Great Caesar's Post!

Psst ... !

2010-05-31T15:46:00.003-05:00

Today, a new era begins with ...

Join me, won't you?

Not a dream! Not an imaginary story!

2010-05-28T18:05:00.001-05:00

And definitely not a What If?!

Things have been waaaay too quiet around here lately, and I think you deserve an explanation. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I left my job to go back to freelance writing (and again, if you know of any jobs or contacts, it would be awesome of you to let me know). I realized, though, that I've only told you half the story.

Not only did I leave the cozy comfort of a regular paycheck for the rough-and-tumble world of self-employment, but I'll also be moving soon. And not like a "moving to the other side of town" kind of moving. More like, "moving to the other side of the COUNTRY" moving. A combination of a university program my wife will be completing along with a hankerin' for some East Coast livin' is taking us to Delaware (just across the state line from Philadelphia) in just a few weeks.

And yes, we've seen the film clip.

As you can imagine, all this has kept things pretty busy here at Casa Romero, which in turn has stalled things a bit at GCP-HQ (didn't know I was incorporated, did you?). But no more! This time I'm giving you a definite date! A date that is coming! Right ... now!

MONDAY, MONDAY, MONNNNNDAAY!

This coming Monday, May 31, will be the beginning of a bold new era for Great Caesar's Post! Polish the china! Change your underpants! Bring in the dogs and put out the children! Above all, prepare yourselves and watch the skies!

ON MONDAY, GREAT CAESAR'S POST WILL RISE AGAIN.
AND NOTHING WILL BE THE SAME.

And this time I mean it

2010-05-19T00:52:00.004-05:00

I know, I know - it seems as if I've had one excuse after another for the meager updates lately, but seriously, guys, in a couple of days we'll be BACK TO REGULAR POSTING.

Honest. Swear to the Big G and everything.

And I really do feel bad about it. In my mind it's as if Perry White himself is chewing me out - a-just like this:

Legendary artist Frank Frazetta dies at 82

2010-05-10T15:48:00.002-05:00

The sad news that has been buzzing around the Internet today was confirmed earlier — legendary fantasy artist Frank Frazetta has died at the age of 82.

The cause of death has been given as a stroke.

Frazetta's iconic work is instantly recognizable to anyone who has read fantasy novels, browsed through yearly calendars or picked up a metal album. Known mostly for his commercial work, Frazetta essentially invented the look of modern fantasy art with his lush paintings of fantastic and fearsome beasts, rough-hewn men, and women seemingly coaxed from the smoothest and deadliest alabaster. Even you didn't know the name, you knew the work; Tarzan, John Carter from Mars, Conan the Barbarian and his own creation, the Death Dealer, were all given the Frazetta stamp, cementing the image of these and other characters for generations.

I distinctly remember my first the time I felt the impact of Frazetta's work — it was the cover to Molly Hatchet's self-title debut album, featuring the Death Dealer himself.

I was fascinated by the cover, with the obscured warrior who seemed to be made of black and gray, of shadow and steel, and who seemed to drain all the color, all the life, out of the world itself. I would study this cover with more attention than I probably ever gave the music inside, imagining what kind of world this demon-soldier haunted, wondering what damnation stoked his eyes to a glowing red, amazed at the sheer muscularity of the enormous, night-black warhorse.

With that one cover Frazetta, as much as anyone or anything, came to symbolize rock 'n' roll to me. Soon enough, his work became shorthand for fantasy, adventure, sex, heroism and an entire pop culture era for me, as I'm sure it is for a lot of other people out there.

There have been plenty of other artists who are maybe just as good, but they all owe a debt to Frazetta. With work that is erotic, powerful and otherworldly, Frazetta was one of those rare artists who defined a style, and with it an entire genre.

Que casualidad!

2010-05-05T15:06:00.000-05:00

Hey, it's Cinco de Mayo! In the United States it means a day of celebration, a time to put on hokey fake mustaches and giant sombreros while downing nachos and drinking Dos Equis. In Mexico, it means ... well, not a lot, really. Mexicans acknowledge the day outnumbered and out-equipped soldiers pushed back French invaders in Puebla, but they don't make a big deal out of it.

Ha ha! Silly gringos!

Aaaanyway, I'm a big fan of Mexican comics, so in celebration of Cinco de Mayo I give you the covers to five comics that were actually published in Mexico. And not a luchador in the bunch!

Kalimán! A mysterious guru with incredible mind-over-matter powers who is also a master of martial arts, science and the arts. A man of peace who nonetheless kicks much ass on a regular basis.

It's A ROBOT. RIDING A GIANT ANT.

Brujerias was a blackly comedic comic with horror trappings, right down to the host's name, "Hermelinda Linda," which translates to "Pretty Hermelinda." Terrifying.

The Invisible Guardian is ... well, an invisible man. Who fights things like living skeletons. And who, if you can trust the outline, has perfect hair. He is awesome.

I just want to point out that, as far as I can tell, this was way before Return of the Jedi. Also — thank you, Mexico.

BONUS PANEL!

Alright, alright — here's a panel showing El Santo about to punch out a hippo. I'm not made of stone, people!

Hang in there, baby — I've got some big news!

2010-04-28T14:18:00.001-05:00

Sorry about the slow posting lately, guys — there have been some big things going on over here, with more on the way, and boy are my arms tired.

What? Um, sorry. I'm a little frazzled.

Aaaaanyway, I usually try to keep the focus on comics here, but since this will impact Great Caesar's Post I thought I should announce it here, too (this will be old news to Facebook pals). A couple of days ago I gave notice at work, with my last day being a few weeks from now.

There are various reasons for it, but I want to say straight out that the parting is completely amicable. No, really. I've loved the company for the past five-plus years I've been here, and leaving was not an easy decision. Still, for a variety of reasons, it's the right time. So beginning in mid-May I'll be going back to freelance writing, which is what I did for three years before taking the job I have now. (As a matter of fact, if you know of any possible freelance gigs out there, please don't be shy about letting me know!)

And just because I know something like this tends to raise certain questions, here's what I said on Facebook earlier:

Believe me, I enjoy the health insurance and regular paycheck. But sometimes there has to be something more; luckily, we've been able to put ourselves in a position where we can give ourselves a chance at that. We've prepared as well as we can, enough that even if things don't go the way we want them to, we still have the maneuverability to change direction if it comes to that. It's also a matter of over-preparation; when does it feel "OK?" When does it not feel like a risk? If we wait for that, we'll never do it. Just be sure we know what it's like out there, and we know what obstacles there'll be — like I said, we've done it before. And that time we weren't prepared AT ALL, and we survived for three years.

I realize this will probably seem foolish to a lot of people —it's a big part of the reason we've been fairly quiet about it. Maybe that makes it seem as if it's coming out of the blue, but it really isn't. When I say we've been planning it for years, it's not hyperbole or a casual figure of speech. We've literally been planning this for years. We've gone over everything that will be changed in our lives, discussed the things that will have to be dropped or modified, and we've come to a place where we feel good about it. It all looks very risky, but we've actually minimized that risk as much as possible.

Besides, we all need a little risk now and then.

I think there might've been a smiley at the end of that last sentence.

So, what does this mean for Great Caesar's Post? More content, and on a more regular basis! That's something I've been wanting to do for a LONG time, so I'm eager to get to it. There will be even more news soon (I KNOW!), so keep your ears on, good buddies, and thanks for your patience during the transition.

Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter: Everyone got a raise ...

2010-04-21T16:14:00.000-05:00

Grim-and-gritty is officially old and boring

2010-04-20T16:23:00.000-05:00

This had started out as a longer, probably much more convoluted post about Mark Millar, the cult of personality that seems to have sprung up around certain comic book writers, and the apparent addiction to gore and ultra-violence that both Marvel and DC have been guilty of, but instead I'll boil it down to a simple question that I put to you, my Internet Pals:

Are people finally getting tired of it all?

I ask because I've been sensing some push-back recently, and I'm not sure if I'm actually detecting a ripple in the Force or if it's just wishful thinking. In either case, here are some things to consider:

Kick-Ass, which was hyped so hard people back in the 1920s have probably heard about it, just kind of petered out this weekend when it opened nationally. Sure, it was No. 1, but by just barely bringing in $19.8 million compared to How to Train Your Dragon's $19.6 mil. (a kid's movie that was already in its fourth week).

No doubt the hardcore Millar fans were lined up, but what about the rest of the geek chorus? Did they reject the movie the way some have been rejecting it and the comic online lately? Or is just a matter of little name-recognition and mainstream audiences being gun-shy (heh) about a movie riding mostly on its more interesting supporting character, an 11-year-old girl who curses a lot and is a ninja?

The other thing that caught my attention was the first few pages of Brightest Day #0, the kick-off to what DC promises is a shiny and new direction spanning the publisher's superhero line. A direction apparently best expressed by showing a baby bird falling from a tree, bloodily cracking itself open on a headstone and then laying crumpled on the ground, dead.

Marvel is also trumpeting the launch of the very similar Heroic Age event, noise that sounds tinny considering Millar, Brian Michael Bendis and Jeph Loeb have spent years upping the body count for the publisher while sealing it in a slick veneer of "coolz." (I feel I have to point out, as so many have before, that Loeb was responsible for the "Blob cannibalizing Wasp, like, RIGHT THERE" scene in his Ultimatum series.)

Both companies say they're paving the way to a lighter tone in their books and moving away from the grim-and-gritty aesthetic that keeps getting grimmer and grittier. And I have to wonder — are the Big Two full of shit?

Because I don't see it. And I'm curious whether other people are missing it, too, and if there is some kind of grit-fatigue setting in, like a comic book readers' version of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It bothers me because it's gotten ... stupid. And distracting. And, worst of all, boring. Bo-ring. Both publishers has created a system and style that encourages big, flashy set pieces tied together with the flimsiest of dialogue and piecemeal plot points at the expense of, y'know, a story.

