Comic Book Journal

With the release of The Incredible Hulk Marvel Studios has cemented its place within Hollywood as a major contender and also silenced critics who thought that one superhero blockbuster was not possible–yet alone two back to back. Riding the success of Iron Man, the Hulk, whether loathed or loved was at least a financial windfall for Marvel who plans to release more titles in the future with the possibility of Captain America. The Hulk has already made over 54.5 million dollars in its first week. So DC now has to up the ante to compete with Marvel in film. The release of The Dark Knight on July 18th is a good starting point.

So why are comic book movies so compelling and successful this summer. I think that has to do more with the state of the nation than stories alone. Sure, they are all fairly entertaining, but can you think of any other vacation day that you spend less than going to the movies? With gas prices skyrocketing no one is going anywhere, The movies are local, affordable, and does provide that sense of escape that travel often does. What else are portable, affordable, and provides entertainment and escapism–comic books. Comic books plus movies equals summer vacation family fun that’s entertaining and inexpensive. Now is the time for the industry to really boom again and if publishers can capitalize on the market at this time, they could rebuild a loyal fan base for generations to come.

That’s this blogger’s view. With the economy being in its current state, it’s important for everyone to try to contribute to the health of the environment to use less expensive fuel and maintain the health of the planet. That’s why I’m going to have a bit of a contest. I have a comic book collection. I do not read all the titles I have every day. So I’m looking for some inventive ways to recycle my old comics. For the person who can come up with the most creative and original way to recycle or use old comic books will win–you guessed it, a HUGE stack of my old comics. Some could be valuable, some may not. They’re really not organized nor in alphabetical order. I’ll leave that to you. I’m running this contest until the July 4th, so put on your thinking caps. I’ll link to this post every so often for a reminder, and as always leave comments or send emails for entries.

Looking for cool things to customize your ride this summer check this out: http://www.comicbookjournal.net/top-ten-comic-book-auto-accessories/

Ok. For starters, I don’t know all that much about the character of the Atom, just that DC has relaunched the title before, so how does this fairly reincarnation stack up? With this title, DC might have also reinvented classic sci-fi in comics. The story was engaging, and the plot fast-paced throughout. The scripting and dialogue was also tight and Rick Remender’s use of caption drew me into the story. This dynamic interaction between written word and reader erased the fourth wall, leading to a thoroughly enjoyable read. Also–the art. Kudos to Pat Olliffe. The panels, the cover, the splash page, the detail, and the backgrounds, all virtually flawless. His style meshes perfectly with this genre as well, at times I felt I was reading a vintage pulp as the clear joy the artist has while drawing seems to seep through the pencils and inks. The only flaw I have with this book, and as I do with many runs on a series, is the lack of character introduction and a “previously” section in the beginning. With that said, I’d have to give thie book a solid nine out of ten. DC has stepped up their game, especially in sci-fi. Do they have any competition? I guess we’ll see, huh? For the skinny on other DC titles, see my recent review of the Action Comics annual at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/action-comics-annual-11/

We have fun here at Comic Book Journal don’t we? Hee hee. Ah yes, fun with numbers. To correct the last post, the Action Comics annual received a six on a scale of one to ten. Maybe I should invent a new scale hmm….something to ponder, perhaps a contest in the future then. Anyway I still have a ton of stuff to review, so onward!

With a title like Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters, I was not expecting to be entertained. In fact, I was expecting another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rip-off. And I though the days of animals having human characteristics were over. I thought Dynamite was a one-trick pony with Battlestar Galactica, but Dynamite has created an entertaining read with this series. Far from parody, ARBBH shows two aging former super hamsters fighting chupacabra in the Texas sun and reuniting with old allies.

While the story is entertaining and the artwork is nuanced and meshes well with the story, the book, in my humble opinion is overpriced. At $3.50 an issue the series, despite its high production quality will find it hard to attain and maintain readership. Overall, I’d give this book a seven out of ten. The comic is highly original with stylized artwork and high quality production– sure to attract new and younger readers, yet it could sink under the weight of its hefty price.

Interested in having a hamster of your own check out the forum on pets at home zookeeper on our own 451 Press. I’m sure you can search to find valuable advice on caring for your very own radioactive hamster. Here’s a link to one of the posts there: http://www.homezookeeper.com/wordless-wednesday-goofy-hat-boy/

Still more to come….

