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Friday, December 31, 2010

Comic Reviews 1/1/2011

Title: EARTH ONE
Issue Number: GRAPHIC NOVEL
Publisher: DC
Creator: Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Shane David
Inker: Sandra Hope
Colors: Barbara Ciardo
Letters: Rob Leigh
Price (USD): $19.99 - hardcover
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero



This hardcover has been out for a while now and has been proven to be a top
seller for the year. This is essentially a new look at the Superman mythos with
some reworking of the details. Look at it as an alternate world or Elseworld
though it is not billed as one. In this story Clark sets out to make his way in
the world after graduating from community college. He is like many 20-year olds
not knowing what to do with his life. He can go into one of several fields and
be very successful. In various clips we see him impress people of science,
athletics and finance. He knows the sky is the limit for he has the physicality
or brainpower to do anything and become very rich - if he keeps his powers
hidden from the world. He certainly would like to set up his mother financially
with enough for her lifetime though she points out to him that she does not need
that - that she needs for him to live the life and dream the dreams he longs
for. There are some interesting points where we know his parents have talked to
him about his abilities and his origins. Straczynski does a very innovative
twist on the way he finds out about his Kryptonian origins and the fate of the
planet. Ultimately the story is about whether this Superman can be the
inspiration to the people of the world. The way the plot is set up Clark has not
revealed his presence to the world. He is in Metropolis still deciding what to
do, maybe a reporter's job. But then a huge armada of space ships appears around
the planet and start creating destruction with impunity. Their leader eventually
announces to the world that he is looking for one person, the last survivor of
Krypton. If he reveals himself he will spare the planet. Superman will make his
debut but will he be accepted as a savior or scorned as the cause of the alien
destruction? It is an interesting tweak to the old story having the beings that
actually caused the destruction of Krypton come looking for Kal-El. The
supporting characters are refreshingly new with the same familiarity. The Lois
and Jimmy are an inspiration to Clark as he sees them not only risk danger to
get to the truth of the story but stand up to the aliens when there is no hope
for escape. The scenes with Ma and Pa Kent are also delightful. Straczynski
tells a whole new story without losing the essence of the larger than life
champion we all know. The choice of the art team is fitting. Shane Davis took
pain to give a new look to the classic hero that not only makes him a refreshing
change but also keeps him the way we want to see him. Likewise the other
characters have a different look to them that fits very well with the new
direction. This may be the future of comics, as some seem to think - publishing
in graphic novel format rather than monthly magazines. This particular hero
could catch on as DC's ULTIMATE version of Supermen and already Straczynski is
leaving his monthly work on Superman and Wonder Woman to work on the next novel.
However it turns out this first episode is well worth your time and money. It is
sure to be selling well for some time as people discover how good it is.


Title: WHAT IF? DARK REIGN
Issue Number: 1-Shot
Title Story: No Title (What if Clint Barton Killed Norman Osborn)
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Jason Henderson
Artist: Sana Takeda
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Cover Artist: Mike Deodato & Rain Beredo
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero



I haven't been reading all the WHAT IF? Issues of the latest group but this one
intrigued me. Dark Reign was such a big deal for Marvel that a look back at one
aspect that could have gone otherwise intrigued me. In the regular storyline
Clint Barton as Ronin - AKA Hawkeye - was so disgusted with Norm Osborn that he
plotted to actually kill him. That never came about and Norman was eventually
taken down. But what if Clint actually carried out the deed? The first question
is how could he get past Norman's personal force shield. Well, there is an arrow
for everything. Next and more the point of the story is how does this affect his
relationships and his status with the general public? Since he is caught on
video he is quickly named public enemy #1. The Avengers are in a quandary but
decide they must capture him before anyone else does. The one most affected is
Mockingbird. She gets to confront him and decide where her loyalties lie. And as
these types of stories can have new elements to make them go wherever the writer
wants this particular ending is not the only possibility. So it turns into a
morality play about the heroic ethic and what happens when they cross the line.
It is a good enough story with adequate art but it really strikes me as
something that should remain in the realm of what ifs.

The backup is the last part of the "What If Venom Possessed Deadpool?" by Rick
Remender, Moll and Wong/Hanna with color by Sotomayor. This is really not my cup
of tea. Venompool is now a big celebrity. Not only did he save the world by
expunging Galactus and the Beyonder from all continuity but also has the number
one hit movie in the world. But then he sees other heroes are still adored by
fans for heroic deeds. So since he thinks he deserves it all he must wipe out
all the heroes. It gets pretty silly in my opinion and the ending is a plot
devise that is very convenient. It is filler at best though I liked the art from
pencil to finished color.

Title: FANTASTIC FOUR
Issue Number: 586
Title Story: Part Four: World-Eater!
Creator: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Steve Epting
Inker: Rick Magyar
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: Rus Wooton
Cover Artist: Alan Davis, Mark Farmer & Javier Rodriguez
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero


The FANTASTIC FOUR has been running the "Countdown to Casualty" story with this
being the penultimate issue. In January #587 is supposed to conclude the story
and in an attempt to keep the secret of who dies the issue will ship poly-bagged
as did Superman #75 - the issue that Superman died. The hope is the answer will
only be revealed on new comic day when fans rip open the bag. We'll see how well
that works. Meanwhile we have three plots going in different directions and in
different places, any one of which could prove fatal to a member of the FF.
Below the sea in the Gulf of Thailand Sue Storm has accompanied Namor to a
parlay with the leadership of the tribes of Old Atlantis. Namor surprised
everyone when at this peace meeting he abruptly killed Ul-Uhar, the King of Old
Atlantis. Now it seems like Sue, Namor and his personal guards are surrounded by
the various tribes and are about to be slaughtered. But of course Namor had all
this planned and has forces outside the meeting coming to bear. Sue manages to
hold of the conflict with her power but for how long? And Namor reveals
information that sheds a different light on his actions and the tribes'
intentions. The second plot follows Reed Richards who is with the Silver Surfer
and Galactus travelling to Nu-World. The New Defenders of Nu-World had used
Galactus' body to escape from the future, which killed him in the process. The
Silver Surfer discovered the dead body in our present and naturally Galactus
wants to prevent his future death. The dilemma is how to stop the fate of Earth
500 years from now. The Sun weakens and many billions will die as the Earth
cools. Galactus poses to Reed Richards that he find a way to stop this future
from happening or Galactus will destroy Earth now to prevent his own future
death. What Galactus says he will do while Richards does this puts Reed at risk.
Finally we have Johnny and Ben back at the Baxter Building with Valeria and
Franklin. Ben has been temporarily turned back into human flesh for a week. This
"cure" gives him one week a year to his old self. They will soon have to cope
with the Cult of the Other Side of Zero and their leader the Anti-Priest who are
about to attempt to capture the Negative Zone portal in the building for their
master, Annihilus. As the cult teleports in where Johnny and Ben are located the
kids have their hands full with insect like creatures in another part of the
building. As they all rush to the lab to defend the portal it could be too
little too late and deadly for someone. So you see the stage is set for one
member of Marvel's first family to meet their end next month in the final
chapter. I like the writing here and because I have not been a regular reader a
few of the characters are new to me. But the plot is clear to follow with a bit
of recap text at the start. I think the art is spectacular for my taste with
strength in pencil, ink and color in just the right mix. Many complain that they
are tired of the hero dying plots overused of late only to have the dead person
come back a year or less later. This may or may not be one of those stories, but
it is still entertaining and I'll be looking for the next issue to see how they
handle it.

Title: ROBERT JORDAN'S WHEEL OF TIME: THE EYE OF THE WORLD
Issue Number: 7
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Creator: Robert Jordan
Script: Chuck Dixon
Artist: Andie Tong
Letters: Bill Tortolini
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Fantasy



Occasionally I will pick a comic at random to see what it is all about. A lot of
what I review here are first issues, which is an easier task than picking up a
series in mid-plot and being able to be fair with the review. So I feel a bit
defensive about giving negative reactions without seeing the big picture as
intended by the creators. The counter to that argument is that every comic is
someone's first comic and should be entertaining enough on its own to capture
that reader and make him or her want more. I must say, for me, this issue of
WHEEL OF TIME did not do that for me. First there is no explanation about the
story up to this point. It just opens with a group of people riding horses under
a full moon. Then the text in the captions is redundant right on the first page,
"On the... North Road...the horses...raced northward..." The very next sentence begins,
"On and on they sped, northward..." I think we get the point, they are heading
north. So this group of travellers is racing to or from something, both
actually. They stop for a brief rest and we learn, if you haven't already been
reading the series, that one of them has magical powers to wash away fatigue not
only from the horses but the travellers themselves. The leader warns them they
cannot stop for long until they cross the river and sure enough a Draphkar scout
soon swoops from the sky to harass them. Picture it as a man-like creature with
huge bat wings. Now they know they are being tracked and once again take to the
road to the town where they will find a ferry to cross the river. Most of the
story is told in narrative style and the illustrations are different than I am
used to. At times they seem like animation cells with vibrant colors and good
use of shading and black. I enjoyed seeing how Andie Tong sets the mood and
composes each page differently. My overall reaction is there are some
interesting scenes and character interactions but I am at a loss as to the big
picture - the why and how we got to this point and what is the ultimate goal. To
be fair I would seek out the first issue to start right on this series. I can't
recommend you start with issue #7.