(I know this isn't true of every single title either company puts out — both produce comics I love, but let's stick to generalities for the sake of this discussion.)

Now that the Big Two are promising to do things differently, how will readers react if they don't? It wouldn't be the first time either one has promised more than they delivered, but I wonder if there's more at stake this time. I kind of doubt it — fanboys have short memories and a limitless ability to gripe-and-forgive. But, man, I'd sure like to believe it.

As corny as it sounds, maybe it's time for Marvel and DC to have a little less shock and awe, and a little more aw, shucks in their comics.

Adventures in Sound: Part 20

2010-04-16T15:37:00.000-05:00

Panel from Buffalo Speedway
Letterer/artist: Yehudi Mercado

It's official: I'm a Geek

2010-04-13T16:20:00.000-05:00

Ah ... another day, another — hey! Where's my dollar?!

Anyhoo, if we're Internet bezzies over on the Facebook, you may already know I recently took on the comic book news editor position over at Forces of Geek. I'm pretty excited about it and trying my best while still holding down a day job. Why don't you go over and take a look? The site has also been redesigned and I just posted a short article on a couple of Superman and Wonder Woman analogs gettin' it on in a phone booth. It's big fun, so go check it out.

In the meantime, I'll still be updating here at the ol' Post (if you hear a popping noise, that's just my brains a-sploding). And keep your eyes open for even more Big News coming soon — seriously, it's crazy-time around here!

Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter: A totally different person

2010-04-09T09:14:00.002-05:00

Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter: Such a smart boy

2010-04-08T19:38:00.002-05:00

Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter: Ditto!

2010-04-07T17:41:00.001-05:00

Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter: Shorthand

2010-04-06T11:08:00.002-05:00

Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter: 10 easy lessons

2010-04-05T12:06:00.002-05:00

Adventures in Sound: Part 19

2010-03-30T14:50:00.003-05:00

Panel from Phoenix: The Untold Story #1
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski

In Memoriam: Dick Giordano, 1932-2010

2010-03-27T16:56:00.006-05:00

Today brought the sad news that comic book artist, inker, editor and legend Dick Giordano has died at the age of 77.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Giordano was one of the godfathers of the Bronze Age style of art. His style, and later his role as mentor to an upcoming wave of artists, helped define a generation of comics. Giordano's influence was felt again when as an editor he paved the way for books including Watchmen, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and the beginning of the Vertigo imprint. Giordano's name was — and still is — perhaps one of the most recognized in the field, and it's with good reason.

On his Web site, Giordano began an introduction to himself and his work with this:

Welcome to my world ...

... a world I entered enthusiastically more years ago than I care to remember. It has served as the means to earn my keep as well as allowing me to leave the real world behind and explore the realm of my fantasies. In my world, I am always the wide-eyed child!

My world is The World of Comics.

Thank you, Mr. Giordano, for giving us all a glimpse at that realm of fantasies, and for letting us — for a while, at least — remember what it's like to be the wide-eyed child.

Memorials for Dick Giordano have been pouring in, including from:

Blog@Newsarama

Forces of Geek

Mark Evanier

The Beat

and one of the most comprehensive from Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter

Review: Robot 13 #3

2010-03-26T14:30:00.003-05:00

It would be easy to dismiss Robot 13 based on its obvious influences — Mike Mignola and Hellboy, maybe a little Atomic Robo, the well-worn trope of Greek mythology intruding on the modern world — but then you'd be missing out on a fun and intriguing book with plenty of originality and its own unique charm.

Robot 13 #3 picks up with the amnesiac automaton waking up in a cabin belonging to a blind man who thinks he's saved a pilot decked out in a flight suit and helmet, a survivor of the unseen war booming in the background. What he doesn't know is that R-13 crash-landed into a mountain after fighting a phoenix, and had been fighting mythological creatures since he was pulled out of the sea in fishermen's nets earlier. And what neither one of them knows is Echidna, the Mother of All Monsters, has caught wind of the return of her ancient enemy and has restarted their ages-long fight.

And believe me, in between the intrigue and stage-setting, there is plenty of fighting. Artist Daniel Bradford uses a gorgeous-to-look-at style that recalls (heavily, at times) Mignola and B.P.R.D. artist Guy Davis to create dynamic fight scenes and strangely lush, wide-open panels that have the effect of being smaller, self-contained splash pages. Backgrounds border on abstract, detail lines are wrinkled while outlines are often pliant and loopy, colors are bold yet muted, and it somehow all works. Faces sometimes come across as cartoony and perspective isn't given as much attention as it should be here and there, but these are minor complaints in what is a solid look that is often cinematic.

The script by Thomas Hall is subtle and restrained, and he gives the characters just enough to say to keep them conversational and individual. "Voices" are never just copy-paste, and the personalities — or at least hints of personality — come through. R-13 is unfailingly polite, Echidna is insidious and quick, and every minor character has their own cadence; best of all, Hall knows when to let the action tell the story instead of filling every panel with unnecessary dialogue, which is a rare quality that shows a certain maturity as a writer.

There is some forced exposition in this third issue that drops more clues than might've been necessary, but that just might be my own high tolerance for the slow burn. Given the nature of the story, I can see where the creators — and readers — might want to get things moving in terms of story; hopefully, awkward transitions will be rare (and honestly, in three issues this is the only one that comes to mind).

At the end of the third issue — and the cap of the "Colossus" storyline — readers are still left with the question: Who is Robot 13? Is he a magical monster-fighter? A triumph of ancient science? A lost soul? A hero? Whatever the answer ends up being, it's a mystery worth unraveling — and Robot 13 is a comic you should be reading.

Robot 13 doesn't seem to have wide distribution, but can be bought directly from Blacklist Studios.

I make no apologies for loving 'Superman III'

2010-03-24T17:17:00.005-05:00

Yeah, yeah, I know — Richard Pryor in a giant cowboy hat, weirdo computer villain at the end, fake kryptonite laced with tar ... as far as I'm concerned it's all forgiven for giving us Barfly Superman.

Besides, it also yielded such fanciful illustrations as this movie poster for the film's release in Poland.

I think posters like this — which seem to be more the norm in some European countries — are a lot more interesting than the static poses we get in the States. What do you think?

Adventures in Sound: Part 18

2010-03-22T16:10:00.000-05:00

Panel from The Muppet Show, Vol. 1 (trade paperback)
Letterer: Deron Bennett

The Pull List (3-17-10): What I'm reading this week

2010-03-18T12:52:00.005-05:00

The reading list is all over the place this week, ranging from superheroes to kid comics to whatever you want to call the stuff Grant Morrison does, but the title I was most curious about came as a surprise even to myself.

Green Arrow #31 is dove-tailing out of the Blackest Night saga, as well as the goings-on in his own book. To be honest, I haven't been keeping up with Green Arrow for a while, in spite of him being one of my favorite superhero characters. I tried getting back on the GA train, but was quickly derailed by the whole "Cupid" storyline and was about to give up for good when DC started promising big changes for the Emerald Archer.

Now look, I don't normally fall for the whole "this will be the year everything changes for So-and-So!" stuff you get from the promotional arms of the Big Two. Those are some flabby, sweaty arms and they like to repeat themselves every few months or so by telling readers something monumental is going to happen, something that's going to turn a character upside down ... for a few months. Maybe a year. And then it's back to the status quo and nothing really changed after all.

So I rolled my eyes when DC started crowing about a new direction for Green Arrow, complete with "secrets will be revealed!" But then Black Lantern: Green Arrow #30 written by J.T Krul was pretty good, so I was intrigued to find out he'd be the regular writer on the title (even if it was the beginning of yet another crossover mini-event — oy).

I won't be picking up the Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal part of the equation, but I'll be sticking around for The Fall of Green Arrow, mostly because Krul has done enough to lure me in with the idea of a literally out-for-blood Green Arrow who is at odds with the hero community and, most importantly, with the person he used to be. This first issue in the Rise and Fall storyline gives readers a look at an Oliver Queen on the edge, helping average citizens after Prometheus destroyed the heart of his city and killing hundreds of thousands of people, but doing it almost as an afterthought as he tracks down the villain's accomplice with every intention of killing him in cold blood.

It's an interesting premise, especially considering Green Arrow's reputation for putting a premium on fairness and social justice. That said, this issue didn't really move things along and felt more like a place-setter, re-introducing characters we already know and giving readers plenty of exposition to catch them up on what's been going on. Really, though, you can't blame Krul or the editors — this is definitely a good jumping-on point, and even if you haven't been reading Green Arrow, you'll be caught up with the basics after this issue. Hopefully the plot will move forward now that the scene has been set and all the characters are in place.

Green Arrow #31 is also a nice comic to look at, thanks to the work of artist Federico Dallocchio. Dallochio's work isn't flawless — faces sometimes look odd, and a scene will occasionally come across as static — but for the most part it's good stuff. Action scenes are subtly dynamic and facial expressions (with the exception of a slightly-off kisser here and there) are expressive.

All in all, a suddenly interesting book that has the potential to go in even more interesting directions.

Here's what else I picked up this week:

Joe the Barbarian #3

Muppet King Arthur #3

Superman 80-Page Giant #1

Uncle Scrooge #389

And what I wanted to get, but will be waiting for the trade:

American Vampire #1 (beautiful Rafael Albuquerque art)

Guardians of the Galaxy #24

Space Marines vs Arnie's Special Ops: Who ya got?

2010-03-16T17:07:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago my wife and I were having a serious discussion that eventually made its way to my Facebook page, and while there were advocates on both sides of the issue I never really felt like the thing was resolved. The mission was not over.

Nothing is over!

So I put it to you, Internet pals! In the great history of alien-ass kicking soldiers, who's tougher:

the Delta Force squad of Predator,

or the Colonial Marines from Aliens

Any way you look at it, it's a tough call; as someone pointed out to me, the Predator guys not only have Arnold Schwarzenegger at his peak, they've also got the former governor of Minnesota and MF'n Apollo Creed! On the other hand, Aliens features the craziest chola I've seen since La Smurf back in '85.