In the not-so-distant past I reviewed an Action Comics annual didn’t I? Time flies when you’re having fun. Well this year’s annual wasn’t as light-hearted, nor attractive to new readers I fear. Here’s the scoop. That ne’er do well General Zod escaped from the Phantom Zone once again and it’s up to Kal-El, Last Son of Krypton, to save the world from the Kryptonian invasion. The twist at the end is, however, that lovable scamp, Christopher Kent saves the day instead, sacrificing himself into the Phantom Zone to save Earth. This issue is much darker than last year’s annual, and the story is more poignant then fun. Clark laments the fact he cannot bear children with Lois, and Lex Luthor falls deeper into madness, feeling invalidated by not receiving recognition in his part to design the weapons to take out Zod. All in all, I’d have to give this issue a xix out of ten (which to my recollection is what I gave the last annual) The story, with the exception of the biographies in the back, is not really a great jumping on point for new readers. While Richard Donner and Geoff Johns create a fairly good story about Superman’s heritage versus his role on Earth, it’s just all a little…depressing for an annual. On the plus side Adam Kubert’s artwork is outstanding and his different panel viewpoints and camera angles make for a visually compelling read. I’d recommend this title for Superman enthusiasts or completists only though. Novice readers I fear, won’t have much to connect with. Who’s funnier than Jerry Seinfeld? Practically no one. Who’s mightier than Superman? Practically no one. What do you get when you pair the two together? No kids, it’s not a credit card commercial. It’s that really cool page I found with the Superman references in Seinfeld. Here’s the link. Check it out. http://www.comicbookjournal.net/calling-all-superfriends/

Being a Mike Mignola fan, I thought I’d pick up an issue of Abe Sapien. Again, Dark Horse, has made a wise decision keeping Mike, and of course, Hellboy, in their stable of growing horror comics. Dark Horse, as a publisher, is in my opinion, one of the most fan-oriented publishers in the marketplace. They have also launched campaign to capture the hearts of online readers with their Myspace Dark Horse Presents site. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, back to Abe. Did Abe Sapien impress me? As far as story goes, I’ve seen a little better from Mignola. Did Abe Sapien intrigue me? Yes, yes it did. Granted, I picked up this issue right near the end of the storyline, so I wasn’t as engrossed with the storyline as I would have been if I followed the story from the beginning, but this is the beauty of Mike Mignola’s plotting. Through this stand-alone issue the compelling plot and the fantastic artwork did make me want to find the first three issues, or perhaps get the graphic novel when published. If the arc is finished with the same quality and care as this particular issue, I anticipate those sales figures to be strong and steady for Dark Horse. Do not be mistaken, this title is not the typical Hellboy fare, that at times can be tongue in cheek. This is a serious horror comic and has almost a Lovecraftian feel to it. Also I can’t say enough about Jason Shawn Alexander’s artwork. His detail, pacing, and textures give the artwork the exact same tone the storyline has as well. Again, shades of H.P. Lovecraft. On a scale of one to ten, I’d have to give this book a solid eight to ten on the basis of originality alone. For more reasons why I like Mike Mignola, see my post at: http://www.comicbookjournal.net/why-i-like-mike-mignola/
Stay tuned…more reviews cometh!

I thought I’d pick up a copy of Thor and give the Asgardian God a try. I was pleasantly surprised–the book actually lived up to the hype. Marvel made a good choice with J. Michael Straczynsk tapped as series writer. His style meshes well with the art and action sequences and his transitions are superior. As far as the storyline goes, the plot is coming along nicely and it was nice to see Thor and Odin side by side with a father and son relationship theme. Now for the artwork. I think I salivated a bit when I saw the cover and the interior art. Both are equally gorgeous. Marko Djurdjevic has a superior command of anatomy, camera angles, and also has a keen eye for texture and detail. I see him being a hot artist to watch this year. On a scale of one to ten I’d have to give this book a solid ten out of ten. Right now Marvel is the company to beat. DC has a lot of ground to make up at the moment. That’s why I enjoy the comic book world so much–anything is subject to change at any given time.

