Central Comic Zone

Wizard World Comic Con 2011

2011-08-18T06:48:00.001-07:00

Wizard World’s Chicago Comic Con has changed a bit since we first attended. Marvel and DC are gone. There is no longer a meeting of the hive mind with thousands of people spending their Friday and Saturday nights in the lobby of the Hyatt hotel mingling with old friends, talking comics and rubbing shoulders with the “talent” there to unwind.

It is still wonderful, chaotic, with an emphasis on the funny books that started these gatherings all those years ago. This year saw a return to the really strong Comic panels. Who wasn’t thrilled to see the team of Azzarello, Risso and Johnson together again? The legendary Mike Grell was on hand. Stuart Moore and Gregg Hurwitz made appearances throughout the con. There was a lot of talk of the DC reboot and Marvel’s new writer line up. Top Cow was on hand. So were Archia and Avatar Press.

Artist Alley was busy all weekend with fans spending their hard earned 2011 dollars on sketches of everything from Snoopy to Zena. There is no better place on earth than these aisles to see today’s brightest talents making quick sketches while they talk to the fans. Mark Kidwell’s zombies, Tony Castillo’s Batman, a new book about Joe the Plumber could all be found as you walked the con.

There was a terrific assortment of costumes this year. The organizers held costume events every day. There was a special awwwe factor for the kids costume competition on Sunday.

The celebs were on hand. James Master’s Band played . Felicia Day won hearts and provided many candid photo ops for her admirers . Then there was the marriage proposal at Bruce Campbell’s Q&A session.

There’s a far greater emphasis on the evening events and who doesn’t want to attend a Zombie Masquerade Ball.

We’ll be putting up individual stories on the blog throughout the next few weeks and have a full wrap up for the next issue of Crimespree. For now here's a great wrap up from Chicago's Time Out Magazine Until then think about coming next year. It really is all that.

Wizard World's chicago Comic Con

2011-08-18T06:38:00.000-07:00

There was a terrific assortment of costumes this year. The organizers held costume events every day. There was a special awwwe factor for the kids costume competition on Sunday.

There’s a far greater emphasis on the evening events and who doesn’t want to attend a Zombie Masquerade Ball.

BOOM! STUDIOS TO DISTRIBUTE AVATAR PRESS TO THE BOOK TRADE

2011-03-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

BOOM! STUDIOS
TO DISTRIBUTE
AVATAR PRESS
TO THE BOOK TRADE
VIA SIMON & SCHUSTER AND
HARPERCOLLINS CANADA

March 23rd, 2011 – Los Angeles, CA – BOOM! Studios announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Avatar Press to distribute their graphic novels to the book trade. This agreement will see BOOM! distributing Avatar in the United States via BOOM!’s existing relationship with Simon & Schuster and Canadian distribution through BOOM!’s existing relationship with HarperCollins Canada.

The new BOOM! Studios/Avatar mass market partnership sees two of the top ten Direct Market publishers teaming up for a unique relationship, extending both brands into the mass market.

“The Avatar library is an excellent compliment to the existing BOOM! list that doesn't cannibalize our Studios and KABOOM! offerings, but rounds out what we are already doing,” said Founder and CEO of BOOM! Studios Ross Richie. “Avatars’ CEO William Christensen is a brilliant businessman and has a proven track record of great Direct Market success. Avatar has great growth potential in the mass market book trade, and we look forward to being an excellent partner in their continued expansion!”

"Distributing via BOOM!, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins Canada enables Avatar to bring its world-renowned, best-selling catalog of the biggest creators in the business to a wider audience," said Avatar Press Publisher William Christensen. "Top talent like Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis continue to show sales growth and fan interest."

Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins Canada begin distribution of Avatar Press' eclectic line of independent graphic novels on March 21, 2011 and will also begin accepting returns as of that date. Diamond Book Distributors Inc. will continue to accept returns for all Avatar Press books up until March 20, 2011.

BOOM! Studios began distributing their original and licensed graphic novels through Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins Canada in July 2009.

Avatar Press is known for publishing such comic book luminaries as Alan Moore (NEONOMICON), Warren Ellis (FREAKANGELS, BLACK SUMMER), and Garth Ennis (CROSSED, CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD), as well as New York Times bestselling author George R.R. Martin (FEVRE DREAM) and licensed comics based on George A. Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.

Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.simonandschuster.com.

HarperCollins Canada publishes fiction, non-fiction, and books for children, as well as religious and reference books. HarperCollins imprints in Canada include HarperCollins, Harper Perennial, HarperTrophyCanada, Collins, and Phyllis Bruce Books. These imprints publish many of Canada’s finest writers, including Bonnie Burnard, Charlotte Gray, Lawrence Hill, Barbara Kingsolver and Kenneth Oppel as well as writers and leading authorities from Canada and around the world, such as Nick Cave, Tim Flannery, Theo Fleury, J.L. Granatstein, and General Rick Hillier. For more information, please visit http://www.harpercollins.ca.

About Avatar Press
Avatar Press is a leading independent company publishing a wide variety of comic books and graphic novels by the most talented and celebrated creators in the industry. Among their fine products are highly-regarded creator-owned titles such as George R.R. Martin’s FEVRE DREAM, Alan Moore’s NEONOMICON and WRITING FOR COMICS, Warren Ellis’ FREAKANGELS and BLACK SUMMER, and Garth Ennis’ CROSSED and CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD, as well as licensed comic projects including George A. Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. For more information about Avatar Press and their publications, please visit www.avatarpress.com or contact info@avatarpress.net.

About BOOM! Studios
Award-winning "Best Publisher" BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of bestselling comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent, including Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE, Stan Lee's SOLDIER ZERO, THE TRAVELER, and STARBORN (the first new series in print from the industry icon in 20 years), new HELLRAISER comics written by Clive Barker as well as 20th Century Fox's PLANET OF THE APES, 28 DAYS LATER, and DIE HARD, Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, and The Henson Company's FARSCAPE. BOOM!'s recently rebranded all-ages imprint, kaboom! will see publication of PEANUTS, SPACE WARPED, Roger Langridge's SNARKED!, Scholastic's WORD GIRL and DUCK TALES, as well as continuing to publish fan-favorite Disney Afternoon series DARKWING DUCK, CHIP 'N' DALE RESCUE RANGERS along with Disney standards MICKEY MOUSE, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE, and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES.

This is very cool news. We love Avatar press and making their books easier to get is great news

The Starman Omnibus Editions

2011-01-30T21:15:00.000-08:00

When I first read the Starman series is was really happy with the ending, but sad to see the end. James Robinson did such a great job with the series. He took a character from the 40's which i only had a passing interest in, reading about Starman in reprints of the old stories and he added new characters and basically made Starman and his son hip.

The series focuses on Jack Knight, the family member who went his own way, not wanting anything to do with his Dad Ted or the Starman legacy. but when push comes to shove Jack steps up and defends his family. And in truth a big part of the series is about jack and his extended family. It's also about his growing up and understanding his Father and who he was.

Volume six of this series of Omnibus editions is out and it is really something to behold. Things that seem to have been running under the surface for the whole run come out in the open. We discover more about the Shade in a big battle royal, the final fate of the Mist, Jack spends time with his Brother and they come to understand each other, and jack finally decides what to do with his life. It's a book of endings and beginnings.

And the ending, it's perfect. Jack is happy and you are happy for him. And the lead in to the ending wraps up everything.

In addition to the great writing in this series was the art. This final volume is no exception. Peter Snejbjerg is so good and he handles huge fight scenes with detail and the small scenes with class. It should almost be available without words also so you can just enjoy the art.

Called one of the best comic series of the last few decades, and with good reason, this is quite simply story telling at it's best.

Order volume one of STARMAN OMNIBUS

Order volume six of STARMAN OMNIBUS

The Doom Patrol

2011-01-10T23:52:00.000-08:00

When I first started reading comics I don't think Doom Patrol had a regular title. I would catch occasional reprint stories and always enjoyed the strange team. As I grew older and had more money to spend (on comics) the new Teen Titans including Beast Boy Gar Logan helped to bring around a bit of new interest in the team.

They made a come back with new members and of course Robotman Cliff Steele. This new team grew and brought new heroes into the DC universe. Eventually they too were killed and some forgotten. But it was this ending that brought about the run on the team's stories by Grant Morrison, that mad crazy man who took a team that was kinda fun and nobody really knew what to do with and turned it into some thing edgy and incredible and surreal. I never missed and issue and have all the collections.

The current state of this team has them in their own title again which has just hit #18. I just read this latest issue (as I have the ones leading to it) and I have to see say that Doom Patrol is at the top of my stack to read first each time it comes out. I love what Keith Giffen is doing with the team. It's edgy with out being kinda creepy like Morrison was (though it was a cool creepy). It is also a bit darker and feels more real somehow because of the attitude of the players. These are misfits, there is no mistaking that, but recently they are operating without the controlling mind of the Chief, that wheelchair bound crazy man who in recent history has gone REALLY crazy.

I can't get enough. Cliff is pissed, Rita is mad as Hell and not going to take it any more and Larry is just, well, kinda batty. I love Bumblebee being more involved. And I love them being part of the madness of Oolong island.

Have I mentioned the art? It's really awesome. Matthew Clark and Ron Randall are kicking ass here and I flat out LOVE the facial expressions. Even the body language is perfect.

If you haven't been reading this book go and get a few issues. You'll be glad you did. Keith Giffen is doing what he does best, telling stories that he loves.

Or pick up a couple trade collections:

Doom Patrol: We Who Are About To Die

Doom Patrol: Brotherhood

End of 2010 wrap up

2010-12-31T05:46:00.000-08:00

It was a good year to be a comics fan, a lot of great reading to be had.

I want to list a few trade releases I didn't get a chance to cover earlier.

BATMAN AND ROBIN: BATMAN VS ROBIN

DC Comics

The second volume of Grant Morrison's refreshing new Batman and Robin team. At first I was disappointed when Frank Quietly left the book, but the truth is the art is still terrific. Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke, Scott Hanna and Dustin Ngugyen have been doing a great job.

The dynamic of a Dick Grayson batman and Damian as Robin is almost more refreshing than it should be. The wise cracks from Robin seem more hip and a bit darker, if not at time psychotic.It is also very apparent that Damian is indeed changing and likes his new life. Morrison is also coming classic Batman lore and creating new lore along with new villains. It all feels seemless and seems like it's always been there, I just hadn't read it yet. Once again DC has taken a character that has been around a long time and made it feel new.

CHEW Volume Three: Just Desserts

Image

Chew has very quickly become one of my favorite books. Image seems to be doing a nice job of bringing in creator owned properties, which is nice because the stuff from the original founders just doesn't seem all that great anymore, but that's a discussion for another time.

CHEW is set in a world where people are banned from eating meat.As such the FDA has become more important in law enforcement. Tony Chu is a special agent, in more ways than one. Tony is a cibopath, which means when he eats something he gets a psychic read from whatever he eats, including some really disgusting things.

In this third volume Tony has a new girl friend who has a strange foos pwer of her own, the ability to describe food perfectly which makes her a perfect food critic. The story has homages to The Freshman, an old Mathew Brodrick movie that had people eating rare animals, and also Pulp Fiction with Bad Ass seventies style cops under cover. We meet Tony's family (including a surprise) and there is more on Tony's ex-partner who has gone rogue. A great book that is loads of fun.

FABLES The Deluxe Edition Volume 2

Vertigo

If you read the series you don't need me to tell you how great it is. If you don't read it, trust me, go grab Volume one right now. The deluxe editions are really nice, new forwards from Bill Willingham, a bit of extras at the back, but more than anything else, bigger and hardcover. These books will last for years. And with all the re-reads they get that is a real plus.

GHOST RIDER - THE ROAD TO DAMNATION

Marvel

This came out a few years ago, but I just got around to reading it. Garth Ennis tells a crazy tale that involves angels and demons and a lot of violence. People making deals with demons thinking they can come out ahead, and angels who are a bit too vengeful. In other words, loads of fun. The art by Clayton Crain is really sharp and dark and perfect for Ghost Rider. If you are a fan of Garth Ennis, (and why wouldn't you be?) you need to pick this up.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: THE GREAT DARKNESS SAGA

DC Comics

One of the first comics I ever bought with my own money was Legion of Super-Heroes, I think it was still technically Adventure Comics at the time, or maybe Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes. It was with this title that I first started to follow creators. Mike Grell very early on became one of my favorites (and still is) but I also started to pay attention to who the writers were. A lot of great names have written the Legion over the years, Jim Shooter, Mark Waid, Gerry Conway and more. For my money the two best writers the title ever had were Paul Levitz and Keith Giffin. This book has both of them working on the Legion and it is one of my all time favorite comic stories EVER. I still have the original issues.

The deluxe hardcover is beautiful. It's big and bold and awesome glossy paper. It also has the complete story in all it's glory. The Legion going through some real changes and one of the best eras of the team. The build up is spectacular and the payoff huge. Darkseid never looked more formidable and by the time we actually see him full on the story has built such suspense and tension that it is almost a relief. More than any other villian Darkseid put the Legion through the paces and almost took them out.

A truly classic story that is every bit as good today as it was when I had to read it monthly.

MARVELS: EYE OF THE CAMERA

Marvel

I don't think I have ever read something by Kurt Busiek that I didn't like. I loved the Avengers he did, I love his work at DC and I am a slave to ASTRO CITY. The original Marvels was a great idea and wonderfully executed. It was also a very ambitious project retelling the origin of the modern Marvel universe from the eyes of a man on the street. As told by co-writer Roger Stern in the intro, this was also a major undertaking. And the effort made to get things right shows.Phil Sheldon , our photographer friend from the first book is back and the world has changed, he's changed too. The superheroes aren't all bright and shiny like they were and things seem darker. He decides to leave a legacy in a second volume of his book of photos but the publisher wants to cover the bad guys. Phil eventually Comes to terms with his mortality and does things his way. This is a great book, not just because I did reading about superheroes, but because at it's hear this is a story about being human.

POWERS Volume 13 : Z

ICON

I came to this series late, I think I started right after volume 9 came out. It was cool because I could power read the first nine trades back to back. I love the art, Michael Avon Oeming has such a wonderful style at play on this series. And the coloring is always perfect. Powers also has Brian Michael Bendis kicking ass. This is creator owned so the freedom to do what they want really shines through. Bendis is always good with dialogue, but he really shines on POWERS.

This latest collection has our detectives working a murder case of a golden age hero, one with ties to Detective Walker's past. In WWII he was part of a group of heroes that eventually took out Hitler. Now one of them is dead and as we learn in flashbacks, these dudes weren't always heroic.

If you dig this series you'll like the latest collection. And it leads into the return of Deena Pilgrim!

SECRET SIX: DANSE MACABRE

DC Comics

Gail Simone. Oh Gail Simone, if only we could clone you so you could write even more book each month. Everything she does is magic.Secret Six initially felt like something that would be an interesting mini series but I would never had thought it would maintain as a monthly comic. I have been happily proven wrong by Gail Simone.She brings the root of good story telling to the book, characters you care about, or at the very least want to know more about. In a very short time she has got me invested in these characters who for the most part, to be honest, were really cast offs. With fleshed out history and a look at who they really are I now can't get enough.

The Secret Six is a group of bad guys who do work for hire. They have a mysterious benefactor who goes by the name Mockingbird (Just like the original version). However the team has taken their own dynamic to what they do.

In this collection, co-written by the awesome John Ostrander, they are hired to bust someone out of Belle Revee prison, one of the most secure place to house supervillians. Also home to the Suicide Squad. Much fighting ensues, which is made more fun by the addition of dead bad guys being re animated by the Black Lanterns.

Loads of great art by Peter Nguyen and J Calafiore make the battle scenes jump off the page. Great book.

SUPERMAN EARTH ONE

I have been a fan of J. Michael Straczynski since I discovered Babylon Five on DVD, but his comics career has been kind of hit and miss.However with this retelling of the Superman story I think he has a homerun. In this version Clark is reluctant to become a public figure, Hell, he doesn't even want to be a hero. He's a young man who is unsure where to go and as a result is looking into a lot of different ways to leave his mark on the world and take care of his Mom. Of course he does eventually come around to the costume, but the journey he takes is fresh and well told, and that's something for a character that's been around as long as Superman has.

SUPERMAN VS. MUHAMMAD ALI

DC Comics

I remeber when this book came out in the super sized giant edition. I used to love those huge comics. And this is one that really is deserving of a reprint.

Neal Adams does some incredible work here and the art is amazing. The story that he and Denny O'Neil came up with really works and makes the team-up between Ali and Superman work. There is a new intro by Adams and a really nice afterward from DC legend Jeanette Kahn who did such a great job running DC. A some nice extras as well.

This is one for the library.

ULTIMATE AVENGERS: Crime and Punishment

Marvel Comics

Mark Millar seems more at home on books that are out of the mainstream of the regular continuity. This works because it gives him more freedom to go where he wants to go.

In this second volume of Ultimate Avenger Nick Fury brings the Punisher on board to help out his black ops team. Their target? The Ghost Rider.

After a nice set up we get to see the team in action and we discover not all is as it appears. Who the bad guys actually are is lees and less clear. The climax is great and I love how the book ends.

Great story telling and WONDERFUL art by Lenil Francis Yu.

VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT - KILLED, NOT DEAD

Marvel Comics

Let me get this out of the way. I think Gregg Hurwitz is one of the best writers we have today. I've read all his novels and the guy is a true talent. I would read a book of bowling statistics if Gregg wrote it. When he started writing comics a few years ago I was intrigued. I enjoyed his FOOLKILLER, and really liked what he did with PUNISHER When he was given a more mainstream hero I was curious to see what he would do. I wasn't disappointed.

This is his second collection of the title and Moon Knight is up against the latest Marvel character who is EVERYWHERE, Deadpool. It's a fun meeting between the Merc With The Mouth and Moon Knight, a hero with is own psychological baggage.The second story told here has a team up with Spider-Man, but it is really getting to what Hurwitz does best, characterization and motive, and this time he's looking at Sandman. Very nicely done. The book ends with Marc Spencer hooking up with the Secret Avengers and we see his trepidation at being on a team and his realization that it can work. Again, a nice look into the character.

So, I'm loving Gregg Hurwitz on this book. Naturally that means Marvel is making a change, and the comics hitting the stands soon with Moon Knight in the title will have Brian Michael Bendis on them as writer. I like Bendis, but I love Hurwitz. I'll check it out, but the urgency to read it will be gone for me.

Mouse Guard - The Black Axe

2010-12-28T13:13:00.000-08:00

Archia's runaway hit series Mouse Guard is once again taking us on along for a ride as a quest begins in the search for a fabled weapon known as The Black Axe.

The first issue is set up as we discover who the last two member of this family line are. Celanawe is one of the mouse guard and as he is setting up a post on the edge of the sea he is visited by Em, an elderly mouse who is wise and has instigated the quest.