Do you think one squad has got it all over the other? Let me know in the comments, and vote for your favorite (and freedom) in the handy poll over on the right while you're at it.

Fall in!

Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter

2010-03-12T16:30:00.000-06:00

I don't want to get into a whole "thing" here, but let me just address the chicken-and-egg question people like to ask when it comes to Clark Kent and Superman; Clark was first.

You're own opinion might vary, of course, and that's fine. As long as you don't mind being wrong, wrong, wrong. Look, I know there are some who point out (factually, as much as you can be where a fictional character with a malleable origin is concerned) that Clark was originally Kal-El, last son of Krypton and a nigh-indestructible alien since he crash-landed on Earth as a baby. I agree.

But! This isn't information little Kal grew up with. As far as he was concerned he was Clark, a kid growing up in Kansas with Ma and Pa Kent and a growing number of freaky powers that went way beyond puberty. For as long as he could remember, he was Clark. A boy, then a man, with powers far beyond those of mortal men, sure — but still Clark.

Sure, Clark hams it up with the meek milquetoast act. He's got to if he wants to deflect any suspicion he's Superman. And c'mon, with all those "coincidences" he needs all the cover he can take. But the point is, it is an act. Not the identity of "Clark;" again, that's who he is. The bumbling, the absent-mindedness, the queasy stomach ... that's the act.

Something to remember is that Clark might come across as a marshmallow (especially depending on whoever the writer might be), but he's a highly competent S.O.B. He's a respected novelist, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, and the only real competition Lois Lane has in the newsroom. And he's done all that as himself. As Clark.

His role and his responsibilities as Superman are essentially two things — his duty, and his job. It's his job in the same way a person might be a firefighter or a cop, people who put their lives on the line in the name of the greater good, simply because it's the right thing to do. Being Superman just happens to be a job he can do, and do better than anyone else. The fact that he wants to do it comes from his sense of duty ... and that's from being a farmboy who was raised with solid values, a sense of right and wrong, and an unerring dedication to truth and fairness and the idea that there is always hope. These oh-so-human values — not the flying or the heat-vision or sheer planet-moving power — these are what make Superman a hero.

And that is all Clark.

As you might have guessed, this is the first entry in what will be a regular-but-unscheduled series of scenes featuring Superman's alter-ego, Clark Kent. I hope you enjoy it!

Attention Austin: Prepare to have your ass kicked

2010-03-11T13:32:00.000-06:00

This is kind of a big deal, so listen up!

Austin Books and Comics has announced writer Mark Millar and artist John Romita Jr. will have a signing for their hardcover collection of Kick-Ass at the store from 5 to 6 p.m., Saturday, March 13th. That's a small but no doubt hard-fought-for window giving fans a chance to meet the creators of the popular, blood-soaked comic.

Kick-Ass is the eponymous title for a series about a would-be superhero in the all-too-real world. Inspiring other heroes, making enemies and being on the giving and receiving ends of brutal beat-downs is just the beginning of the story for the young crime-fighter, a story that's now a movie from Lionsgate starring Aaron Johnson and featuring Nicolas Cage and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. The movie will have its world premiere March 12th at SXSW; go see the movie and then get your book signed the next day!

Here are the details on the signing straight from Austin Books:

We're thrilled to have (Millar and Romita, Jr.) here for what will surely be a BIG weekend for Kick-Ass. To make sure as many people get to meet them as possible, we have a few rules in place for this signing.

• Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. are scheduled to be here from 5 to 6 p.m. Be sure to get here early for your best chance to get a signature!

• You're welcome to bring a camera to the event and take pictures, but we've been asked that there be no individualized photos. They slow the line down a lot, and our guests have limited time with us as it is.

• Each person in line is allowed to have one item signed. This is a promotion for the new Kick-Ass movie, so the only book being signed is the Kick-Ass hardcover. If you've already bought the hardcover FROM US and made contact with us before this notice, you may bring that in. We will have copies of the hardcover available for sale that day. If you'd rather not buy a hardcover, there will be free Kick-Ass mini-posters to be signed. No other outside material will be allowed into the store.

• There will be no holding places in line. Anyone new to the line goes to the end of it. This will be enforced!

We know this all sounds a little hardcore, but we want to make sure as many people as possible get their books signed in the limited time we have. By following these rules, you may be ensuring that you get your chance to meet them.

Disclaimer: All details are subject to change.

Austin Books is located at 5002 N. Lamar Blvd.; here's a handy map. See you there!

And don't call me Oberhaupt!

2010-03-09T13:03:00.009-06:00

You know how sometimes you don't realize something is missing from your life until it just suddenly falls into your lap? Well, here's the mash-up you never knew you'd been waiting for:

The B.P.R.D.'s JOHANN KRAUS

as PERRY WHITE

artwork by Guy Davis

Loading up on Staple!

2010-03-08T21:15:00.001-06:00

Another year has come and gone, and Staple! has another great show to notch in its straining belt. I don't have any numbers, or rumors of numbers, or anything beyond my own wobbly eye to judge by, but it seemed as if there were even more people there than last year — and that was nearly a sold-out show, if I'm remembering correctly.

But that's enough sloppy speculation — how 'bout some photographic proof? Staple! featured some great guests and exhibitors, with a good mix of styles and genres. It seriously took me hours to make my way through the two halls, mostly because I lingered over something neat at nearly every table. Here's a small sampling of what — and who — I saw:

B.P.R.D. artist Guy Davis (warning: sound) is one of the nicest guys you could hope to meet, and certainly one of the nicest comic book creators I've met. Davis was doing free — FREE — sketches for folks, and was cheerful and chatty even though a line stretched away from his table and down the aisle. I wasn't going to let a chance like that go by, and Davis did a sketch (which he's working on in this picture) that is so incredibly awesome that I can't wait to show it to you .

Except I'll have to, because like a dumb-ass I forgot it at home. Ahem.

Speaking of cool guys doing awesome sketches, Keith Quinn was also generously doing free sketches and drew this picture of the indomitable Perry White for me. When I asked for a Perry, Quinn at first was a little stumped because he couldn't remember what he looked like, but then got down to business. When he was done he told me the coolest thing ever: "I was thinking, 'What does Perry White look like?' And then I thought, 'Perry White is his job — he's a loose tie and rolled-up sleeves.'" That just about made my day. Be sure to check out Quinn's all-ages webcomic, Local Heroes.

Hell, yeah! Y'know, Staple! doesn't generally get a lot of people in costume, so it was a treat when these guys walked in. How often do you get to run into Lex Luthor, the Penguin, Superman (or is that the Death of Superman-era Eradicator?) and Doctor Fate? They all looked pretty great, but my favorite had to be Lex — just look at him! He's perfect! And you can't tell from the picture, but every green part of his gun was lit up to look like a Kryptonite-charged killer. I loved it.

Luthor and the Penguin seem to be reminding the Mike Pruitt (left) and Rod Nunley of Geek Bombast about the importance of "insurance." I'm assuming they paid up, because a podcast recorded at Staple! is at their site just waiting for your tender ears.

Some other people at the sixth annual Staple! indie expo included:

Austin artist and comic book creator, Diana Sprinkle

Paul Maybury, creator of Aqua Leung, Hard Candy, and
the Maxy J. Millionaire and Party Bear webcomics

Yehudi Mercado, creator of the awesome-looking Buffalo Speedway
(a graphic novel I'll be reading tonight)

Andy Runton of Owly fame, who was also giving people
a peek at an Owly cartoon.

There were many, many more folks there, and believe me, these pictures really don't do Staple! justice — it's a show you should see for yourself!

Perry White for governor!

2010-03-05T21:33:00.004-06:00

You may not know this if you don't live in Texas (and if the voting numbers here are anything to go by, maybe not even then), but the state recently had its primary elections for the governor's race. The winning Republican candidate was incumbent Gov. Rick Perry, and the Democratic nod went to former Houston mayor Bill White.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but some sharpie at the local TV station noticed something that went right over my head. Like, you might say, a speeding bullet.

Do you see it yet? White and Perry. Perry and White.

Perry.

White.

Holy crap!

Even more amazingly they decided to do a story about it, featuring both Dragon's Lair Comics and my own regular shop, Austin Books and Comics (where there's a party going on right now THAT I'M MISSING. See what I do for you? It's because I give and I give. I'm a giver.) They even interviewed Austin Books' own Brandon Zuern, raconteur, gadabout and the guy who introduced me to the wonder that is the film, A Boy and His Dog.

The news story is a little doofy and the definition of "slow news day," but I don't care because while it's ostensibly an election story, it's really all about Perry White. Check it out:

Honestly — and given the name for this blog, you might've guessed this by now — it's nice to see my favorite comic book newspaper editor get some much-deserved attention. And why shouldn't he? Perry White is a stalwart of the DCU, not to mention Metropolis. Tirelessly covering events in a town where it's always a good news day, often uncovering the scoops himself, and probably one of the few people to figure out Superman's secret identity (oh, c'mon, OF COURSE he knows), Perry is the consumate newsman and a bedrock of that great metropolitan newspaper known as the Daily Planet.

Yay for Perry White!

Adventures in Sound: Part 17

2010-03-04T18:02:00.002-06:00

Panel from The Intergalactic Nemesis #1
Letterer/artist: Tim Doyle

Staple! Bound

2010-03-03T15:56:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again; the weather is warming up, the sun is shining a little brighter and Staple! — one of the best indie cons in the region — is just over the horizon.

I seem to say this every time, but I have to because it's always true — Staple! gets better every single year. Now on its sixth go-round, the independent media expo will again be an event you should attend if you're anywhere near the Austin area on March 6. Heck, even if you're not you should consider attending since the line-up will include:

• Guy Davis, the current artist on B.P.R.D.

• Andy Runton, who cranks up the cute with Owly

• Chris Schweizer, author of the Crogan's Adventure series of graphic novels, who will also be giving a talk on entertaining and educational cartooning

• Jason Neulander, the Austin-based producer, director, and co-creator of The Intergalactic Nemesis, a radio drama/stage show that has since spawned a "live-action graphic novel" and, finally, a comic book.