Title: MAGUS
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: 12-Gauge Comics
Creators: Jon Price & David Norton
Writer: Jon Price
Artist: Rebekah Isaacs
Colors: Charlie Kirchoff
Letters: Ed "Duke" Dukeshire
Cover Artist: Fiona Staples
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Supernatural



The tagline for this comic is, "Where were you when the magic came back?" It
looked like an interesting cover by Fiona Staples and I kind of enjoyed RPM from
this company so I decided to give it a shot. There is a girl named Lena and at
the beginning of the story she is asleep in her bed at a mental health
institution. A security guard lets himself into her room with ill intentions and
she reacts by bursting into flames. Well, that got my attention right away. The
next scene has a couple of teenagers, Darius and Ben, in the middle of a debate
on whether Luke Skywalker was gay when they happen on Lena in the shed where she
ended up after escaping. Ben runs to tell the priest, Father Swain, who was
discussing a presence of magic felt by his visitor, Danae. Danae informs him she
is sure it is a girl named Lena Cullen who is extremely dangerous. So we have
the priest obviously involved in some government operative concerned about the
presence of magic. Later in the issue we see glimpses of strange occurrences in
other areas of the country and eventually a top secret official meets with the
president to inform him that magic is returning to our world, and they may not
be able to stop it. Lena is not an isolated case and she may yet play a bigger
part in the story as it seems will Darius. They even give us a few preview pages
from the next issue to cement those thoughts. I liked this issue as a good
beginning. It had interesting characters with clean art polished with terrific
coloring. We get enough of the main plot to intrigue us but we know there is a
lot to be revealed. There is even a guy lurking in a few panels that is easy to
overlook but I am sure is a key player. It is a good set up and shows promise
for the future. I would give it a try based on this issue.

Title: THE CAPE
Issue Number: 1-shot
Publisher: IDW
Creator: Joe Hill
Writer: Jason Ciaramella
Artist: Zach Howard
Colors: Nelson Daniel
Letters: Robbie Robbins
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Horror
MATURE - Comics on the Edge



First, this comic is not related to the new TV series soon to debut, which looks
pretty cool from the ads I have seen. This is based on a short story written by
Joe Hill, the creator of LOCKE & KEY. That tells you it may well be a darker
story despite the cover image of a scruffy young man seemingly flying. It starts
with too young pre-teen boys playing at heroes and villains. Eric is the Red
Bolt wearing a cape fashion by his mother from his lucky blanket of his younger
days. It has a lightning bolt on the back and his MIA father's marine patch on
the shoulder. The other boy, Rick, is The Streak with only an eye mask and water
pistol. In the course of playing Eric climbs a tree to simulate flying when the
branch he is standing on lets go. He is seemingly suspended in mid air until he
takes off the cape and plummets to the ground. His shoulder and head are impaled
on the branch and his life is forever changed. After several operations and a
shunt in his brain he is still plagued with splitting headaches. He leads a less
than stellar life until his roommate introduces him to a girl, Angie, who has
similar interests in literature and video games. They hit it off and eventually
move in together but while she plans her life carefully and graduates as a nurse
he can't get is act together eventually running foul of the law for a DUI. As
her career progresses his goes nowhere and they begin to grow apart. When she
finally leaves and he has to move in with his mother it seems like he is doomed
to go nowhere. But when he discovers his old cape things changed dramatically.
When he discovers the secret of the cape long thought to have been thrown away
he sets out to find Angie and make things right. How he does that is the twist I
can't reveal. I liked this story for its straightforward plot, which is well
rendered by the art team. The layouts and finishes make it seem more dynamic
than the script calls for until the very end grabs you somewhat unexpectedly.
All the way Hill takes his time with character development and sequences that
point one way until it appears there will be redemption in the end. It is very
clever and a good diversion from a "normal" story of a man who is given a gift.
How Eric handles it gives it a great finish.

Title: SUPERMAN/BATMAN
Issue Number: 79
Title Story: World's Finest - part 1
Publisher: DC
Writer: Chris Roberson
Artist: Jesus Merino
Colors: Blond
Letters: John J. Hill
Cover Artist: Fiona Staples
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero



I picked this issue to revisit SUPERMAN/BATMAN because it involves the 853rd
century and some of the characters created in Grant Morrison's series DC ONE
MILLION. The significance of the million is a calculation of which century the
issue numbers of the main DC titles would reach one million. In that world each
hero is connected to a planet - Aquaman to Neptune, Flash to Mercury, Batman to
Pluto and so on. I was hoping for a story that fully involves some of those
characters and at first it seems it might. Yet another cover by Fiona Staples
grabbed my attention in anticipation of the story within. A time traveler
calling himself Epoch, The Lord of Time, materializes on Mercury and quickly
defeats Flash and The Atom but is soon captured by the Batman and Superman of
this era. He is remanded to Batman's custody and taken to the Asylum planet of
Pluto for incarceration. Unknown to the heroes this is all part of his plan as
he needs to steal something from the Batcave. He quickly disables the robot
Robin of this era and sets his plan in motion. It involves a power suit stored
in the cave with which he can use boom tube technology to transport himself to
the places where he can retrieve his Anti-Hourglass and eventually his Chrono-
cube. With the world's finest heroes hot on his trail we will see how easily he
could have escaped capture and how easily he should be able to escape now. The
suit is the key to fulfilling his destiny as master of Earth in a different time
period where he will have to confront a very different Superman, Batman and
Robin team. As I said I was hoping for more involvement in the 853rd century.
While it does mostly take place there it is merely a stopping point for the rest
of the story. At one point Superman refers to his Five-Dimensional hearing,
being able to hear Batman's call while Superman was in the Fifth Dimension. This
struck me as odd and a bit comical. The villain seems to get away with too much
too quickly, especially when confronted by Superman. I felt it was the weak part
of the plot. The renderings are decent though as Merino and Blond do a very
detailed job with every aspect of the story from the characters to the
technology and action sequences. I give it an average grade and hope for
something more realistic and spectacular when the story concludes next issue.

Title: ULTIMATE DOOM
Issue Number: 1 (of 4)
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Rafa Sandoval
Inker: Roger Bonet
Colors: Matthew Wilson
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Bryan Hitch, Paul Neary & Laura Martin
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero



Marvel seems to be deliberately structuring stories for reprint compilations
these days. This is the third part of a trilogy of stories that began in
ULTIMATE ENEMY and continued in ULTIMATE MYSTERY. Each title ran for four
issues, as does this one, which makes it easy to compile each as one trade.
Perhaps it is easier for fans to commit to a four-issue run and if they like it
enough to continue on to the next four issue arc. Maybe they would be more
reluctant about one title that ran for twelve issues, what is commonly called a
maxi-series. Regardless, it is all one story and this title is the finishing
segment. In the past a seemingly unearthly force has attacked the infamous
Roxxon Corporation and the Baxter Building with Reed Richards apparently one of
the casualties. Peter Parker has teemed up with his female clone, Jessica Drew,
AKA Spider-Woman, to try and determine who the enemy is. She goes undercover as
a scientist at Roxxon but is eventually discovered and captured by the young
brain trust there. The remains of the FF, with a newly transformed Ben Grimm,
are working with S.H.I.E.L.D. to also solve the mystery. At the conclusion of
Ultimate Mystery Sue is transported by Rick Jones, who himself has some
incredible powers, to Project Pegasus where they confront Reed Richards with
some rather large alien goons stealing classified materials. Evidently he is the
Ultimate Enemy solving that mystery. You can imagine the heated exchange between
the former lovers with her in disbelief and he taking a far too arrogant
superior tone. At this point you wonder if Reed is possessed or has just been
this way all along, finally snapping when Sue dumped him. This is the Ultimate
Universe where anything can happen. This is a rather lengthy confrontation,
which for the purposes of the larger plot does not resolve the problem.
Meanwhile Jessica is now helpless as she is probed and examined as the others
are not familiar with who she is but soon learn she is a mutant of sorts. Only
their superior revealed at the end knows of her origins. They all suspect she
knows who attacked Roxxon and so are heading down the wrong path. The final
sequence has the remaining team at S.H.I.E.L.D., including the Ultimate version
of Captain Marvel, coping with a set back and preparing to go after Reed
Richards. If you want to jump on the story at this point there is a pretty
concise recap on the first page to get you up to speed. However I would
recommend you start form the beginning with ULTIMATE ENEMY to get all the
details and motivations along the way that lead to this point. I have enjoyed
the story so far. While I felt this issue drags out the opening scene a bit too
much the art team does a great job with a lot of action finely rendered right
down to the finished colors. The Ultimate books continue to be some of my
favorite comics.

*****
TRIVIA CONTEST!!!! WIN REAL PRIZES!!!!!

If you think you know the answer to the trivia question send your guess via
Email to me at ComicBkNet@aol.com and you could win the prize. The first six
correct answers will be assigned a number and a roll of the dice will determine
the winner. You should put your real name in your message so we know who you
are. Prizes must be claimed at our store within 30 days of winning. The prize
will be a $10 credit slip, which will be redeemable for merchandise at regular
retail or in-store ongoing specials only. Only one prize per person will be
allowed per every 4 weeks. I will be the sole judge of the correct answer even
if more than one answer could be correct. Submit only one answer per Email
please but guess as often as you like.