After fending off an attack by a band of four Fishers they get a chance to talk and Em produces a paper charging Celanawe with assisting Em in her quest.

Once again David Petersen has done a wonderful job with this world he has created. It is filled with it's own lore and magic and each book adds layers to the mythology of the series. in addition to top notch writing the rt by Petersen is amazing. it is a luscious feeling book and is worth a second run through just to take in the wonderful look of it all.

If you haven't started the series yet I would suggest picking up a couple of the collections:

Mouse Guard The Legends of the Guard Volume 1

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152

Mouse Guard Volume Two: Winter 1152

DC COMICS DROPs prices on $3.99 titles

2010-10-07T15:48:00.001-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

DC COMICS DROPs prices on $3.99 titles

MOVES TO $2.99 price point for ongoing COMIC BOOK series

New York, October 7, 2010– Beginning January 2011, DC Comics will implement a line-wide pricing adjustment, lowering the prices of all standard length 32-page ongoing comic book titles currently priced at $3.99 to $2.99, it was announced today by DC Comics Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio.

“Today’s announcement re-affirms DC Comics’ commitment to both our core fans and to comic book store retailers,” said Jim Lee, DC Comics Co-Publisher. “For the long term health of the industry, we are willing to take a financial risk so that readers who love our medium do not abandon the art form.”

“As Co-Publishers, we listened to our fans and to our partners in the retail community who told us that a $3.99 price point for 32 pages was too expensive. Fans were becoming increasingly reluctant to sample new titles and long term fans were beginning to abandon titles and characters that they’d collected for years.” said Dan DiDio, DC Comics Co-Publisher. “We needed a progressive pricing strategy that supports our existing business model and, more importantly, allows this creative industry to thrive for years to come. With the exceptions of oversized comic books, like annuals and specials, we are committed to a $2.99 price point.”

When taking into account mini-series, annuals and specials, more than 80% of DC’s comic books will be priced at $2.99.

As of January, the following titles standard length ongoing titles, previously priced at $3.99 for 32 pages/22 story pages, will be priced at $2.99 with 32 pages/20 story pages:

American Vampire;

Batman: The Dark Knight;

Batman Incorporated;

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors;

JSA All-Stars.

As of January, the following licensed titles, previously priced at $3.99, will be priced at $2.99:

Gears of War;

God of War

Kane & Lynch;

Ratchet & Clank.

As of January, the following ongoing titles previously priced at $3.99 for 40 pages/30 story pages including co-features, will no longer include co-features and will be priced at $2.99 for 32 pages/ 20 story pages:

Action Comics;

Adventure Comics;

Batman: Streets of Gotham;

Detective Comics;

Doc Savage;

Justice League of America;

Legion of Super-Heroes;

The Spirit.

In January, five books are $3.99 for 40 pages/30 story pages:

Batman: Europa # 1

First Wave # 6

DCU: Legacies # 9

Weird Worlds # 1

World of Warcraft: Curse of the Worgen

The following oversized anniversary issue will be $4.99 for 48 pages/38 story pages:

Hellblazer # 275

“Fans of our co-features should stay tuned. Some of these characters will find a new platform,” said Dan DiDio. “Going forward, mini-series and special events may feature a different price point and page count to best allow writers and artists the flexibility of format and story pages they need to tell their stories best.”

Brian Azzarello at Crimespree Booth - Chicago Comic Con

2010-08-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

Brian Azzarello is one of those writers. I think you know what I mean. One of those guys who you read one or two things by them and you know that from that point on you'll love anything with their name on it. It doesn't happen nearly often enough, but there are people out there writing that you need to own everything they do because you know you will love it. Brian Azzarello is one of those guys. Just like I know that if music is made by Joe Jackson I will love it, if it says Azzarello I will read it and reread it and tell everyone else to read it.

Over the years he's amassed a solid body of work. The new FIRST WAVE is loads of fun and shows a love of pulp. FILTHY RICH was a great walk down noir streets by someone who knows what noir is. ( Otto Penzler: Noir is about losers, not Private Eyes) . He took ownership of Crime Fiction with 100 BULLETS (along with a few Eisners), His homage to westerns, both EL DIABLO and LOVELESS were ground breaking.He even had a roll with some forgotten characters in DR.THIRTEEN. JOHNNY DOUBLE is PI fiction the way Chandler meant it to be.

I could go on, but I think you get my point.

Brian is also one of those guys who seems to absorb everything going on around him. If he appears to be less talkative it's because he's watching, taking it all in. And more than likely filing it away for a future tale that needs just that right something.

And while we know and love Azz because of the comics that's not the only thing to talk to him about. He's a HUGE fan of the CUBS, he like really good beer and is a music encyclopedia.

Our favorite thing about Brian? He's one of those guys. One of those rare guys that has no bullshit. He tells it like he sees it. No sugar coating but 100% honest. We'd vote him into office, but he'd never want it.

So if you, like us, are a fan of Azzarello come by and say hello, get some books signed and ask him what he's read lately. If you haven't read him yet you really need to.

BRIAN AZZARELLO will be signing at the Crimespree booth (#135)

Friday at 6:00 pm

Saturday at 2:00 pm

Victor Gischler at Crimespree Booth - Chicago Comic Con

2010-08-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Just who is this Victor Gischler?

Where does he come from, what does he do?

And can I buy him a beer? (YES)

Mrs. Crimespree and I first met Victor Gischler back in 2001 at a crime fiction convention in Washington DC. He was hanging out with folks from a publisher called UGLYTOWN (Jim Pasco and Tom Fassbender). They were getting ready to publish his first book GUN MONKEYS. Jim's hair was green so he stood out a bit. Also with them were Sean Doolittle and Anthony Neil Smith, both awesome crime writers in their own right.

Upon meeting Victor we liked him at once, mellow, relaxed and funny as Hell. We would go on to see more of Victor at events and conferences and we would read each of his books. My favorite is PISTOL POETS. He's also written SHOTGUN OPERA, SUICIDE SQUEEZE, GO-GO GIRLS OF THE APOCALYPSE, VAMPIRE A GO-GO and most recently THE DEPUTY fro Tyrus Books. He is truly one of the best new writers in a long time.

In the past few years a lot of my crime writing pals are starting to write comics as well. This is great for me as I love comics. Victor started with a couple one shots, Punisher comes to mind, and was soon doing Deadpool, a run on Punisher and now he's writing X-Men. In the Punisher and Deadpool in particular you can really see Victor's touch. His sense of humor and his wonderful dialogue.

We were thrilled when he agreed to come up to Chicago for Chicago Comic Con. He'll be around Friday and Saturday , including a Q&A with fellow crime writer Sean Doolittle on Saturday. Stop by and see him, you'll be glad you did.

To find Victor on the Web just go here:

https://twitter.com/VictorGischler

http://www.victorgischler.blogspot.com/

Victor is also doing a signing Friday night at Challengers in Chicago.

The photo to the left was taken by David Hale Smith

Crimespree is at booth #135

Jill Thompson at Crimespree Booth at Chicago Comic Con

2010-08-09T06:49:00.000-07:00

Jill Thompson will be hanging out at the crimespree booth Friday and Saturday doing sketches and drawing.

Jill has won a bunch of awards, I mean a BUNCH. Most recently adding two more Eisners to the collection.

Back in '87 she worked on Bill Willingham's THE ELEMENTALS and a mini series of one of the characters, FATHOM for Comico, she then did some work at First Comics.

In the early nineties she worked on Wonder Woman and then Sandman followed by Black Orchid and The Invisibles. She's also done work on characters from Sandman, Death and the Endless. She was also in FABLES 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL. In there somewhere is also Deadboy Detectives. Another Vertigo title was FINALS with Will Pfeifer.

Jill has also collaborated with Mick Foley on his children's books for the WWE- 'Mick Foley's Halloween Hijinx' and 'Tales From Wrescal Lane. (Mick Foley will also be at this convention)

She is now known for her books featuring SCARY GODMOTHER, MAGIC TRIXIE and one of our all time favorites, together with writer Evan Dorkin, BEASTS OF BURDEN.

Jill is one of the coolest people we know and in addition to being an amazing artist she also cooks like nobody's business and is a master gardener. Jill rocks. Come and visit her at our Crimespree Magazine Booth during the Chicago Comic Con Booth #135

You can visit her on Facebook here.

Hero Initiative Appoints new members to its Disbursement Committee

2010-08-05T16:29:00.000-07:00

Howard Chaykin

and

Walter Simonson

For Immediate Release:, Los Angeles (August 5, 2010):

Hero Initiative, the non-profit organization that creates a financial safely need for comic creators in need, is proud to announce the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors: Howard Chaykin and Walter Simonson. Both will serve as members of Hero’s Disbursement Committee, which allocates funds to in-need comic creators.

Howard Chaykin pioneered the graphic novel form in the United States with Empire, The Stars My Destination, and Swords Of Heaven, Flowers Of Hell. He created the award-winning and ridiculously influential American Flagg! and Time (Squared), and also deconstructed a number of mainstream characters, most notably The Shadow and Blackhawk. He has served on staff as a writer/producer on several television series, rising to the level of Showrunner, as well as freelancing in feature films, pilots, and episodic television. These days he spends his time writing and drawing comics, living at the beach, filled with gratitude that he’s no longer afflicted with a youthful attitude problem.

“Accepting Hero’s offer to serve was an easy decision, as I believe it’s incumbent upon all of us to do what we can to help those who came before us and laid the groundwork for the comics landscape today,” Chaykin said. “None of us would be able to do what we do in this incredible and vibrant field without the efforts of comics’ elder statesmen, and it’s an honor to be able to do my part and do right by them.”

Writer/Artist Walter Simonson got his start in comics working with legendary editor Joe Orlando on DC Comics' Weird War Tales in 1972. He soon paired with acclaimed writer Archie Goodwin for a storied run on "Manhunter" in Detective Comics. Simonson has enjoyed long and well-remembered runs on Thor, Fantastic Four, X-Factor, and Elric. He is currently writing and drawing The Judas Coin, the tale of one of the legendary "30 pieces of silver," for DC Comics. Simonson lives in upstate New York, and since 1980, has been married to fellow comic writer Louise Simonson.

”Helping others should come naturally to all of us, and I can think of no better place to do it than right in our own back yard of comics,” Simonson said. “I’ve long believed in Hero Initiative’s goals, and have done what I can to help them out informally. I feel privileged to formalize the relationship, and look forward to doing even more with Hero and its worthy mission.”

“Hero Initiative is honored to bring in two creators of the stature of Chaykin and Simonson to replace the recently departed Dick Giordano,” said Hero Initiative President Jim McLauchlin. “I’m sure they’ll be a wonderful reflection of all the support, love and joy Dick brought into so many peoples’ lives.”

About The Hero Initiative

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 626-676-6354.

Chicago Comic Con 2010

2010-08-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

Crimespree Magazine will have a booth at the Chicago Comic Con.

BOOTH # 135

Over the course of the weekend we'll have a number of signings.

Victor Gischler (X-Men, Deadppol)

Jill Thompson (Beasts of Burden)will be drawing at our booth during the weekend and selling sketches

Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets, First Wave)

Mark Kidwell (Bump, Frazetta Comics’ DARK KINGDOM)

RD Hall (Heroes, American Wasteland)

Todd Allen (The Murder Professor)

Onrie Kompon ( Yi Soon Shin)

Crime fiction authors Marcus Sakey, Jamie Freveletti, Sean Doolittle, Raymond Benson and the publishers of Tyrus Books, Ben Leroy and Alison Janssen.

We will have t-shirts and buttons for sale, Crimespree Magazine, and a number of books.

We'll also be giving out a bunch of free books including Damn Near Dead from Busted Flush edited by Duane Sweirczynski, and while they last Marcus and Jamie will be handing out their latest paperbacks.

Check out the Chicago Comic Con website here

July Trade Reviews

2010-08-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

These are some reviews of recent trade releases , more to come soon.

THE AUTHORITY: THE LOST YEAR

Wildstorm

Lately Authority and the other Wildstorm universe books have been in turmoil as the world they live on has gone to Hell and they are trying to fix it. This is a story that takes place before these events and it is classic Authority. Grant Morrison and Keith Giffin are having loads of fun as this group of heroes finds itself stuck on an Earth that drains the powers they need. They also find an Earth where the Authority goes too far and they end up fighting themselves. I enjoyed this cover to cover.

BATGIRL RISING

DC Comics

Stephanie Brown is back again, this time she's become Batgirl. Cassandra is gone and Barbara Gordan is not thrilled. And while Oracle comes to terms with it the new Batman and Robin are less than receptive. It's a great character study as Stephanie finds her way as a real hero and starts to bond with the original Batgirl.The art by both Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott should not be missed.

DOOM PATROL : WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE

DC Comics

Keith Giffin is the latest writer to take on this group of misfit heroes, and for the first time since Grant Morrison wrote them there is a sense of fun and seriousness to the group. I found myself sucked into the story immediately and was wowed by how great this is. The Doomsters are fighting strange foes of course, but also discovering ore of the trickery played on them by the Chief. This collection also includes the darkest night stuff so there is some fun with some past members of the group. Pick up this book!

FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: ESCAPE

DC Comics

Ivan Brandon takes a spin with Nemesis, one of the shadow characters of DC Comics who has worked for various intelligence agencies. This story is a bit like The Prisoner as we see Nemesis trapped with other operatives in a place that is set up to break them down and brain wash them. The result is Tom Tresser never is quite sure what's real in the Electric City and what isn't, and the same goes for the reader. but it's cool because it really adds to the tale. its surreal and weird and fun.

JSA VS KOBRA

DC Comics

This was a miniseries that ran concurrent with the regular title and its an all out war with the terrorist group Kobra. Kobra is making precision strikes with a clear objective and they are using disposable members to create diversions. It's all the JSA can do to keep up and with Checkmate breathing down their necks they need to move fast. Eric Trautmann does a great job with these characters and I love Love Love the artwork by Don Kramer.

MOON KNIGHT: SHOCK AND AWE

Marvel Comics

Gregg Hurwitz is one of my favorite novelists. When he started writing comics I was intrigued. I loved his Punisher and Wolverine. When I heard he was picking up Moon Knight I was curious. I enjoyed the Charlie Huston run, but stopped reading when he left the book. Moon Knight is a great character but the wrong writer really can mess things up. Hurwitz is coming in as Moon Knight decides to come back to New York and be a hero again, and it really works. We get a nice look at what makes Mark Spector tick with out getting too much back story that just clutters up good action. And there is plenty of good action. Art by Jerome Opena makes this book an overall ten.

SECRET SIX : DEPTHS

DC COMICS

Gail Simone is one of the best writers in comics today, hands down. Every page of this book shows how much she enjoys writing these characters. The six take on a job that turns out to be real bad news and puts them up against Wonder Woman. The group also go back and forth debating sticking with the job or supporting each other. Once again it's all about characters and nobody does character depth the way Gail Simone does. Awesome book.

X-MEN LEGACY : EMPLATE

MARVEL

I couldn't tell you how many different writers have touched the X-Men over the years, but I enjoy Mike Carey's take on the band of mutants. Having secured their island, Magneto's former satellite now of the coast of California, the latest threat to rear it's head is EMPLATE, brother of Monet. He sucks the energies out of mutants to survive and can travel between dimensions. loads of action and I like what Carey does with the characters. Daniel Acuna on art is a treat for the eyes.

Go to the ballgame with Brian Azzarello

2010-08-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hero Initiative and Comic Legend

Brian Azzarello

Wants to take you to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field

All to benefit our worthy cause

Los Angeles, CA (August t’k, 2010)—Comic legend Brian Azzarello, writer of 100 Bullets, Joker, Banner and many more, is a HUGE Cubs fan. He’s also a Cubs season ticket holder at Wrigley Field. Azzarello has generously agreed to take three Cubs fans with him to the Friendly Confines to see the Cubs play the New York Mets on Sep. 3, 2010, all to benefit the Hero Initiative, the non-profit organization that provides medical and financial aid for comic creators in need.

How would you acquire one of these precious seats? Just buy a $2 raffle ticket at one of these great Chicagoland comic stores:

Challengers Comics, ChallengersComics.com

Chicago Comics, www.ChicagoComics.com

Comix Revolution, two locations, www.online-revolution.com

Graham Crackers Comics, nine locations, www.GrahamCrackers.com

Tickets will also be available at Hero Initiative’s booth at Wizard World Chicago at the Rosemount Convention Center, August 19-22.

“Misery loves company, and I'm happy to share this experience with three lucky fans,” said Brian Azzarello. “The Hero Initiative is an important cause, and I'd like to thank the great Chicago comic retailers for making this all happen. Take it from me, the beginning of September is the perfect time to begin waiting for next year. Go Cubs!”

Tickets are available for purchase through Wednesday August 25, 2010. Drawing is for game ticket only. Winner will responsible for getting him/herself to and from Wrigley Field.

Hope to see you there!

About The Hero Initiative

The Surrogates

2010-07-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

Last summer the movie based on these comics came out and there is also a prequel. THE SURROGATES is a sci fi adventure similar to but different than Blade Runner. Instead of artificial intelligence driving human looking machines it's actually humans. people no longer interact with each other in person, they choose a design that they feel is most appealing and present this false front to the world. Kind of like an avatar. You can stay at home and plug in and never worry about getting hurt, or dirty or tired. However what these two graphic novels do is show the dangers involved. it also explore society and it's ability to get caught up in things that are more powerful than the individual. It's really classic Sci Fi, use a futuristic world to make a statement about the world we actually live in.

Robert Venditti builds to this slowly through the eyes of a weary and worn out cop named Greer who eventually loses his surrogate (Surrie) and lives life for real again. Venditti has created some very real characters and uses them to subtly get the point across.part police procedural, part future tale and part action romp this is a great read.

The art by Brett Weldele is a perfect blend of sketch, ink, paint and computer play coming together to create the mood and backdrop of the story in beautiful fashion, while still allowing the reader to imagine. It's the best of both worlds and a nice trick to pull off.

The second book is a prequel. THE SURROGATES: FLESH AND BONE. It refers to events only alluded to in the first book and again is a cop story with a moral set in the future. We see Greer on his way to becoming a detective, we see his wife's decent into the false world of living through a machine and we see people becoming more immune to those around them. A wonderful follow up to the original book.

We here at Crimespree highly recommend both these books. They are both published by Top Shelf and we have to admit are gorgeous looking books.

Buy THE SURROGATES

Buy THE SURROGATES: FLESH AND BONE

And after you read these great books check out the movie. Bruce Willis does a nice job and it's perfect for summer viewing.
Surrogates the movie

.The Secret History - Archaia

2010-07-09T01:47:00.001-07:00

I want to open this issue’s comics column with a full on endorsement for a book I was blown away by. The Secret History from Archaia is written by Jean-Pierre Pecau and illustrated by Igor Kordey, Leo Pilipovic, Goran Sudzuka and Geto.

