:

Something  Something Spider-Man

The book is close to #700 (which will hit in December.)  Dan Slott may be staying on as writer and says something big, as in major changes are coming.  Pretty good guess that Homberto Ramos is staying on as one of the rotating artists too.  You will get a new number one Spider-man issue, somehow, someway and it will happen in January.

Nova

Probably Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness

They did the Nova story in the first Point One book released about a year ago.

Ant-man

He is on the cover of Marvel Now, Point One.  So, he is getting something by someone.  Also, the Edgar Wright movie is supposedly still happening, but who knows which Ant-Man it will be there are like fourteen now.

Cable

Jeph Loeb and E McGuiness did the Avengers: X-Sanction mini-series.

I’m sure these two are NOT working on two books.  That is a certainty, but you can be pretty sure Cable will have his own book… I mean if we need to totally resurrect the nineties, we can’t do it without a regular Cable book!

Guardians of the Galaxy

Probably being written by Brian Bendis

There is a movie coming in 2014, so, you really think they aren’t going to have a regular book or four?  Too bad it is by Bendis and not by Abnett and Lanning.  The stuff they did a few years back was the best space opera done since Starlin and Lim did Silver Surfer in the late 80s and early 90s.  No way Bendis does better, NO WAY.  He can write well, but he can not do action and that is what the GotG should be all about, action.

Some kid group with Young Avengers, Kid Loki and other characters I’ve never heard of

Probably written by Kieron Gillen, current writer of Journey into Mystery

Some team of killers with the Punisher or possibly a re-launched X-Force book

Blade, Punisher, Deathlok and the rest of X-Force all in one book.

Greg Ruka’s Punisher is coming to an end and he is in X-Force #29… so, maybe?

Creator’s Rights!!

Tony Moore vs Robert Kirkman

There is more info on Tony Moore’s attempts to get what he feels he deserves from co-creating The Walking Dead and other comics with Robert Kirkman.  In an article on Comic Book Resources, Moore is trying for a jury trial in District Court to attempt to get himself named as co-author.  You can read the nitty gritty here.

I wish Tony luck.  He is good man and a very talented artist.  It is important to point out that even in this day and age, there are difficulties in establishing creator rights.  It is not all about Siegel and Shuster or Kirby and a big company.  It also happens with books that retailers had to beg people to buy when they first came out.

Jim Starlin wants rights too!

In a related note, It looks like Jim Starlin might be getting ready to make a claim on his creation, Thanos.  In an article posted on The Beat, it shows the groundwork for a possible legal battle with Marvel.  Who knows to what success he will have?  However, NOT in response to that, Marvel has cancelled the “Son of Titan” mini-series before it had even made it to the initial order stage.  Editor Steven Wacker was quoted as saying, “we jumped the gun.”  Right… or Stalin has a better case than anyone outside of Marvel thinks.

And now, Sports…

So, supposedly the Olympics are going on right now.  (big deal, there are pennant races in baseball right now.  Screw the Olympics.)  …and in times of great patriotism, pride and whathaveyou, it is good to remember who could beat everyone, at everything… Batman.

Comics Alliance has a complete rundown of Detective Comics issue #260, Mystery of the Space Olympics!  It is great reading and a must for all you dark and brooding Bat-fans that just want to see the Joker’s face cut off in a rebooted NÜ DC book.

My Batman dances!

Best Bets…

Sorry, but Ronnie is getting a, some might say, much needed week off.

BAH, I say to that!  Looligagger, I decry!  The short one is right now in a Becky Cloonan and Brian Wood coma from the great books of Conan, Batman and Massive that all came out last week.  Seriously, if you are not reading Conan, Massive, The Strain (or Sean Murphy’s freak’n amazing Punk Rock Jesus, but we are talking Dark Horse right now) you really need to reevaluate your comic love’n.

It seems Dark Horse has pulled out all stops to show case some the industry’s most talented creators.  Some in licensed work, some in original, creator owned work, but all in what has come to be seen as some of the best comics being published.

What could be the next great book from Dark Horse comes out this week, Michael Avon Oeming’s new five issue mini-series, The Victories.  I know only what I’ve read and you will be able to see all that too below in the links I’ve provided.