Speaking of Thor, does anyone remember the Incredible Hulk Returns. It was a TV movie in the late eighties which teamed up both the Hulk and Thor. Anyone wanting to take a trip down memory lane and enjoy this classic, see you tube. Here’s the link:link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PAYMlgFLgo

As far a merry Marvel movies go, this summer may be the hottest yet, Iron Man is still getting great critical reviews (I still haven’t went yet) and the new Incredible Hulk might be the marketing crossover giant this summer. That is, if DC doesn’t win out with the latest Batman. So go see Hulk on June 13th then go see Batman or vice versa.

Sorry, I went on a bit of a tangent there, I’ll be back soon with more reviews and hopefully some good news within the industry.

Well, we’ve just passed another free comic book day on May 3rd. This has been a really positive force in the industry and this May 3rd was no exception. What impressed me this go around was the variety that publishers were willing to put into the marketplace for the unofficial holiday. I took a few moments and perused one title, and that was the X-Men free comic book day edition. I was actually pleased and hope this title is an indication of what’s to come for the merry Marvel mutants. This was a simple story which involves a new mutant character, Pixie, who longs to be back at the Xavier Academy. She encounters a few baddies and attempts to save the day, but cannot do so alone as she is aided by the X-Men. What I like about this story is even though the Messiah Complex is over, there’s still a hardcore feel as to the atmosphere of danger, but at the same time there is a lightheartedness which gives the group a happy ending. The writing and artwork both remind me of the old Chris Claremont storylines. My prediction, is that Marvel’s back on top but this is the group to watch for 2008 and this issues is sure to be one of those sleeper collectibles that could be scarce in the future. Also corresponding with Free Comic Book Day Marvel released Iron Man this past weekend, and while I haven’t seen it yet I think I might either Saturday or Sunday, so stay tuned for my overly critical review true believers. I’ll give you the hardcore fan’s critical thoughts. The old shellhead looks exciting for once. Also stay tuned later in the week as I’ve had piles of reviews waiting to be posted.

I have to start by apologizing to Steve Niles, last week I did incorrectly site him as the author of the Marvel Knights revamp of Frank Castle, the Punisher. The title I was referring to was the Punisher:Purgatory and it was written by fan favorite, Christopher Golden, and drawn by Bernie Wrightson. As you know he is one of my favorite artists, which was more than likely the reason I picked up the book to start with. So I do extend my apologies to Steve Niles. I was correct on Steve’s ability to write a great horror comic though, so for all of you not paying attention the first time, here’s the link to my review of Simon Dark:http://www.comicbookjournal.net/simon-dark-5/.
It’s good stuff! Now, as a blogger, I confess I don’t have a spell checker, grammar checker, fact checker, or even an entourage. So comments like this are always appreciated and if I mess up or if you have any questions or comments please feel free to share. Like I said last week, I always read every comment, even if I don’t respond. So about that entourage any volunteers….
If you enjoy reading comic book journal and wants to continue to see it grow show some support and use Smilebox to put a little more animation in your blogs and emails. It’s easy to use and fun to share. Blog your photos & videos using Smilebox“>Smilebox
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Stay tuned for more reviews!

Today we’re gonna have a little history lesson. If you think that independent publishers and imprints exists today in the comic book marketplace, you’re sadly mistaken. I took a look at an odd find I discovered. In reviewing Uncle Scrooge #181, which is definitely retro, I was amazed at the level of quality and care that was placed into the issue. The art was fantastic, despite being a little primitive and the colors definitely popped. The writing wasn’t bad either and the main story in the issue was plotted well. You see, Uncle Scrooge is set to loose his entire fortune (as always) if he does not find a case of horseradish buried in the depths of the sea and deliver it to Jamaica. He, of course, must dodge the devious plot of rival McSue to find the booty before he does. Chaos ensures, but ultimately Uncle Scrooge is successful thanks to his handy nephews, Huey, Dewey, and who could forget, Luey.

Now as a book for children this was not bad reading material. I would actually recommend back issues of the title for children in elementary school, or children trying to learn to read. So on a review basis I’d give the title a five out of ten. But it goes deeper than this

For those of you who may not know, and as I learned Whitman Comics was only an alternate distributing company for Gold Key Comics who was an imprint of the original Western Comics imprint. All properties were eventually engulfed by DC. The original titles, however, were impressive and could use a read even today. Whitman’s books included such titles as:

Battle of the Planets
The Beagle Boys Vs. Uncle Scrooge
The Black Hole
Buck Rogers
Bugs Bunny
Daffy Duck
Daisy and Donald
Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom
Flash Gordon
Grimm’s Ghost Stories
Huey, Dewey, and Louie
Little Lulu
Mickey Mouse
The Pink Panther and the Inspector
Porky Pig
Turok, Son of Stone
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories
Yosemite Sam and Bugs Bunny.