That's only the tip of the 85-plus exhibitors iceberg, and without fail every guest, exhibitor, artist, writer and miscellaneous creator has been engaging, friendly and more than willing to spend time with fans. Staple! is always a good time, and I really think it's on the verge of going big-time — go now so you can say you knew-it-when. Besides, it's only $5 to get in — five bucks!

Also, I'll be volunteering again this year, so if you see what you suspect is a sasquatch at the ticket booth, be sure to say hello. And I wouldn't say no to a cookie.

This year I'm especially excited about the performance of the first two episodes of the live-action Intergalactic Nemesis. It's a crazy fusion of media wrapped around a scene-chewing pulp center, featuring three actors, a Foley artist and a keyboardist set against a backdrop showcasing the work of local graphic artist Tim Doyle. The story itself is a period-action-sci-ﬁ-horor-space-opera set in 1933 following the adventures of reporter Molly Sloan and her assistant, Timmy Mendez, as they cross swords with mesmerist Mysterion the Magnificent. And an invasion of sludge-monsters from the planet Zygon. As you might guess, it's pretty fantastic.

More information about The Intergalactic Nemesis in all its forms (issue #2 of the comic is due in stores soon and will also be available at Staple!), as well as future performances can be found at the Web site.

And again, that's just part of what is planned for this year's expo, so I hope to see you there — if you're missing Staple!, you're missing out.

•••

Staple!

March 6, 2010
Monarch Event Center
Austin, Texas

Doors open at 11 a.m.
Tickets: $5

Time flies

2010-02-28T14:47:00.003-06:00

Hey, I just realized I completely missed my four-year blogging anniversary! Truthfully, I didn't really start gearing up until March 2006, but still — four years. Holy crap.

I know! I'm shocked, too!

I am a hunter, and comics are my prey

2010-02-27T15:15:00.001-06:00

So I've been a bad blogger lately, but believe me, it hasn't been on purpose (c'mon, baby — you know I love you). And it certainly doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about comics.

As you might guess, I'm thinking about comics almost constantly and I'm always on the look out for books new and old, as well as comic-related stuff (you'd think it would've happened by now, but if I ever come across a spinner rack for sale I'm buying that sucker). This is all just a way of explaining how I've managed to wrap myself in a sort of comic-cocoon (minus Wilford Brimley) that floats around me like a perfume that's equal parts used bookstore and fresh ink.

Aah. Let's bask in it for a moment.

A little more.

OK, that's enough. Now here's some of the things that have been added to the stacks lately:

Afrodisiac by Jim Rugg

This collection came out a few weeks ago, and I've been eager to get my mitts on it for even longer than that. Rugg has put together two of my favorite things — the look of 70s Marvel comics and the blaxploitation genre —to create something that is at once familiar and unique. I haven't been able to sit down and read the whole thing yet, but what I've seen is clearly smart, funny and — if you're paying attention — insightful and incisive satire.

It also doesn't hurt that it's just a very attractively produced book. The printing holds up well to all the different styles the art reproduces, not to mention Afrodisiac is designed with a cool sensibility that sets the tone for the character himself. And at a $14.95 cover price this slim hardcover is a bargain.

This book has been recommended to me by just about everyone, and now I'm recommending it to you.

Best of DC #8 — Digest

I used to love these as a kid, and my always-awesome LCS has a small collection of them I have to resist flipping through when I'm in the shop. Because when I do ... well, this is what happens. If you ever want to mainline some pure, unadulterated Bronze Age nuttiness, pick up one of these the next time you see one.

Seriously.

Miracleman #17

Neil Gaiman's first issue as writer on the notoriously embattled series (the rights to which Marvel recently acquired) — believe me, I was surprised to find it in the mostly ignored longboxes of a Gruene, Texas, antique store. Pawing through boxes in stores like that usually means mostly finding a bunch of 90s X-TREME! comics someone's trying to unload, so this was a pleasant and welcome change of pace.

And finally, something you can't get in stores.

(Sorry about the photo quality — I really need to get a light box.)

As I've mentioned a few hundred times, it was my birthday a couple of weeks ago. Larry and Erica, some good friends I'm very fortunate to have, went out of their way to make this card to mark the occasion. Larry sketched out the design, Erica did the crafting and I did the squealing and high-fiving. The Flash was always a favorite of mine, and this card makes me smile just like I did while reading those comics back in the early days.

Banananihilation!

2010-02-22T14:05:00.004-06:00

I'm sorry about the recent lack of posting, Internet Pals, but things have just been really busy lately. Er ... including today. Which is why you get Wonder Woman lassoing a banana.

No, thank you!

*ganked from somewhere I don't remember

The Monday Fly: Who is Harmony Whyte?

2010-02-15T14:26:00.001-06:00

Why isn't the earth aflame?

2010-02-11T15:01:00.001-06:00

Today marks my 40th of your "Earth years," and I'm pretty hyped about it. A big, meaty meal and The Wolfman are on the horizon, and the coming year (and years following that) promise to be full of Adventure and Interesting Things. I know middle-age is supposed to be some sort of soul-crushing mill stone rather than milestone, but I'm excited about the promise the Big 4-Oh will bring.

It's also possible I've finally snapped.

Either way, I'm glad I was around and more or less paying attention when the intoxicating scent of the Silver/Bronze Age gumbo was a-bubblin', because, brother, if that doesn't make you a comic book fan, nothing will.

I mean, check out what was on the stands in 1970:

Young Love!

All-Star Western!

Mutha-f'n Conan the Barbarian!

Astonishing Tales!

And of course, probably a personal favorite also debuted that year — witness the birth of:

Jack Kirby's Fourth World!

You know what that means? That's right; me and this guy are the same age:

Truly, the voice of a generation.

The Pull List (2-10-10): What I'm not getting this week

2010-02-10T17:26:00.002-06:00

Suddenly, it's late in the day and I've got to assume most people have either picked up their comics or have already decided what titles they'll be getting this week. So instead of telling you what I'm planning to get once I make it to my LCS, here's a few comics I WON'T be getting:

Green Arrow/Black Canary #29: I actually really want to get this, as much as I want to really enjoy a Green Arrow comic again. But I'm afraid neither one will be happening today, as tempted as I am by art that's been finished by Bill Sienkiewicz. The recent storyline — something about an obsessed Arrow fan who suddenly can hold her own in a superhero fight or something? — has left me cold, and a constantly brooding Ollie gets old really fast. And while this is the last issue in the current storyline, the promos for the upcoming one trumpeting "spinning out of Justice League: Cry for Justice" don't exactly fill me with hope.

Human Target #1: Look, I love the Human Target, both it's Silver Age version and the excellent reimagining by Peter Milligan. And I was initially excited to see one of Christopher Chance's creators, Len Wein, would be writing a six-issue mini-series starring the master-of-disguise, deep-undercover bodyguard. Except, that's not what Wein will be doing. Instead, the series will more closely follow the recently kicked-off TV series, which has done away completely with everything that made Human Target interesting — namely the disguise angle, and all the questions about identity and Chance's eroding sense of self that went with it. Why is this called Human Target, again?

Hit-Monkey #1: No. No, no, no, no, no. I refuse to slip into Marvel's latest meme-trap. I gave up on the zombies, and I managed to completely ignore the monkeys the first time, so I will not fall for an obviously silly story about an ape with a gun and ... and ...

... monnnkeeeeys ...

(Oh, OK — and here's what I will be getting this week:)

Anchor #5

Batman and Robin #8

Booster Gold #29

Daytripper #3

Muppet King Arthur #1

Muppet Show #2

Preview: Green Arrow/Black Canary #29
Preview: Human Target #1
Preview: Hit-Monkey #1

The Monday Fly: Who is Ted Locke?

2010-02-08T13:48:00.002-06:00

Adventures in Sound: Part 16

2010-02-05T12:37:00.001-06:00

I normally like to let these sound effect posts stand on their own, but I just had to point out some things about this panel that just knock me out. Taken from an issue of Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, the illustration shows a line of marching robot sentries being taken out by a rock flung by Superman. It not only has that unique Jack Kirby style, but what could have been a throw-away panel takes on a life of its own.

First, Mike Royer's sound effects are all different from each other, but every one also reflects the sentries' robotic nature — there aren't any squishy, organic sounds here. The layout is also something a little different, taking advantage of a landscape view to showcase the trip Superman's missile takes through his opponents. But my favorite part is the way Kirby took the time to put every sentry in a different pose, varying the way their individual bodies react to the sudden trauma of a rock through the melon. It's really a study in body language and posture, and it's fantastic how it works with the sound effects to give the reader a hinting look at the moment just before all those robots go crashing to the ground.

Panel from Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus, Volume Three
Letterer: Mike Royer

Ms. Marvel as you've never seen her before

2010-02-04T00:33:00.000-06:00

The month of February began earlier this week, and with each passing day I've become more and more frustrated. Mostly because I haven't been able to mark the passing of each day.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been using a 2010 Marvel calendar that was given away as a free promotional item at comic book stores. It's a pretty neat calendar, with decent art depicting superheroes in their original costumes and a small line noting when the character first appeared.

But man, that Ms. Marvel picture.

I've been using the calendar in my office, and the illustration of Ms. Marvel used for February is just ... just ... well, let's just say it probably wouldn't be appreciated by my co-workers, particularly my female co-workers. But, dammit, I wanted to use my calendar! And every time I looked up to check a date, there was January staring me in the face, mocking me with its Januariness and total lack of February.

There has to be a solution, I thought. If only the character was a little more covered up. And why is she in that pose? She looks like she just woke up; hell, she looks like she just woke up from hibernation and ...

Ding!