Here is the solicit info from Dark Horse:

Not long from now, all that will stand between you and evil are the Victories—six heroes sworn to protect us from crime, corruption, and the dark. As one member cracks down on the violence, he discovers himself touched by a painful past through the psychic powers of Link. Will this trauma cause him to self-destruct or continue the fight?

And words of praise from Brian Bendis:

“Mike Oeming is one of the great people and comic artists on the planet earth. I’ve been dying for Mike to write and draw his own book for years. And here it is! If you like Powers, you will love The Victories!”

If you know Oeming’s work on Powers or Mice Templar or any of the dozen other projects and works for hire he has been putting in over the last two decades you KNOW for a fact that he is a consummate professional with a fantastic style that is SO VERY NOT what is being done by every other Joe Artist in this industry.

We retailers have been told that it is extremely violent and crude superheroes.  You REALLY get that sense by this interview at Newsarama and in it Oeming describes the book as such:

“The Victories is a five issue mini series that blossomed out of a year of therapy. I had been experiencing panic attacks and severe anxiety for a long time. The therapy offered lots of insights into myself and my experiences that was really excited to get onto paper, I knew almost immediately they would make good stories, especially as a metaphor for super heroes.

Also, art therapy has always been good for the soul. I hope to do several other volumes that focus on different members of the Victories and culminates into one large final story.

This first arc is about Faustus, a wise cracking hero and his struggles with the origins of his powers that will bring him into direct conflict with his master. Meanwhile the city is being taken over by a power drug called the Float.”

Go read the rest of the interview, it is very good.

“In another interview, that you can find at The Nerdist, Oeming talks about the future of the project:

We are hoping to put out another three or four volumes, each centering on another set of characters, with all of their stories coming together in one large arc. Seeds are planted in this first arc, then it would build in the next few until it culminates in one final story. Or, we’ll be very proud of this and move on to something new.”

Also, very good and worth the full read.

I think what draws me to the project more so than the super heroes is Oeming’s art.  I have been a fan since the very early days of Powers.  The guy is a great writer and doesn’t get the credit he deserves for that aspect of his creative juices, but his art is plain and simply awesome.  He developed his own style in an age of repetitive copy-cat artists being the only ones employed by the big two.  Yes it is, in some respects simple, but you can’t boil it down to that.  Oeming has more fluidity in his art and a better sense of movement than 90% of artists working today.  He is closer to a Phil Hester and Mike Mignola than a Jim Lee – and frankly, that is such a good thing.  We need more artists with style and less doing rehashes of a failed decade.

Obviously, I have not been able to read the book, though I am highly excited to just that, but I found a review online and it really makes me more interested in it.  The reviewer describes Oeming’s work as “capturing the essence of a corrupt and morally fallen city” and transports you there by saying Oeming helps you “almost smell the city…and it didn’t smell nice.”  A very important aspect of gritty superheroes is creating the right atmosphere, sounds like that is to be expected.  You can read the rest of the review here.

Events

Pub Crawl This Wednesday!

We’ll have a Beaverdale Pub Crawl starting at 5:00 this Wednesday for Northstar’s Bachelor Party.  We’ll start at the shop and then walk over to The Beaverdale Tap and decide where to go from there.  If you want to come down, but can’t be there at 5:00, no problem, stop at the shop and Ronnie can give me a call.   I plan on being done by 7:00, if people are out though, it can go as late as it needs too.

Monday, July 16 is the Cup o’ Kryptonite I-Cubs outing.

Cup o’ Kryptonite is hosting a night at Principal Park (still Sec Taylor to me) on July 16^th.  Game time is 7:05 and the Cubs are playing the New Orleans Zephyrs.  Tickets must be purchased in advance to get the hefty discount we are offering.  Tickets will be only $6.00 per person (regular reserved seats are $10)  and there is no limit on who or how many you want to buy for, you just have to purchase them in advance.  We have to cut off sales on July 8^th and you can pick up your tickets starting on July 10th.  We will have seats along the third base line (sun at our back.)

I will have much more on this next week.