I picked up the first volume at C2E2 earlier in the year. When I got issues 8 & 9, I made a pot of coffee and sat down to read. The prep was because it’s a big book. 336 pages of story and art in the first collection and I had a feeling this would be a commitment. I wasn’t wrong.

At the beginnings of time are four brothers and sisters, part of a tribe that has been wiped out They are entrusted by the village elder, a shaman, with one ivory icon each. The icons are powerful, each with a different name- The Chalice, The Lance, The Sword and The Shield. The four sibling immortals, or Archons, are warned never to use them together. Of course, being so devastated by the attack on their village, that’s the first thing they do. A meteor crashes into Earth and they see why the Icons should never be used in unison.

The story jumps from here in increments through time following the Archons as they play behind the scenes influencing events that will shape civilization as we know it. Sometimes the influences are meant to help mankind. Other times, it for personal gain. They are there when Moses faces off with the pharaoh, when the quest for the Grail drives men mad, when Napoleon tries to rule the world. Sometimes they are right in the thick of things, sometimes hiding in the shadows. Not at any given time do the four work together as they each have a different and ever changing agendas. The first volume ends with World War I, and the issues after that lead into WWII.

What really made this book special was the use of actual history and real historical figures through out the story. It gives the whole series a layered and complex quality that makes you want to read slowly and take it all in. The use of real people isn’t played as a prop, but as a part of the story and as a result it is even more effective. While this is alternate history what it really feels like is history with a look behind the curtains.

The art is also amazing. The combination of artists working on this are putting it all on the page and I really noticed the extra punch the colors added.

This is now one of only two graphic novels I will be rereading every year. The other is WATCHMEN. THE SECRET HISTORY really shows just how much comics are capable of and the job Archaia does with this book is top of the line. I can’t recommend this book enough. While reading I forgot to eat, I didn’t notice my wife had gone to bed without me and I saw the sun come up. This sounds like a cliché, but if you only buy one graphic novel this year, it should be The Secret History .

Buy The Secret History Volume 1 (The Secret History Omnibus)

Summer Reading List ~ DC Style

2010-06-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

Going back as far as I can remember summer always meant comics. I associate warm weather with green leaves and superheroes. When I first started getting an allowance I would go along to the drug store to buy comics, when I got my first summer job I would get a ride to the comics store and when I first started driving I would go to the comics store every Wednesday, which also happened to be payday at the summer job.

Summer = Comics

Of course now I can buy comics whenever and where ever I want. And I get a lot year round. What I read is also different. i still read the guys in tights, but I read a lot more than that. But come summer time I still want stacks of new comics around. So here's some new stuff to keep you busy this summer.

Superman is a perennial favorite and there are bunch of new books out.

Superman: NEW KRYPTON Volumes 1-4 chronicle the adventures of Superman on New Krypton, pretty much what it says right on the cover. What the cover doesn't say is that it is a wonderful excuse to right a story about a society reinventing itself, blending old traditions with new out of necessity. It has Superman in a role we haven't seen much of before, and that is one of him surrounded by people who are his physical equal and have a very different take on peoples place in society. Kal is a fish out of water and his romantic views of life on Krypton are dashed. The run of stories also sets up the War of Supermen and the current arc in the current issues. Great stuff from Greg Rucka and James Robinson.

While on the subjunctive of Kryptonians, Supergirl has a new collection also part of the the New Krypton story. FRIENDS AND FUGITIVES has Kara in a difficult position torn between her newly adopted planet and her own people, including her family. Sterling Gates and Greg Rucka really put the girl of Steel through the paces as she has to go back to Earth to grab a fugitive wanted for killing her Father.

Another New Krypton book is SUPERMAN: PATRIOT. A conspiracy from Earth has someone attempting to kill General Zod on New Krypton. Superman and Supergirl are on his trail but there is something not right going on deep within the government. Tense and written like a great thriller this is fun reading and also a nice social commentary that says some important things with out Preaching. Again featuring the New Krypton trio of Sterling Gates, James Robinson and Greg Rucka.

The last of the New Krypton books is NIGHTWING AND FLAMEBIRD. These two characters have been around a long time and are fabled heroes of Krypton. The latest incarnation is two members of New Krypton working on Earth. This puts them at odds not only with their own people but also the people of Earth, who they are actually trying to protect. Greg Rucka takes these characters and adds a depth to them we've not seen before and really does a wonderful job of explaining exactly how the powers work and where they come from.

In SUPERBOY THE BOY OF STEEL we see the superman/Luthor clone Conner Kent back from the dead and trying to find his place in the world. Worried he may be too much like Luthor and not enough Superman he heads back to Smallville to find himself. I love this book and it did a lot to make me enjoy a character I always thought was missing heart. Geoff Johns does a terrific job of taking a character who really never fit and make him something unique. I also love the art by Francis Manapul. Though I will say there is something about Wondergirls's outfit that simply can't work in reality due to the design. Still, great art.

The first collection of the run on POWER GIRL is A NEW BEGINNING by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti with Amanda Conner on art. That trio of names should be enough to get any fans of comics excited. It's a fun story re-establishing Power Girl as her own character and the art is FABULOUS. The Ultra-Humanite is back and he may destroy all of New York, big story great book.

Rounding out the Superman section are two books also staring Batman. Superman/Batman Finest Worlds and WORLD'S FINEST. WORLD'S FINEST teams up members of both the Superman family and the Batman families and is loads of fun as they go up against the Toyman and Mr. Freeze. It is very obvious Sterling Gates had a lot of fun writing this.

FINEST WORLDS sees a transfer of powers between Batman and Superman. Just what would Batman do if he didn't have to sleep and had unlimited power? This shows that it may not be what you think.

Moving on to Batman lets start with a collection of classic tales, DC'S GREATEST IMAGINARY STORIES featuring Batman and Robin. Most of these are from the 60's and presents as tales made up by Alfred. They have batman retired and married to Batwoman Kathy Kane. Robin (Dick Grayson) takes over as Batman II and Bruce and Kathy's son become the new Robin. Silly, and fun. The last stroy is from Batman #300 and is written by David Vern Reed. I've never seen the name before and after reading this last story hope to never see it again. It is another future tale of the Dark Knight and it is disjointed and confusing and just bad. Art by Walter Simonson with Inks by Dick Giordiano couldn't save this turkey. So look at the last story, but don't bother reading.

RED ROBIN: THE GRAIL follows Tim Drake after the death of Batman. You see, Tim doesn't beleive Bruce Wayne is dead. His theory works on the belief the New Genesis tech isn't understood and Bruce may have been shot back in time. Tim is on his own and at odds with just about everyone. Chris Yost does a really nice job on this and refreshes a character who was getting a bit stuck in a rut.

BATMAN AND ROBIN: BATMAN REBORN is another must have book. Almost everyone alive knows the names Batman and Robin, but for the first time it's not Bruce Wayne. It's actually a variation on the imaginary tales told by Alfred. Dick Grayson has stepped up and taken the cowl and made it his own. Too bad for him that Robin, who is Bruce's son, is a pain in the ass. A kid who knows it all and doesn't feel he needs to be taught anything. The dynamic between Dick and Damion is wonderful and Grant Morrison does such a bang up job with these two it feels like two brothers fighting. Frank Quietly on art is an added bonus and every page is suitable for framing. I love this book.

I have not read a book by Gail Simone that I didn't love. It may happen some day, but I doubt it. She is particularly wonderful when writing characters she loves and if you have read any Secret Six you'll see she does love these misfit villains. SECRET SIX: DEPTHS is another great story with these bad guys who are the perfect examples of anti heroes. Guarding an island being turned into a prison these bad guys can't sit by and let evil go unchecked. great action, wonderful use if characters that have all been given new life by one of today's best writers.

Unless you have been living in a cave you know there is a movie of Jonah Hex in theaters now. Like any smart publisher DC is releasing a number of books to coincide with that. The first is JONAH HEX: WELCOME TO PARADISE, a collection of older tales from Weird Western Tales and Jonah Hex's own magazine. These are great tales for people unfamiliar with the character or a nice reprint for folks who are already fans.

Also out now is an original graphic novel called NO WAY BACK. This story by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti tells the where and who of Jonah Hex and his past. A great story with perfect western noir anti hero story telling.

JONAH HEX SIX GUN WAR is a western team up from Gray, Palmioti and Cristan Cucino. Quentin Turnbull has waited long enough and finally hires a team of killing experts to track down Hex and kill him once and for all. And while a loner at heart, Jonah manages to call in some friends and brings the fight to them. Not necessarily traditional western dialogue, this is a great western story, a bit more Deadwood than Tombstone.

I an a huge fan of Neil Young. I saw the tour of his album Greendale and saw the movie. in NEIL YOUNG'S GREENDALE Joshua Dysart and Cliff Chiang add another dimension to the tale with Neil overseeing the story. It's a tale of why people protest, wand why we should. In a not preachy way we are told to stop ruining the planet, and stop killing each other. This is an amazing book and even for people who don't like comics a must read.

Jason Aaron on SCALPED THE GNAWING is showing a flair for noir and hard boiled story telling that most novelists would envy. This series gets better and better and in this 6th collection some things finally come to a head. Violent, sad and almost too real this is a book that leaves an echo in my brain for days after reading it. powerful stuff from a man that in another time and place would most likely be an outlaw.

Grant Morrison has a fondness for some heroes at DC that others seem to forget. In SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY he gets to pay with some obscure characters and really do interesting things. This is the first hard cover re-release of the trade collections. It is great story telling and looks beautiful. If you didn't read it when it first came out you really need to get t now.

I said it before and will say it now again. 2010 is the year of Peter Milligan. The latest book with his name is SHADE THE CHANGING MAN: SCREAM TIME. Reprinting Shade issues 14-19 from the early nineties this is still one of the best book Vertigo ever did. Crazy, psychedelic, thought provoking and just weird and a really great way this is character driven madness that dares you to take a look in the mirror and at the world around you.

Geoff Johns is probably the only person I can think of that could pull off bringing back Barry Allan as the Flash and not make it seem like a gimmick. THE FLASH REBIRTH is a perfect tale for this new age at DC Comics, Barry has been a big part of all the other really big changes and this seems very appropriate. It is also very fitting that Johns writes it, as Johns and his enthusiasm for what he does is really bringing about a new golden age at DC. Will Barry be the only Flash, will his return only be temporary? How Barry deals with all that's changed in his world in the last twenty some years is as much a part of this tale as the reason he's back and his fight to stay back.That buzz I used to get every summer as a kid is back, and books like this are whats doing it for me.

I'll have more summer reading recommendations soon.

The Night Owls - Zuda Comics

2010-04-24T23:44:00.000-07:00

The Night Owls is the latest of the Zuda comics to be released in a collection. They are wonderful smaller sized books and Night Owls is told in strip form, sometimes a single page is the story, sometimes it continues.

Set in the roaring twentirs Night Owls has Ernest Baxter, a detective of the occult, he's smart and knowledgeable of all things that go bump in the night. He is assisted by Mindy Markus a wonderfully spunky young lady who is pretty tough. Also along is Roscoe, a gargoyle with some strange eating habits.
They help the police and fight evil, usually some kind of monster, but not always.

The creators are Peter and Bobby Timony, twin brothers collaborating on this great comic.
Funny, smart and fun I loved every page of this book and look forward to more.
You can find them on the web at the ZUDA SITE HERE

Enjoy, it's a great read!

C2E2

2010-04-21T01:20:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday we got up early and drove to Chicago for the first year of this new convention.

I have to say, I've been to a lot of convention of a lot of different kinds and this was a very pleasant experience. The location was great. High ceilings and windows combined with wide aisles made it feel open and clean and comfortable. It was nice not tripping over stormtroopers to get to artist alley.

There was as you've probably heard a nice turn out from publishers.
We made the rounds and visited with and shopped with some of our favorites.
DC Comics had loads of talent here. We met Bill Willingham first thing upon walking in. Mrs. Crimespree and I are huge fans and he was really great to talk to. Geoff Johns, James Robertson, Brian Azzarello, Paul Levitz and many more wonderful people hanging out all day.

Marvel had their game face on and was crowded all day. Top talent signing and cool Iron Man stuff.

Archaia Press had a wonderful area and it felt like being in a cool living room. Loads of great books too. The staff was happy and fun and it was a cool place to hang out.

Top Cow also had a great staff on hand and I loaded up on some books I've been wanting to read. These guys continue to impress me.

Dark Horse, publishers of the amazing Beasts of Burden were on hand and again, i spent more money. The Creepy omnibuses are awesome and eventually I will get them all. I love the one I picked up. I got the scoop on some thing coming up and I can't wait for the Dark Horse books coming later this year.

BOOM! studios had some wonderful books on hand and some great writers and artists. They publish something fore everyone. I'm hoping for more Potter's Field.

Avatar outdid themselves and had an amazing array of creators on hand. Awesome books and great folks.

The list goes on and on. I bought a lot of books. And if I had more energy I would have bought more.

The one thing I took away from this more than any other was the vibe of the place. Everyone seemed happy. Everyone was having fun. I know we did, and we'll be back as long as they keep doing the show.

BRIGHTEST DAY 0

2010-04-15T03:52:00.000-07:00

brightest day #0

is in comic books stores now!

Life and Times of SCROOGE MCDUCK Back in Print

2010-04-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release:

THE WAIT IS OVER!
EISNER AWARD-WINNING
LIFE & TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK
FINALLY BACK IN PRINT!

VOL. 1 IN STORES NOW
VOL. 2 HITS STORE SHELVES THIS WEEK

Greed is Good!

April 12, 2010 - Los Angeles, CA - BOOM Kids! proudly brings back to print Don Rosa’s Eisner award-winning masterpiece THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK this year in a two-volume deluxe hardcover set. These gorgeous hardcovers feature an all new cover design, smyth sewn binding, a gold-on-gold foil-stamped case wrap and a gold bookmark ribbon — features befitting our favorite miser, Scrooge McDuck! Both volumes also feature commentary from legendary cartoonist Don Rosa!
The Life & Times Of Scrooge McDuck: Volume 1 (Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Com)
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Volume 1, collecting the first six chapters, is available in stores now, with THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Volume 2, collecting the subsequent six chapters, available this week.

Written and drawn by renowned artist Don Rosa, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK chronicles the fascinating history of the richest duck in the world. See how Scrooge earned his 'Number One Dime' and began to build his fortune!

“What Rosa did in retelling the earliest events of one of Disney’s most memorable characters was a triumph of storytelling and a tribute to our medium,” said BOOM Kids! editor Aaron Sparrow. “We’re proud to be able to get this book back into print, and in an edition that would make Scrooge McDuck himself envious!”

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Hardcover Volume 1, out now, is 128 pages, has a suggested retail price of $24.99 and carries a Diamond Code of AUG090745. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Hardcover Volume 2, out this week, will be 144 pages, has a suggested retail price of $24.99, and carries a Diamond Code of JAN100831.

About BOOM! Studios
BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) is a unique publishing house specializing in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry's biggest talents, including Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, The Henson Company's FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. BOOM! recently launched its youth imprint, BOOM Kids!, with Disney/Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney's THE MUPPETS, DONALD DUCK, UNCLE SCROOGE and WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES. This year, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fifth anniversary.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Volume 1

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK Volume 2

Pre Taxes Trade Reviews

2010-04-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

THE BATMAN CHRONICLES Volume 9
DC Comics

The Batman Chronicle like the Archive editions is reprinting all the early tales of Batman. However these books are trade paperbacks and have a very nice price point. They are also covering more than one book by instead publishing all the Batman stories chronologically.
This volume contains Detective 75,76 and 77, Batman 16 and 17 and World’s Finest 10.
Some of the stand out stories for me were The Grade A Crimes, I love the artwork. Here come Alfred was a lot of fun. Slay ‘Em With Flowers is classic Joker.
Another great volume in this series of reprints of the ever iconic Batman.

BATMAN: UNDER THE COWL
DC Comics

Under the Cowl is a great collection of stories of times when other people have filled in and taken the mantle of Batman. From Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert we get a future tale with Damian has taken over the role in Bethlehem. Barbara Gordon is commissioner and the relationship between batman and the Gotham police is not what it once was. It’s demonic and dark and the art is amazing.
Lightening Chances by Chuck Dixon is from when Jean Paul Valley took over the cowl. This story is from right before he goes off the deep end and we start to see a hint of how violent he is and how single minded he already is.
Robin and Batman by Doug Moench has Bruce asking Dick Grayson to fill in as Batman. Grayson always seemed the obvious choice if it ever happened for real, but this story from 1984 shows a great perspective on why Dick might not want to.
Urban Legend is a really fun story from Bill Willingham about a Batman who is having memory problems and all he knows is that he is Batman. Very cool idea for a story.
Tales of the Titans is from a story line in the Teen Titans that has our young heroes in a future where they are all really dark, and Tim Drake as Batman is extra dark. The whole story line is great, but this is a nice piece of it to show here. Geoff Johns showing his love of the characters with a nod to some classic stories in his own way.
Grounded is a future tale from Batman Beyond based on the animated series. While my least favorite of the animated shows this story is nice and shows me that I may want to look into reading more of the comics.
All in all some very nice choices for a book with this theme.

BATMAN: THE WRATH
DC Comics

This collects stories of Batman facing a foe who is his exact opposite, trained to be the ultimate villain instead of crime fighter the Wrath mastered fighting techniques and other disciplines to make him the best villain a human can be without powers. Originally a one off in Batman Special the Wrath came back in Batman Confidential to trouble Gotham and Batman again.
Writers Mike Barr did the first tale, and Tony Bedard brought the Wrath back, both doing a really nice job with a great idea.

THE BOYS Volume 6
THE SELF PRESERVATION SOCIETY
Dynamite

One of my favorite comics this latest collection opens with The Boys taking on a team called Payback and using them to send a message. Things get a bit out of control and The Female is hurt. Butcher sends the rest of the team off to care for her and goes hunting. If you are a superhero it’s not pretty. One member of the team almost manages to stop the Boys, Stormfront, a Nazi brought in and ”rehabilitated”. The boys have a friend come in and they end up winning the day, but it’s a fight all the way.
The second half of the book gives us the origins of Mother’s Milk, The Frenchman and The Female.
This is another no holds barred nothing is sacred set of stories from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson who both seem to be having a whole lot of fun on this book. And I’m glad, because I know I’m having a whole lot of fun with this book.