And that's when I got an idea: Why don't I make some new clothes for Ms. Marvel? (Little did I know Dom would have the same idea, linking to his own solution in the comments of the original post and beating me by a couple of days.) But it wouldn't be just any clothes; it would be something reflecting her drowsy expression and literally laid-back posture, and possibly her desire for a pick-a-nic basket. With that in mind, I give you:

Ms. Marvel in

bear-suit pajamas

Yeah, I don't know either. But if you've got an idea of what else Carol Danvers could be wearing instead of her painfully awkward original uniform this month, I'd love to see it. Make your own alternate clothing choice, post it on your blog and send the results to me, either in the comments or shoot me an e-mail. Don't have the calendar? Here's a full-size copy of the image you can use as a template:

February's almost as short as Ms. Marvel's pants, so get crackin'! I'll post links to your fashionable suggestions below.

MS. MARVEL IN:

• a poodle skirt (Dom)

The Monday Fly: Who is Arnie Berman?

2010-02-01T12:56:00.003-06:00

Adventures in Sound: Part 15

2010-01-29T13:13:00.002-06:00

Panel from Action Comics #483
Letterer: Shelly Leferman

MOOOOON ... child?!

2010-01-28T11:06:00.004-06:00

Generally speaking, I don't think anyone cares what I'm having for lunch.

So when I'm updating my status on Facebook (clicky-clicky over on the right if you want to be Internet pals), I crib film quotes on a regular basis. Usually they're taken from pop culture icons, obscure B-movies or geek movie touchstones. And normally at least one or two people know what the hell I'm talking about and play along.

Now that I've set the scene, I should tell you the movie I was talking about this time was The Neverending Story.

There was some brief back-and-forth online, and then it was picked up again yesterday at the comic book shop.

"Hey," my friend asked when I walked in, "was the princess' name really 'Moonchild'? Where'd you get that from?"

Yup, I said, that was actually her name; I couldn't remember when I'd figured that out, but it was one of those things rattling around in my melon, like AT-ATs and the Penny Plunderer.

But the seed was planted. Was that her name? Did Wikipedia and IMDb lie to me? They've been know to do it before, the dirty bastards. I've always thought it was Moonchild, but maybe I'd just told myself that for so long that I believed it. And really, "Moonchild?" Even coming from a kid it seems a little silly-pants.

So what do you think? Take a look at this clip and tell me — what the heck is Bastian screaming into the night?

And while we're at it — what kind of name is Bastian?!

The Monday Fly: Who is Blaze Kendall?

2010-01-25T13:11:00.003-06:00

Review: The quiet power of Joe the Barbarian #1

2010-01-24T15:55:00.000-06:00

Joe the Barbarian #1 is the kind of book that renews my faith in comics.

At first glance, it's easy to take some easy shots at the first issue of the title; it's Grant Morrison over-indulging in decompression, the art by Sean Murphy is beautiful but just set-dressing, the story itself isn't going anywhere or telling you anything about the characters, and — my favorite — there are three or four pages of a kid walking through his house and nothing else. It's boring.

All of this is wrong.

Maybe too many comic book readers have become used to an explosion or super-powered fist-fight on every other page. But Joe the Barbarian is, if you look carefully, telling what is promising to be a complex and compelling story. And the first issue is telling a story, in a way that is unique to the literary form — by letting the images do a lot of the talking.

This isn't to say Morrison's script isn't doing its fair share: The bare-bones script tells us what we need to know to get started, introducing us to young, surly Joe; his slightly frazzled mother, the jerk bullies, the nice girl and the dead father. With the exception of Joe they're all ciphers, but for now it's OK — it's enough because it helps put our hero in relief. We learn a little about Joe through his brief but intense interactions with others.

We also learn, through small clues in both the script and art, that Joe is diabetic and thanks to those bullies (and possibly his own teen-aged pig-headedness) he's in trouble. And now the big, rambling house he lives in is going to seem a lot bigger, and much more dangerous and unfamiliar.

Which brings me back to the art. The superb work by Murphy is anything but static; at turns gloomy, then lush and exploding with color before slipping back to scenes that seem to be draining of life, the art is atmospheric and rich. If the artwork is anything to judge by, Joe the Barbarian is going to be Murphy's story as much as Morrison's, and deservedly so.

The art depicts both a dreary and ordinary day and a bright and fire-scorched fantasy land with equal ease; strangely enough, it also serves to ground Morrison's sketchy, true-to-life exchanges and his trademark fever-dream dialogue. Most of the clues to the characters' backgrounds and personalities, as well as much of the foreshadowing and mood, are delivered through Murphy's work, purposefully making it more than just a setting. Instead, it's an essential part of the story. And, quite simply, the art is gorgeous.

In a way, Joe the Barbarian demands more than it gives: Is Joe going into some sort of diabetic shock? Is he hallucinating a world populated with the toys and knick-knacks filling his room? What do our fantasies say about ourselves and about our lives? None of this is answered in the first issue, obviously. But I think it's enough for now that the title brings up these questions.

It's tempting to say Joe the Barbarian #1 is challenging — but it isn't, really. But it's not simple, either. Instead, it's a book that expects — and invites — readers to pay attention. Pay attention to the words, to the art, and to the way they work so intractably together, and I think you'll be rewarded for the effort.

Download a preview here.

Superman is a buzzkill

2010-01-22T18:05:00.006-06:00

Click for wet blanket-size

I can honestly say I don't remember ever seeing these PSAs before. Apparently this is the fifth in a series, but who knows how many there actually were.

The weirdest thing about this is the idea of Superman casually strolling down the street asking people where they're going.

In this case, I'm the wench

2010-01-19T16:17:00.001-06:00

As you might've guessed (or not — who are you, Mentok?), things that are Not Posting have been hitting me so hard I'm walking funny. This should hopefully clear up soon, so thanks for being patient.

Oh! And be sure to put Joe the Barbarian on your pull list; it's Grant Morrison on his own original storyline with great-looking art by Sean Murphy, and it'll only cost you a buck. ONE. BUCK. And here's a preview if you're gonna be all stubborn about it.

Oh, Mr. Banner, you are a delight!

2010-01-13T17:34:00.001-06:00

Back in the old days, both of the Big Two used their characters to sell their books and subscription services (and in DC's case, delicious creme-filled snack cakes) pretty regularly. But where the DC ads were generally of the paste-the-hero-in-and-insert-corny-sales-pitch variety — with optional thumbs-up — Marvel often had some fun with their characters.

Like so:

Click to Banner-size

The Hulk's face in that last panel kills me. It's too bad, but neither company really do in-house ads like this anymore. Oh, well, at least they're not blatantly and almost contemptuously undercutting the competition by ... oh.

This week's pull list, and some triple-scooper poopy-dooper

2010-01-12T17:39:00.003-06:00

Hey pal-o-minos, guess what? I just got over a major hump at the day job, and hoo-boy, I'm beat. So before my eyes pop out of my head and start bouncing around like ping-pong balls or some other bouncy thing, here's what I'm getting this week:

Anchor #4: It's bruisingly good stuff and you should be reading it. That is all.

Booster Gold #28: I wasn't very excited when Dan Jurgens took over on this title, but damn if the slightly darker tone isn't growing on me. I'm also glad to see the Blue Beetle co-feature returning as a stand-alone story with Matthew Sturges scripting.

Daytripper #2: Beautifully written, beautifully rendered art from Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon. Don't cheat yourself out of what's shaping up to be one of the best titles out there — pick it up.

Muppet Show #1 (Vol. 2): The Muppets seem to be everywhere lately — in magazines, on YouTube and every other TV commercial. But if you want to find the real Muppets, read this comic written by Roger Langridge, which consistently captures the fun and spirit of the original show.

X-Men Origins: Cyclops #1: I must be feeling the influence of that last post, but this title is strangely appealing. Shut up.

And now, Kitty-Cat Superman:

Cover Up: X-Men #175

2010-01-08T19:22:00.000-06:00

The cover to X-Men #175 has always been a favorite of mine, mostly because it is crazy.

In classic comic book style, there's not an inch that isn't either filled with action or leading the viewer's eye toward it; it's "dynamic" cranked up into the red. The image by artist Paul Smith is a scene that could easily be hobbled by coming across as too crowded or busy, but instead it's filled with a sense of movement and of a dozen things happening at once. Flames roar in the background, concrete is heaving beneath the heroes' feet (emphasizing the tilted perspective and reaffirming the idea of instability), Kirby Crackle swirls through the sky — and that's just the setting.

Every character seems to be in mid-step, bracing for the impact of combat or launching their own attack. Nothing is static, and every pose is different and true to the character. In other words, it's the controlled chaos you should expect from a fight scene.

One way this is revved up is by having everyone use their powers. I have to admit, the fanboy in me loves that. Look at that giant energy claw blasted effortlessly by Phoenix, her sheer power dominating the center of the scene; and look at Colossus, her target and the team's strongman, straining under the assault. Cyclops is blasting from below, Rogue and Storm are airborne, Nightcrawler is teleporting in with his trademark cloud of brimstone, Kitty's phasing and Wolverine has his claws ready. Even Lockheed is there, tiny in comparison to Phoenix and in the context of the scene. The whole thing is bedlam, but it still comes together.

Smith's work — with its clean lines, expressive body language and distinct facial expressions — is something I've always liked, and considering this was the 20th anniversary issue and Smith's last issue on the title, I really get the feeling that he just went for it. What always makes an impression on me, though, is the way Smith never loses sight of the basic elements needed to pull it off successfully.

You wouldn't know it until you read it, but the story itself focuses on Cyclops. And by placing him in the middle of the scene, framed by the rest of the characters, the cover focuses on him, too. It's a credit to Smith that, in spite of the sheer amount of stuff that's going on here, nothing is wasted and nothing is lost.

What do you think of this cover? Let me know in the comments.

Pro on the Con: Wizard is coming to Austin

2010-01-07T13:50:00.003-06:00

Austin is a comic book town.

