Check out this beauty from Dark Horse. This latest installment of “DARK HORSE PRESENTS” is high on my list of must-haves. This is where you’ll find an exclusive 13-page preview of “RED TIDE,” the new work by comics legend, Jim Steranko, along with an interview with the master himself. Not only that, there’s also a new 12-page story by “WATCHMEN”‘s Dave Gibbons. All in all, you get 100 pages, no ads, all for a mere $7.99. “Dark Horse Present, #3” comes out August 24. Place your order here.
Filed under comic books, Comics, Dark Horse Comics
Hypergeek, a shaggy dog blog that went on to become a popular site for news and reviews of comics, has reached its end. Owner and sole content provider, Edward Kaye, has decided that, after 3 years of ceaseless devotion to Hypergeek, it is time to move on. In a statement on July 13, Kaye expressed regret on leaving as well as hope in keeping his hand in reviewing comics when time permits.
This news really hits home for me. I am doing what Mr. Kaye has been doing. I have not taken it to the level that he did nor do I expect to do so, not quite as heroically as he did. My suggestion to him is to keep coming back to the comics news game now and then. Either that, or run as far away from it as possible! What is more disgusting to fathom than a mind boggling high number of posts about, well, about anything really? Unless, of course, there’s more behind the posts than a mere dedication to posting, you know. I’ve always held that I don’t really give a hoot whether or not you like what I have to say. If you want to pitch a fit over it, be my guest. If you don’t care, fine. But, the thing is, if the writer is engaged in what he or she is doing, and doing it well, there will be plenty of readers out there who will pick up on it. So, Mr Kaye, life is short. I salute your wanting to return to your passion of music. No one will ever care as much about your writing as you do. However, if you have something worthy to say, then don’t sweat it, the readers will follow. And you, sir, certainly know that!
Filed under comic books, Comics
“BATMAN AND ROBIN, #25,” the last full-length (3 issue) story arc while Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne are still the Dynamic Duo, is a good action-packed read. The best part is once the Red Hood has fully come to life, which is once he’s got his gear on. That gives him that extra lift he needs to really talk trash to Dick and Damian. Judd Winick provides some great lines here. And Greg Tocchini’s art gives everything a quirky offbeat feel. It is a very subdued and pared down style. It might take some getting used to but,if you’ve tried Tocchini’s art in “THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME,” a comic from Radical Publishing, then you’ll appreciate where he’s coming from more.
The final issue of the original batch of B & R, before the grand 52 relaunch, is “BATMAN AND ROBIN #26,” which comes out August 10th. It has one of the most impressive covers that has come out in some time, by Chris Burnham, and Greg Toochini does the art for the whole issue.
Filed under Batman and Robin, comic books
Are you going to Free Comic Book Day? Maybe you’re in the group of comics fans who wait in line for the local comic shop to open on this day. Or maybe you’re a fan but always forget it’s the first Saturday in May and miss it. Or maybe you have no idea what this is. Well, it’s been going on for a decade now and it has grown into a pretty big deal in the comics community.
The main thing to know: you get free comic books on this day and good stuff too. In fact, this is a chance for big publishers to tempt new readers with, perhaps a sneak peek at a new story arc or a reprint of a notable issue. This year, for instance, DC Comics is reprinting a particularly good issue of “GREEN LANTERN” to tie in with the upcoming movie. And Marvel has a sneak peek at what lies ahead for one of its biggest titles, “THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN.”
Free Comic Book Day, or FCBD, is also a great opportunity for publishers to showcase something new. This year, three new FCBD titles catch my eye:
“JAKE THE DREAMING,” published by Radical Books, has a great story line. 12-year-old Jake loves to daydream. It helps him cope with living in boring old Slumberton. Jake discovers he can manipulate his dreams and enjoy epic adventures. But then he realizes that all the kids in Slumberton seem to like to daydream too. But they also look like they’re not coming out of sleep. Something is terribly wrong and it is up to Jake to save all the kids in Slumberton from whatever has put them into a permanent sleep mode.
“SPONTANEOUS, #1,” published by Oni Press, presents another intriguing story line. Melvin Reyes knows that his father’s mysterious death was, in fact, caused by spontaneous human combustion and he intends to prove it. The problem with his investigation is that, the more he learns about the condition, the more he will regret it.
“THE INTREPID ESCAPEGOAT & STUFF OF LEGEND,” published by TH3RD WORLD STUDIOS, is a nice gem of steampunk fancy involving a goat magician and his assistant, a 2,000-year-old mummy girl. This book also includes a preview of volume three of “Stuff of Legend,” a notable New York Times bestselling graphic novel.
Filed under comic books, Free Comic Book Day
TIME BOMB is a graphic novel just released by Radical Books. It is one very enjoyable thrill ride. Brought to you by a dream team of talent: Writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (JONAH HEX) and artist Paul Gulacy (BATMAN, MASTER OF KUNG FU).
For a full review, read what I have to say at GeekWeek.
Filed under comic books, Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, Paul Gulacy, Radical Books
Seattle is such a great city for a comics convention. Emerald City Comicon continues to grow and this will be its biggest year yet. Take a look at the talent this year. You’ve got quite an A-list with everyone from Frank Quitely to Jeff Parker to Jonathan Hickman and the list goes on. And for celebrities, that list includes William Shatner, Felicia Day and John Noble. Come check it out: March 4 thru 6.