THE CLEANERSDark Horse Comics

I’ve always been fascinated with people who clean crime scenes. There have been some movies on the subject and even non-fiction books. I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve seen this profession used for a comic book.
Written by Mark Wheaton and Joshua Hale Fialkov THE CLEANER follows Robert Bellarmine, an ex surgeon who runs a company that comes in afte the police are done to clean up what’s left behind on a crime scene. Blood, bone, broken glass and God knows what else.
In the course of a few clean-up sites Robert starts picking up an idea about who may behind a series of murders and starts to look into it. As you might imagine this is not behavior the police are fond of so Robert needs to investigate on the QT.
The conclusion to this tale is unexpected and wonderfully big and yet sublime.
Rahsan Ekedal does a great job with the art. This story obviously calls for a certain amount of gore but it’s portrayed in a way that isn’t gratuitous and for not crossing that fine line between just enough and too much Ekedal has my admiration.
I love this book and really hope to see more.

THE CREEPER BY STEVE DITKO
DC Comics

This is another gorgeous hardcover from DC similar in design to the Kirby books. It collects all of the Creeper stories by Ditko including one that is previously unpublished.
While I respect Ditko’s talent as an artist and admire his layout skills I’ve always been hot and cold to his work. Some I find to be perfect, others just don’t do much for me.
The Creeper is one I always enjoyed. Part of it may be the craziness of the character, but the truth is I think Ditko really did some of his best work here. The use of light and dark, the angles, everything about it is awesome.
The earlier stories have the character a little less insane and more grounded to his alter ego. Jack Ryder himself is interesting here as a reporter who is out spoken but not over the top like later years. Having him as an investigator for the TV station really works for what the Creeper needs to do.
285 pages of story this is a great addition to any comics library.

THE DARK KNIGHT Archives Edition Volume 6
DC Comics

Collecting Batman issues 21-25 (1944) this volume is every bit as wonderful looking as all the other Archive editions.
By this point in the Batman mythology the character have been established but some of these tales bring in extra depth to them, such as Hid Lordship’s Double which lets Alfred get a bit more into the story. We also see some of the trade mark history based stories such as It happened in Rome written by Joe Samachson.
The credits also look like a who’s who of creators from the early days of comics. Bill Finger, Bob Kane of course. But also Dick Sprang, Jerry Robinson, Joe Greene, Jack Schiff, and Alvin Schwartz are among the creators here.
I understand that not everyone enjoys the early stories from back in the early golden age, but I really like the look of the old stories and there was something innocent and righteous about them. And I can see how these tales would go on to influence later creators.
A fun book and a nice addition to a comic book library.

IGNITION CITY
Avatar
Warren Ellis once again does something that is totally new and fresh. This feels to me like a steampunk mystery tale set in a possible future and I wouldn’t even want to give it a sub genre title. What it is really, is just damn good story telling.
Mary Raven lives on an Earth where man has gone to space and since been grounded from exploring the universe they just begun to enjoy. Since she can’t fly she is at a cross roads and travels to Ignition City where her Father had been living. The last space port it is kind of the old west with rayguns and space ships and aliens. Originally planning to just pick up her Father’s effects she decides to stay on and find out why he died and who killed him. It’s the old west in a new world.
Gianluca Pagliarani did a spectacular job on the art. It makes me think of some of the wonderful work in heavy metal back in the 70s and 80s.
A compelling and wonderfully imaginative homage to westerns and serials of the thirties Ignition City is pure fun. The spine says volume 1, and I can’t wait for more.

SHUTTER ISLAND
Tokyo Pop/ Harper Collins
This is an adaptation of the novel by Dennis Lehane (which was also adapted into a film). It’s very loyal to the source material which I think is a great novel.
Christian De Metter has done incredible work here, done in dark water colors he captures the mood of the story in an almost magic way. The suspense builds and the twists and surprises are spot on.
If you read the book, you will love this, if this is your first experience with Shitter Island I think you will love it and hopefully want to read the novel. Both are great.

SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC
DC Comics

Geoff Johns and Gary Frank on a story arc that leads into some of the current story with New krypton.
It gives the story of Who and what Brainiac really is and how he came to capture Kandor. It eventually leads to an attack on Earth as Brainiac is obsessed with capturing “the last Kryptonian”. Supergirl is having some real problems with this as it dredges up some pretty bad memories from her past. And while Brainiac loses this round, Superman doesn’t really win…..

I can go on about how wonderful Geoff Johns is, but the truth is, if you have if you have been reading DC Comics you already know this guy loves this stuff and it shows in everything he writes. Gary Franks does an incredible job on the art, and Superman really deserves great art. Every emotion on every face is believable, the action amazing and even quiet scenes are perfect. As much as I love the words from Johns, Gary Frank can tell a story with just his art.

X-Force Vol. 3: Not Forgotten
Marvel

The newest incarnation of X-Force is something I’ve enjoyed. It always struck me that this group of people should have a team that will do whatever they have to do to ensure the safety of Mutants. Naturally Wolverine is here. X-23, Domino, Angel and James Proudstar are all logical choices to join him.
X-Force needs to stop a threat that is coming from a league of anti-mutant extremists led by Bastion. A variation on the legacy virus is being used to spike mutants and cause them to go out of control killing tons of people, just to make mutants appear to be more of a threat. In addition Rhane is reunited with a wolf prince from Asgard and the are attacked by Frost Trolls.
Loads of action and great art. I don’t always enjoy the computer heavy art, but here it works well.

X-MEN FOREVER: THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE SENTINELS
Marvel Comics
When I first started spending my own money on comics I very quickly discovered X-Men. The one writer who kept me buying every issue was Chris Claremont. His plotting, his love of the characters and his long term vision of the group was something that really kept the title amazing.

His work here on X-MEN FOREVER is something I’ve really been enjoying. A separate continuity from the regular books this is an X-Men that follows suit to his earlier work which ended with X-men Mutant genesis in ‘91. Great depth to the plots and fleshing out of characters.
In this collection the team is reeling from the death of Wolverine, Storm was an imposter and the real Storm is back. And the Sentinels rear their heads again. There is some really great interaction with Shield and Nick Fury as the X-men join forces to stop the threat that just won’t die.
Having Paul Smith on some of the art here really brings back memories and was a perfect choice.
I may not keep up with all the X books anymore, but this is one I do and plan to keep reading.

April 9th, this weeks comics

2010-04-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

I didn't come home with a big stack this week but there was some fun reading.

She Hulk Sensational is a 30th anniversary issue one shot from marvel. Like most of the bigger Marvel books they included a reprint which might be part of the higher price tag. The first story is a take on A Christmas Tale by Peter David. A fun little story looking back and forward at her life, but basically a format for oue giant green heroine to shoot off some wacky lines.
The second story is Jennifer teaming up with Ms. Marvel and Spider Woman. Confusion leads to the girls fighting and then teaming up against hydra.
The reprint is a John Byrne classic from #40 of his run. The story is kinda crazy but the art is nice.

From over at Image we have Invincible Returns #1, which has our young hero reflecting and gearing up for a big fight. It's a nice issue and I enjoy the non action stuff in this book. I love the art by Ryan Ottley, I think the guy is a genius. The back up story art by Cory Walker just felt a little off to me, not bad, just not right here. He portrays Eve a bit to soft and rounded. Still, the writing through out is good and if you are a fan of the series you'll be happy with this.

The Boys #41. Ohhh Garth.... What are you doing Mr. Ennis? I see all this for shadowing and I worry for my boy Wee Hughie. On the other hand this group of lame heroes, Super Duper made me wet my pants laughing!
I love this series!

Red Robin # 11 was really fun, things are heating up in Gotham and TIm is trying to fend off the League of Assassins. Targets have been made of all his associates and he needs to fight back and keep them safe. Loads of action and damn cool story from Chris Yost. I also really like Marcus To on the art.

Doom Patrol #9 was another really entertaining read. It seems like this book just doesn't get any love except back when it was a Vertigo title. Well, some of those characters are back, Danny the Street, and Jane are a big part of this latest crazy tale from Giffen.

Batman and Robin #11. Well, I've yet to read a bad Batman story by Grant Morrison and the streak continues. Our new Robin is having some problems caused by Mom, and Dick is uncovering parts of the batcave he never knew existed.Lots of action and loads of clues leading up to something big. And a great surprise badguy at the end!

Geoff Johns on flash is always a treat. In Secret Files and Origins we don't get a re hash of the beginnings again, we are getting a set up for Barry Allan's new role in the DC universe. The Rogues are getting ready, the other Flash heroes are geared up and after reading this, so am I.

JSA Allstars #5 has had a story line building up to a big battle and its coming next issue. Johnny Sorrow and the King of Tears are going to give the team a hell of a fight. We have a new hero, Anna Fortune who is a steam punk looking magic user, I like her. Stargirl and Atom Smasher are off in another dimension hoping for a rescue and falling in love. Loads going on here. My favorite part? The art by Freddie Williams II. It is a beautiful book.

I should have some trade reviews up in the few days. I have a pile building up on the desk and I'm almost caught up enough to get to them and do the reviews.

Lego/Action figure theater - Blackest Night

2010-04-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

Lego Action figure theater is the result of a man with too many toys, insomnia and a strange imagination.

FABLES issue the 93rd

2010-03-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Bill Willingham has been writing comics for a fair amount of time, I've been a fan since his series The Elementals which was ahead of it's time in character development and story ideas.

Fables is the work he is most known for and with good reason. I've heard more than one comics creator say they wish they had thought of the idea. Forms of this idea have been done, variations on fairy tales and fables but no one, and I mean NO ONE has managed to combine all the elements at play in FABLES in such a natural and logical feeling way. Willingham has taken characters, some that have been around for well over a hundred years, and add multiple layers to them. Coming up on issue 100 later this year we are seeing that not only was this a terrific idea but that it also has legs.

Issue 92 and 93 are a bit of an interlude from the larger tale being told, but an important aspect of the overall mythology being created. Ambrose the Frog Prince, and now king is doing the impossible in the post Adversary war. He has created a kingdom in the old lands where everyone is equal and has the same opportunities. Age old issues put aside for the greater good. The story opens with a new favorite past time with the fables, Baseball. The championship game is won by the Goblins and between the games and celebrating afterward the subjects of Ambrose's Kingdom sem to be bonding and it looks like his idea of all working and living together may work.

Of course from a story telling angle that's nice but not exciting. No worries. Mr. Willingham has a few things up his sleeve. Following the celebration a Goblin named Brump is a bit drunk and on his way home he, like many late night party people, desires a late night meal. He happens upon a squirrel and follows his natural instincts to eat when hungry. But this is a land where all creatures are more than rodents in a park and Brump has inadvertently committed murder. In issue 93 the news is out and King Ambrose now faces a part of his job as King which is about hard decisions, heavy is the heart of the head who wears the crown indeed. The murder must be dealt with and there is no way to resolve this without some faction being made to feel slighted. A trial is set and people chosen to represent both the people of the kingdom and the defendant Brump. The goblins of the kingdom feel as if they are going to be wronged and prepare to cause problems. Other members of the kingdom anticipate leniency and this will also cause problems.
In the end Ambrose is gratified to learn that he chose the right people to present the case and it allows him to make a fair judgment with out compromising himself. It's a hard decision but in the end it works.

A wonderful interlude to the on going sage in the latest story in this series. After all the lead up to the War with The Adversary it seemed like maybe the series had peaked with the war. The aftermath has been as interesting as the build up and now with a new evil on the loose it shows no signs of letting up.

Bill Willingham has once again surpassed himself and is creating a legendary story run with this book. With Fab;es Willingham has elevated himself to the ranks of the truly great comics writers like Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman. He is now one of those guys you compare people to. I plan to follow this series everywhere and anywhere he wants to take it, and I sure hope it's a long ride.

A gaggle of trade reviews

2010-03-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

BATMAN- THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD
DC Comics
This trade is a collection of the comics based on the cartoon. It is totally all ages friendly. This doesn’t mean kids only because I have to tell you I found it a real treat to read. I love the way Aquaman is portrayed, almost like Captain Hammer from Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog. The time traveling story is fun and I loved the story with Blue Beetle with Batman acting as a real mentor.
Fun book and a great way to get kids into comics.

DC UNIVERSE ORIGINS
DC Comics

This collects all the short origin stories that have been running in Countdown, 52 and Justice League Cry For Freedom. It’s a great way to get up to date on who’s who and how they fit into the scheme of things at DC.Lots of great writers and artists took part in the micro origins and each comes with a list of significant story lines.
A great source for new fans and old alike.

GREEN LANTERN – SECRET ORIGIN
DC Comics

When this first came out in the regular comics I wasn’t all that excited. I have read variations of Hal Jordan’s story quite a few times over the years. I should have known better. Geoff Johns has really refined this and made it fit into the current version of the DC Universe.
We see Hal as a kid and what leads him to want to fly, his time in the air force and after are impacted by his daredevil attitude, his lack of fear is hurting everything around him. When a Green Ring finds him and brings him to Abin Sur he realizes that maybe he is destined for bigger things and this also helps him get a better handle on his own life and relationships.
What’s cool about this is the fact that Johns answers questions I should have been asking all along. Why would a Green Lantern need a ship? Just why is Sinestro such an ass? And is he right to think the way he does?
This re telling of the beginnings for Hal Jordan is essential reading for GL fans. The art by Ivan Reis is also a major selling point here. Reis is a master of action and with this story there is such a variety of things going on that it must have been a challenge, one that Reis rose to.

HOUSE OF MYSTERY VOLUME 3
Vertigo

This collection is really fun as things are starting to get shaken up. The stories told have always been good, and the subplot running throughout with the various characters has been really interesting but now we are starting to get some real insight into what is going on. Fig and her Father argue , and we start to discover why certain people can’t leave the House Of Mystery.
This set of tales also has an underlying theme which gives us a few clues as to what the house really is. There are also some forces and people trying to get the house under their control and the end of this has a great reveal which should really make upcoming stories a great pleasure to read.
Some great talents in here including Neal Adams, Gibert Hernandez and Bill Willingham.

JSA STRANGE ADVENTURES
DC Comics
Some golden age adventures of the Justice Society written by Kevin J Anderson, a New York Times best selling novelist. We see the JSA pitted against WWII era bad guy who wants them to quit. Johnny Thunder is going through a personal crisis of faith and ends up trying to become a pulp writer.
Anderson sure seems to love this age and his use of all the various members of the JSA is well done as he doesn’t spotlight just the “cool” ones. Ever since James Robinson did Starman we see the golden age character, Jack’s Dad Ted getting a lot more respect, and I love it.
I love the new stories of the JSA, but I sure do love tales set in the Golden Age, and from Anderson’s writing I would say he does too. A great job done with respect for the characters and the reader.

R.E.B.E.L.S. – The Coming Of Starro
DC Comics
Let me be honest here, the original run of this title back in the nineties was not a comic book I liked. In fact I would go so far as to say I hated it. It bothered me that we were given this instead of new Legion stories. Ok, that’s off my chest.
I am open minded in a never say never kind of way. The return of R.E.B.E.L.S.made me wonder why? That was enough to make me want to read it. And I have to say I actually am enjoying it. Brainiac is a meglo maniac who needs a bitch slap, and done right characters like this can be great, and here it is. The story in this collection has our green friend putting together his own version of the Legion to combat a coming evil. A hologram of his future self is driving him a little crazy, fun to see. It is also cool to see a nod to the future Legion in some of his travels. Tony Bedard has taken a title I shouldn’t care about and actually has me wanting more.

SIMON DARK – THE GAME OF LIFE
DC Comics

Steve Niles is a great writer and the macabre way his brain works is a real pleasure to see in comics. I’ve been enjoying his Simon Dark right along, but this last collection really takes it to a new high.
A gothic tale of death, lose and rebirth this is no superhero story.
As we’ve discovered in previous reading, Simon isn’t sure who he is. His Police Detective pal is in a similar but not as extreme situation. Both should be dead. Why aren’t they? It also looks like whatever saved them from death also unleashed a failed experiment. So while they try to save lives they also are working to put their own in order.
The Game Of Life does a great job of tying everything up and bringing an end to this chapter in the life of Simon Dark. The three trades reads together make for an intricate and compelling story and quite honestly, I think it would make a great movie.

SUPERMAN: MON-EL
DC Comics

Over the years Mon-El has always been the kind of character who seems to be a watered down version of Superman and as a result no one ever seemed to know just what to do with him. With the New Krypton story line involving Superman being out of Metropolis it seems a natural choice to have Mon-El come in as a replacement.
This collection opens up with a retelling of the first meeting between Clark and Mon-El, Mon-El getting put into the phantom zone and his eventual release.
We then jump to Superman asking him to watch over Metropolis for him and introductions to the people he’ll need to work with. As he learns to adapt to this new role Mon-El is also working on being more than just a super hero. Ma Kent helps out here as does the new Guardian.
With lots of great fight scenes, and wonderful character development, James Robinson has taken a character that has been orphaned and given him a home and a real place in the DC Universe.

Final Crisis Aftermath

2010-03-13T05:39:00.000-08:00

I quite enjoyed Final Crisis and thought it was a well done cross over. As with most of these events there are things that change and things that come out of them. Post Final Crisis there were some mini series that picked up and ran with a few characters. Out now in trade I thought I would hit each one.

INK

The new Tattooed Man is not a straight forward super villain as we discover towards the end of the crisis. Mark Richards ends up doing more than just trying to protect his family, he makes a decision and joins in the fight. In the post crisis world he is back in his neighborhood of Liberty Hill which is no clean happy suburb. He's hooked up with the Justice League and he's fighting crime, maybe not globally, but locally he's making a difference. He seems to be having a bit of trouble shedding all of his past and he gets a bit more violent than he might need to be. also he is having trouble controlling his tattoos. As the story moves forward Mark ends up finding his own way to fight crime and in the end is truly his own man.
INK is a character driven piece and as Mark is trying to rediscover himself his family is also making adjustments. And while it is a cool superhero driven tale it resonates with real problems people face every day.
Eric Wallace nailed it and I would love to see more work from him. Fabrizio Fiorentino's art is really cool, a painted style with great colors.

RUN!
This takes a nowhere bad guy who was barely a blip and post Crisis has street cred to spare with having played a part in the death of the martian Manhunter. He's on the run from every good guy out there and in order to keep safe he keeps looking to increase his power. By the end of the book he's a major player and The Human Flame is a name that doesn't even fit any more.
This doesn't have the depth of INK, but the action is high and its a real fun read. Matthew Struges sure seemed to have fun writing it. Freddie Williams III came through on the art, as always a wonder to behold. All in all a fun read.

DANCE
Another group of people I didn't know existed pre Final Crisis, this group of bored cos players with a wealthy backer make a move to the big leagues in this story. Motivated by fame and fun they have some seriously scewed sense of what a hero is. They end up doing the right thing eventually, but the ride to that point is a blast.
Joe Casey has various nods to modern pop culture from Twitter like postings to the vapid party people. It's as much a laugh at modern twenty somethings as it is a story of young heroes, and that is what really makes it work. A variety of artists at work here and it is a damn fine looking book. Again, this is loads of fun.

I haven't read Escape yet, but will add that to the mix when I do.