Last week's trivia question:
In what two major feature films did George Reeves, TV's Superman, have bit
parts?

Reeves had parts in both "From Here to Eternity" and "Gone With the Wind" but we
also gave credit to those who guessed "Knute Rockney". The winner by the dice is
Erin O'Connor.

Here was your no prize question:
Who first uttered the now famous phrase, "Elvis has left the building?"
Al Dvorin was the first to say, "Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the
building. Thank you and good night." He said this at a concert where Elvis had
performed in Minneapolis in 1954.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
In the "Origin of the Legion" in 1968 who joined the Legion of Super-Heroes
first after the three founders?

Here is your no prize question:
From what source did the group Duran Duran get their name?

Folks, you never know who among the readers is knowledgeable about the question
so don't hesitate to send in an answer - even days after it appears.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Comic Reviews 12/24/10

My View
David LeBlanc
ComicBkNet@aol.com

David LeBlanc was the Editor of the Comic Book Network Electronic Magazine for
over ten years. He is a life-long fan of comics and moderated online comic book
forums long before the Internet became the place to be. David works part-time at
That's Entertainment, the Eisner-winning comic store in Worcester, MA.


REVIEWS

The comics reviewed are chosen by David not by That's Entertainment management
or staff. The opinions expressed are his alone. If you have an opposing view you
are welcome to respond to David directly by Email at the address above.


Title: TIME BOMB
Issue Number: 3 (of 3)
Publisher: Radical Comics
Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
Artist: Paul Gulacy
Colors: Rain Beredo
Letters: John J. Hill
Price (USD): $4.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction





After a secret World War II Nazi bomb is unearthed and explodes the present day
world has only three days before the Omega Bomb wipes out life on the planet. It
was a doomsday weapon that the German elite had planned to set off while the
select where safe in underground bunkers if the war had gone bad. The New World
Order gambled on unproven technology and attempted to send four agents back in
time a few days to stop the explosion. But instead the team ends up in Germany
in the closing hours of the war. Some stories in the past have explored the
premise of going back in time to kill Hitler before his reign of terror. Too bad
these guys ended up after it was all but over. Realizing the only way to stop
the future tragedy now is to destroy the bomb in the past. In the first two
chapters they manage to make their way to Berlin killing lots of Nazis and
freeing some prisoners of war along the way. One of their own has been captured
by the mastermind of the plan, the creator of the time travel technology now
aligned with the Germans. He awaits torture by his captors a mile underground
along with an ally he made recently. The other three are following his homing
signal and looking for a way to get into the ultimate city-bunker to free Ken
and stop the bomb. You can guess that before long they will either succeed or
all be captured and will need an advantage only their future technology can
provide to turn the tide. It just so happens that the "present" they come from
is in our future so the tech is more advanced than now (duh, they traveled back
in time!) It is an action tale that moves along in a quick pace with ups and
downs and the big escape is spectacular. But there is another big surprise at
the end I hadn't counted on. It has a satisfying end with a logical conclusion.
Some may balk at the higher price but I think it is worth it. The series has
very high production value and for me it showcases the great work of Paul Gulacy
and Rain Beredo on the visuals. Individually or as a collected trade this story
is worth it.

Title: MIGHTY SAMSON
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: Jerz She-Devil
Publisher: Dark Horse
Writers: Jim Shooter and J.C. Vaughn
Artist: Patrick Olliffe
Colors: Dan Jackson
Letters: Blambot
Cover Artist: Raymond Swanland, Variant by Olliffe & Jackson
Price (USD): $3.50 (48 pages)
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction


The latest Gold Key character to be revived by Dark Horse is set in a future 500
years after the great nuclear war. The remains of humanity live in tribal
cultures struggling to survive against radiation spawned creatures and each
other. The story centers on the great compound of N'Yark on the remains of
Manhattan. Their leader, Judge Ashur, rallies the tribe against constant
invasion attempts by the hordes from the Jerz tribe. They have paid tribute to
the Jerz Warlord Richter but now he wants double and Ashur fears the next time
they will overtake the settlement. He calls for every able bodied person to help
defend the fortress, even his cowardly son, Zarsk. A betrayal by a Jerz captain
leads to their worst fears and the death of Ashur. But the invasion is stopped
short by the Warlord who takes the slaves he demands and he appoints Zarsk as
the new Judge of N'Yark who is more than willing to acquiesce to future demands.
Soon two events will change things for everyone. Captain Sunder is maimed when a
newborn infant rips off his finger with incredible strength. Before he can get
his revenge Warlord Richter intervenes and the Jerz tribe leaves. Later Sunder
usurps Richter by killing him from an ambush, blaming the N'Yarks for the deed.
Biding his time he will send messengers to his queen to spin the tale his way.
Meanwhile, the baby Samson and his mother Alma have fled the city as outcasts
for the others fear the child will be a burden to the tribe. Fortunately, before
the beasts that roam the wild can capture them, they are taken in by another
tribe that hides underground and preserves the knowledge of the past from
ancient books. And so Samson grows up in safety with his mother to the age of
nineteen. This is all background to set up the key players for the future
stories. Two key events will occur as the young Samson shows his super human
strength. In a tribute to his biblical namesake Shooter has our hero slaying
many invaders with an animal jawbone which will create his legacy as a great
warrior of N'Yark, something the Jerz queen will not tolerate. The final two
characters from the original series, Sharmine and her father Mindor are
introduced as Samson returns triumphant to the tribe of his birth but already
plots are being hatched for his downfall. Shooter and Vaughn have updated the
story with more emphasis on characterization. The art is very polished as
Olliffe and Jackson provide good detail complimenting the script. The glimpse of
the Jerz She-Devil at the end promises she will be a worthy opponent as the
story unfolds. This first issue is a good start that shows promise for an
exciting series.

Backup: "MIGHTY SAMSON" Originally in MIGHTY SAMSON #1, Gold Key July 1964
By Otto Binder and Frank Thorne

As with their other revived series Dark Horse has provided a reprint of the
original series debut from 1964. The basic elements are the same though some of
the details were tweaked for the new story. In the original story Samson's
strength is revealed when he is a toddler after he saves himself and his mother
from a man-eating plant. Instead of being banished he grows to be a young man
and the tribe is first attacked after he is grown. The plot here is not about
the clash of tribes but of Samson himself. After his mother's death he has a
clash with a great beast of the jungle - a liobear with the body of a bear and
head of a lion. He defeats the animal but is badly wounded. In this version he
is taken in by Sharmine and Mindor who are not part of his tribe and nurse him
to health, even providing new clothing made from the skin of the liobear for his
trademark costume. It is these two who are keepers of the ancient knowledge. The
story progresses with the premise that they will play a key role in survival
with their knowledge of what to look for in the ancient ruins of the city.
Samson will be their protector from beast and men who may attack them for the
treasures they find. If found this original story to a fun read and certainly
appropriate for the decade in which it was published. It lasted 32 issues with
some reprints, the last from Whitman Comics. Binder tells a decent story though
it meanders here and there. Thorne does some great stuff and I have followed his
later work in the past. The combination of the two versions in this oversized
volume makes it a bargain for the price.

Title: THE OCCULIST
Issue Number: 1-SHOT
Publisher: Dark Horse
Creator: Mike Richardson
Writers: Mike Richardson & Tim Seeley
Artist: Victor Drujiniu & Jason Gordor
Colors: Andrew Dalhouse
Letters: Nate Piekos
Cover Artist: Steve Morris
Price (USD): $3.50
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Occult
Comics on the Edge

At the end of this one-shot it says, "to be continued", so I guess Mike
Richardson has plans for the characters if they catch on. The story centers on
Rob Bailey, a student at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, NH. He just got
dumped by his girlfriend whom his overly religious mother deems evil. But his
life will soon change at the rare book store where he works. A package has come
for a client and even after the proprietor takes it away before Rob can open it
somehow appears back where Rob is and opens itself or so it seems. During a
vision of ancient warriors and ghosts Rob is told by the book that "the sword"
has chosen him and will answer all his questions. As he comes out of the trance
the book is wrapped on the table as it was before. He doesn't know it but his
life is now changed as he has acquired the sword within him and become the
Occultist. When the clients come for the package his hand begins to glow and
they realize that the boy has the sword. They will stop at nothing to get what
their master needs. Only the sword within him can guide Rob to save him from
these guys who are not what they seem. Their master, the strangely tattooed
Aiden Beck, is in remote contact with them and at the end we get a glimpse of
his magicians, street mages and assassins he calls Hit Mages. They are a
colorful lot that we may get to see in action if the series comes back again.
The protagonist is a bit of a loser and not one I warmed up to immediately. I
like stories about reluctant heroes who rise to the occasion but Rob is more
being forced into things with little desire to do the right thing. He is more
concerned with his own troubles and is still obsessed with his lost love. Still
it lays the groundwork for a promising series in the future. The art is
spectacular with excellent use of color and black in just the right places. I
would pick up a future issue if it is published.