There are several very good comic books shops in the area; four come to mind immediately, and at least one of them could make a fair argument for "world-class" status. A handful of comic creators — including Rob Osborne, Paul Benjamin, Matt Sturges and Paul Maybury—make their home here, and that's not even including the indie creators and people I'm sure I've overlooked. Austin is also where you'll find the ever-awesome Staple! expo and the Webcomics Rampage event.

And according to Wizard's announcement yesterday, it's now going to be the site of a full-on comic book convention when the Wizard World — Austin Comic-Con debuts in November. Wizard Entertainment CEO Gareb Shamus was quoted in the press release as saying:

“The fans have spoken and they want us back in Texas. We previously had a great experience here and are thrilled to be back,” Shamus said. “It's a great city with a top-notch convention center and we're really looking forward to seeing our fans at the type of pop-culture festival only we can bring."

That tap-tap-tapping you hear is me doing a happy dance.

I'll confess, I've never been to a Wizard con, but I can't remember hearing anything awful about one. And C'MON, it's a con that's going to be a 15 minute drive from where I live! Maybe — traffic is about as bad as you've heard if you're not already Downtown.

I pretty sure Wizard World will find a warm reception here. As I said, Austin is a comic book kind of town with a lot of experience in dealing with large events *SXSWcoughACLFestcough* showcasing music, movies and everything in-between. I'm sorry the con won't be in the Dallas area anymore (not really), but I'm glad it'll be coming to my home base (yes, really).

In the coming months I'll be putting together a survival guide for people who'll be here for the Austin Comic-Con, so if you think you'll be coming to town let me know what kind of information you'd like to arm yourself with in the comments. (First tip: Book a hotel room early.)

Now if you'll excuse me: tap-tappity-tap-tap-tap ...

Wizard World — Austin Comic-Con
Nov. 12-14, 2010 (Friday-Sunday)
500 E. Cesar Chavez St. Austin, TX 78701

Go to the Austin Comic-Con site for updated ticket, guest and other information.

Why the Marvel calendar's days are numbered

2010-01-04T17:04:00.004-06:00

In daily life, my nerdiness is pretty evident.

This is especially true at work. Green Lantern pins are piled up at the feet of a Monitor figure like aluminum tribute. Spider-Man sits on top of Yoda's oversized head beneath my completed Human Fly checklist. And on my wall is the new Marvel calendar, which is really kind of nice for a freebie.

And which will be coming down again in February because I don't want to get written up.

The place where I work is informal for an office setting and I'm certainly not a prude, but the image of Ms. Marvel that is waiting to slide out from between January and March just won't fly. It is, in the language of management-types the world over, “inappropriate for the office.”

And that's a shame, because I like to think of myself as an evangelist for comics. I preach the four-color Word to anyone who'll listen. But how do I justify a Ms. Marvel who looks more like Ms. February? How do I explain that this woman who is floating on her back, arms splayed in welcome and with a sleepy, lips-parted-just-so look on her face, is a superhero? A superhero who apparently fights evil in a thong and half-shirt?

There's a thin line between sensual and sexual, between sexuality and sexualized. When I was flipping through the calendar (given away free last week at comic book stores), I had a sudden urge to apologize to someone, to explain that Ms. Marvel is generally a strong character. That she served as an officer in the Air Force. That this is a depiction of her original costume, with a misguided design reflecting her mid-70s roots.

But mostly I keep thinking, “The women in my office — especially my boss — would have a shit if I put this up.” And rightfully so.

Besides the blatant sexism, I'm also bugged by the apparent pandering of Marvel to the stereotypical, drooling fanboy mentality. The only other female character to make the calendar is March's Marvel Girl, who fares a little better than Ms. Marvel but still looks as if she's re-enacting the subway grate scene from The Seven Year Itch. (By the way, Jean, nice rack.) To be fair, Sub-Mariner is wearing even less than either of the Marvels in September, but I'd argue that his depiction lacks the sense of vulnerability of the other two. Again, there may be sexuality, but Sub-Mariner is not sexualized.

(And for the record, Wolverine's November picture made my wife laugh and laugh. You can come to your own conclusions why.)

There is always talk about how superhero comics need to grow up, or that they already have by upping the body counts and spraying blood across everything in the scene. But that's not growing up; that's what kids think growing up means. Growing up means maturity. And when I can't put a freely distributed superhero calendar up in my office for a month because it comes across as sexist stroke material, that tells me the industry still has some growing up to do.

And now, one of the most popular images on Great Caesar's Post in 2009

2009-12-29T23:49:00.002-06:00

I can hardly wait for next year!

(You can read the whole sordid story in the "Blue Romance" series here.)

Countdown to Christmas: Ho ho ho!

2009-12-25T09:00:00.001-06:00

No joke, this is my favorite scene from any Christmas movie EVER. It's a great movie and retelling of the Christmas Carol story, but Bill Murray's speech toward the end just kills me every time. It's Niagra Falls, Frankie angel. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you know the sentiment is sincere.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY!

Countdown to Christmas: Part 4

2009-12-24T09:00:00.000-06:00

Countdown to Christmas: Part 3

2009-12-23T09:00:00.001-06:00

Countdown to Christmas: Part 2

2009-12-22T09:00:00.001-06:00

Countdown to Christmas: Part 1

2009-12-21T13:49:00.001-06:00

Aaaap-choooo!

2009-12-16T16:24:00.000-06:00

Blarg.

I've been fighting off a cold for the past couple of days, and this morning the Germ Armies waging war in my head-meats decided to up the ante by giving me a constantly running nose and sneezing fits every ... every ... ev...

BLAAAACHOOOO!!

Sorry 'bout that. In any case, I'm taking the appropriate medications and while I haven't had any orange juice yet, I have been eating a lot of tiny oranges that showed up in the office recently (in your face, #appleclub!)

...

Still, it is new comics day, so it's not a total loss. My list is light, but its heart is true and it's a pal and a confidant (holy crap, did I just quote the Golden Girls theme? I need a nap). Here's what I'm getting:

Incorruptible #1: I enjoyed Mark Waid's recent Irredeemable, even if it did seem to mostly cover the usual ground of good-guy-gone-bad (or in this case, really bad). Incorruptible is a kind of companion piece, this time following the story of a bad guy trying to go straight in a world essentially ravaged by its greatest hero, and I'm digging it already. Waid is building a whole new universe here, and it's shaping up to be some thought-provoking fun. You can take a look here.

Nola #2: I want to like this title more than I do, but for some reason I'm just having a hard time getting into it. I hope the characterization makes the character of Nola a bit less of a cipher while maintaining the unanswered tension behind why she's out for vengeance — otherwise, I'm afraid the burden of carrying a story with so much potential will rest on a character with barely enough substance to carry herself.

Underground #4: This continues to be a neat little crime comic with a unique setting and characters who become more fleshed out with each issue. I've praised this book before, and with Jeff Parker and Steve Lieber at the wheel I don't have any reason to think Underground will be anything but good stuff.

...

Quick Aside: So, I think this Girl Comics thing is a pretty good idea, and actually I wish it was a regular title instead of just a three-issue anthology. The name's kinda dumb, but I understand it's supposed to be a fun nod to Marvel's publishing history; it's a minor complaint in what I think is overall a very positive move from the Bullpen.

...

Holy smoke, I'm running out of steam here. I'd better wrap it up before I start hallucinating or ...

Oh, god.

... and have a Super day.

2009-12-14T15:10:00.002-06:00

Adventures in Sound: Part 14

2009-12-11T14:29:00.002-06:00

Panel from Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter
Illustration: Darwyn Cooke

Review: Moon and Bá map the moments leading to a life in Daytripper

2009-12-10T17:20:00.008-06:00

Daytripper is, quite simply, unlike anything else out there.

Sure, there are plenty of heartfelt, poignant and well-done stories on the shelves, but I can't think of any that match the unique sense of time and place seemingly grown so organically by brothers Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon. In the first issue of a 10-issue limited series, Daytripper's Sáo Paulo, Brazil is at once new and familiar, a feeling which only gets stronger when the reader meets Brás, the drifting center of a delicate story that still evokes the scrape of concrete and the hum of power lines overhead.

Brás is an newspaper obituary writer, a job that pales when compared to the literary success of his father, an author considered a national treasure in Brazil. Making his way, alone and lonely through a day that is special for his father and which should have been special for himself, Brás wrestles with feelings of disappointment and the fact that those feelings come as no surprise. Instead the reader gets the sense these feelings are an ever-present ache, not an unexpected stab of pain, quietly endured and masochistically nurtured and prodded.

Still, Brás isn't unhappy and he isn't unloved, which makes the sudden and violent turn the story takes all the more tragic, giving readers a powerful and intriguing plot with a beginning disguised as an ending. Coupled with beautifully rendered artwork — as well as a gorgeous palette of color from Dave Stewart evoking both time of day and Brás' emotional state — Daytripper is equal parts heart and heartbreak

I've been a fan of Moon and Bá for a while now, an opinion that was cemented with their excellent De: Tales: Stories from Urban Brazil. But, De: Tales did have a sometimes tiresome tendency to fall into the realm of magical realism, and I'm hoping Daytripper avoids that. The story of Brás, and the days that come together to make up a life, have enough magic on its own.

Highly, highly recommended.

Read a preview of Daytripper #1 here.

I got nothin'

2009-12-08T17:18:00.005-06:00

So Random Spidey is go!

Yeah, I ... I don't know what's going in that last one.

BONUS!

Batman gives Alfred the day off!

The Monday Fly: Go to sleep, Brutus!

2009-12-07T15:23:00.000-06:00

THE HUMAN FLY

SECRETLY READS DC.

Panel from The Human Fly #15
Bill Mantlo, writer; Lee Elias, artist; Ricardo Villamonte, inker

Adventures in Sound: Part 13

2009-12-04T17:54:00.004-06:00

Panel from E.C. Segar's Popeye, Vol. 1: I Yam What I Yam
Letterers: E.C. Segar

Butterflies in the sky

2009-12-03T15:34:00.000-06:00

Sorry about the radio silence lately, kids, but things have been busy here at GCP HQ. Of course, not so busy that I couldn't swing by the library yesterday to pick up some comic trades and graphic novels I missed out on the first time around.