Hell of a Good Week…

What a great freak’n week of comics!  Oh, course most of the best was from Dark Horse, but you expect that don’t you?  Below I am going to write up brief reviews and encouraging words (I don’t have a gun, I’m not forcing you to read these, but you should) for these four titles.

First off was Incredible Hulk #9.  I have enjoyed Jason Aaron’s (writer of Scalped) run so far, but haven’t been completely blown away.  I think much of it has been from Portachio’s art, which I am not much of a fan of.  Issue 8.1 (which I still don’t understand the point one concept) was much better with Steve Dilion on the art chores and a story that is setting up… something.

Banner and Hulk are part of the same body, but they are not of the same mind.  Separate, but not equally stable.  Banner’s “Mad Scientist” mind set is still causing mayhem and is now acting as a McGuffin to the overall story in issue 9.  We aren’t really sure what or why the Hulk is being lead around without his participation (or is it,) but it reads like little else in superhero comics right now.

Frazier Irving took over the art in issue 9 which takes place on the ocean floor and in a “rural” area of Atlantis.  I am not going to spoil the awesome reveal that takes place in the middle of the book about the Atlantians, but you will enjoy it.

Aaron is doing things that harkens back to the Peter David days of Hulk and telling stories like we all enjoyed when we were kids, but with enough of a modern and slightly mature style that it isn’t dated.  It is not easy to write a character like Hulk, issue #9 shows way Aaron is a king of this industry.

Second was the Strain #5.  Yes, the book has been delayed and the reason was because Dark Horse wanted Mike Huddelston to keep the high quality to his art and it showed with a great looking and very creeping feel.  David Lapham delivers a story of the first meeting between one of our main characters and the Vampire.  It takes place in a concentration camp in World War Two and just adds to the horror.  I am very glad this book is back and they have kept quality so high.  It is really good.

You can’t get away from it, yes, I’m going to talk about The Massive.  I’ve been trying to get you interested in this book for months now (I first started talking about it back in July of 2011 when it was announced at San Diego.)  It is finally here and I can tell you I was not disappointed, I was shocked at just how good it was and expect it to only get better.

This is the type of book, like DMZ, that is needed.  Character driven, forward/progressive thinking, science-fact that delivers a needed discussion on issues without preaching issues and ideas.  There is no doubt that this book is an action/adventure book, but while you read it you can’t but also realize just how bad the world is right now.

In the 1980’s, when I was a kid, we had nuclear Armageddon looming over the world.  Shows like The Day After and post apocalyptic sci-fi had us scared sh!tless and made us think about how to make a better world.  Instead our parents and eventually ourselves continued to elect poor governmental officials, coupled with an onslaught of corporate greed, we have a world that continues to sit precariously on an apocalyptic precipice.  “The Collapse” which is mildly explained in the first issue of The Massive is a real possibility.  The apocalyptic event is not set four or forty years in the future, it is set at a possible four months in the future and that is far more terrifying than a vampire, zombie or werewolf.  It is not, at least the first issue is not, a horror book, but that is how I felt, chilled to the bone and I hope you will be too.  We need more books like this.  We need to be shown that if we don’t start acting responsibly – not just as an individual, but as a city, state, country and world – this is the future we can look forward to.

However, that is just one aspect of what makes this book so good.  Another is the fantastic characters we have seen thus far.  Brain Wood set them up in the pages of Dark Horse Presents and each looks to have great moral dimensions, which is probably going to be what pushes the plot forward – What do environmentalists do after the end of the world?

A great book you should be reading.  Ronnie will have much more on the book later.

The Massive would have easily been the best book of the week if not for Conan #5.  This is the second issue in a three issue story arch that tells the story surrounding a theft by the crew of the Argos.  However, the story is about Conan and that is where it focuses.  Brian Wood writes Conan like I have never read him before.  He writes him so human, with fear, concern and worry.  Not what you would expect on a character that is just supposed to cleave everyone in half, right?  In issue four, Conan and the crew plan a deception that includes turning him in to the authorities he escaped from recently.  Issue five has the inevitable fight scene to win his freedom, but it is the BEST fight scene I’ve ever read in comics.  The art, by James Harren (most recently seen on BPRD,) is so kinetic and free flowing it moves you into the fight like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  I am not going to describe much more, except that it has a hell of a great ending laid out like a master.  I thought Becky Cloonan’s art was great on the first three issues, but this is amazing stuff.  I’m torn on who I want to do it regularly.