Now for something a little different

2010-03-11T20:39:00.000-08:00

Looking for comics, but don't have a shop close by? Perhaps it's 11:00p.m. on a Saturday night and your itching for a comic fix. Or, lets say you really want something to read ,but cash is a little low? What are you going to do? I'll tell you, go to www.zuda.com and check out the online comics available.
There are comics for all age groups and all style of reading. No, there is no Preacher, Spider-man, or Hellblazer. But there are excellent storylines sure to draw you in and keep you coming back for more. Zuda is an off shoot of DC comics and if you like what you see at DC you'll love the new adventures these comics will offer.
One story inperticular really caught my attention and I was very happy to see it was released into an actual print release. High Moon is a cross between a western story with werewolves. check it out, you'll thank me later.
Other titles I'm currently following are: Bottle of Awesome, Devil's Wake, Azure. There are others, but if I list them all you will see that I follow almost all of them as they are all works in progess and are updated all the time.
Lastly if you really like a perticular comic you can vote for it and leave comments for everyone to read. Check this site out. I even made a link for you. Save it as a favorite as you will want to check back often. (much like this blog:))

Criminal Macabre Cellblock 666 - Dark Horse Comics

2010-03-11T19:33:00.000-08:00

What do dirty DA's, Prison's, and Zombies have in common? Well, if you're Cal McDonald, they all spell out a highway to hell. Set up by one of his own, a zombie, Cal gets tossed into the slammer. Doing hard time, however this prison and it's hard as nails Warden are about to learn a hard lesson in, you reap what you sow.

Super natural detective Cal McDonald along with the Zombies teach everybody, that while crime may not pay, criminals rarely forget who the real bad guys are. This is the first experience I've ever had to read a Cal McDonald mystery. I can tell, you it won't be the last. I now must go out and find the first five in this series. I seem to have missed quite a bit of the back story. I suggest you do the same.

Steve Niles is no stranger to horror writing (30 Days of Night). I found his prose to be heart pumping and made the nerves tingle. as if I was with Cal every step of his journey. The artwork of Nick Stakal wraps up the words perfectly. It completes and complements the story and flow seamlessly from frame to frame. As a really nice finishing touch Tim Bradstreet does the Cover art and the internal break pages between chapters.

Pick up all six you won't be disappointed.

Planetary - Volume 4 and a look back

2010-03-09T23:25:00.000-08:00

Warren Ellis has put a lot of words out into the world for people to read. And I mean A LOT of words. And while I am a fan of the man and what he says and how he says it, some of his work really stands out. Planetary is one of those series. Volume four, the last of the collections has come out and the series is concluded. Often something like this is bittersweet, endings don't live up to what you hope for as a reader, there is a sadness that it's over. Not the case here. Ellis brings in the last page of this series so perfectly and in such a way that you can't help but smile a knowing smile. If you've been reading right along at this point you are an insider and when you read those last words from Elijah Snow you know it's all good.

If you've not read Planetary here's a quick summary of the series. Planetary is a foundation that seeks out strange things on Earth and saves and protects them. Pretty basic look at this series.

More detailed:
The series opens with the group bringing a amber back into the fold, one Elijah Snow. Snow is a Century Child, born on January 1st 1900, and as such has special abilities which in his case is the manipulation of cold. Jakita Wagner and her work mate Drummer need Snow to come back to help out and this means bringing back his memory which was taken away at his own insistence. This trio travel the globe searching for weird things, time travel machines, monster that we though were only in movies, and a number of variations of popular superheroes. It's a real homage to pop culture going back 100 years. As the series progresses we discover more about our team of heroes. We see Snow training with Sherlock Holmes, traveling to Frankenstein Castle, finding out what happened to the pulp heroes of the forties, who bare a purposely close resemblance to Doc Savage, Shadow and Airboy among others.
The main struggle they have is against a group of four adventurers who got their powers artificially, a group resembling the Fantastic Four, only mean and evil. Snow wants their kowledge and he wants them to stop manipulating things so he can help mankind.

This last collection has a Lone Ranger homage which leads into the back story for one of the Four.We have space adventure, we have pulp heroes. And we have answers. We get Drummer's origin, we learn about Jakita, we find out what Snow has been up to all these years and why.

John Cassaday's art is of course perfect. A constant through the series he really brought it home in style. His covers through out have been an amazing homage to pop culture through the years and he ends on the high he started with.

Ellis leaves us with really only one question. If we let you name your price can we have some more? But do you know what? We don't need more bcause he brought the whole story around full circle perfectly and gave us an awesome ending , one looking to the future with hope and wonder. A perfect ending for a perfect series.

It's a strange world, let's keep it that way.

Buy Planetary Vol. 4: Spacetime Archaeology
Buy Planetary Vol. 3: Leaving the 20th Century
Buy Planetary Vol. 2: The Fourth Man
Buy Planetary Vol. 1: All Over the World and Other Stories

February 24th buy list

2010-02-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

Well, it's no suprise that topping my buy list and going straight to the top of the "To Be Read" pile is BLACKEST NIGHT #7. Geoff Johns has always been a great writer but on this he is really hitting it out of the park, like into the next state.

(The Blackest Night books this week were all terrific)

From DC I'm also picking up:
BATMAN AND ROBIN #9
BLACKEST NIGHT #3
BLACK LANTERN/GREEN ARROW #30
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #36 (loved it)
SUPERMAN #397 (I'm a sucker for any book with Krypto on the cover)

Also getting HITMAN VOL.2 Trade collection, and I'm sure once I get to the store there will be other from DC to entice me.
And don't forget the latest DC animated movie: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS.

Avatar has a new issue of GRAVEL out today, #17. Also, THE CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD, THE LAST BATTLE #3. Both of these are great books from a really amazing indie.

Today's Marvel pull list is:
FANTASTIC FOUR #576
MS. MARVEL #50
NEW AVENGERS #62

There will be more coming home with me I'm sure, but these are the ones I plan to buy for sure.

By the way, there is a hard cover collection of the first arc from KICK-ASS. It's a great book and a lot of fun. Plus the added buzz of the movie. Just read the first volume and loved it.

Thursday Update:

Picked up SCALPED #35. A stand alone issue that brought tears to my eyes. Jason Aaron is amazing. A Native American couple in their later years and the struggles they go through in their day to day life. Awesome.

Also picked up THE WALKING DEAD #70. Damn this book is good.

Picked up PROJECT SUPER POWERS CHAPTER TWO, trade volume 1 and #7.
I read the first round and really enjoyed this revamping of lost heroes. I thought I would wait for trades but couldn't help buy the new one with the great cover. Great fun.

THOR #697, part of the siege story line. I'm not getting all of it, but I'm spot buying to keep track of what is happening. The promise of "The Heroic Age" makes me think I may get more Marvel this summer. It's been too dark too long over there. Thor is still a great character and the direction of late has been really interesting.

I also picked up Top Cow's BROKEN TRINITY trade. I love these characters, but find it more satisfying to read in large chunks, thus I wait for trades. good story, great art.

The Losers comes to film

2010-02-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

Based on the DC/Vertigo comics written by Andy Diggle and drawn by Jock, if this movie is half as good as the comics it will be awesome. Great cast loads of action. I can't wait.

And the graphic novels are great.
Buy The Losers Vol. 1 & 2 (Graphic Novel)
Buy The Losers (Vol. 3): Trifecta (Graphic Novel)
Buy The Losers (Vol. 4): Close Quarters (Graphic Novel)
Buy The Losers (Vol. 5): Endgame (Graphic Novel)

review: THE HUMAN TARGET: CHANCE MEETINGS

2010-02-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

HUMAN TARGET – CHANCE MEETINGS
Vertigo Comics

Peter Milligan is one of those rare writers who finds himself perfectly at home no matter what sub genre he is writing in. This collection is his take on a DC character that has been around since the 60’s and has been turned into a pretty good television show on Fox (Human Target starring Mark Valley).

CHANCE MEETINGS, a catchy name given that the human target is named Christopher Chance, is no longer the sophisticated playboy type hanging out in a swanky pad waiting to be a hero. At this point in his life he is troubled and damaged. Too many years being other people have started to take their toll. Bothe the stories in this collection play on that theme. This is story telling firmly set in LA, with a bit of a Robert Crais novel feel to it. There is a man who has worked with Chance caught up in his own role of being someone else going through what Chance has. There is a femme fatale hitman(woman?) out to get Chance and her back story almost could use its own book. Gangsters, bad guys and a truly modern noir feel make this a wonderful read that any crime fiction fan will adore. And it’s also just damn good story telling with a focus on characters.

The art is is a joy and realy captures the nature of the tales being told. Edvin Biukovic and Javier Pulido are both on the top of their game here. And the Tim Bradstreet covers are need to be framed and hung on the wall. ( I actually bought copiesof the original comics and did just that)

This collection is another wonderful book in what I’m calling the year of Peter Milligan. So read this book, watch the show, and ask for more!

Jon Jordan

Review MADAME XANADU VOL. 2 – EXODUS NOIR

2010-02-18T14:39:00.000-08:00

MADAME XANADU VOL. 2 – EXODUS NOIR
VERTIGO

Madame Xanadu has been around the DC universe for quite a while and she always seems to play small roles in the stories of others. She is enigmatic and mysterious and that’s the way I like her. Matt Wagner has come in and started telling some of her stories going way back to the time of Merlin and giving us an origin. Kudos to Wagner for being able to do this and still keep her mysterious. This second collection has our magical heroine in the 1940’s New York, a time of noir. The setting is familiar to Wagner as he spent quite a few years there with the golden age Sandman. It’s no surprise actually that we get a guest shot from Wesley Dodds and his partner Diane Belmont (two of my all time favorite characters). The tale opens with a business man dying in strange circumstances and the family coming to Xanadu for help in finding out what really happened. This means in addition to her regular activities involving divining futures and other things magical, she is also doing some PI work. She finds the next potential victims and tries to warn them. Being arrogant white business men of the times they of course ignore her. Eventually she tracks down the source of the crimes and deals with its supernatural element and puts an end to the ages old curse. Wagner uses flashbacks to the time of the Spanish Inquisition to help tell the story and to ground Xanadu’s involvement in the case. It’s a wonderful blend of magic and noir and truly inspired story telling. It touches on the problems with religions and faith and distrust and fear. And it really whets the appetite for more. Matt Wagner is in top form, and to make the package perfect Michael William Kaluta is doing the art. It’s his kind of time period and he really does an amazing job at making it look authentic. If you haven’t read Madame Xanadu yet, for God’s Sake pick it up RIGHT NOW. Jon Jordan

Big News at DC

2010-02-18T11:42:00.001-08:00

DC ENTERTAINMENT NAMES EXECUTIVE TEAM

Jim Lee and Dan DiDio Named Co-Publishers DC Comics

Geoff Johns to Serve as Chief Creative Officer

John Rood Named EVP, Sales, Marketing and Business Development

Patrick Caldon Named EVP, Finance and Administration
.

(February 18, 2010 – New York, NY and Burbank, CA) DC Entertainment, founded in September 2009 to unleash the power of the DC Comics library of characters across all media platforms, has named its executive management team, including new co-publishers of DC Comics and a Chief Creative Officer, as well as heads of Sales/Marketing/Business Development and Finance/Administration. Diane Nelson, President, DC Entertainment, made the announcement today.

The new senior executive team includes Jim Lee and Dan DiDio, who have been named Co-Publishers of DC Comics, and Geoff Johns, who will serve as Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment. Additionally, John Rood has been named Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Business Development, and Patrick Caldon will serve as Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration. Each of these executives will report directly to Nelson.

“DC Entertainment’s new executive team is a creative ‘dream team,’ with accomplishments and talent unrivaled in the business,” said Nelson. “This announcement continues and underscores DC’s legacy as the ultimate destination for creators. We’ll benefit enormously from the deep experience this team represents, while re-energizing the direction and focus of the company. I’m excited and honored to have each of them with me at the helm of DC Entertainment.”

“With this new leadership team, Diane will be able to fully and respectfully integrate DC’s brand and characters, not only as key content drivers in the film division, but across all of the businesses of Warner Bros. and Time Warner,” said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group. “I am very proud and excited about the accomplished executives who are charged with expanding this powerful library. They each have a diverse and complementary skill-set and are deeply committed to contributing to the DC Comics legacy.”

Prior to his current post, Lee served as Editorial Director, where he oversaw WildStorm Studios and was also the artist for many of DC Comics’ bestselling comic books and graphic novels, including “All Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder,” “Batman: Hush” and “Superman: For Tomorrow.” He also serves as the Executive Creative Director for the upcoming DC Universe Online massively multiplayer action game from Sony Online Entertainment.

Lee is an award-winning comic book illustrator/creator/publisher who started his professional career at Marvel Comics where his work on the X-Men continues to hold the all-time sales record for single issue sales at eight million copies sold in one month. At Marvel, he also drew the Punisher and co-created many characters, the most popular being Gambit, featured in 2009’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” feature film. In 1992, he started his own production company, WildStorm Productions, and co-founded Image Comics, an independent comics company which quickly grew to become the number-three North American comics publisher. His most notable creations, “WildCats” and “Gen 13,” saw life beyond comic books as a CBS Saturday morning cartoon and as a direct-to-video animated movie distributed by Disney, respectively. In 1998, he left Image Comics and sold WildStorm to DC Comics.

DiDio most recently served as Senior Vice President and Executive Editor, DC Universe, overseeing the editorial department for the DC Universe imprint, including the ongoing adventures of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and scores of heroes and villains. He also worked to develop new titles with the industry’s premier writers and artists. At DC Comics, DiDio has spearheaded such bestselling projects as “All Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder,” “Identity Crisis,” Green Lantern, Teen Titans and The Outsiders.

Before joining DC in 2002, DiDio was with Mainframe Entertainment, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President, Creative Affairs, overseeing the development, distribution, marketing and promotion of all Mainframe’s television properties. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director of Children’s Programming for ABC, where he was also a publicity manager, having started his television career at CBS, working in a variety of positions.

Johns builds on his current role at DC from being one of today’s most prolific, popular and award-winning contemporary comic book writers with this new executive role. He is a New York Times bestselling author who has written highly acclaimed stories revitalizing Green Lantern, Superman, the Flash, Teen Titans, and the Justice Society of America for DC Comics.

Johns began his comics career creating and writing “Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.” for DC Comics while at the same time working with film director Richard Donner. After acclaimed runs on Flash, Teen Titans and the bestselling “Infinite Crisis” mini-series, Johns co-wrote a run on Action Comics with his mentor, Donner. Johns has also written and produced for various other media, including the acclaimed “Legion” and "Absolute Justice" episodes of Warner Bros. Television’s “Smallville” and Adult Swim’s “Robot Chicken” and “Titan Maximum.” He also wrote the story of the DC Universe Online massively multiplayer action game from Sony Online Entertainment.

Rood returns to Warner Bros. after 10 years with the Disney ABC Television Group, where he most recently was Senior Vice President of Marketing, ABC Family. While at ABC, he also consulted for ABC News during the recent transitions at “Good Morning America” and “ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.”

Prior to Disney, Rood worked for six years at Warner Bros. Consumer Products, negotiating promotional deals with national advertisers using Warner Bros.’ properties, including the DC Comics characters. He has also worked in promotions for Equity Marketing on the Burger King account and in advertising for Leo Burnett on the McDonald’s and Miller Brewing accounts.

Caldon most recently served as Executive Vice President, Finance and Operations of DC Comics and MAD Magazine. Before that, he served as Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations, and his other posts at DC include Vice President, Finance and Operations, and Controller, the position in which he joined the company in 1985. Prior to joining DC Comics, Caldon spent a decade at Warner Communications in corporate accounting and as Senior Vice President and CFO of the Cosmos soccer team (owned by Warner Communications at the time).

DC Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, is charged with strategically integrating the DC Comics business, brand and characters deeply into Warner Bros. and all its content and distribution businesses. DC Entertainment utilizes the expertise the Studio has in building and sustaining franchises to prioritize the DC properties as key titles and growth drivers across all of the Studio, including feature films, television, interactive entertainment, direct-to-consumer platforms and consumer products. The DC Comics publishing business is the cornerstone of DC Entertainment, releasing approximately 90 comic books through its various imprints and 30 graphic novels a month as well as continuing to build on its creative leadership in the comic book industry.

last week of January comics

2010-01-28T23:42:00.000-08:00

Overall a good week. In fact for the most part most of the comics I've been reading this month were good or great. A few are going to get dropped from the pull list, but I thnk I have some new additions as well.

Batman and Robin #7
DC
Morrison playing around with the Batman is always fun and with Bats on the hunt in London with Squire and Knight looking for a Lazarus pit we get a look at the UK version of his world. Batman feels totally fresh here.

Detective #861
DC
Greg Rucka continues to keep me wanting more. Batwoman, Batman, crazy killers and commisioner Gordan all tangled in a typical crazy night in Gotham working a case from different angles. I imagine this will read evenbetter as a trade. The Question back up is great too. I love the addition of Huntress to the story.

Fantastic Four #575
Marvel

The story by Hickman is fine, some interesting things but it doesn't realy feel special to me. It's kind of a story I feel I've read before a ferw times or peices of other stories. I do like the treatment of Val and Franklin, and the Thing seems to be more than just muscle which is nice. I do love the art here. Dale Eaglesham is great on this and it reminds me a bit of the days with Sal Buscema.

Green Lantern #50
DC

Blackest Night continues to get more and more intense. To bring back the spirit of vengence that is The Spectre Hal Jordan once again becomes Paralax. This whole thing just keeps building and building. it's like shaking a 2 liter bottle of coke and opening it right in your own face. I don't know if my hearrt can take it muchlonger!

Irredeemable #10
Boom Studios

I'm enjoying this title alot. It seems to have changed directions a few times and Mark Waid is keeping on my toes here. Bad guys maybe not all that bad, or maybe they are, love triangles that may be mended or not. It keeps growing out oof what was one cool idea into a number of great subplots.
I could do with out the preview of The Anchor in the back. I'd rather have all the pages be Irredeemable and a bit shorter. It feels like I'm paying extra for the preview, which I don't want.
That said this is a good series, so if not in regular comics read the trade.

Justice League:Cry for Justicew #6
DC
James Robinson gives new meaning to the expression Kill Your Darlings which refers to a writer messing with the characers they love. The team in this book has really been trhough the ringer and Robinson shows no signs of letting up. Prometheus is at his most bad ass here and isleaving a real pile of wreckage in his wake.

Justice League of America #41
DC
Changes are definitly comig. I'm not sure how I feel about the Teen Titans taking over so many spots in the league. But I trust Robinson and I will follow where he leads with this.

Teen Titans #79
DC
I'm losing interst in the Titans franchise. The characters I like are all gone and the new ones here I just have trouble working up any enthusiasim for. I just don't really care what happens to them. Raven is a shadow of the character she was back in the day and Beast Boy has become unrecognizable.

