Comic Book Journal

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
.

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/.

It’s good to see you guys again. It’s been a hectic month as I’ve mentioned before, but don’t think I haven’t been writing. I’ve been collecting posts like postage stamps or rare coins, just waiting to show them off. So are you ready to see what I’ve reviewed and learned this month? Well hang on, because it’s all coming to you at once.

Superhero Movie opened this past weekend so I thought I’d take a moment to reflect. The fact of the matter is the parody is dying. The greatest spoof of all time, I think was the original Airplane with Leslie Neilson, but even he didn’t seem to breathe life in the genre film of today. Now I haven’t seem Superhero Movie yet, I’ll wait for the cheaper DVD rental, but I don’t think it would be a very wise investment of my time or money. I’m sure there’s a few standard guffaw moments, but probably wouldn’t have me laughing so hard I cry. There’s nothing in recent memory I’ve seen that has accomplished that. I chuckled throughout Talledegha Nights, but recalling scenes and laughing at them again, that hasn’t happened in a very long time. Now at pop culture buzz there is a trailer posted at http://www.popculturebuzz.com/the-super-hero-movie-trailer-is-silly-fun/ so if you want to at least take a look at the trailer there it is. As far as silly fun, I don’t know, I think it’s probably going to be a superawful movie. If you have time to kill and money to waste you might want to check it out, but I can almost guarantee it falls into the same tired Scary Movie, Not Another Teen Movie, Epic Movie, Superman Returns, Superhero Movie, category. With a lackluster plot and few shining moments. The parody is dead. Let it rest in piece. I thought I’d throw Superman Returns in there to see if you were paying attention. It was, admittedly, just as awful though.

Coming Next–Reviews!

February happened quickly didn’t it? Comic books and especially superheroes are officially hot and along with the release of Batman this summer there is a highly anticipated super hero comedy as well. Will Smith is Hancock, an alcoholic superhero who is trying to make a well, heroic comeback. For more on this flick and even a trailer, see >http://www.popculturebuzz.com/will-smiths-hancock-super-hero-movie-looks-hilarious/.
But didn’t this phenomenon happen in the late nineties as well? Didn’t the world take a tongue in cheek look at superheros with series’ such as the Tick, Holy Cruellers, and who can forget one of the greatest superhero stories of all time, with Mystery Men. Yes, it has been criticized in the past, but I think it’s subtle humor and and lowbrow guffaw moments, made it one of the most enjoyable film experiences out there. I guess this proves there is nothing new any longer history and pop culture as well, just recycles it’s interests. I can’t wait for the all in color for a dime to come back though. Four to five dollars a book is breaking my bank account. Anyhoo, Februrary is the shortest month. So what does that mean? That means I’m gonna stuff a whole bunch of news, reviews, and overall good fun into it. Here’s what you can look foward to for the rest of the month: reviews will be my primary objective this month as I’m going to attempt and review EVERY SINGLE comic book that comes out in February. Note I said attempt. Whether they are good, bad, or just plain silly, they’re getting reviewed. Also, I have a special report for all you cupid watchers out there on romance in in the comic book world and also some articles on black history and race in comic books. Whew! That’s a lot of stuff to do so I’m gonna start reading. As always if there’s any questions, comments, or you just want to show me some love on Valentines day feel free to comment! Later days!

Feeling under the weather is never any fun. But watching nature always is. I spent these past few days feeling not-so well with a lack of energy. However that has given me time to think. And I’ve pondered what’s missing in comic books today. I think what’s missing in the writing of today’s books is the ability for the reader to really care about the character. So why is Swamp Thing pictured here? Alan Moore took creative liberty to the max with this character. And overnight he went from being just another creature dealing with a bad circumstance to a human being trapped in a situation and looking for his long lost love. Did I want to see him reunited with Abby? Of course. Who didn’t. The book delved into not just battles with his opponents, but also the twisted psychology and inner demons which haunted him. If you haven’t read Moore’s run on this acclaimed series you should. Also the art always fits the storylines. You won’t be disappointed. I wasn’t.

This year promises to be a great year for comic book fans. I recently checked out Previews solicitations for March and I have to say that the creativity factor in new titles is at the max. Here’s a few titles to look for in your future: Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment– Virgin Comics’ newest title follows the true life story of one of the world’s most recognized — and perhaps misunderstood — historical figures; adapted from the New York Times bestseller by Deepak Chopra.