If you are not reading Conan, you are doing yourself a disservice.  This is one of, if not THE, best book on the selves right now.  I’m not kidding, Conan is king.

Punk Rock Jesus…

This is the next major release that we will be pimping.  It will be a black and white, six issue mini-series done completely by Sean Murphy.  The super-star artist of Joe the Barbarian and one of the American Vampire mini-series, and insanely nice guy, Murphy describes the book as:

“What would happen if a major broadcasting company tried to do a reality show of Jesus Christ by cloning him from the Shroud of Turin. Mayhem ensues between different types of fans: religious people who love/hate the show, angry politicians worried about Jesus running for president one day, and scientists who morally appose cloning. Eventually the project collapses and the young clone has a breakdown when the show “eliminates” his mother because of ratings. He runs away, tells the world that he’s an atheist, and fights the power by starting a punk band, The Flack Jackets. His bodyguard is the witness to the whole epic, reminding him of his own IRA struggle in Belfast when he was young, fighting a different sort of power. The script is meant to bring up different types of beliefs and comment heavily on the poor state of our country and terrorism in general.”

Seriously, is that not the best premise for a comic you have ever heard?  I mentioned it to fellow employee of the ball park who doesn’t read comics and her response was, “Yeah, I want to read that!” I agree.  I want to read that too.

Oh, but you think you need to see what the art is like.  You don’t know Murphy?  You can find some art from the series on Murphy’s website.

I was talking to my DC rep this week and asked about the book.  Pat has read the first issue and says it is fantastic.  I take Pat’s opinion to heart, he is not a mindless drone of the giant company and knows his comics.

I’ll try and find something (interview or review or something) each week to help on the promotion of this book, like I did with the Massive.  This week an interview on Comic Book Resources done with Murphy and focusing on the book.

Batman #10…

If you read Batman #10 this week and were like “wha’ the?” I have a link that will help explain the new villain.  Might also make it less jarring and hopefully increase your enjoyment of Scott Snyder’s story.  Check it out on Comicsalliance.com.

Five Sentence Review from News Man One…

Dan has a great review of Superman vs. The Elite, a new Warner Bros. animated feature.  You can read the review here. I loved the original story in Action Comics #775 by Joe Kelly.  It really does show why Superman was the best.

I say was, because of the difference in how Superman acts now in the New 52 universe and how he did before in the old universe.  This Joe Kelly story is all about what makes Superman so great, especially his stance on NOT killing.

Funny though, because it looks like Superman has outside underwear in this show.  Huh?  I wonder if the lack of red underwear is what makes him super or not?

None the less, if you can find the original or if this feature is as good as Dan says, it is nice to see a Superman you can actually look up too.

As a side note..

This week sees the release of Superman Family Adventures issue two.  If you want THAT Superman back, pick this all ages book up.  It isn’t just for kids, it is for those who want a REAL Superman story.

Ronnie’s Best Bets…

The third Baltimore story starts this week, an excellent series based on the novel written by the great Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden.  Baltimore – Dr. Leskovars Remedy #1 of 2, like the previous two volumes, is written by Mignola and Golden, with art by Ben Stenbeck and the Reverend Dave Stewart.

If this new series is anything like the last two, you’re in for some tight storytelling and excellent art.  Baltimore follows the tale of Lord Henry Baltimore, a soldier who during WWI awoke on the battlefield to his defeated battalion being feasted on by vampires.  He instinctively attacks and injures one of these creatures, while in turn losing his leg.  The comic series itself is the story of a peg legged Baltimore hunting this creature across a plague ridden Europe, hunting and killing other vampires as he goes.

This series is solicited to be a two parter, with a number of one-shots to follow.  Like all Mignola-verse titles, this adds to the mythology of probably the richest, tightest and least rebooted universe in comics right now.  The last two mini’s were always among the best titles on the rack as they were being published.  A Mignola book has earned the mark of quality with almost 20 years of consistently excellent comics, beginning with Hellboy in 1994 and continuing with BPRD and Witchfinder, amongst others. Do yourself a favor and give this a shot.  If you like it, there is a whole lot more to devour.