Title: DOC MACABRE
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: IDW
Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Bernie Wrightson
Colors: Tom Smith
Letters: Neil Uyetake
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Horror
COMICS ON THE EDGE




It seems like every week I browse the racks there is something new from Steve
Niles. What a nice surprise to see this new title illustrated by the great
Bernie Wrightson. The story is about a brilliant young man who is in the
business of aiding people bothered by occult presences. It opens with two men in
a boarded up house beset by zombies that have risen from a nearby graveyard.
Right away we learn Doc Macabre is very much a business man who responds to a
phone call and does not hesitate to ask for payment when he solves the problem.
He is very successful as we see his lush home complete with a robot servant.
Another job comes up as an older couple arrives to hire him to rid their house
of a naked ghost who has suddenly appeared and demands they leave. Leaving
something for the next issue his first attempt is not all that successful. But
who is this wonder kid? We briefly get some information from teachers at MIT
where he was the youngest to ever graduate. But we learn even more from an
interview piece written by a local reporter. He is really Chad Martin in his
late teens. He took the name Doc Macabre because it sounded cool. He has been
shunned and even hated by those his own age and later by those older than him in
college, the latter because he skewed the grading curve. They discuss what most
people believe to be myths - werewolves, vampires, ghosts and zombies - with Doc
emphasizing they are all too real though some of the details are not the same as
the myths. Essentially he is what he wants to be, a monster hunter who has an
uneasy alliance with local officials who are at odds to explain things that only
Doc Macabre can handle. So this is a twist on more traditional horror comics
Niles generally writes. You could say the protagonist is actually a form of
super hero using his intelligence and technology to defeat the forces of evil.
It is less scary and more entertaining than typical horror comics. Wrightson
does his usual great work though at times it reminded me a lot of John Byrne's
style. And speaking of Byrne this issue is backed up by a five-page preview of
the latest version of JOHN BYRNE'S NEXT MEN also on sale right now. As an aside,
I have read that first issue and it is very confusing, even for someone who read
all the older issues of that title long ago. If it is a choice for you I would
start with DOC MACABRE and sample JBNM before buying it.

Title: TWO-STEP
Issue Number: Collected trade paperback (from TWO-STEP 1-3, 2003-2004)
Publisher: Wildstorm/DC
Creator: Warren Ellis
Artist: Amanda Conner
Inker: Jimmy Palmiotti
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: Ken Lopez
Price (USD): $19.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Adventure/Comedy
MATURE READERS


He's a Zen gangster. She's a bored camgirl. They don't fight crime. That is the
tagline for this collected series. I was not sure what to expect but the cover
was something different and the creative team is solid so I went ahead. Actually
this is quite interesting to digest. The two main characters are fun to watch.
The camgirl is Rosi Blades. In the not too distant future we have an attractive
young lady with web cams all around for her audience to see not only her
(through a flying webcam always trained on her) but things around her. One lens
of her glasses is a cam. One cam is built into her bra while another looks
backwards from her left shoulder. What is interesting is that Amanda draws each
page with a strip of four small panels showing the perspective of each webcam
whenever she is in the main panels on the page. It is fascinating, even
addicting after a while. So she wanders the streets of London hoping for
interesting things to happen to keep her ratings up and one day runs into Tony
Ling - or rather he runs into her as he is chasing a man who appears to be
carrying a violin case. She runs after them to get the camera footage and before
long they are having an adventure together. He is Tony Ling and he is after the
case because it is going to the leader of the Quarry gang. Tony does not like
him and Tony wants to get him mad. I would tell you what is in the case but it
would spoil a good joke. A couple weeks later Rosi and Tony run into each other
at a Renaissance Fair, which just happens to be where the Quarry gang decides to
go after Tony. There are shoot outs, chases, and one improbable sequence on the
side of a building. There is some language and sexual overtones that fit right
in with the crazy characters. There is even one big lummox who shags cars if you
can believe it. I found it to be hilariously inventive and visually
entertaining. The only drawback is that it collects only 3 issues so to make it
the size of a regular $20 trade they included the script to the first issue
along with the uncolored art. If you like to see how a story goes from script to
pictures it is there for you to analyze. If you just want story for your money
you could consider it padding. I still enjoyed the story as I read it from the
script a second time and found it interesting how the writer helps the artist by
instructing in words what he wants to see on the page. This is a fun book to
read.

Title: GREEN LANTERN/PLASTIC MAN: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION
Issue Number: 1-SHOT
Publisher: DC
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artist: Brent Anderson
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Price (USD): $4.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero




I picked this one up on a whim as I was curious to see if Marv Wolfman could
make an interesting story that was not ridiculous with these two characters.
Plastic Man is not a favorite of mine because of the way he is often written -
personality wise. I mean it is a great power as shown by Reed Richards and the
late Elongated Man. But Plas is always the jokester, often to the extreme
depending on the writer. So does this particular story redeem him in my eyes?
Not really, though I must admit he is not as silly as I have seen him in the
past. But right off the bat Hal Jordan is thinking that Plastic Man is
thoughtless and frivolous and even in serious situations he only wants to have
fun. That is his shtick and how he is perceived by others. But the setup is that
he stumbles into a much bigger plot while trying to stop thieves in a nuclear
reactor. It turns out they have alien technology and are planning a big meeting.
Green Lantern being the policeman of the Guardians for this sector is naturally
interested in where they came from and what they plan. So he reluctantly joins
forces with Plastic Man as they go undercover in a seedy bar. The trail
eventually leads into space where the battle gets much bigger involving aliens
who look like ducks. This is nothing more than basic super hero plots with
conflict and resolution and the craziness of Plastic Man thrown in for good
measure. It is not bad and the art is decent but I don't really see the need for
a team up book of this size with these two characters. It is just not that
compelling. You may differ if these are favorites of yours.

*****
TRIVIA CONTEST!!!! WIN REAL PRIZES!!!!!

If you think you know the answer to the trivia question send your guess via
Email to me at ComicBkNet@aol.com and you could win the prize. The first six
correct answers will be assigned a number and a roll of the dice will determine
the winner. You should put your real name in your message so we know who you
are. Prizes must be claimed at our store within 30 days of winning. The prize
will be a $10 credit slip, which will be redeemable for merchandise at regular
retail or in-store ongoing specials only. Only one prize per person will be
allowed per every 4 weeks. I will be the sole judge of the correct answer even
if more than one answer could be correct. Submit only one answer per Email
please but guess as often as you like.

Last week's trivia question:
What Jack Kirby conceived characters crossed over with Jason Voorhees, of Friday the 13th fame in a comic book?
The characters were SATAN'S SIX in their own series. The winner by the dice is
Julian Goding.

Here was your no prize question:
From where did French Fries originate?
French fries do not originate from France. They originally came from Belgium.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
In what two major feature films did George Reeves, TV's Superman, have bit
parts?

Here is your no prize question:
Who first uttered the now famous phrase, "Elvis has left the building?"

Folks, you never know who among the readers is knowledgeable about the question
so don't hesitate to send in an answer - even days after it appears.

Comic Reviews - 12/24/10

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Comic Reviews 10/16/10

REVIEWS

The comics reviewed are chosen by David not by That's Entertainment management or staff. The opinions expressed are his alone. If you have an opposing view you are welcome to respond to David directly by Email at the address above.


Title: FABLES
Issue Number: 100
Title Story: Single Combat
Publisher: DC/Vertigo
Creator: Bill Willingham
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artist: Mark Buckingham
Inkers: Steve Leialoha & Andrew Pepoy
Colors: Lee Loughridge
Letters: Todd Klein
Cover Artist: Joao Ruas
Price (USD): $9.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Fantasy

DC is celebrating the hundredth issue of FABLES with a 104-page issue with no ads and tons of extras, some of which have importance to future storylines. The main story involves the combat between Frau Totenkinder, first among the witches of Fabletown and Mister Dark. Dark has forced the evacuation of Fabletown where Fables that can pass for human lived in the heart of the Mundy city known as New York, to set up his Castle Dark from which he will spread his reign over man. The Fables have all fled to The Farm in upstate and await the outcome of the battle. While the girl witch Ozma keeps the inner circle informed of Totenkinder's progress Beauty and the Beast are about to welcome their child into the world. And later as everyone celebrates the new birth, the defeat of an enemy and the engagement of Totenkinder to her man from the homelands it is soon turned to fear as all the Fables must prepare to flee to Flycatcher's kingdom Haven. There is not a clean resolution, or at least one that would be happily ever after, but then most fans of the series would not want it to end now. Both Willingham and Buckingham are exceptional in their craft making the praise this series has received well deserved. Little threads of plots are left there and there to keep the magic going. Some of them are in the additional material provided as a bonus to this landmark issue.

Additional Material:
"Pinocchio's Army" text by Mark Buckingham, Illustrated by Bill Willingham

This short story in text features Pinocchio and his father Geppetto. The boy has remembered something he managed to bring with him from the old kingdom that may change his father's mood. Indeed this is one of those hints of things to come. The switch in roles by the creators works fine as Willingham provides illustration for a mostly text piece.