These are considered classics and still cherished by many adults and are a throwback to simpler times of the silver age. So if you’re at a convention, and keep in mind convention season will be in full swing soon, stop by the quarter bin and you’re sure to find a handful of these. If you’re feeling generous, pass them out to the local schools and libraries in an effort to promote not only the comic book market, but literacy in general. So that’s my public service announcement for today.

Also if you know anyone who loves all the classic Disney characters, and who doesn’t know Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and the rest of the crew, have them check out the Disney Movie Club. Below are links to check out all the great benefits the club has to offer.

http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-2191506-10511469
Get 3 Disney Movies for $1.99 Each, Plus Free Shipping! Join Now!“>Get 3 Disney Movies for $1.99 Each, Plus Free Shipping! Join Now!

Also for all who have commented–Yes, I do read the comments and I appreciate any feedback you have to give. Often, I may not take time to respond to each one personally, but I assure you they are all read! Have a webzine or e-comic you want reviewed? If so send me a comment or e-mail at Velma92181@yahoo.com and I’ll do my best to get it out to the world wide web. That is, unless you scared of what I think. Until tomorrow, all will remain quiet on the Western front.

Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, creators and executive producers of Smallville, have announced they will be leaving the series at the end of this current season. With that shocking and somewhat sad news, it leaves me pondering what (if any?) direction the show will take. With that said I used to watch Smallville every time it came on, but as the seasons came and went the show just became harder and harder for me to like. Sure it has a perfect cast, but after Jonathon Kent’s death, the stories took a darker turn and for me it just wasn’t as fun as it used to be. That and I’ve missed about two seasons worth of storylines now.

In terms of storyline and plot I think I liked the light-hearted tone and the creepy factor in the first and second seasons the best where no one knew Clark’s secrets and practically everyone in Smallville as part of the freak fest after the meteor shower hit. I’m not saying that I dislike the show, because it is far better than most common fare on television today, all I’m saying is that it now lacks some of the magic and energy it had in the first three seasons. So now that Millar and Gough are departing, my bet is most of the original cast (who should almost be finished with their contract now) will part ways with the series as well. So will there be Smallville season eight? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. So until the end of the this season if you’re bored with television and want to check out what Superman is doing on the pages of the actual comic I recommend you check out All-Star Superman, as it is better than I’ve seen Superman done in the past three years. For a full review check out http://www.comicbookjournal.net/all-star-superman-10/.

This title got the Eisner nod for best continuing series, and I can see why. Taking an iconic character like Superman and attempting to do it justice is daunting Quietly and crew do a simply amazing job. The storyline of Superman seeing his end of his time on earth and death approaching quickly is a new twist on the character, who all other writers thus far, have made young and invulnerable with the exception of any alternate universe. This issue is well, quiet, Superman saves some lives and also begins narrating his last will and testament, it is chock full of emotion. The artwork is equally amazing as simple lines and strong details, as well as clarity make this issue both a joy and an easy read.

I think this title has accomplished something few has. It has the ability to appeal to everyone with an easily understandable storyline and also a hook to keep readers coming back for more. I though DC was in trouble before with my blog on the crisis status, see:

; now I realize that only the core titles are in trouble. Maybe this Eisner winning duo should take on and revamp the entire universe themselves, then quality would show through every issue. This book gets a solid ten out of ten.

I have always liked Daredevil comics. There’s just something about the casts of characters that makes me feel like, “yeah, this could only happen in a comic,” that I like. Maybe it’s nostalgia, I don’t know. So I guess after reading this I’m going to pose the question of trending in comics? Is it the new trend for Marvel to have comic, whose main character, the title character, has less action and dialogue than the supporting characters now? Despite making for an unusual story in how the narrative is set up, I don’t like the trend of eliminating the main character’s actions and words from the narrative completely. With little “screen time” in this issue for Murdock and more time dedicated to the struggles of Foggy Nelson and reporter Ben Urich, I fear this trend may continue. Even though ths technique has proven successful in the recent Punisher War Journal title (see my post at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/punisher-war-journal-16/) I don’t think this trend speaks very highly of the writers. I think the ability to tell a single stand alone story with a fixed amount of characters is giving way to creating other characters to fill in plot holes. So that’s my major gripe with this issue. The art and pacing work well for the story however, it is crippled by the lack of inner monologue from Daredevil himself. I would give this book a solid six out of ten. There has been at least an attempt to revitalize Daredevil again,and as much as I like the character, I hope Marvel finds a way to perhaps tie up dangling plot twists and get the man without fear out of his slump maybe once he becomes the man without depression this can happen.