This first issue of The Massive is getting reviewed all over the place, probably one of the most reviewed creator owned series in a long time.  And deservedly so.  There isn’t much I can add that hasn’t been said better elsewhere, but I want to add few things that I haven’t seen mentioned yet.

A lot of the solicitation and previews of the series mentions how it is a spiritual follow up to Wood’s just finished DMZ, which feels about right. One thing that caught me was, although this series is based around ecological collapse and follows the lives of direct action eco-activists after the disaster, there is a distinct lack of political statement.  It bypasses any argument about the science or cause of global climate change, it just happened, and with a vengeance.  And now the world has to deal with it.  No preaching of any kind here.

Speaking of DMZ or Northlanders for that matter, you know that Brian is one of the best at reality based world building.  It’s very clear that he puts in an immense amount of research into his story elements.  Whereas DMZ focused on one city, this series is gonna tackle the whole world.  If anyone could nail that, this is the guy.

Also, to reward all you monthly comic buyers that keep the industry (and our humble shop) alive, each monthly issue is going to include extra content that won’t be available in the trade paperback or digital editions.  The first issue included a number of pages of letters and maps from the main character and The Department of Homeland Security.  And the added content isn’t throw away filler, but adds to the narrative quite a bit.  That’s pretty dang cool.

I had pretty much made up my mind that I was gonna love this series before it came out, but the first issue has far exceeded my expectations.  The density of the storyline, plus the extra back matter made it a good 30-40 minute read, and I read too fast.  As for the art, one look at the detailed ship designs and enormous landscape shots, and you know that Kristian Donaldson put in his research too.  And like all the good stuff these days, it was colored by The Anointed One, Dave Stewart.  I’m pretty sure this guy is not just a gifted colorist, but a good luck charm.

So, the hype is dead on.  This has the seeds to become one of those masterpiece series sitting next to Preacher, Sandman, Y The Last Man and, of course, Scalped.  If Wood can keep up this pace and deliver on the lofty promises of the first issue, we’re in for something awesome.

Batman #10

For what will be my first time in print, I got a little bone to pick with my boy Scott Snyder and his most recent issue of Batman.  I ain’t gonna spoil the big reveal, as big and dramatic as it was.  For as well as it was written, I wish we could have a moratorium on mucking with Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson’s origins.  There has just been too much of it in recent years.  Morrison did it well, really well.*  But just about every other author has attempted it in the last number of years too.

My proposal is that anything before Dick’s time as Robin be left as is (unless we were to get a sweet series detailing Bruce’s training around the world).  Please no more bringing family members and dead people from the past back to wreck havok on the present, changes to Haly’s circus, past other-worldly Batmans, etc.  It’s turning the Batman legend into something driven by destiny and some sort of unseen hand.  If the core principle of Batman is anything, it’s that through dedication you can take control of your own destiny.

I’m pretty sure the big bad in Batman #10 will be revealed to be not as it seems, but this plot device has become way overused in Gotham City. Thank You.  (Ronnie will now return you to my gushing love of all things Bat.)

*If you haven’t read Grant Morrison’s powerful, epic, still going run on Batman, coincidentally enough a deluxe hardcover of the first two trades is gonna be released this week called Batman and Son vs The Black Glove.  Highly, highly recommended.  Some of the best Batman I’ve ever read.  Just as good as Scalped.

This week I am excited to read Alabaster Wolves #3, Baltimore – Dr. Leskovars Remedy #1, BPRD Hell on Earth: The Devil’s Engine #2. Dark Horse Presents #13, Ragemoor #4, Fables #118, Unwritten #38, Young Justice #17, Chew #27, Saga #4, Mind the Gap #2 and the usual Gotham City stuff. Whew, big week.

What are you excited for?

And now more on Batman #10…

If you read Batman #10 this week and were like “wha’ the?” I have a link that will help explain the new villain.  Might also make it less jarring and hopefully increase your enjoyment of Scott Snyder’s story.  Check it out on Comicsalliance.com.