I'm lucky enough to have a library that is really active in bringing in a wide variety of comics, from the classic collections to the newer stuff and for all age ranges. Take a look at what I checked out (literally!) and tell me what you think of my selection in the comments.

Marvel Adventures: The Avengers Vol. 4 — Weirder and Wilder (by writer Jeff Parker and artist Leonard Kirk)

Marvel Adventures: The Avengers Vol. 7 — The Dream Team (Parker and Ig Guara)

JLA: The Hypothetical Woman (Gail Simone and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez)

Rasl Vol. 1: The Drift (Jeff Smith)

Goats: Infinite Typewriters (Jonathan Rosenberg)

Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 — The Authorized Adaptation (Bradbury and Tim Hamilton)

Jack Kirby's The Losers (Kirby)

Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter (Stark and Darwyn Cooke)

I'm probably looking forward to reading those last two the most, though I've got to admit the Satanic chicken of Goats has its own special kind of gravitational pull.

And for the record, yes, I do read books without pictures, too. Especially when I come across something called I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to be Your Class President (Josh Lieb). A title like that is catnip, I tells ya.

Friday Night Fights: The final countdown!

2009-11-27T13:00:00.000-06:00

It's the final round of Friday Night Fights: Feet of Fury, and like the West Coast Sharks I'm in it to win it!

With victory in sizzling in my brain, I've unleashed the most brutal, the most classic, the most iconic face-plant in history. Witness the Grimmest Son of Gotham putting the hurt on the Kryptonite Kid!

It's so packed with awesome, I'm surprised no one else has ... has ...

... aw, crap.

Panel from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller, writer and artist

Special thanks to Scott for asking me to play along!

Check out more Great Caesar's Post here — g'wan, make with the clicky-clicky.

The Monday Fly: Yes — I flew ... like a bird!

2009-11-23T15:49:00.002-06:00

THE HUMAN FLY

STILL BELIEVES
IN BROMANCE

(What's with the Fly and sky-diving, anyway?!)

Panel from The Human Fly #12
Bill Mantlo, writer; Lee Elias, artist; Frank Springer, inker

Ride the Lightning

2009-11-20T14:38:00.006-06:00

So the last time I saw my nephew he was hard-core excited about a young adult series of books called Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which is apparently about the demigod children of classic Greek gods and their misbehaving parents. I'd never heard of it at the time, but it sounded kinda neat and I've been meaning to look into it ever since.

And then suddenly, this starts making the rounds.

Now, I'm not ashamed to admit this: I've had a soft spot for Uma Thurman ever since she ripped the curl on the half-shell as Venus in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. I even forgive her (mostly) for that awful, awful thing she did as Poison Ivy. I won't watch it ever again, but I forgive her. And now that she's playing Medusa in The Lightning Thief? Pretty much guarantees I'll be seeing this in the theater when it comes out.

(And was that Rosario Dawson in there?)

...

(It was!)

Like a lot of kids, I went through a serious mythology phase when I was younger and it's a fascination that's always lingered. Which is probably why I'm also interested in the Clash of the Titans remake.

Zeus help me.

Review: Rage and revenge flow through 'NOLA'

2009-11-19T17:01:00.002-06:00

NOLA #1 is the definition of visceral.

Unrelenting in tone and unapologetic in characterization, it's a story centered on someone you wouldn't necessarily want to know, but still find yourself morbidly drawn toward. Nola was a fairly typical kind of person once; apparently successful, well-liked in the community, good to her mother and the people around her. If she's got a flaw it's her weakness for the married man who flaunts the fact that she'll never be anything more than the gal he bangs in the back room of a bar.

Set against the backdrop of the property damage and human wreckage left behind by Hurricane Katrina — no more than days past, judging by the waters still swallowing up homes and highways in the background — we can see disaster has hit Nola in more ways than just the obvious. Something Happened to Nola, and whatever it was has led her to hide her face behind a scarf, to launch an assault into her sunken city, to coldly and ruthlessly kill in search of revenge.

Clues are dropped in NOLA #1 that hint at what might have taken her from a life as a sophisticated, charming woman to someone barely recognizable anymore, a stormy reflection of a city suddenly deeply and poisonously scarred. It's these clues that give NOLA it's hook. Almost everything here is a catalyst, serving as clues to what drives Nola to pursue revenge in such an apparently single-minded way, no matter what or who gets in the way.

Vigilante violence is old hat, but an origin story is almost always intriguing, and NOLA has kicked its off with the sting of an unexpected slap. Normally I'm against decompression in comics; too much of it keeps a story plodding along when it should at least be jogging. But in this case, I hope series creator Chris Gorak and script-writer Pierluigi Cothran continue to take their time letting readers in on the big picture — a little mystery gives this story its tension, and there's plenty of other action to keep things moving.

I also appreciated the way characters speak with that particular, Southern-Gulf Coast drawl in a was that feels natural rather than forced. It's these details — the accents, the wrought iron chairs and fences, the all-too recognizable view of roofs poking out of the floodwaters like the bows of sunken boats — that help put NOLA in a particular time and place. I'd be surprised if New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina don't become characters in their own right in later issues.

Gorak lived in New Orleans for more than five years, and his connection to the city shows. I hope that authenticity carries throughout the story; I'm optimistic that we'll see the people of New Orleans and the victims of Katrina treated as characters, not caricatures, without minimizing what they went through for the sake of story.

My only minor complaint, really more of a pet peeve, is the art by Damian Couceiro. Let me be really clear here: There's nothing wrong with the art itself. Personally I'd like it if was a little cleaner, with stronger lines, but that might be more a matter of the way it's been inked and colored than anything else. Mostly it just looks a lot like the art that turns up in many other BOOM! books. That look has been less true prevalent recently, but as I reader I've seen similar artwork from the publisher enough times that, in my mind, it's the house-style. I'm ready for something with a different look.

Still, that could just be me, and the art is solid and detail-minded in a way that sets the stage — and the mood — for the story being told. The character of Nola herself is fascinating; she seems to be a real car-wreck of a person, with an internal, emotional ugliness you can't help but stare at as you try to put the pieces back into a shape you can understand. I'm looking forward to seeing where Nola's brutal story goes from here.

The Pull List (11-18-09): A good week for robots

2009-11-18T17:46:00.002-06:00

Hey guys, I'd just like to apologize. I know that lately I've just kind of been phoning in posts lately and *ring! ring!* Oh, hey, it's a pull list!

Drone #1: I first talked about this title with writer Scott Chitwood way back in April, and I'm glad to see if finally coming to press. The concept — remote-controlled warbots are taken over by the bad guys and the only ones who can stop them are some good guy hackers who have been using the drones as a form of reality show entertainment — is solid, and the art by Randy Kintz looks lush and kinetic. Bringing the human element into contrast with the often depersonalized idea of the battlefield is something I hope will be explored in Drone — plus, it always fun to see things get blowed up real good.

Flash: Rebirth #5: It's never a good sign when you're putting your pull list together and you get to a title and wonder, "Wait ... was I still reading this?" Whether that's a reflection on the time between issues or the story itself, I'll let you decide. At this point, I'm in it out of sheer stubborness and a hope that Geoff Johns will be able to pull it all together by the time it wraps up with the next issue.

Nola #1: BOOM! Studios has consistently produced uniquely interesting stories that use some pretty high concepts as jumping off points. Not every title has been a winner, but hits have been more common than misses, which is what I'm hoping will be the case with Nola. A lot of people's nerves are — rightly — still raw concerning the events surrounding the Hurricane Katrina debacle, and I'm both intrigued and leery of a revenge story set around the disaster. It can either be gritty and real and honest — or it can be pandering, shallow and insulting. My fingers are crossed that the folks at BOOM! will guide it in the right direction.

Robot 13 #2: If Hellboy and Atomic Robo made sweet, strange love and had an awesome bastard child that was equal parts science, magic and mayhem, it might look a little something like Robot 13. The art by Daniel Bradford is appropriately pulped (though maybe too-obviously indebted to Mike Mignola), and makes watching a robot with a harpoon fight a kraken as much fun as it sounds. The script by Thomas Hall promises more fights with more mythological monsters for mysterious reasons, and that should be all you need to know to pick this one up.

Underground #3: Writer Jeff Parker continues his slow burn with his tale of intrigue and violence surrounding a greedy developer trying to open a cave as a tourist attraction and the park rangers who are in danger of being killed for trying to protect the natural wonder. Parker is single-handedly inventing ranger-noir amid a story of high-stakes spelunking, but I do wish he'd kick things into a slightly higher gear since so far things have been interesting, but lacking any real tension. Maybe that will happen with this issue. In any case, Steve Lieber continues to bring the goods with his artwork, particularly with his moody covers and claustrophobic interiors (though, again, the story probably would have worked better in black and white).

Victorian Undead #1: Look, I'm sick of zombies, OK? Just sick of 'em. But dammit, this is SHERLOCK HOLMES VS ZOMBIES. And I'm so, so weak.

So what did you pick up this time around? Let me know in the comments!

The Monday Fly: Put your hands in the air, Red

2009-11-16T17:04:00.001-06:00

THE HUMAN FLY

DOESN'T SEE ANY NEED
FOR NAME-CALLING.

ALSO: YO MAMA.

Panel from The Human Fly #6
Bill Mantlo, writer; Frank Robbins, artist; Rod Santiago, inker

Adventures in Sound: Part 12

2009-11-13T14:44:00.000-06:00

Panel from Excalibur #9
Letterers: Tom Orzechowski and Agustin Mas

It came from '94!

2009-11-11T16:20:00.002-06:00

So I came back from lunch today (Seafood Delight, thanks for asking) and found the most incredible, the most improbable thing waiting for me on my chair. When I realized what it was, I may have squealed.