The Fables Paper Puppet Theater
Concept, script and art by Mark Buckingham, Inks by Dan Green and Colors by Lee Loughridge

If you are really into creating your own Fabletown play you may want to buy a second copy of the book as it includes cut outs of the main characters as well a scenery to build your own theater. The way they are laid out though you would need two extra copies so as not to ruin a complete book.

"The Perils of Thumbelina" by Bill Willingham and Chrissie Zullo

This 3-page story features the residents of Smalltown and the perils they could face in Haven if they are not careful. It has humor and nice art.

Celebrity Burning Questions by Bill Willingham, art by Dave Johnson, Adam Hughes, Kate McElroy, J.H. Williams III and Dave Stewart

Speaking of humor, this section is an illustrated "letters to the Fables" section by some recognizable people from film and television. Each of the four has a guest artist doing the illustrating and are a fun exploration of questions you might have wondered yourself.

"A Thing With Those Mice" by Bill Willingham and Joao Ruas

The second post-duel story also takes place in Haven as the Three Blind Mice wander the land thinking they are heading to the palace to receive rewards for their past heroics. Of course most of this is in their minds as the make assumptions based on what is not happening. It is a funny bit to end the story for now.

Escape to Wolf Manor board game - by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham

If you already cut up that extra copy you can tear out this two-page board game and have some fun trying to get to Wolf Manor to warn Snow White and Bigby about Mister Dark. There is even more to it online at the Vertigo blog.

Title: EYE OF THE GODS
Issue Number: 152 pages, TPB, b&w, 5.5in x 8.5in
Publisher: Optic House
Creator: Gerimi Burleigh
Price (USD): $10.95
Release Date: February 2011 - December Previews "Certified Cool"
Genre: Science Fiction - psychological thriller



The promo online goes like this:

Sean Black undergoes surgery, cloning his eyes to restoring his failing vision. After the operation, he "dreams" of a murder, only to discover that it really happened...

...But, the death isn't being reported as a crime. When his curiosity gets the best of him, Sean uncovers a conspiracy and sets off a chain of events that unravel his life.

As it turns out Sean was not dreaming at all. As the story unfolds Sean and his girlfriend, Amanda, meet FBI agent Bryan Grey and Doctor Chantel Wallis who initially treat them as suspects for the amount of information Sean knows about the crime. When the visions recur he notices he is being followed and learns the murders involve the doctor who did his transplant, his assistant and even a reporter who is getting close to the truth. It is a whirlwind adventure filled with paranoia, danger, betrayals and a final revelation that will change his life forever. I found the story gripping from start to finish. Burleigh manages to hold your attention through it all without giving too much away ahead of time. He uses good technique in shading for the vision sequences and the characters for the most part are fleshed out for their part in the story. If you want to preview it you can see the beginning of the story on www.OpticHouse.com Look for the solicitation in the latest Previews.


Title: TWENTY-SEVEN
Issue Number: 1 (of 4)
Publisher: Image
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Renzo Podesta
Letters: Shawn Pepasquale
Cover Artist: W. Scott Forbes
Price (USD): $3.99 - Golden Age Format
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy


There is something about famous rock stars dying at the age of twenty-seven. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain all died too young. While this comic does not come right out and draw a parallel to those famous icons it does speculate that certain talents can be granted by supernatural forces though as is often the case in such a story there will be a price to pay. Will Garland is the center of the story. He is a super guitarist and front man for a band that hit its high a year ago playing the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Six months later he began to suffer from reflex sympathetic dystrophy in his left hand. That pretty much ended his guitar playing. He could get complex surgery to fix his hand and end the pain, but he would never play the guitar again. It looked like his only other option is a life of drugs to dull the pain. He has been all over the world searching for anyone or anything that may give him hope. Now on his twenty-seventh birthday he is down to his last option. He found Hargrave Swinthe on the Internet and has just enough left to pay for his special treatment. Hargrave explains his treatment is outside traditional science but will give Will back his hand. The device shown to Will is supposed to collect the body's natural energies and provides a healing power in return. Naturally he is not told everything. The procedure involves a machine and nine cats. What is unseen is that the healing is provided by a supernatural being who himself is being deceived by Hargrave. Thus begins Will's journey. Though his hand is healed, as he learns later, he also now has a strange device implanted in his chest. He gets genius levels of creativity by turning the dial but he also has surprising visitors as the chapter ends. I am really impressed by Podesta's art on this book. It is a very unique style that is stretched to all kinds of visuals by the script. The aspects of the players on the supernatural side are constantly changing as if they have no "usual" form. The color and shading change with the mood with just the right amount of touch. This is not a typical story of a man selling his soul for a price. It appears to be much more and I am very curious where it will go from here.

You may have to wait for a second printing or ask for a special order to get this one. The original print run did not meet demand and copies had to be allocated to the comic stores. So far I think it is worth getting a copy to see for yourself.

Title: DCU HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2010
Publisher: DC
Letters: Travis Lanham
Price (USD): $4.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Mixed

Six stories in this large special touch on various "holiday" themes.

Anthro in "Sometimes the Bear..."
By Joey Cavalieri & Carlo Soriano



Since Anthro and his friends are cavemen the holiday in question here is a tribal tradition called the false hunt carried out by only men on the winter solstice. Anthro joins a fellow tribesman and his son Lart as they head out for the ritual but the boy, Lart, is told to stay behind and protect the women. The two men reach their destination where an old animal skin with paintings on it is the real prize of the ritual. Naturally the boy defies orders and begins to follow them. The story is interesting as they run across a rival tribe and actually use snowmen to scare them away. In a rather comical scene the two men accidentally partake in a winter sport and the boy manages to tangle with a bear. It is a bit whimsical but does play into the holiday spirit if not a traditional one.

Jonah Hex in "Guiding Light"
By Seth Albano, Renato Arlem and Bruno Hanc

This story involves Hex in helping track down the killers of a Rabbi with the help of his son who witnessed the deed. Robbers invaded their camp and stole what little they had killing the father. The boy managed to escape and when he makes it to town father's cousin convinces Hex to go after the murderers for an ample reward. The interesting part of the story is the fact that the robbers never left the area of the murder. They know the boy escaped and can identify them. Every night they see from afar the campfire suddenly relight and are convinced the boy is doing it. It is a miracle of light that keeps them hanging around for seven days, long enough for Jonah and the boy to catch them when they finally return to the scene to bury the father. It is a nice story with excellent art.

Green Lantern in "Holy Day"
By Tony Bedard, Richard and Tanya Horie

The GL in this case is John Stewart who is called to sector 2809 and the planet Hathor by the rookie Green Lantern of that sector. What this new GL has seen on a routine patrol is a planet wide melee with everyone seemingly involved. Stewart's ring confirms that the injuries are merely superficial and they conclude this is not mass hysteria but might be a religious ritual. John draws a parallel to something he witnessed in Manila while in the marines. Further investigation reveals the truth and the "crisis" is resolved. It was a short but interesting and informative tale asking the reader to not judge things by their appearance. Again the art is outstanding.

Superman in "Hero of Heroes"
By Kevin Grevioux, Roberto Castro and Scott Koblish

While this story takes place during a Thanksgiving Day parade it is more about the nature of heroes than the holiday itself. The tradition in Metropolis is for the Daily Planet to give its Hero Award to the hero who embodies the spirit of selfless giving. While the members of the Planet staff speculate among themselves which famous super hero will win this year it is Superman himself who will give the award. In his speech he mentioned those who are looked up to as heroes from celebrities to sports stars and politicians as well as the true heroes in our daily lives like firemen, police, healthcare workers and the military. But the surprise winner is indeed truly deserving of recognition. It is a nice little story if light on the holiday theme itself. I found the art less attractive mostly because of the finishes.

The Spectre in "The Gift"
By Dara Naraghi, Tom Derenick, Norm Rapmund and Chris Beckett

This story takes place in Tehran where the Iranians are preparing to celebrate the Persian New Year on the Vernal Equinox. While the customs are new to him the latest Spectre finds them oddly familiar. The he witnesses street thugs stab a man who is bringing gifts to an orphanage and soon he will use the wrath of vengeance to right a terrible wrong. While it is a typical Spectre story it is fascinating to learn about another tradition half a world away. The art is very capable on this one and the story leads to a good resolution.

The Legion of Super Heroes in "Holiday"
By Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Chris Batista, Rich Perrotta and Hi-Fi

The final offering takes place in the 31st century where all the holidays have been rolled into one called simply Holiday. Of course not everyone can celebrate as the case in our own times. The Legion has members on duty to deal with disaster and crime along with the Science Police. But as they respond to what are reported to be a series of alien attacks they find nothing. Eventually the trail leads back to the artificial intelligence at Science Police Control that has been giving out the alerts. It turns out that even machines need a holiday once in a while. It is a cute gimmick that works well for this story. The art team does a bang up job on it as well.

Taken as a whole this is a great comic book for all ages. It is entertaining and education making it a perfect stocking stuffer (or other appropriate holiday gift) for any fan.