The man known as “Buddha” grew up as an heir to a powerful kingdom. Surrounded by war, and the promise of enormous power, he had everything available to him except the one thing he truly wanted. Eager to be something better, Buddha leaves his life of privilege and becomes a refugee among the people. Struggling to survive with nothing, Buddha attempts to discover what he is truly capable of.

He was known for his peaceful nature and journey to spiritual awakening, but Buddha’s path to get there is haunted by sexual passion, brutal violence and the death of hundreds.

Holmes (Graphic Novel)–When someone writes a story about Sherlock Holmes as a fully tweaked drug addict, stumbling around Jolly Olde London in search of a stolen skull? That’s an idea I can get behind!

Echo #1 (Terry Moore) In the classic manner, Julie is the girl in the “wrong place at the wrong time,” and when the strange fallout from an atmospheric explosion makes her the unwilling host for a symbiotic technology, being broke and divorced may not be the worst things in her life!

I look foward to reading this title as Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise was one of the most compelling series’ in comic book history. That’s 3 to watch for in 2008. If you have any pick of your own, just let me know.

I hope everyone had a very nice holiday. I know I did, but alas now it’s back to the grindstone. As far as news goes, it’s been a pretty slow news day. Let’s see there’s a new Dark Knight trailer out, I’m sure that most of you’ve seen it. It’s on Yahoo if you want to check it out. Heath Ledger as the Joker? Who has comments on that. I have to see I was a little skeptical at first if he could pull if off, but after seeing the trailer, I must say I think he can pull it off. In other news, Comiccraft has announced it’s annual font sale. Want more info on buying some comic fonts of your very own to use here’s the site: http://www.comicbookfonts.com/fonts/sale.html?sid=0001Fx7hiUV2pR8qzY4h2l6
That brings me to today’s topic. The important role lettering plays in comic books. While other mediums, such as television, radio, and print all can convey words either vocally, or with prose. The comic book presents a unique challenge as the meaning of words must be conveyed pictorally. Most take for granted the lettering when viewing a page, but ensuring emphasis is played on key words to evoke emotion it does take a talented letterer. Another challenge a letterer faces is the task of filling dialogue balloons so they are easily read, yet not too crammed, and without deleting important items. Also a character’s speech and tone is conveyed through lettering also. An example of this is the Spectre. His speech patterns and vocal range is entirely different from say, Captain America’s, so the lettering must reflect this. I have included a picture of what I believe exemplifies classic, picturesque lettering and especially in the digital age, this is a skill that must not be overshadowed. Thoughts on lettering? If so let me know I’m always interested.

One of the best things I like about comics is the annual issues. I have to say that I love the quirky, one-shot feel and just the genuine storytelling that these issues contain. Often not a part of ongoing title continuity these issues give creators room to tell a different type or style of story. The Superman 2008 Annual is no different and was a joy to read. I decided to focus on DC for a little bit today as I’ve been spending a lot of time as of late in the Marvel Universe (partly because I’m really digging the Messiah Complex). What’s the best thing about this issue? I’d have to say the scripting. Busiek does a fantastic job of not only driving the story with compelling action and conflict, but also through captions really gets inside Superman’s head and his feelings about Lois and his son. Also the art, (at least in the primary story) was simple and defined. Judging by his art it is clear that Pacheco enjoys drawing Superman, and he does it well. On a scale of one to ten I’d give this stand-alone a seven. It’s easy to follow nicely written and well drawn. The only flaw it had was the back-up story, which tells a nice quiet tale of a rare day off in Superman’s world, but the story lacked action and the art was too loosely rendered for my tastes. If you’re looking for a nice quick read to pass the cold winter night though, it wouldn’t be a bad pick.