A couple months ago at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/the-wonder-of-wonder-woman/ I reviewed the Amazon’s latest adventures. I thought I’d just do a little catch up work to see how things stands with ol Diana now and I am pleased to report this title is still top notch in quality. The script does in a sense, as the title indicates comes full circle as Diana celebrates her heritage and saves her mother on her birthday, which is ironic since it was her mother who had saved her life years ago from traitors as well.

With that said I am still impressed with the plots and scripting ability of Gail Simone. Also with Terry and Rachael Dodson on art, everything blends together perfectly. I would have to give this issue a nine out of ten. So why not a perfect score? At the end of a story arc it’s always tough for a new reader to get involved in the story and pick up back issues to complete the run. As I’ve said before a “previously” section could do this title wonders. DC does have a solid title here and I think if they keep their current creative team through the remainder of the book (or as long as possible) they might even have a couple Eisner winners of their own. Props to DC, props to Simone, Dodson(s), and crew. It’s still a wonderful (pun intended) read.

Ah, X-Force. It’s a lot like X-Factor isn’t it. Really an unnecessary deterent to the main X-titles every month. But it’s Messiah Complex, and I guess there’s a purpose for this team within the crossover. For more on the crossover see my past blog where it all began at: http://www.comicbookjournal.net/the-next-big-thing/.
So the plot of X-Force is basically Wolverine is leading a team comprised of John Proudstar, X-23, Rahne, and of course himself, to be sort of a pre-emptive force against the Purifiers. Cyclops gives Wolverine the orders that he is to destroy William Stryker before he can kill other mutants and claim more victims. So X-Force does Cyclops’ dirty work.

With that said, not much happened within this issue other than the origin of the team’s orders and the chance Wolverine gives every member before the battle begins. With no one walking away from the fight, I am anxious to see if any or all of the team’s core members will be lost to the fight.

The scripting on the story was solid,and the art was amazing. The one flaw to the artwork, however, was the use of computerized graphics on nearly every panel. I think it’s ok every now and then for effects and explosions, but every panel. That’s just not very, for lack of a better word…pure.

I’d have to give this book a six out of seven while I like it much better than the X-Factor boo hoo, poor me drama-fest, it’s still not as strong as it should be for one of the core books. Hopefully this will launch a new storyline with better plots for the future. I recommend this title only for people who have to buy every new #1 issue, or for those wanting to get the complete crossover.

To see what the Messiah Complex is really all about, see my blog at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/the-next-big-thing/.
Ok. Ah, X-Factor. To me, X-Factor will ALWAYS be a wasted X-book. This book did nothing to really further the plot line for the Messiah Complex, it just simply reinforced the idea that something bad was happening. Well, that was already established now wasn’t it?

Anyway, the plot is still focusing on the drama and the relationships between all of the main characters, which I would normally enjoy–if I cared anything about the characters. The Purifiers are after X-Factor. The residents want their city back. I think in the fight against X-factor I’m on board with the Purifiers. For a long time X-Factor has been dead weight for the Marvel Universe, so the sooner we can say goodbye to Madrox, and all his multiples fine by me.

With that said, the plot wasn’t bad, as Peter David didn’t have much as far a source material goes to work with, but his whole “religion vs. faith” thing he does with nearly ALL of his books is just frankly old. The only bright spot in the issue for me was the artwork. Raimondi, a relative new comer to the industry is a joy to see. His perspective changes and light, crisp line work is extremely traditional and highly professional. I did appreciate his attention to little details within his background work (sign names, t-shirt slogans, etc.).

On a scale of one to ten I’d give this book a five. If not for the artwork and it was take it or leave it, I’d leave it. I would recommend this book only to die hard collectors to complete a run or a five-year old. Maybe they wouldn’t be as bored with it as a mature reader would.