Wonder Woman #40
DC

Gail Simone doingmore great work here. She keeps surprising me with wonderful new story lines. She's making one of comics oldest characters feel new.

X-Men Legacy #232
Marvel

Mike Carey is doing great stuff with Rogue, she is a strong character and it's nice to see her treated with respect by a writer who gets her. I'm enjoying the return of Proteus, such a great foe.The art is nice too, I like th coloring makingit feel like dusk.

Trade reviews - January 2010

2010-01-18T00:39:00.000-08:00

Batman: The Cat and The Bat
DC Comics
From the pages of Batman Confidential a wonderful tale of Batgirl at the very start of her career against Catwoman. Selina and Barbara may play well together now, but back in the beginning it was anything but BFFs.
Batgirl wants to prove she's up to the task of being the latest crime fighter in Gotham and she "borrows" a note book of her Dad's which is full of open cases. Before she can do anything with it the notebook is stolen by Catwoman. What ensues is a high action and extremely entertaining chase between the two as they try to keep the notebook from each other. By the time the great adventure is done they are talking to Batman who has cleaned up behind them. The book ends with Barbara feeling pretty confident and Batman's approval with Catwoman's grudgingly given praise.
Fabain Nicieza did a great job with this and the quips and jives between the two are great. The action is also well done and having Kevin Maguire on art only made it better. I love Maguire's art and he did a bang up job here. The ladies look sexy with out looking ridiculous. Of course the high light of the art was the scene in the hedonistic society club, having everyone naked with out actually showing anything was a work of art and layout.
gtreat book.

Batman Private Casebook
DC Comics

Paul Dini always brings something special to the table when he writes Batman, and in this collection it's Zatanna. Of course Dini has a soft spot for magicians, his wife is a real life Zatanna of sorts.
The book opens with a nice head to head with Ra's al Ghul, but the second story is what really got me excited. The Wonderland Gang was loads of fun, villains all based on Alice in Wonderland lead by the insane Mad Hatter. And then it gets even better as batman is there for the new Ventriloquist, this time it's a femme fatale who is off the deep end believing the dummy is real. And of course Zatanna is there to help fight the good fight. The interactions between Bruce (and Batman) with Zatanna are well done and reaffirms the history between them.
Dustin Nguyen does some great work here and the art changes a bit for each tale, and it suits the mood of each story well.
A great book for fans of classic Batman.

Batman:Battle For The Cowl
DC Comics

After Batman died Gotham city very quickly went into chaos mode. This book collects a number of stand alones that lead into the new Batman stepping up. My favorite was the Arkham Asylum tale. It was creepy and yet almost hopeful as it tells us of the latest Dr. to run the facility and how he actually seems to feel for some of those in his care. Of course he is also probably full goose bozo crazy, but hey, it adds to the story! I also liked the oracle run squad keeping Gotham in check, the last tale in the book. All the compatriots of Batman's coming in to help out. They face a gambling ring run by Hugo Strange with lives on the line.
Cool art, great writing, great reading.

Outsiders: The Deep
DC Comics

With Batman gone Alfred has been tasked with reassembling The Outsiders to help fight the good fight. It's an interesting mix and i was a little skeptical of introducing an Owlman to the main DC Universe. But the line up works as each member has there own ties to Batman and as a result a certain loyalty which is in turn given to Alfred. Metamorpho, Black Lightening, Halo, Kattana, Creepr, Geo Force and Owlman operating from a space station and going up against some big guns from the outset. Deathstroke who has a few bones to pick with Geo Force, Vandal Savage, who is just mad at everyone, and a group of immortals calling themselves The Insiders who need to do some bad things to stay immortal. Large scale action crossing the globe gives this book a big feel. peter Tomasi has a nice handle on the characters and I particularly enjoy just how crazy the Creeper is.
This new team could be a lot of fun.

Ultimatum
Marvel Comics

As long as I've been reading comics I have had an up and down experience with Marvel. Love some, hate some, and indifferent about others. The Ultimate line of books was real real stroke of genius. And wile I was reluctant at first, after reading a few trades I was hooked. A reset of the Marvel universe with no baggage, no continuity to bog it down. And it's been great.

And now it's getting ready for big change. Oh, I know, they always say big change, those comic book people. But I can honestly say that after reading this trade collection, I believe. They are taking the whole Ultimate Universe and kicking it in the ass.
Magneto is beside himself after his kids are murdered. he finally acts on this and the result is the whole planet being tipped on it axis. Latveria is now a frozen arctic wasteland, Manhattan is flooded, the whole globe in chaos. And above it all Magneto watches. I will warn you right now, read a few trades leading up to this, it will help round out the story. And I guarantee when you are done you will want to read what comes next.
We get a lot of promises of BIG books. This delivers. All the heroes pooling together to find out what happened and fix it. But there are also a lot of casualties. Characters I love are gone. And some in fairly gruesome ways.

Jeph Loeb did a wonderful job with this and really delivered an event. David Finch delivered some of the most consistent and awesome work I've seen from him yet, and I like everything he's done so that's saying a lot.
great book, get it.

WILDSTORM: After The Fall
Wildstorm

Wildstrom is another universe of heroes going through an upheaval. The world has suffered a catastrophe at the hands of a rouge goverment operation gone wrong and set the planet on it's ear. The story is following in the various books, including Authrity, Gen 13, Wildcats and more. This book collects a story that ran concuretnt in the back of the comics and is about a covert team called Team Seven.
Christos Gage wrote the whole thing, the art is by various wonderful talents. The basic outline here is John Lynch survives the catastrophe and in an effort to fix the planet needs to put back together a squad of post hmans and agents that no one knows about and go up against some of the most bad ass the Wildstorm universe has to offer.
As we follow lynch in his recruiting of the Seven we get a nice overall look at the state of the planet, and it's not good. But the action is great and the depth that Gage adds to these characters is amazing. The book ends with the prelude to something bigger, and I can't wait.

THE WALKING DEAD volume 11 -FEAR THE HUNTERS

2010-01-09T11:01:00.000-08:00

This series never disappoints. Volume 10 was a bit of a transition between arcs, but with great inner conflicts and character development. With Volume 11 we are seeing an increase in action again.

Out band of survivors is moving towards Washington DC and on the way they've seen very few undead. The herd is elsewhere, though I'm sure we'll be seeing them again. This time the conflicts come from humans. The twin boys that Dale and Andrea have been caring for cause a real upset that needs to be dealt with and eventually is, though by a person unknown. Dale eventually starts to lose it and is bitten in a moment unaware. The group is also being watched, by what can only be other survivors. This unknown group grabs Dale when he decides to leave the group. Our group also meets a preist who is troubled for a whole different reason.

I don't want to give anything else away, but the story really picks up from here. The big climax is followed by a nice ending that once again makes it clear just how different this world is. It also assures that the next collection will be read the day it comes out.

Kirkman is doing such a phenomenal job on this book, totally character driven with people under constant stress and threat. If for some reason you haven't read this yet, go grab number one, if you are following THE WALKING DEAD go grab volume 11.

End of the year reviews (Clearing off the desk)

2009-12-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

I have to say that I really enjoyed reading comics this year. There were tons of great books, both new and old. The same can be said of creators. Some people I've loved for years and a bunch of people that are new to me.
Before I take off for the holidays I wanted to get a last blast of reviews up and try to make my desk a workspace I can use again.

EX-MACHINA DELUXE EDITIONS Volumes 1 and 2
Wildstorm

Brian K. Vaughan has become a staple in the comics world and is a truly gifted writer with a vision and execution of vision that is both unique and refreshing. EX-MACHINA, originally in out in 2004. Vaughan introduces us to a modern but different Earth where the first superhero is a man named Mitchell Hundred. Hundred was a civil engineer until a strange occurrence left him with the ability to communicate and even influence machines and all thing mechanical. Being a boy who grew up reading comics he eventually decides to become a hero. He eventually gives up heroics for politics after an attack on New York devastates the city and he feels that he can do more as mayor.
The tale is told in a combination of flashbacks retelling his hero days and the present with Hundred dealing with all the thing that go along with being Mayor of the coolest city in the world.
The series deals with things that should be on everyone's minds. The nature of sacrifice, being true to one's self, the reality of politics and the way the world is and why.
Smart, funny and thought provoking this is no typical men in tights book. Vaughan is working wonders here, Tony Harris is spectacular on both the covers and interiors. It's actually worth going through without reading just to take the art in.
This collection is wonderful in the Deluxe Format and I love the extras, which include sketches and scripts.
Buy Ex Machina, Vol. 1 (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Ex Machina Deluxe Edition Book Two

FLASH VS. THE ROGUES
DC Comics

This is a collection of the first encounter between Flash and his rogues gallery members. A great book back and some stories that are hard to find. The best rogues gallery of any superhero these bad guys really do deserve a book of their own. With stories from John Broome (Writer) and Carmine Infantino (art) this is a group of ten stories every Flash fan needs to won. I really liked the Captain Boomerang origin and that alone made this worthwhile as far as I'm concerned.
Classic Flash at it's best.
Buy Flash vs. The Rogues

GREEN LANTERN: AGENT ORANGE
GREEN LANTERN CORPS: EMERALD ECLIPSE
DC Comics

DC is blasting the DC universe wide open with Blackest Night and these tow trade collections are a part of the lead up to the main event.
Agent Orange gives us the story of the Orange rings, the rings powered by Avarice (Greed). Larfleeze is really the only one, but he makes avatars of ring energy of the foes that he has killed so his army varies in size and power. Larfleeze is deep in the Vegan system and the guardians had promised to leave the sector off limits and leave him alone. But with war coming, treaties are void and the Lanterns enter the Vegan system and encounter yet another color of lantern and rings.
Geoff Johns is once again writing some really exceptional tales here and when it's all said and one I think this whole saga will become a legend in comics.

Peter Tomasi adds to the saga with Green Lantern Corps and more of the prelude to Blackest Night. Mogul has taken over the Sinestro Corps and is on Daxam.
By the time this is done the Guardians have crossed a line they can't justify to at least some of the green lanterns. Sinestro has confronted his daughter and the natives of Daxam have become super powered. Non of this bodes well for what is coming....

if you are following Blackest Night, you need these book.
Buy Green Lantern: Agent Orange
Buy Green Lantern Corps: Emerald Eclipse

JLA: DELUXE EDITIONS (Vols 1 and 2)
DC COMICS

DC has re-issued JLA in Deluxe Editions featuring the Grant Morrison stories that brought the JLA back to being the super-team it was meant to be. I've read the Justice League in one form or another as long as I can remember. My favorite memories of being a kid were coming home from the drug store on Saturdays with a 100 page spectacular for 60 cents with a pile of candy bars and getting lost for a few hours. The only run I really didn't like was the whole Detroit thing. I felt like I was being force fed too many minor players. While some grew on me i didn't like that period and it's ending was too long in coming. The Giffin years were fun and I love the reprints.

That said, I love the way Morrison brought the League back to being the major power house it was meant to be. Better organized, fighting more major threats and operating more openly. The concept of the big seven, reinforced by extra heroes was spot on. At its core the JLA was always most fun to read when it included Wonder Woman and Batman and Superman. Green Lantern, Flash, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter always made it feel like a legacy group.
The restart incorporated the end of the previous incarnation with Metamorpho getting pretty screwed up. It also had Superman in his energy being form which I never quite got, though Morrison took the players he had to work with the way they were and really ran with it. He also had a Batman at the end of his Urban legend phase. Batman being more Earth bound worked for the book, it brought to the surface just what a great strategist he is and really shows off why he's involved.

Volume One sees the JLA facing off against a group of aliens who claim to want to make the Earth all it can be, though at what cost is the question of course. The twist at the end was great fun and reared it's head again later on. This is followed by war among angels on Earth which gives us Zauriel. The League are soon looking for new members and just as the new Green Arrow comes on board they are attacked by a more crazy more powerful Key. We end Volume 1 with a battle against the menace of Starro in a telling of the new JLA's origin.

Volume two keeps the pace moving fast as a newly formed group of super villains attack, headed by Luthor they are organized and more effective than they have ever been. This war includes some great time travel stuff, and a battle with a futuristic Darksied. Just as thing cool off and open the new Watchtower moonbase to reporters they are attacked by a new foe, Prometheus. Deadly and ready to rumble Prometheus starts out really kicking some ass, including new members Steel and Huntress and Plastic Man. Volume 2 sees the JLA beat the new villain and then ends with a WildC.A.T.S. crossover that is pretty fun.

Howard Porter did some great work here and with the scope of the series it really allowed him plenty of chances to show off.

If you didn't get a chance to read these when they came out, or even if you did, these deluxe Editions are really nice. Compared with the cost of trade paperbacks the price is wonderful for these larger hardcover editions.
Buy JLA Deluxe Edition Vol. 1
Buy JLA Deluxe Edition Vol. 2

JUSTICE LEAGUE of AMERICA: WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE
DC COMICS

I was never a fan of the Milestone characters and when DC announced they were bringing them back i was underwhelmed to say the least. Justice League books are always on my must read list and so i read this crossover with the Shadow Cabinet from Milestone with a bit of skepticism.
Well, as it turns out the right writer can work magic and Dwayne McDuffie did an awesome job of bringing these characters into the main DC Universe. The Milestone crew are on the JLA's satellite to steal an artifact that will restore power to one of the members of their group. Naturally we get a huge battle royal which is totally riotous and fun. Soon after batman, Wonder Woman and Supes leave the group and we see some story line that will help lead to the new league. With Black Canary leading the troops there is a different vibe, but its interesting and the dynamics work for great story telling.
Ed Benes is, as always, terrific on the art. He does such a great job of making these heroes seem like the super beings they are without being ridiculous. And he has a great eye for detail that reminds me a bit of George Perez.
Buy Justice League of America: When World's Collide

PUNISHER: DARK REIGN
Marvel

Punisher Max has always been a strong title with great writing and great art.
Punisher tales set in the proper Marvel Universe are hit or miss. Lately there have been more hits. Matt Fraction is great on Punisher. The latest run by Rick Remender with Jerome Opena has been loads of fun.
Remender has brought back some of the cool elements of the character and done it without it seeming redundant.
In Dark Reign Frank is going after Harry Osborne and the forces running the US these days. His first attempt almost kills him and he saved by a new ally, a computer hacker who manages to help Frank to really step up his game. he acquires tech cast off by heroes and villains and uses it to gain an advantage.
Ass kicking thorough out this is a really fun book and look forward to more Punisher by Remender.
Buy Punisher: Dark Reign TPB

SGT. ROCK, THE LOST BATTALION
DC Comics

I'm a huge fan of comics and movies that are about WWII. I can re-watch the DVDs over and over. Band Of brothers is one of my favorites. And that is what this reminded me of.
The LOST BATTALION is based on a true story and actual events. Billy Tucci, who did both the writing and art, uses Rock and Easy Company to tell the story. The 141st Infantry are trapped in the Vosges mountains and the Germans are quite enjoying having them trapped. What transpires is the things myths are made of as these men not only survive but eventually triumph. if you can consider surviving a triumph.
This works on a number of levels. The obvious thing to strike first is the sheer heroism of these men. It also goes to show just how brutal war is and ultimately futile it seems. And while these soldiers fought for the US, at that place and time they were most likely fighting to live through it and protect their comrades.

Tucci has done a beautiful job with this book and taken what could have been just another action book and made it a true heroic tale that will need to be read repeatedly.

TERROR INC.: APOCALYPSE SOON
Marvel Max

Terror was kind of a forgotten book from the eighties that was nothing really special. It's been revamped and brought under the Max umbrella at Marvel which means more violence and "adult" situations. it also means that it's a lot more fun.
Terror has been around for a long time, cursed/blessed with the ability to regenerate his body from the parts others. In his current incarnation he operates as a freelance agent, working for various people. In this run he is hired to go into a lab and get a virus, one that is ages old. It gives great chance to show flashback parts of his tale and the action is non stop though out. David Lapham really seems to be enjoying himself here, and I know I did.
Buy Terror, Inc.: Apocalypse Soon TPB

ULTIMATUM: X-Men and Fantastic Four
Marvel

When Marvel first brought out the Ultimate line I thought it was a gimmick to retell stories and make money. i did change my mind and I have enjoyed much of what has come in the line. I think part of it is my love of Alternate Earth stuff.

It looks like after more than a few years of the line they are revamping and this collection leads into that.
Magneto has screwed up Manhattan in a big way making Mutants outlaws big time. With members dead and people after them for vengeance the X-men are on the offensive evey page of this story. It's written well enough though it doesn't quite have the magic the series had when it started.
The Fantastic Four portion of this book was great. Reed is MIA as is Johnny. Sue is in a coma and not doing well after maxing her power to save New York. Ben does what he needs to do and helps to save Sue. This leads for the search for Johnny and Reed which is in part a wonderful adventure in Atlantis.
I don't know why, but I really love the Ultimate Fantastic Four. I can't quite put my finger on and I still love the original (usually). there is something about the writers working on this title that opens up a sense of fun and adventure that really translates well on the page. I liked both parts, but the Fantastic Four story is the standout here.
Buy Ultimatum: X-Men/Fantastic Four TPB

X-Files graphic Novel

2009-12-09T07:38:00.001-08:00

X-Files was a wonderful TV show. Amazon has them very inexpensive right now and so I've picked up a few seasons and have been watching them again. The early seasons in particular were really well done before they got overly bogged down with all the sup plots. The latest movie was a good crime flick, but didn't feel like X-Files to me.

Wildstorm comics, an imprint of DC has recently done some X-Files comics and among the big name comic guys they also had the show's producer and writer Frank Spotnitz do some of the writing. The first story opens with a murder and a missing girl. We soon learn that something is jumping bodies and can't stop killing. There is also a tale of secret experiments for new ways to kill people remotely, a great tale with monsters and it wraps up with a strange murder investigation that seems to have a suspect in three places at once.

The whole thing is collected in a trade paperback and is available now. It has what I loved best about the show, a variety in cases, and wonderful interplay between characters.

Buy The X-Files Graphic Novel
The X-Files - The Complete First Season (Slim Set)
The X-Files - The Complete Second Season (Slim Set)

SHADE THE CHANGING MAN

2009-12-04T11:11:00.001-08:00

It's looking like 2010 will be a good year for Peter Milligan. Lots of books coming out with his name on the front, and they're all good. BRONX KILL will rock your world if you have any love at all for crime fiction and great story telling. Kicking this off early is the long waited release of SHADE THE CHANGING MAN Volume 1 and Volume 2. The run is almost 20 years old originally starting in 1990. This is some of Milligan's fist work with Vertigo and one of the earliest Vertigo on going series.

Originally a character created by Steve Ditko Shade is a human like being from the planet Meta. He is sent to Earth to help stop the spreading of madness whcih could destroy his home world and Earth. He has a madness vest which lets him control the power of madness.