Speaking of cold winter nights and the holidays, I STILL haven’t received any entries for my holiday contest and time is growing short. It’s simple but it’s like that lotto if you wanna win you gotta play. If you wanna review the contest again it’s at www.comicbookjournal.net/contest-announcement.
All you have to do is write a Superhero-themed letter to Santa (Superman asking for a new collar for Krypto or something like that) and submit it as a comment on the blog, (which goes directly to my personal e-mail) The winner will receive some fantastic prizes delivered. The contest ends on December 15th and judging will end on December 17th. Any comments, questions, or suggestions? Feel free to let me know and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

Welcome to December!!! I have a special treat in store for my faithful readers this month. I’d like to start December by announcing my first contest. The best “Superhero Letter to Santa,” will win a terrific prize (more than likely a bagged and boarded book from my massive collection.) To win it’s simple, just submit the letter as a comment on this blog (so that it goes directly to my inbox.) Judging will begin midnight December 15th, and the winner will be announced on December 17th. Entries should be no longer than three hundred words and the characters can be based in any comic book universe. So get out the crayons and start writing already. Santa’s busy this year so hurry up! Also, looking for last minute gift ideas for comic book fans, see my list of great fan gifts at: http://www.comicbookjournal.net/top-ten-fanboyor-girl-gifts/.

In the new book “Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes,” author Christopher Knowles examines the enormous influence religious, occult, magical beliefs and ancient mythology had on the creation of legendary characters like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and Wolverine. Are superheroes becoming a new religion? What is the relationship between superheroes and the Occult? What influences shaped the modern superhero? Those questions and many others are explored in this 256 page novel. Knowles, a veteran of the comic book industry bases his argument on several paintings and compares them with comic book artwork. My question is why does it matter? The fact is, there are no original stories. Every major work of fiction has borrowed from a work previously. An example in literature is the story of Noah and the flood in the Bible. Literary scholars have traced its possible roots to the epic of Gilgamesh, which involves a great flood destroying civilization also. The majority of adventure fiction borrows from the Illiad and the Odyssey. The word odyssey itself is defined as a “long, adventurous wandering.” Why the parallels to the comic book universe could be interesting, I believe the link to another other work of fiction or mythology, unless explicitly stated by the character or creator is sheer coincidence. Did Siegel borrow elements of Superman from Hercules? Probably. Did he put elements of renaissance painting in his design when visualizing the character? More than likely. So what’s the point? There are no original creations, we always carry some memory of great work we’ve encountered previously when we create something new. We pull these experiences from our unconscious mind from time to time. Writers and artists draw upon past experiences and influences all the time. While this book could be interesting for trivia purposes I don’t think it’s shocking or even a new concept. Some food for thought, I’ve posted a picture of some comic art from the book, then the Last Supper. Is one copied from another? You decide. For more details on the relationship between comic books and literature you may want to check out my samplings of classics illustrated at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/the-value-of-classics-illustrated/.

With the holidays quickly approaching, (it’s never too early to start shopping) here’s a quick list of what I believe to be the top ten gifts for your favorite comic book fan.

10. Supplies. Every serious fan and collector needs supplies for their collections. With an assortment of long boxes, short boxes, mylar bags, boards, and tape, you can’t go wrong with these all-purpose presents.

9. Photo mattes. While this is sort of in the same catageory as supplies, it really falls more in the category of art. For those of us unfortunate enough not to have the ability to send a book to be graded, this is an adequate substitute. Just because a vintage book is inexpensive doesn’t mean it has to look that way.

8. A subscription to either Wizard or CBG (Comic Buyer’s Guide). This is the gift for the value seeker. It is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Every month when the magazine comes in its recipient will remember that you were the one who got it for them. My pick: CBG is far more impressive than Wizard with informative, detailed articles, interviews, and (quite frankly) better covers.

7. The Encyclopedia of Marvel and DC Universes. These are the perfect coffee table comic book supplementals, as they can be displayed and are conversation pieces. Perfect for the collector who is always trying to show off either their massive collections or wealth of comic book information.

6. T-Shirts. Nothing, and I mean nothing beats wearing a comic book shirt to work on causal Friday. People are at the same time curious and envious. A great piece of art, a comfortable shirt, and a little confidence goes a long way at the office parties. My pick: Anything by Graphitti Designs. Great art and a durable, inexpensive product.

5. DVD’s. Comic books are a hot commodity in other medias as well now. You’ve got comic book movies, straight to dvd films, and cd-roms. My picks: Superman (the original movies 1-5 collected and slipcased on DVD), the Dr. Strange animated film, and the Avengers CD/DVD-Rom, which collects EVERY ISSUE of the Avengers. EVER. Perfect for the value shopper and those wanting to complete a collections.