Title: NIGHTMARES & FAIRY TALES: ANNABELLE'S STORY
Issue Number: 1 (of 4)
Title Story: Part One
Publisher: Slave Labor Graphics
Writer: Serena Valentino
Artist: Foo Swee Chin
Letters: Jef Bambas
Price (USD): $3.50
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Supernatural




This black and white tale is somewhat confusing at first until you realize whom the people are talking about. A young girl of fifteen named Gwen is taking a trip by train across the country with her aunt Bea. Bea says she is not sure why Gwen would want to travel so far to visit an asylum but she is sure that "Annabelle" has her reasons. Gwen's response is that she wishes Bea could "hear" Annabelle but since she can't Gwen will tell the story. After a while it becomes clear that Annabelle is the antique doll in Gwen's lap. She actually speaks to Gwen but only she can hear her. The story involves several previous owners of Annabelle. Each was a young girl who met untimely ends when they did not heed Annabelle's warnings. There was Siren who ended up on display in a carnival, Paige who was wild and reckless and died young, Belle who was beaten by her father because she loved another woman, Snow White who was killed by her stepmother, Dominique who had her baby taken away and turned into a beastly murderer and then Morgan who was accused of Dominique's crimes and was sent to an asylum. Annabelle promised to help Morgan if she could find someone who could hear and help her. And so the plot involves the two companions arriving at a seemingly deserted town except for the proprietress of the hotel Bea made arrangements to stay at. She is fearful of their safety and tries to warn them of the dangers at night, that they best visit the asylum in the day. The main plot really begins hear as they search the seemingly deserted institution for clues to Morgan's whereabouts. The whole thing has a supernatural aura about it and from the tales told in the first half you may expect that strange things will be happening from this point forward. I found this to be a compelling story for its structure and uniqueness. The dialogues with Annabelle add a touch of mystery as well as a tool for relaying the background information needed to understand what is coming at the end. The art has a mix of style with Manga style touches, especially in Gwen. There is a lot more I have not related that happens at the hotel and with its keeper. It is a pretty dense story with lots to absorb though it flows smoothly once you understand the beginning conversation. This one gets thumbs up for story and another for art. Black and white fans won't be disappointed.

Title: THE FLASH
Issue Number: 7
Title Story: What Goes Around, Comes Around
Publisher: DC
Writer: Geoff Johns Artist:
Colors: Scott Kolins
Letters: Sal Cipriano
Cover Artist: Francis Manapul Variant: Darwyn Cooke
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero




Sometimes the title on the cover, which is actually a trademark, is not the accurate legal title of the comic so I often look in the Indicia to be correct in my reviews. This comic is really THE FLASH but I noticed an odd thing while looking. The cover says issue #7 but the indicia says it is #9 - very odd! Another odd thing is that the title character appears in only three panels, one of those just his boots and he has no dialogue at all. You can guess from the story title and cover that this issue is about George "Digger" Harkness, Captain Boomerang. The issue has two main plots. One that starts and ends the issue has digger breaking into Iron Heights Penitentiary to break someone out. He has always been a part of the Rogues Gallery. Digger died and was recently resurrected by the white light. Now he has questions for the person he seeks. The other plot in contrast is about the past, his past. This is the secret origin of Captain Boomerang. It goes back to his childhood days with an abusive father, a mysterious benefactor and a mother who hides a major secret. At a young age he learns to master the boomerang after receiving one from the mysterious benefactor. When forced to leave home to escape his father he goes to the US where his transformation into Captain Boomerang and later a life of crime takes place. As far a secret origins go this is a pretty good one. It explains his character and earlier motivation. The other plot brings us up to speed, no pun intended, with his current motivation and what may be a big mistake he made as a result. If you like secret origins, by the way, there will be another one in this title is just two weeks. It is good to see THE FLASH back as a regular title with both strong writing and art. The fact that he wasn't around much this time and it is still a good comic says a lot about the creative team.

*****
TRIVIA CONTEST!!!! WIN REAL PRIZES!!!!!

If you think you know the answer to the trivia question send your guess via Email to me at ComicBkNet@aol.com and you could win the prize. The first six correct answers will be assigned a number and a roll of the dice will determine the winner. You should put your real name in your message so we know who you are. Prizes must be claimed at our store within 30 days of winning. The prize will be a $10 credit slip, which will be redeemable for merchandise at regular retail or in-store ongoing specials only. Only one prize per person will be allowed per every 4 weeks. I will be the sole judge of the correct answer even if more than one answer could be correct. Submit only one answer per Email please but guess as often as you like.

Last week's trivia question: Who were the first two characters from DC and Marvel to meet?
It was the now classic meeting of Superman and Spider-Man that began it all. The winner this time by the dice roll is Stephen Kostrzewa.

Here was your no prize question: Who was the only 6-star General in US History?
Jimmy Carter ordered George Washington to be promoted posthumously to the position of six-star "General of the Armies of Congress." Carter did this because he believed that the first President of America should also be America's highest military official.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: What Jack Kirby conceived characters crossed over with Jason Voorhees, of Friday the 13th fame in a comic book?

Here is your no prize question: From where did French Fries originate?

Folks, you never know who among the readers is knowledgeable about the question so don't hesitate to send in an answer - even days after it appears.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Comic Reviews 12/10/10

Title: NIGHTMASTER: MONSTERS OF ROCK
Issue Number: 1-SHOT
Title Story: Monsters of Rock
Publisher: DC
Writer: Adam Beechen
Artist: Kieron Dwyer
Colors: Ego
Letters: Swands
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Humor/fantasy




I did not know what to expect from this comic. The cover indicates a heroic
figure possibly about to do battle with an off panel foe, beautifully rendered
by Wrightson though he did not receive a credit for it on the inside. What I
found inside was a more humor than epic battle and that was a good surprise. It
opens with the here clad in blue spandex and a long red cape wielding a sword
and standing in an alley waiting for the battle to come. Suddenly he is startled
by an aging hippy, Eddie Persky, who instantly recognizes our hero as Jim Rook
leader of a sixties rock band called The Electrics. Eddie instantly launches
into a monologue about attending the Electrics last gig in the East Village back
in 1969. The band was on a meteoric rise but Jim vanished after that night. The
humor of this comic lies in the dialogue between the two throughout the book.
Eddie is constantly ranting about the band, what happened to Jim, how he should
write about their chance meeting in a song for his next album (his last was in
1969!) Meanwhile Jim is fighting monsters, telling the oblivious Eddie he is in
grave danger and so on. When Jim steps through a portal to another dimension
Eddie follows without thinking and without stopping his chatter. The
surrealistic landscape and the large monsters have no impact on Eddie as he
keeps rambling. Jim is seeking the villain of this other dimension, Lord Meh,
who has captured his companions. Meh has decided to eradicate Jim and his group
in order to carry out his master plan to rule the realm. When the final
confrontation comes it is Eddie who proves to be the key to victory. It is
lighthearted romp that contrasts the two personalities and goals. The art is
very capable with dynamic coloring that finishes it well. It was a pleasant
surprise and a welcome diversion.

Title: BRING THE THUNDER
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Creator: Alex Ross
Writer: Jai Nitz
Artist: Wilson Tortosa
Colors: Marlon Ilagan
Letters: Simon Bowland
Cover Artist: Alex Ross
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction



I was not sure if this title had any ties to the super hero universe created by
Ross and apparently it does not. It is the story of a combat rescue officer
named Wayne Russell. It starts in the middle, jumps back to the beginning and
finishes in the present. Does anybody tell linear stories anymore? The combat
rescue team is a very elite squad that is called in only on rescue missions.
They secure friendlies, move the wounded to the evacuation and kill any
unfriendlies on the way, as they keep moving. The action takes place in
Afghanistan just south of Kandahar. The trapped victims are Estonians disabled
when they hit an IED. The team makes a high altitude jump into the zone to start
their mission. Through the course of the action there are many casualties and
Russell himself is mortally wounded as the action takes him to an area where
some private security forces have been decimated beyond recognition. There is a
strange weapon on the ground. After being hit by a sniper his only hope is to
use the weapon against the attacker. When he does it transforms not only himself
but also his enemy into beings with control of sound. Their bodies take the
forms we see on the opening page, one is metal like a robot, and the other is
head to toe cloth. They hurl sonics at each other as they go at it hand to hand.
The narrative in this part is very interesting as Wayne recalls a time long ago
when he remembers his favorite record album and how it had impacted him at the
time. The relevance is drawing a parallel of the power of sound to the power of
a song. The last scene in the present brings it all together and sets up our
hero with something he did not expect. I enjoyed the story from the aspect that
the super powered fight seems secondary to the dialogue, the combat scenes flesh
out the character and his background while the ending leaves a bit of a mystery
as to what happened after the fight and what could happen next. The art is
compelling with lots of different angles of perspective and good coloring. While
this is an origin issue it does not get into the meat of what the hero does
next. But for a first issue it is a good start.