Filed under comic books, Comics, Emerald City Comicon, Seattle
In comics news, what is on my radar right now is the new Wonder Woman collection of MAC cosmetics. Designed by Alex Chalk, this collection will make you feel like you’ve just gained superpowers. In the US, you can go down to your local Macy’s and sample the wares.
Really, as far as anything about comics at the moment, I find this most interesting. I happen to have been at Macy’s during the launch this weekend and this collection was indeed a hit among all age groups. There were director chairs lined up for free makeovers and you had tweens on up to more mature and adventurous ladies. Does it say something about the allure of Wonder Woman? Yes, I believe it does. Of course, the presentation was impeccable with a pop culture panache that would have made Andy Warhol proud. But the fact remains that Wonder Woman, the idea of Wonder Woman, is amazingly powerful. The character, as broad and iconic as she is, lends herself to vast interpretation. She is speaking to women, and men, on so many levels that it should have the heads of DC Comics talent spinning and striving for even more engaging content for Wondy. Would it be possible to create something similar for men, maybe a cologne, covering a wide age range, that would bring in Superman or Batman? Probably not. Now, that’s pretty darn powerful.
Filed under comic books, Comics, DC Comics, Wonder Woman
Currently, I would say it is one out of seven people on a typical morning bus commute, here in Seattle, that is operating some sort of entertainment device, of which I include good old fashioned books. I’m not seeing that many iPads yet but there’s smaller gadgets, like an iPod touch, of course, and definitely Kindles and Nooks, delivering digital books, magazines and movies to restless office workers off to work. Yeah, for some, the in-flight movie is totally no big deal but a daily habit. I also see people reading actual print versions of manga and comic books. I have yet to see digital comics on any screens but that will come, I believe. Right now, we’re still in a transition phase. More people are discovering the comics medium and more comics readers are turning their attention to digital comics.
Also, we have the big wave that has been rolling in for quite some time of more mature and sophisticated comics readers. All that said, it gives me a lot of satisfaction to bring aboard a bus a wonderful gem like the recently released, “Rat Catcher,” which I see as a prime example of what has been going on with American comics in the last decade or more. In no small part, you can thank Vertigo comics, the DC Comics imprint, for leading the way on smart and offbeat comics. And, most recently, you can thank Vertigo Crime for its excellent noir comics series, of which “Rat Catcher,” is part of. If you’ve read Andy Diggle’s “The Losers,” then this book, his latest, is most definitely for you. If you have not, then you’ll want to check it out along with Mr. Diggle’s latest balls-to-wall work.
For my review of “Rat Catcher,” go over to GeekWeek. I will say here that I highly recommend this one. It’s also in a very handy size, not much bigger than one of the gadgets people are so fascinated with these days. And, yeah, come to think of it, you could read it on one of those gadgets but the book has a nice lounge lizard quality to it, from the hardcover illustration to the pulpy pages within. I’d buy the book. You’ll get around to the digital version in due time.
Filed under comic books, Comics, GeekWeek, Vertigo Crime
“I tend to be a little grand in terms of storytelling, I’ve never been limited by anybody’s sense of reality.” That from the great David E. Kelley, a man who lives the dream in Hollywood, having written, and produced, his way to the top with some of the most popular TV show over the years: “LA Law,” “Chicago Hope,” “Picket Fences,” and that most quirky and iconic of shows, “Ally McBeal.” Now, he’s gotten the greenlight from new NBC entertainment president Bob Greenblatt to bring forth a reboot of Wonder Woman. This is huge. Outside of any stupendous blunder, this show will be a hit.
The fact is that Wonder Woman is currently stalled. In the comics, she remains on uncertain footing. And as for that regularly promised movie, that remains elusive. But on TV, and in the capable hands of Mr. Kelley, we should see TV leading the way on the fate of this iconic character, at least for awhile. Most people will not care one way or another if the character is attached to the military or whether or not she’s an Amazon princess. Some details on the new show state that she will be a corporate executive in LA who turns superhero vigilante by night. Even the most casual viewer should pick up on how far afield that is to the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman but, again, it may not matter if the writing is crisp and, especially, if the actress is out of this world. You want someone who is not too sweet (Jennifer Love Hewitt) or too tough (Megan Fox). One very good option would be Bridget Regan. She has proven herself quite capable on ABC’s “Legend of the Seeker.” She might be just what Wonder Woman needs right now, just the right mix of sexy and smart.
Yes, indeed, the TV show should provide some valuable lessons for Wonder Woman in the comics and, eventually, on the big screen. Either that, or just let us have a real gem on the small screen. Whatever the case, it will be harsh to watch if NBC mucks this one up.
Filed under comic books, Comics, NBC, Wonder Woman
This is pretty wild. I like the coverage provided by Perez Hilton. He sounds very supportive of the idea but maybe not so sure about the real thing. He wonders if this group of vigilantes has actually seen the movie about vigilante superheroes, “Kick-Ass.” The Seattle Police seem to support these guys, up to a point. Call 9-11, is what they advise.
Filed under comic books, Superheroes