4. Toys. I’m not just saying this to send a link to Paul’s Toybender site at www.toybender.comI’m saying this because when it comes to the young (and also the young at heart) enjoy playing with toys. My pick: I recently saw the Death of Superman: Superman-Doomsday two packs, and while I loathed that storyline (see my blog on the top five failed comic book plotlines) the toys are eye-catching and well-articulated.

3. Artwork. Every fan of comics will appreciate a nicely displayed piece of original artwork. My tip on this is to check out auction sites, such as Ebay, search for an artists name and more than likely you’ll fine originals for purchase there. My pick for this: It depends on the quality of the work, the cost of the artwork,and how it is displayed.

2. Comics. What else? This is what it’s all about right. The paper pages and fun storylines. My suggestion for this is to go to the comic store, (yeah that’s right no internet comic ordering) and hand select ( it makes the gift personal) a stack of random comics and wrap them up together (perhaps in the supplies you bought earlier). Your fanboy or fangirl will enjoy going through the randomness.

1. A comic rack.

With the writer’s strike pretty much halting development of many tv shows, I thought I’d turn my attentions elsewhere, such as movies and comics. As luck would have it, Paramount Pictures has another Star Trek movie in the works. However, this time around it focuses on the early adventures of the Enterprise and Captain Pike. Bruce Greenwood, who is featured in the sequel to National Treasure, slated to open in December has been cast as the crew’s commander-in-chief. But hey guess what? J.J. Abrams wasn’t the first to think of continuing the adventures of the Enterprise with Pike at the helm. It was Marvel Comics. In 1997 Marvel produced, “Star Trek: The Early Voyages,” which chronicled the Pike captainship which was ten years before Kirk’s five-year mission. While this series was popular (more so among Trek fans than hardcore comic fans I imagine), it was cancelled after 17 issues due to low sales. It was a great concept, however, I doubt the story generated much sales due to the art, and perhaps the state of the industry at that time. I may actually see if I can locate a few of these issues, as I actually prefer the Star Trek franchise to the Star Wars franchise any day. I just think the storylines and character development has more potential and a bigger universe to explore with Star Trek. And what about the toys? I’m looking foward to seeing the toys surely produced for this version. I can see pike grimacing and holding a phaser now (maybe even a retro-looking Enterprise also.) Look to http://www.toybender.com/
for the status of the toys and check out my blog for the comparison between the Marvel series and the new series based on the movie as soon as it launches.

Ah comics and politics. I don’t think any other genre or medium, with the exception of television of course, has commented more on the state of the world in political terms. Today is Guy Fawkes day and anarchism reigned in the UK. This brings me to the subject of election day and politics in comics in general. Stephen Colbert, and therefore Tek Jansen is trying to run for president with a sponsorship from Doritos. In the DC realms, Lex Luthor was already president. Apparently his win was based solely on a platform for technological progress. Is technology dangerous? I suppose it depends if you’re a glass half-empty or half-full kind of person. Yes, technology is inpersonal, but is is well, efficient. If I had to take this article, say to a printing press, then distribute it manually, do you think it would have as much readership? Doubtful. See. I’m a glass half-full person. On the other hand, the danger of technology is we will eventually, despite having (hopefully) billions of readers, be isolated from those readers, becoming nothing more than a link on a search bar, instead of having a truly interactive experience, which I hope you all are having here on comic book journal. Lex Luthor is but one example of politics in comics, however. How can we forget the fifth of November with V for Vendetta. This powerful politically charged comic book, was colored with shades of 1984 and Moore’s detest of totalarianism. Does change have to be violent to make a difference? Does a comic book series have to be shocking to make a point? I believe the latter is true, but not the first. Violence begets violence, so if that is the case, what is the point of violence to begin with. In terms of change, comics have often showed a welcome of change and reflected new policies. Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg and American Century both reflect America in a climate of change. The latter has a pre cold-war feel to it, and at the same time is a nostalgic glance back to the early and mid fifties. 451 Press has a number of columns devoted to politics, but if you want just an average person’s opinion of the recent democratic debates rather than talk of right wing and left wing, see
http://www.lezkeepitreal.com/i-might-as-well-run-for-office/
For more on election day and genre comics in general continue reading my blog– showcasing the benefits of technology and the pinnacle of communication almost every single day.