Title: HEROES FOR HIRE
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: Are You for Hire?
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Artist: Brad Walker
Inker: Andrew Hennessy
Colors: Jay David Ramos
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Doug Braithwaite & Sonia Oback
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero


I did not realize who was writing this comic when I picked it up. When I saw it
was Abnett and Lanning I figured it would be not just another rehash of an old
theme. The original Heroes for Hire were of course Luke Cage and Iron Fist. The
team name has seen several iterations in the past as retold for those who want
background in the second half of the book. The downside is the main story is
that much shorter. But it is jam-packed and sets up the series in a way I did
not expect. It starts with Sam Wilson, the Falcon, receiving and earpiece and
when he puts in on hears a voice identifying itself as Control. He recognizes
the voice but she cautions him to just call her Control, like Barbara Gordon is
only called Oracle on a comlink. She has one question for him, "Are you for hire
tonight?" This is how this new team that is not a team works. Control calls a
hero who has the right skills and/or is in the right place to accomplish the
current mission. If the cover is any indication she will call anyone from
Elektra to Ghostrider and even the Punisher if need be. This episode begins with
the Falcon Chasing a truck carrying illegal drugs. At the right moment Control
calls in the Black Widow to set up a roadblock. Gaining the trucks navigation
log will lead the next hero, Moon Knight to its destination where he learns the
hideous secret behind the dangerous new drugs on the streets and can "convince"
a henchman to tell him who is behind it all. Elektra is then tasked with the job
of "taking care" of the mastermind. But the story does not end there. If you
have not guessed by Falcon's near slip of the tongue at the beginning who
Control is, it is revealed after the mission is finished. But an even darker
secret is held for the last panel and it comes without warning. I don't want to
reveal where this is going but I will say it makes the series much more
interesting. I recommend this title highly as a good one to get into right now.
It could be a sleeper hit. Each different "hero" will spice things up with
varying attitudes and motivations to go along with Control. The art is very good
throughout. I am looking forward to a book-length episode next time.

Title: WHAT IF? IRON MAN: DEMON IN AN ARMOR
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: What if Tony Stark Had Become Doctor Doom?
Publisher: Marvel
Writers: David Michelinie & Bob Layton
Artist: Graham Nolan
Inker: Mark Pennington
Colors: Sotocolor
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero



Another story showing what would have happened if something were slightly
different in the Marvel Universe is always interesting to me. This one has
Victor Von Doom as a college roommate of Tony Stark instead of Reed Richards.
You can imagine the conflict of personalities between the playboy born of wealth
and the scholarship exchange student who has had to work for everything. As Doom
recognizes Tony's intelligence the relationship thaws until the fatal day he
takes Tony in his confidence to show him his secret experiment. He claims to be
on the verge of perfecting a machine that will give ordinary people the power of
telekinesis. He needs it to succeed to fund the rest of his college studies.
Tony agrees to help him but as you might guess Doom has a double cross in mind.
In fact it is really a mind transfer machine and he tricks Tony into swapping
bodies. Now he has the identity and wealth of Tony Stark while poor Tony must
assume the identity of Doom who has used school resources with authority and is
exiled back to Latveria with no memory of being Stark. Doom as Stark assumes
Tony's father's fortune at his death and begins a rise to even greater wealth.
But Tony as Doom has finally conquered his demons and resolved himself to be a
success on his own. He manages to build Doom Industries, which eventually rivals
Stark Industries for dominance in technical innovation. Victor as Tony decides
to use a prototype battle suit (Iron Man) to raid his rival's latest invention
but Tony as Doom sees it coming and dons some familiar looking armor meant to be
a rescue suit. The conflict was inevitable in a story such as this and the
resolution is satisfactory. I guess you either like What If or just ignore it.
This one is a decent story with decent art to carry it through.

Back up story: What if the Venom Symbiote Possessed Deadpool? (Part 1 of 4)
By Rick Remender, Shawn Moll, Mark Irwin, Chris Sotomayor & Clayton Cowles

Since this is only the first part look for three other WHAT IF? Comics with the
rest of the story. Most of the time I expect Deadpool stories to be a bit or a
lot silly. This one starts right off with an introduction by the Watcher of
Earth 615.9 known as Boy Watcher. The name comes from the fact he is drawn to
resemble Boy George. We look in on Deadpool of this Earth as he is summoned by
Galactus and given the task of killing The Beyonder. It seems the Beyonder
played a practical joke on Galactus by fusing MODOK's head to his butt. Now
Galactus is willing to give Deadpool the Continuity Cube in return for the deed.
Long story short he ends up meeting him, finding out he is a cool guy and starts
hanging out with Beyonder. Well Spidey in the black costume shows up angry at
Beyonder for putting him in the black suit because he can't get it off. By the
end of the story the transfer is made with Deadpool as Venom. This is really not
a spoiler because that is the title of the story. What happens from here on is
the gist of it all. It is all very silly and the running jokes are not that good
though some of the one-liners aren't bad. It is good enough filler.


*****
TRIVIA CONTEST!!!! WIN REAL PRIZES!!!!!

If you think you know the answer to the trivia question send your guess via
Email to me at ComicBkNet@aol.com and you could win the prize. The first six
correct answers will be assigned a number and a roll of the dice will determine
the winner. You should put your real name in your message so we know who you
are. Prizes must be claimed at our store within 30 days of winning. The prize
will be a $10 credit slip, which will be redeemable for merchandise at regular
retail or in-store ongoing specials only. Only one prize per person will be
allowed per every 4 weeks. I will be the sole judge of the correct answer even
if more than one answer could be correct. Submit only one answer per Email
please but guess as often as you like.

Last week's trivia question: In Y: THE LAST MAN Yorick has a Zippo lighter engraved "(expletive deleted) Communism". He explains it's from a book he once read, a comic book. To what comic book is he referring?
Jesse Custer had the same lighter in PREACHER. The winner by the dice is Tom
Courchaine.

Here was your no prize question: "Tomorrow, I shall no longer be here" were the last words of whom?
Those were the words of Michel de Notre Dame (Nostradamus) - 1566.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: Who were the first two characters from DC and Marvel to meet?

Here is your no prize question: Who was the only 6-star General in US History?

Folks, you never know who among the readers is knowledgeable about the question
so don't hesitate to send in an answer - even days after it appears.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Comic Reviews 12/2/10

Title: VAMPIRELLA
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: Red Right Hand
Title Arc: Crown of Worms
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Writer: Eric Trautman
Artist: Wagner Reis
Colors: Inlight Studio
Letters: Marshall Dillon
Cover Artist: Various
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Horror


Vampirella is back! Now that Dynamite has the rights expect to see more of her
in the future. Well, in a manner of speaking. Certainly there is more to see on
the various covers issued for the debut issue - all appropriately sexy in the
tradition of the character. But longtime fans may be surprised to see very
little of her flesh between the covers. For this first chapter she is fully
clothed in shirt and slacks and a long trench coat. The lead in to the main plot
has her battling some street hoods in Seattle who have been harassing a homeless
man. When they ramp up the violence she responds in kind but restrains from
revealing her true nature. After whooping them good two cops arrive with their
own designs on our heroine. They are vampires and plan to feast, not knowing
whom they are up against. Once they realize she is not helpless prey it is too
late. She knows eventually the trail will lead her to Vlad Tepes, son of
Dracula, but the most she can learn is the location of a female who may know
where he is. She is Le Fanu and as Vampy searches the club where her kind lure
in the unsuspecting victims there are more battles before the climax meeting
with a very different antagonist. The story so far is tightly written with some
background as to her purpose, if not her origin. The art is very good with
appropriate use if coloring and shading that give it the right aura. But I still
want to get back to the traditional skimpy outfit we all know. At least the back
up feature gives us that.

Bonus story: Looking for Mr. Goodwin by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale
Letters by Richard Starkings & Wes Abbot, Colors by J.D. Smith
Originally published in VAMPIRELLA MONTHLY #18, August 1999.

This story was included in tribute to Archie Goodwin who is the inspiration for
the direction of this series. In the story Vampirella seeks out a writer to tell
her story, to make her a legend to live on. Her kind has been characterized by
the likes of Bram Stoker and Bela Legosi. She wants the world to know there is
more to it than that. And so she "convinces" Goodwin to tell her tale and the
rest is history. It is a nice story and a surprise it came from the likes of
Loeb and Sale over a decade ago. It is a real treat to round out a solid first
issue.


Title: THUNDERSTRIKE
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: Like Father
Publisher: Marvel
Script, Plot & Pencils: Tom Defalco and Ron Frenz
Finish Artist: Sal Bucema
Colors: Bruno Hang
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero




I never followed the adventures of Thunderstrike when he was around years ago. I
gave this title a chance to get me interested at this time. The story is about
Kevin Masterson, son of the original Thunderstrike. He is new to the Maria Stark
Academy and is already in trouble for starting a fight. As his parents are
brought in and promise he will not be a repeat offender we newcomers learn that
his stepfather is a famous retired athlete, which helps placate the father of
the other boy. Clearly Kevin has problems adjusting to his new family, new
school and resents the loss of his father and does not like the Avengers he was
involved with. So you can imagine his reaction when he is whisked away to meet
Steve Rogers in a mobile command center in the sky. The purpose is to give Kevin
what is legally his, his father's magic mace. But to Kevin's dismay the mace
does not react to his touch. Steve offers to take him into the Avengers Academy
should he manage to trigger the mace hoping he can turn him into a hero someday.
When a desperate situation later causes the mace to trigger it is a surprise to
Kevin, his mother and everyone else. What comes next is sure to be interesting.
While it does not take up the entire issue this is still a lot of plot covered
in a short period and a good set up for the future. The art team does a good
job, especially in the action in the second half of the story. The second major
plot that will intertwine with the main one is covered in the backup story.