The series opens with a serial killer getting executed. This is the body Shade chooses for his own as the original owner won't be needing it much longer. Upon his arrival he has a bit of trouble acclimating and seeks help from Kathy George, the only survivor of the killers last crime. He also has an FBI man on his trail, an agent dying of cancer who is seeing the world a little different all on his own.

The madness manifests itself as The American Scream and starts leave a trail of chaos across the country. Milligan uses this to give a interesting look at different parts of American culture such as the assassination of JFK and the hippie movement in San Fransisco. The look at our culture and it's icons, the use of counter culture and it's appreciation of it is addicting.

The books are every bit as interesting and relevant as they were when the series first ran. Weird, surreal, hip and insightful this is a series that should not be missed. I can't wait for the next volume.

Buy Shade the Changing Man: Volume 1 The American Scream
Buy Shade The Changing Man Volume 2: Edge of Vision

SUPERMAN RED SON

2009-12-04T10:40:00.000-08:00

DC has released a deluxe hardcover of this really great book. When the Elseworlds books were hot this was one of the truly great ones.

Imagine a baby Kal-El landing in Siberia on a collective farm instead of in Kansas. 12 hours difference lined him up to crash in a entirely different environment. Instead of growing up to be the greatest American hero is is a hero to the people of the USSR during the cold war. Stalin puts him to work and eventually he starts to venture out into the world.

I love the look of the world as it would have been with the Soviets leading the way instead of the US. I wouldn't want to live there, but it was really interesting to see Mark Miller's take on things as they might have been. Superman still has his own code, which is a righteous one, but it is colored by the communist view. He wants to make the world a paradise, which any rational person knows just won't work.

Superman isn't with out foes. Lex Luthor is a mad scientist working for the US government. Luthor is truly what he is meant to be here, a genius who is a little mad and just wants to stop the aliens.
There is a soviet Batman out to get revenge on the Soviet government, Wonder Woman is from a paradise Island that makes a treaty with Russia. And Green Lantern is given the ring by the Government of the US who find Abin Sur's ship.

The artwork here is really great. Reminiscent of Cold War era posters in Russia the look is sparse and while in color, seems strangely monotone portraying Russia as a not so happy place. The US is done in full color bright and sunshiny, almost overly so to show the contrast.

This is a great book and this new edition is something everyone should have.
Buy Superman: Red Son (Deluxe Edition)

gift buying ideas

2009-11-30T11:18:00.001-08:00

Season’s Greetings! It is once again that time of the year when you are racking your brain, trying to figure out what to buy for those special someones (or that special magazine writer) in your life.
We here at Crimespree feel your pain and want to make things easier. Because of this, we have put together this handy Holiday Gift Guide. Contained here are some of the more interesting DVD releases that just might help the holiday buying go a little easier.

Television:

ALLY MCBEAL: The Complete Series. Before David Kelly gave the world Alan Shore and Denny Crane, he had another very successful series about quirky lawyers. Calista Flockhart starred as the title character. This set contains all five seasons as well as an addition disc containing over two hours of new extras. In addition, it comes with The Best of ALLY MCBEAL soundtrack. The MSRP is $199.98.
Buy Ally McBeal: The Complete First Season
Buy Ally McBeal: The Complete Series

FOYLE's WAR stars Michael Kitchen stars as Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle. Though unable to serve his country in the military, Foyle protects his country by going after murders, war profiteers and even the occasional terrorist. Acorn Media has released volumes one through five (spanning the entirety of WW 2) in Foyle's War: Series 1-5 - From Dunkirk to VE-Day. This show should appeal to history buffs as well as fans of British police procedurals. This set was my first real experience with the show and I was really impressed with it. This set retails for $149.99.
Buy Foyle's War: Set 1
Buy Foyle's War: Series 1-5

Today, Garry Shandling is best known for THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW, but back in the late 80s, he starred in IT'S GARRY SHANDLING'S SHOW. TGSS was a very odd, and very smart, comedy. Garry starred as Garry Shandling, a somewhat neurotic stand-up comedian. In addition to the regulars, the show had special appearances by Carl Reiner, Tom Petty, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase (back when that meant something) and even the (then) L.A. mayor Tom Bradley! Members of the writing staff went on to work on SEINFELD, THE SIMPSONS and NIGHT COURT. The show was a true gem. The Shout! Factory has released the complete series and has loaded it up with some damn nice features. Anyone that remembers the early days of the Fox network will be grinning from ear-to-ear with this. MSRP is $159.99 and is worth every penny!
Buy It's Garry Shandling's Show: The Complete Series

After seven amazing seasons, THE SHIELD called it quits. The show just might be the best cop drama in the history of television (I put it in the number two slot after THE WIRE) and really should be owned by any crimes fiction fan. This season see the entire series released as one set with THE SHIELD: THE COMPLETE SERIES. Michael Chiklis led an impressive cast that included appearances by Glenn Close and Forrest Whitaker. Chiklis starred as Vic Mackey, a cop with more sins on his shoulders than most small countries. THE SHIELD revels in the morally gray areas and is a tour de force. Fans of hard-boiled fiction will certainly enjoy it. This set includes all of the extras from the individual releases, but not much more. If you already have all of the individual sets, you don't need this. If you have never paid attention to the show, now is the time to make amends. Pick this up and be prepared to have your socks knocked off. MSRP is $159.95.
Buy The Shield: Complete Series

THE UNIT lasted four seasons and managed to maintain a fairly standard of quality. The show came from Shawn Ryan (THE SHIELD) and Pulitzer winning playwright David Mamet and starred Dennis Haysbert, Scott Foley and Robert Patrick. The show focused on a top secret Special Forces group that battled terrorists around the world. THE UNIT: The Complete Gift set contains 19-discs, but no new features. Still, this show will be appreciated by fans of 24 as well as lovers of thrillers. It also retails for $199.98
Buy The Unit: The Complete Giftset

One of my all-time favorite flicks NORTH BY NORTHWEST is getting all gussied up for the holidays. Warner is releasing NORTH BY NORTHWEST: 50th Anniversary Edition on both DVD and Blu-ray. Just in case one of you is not familiar with the film (And boy do I pity you!), Cary Grant stars as a slick ad man that is mistaken for a spy and framed for murder. Alfred Hitchcock directed it and it stands as one of the greatest films ever. The edition contains some of the extras from previous releases as well as two new documentaries: The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style and North by Northwest: One for the Ages. The Blu-ray also comes with a 44-page booklet containing “photos, film facts and insider information." I would call this a must have.
Buy North by Northwest (50th Anniversary Edition)
Buy North by Northwest (50th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Book) [Blu-ray]

Also in the “You need this to exist” is LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL. The film introduced us to Natalie Portman at the tender age of 13. She, and co-star Jean Reno, kicked our asses and made this is a cult classic. It is only at cult level because too many folk are not familiar with it. If you like the crime genre, if you like good acting, if you like movies, you should own it! I mention this because Sony is offering LEON up on Blu-ray for $24.95. This is a film I could watch 100 times and never get tired of.
Buy Leon - The Professional (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Leon - The Professional (Uncut International Version)

Also coming on Blu-ray is the MEL BROOKS COLLECTION. This set comes with the HD versions of BLAZING SADDLES, HIGH ANXIETY, HISTORY OF THE WORLD PART I, ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS, SILENT MOVIE, SPACEBALLS, To Be Or Not To Be, The Twelve Chairs and Young Frankenstein. Retail is $139.99.
Buy The Mel Brooks Collection [Blu-ray]
Buy The Mel Brooks Collection (Blazing Saddles / Young Frankenstein / Silent Movie / Robin Hood: Men in Tights / To Be or Not to Be / History of the World, Part 1 / The Twelve Chairs / High Anxiety)

Anyone that knows me knows I truly cherished the films of Paul Newman. So I jumped for joy when I heard the news of THE PAUL NEWMAN TRIBUTE COLLECTION. The set contains: THE LONG, HOT SUMMER, RALLY ‘ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS!, FROM THE TERRACE, EXODUS, THE HUSTLER COLLECTOR’S EDITION, HEMINGWAY’S ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG MAN, WHAT A WAY TO GO!, HOMBRE, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID COLLECTOR’S EDITION, THE TOWERING INFERNO SPECIAL EDITION, BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS OR SITTING BULL’S HISTORY LESSON, Quintet, The Verdict Collector’s Edition. This set also comes with a 136 page photo book that is only available as part of this set.
Personally, I like the mix of this set. It has some major classics as well as some lesser known flicks. The MSRP is pretty reasonable at $89.98.
Buy Paul Newman: The Tribute Collection

Fans of the UFC have some DVDs that would make excellent gifts. Anchor Bay has recently release UFC 100: Making History on both Blu-ray ($29.97) and DVD ($19.97). UFC 100 features Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre defending his title against #1 contender Thiago Alves, as well as Heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar looking for revenge against former champ Frank Mirs. In addition to those main events, TUF coaches Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping square off. This is the first UFC event to be released on Blu-ray and it looks great! And if that is not enough to satisfy the MMA fan in your life, ULTIMATE 100 GREATEST FIGHTS features the 100 best (though there is certainly reason to debate that claim) fights in the history of the UFC. Some of these bouts are from the Spike series Ultimate Fight Nights and have not been on DVD before. This set is damn impressive and will have any fan pumped at the prospect of having it. This set is also available on both Blu-ray ($119.97) and DVD ($99.97).

2009 saw several Charlie Brown titles released: A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS is now available on Blu-ray! This is my all-time favorite Christmas special and is a must own for anyone that celebrates it. It comes in a combo pack with both the DVD as well as the BD. Retail is $29.99. If Blu-ray is not needed, I would suggest PEANUTS 1960s COLLECTION (A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS, CHARLIE BROWN’S ALL-STARS, IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN, YOU’RE IN LOVE, CHARLIE BROWN, HE’S YOUR DOG, CHARLIE BROWN AND IT WAS A SHORT SUMMER, CHARLIE BROWN.) and PEANUTS 1970s COLLECTION volume one (PLAY IT AGAIN, CHARLIE BROWN, YOU’RE NOT ELECTED, CHARLIE BROWN, THERE’S NO TIME FOR LOVE, CHARLIE BROWN, A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING, IT’S A MYSTERY, CHARLIE BROWN AND IT’S THE EASTER BEAGLE, CHARLIE BROWN.) Each retails for $29.97.
Buy Peanuts: 1960's Collection

My own cartoon watching experiences began in the mid 70s, but for those that were up on Saturday mornings before me: SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS 1960S VOLUME 2 and SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS 1970s VOLUME 2. 1960s FEATURES QUICK DRAW MCGRAW, THE BUGS BUNNY SHOW, THE PORKY PIG SHOW, THE WALLY GATOR SHOW (WITH LIPPY THE LION AND TOUCHE TURTLE) AND THE JETSONS. THE PETER POTAMUS SHOW (WITH BREEZLY AND SNEEZLY AND, YIPPEE, YAPPEE AND YAHOOEY), THE ROAD RUNNER SHOW, THE MAGILLA GORILLA SHOW and others that I have never heard of. 1970s enters into my own realm with THE NEW ADVENTURES OF GILLIGAN, SEA LAB 2020, AMAZING CHAN AND THE CHAN CLAN, YOGI’S GANG, THE BUGS BUNNY/ROAD RUNNER HOUR, VALLEY OF THE DINOSAURS, THE TOM AND JERRY/GRAPE APE SHOW, THE BANANA SPLITS ADVENTURE HOUR, INCH HIGH PRIVATE EYE AND THE NEW ADVENTURES OF BATMAN AND ROBIN (featuring the voices of TV’s original Batman and Robin, Adam West and Burt Ward). Just typing this is bringing back memories! Each runs $26.99.
Buy Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s Vol. 1
Buy Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s Vol. 2
Buy Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s Vol. 1
Buy Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s Vol. 2

TOM AND JERRY: CHUCK JONES COLLECTION ($26.99) contains the 34 episodes that animation icon Chuck Jones produced. Honestly, this is a damn impressive collection that features some truly legendary clips.
Buy Tom and Jerry: The Chuck Jones Collection

LAW AND ORDER CRIMINAL INTENT Season Four is finally out: Awesome show which just gets better and better
Buy Law & Order: Criminal Intent - Season Four
Buy Law & Order Criminal Intent - The Third Year

Gift Guide – The Books:

If you are looking for something in the printed form for the holidays we recommend if possible shopping at an independently owned bookstore. They do a great service and deserve your patronage.

Here are a few things for you to consider this holiday season for readers on your list.

Know any fans of Life on Mars? Get them a copy of THE WIT AND WISDOM OF DCI GENE HUNT from Bantam UK. This is a lovely book complied by fellow officers DC Chris Skelton and DS Ray Carling. Learn from the mast himself on such topics as Birthdays, booze, kids, London, movie old people and lots of other topical subjects. A perfect example? “I always drink in moderation. I’m not an idiot, once I’m unconscious it’s time to stop.” DCI Hunt on Booze. This is a great stocking stuffer.
Looking for straight up crime fiction and mystery to give to friends and family?

Hard Case Crime is a perfect gift in this economy. Paperbacks all Hard Case Crime is putting out wonderful book. Some of the more recent include: THE CORPSE WORE PASTIES by Jonny Porkpie, HONEY IN HIS MOUTH by Lester Dent (Yes, THAT Lester Dent), LOSERS LIVE LONGER by Russell Atwood, and QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE by the always great Max Allan Collins.
Buy The Corpse Wore Pasties
Buy Honey in his Mouth
Buy Quarry in the Middle by Max Allan Collins

Just out from Bantam, BRYANT & MAY ON THE LOOSE by Christopher Fowler features the Peculiar Crimes Unit and is funny, clever and sublimely ingenious.
Buy Bryant & May on the Loose: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery

Looking for something that needs appeal for non readers? How about Al Roker’s new book, THE MORNING SHOW MURDERS co written with Dick Lochte? It’s Roker’s first novel, and given his love for the genre it’s sure to please.
Buy The Morning Show Murders

Susan Kandel has a series featuring Cece Caruso and Cece is a biographer of mystery writers. She is also a part time sleuth. This series is loads of fun and something any fan of the genre should love. The latest is DIAL H FOR HITCHCOCK.
Buy Dial H for Hitchcock
Buy Not a Girl Detective
Buy I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason
Buy Christietown
Buy Shamus in the Green Room

There are certain authors who are just consistently damn good. Ruth Rendell and Reginald Hill both fall into this category. They both have new books out which and reader would love to unwrap. Rendell’s latest is THE MONSTER IN THE BOX and Hill’s latest is MIDNIGHT FUGUE. You can’t go wrong with the classics.
Buy The Monster in the Box: An Inspector Wexford Novel
Buy Midnight Fugue: A Dalziel and Pascoe Mystery

You say your loved ones like thrillers and espionage? How about Allan Folsom’s THE HADRIAN MEMORANDUM. Former LA cop moves to England to live a quiet life, but things out of his control ensnare him in a global crisis. Another page turner for thriller fans is 9800 SAVAGE ROAD by M.E. Harrigan, a fictional account of days leading up to 911 that has a murder taking place within the national Security Agency. Fast paced and spooky in its clarity. One more thriller to consider is Michelle Gagnon’s THE GATEKEEPER. A killing and a kidnapping are just the beginnings of a horrible plot and this book will be a one sitting read.
Buy The Hadrian Memorandum
Buy 9800 Savage Road: A Novel of the National Security Agency
Buy The Gatekeeper

Fans of Mark Billingham can share the love this holiday season with either the US release of DEATH MESSAGE or the UK release of BLOODLINE. Both are novels featuring DI Tom Thorne, Billingham’s detective is perfect for people who love great crime fiction.
Buy Death Message
Buy In the Dark by Mark Billingham

If you have people on your list who prefer things a bit darker Allan Guthrie’s SLAMMER might be just the thing. It’s a bit of a fictional punch in the gut followed by a beer.
Buy Allan Guthrie's SLAMMER

A great nonfiction book that would be a great gift is DETECTIVES DON’T WEAR SEAT BELTS by Cici McNair. A memoir that is tagged as “ True adventures of a female PI”. Fiction is great, but damn, this book is the real deal and it’s engrossing and wonderful.
Buy Detectives Don't Wear Seat Belts: True Adventures of a Female P.I.