Back up story: Only Human
Writer: Tom Defalco
Art: Todd Nauck
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Colors: Andres Mossa

The scene takes place in Valhalla. Hecara declares that the Thunderstrike is
reborn and one among them must journey to Midgard. When the Valkyrie Gruenhilda
questions her it is the Lady Sif who explains the debt of honor Asgard owes the
mortal Eric Masterson. And so we are given a recap of the history of Eric and
how he became a hero and later paid the ultimate price. It is definitely a good
piece to have in this new first issue, especially for those like me that need
the details. In the end it is Gruenhilda that is given the mission to travel to
Earth. I think that should be an interesting addition to the regular cast. The
recap does the job nicely with enough visuals to compliment the text. So far
this title shows promise.

Title: BATWOMAN
Issue Number: 0
Title Story: Beyond a Shadow
Publisher: DC
Writers: J.H. Williams III & W. Haden Blackman
Artist: J.H. Williams III
Artist (Kate Sequence): Amy Reeder
Inker: Richard Friend
Colors: Dave Stewart
Letters: Todd Klein
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero


BATWOMAN #1 debuts in February. Meanwhile this zero issue has Bruce Wayne
following her night and day to prove to himself that he knows she is really Kate
Kane. The art design is very alluring. There are parallel stories told in split
screen, top half/bottom half format though not always in rectangular fashion.
Half the page is Bruce narrating how he watches Kate while in various disguises
- visiting the cemetery, the library and other places including her nightlife.
The other half has her tracking down and fighting members of the Religion of
Crime led by an acolyte called Sister Shard. While he makes notes on further
research into their feud and the cult in particular he is watching her every
move, noting her techniques and training. This isn't a case of him trying to
catch her actually switching identities. It is about analyzing her moves,
attitudes and even confronting her to see the look in her eyes. He is not only
trying to confirm her identity he is assessing her usefulness as an ally. It is
a clever script that is painstaking step by step. The art as a result has to be
up to the task, and it is. The layouts change from page to page and still carry
two different stories by two different pencillers. It all fits together nicely.
This level of quality should carry the new series well next year. Be looking for
it.


Title: TEEN TITANS
Issue Number: 89
Title Story: Bruised Egos
Publisher: DC
Writer: J.T. Krul
Artist: Nicola Scott
Inker: Doug Hazelwood
Colors: Jason Wright
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero




Checking back in on the TEEN TITANS because I could not resist seeing how they
react to Damian Wayne, the new Robin. The main part of the story has Batman
(Dick) bringing Robin to Titans Tower proposing they take in Robin as a
teammate. Of course Damian charms them immediately with his sarcastic banter and
huge ego. As the rest nearly come to blows Dick and Cassie have a heart to heart
about Damian's need to learn how to trust people, how to count on them. He needs
to be in this team to do that. And so an uneasy relationship begins. It is not
too long before there is a situation to deal with involving a meta human using
his powers destructively at a tech expo. It is almost predictable how things
will go. Robin will jump right in to prove his superiority, mess thing up, have
to be shown how teamwork really works and then mess up again. There are some
character moments within the team and Raven stands out in dealing with the bad
guy this time. The scripting is pretty good and the art handles it all with some
decent layout and composition. It remains to be seen whether Robin will continue
as a member but for now this is a good start.

Title: THE TRAVELER
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Creator: Stan Lee
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Chad Hardin
Colors: Blond
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero




First, it is always great to see my former Emag colleague Ed Dukeshire of
Digital Webbing doing work on a major title. It must be a big thrill working on
a Stan Lee creation. For a switch I would like to first comment on the visual
aspects of this new comic. Boom! Has been putting out some great products and
deservedly has grown to be a force in the market. Part of the reason is the
production values they put into each title. This comic has great visuals, which
come to life with the fantastic coloring by Blond. These guys make a great team.
The story involves three seemingly unrelated incidents carried out by what the
federal agent tasked to investigate them calls super-powered lunatics. Angstrom
controls electromagnetics and three times has attacked what appear to be random
citizens. Each was saved by the hero of the piece, the Traveler. The story
begins with one such rescue, which introduces that villain and our hero who is
dubbed Kronus by the lady he rescues based on a torn patch on his costume. As
Kronus rescues another potential victim we learn the bad guys he calls the
Split-Second Men each have a power related to one of the fundamental forces of
the Universe. Angstrom is electromagnetic, Splinter can decay matter and though
we have yet to see the third I am guessing his powers are speed or light based -
E=MC2 don't you know. Traveler's thing is that he can manipulate the flow of
time in a localized field. He may also be a time traveler as the Split-Second
Men are. There is a lot packed in the pages here with a lot more to discover in
the future. It ends with a surprising event, given that Kronus seems to know a
lot about the future and what happens may prove him wrong. Are the Split-Second
Men trying to change the past? I am interested enough to stay with this title.
Mark Waid is a favorite writer of mine and I trust him to give us a good story
as we move forward. Two thumbs up on this one.

Title: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN
Issue Number: 150
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists:
"Spidey & the Ringer" - David Lafuente & Justin Ponsor
"Carol Danvers & The Ultimates" - Sarah Pichelli & Justin Ponsor
"Spidey & Iron Man" - Joelle Jones, Sunny Gho & Sakti Yuwono
"Spidey & Captain America" - James McKelvie & Matthew Wilson
"Spidey & Thor" - Skottie Young & Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letters: Cory Petit
"Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Various
Price (USD): $5.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero

You did not miss any issue of the current run. They added the numbering of the
two volumes to celebrate the 150th issue of the character. The first 42 pages
are a continuation of the ongoing story with the high school aged Peter Parker
dating Gwen Stacey and sharing his house with Johnny Storm and Bobby Drake
pretending to be his cousins. The recent damage to Spider-Man's reputation by a
chameleon imposter has pushed Carol Danvers, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., to the
point of having to do something about the mishaps Spidey seems to get into. It
opens with a confrontation with a new villain called the Ringer. Pete eventually
foils his diamond heist of about $11,000 with damage to the city estimated at
$2.7 million. She consults with Iron Man, Captain America and Thor as to their
impressions of the web-slinger. Each has his own perspective about his
intelligence and bravery. Cap wants him grounded, Tony wants him trained and
Thor praises him as a warrior. They arrive at these conclusions by relating
experiences they have had and hence different artists interpret each episode.
The story wraps with a consultation at the Parker home between Peter, Aunt May
and Carol Danvers that single a shift in the future of the Ultimate Spider-Man.
This will no doubt lead into the story beginning in February as highlighted in
the latest Previews just out. I have followed this title from its first volume
and it has progressed nicely with its own continuity. The assortment of artists
on this part does a good job, each in a unique style. The second half is a long
story strung together eventually with a theme based on a homework assignment
given to Peter's class. In it Spider-Man tries to stop Blade from chasing a you-
know-what not realizing who the bad guy really is. Then he finds Elektra on a
roof getting ready to assassinate a man and he stops her only to find out later
the man is a mass murderer. He begins to question his ability to judge what the
right thing to do is in any given situation. Seeking help from other heroes he
gets dressed down verbally by Daredevil and has a major awakening when he tries
to join the Fantastic Four - an interesting take on the historic meeting in the
original Spider-Man comic. This part of the story is a bit confusing as it is
not referenced as happening in the past and yet Mr. Fantastic is alive, Johnny
is not yet his friend and the four are all together in the Baxter Building. A
little better editing should have made it clearer. Regardless, it all comes
together in the end as Peter gives his presentation on the hero he most admires.
The last 20 pages before the presentation are splash pages by more than twenty
artists on several heroes or groups. It makes for a very special recognition of
the longevity of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN. It is page for page worth the cover price
more so than any Marvel special I have read in a long time.


***** TRIVIA CONTEST!!!! WIN REAL PRIZES!!!!!

If you think you know the answer to the trivia question send your guess via
Email to me at ComicBkNet@aol.com and you could win the prize. The first six
correct answers will be assigned a number and a roll of the dice will determine
the winner. You should put your real name in your message so we know who you
are. Prizes must be claimed at our store within 30 days of winning. The prize
will be a $10 credit slip, which will be redeemable for merchandise at regular
retail or in-store ongoing specials only. Only one prize per person will be
allowed per every 4 weeks. I will be the sole judge of the correct answer even
if more than one answer could be correct. Submit only one answer per Email
please but guess as often as you like.

Last week's trivia question: In what Ultraverse title did the character that became Nightman first appear?
Johnny Domingo (shortened to Domino), first appeared in STRANGERS #1. The winner
by the dice is Stu Cathell. He wins the hard cover graphic novel HATTER M: FAR
FROM WONDER.

Here was your no prize question: Whose famous last words were, "I'm tired. I'm going back to bed"?
The answer is George Reeves (Superman) - 1959. Christian Mock wins his place in
the no prize Hall of Fame for getting it first.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: In Y: THE LAST MAN Yorick has a Zippo lighter engraved " Communism". He explains it's from a book he once read, a comic book. To what comic book is he referring?
Here is your no prize question: "Tomorrow, I shall no longer be here" were the last words of whom?

Folks, you never know who among the readers is knowledgeable about the question
so don't hesitate to send in an answer - even days after it appears.