Sometimes the holidays call for something a bit twisted and dark, and if that’s the case then Cody McFadyen’s ABANDONED is the book you are looking for. A serial killer book that will keep you up late enough to ring in the New Year.
Buy Abandoned: A Thriller

Young adults in the house? Buy them THE GATES by John Connolly. Or some of the wonderful YA books by Chris Grabbenstien.
Buy The Gates: A Novel

Comics:

From Vertigo comics, FABLES DELUXE EDITION VOLUME 1. This is a great series and we’ve praised more than a few times here at Crimespree. This deluxe edition is an oversized hardcover coming in at 264 pages featuring the first ten issues of the amazing series. Awesome art and Bill Willingham has done an amazing thing with the classic characters for our childhoods. “Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters have created their own peaceful and secret society within an exclusive luxury apartment building called Fabletown. When Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red, is apparently murdered, it's up to Fabletown's sheriff, the reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf, to find the killer.” Ruth can’t say enough good things about this book.
Buy Fables Deluxe Edition Vol. 1

Volumes 1 and 2 of WONDERMARK would make a great gift for anyone with a sense of humor. These volumes are made up of individual comic strip using 19th century engravings for art with modern gags. Outrageously hysterical. Published by Dark Horse Comics.
Buy Wondermark: Beards of our Forefathers (Collection of Wondermark Comic Strips)
Buy Wondermark: Clever Tricks To Stave Off Death

FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS from DC Comics is perfect for any old school comics fan. The story is ambitious and you don’t need to be caught up in continuity to enjoy it. The Legion of super heroes is under attack and they call on two other legions from parallel earths to help them battle the Legion of Super Villains led by an extremely evil Superboy Prime. Massive action and a wonderful story incorporating legion lore from decades of stories. Geoff Johns has surpassed himself in writing this and George Perez is at the top of his game on the art. Jon’s inner 12 year old fanboy was hyperventilating while he read this.
Buy Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds HC
And also:
Buy Final Crisis

Just in time, DC COMICS SHOWCASE PRESENTS has released THE HOUSE OF SECRETS, Volumes 1 & 2. Cain and Abel are your narrators. The pair introduced many of us to the world of Horror Comics long ago. HOUSE OF SECRETS delves into everything creepy, scary and weird. You’ll find werewolves and ghosts, evil stepmothers & talk of Doomsday. With many of the greatest artists and writers of its time contributing to this magnificent macabre, HOUSE OF SECRETS is as timeless as THE TWILIGHT ZONE and a great intro to the world of comics for anyone who likes their tales on the dark side. Give this inspired piece of Americana to someone you love for Christmas. It will curdle their toes. There are also a lot of other Showcase titles to choose from all priced to fit any budget. Look for the Warlord and Elclipso books out now as well.
Buy Showcase Presents: House of Secrets, Vol. 1
Buy Showcase Presents: House of Secrets Vol. 2

Looking for crime fiction comics? Five volumes of Scalped are out by Jason Aaron. From the description at Vertigo’s website: “Fifteen years ago, Dashiell "Dash" Bad Horse ran away from a life of abject poverty and utter hopelessness on the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation searching for something better. Now he's come back home armed with nothing but a set of nunchucs, a hell-bent-for-leather attitude and one dark secret, to find nothing much has changed on "The Rez" — short of a glimmering new casino, and a once-proud people overcome by drugs and organized crime. Is he here to set things right or just get a piece of the action?”
This is an awesome hardboiled and dark crime fiction series. If you know anybody who thinks Scarface and The Godfather are holiday movies, hook them up with SCALPED.
Buy Scalped Vol. 1: Indian Country
Buy Scalped Vol. 2: Casino Boogie
Buy Scalped, Vol. 3: Dead Mothers
Buy Scalped Vol. 4: The Gravel in Your Guts
Buy Scalped Vol. 5: High Lonesome

Vertigo Crime also has their first two books out, FILTHY RICH by Brian Azzarello and Dark ENTRIES by Ian Rankin, both of these should make any comics loving crime fiction fan happy.
Buy Filthy Rich
Buy Dark Entries

Another really cool title with politics and intrigue: Ex Machina, now in deluxe editions.
Buy Ex Machina, Vol. 1 (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Ex Machina Deluxe Book Two

Duane Swierczynski has been doing some cool comics. Check out Iron Fist.
Buy Immortal Iron Fist Volume 5: Escape From The Eighth City TPB
Buy Immortal Iron Fist Volume 4: The Mortal Iron Fist TPB

The last title up is TOM STRONG: DELUXE EDITION Vol. 1, a creation of Alan Moore this series harkens back to the days before heroes were all dark and brooding. Tom Strong is a science hero, raised by his parents in a special environment on an island to be stronger and smarter than your average man. Kind of like Doc Savage and early Superman, Tom is one of the true good guys, fighting evil and keeping earth safe. The art is bright and colorful and the stories truly inspired. Perfect for comics fans of all ages.
Buy Tom Strong Deluxe Edition Vol. 1

Misc:

Dark Horse comics has a Bruce Campbell 12” action figure. It comes with a guns, booze, and miniature angel and devil for his shoulders. Fans of Burn Notice, and fans of Bruce will love this.
Buy Bruce Campbell 12 inch Action Figure

Yi Soon Shin Issue 1

2009-11-29T11:08:00.000-08:00

The following comic is one not to miss. Based on the true story of Admiral Yi Soon Shin, this comic not only follows the history of one of Korea's naval heroes it also shows what futile Korea was like in the 1500's. Being a fan of not only comics but of history this graphic novel is out of this world, Admiral Yi Soon Shin was never defeated in battle, a brilliant tactician, he won 23 consecutive victories over the Japanese.

Onrie Kompan makes the words on the page come to life, you feel like your in battle with the Admiral.

Giovanni Timpano uses Onrie's words and his own imagination to create both beautiful and graphic depictions of not only the battle scenes but of everyday life in Korea around the 1500's.

As this is a first for me, dedicating an entire blog to a single issue, that should tell you that this is one comic you do not want to pass up. Go get this graphic novel immediately as I will be eager awaiting all future issues.

Timm

Previews of YI SOON SHIN can be viewed at CO2 Comics. Just follow the link:

www.co2comics.com/pages/co2_yi_soon_shin.html

STORMING PARADISE

2009-11-21T11:51:00.002-08:00

A new trade collection from Wildstorm, STORMING PARADISE is a World War II comic, but it's also an alternate history story. The premise here is that an accident occurs that prevents the Atom Bomb from being used in Japan. What follows is a long drawn out war on the ground.
Avoiding a war on the ground was the reason the bombs were dropped and reading this shows why it may have been the right decision. Right or wrong that decision changed the world as we know it.

The action here is rather brutal, as it should be, because there really is nothing comfortable about killing each other. The portrayal of the Japanese here may be accurate for the circumstances, I can't say with authority one way or the other, but it feels real. A people fighting to the very last to protect their home. As with most well written war comics, it is shown to be a futile and depressing thing, but also filled with acts of heroism. But from reports of vets, most acts of heroism are actually self preservation and simply looking out for their comrades. In other words, acts not done to be heroic, but to stay alive. In hindsight they are tryuly heroic, on both sides.

The book concludes with a surprise brought about by a few German scientists that leaves us hanging with the idea that the US and Russia will be working together.
I'd love to see where the story goes from there.

Written by Chuck Dixon with art by Butch Guice, Rick Burchett, Eduardo Barreto and Fernando Blanco STORMING PARADISE is a really cool read for both fans of war comics and people who just love good story telling.

Buy Storming Paradise

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE- DAILIES 1973-1974

2009-11-21T11:15:00.000-08:00

Since I learned how to read there have literally hundreds of various comic strips running in our newspapers. With the decline of newspapers they now also run online. Of this huge number of strips there are a few that stand large, memorable and still funny. Even timeless. Like most people, I have my favorites. One of my top favorites is now being collected in hardcover form.

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE - DAILIES 1973 to 1974 by Dik Browne for me is true gift. This is one of the most enduring comic strips ever done. It follows the marauding viking Hagar on his adventures both on the seas, plundering castles and at home. The themes are timeless, family, friends and just everday stuff, as seen experienced by this lovable barbarian.

There is also a wonderful introduction by Brian Walker and an opening by Browne's kids.
I would recommend this for gift buying and for your own library. I've already read my copy twice. It's a beautiful 8 1/2 by 6 1/2 hardcover and over 300 pages.

Buy Hagar the Horrible: The Epic Chronicles: The Dailies 1973-1974

Fables Volume 12: The Dark Ages

2009-11-19T10:05:00.000-08:00

THE DARK AGES collection from Vertigo's Fables series is a bit of an epilogue to the war with the Adversary. In the aftermath the fables are getting back to what is normal and dealing with their losses. There is a whole issue on Pinocchio helping his Dad acclimate to his new New York home that was really interesting. One of the people not celebrating is Boy Blue as he is still suffering from an injury which as it turns out is magical in nature.

Part of this collection is also setting up the next story arc which involves a person only known as The Dark Man. Two looters in the homelands accidentally let the Dark Man loose and he immediately starts to cause problems, eventually coming to Fabletown and destroying it. Once again it looks like our heroes are on the defensive.

Fables has been a great book since issue one and while a lot of what went before led up to the war it is clear here that there are still a lot of tales left to tell. Bill Willingham is really doing a great job with this book.

And don't forget that PETER AND MAX is out now and the novel is a great addition to this series.

Buy Fables Vol. 12: The Dark Ages

Buy Peter & Max: A Fables Novel

Bond, James Bond

2009-11-17T20:51:00.001-08:00

This new release from Titan books is the first collection in a series gathering the comic strips based on the Fleming books that ran in the fifties and sixties in the London Express. Volume One contains Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds are Forever, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, Risico, From a View to a Kill , For Your Eyes Only and Thunderball. The book opens with an introduction by Roger Moore. The art is by John McLusky and the adaptations were done by Anthony Hern, Henry Gammidge and Peter O'Donnell (of Modesty Blaise fame). The stories being done in the form of a daily strip there is just a bit of overlap on each of them as the first frame picks up from the last frame of the previous days strip. The art is terrific and I actually think the black and white makes it look better. The stories are also a very true adaptaion to the books, so while similar to the movies, they hold closer to the novels which in my opinion are better anyway. This is sure to be picked up by the legions fo 007 fans, but I think fans of strip art and espionage and just cool stories will love this. Got a Bond fan on your gift list? Here's just the thing to get them.

A copy of this was sent to us for review purposes by Titan Books.

RICK GEARY INTERVIEW

2009-11-01T20:41:00.000-08:00

Jon: Rick, I’ve been a fan of your work going back to the days at National Lampoon. Over the years you’ve worked done work in a lot of places for a lot of people. Do you have any favorites?

Rick Geary: To one degree or another, I've enjoyed every project I've worked on, but I have to say that the series of Victorian and 20th Century murder cases has given me the most sustained and deepest satisfaction.

Jon: Your latest books from ComicLit are true crime of some pretty famous cases. I love the Treasury of Victorian Murder books, what made you decide to do these?

RG: Actually, the idea to start a series came from the publisher Terry Nantier at NBM. This was about 1986, and I'd already done several shorter pieces for different anthologies, dealing with crimes of the Victorian era. The initial volume I did for him, called "A Treasury of Victorian Murder," told the stories of three famous cases. After that, it took a while to get the series going: "Jack the Ripper" didn't come out till 1995.

Jon: How much time do you spend researching the cases?

RG: Now that I'm on a schedule of bringing out one of these volumes per year, I give myself about six months for all the reading and research before I start writing a script. Of course I still seek out new information all the way through to the final inking. For the book I'm working on currently, "The Axe-Man of New Orleans," I was almost finished with the pencils when I came across several newspapers from the period with photos and facts that made it necessary to redraw several pages.

Jon: I’ve noticed that if the case is unsolved that you offer a number of possible solutions, but you don’t offer up a definitive one, do you have opinions on the cases that you leave out of the books?

RG: My favorite cases are the unsolved ones, because I love mysteries. The solutions are invariably disappointing. For these cases, I try to lay out all the competing theories that are out there, and give them more or less equal weight. If I have a favorite theory of my own, I try not to let it show.

Jon: I’m curious, going over the list of books in the series you’ve chosen some very interesting cases. In particular I really enjoyed THE FATAL BULLET, the Garfield assassination seems to be one nobody talks about. How do you pick which cases to write (and draw) ?

RG: Choosing a subject to tackle next is never a problem. As a true crime aficionado of about 30 years I have a long list of great cases to draw upon. I submit to the publisher a short list, and he chooses the one to do. Usually it's one that involves a famous person or two. The Garfield assassination was a story that had long interested me, because all its elements seem to have their echoes in more recent crimes.

Jon: Do you ever start with a subject and discover that there is not enough information to do a whole book?

RG: For the more famous cases I adapt there is almost too much information available, and the process is one of winnowing down. But with a couple of projects it seemed like there wouldn't be enough to fill an 80-page book. For instance, the book I'm working on now, about the Axe-Man of New Orleans, seemed at first like a sure-fire subject, but I discovered that there's very little out there about that string of murders. No one has written an authoritative book about them, so I had to cobble together my account from shorter pieces in longer anthology books, as well as from newspaper archives and online sources. My earlier book about the Bloody Benders was similarly daunting, although there was somewhat more published material about them. In these cases I have more freedom in the visuals, and I can fill out the book with whole-page illustrations and double-page spreads.

Jon: Are there any other cases you have your eye on for later books?

RG: There are several cases from the early 20th century that I'd love to tackle. First among them is the 1906 murder of the architect Stanford White, on the roof of Madison Square Garden, by the Pittsburgh millionaire Harry Thaw, whose wife, the notorious beauty Evelyn Nesbitt, had supposedly been "debauched" by White. The 1920's were an especially juicy period for sensational cases, including the Leopold and Loeb "thrill" killing in Chicago, and the still-unsolved Hall-Mills case of New Brunswick, New Jersey. This last involves a minister and a choir singer, both married to others, who were found murdered on a local lovers' lane, their love letters strewn about them.

Jon: Aside from true crime what do you like to read?

RG: I'm a voracious reader of fiction of all kinds, especially mysteries. I also love biographies and history. I lean these days toward Russian history, inspired perhaps by my recent work on a Graphic Biography of Leon Trotsky.

Jon: And to wrap this all up, if you could talk to a Rick of 14 years old, what advice or words of wisdom would you give him, and would he listen?

RG: The Rick of age 14 loved to draw, but I don't think he had any conception of making a living as an artist. I would tell him that, yes, it's possible if you keep drawing, and don't get sidetracked into other occupations.

this interview originally ran in Crimespree 32

Late October trade reviews

2009-10-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

BATMAN: GOTHAM AFTER MIDNIGHT
DC Comics

This is what Batman was in the beginning, dark creepy and spooky. A detective on the hunt fighting evil despite what the pursuit means to his own well being.
Steve Niles brings his wonderful horror sensibilities to the dark knight and with Kelley Jones on art it’s a match made in heaven.
A new crazy is loose in Gotham, Midnight, and he’s using some of Batman’s more disturbed foes for his own ends. Bodies are falling everywhere and it’s all Batman can do to keep up. He can barely investigate as he does all he can just to keep putting his foes back in Arkham. By the time the climax starts Batman is wornout and exasperated. And while he eventually manages to finish off Midnight the way the story ends is a surprise, and a damn good one.
When I finished this book I had a huge smile, stories like this are why I love Batman.

CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 Volumes 2 and 3
Marvel Comics

I always enjoyed the Invaders comics from marvel and Captain Britain is also a childhood favorite so having this group of characters together seemed like a no brainer when I was looking for reading material. A branch of the British secret Services mandated to fight supernatural threats MI13 is headed up by Peter Wisdom (formerly of Excalibur), Captain Britain, WWII legacy hero and vampire Spitfire, Blade, The Black Knight and a new hero, a girl named Faiza who wields Excalibur.
The action is great fun and I love the idea of full on invasions of vampires. The character development is also handled well. If you like supernatural action with some underused heroes this could be just what you are looking for.

ECLIPSO, SHOWCASE PRESENTS
DC Comics

Eclipso is a villain who over the years has become a real bad ass. He’s taken over various people and brought out their absolute darkest side and caused all sorts of trouble and mayhem.
In the beginning he was more of a trouble maker, a side effect of an experiment gone wrong. In this latest volume of Showcase presents we get the first 21 stories originally published in House Of Secrets. It starts with his origin naturally, and as they go on we see more than just a villain on the rise, but a man struggling to keep his dark side under wraps, very Jekyll and Hyde. The tales were written by Bob Haney with art by a few different artists including Alex Toth. I’m sure if this was done today it would look more slick and the evil behavior made more so, but as it is the art is detailed and the stories feel original and not typical men in tights fare.
This may not before everyone and fans newer to comics may not enjoy the suspense as opposed to action form of storytelling, it is another nice look back at a character that has grown much over the years. And 9.99 for 21 stories is a nice price.

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA : BLACK ADAM AND ISIS
DC Comics

One of my long standing favorites the JSA has been through some rough stuff of late. And when it looks like they may be able to take a breather, Black Adam is back and he has resurrected Isis. Two angry people with the powers of Gods who want to remake the world. Same old same old in comics, but in the hands of Geoff Johns and Jerry Ordway it is much more. The thing that makes this such a great series is the sense of history and family within the group. This is the reason that they don’t hesitate to help Billy Batson who is having trouble becoming Captain Marvel. The first part of this leaves the Marvel family in shambles and the old wizard one angry benefactor. We have a bit of a diversion as Stargirl celebrates her birthday and we see why this team is really family. It ends with a tale of revenge as ghosts of Japanese killed in WWII want retribution. The scheme starts off with the brownstone headquarters under attack and includes the Spectre sending part of the team to the Pacific to go to the source of the attack.
Awesome art, great storytelling and a real sense of history is what makes this a great title and this latest collection is yet another wonderful reason why I keep reading JSA.

MERCY THOMPSON: HOMECOMING
DelRey Books

Originally published in comic books from Dabel Bros this collection released by Del Rey is an original story of the character crated by Patricia Briggs. Mercy is a shape shifter, and while she tries to lead a normal life, it’s obvious that will never happen. She moves to a new town to try and make a home. She ends up in the middle of a war between different packs of werewolves. Before setting down she will have to make help make a peace between these creatures, or at least stop the fighting.
A great introduction to a cool series this is a wonderful addition to the novels by Briggs.

TRICK ‘R TREAT
Wildstorm

This is a nice anthology book based on the movie of the same name. A number of different horror stories all set around Halloween. In typical horror fashion sometimes lessons are learned, sometimes not. I really liked the story of the kids going to a quarry to honor ghosts which may or may not exist.
Scary, creepy and loads of fun. I also think the art was terrific and perfect for the stories within.

TRINITY Volume 3
DC Comics

This is the third and final collection of the weekly series by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley. An epic tale in which Morgana leFey displaces Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman in hopes of restructuring Earth to suit her own needs and wants. As this tale wraps up here we have battles raging across the planet with scores of heroes doing what they can top fight back. The big three have become God like and as such are more powerful. Helpful yes, but it also put them rather out of touch with regular humanity. As their friends try to bring them back the battle rages on with villains trying to help the good guys and cosmic scale fighting takes its toll.
By the end of the book all is right once again naturally. But the path this series took from beginning to end was truly wonderful story telling. It felt big and the art matched. I think this was an underappreciated series and I think reading it the collected forms should make people realize just how special it is.

THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT Volume 2
DC Comics

This collection wraps up the story that sets warriors and soldiers taken out of time to do battle on an island out of time. We discover the reason for their being taken and who is behind it. As they manage to work together they find that the are part of an experiment to save the future of human kind.
I quite enjoyed this as it used a lot of characters that have been out of play for a while. I also enjoyed the way suspense built as we learn little by little what was happening. The climax of the story comes in a fury and a lot happens very fast. The last page is wonderful as we see the results of their struggles.
Action packed and unique story telling make this a really fun read.

WEST COAST BLUES
Fantagraphics Books

This is an adaptation of a book by Jean-Patrick Manchette, the wonderfully noir tale of George Gerfaut, on the run and trying to stay alive. It’s a tale of war criminal and hitmen and men who live on the fringe of society.
George Gerfaut witnesses a murder and while he does the bare minimum to help keeping his involvement to dropping someone off at the hospital he is soon in more danger than he knows. George is being pursued by a team of hitmen, they follow him on vacation and once he discovers he is targeted he leads them on a merry chase. He spends time in the mountains finding a kind of peace which is eventually interrupted by the violence that follows him. A business man by trade who is underwhelmed by his own life George soon finds himself embracing the new lifestyle.

The art is in black and white and the book is the better for it. Color would not have had the shock value that some of the scenes carry and it makes for a grittier feel to what is a gritty tale. This is a perfect example of why crime fiction works so well in the graphic form. This book left me wanting a shower and a hug and with a few night of strange dreams. In other words, it’s wonderful.

Some of these books were provided by the publishers for review purposes.

Jill Thompson and Evan Dorkin made me cry

2009-10-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

Beast of Burden #2 is out from Dark Horse comics.
another awesome tale from this incredible team.

A dog comes to the crew looking for help finding her lost pups. And of course, supernatural things take place and the BoB do what they need to do to try and rescue the missing puppies.
While there are some humorous moments, the ending made me get teary eyed.

if you are not reading this book you need to go get it right now.

Go On, the internet will be here when you get back.