One of my coworkers had been digging around in the supply closet and hidden there behind dusty file folders and rusting, Neolithic binder clips she found something amazing, a true relic of mythic comic book history:

A copy of the September 1994 issue of Previews.

Deep from the heart of the overheated '90s, it's filled with all the excess and cross-hatching anybody could handle. Imagine my joy when I saw this:

Vampire Batman! And not only that, it's the goddamn SEQUEL to Batman: Bloodstorm, a book apparently so awesome it made Batman bite himself in radness. As if that wasn't enough, in a bit of prescience, look at who was on the back cover:

Suddenly I was back in my sorta-tender years, snappin' into Slim-Jims and wondering what was up with that Spider-Clone thing. If you were reading comics at the time, you couldn't help but feel the excitement. Previews wasn't going to let you get away with that:

WOOOOOO!!!! DO YA FEEL THAT?!? OH, YEAH!!! YEAH!! YEAH!!! YEAH!!!!!!! IT MAKES ME WANT TO PUT ON MY FOIL-EMBOSSED UNDERPANTS AND ... AND ...

... sorry.

Anyway, I can't think of anything that could capture the overwrought, over-hyped and over-not-a-minute-too-soon '90s comic scene like this copy of Previews. In celebration of this discovery, and as a warning to you kids out there, I'll be periodically bringing you selections from Vol. IV, No. 9, the issue that dares to ask, "Do You Grock Spock?"

You've been warned!!

The Monday Fly: The acrid, overpowering feline stench ...

2009-11-09T13:22:00.004-06:00

THE HUMAN FLY

HATES THESE
BLIND DATES.

Panel from The Human Fly #4
Bill Mantlo, writer; Lee Elias, artist; Rod Santiago, inker

KA-PWING!

2009-11-04T19:26:00.001-06:00

As far as I'm concerned, this is still one of the best openings ever.

EVER.

The Pull List (11-4-09): They call me Slim Pickin's

2009-11-04T16:37:00.002-06:00

Hey, it's new comic book day! And yes, I realize it's late in the day and half of you have probably already gotten your books, but what about the other half, huh? What about them, tough-guy? Besides, I didn't want to go yet another day without posting because that's just getting ... ugh. So let's see what's on this week's list!

First, let me ask a question: Is the steady rise in the cost of monthly comics and the higher price for one-shots and limited series hurting you as much as it's hurting me? 'Cause seriously, it's getting so bad I'm starting to walk funny. Because of that, there aren't a lot of comics I'll be bringing home with me this time around. There are plenty I'd LIKE to get, but I'm on a budget, people! What am I going to do, borrow money from China?

Luckily, one of my favorite new comics is still at the $2.99 price point, and it's actually one I'd be happy to pay more for because it's just that good. Sweet Tooth #3 continues the darkly melancholy story of Gus, a boy with deer antlers making his way through a post-apocalyptic world with hard-edged killer and new BFF Jepperd. On the face of it, it all sounds a little goofy, but writer/artist Jeff Lemire is a master at telling a story that is really about much more than a kid with antlers coming out his head.

The writing gives readers an appropriately slow boil, unhurriedly but insistently raising the feeling of tension until you're sure something is bound to blow up. Language and dialogue also go a long way in helping establish character in Sweet Tooth, and Lemire handles it well enough that it becomes unnoticeable in the way that natural things do. And the scratchy, organic artwork strongly conveys the feel of the various settings, from the cool morning air of the woods to the cold, oil-stink grayness of an abandoned parking lot, making the environment as much a character as Gus and Jeppard.

There is really nothing about this book I don't like, and I hope Lemire is given plenty of time to tell his story. Sinister, sad and unpredictable, Sweet Tooth could be a template for almost any kind of coming-of-age story; thankfully, it's this one. Get a taste of the first three issues with the previews up at the Vertigo blog.

What else is on the list

Strange Tales #3 (of 3): I've really been enjoying Marvel's playful mash-up of superhero characters and indie comics creators, but at $4.99 an issue I'm kind of glad this is the last chapter.

Superman: World of New Krypton #9 (of 12): A lot of people have been giving writer James Robinson shit about his Justice League of America stuff (granted, deservedly), but I'd say give World of New Krypton a try. Co-written by Greg Rucka, this has been a title that's fun, wide-ranging and an interesting look at the guy who is equal parts Kal-El, Clark Kent and Superman. A preview is available for download from the DC Web site.

X-Men Vs Agents of Atlas #2 (of 2): Jeff Parker writing about his beloved Agents of Atlas should be all you need to know in order to pick this title up. If not, you sir and/or madam, are a fool. The Agents (whether the original limited series, the regular monthly, THIS limited series, OR the upcoming continuation of the regular monthly title ... yes, it's confusing) is one of the best written team books available, period. The art by Carlo Pagulayan and Chris Samnee (hey, I was just talking about that guy) is pretty swanky, too. Check out a preview of the first issue here.

Other tales of interest

Black Widow: Deadly Origin #1

Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love #1

Kill Audio #2

Stumptown #1

Think I'm missing an overlooked gem? Wondering what's going to have to wait until the trade? Care to point out my apparent weakness for lady-spies? Let me know what you think in the comments.

How to get me interested in 'Twilight'

2009-10-28T17:14:00.000-05:00

via Dave Campbell, from Josh Krach

Suddenly ... WEREWOLF!

2009-10-27T15:37:00.002-05:00

Why isn't Chris Samnee's work in more comics? Seriously, somebody tell me.

The Monday Fly: You're going to the party, right?

2009-10-26T20:25:00.001-05:00

THE HUMAN FLY

WILL PROBABLY BE
A MUMMY THIS YEAR.

Panel from The Human Fly #1
Bill Mantlo, writer; Lee Elias, artist

Smell my feet

2009-10-22T17:05:00.003-05:00

Hoo-boy.

Let me tell you, it ain't easy to get back into the semi-regular posting after a vacation filled with cloudy weather, chowdah and almost no Internet access. And have I mentioned that I visited H.P. Lovecraft's grave? IN THE RAIN?! 'Cause I did.

Aaaaaaanyway, I haven't even really had a chance to catch up on my comic book reading yet ...

(Longish aside: OK, I did read Justice League of America #38 since it was the "jumping on point" with James Robinson taking over the writing and also since I'm a JLA fan from way back, and I was ... unimpressed. I still don't understand DC's insistence on forcing Vixen down reader's throats, and you obviously need to have read other titles to know what the hell's going on. Not exactly reader-friendly. But! I really, really enjoy what Robinson and Greg Rucka have been doing with Superman: World of New Krypton, so I'm going to give it a chance to pull its meandering head out of its stilted ass. That is all.)

... wait. What was I saying? Oh, yeah — I'm still getting caught up on recent comics. I'm also struggling with full-on Halloween fever, so with that in mind here are some tricks 'n' treats for you. I love you, no matter what your mother says.

First, the treat:

Katie Cook is a master of the phenomenally cute illustration, as well as incredibly inventive papercraft. A case in point is this awesome Batman mask (Adam West style, yo) that you can print out and make for yourself! It's pretty great, and you can download the full version — complete with instructions — at her Web site.

And the trick:

I'm not saying it's right, but let's acknowledge for a minute that, once you reach a certain age and temperament, a person might not worry so much about candy as much as wrecking someone else's shit in the name of All Hallow's Eve. I'm not condoning it — VANDALISM IS WRONG — but I won't say I never threw an egg or roll of toilet paper in my day. I may have even spray-painted something on a wall here or there, and I know if the conditions were right I might even be tempted to use this:

Behold the affirmation of all things Fury. Beautiful in its simplicity of image and message, the complete version of this stencil by Joe D! can be found and downloaded in all its flag-wavin', black-ops glory at his site.

Y'know, just in case you run out of candy or something.

And now, a random image of Godzilla with a parasol.

And knowing is half the battle

2009-10-16T21:35:00.005-05:00

Just in case you ever find yourself in Providence, R.I., and you happen to find a place with "Comics" in the actual name of the business — IT'S A LIE. Seriously, it's like a Spenser's, a Hot Topic and an FYE had some sort of bizarre three-way and gave birth to this "comic book" store.

If you're looking for CDs, DVDs, posters, tchotchkes, T-shirts, toys, backpacks or magnets for this guy, you'll be in the right place — otherwise, nose around in a lonely corner of the store and you'll be lucky to find a teeny-tiny selection from the week's comics. But probably not the one you're looking for.

And now you know.

I prove things ... with maths!

Image ganked from here (which I'm sure was ripped from somewhere else).

Bending time and space

2009-10-12T17:20:00.000-05:00

Beginning tomorrow, I'll be following the sweet siren call of cooler weather and infinite insanity as I take a trip to the wilds of Providence, R.I., home of Nibbles Woodaway and the grave of H.P. Lovecraft. As you might imagine, I can hardly wait!

The laptop will more than likely be making the trip, too, and I'm planning to update as regularly as I can — though that's always a dicey proposition. At the very least you might be treated to completely random photos from the road.

As always, thanks for your patience — see you in the dread airport bar of madness!

Panel from Cthulhu Tales #10
Jeff Lester, writer; Chee, artist

Friday Night Fights: Catching up

2009-10-09T15:26:00.000-05:00

I've been absent from the Spacebooger sponsored mayhem known as Friday Night Fights lately, so I've just got one thing to say:

Panel from She-Hulk: Single Green Female, Vol. 1
Dan Slott, writer; Juan Bobillo, artist

Read more Great Caesar's Post here!

Adventures in Sound — Part 11

2009-10-08T12:16:00.002-05:00

Panel from The Fury of Firestorm #9
Letterer: Adam Kubert

The Pull List (10-7-09): The house of Strange ideas

2009-10-07T15:58:00.001-05:00

Here's the definition of "good times:" My telenovela ended with a wicked-crazy self-immolation, I recently acquired a collection of all four Christopher Reeve Superman movies, today is my 14th wedding anniversary AND it's new comics day!

If someone dressed as Princess Leia brings me pie, I'm gonna keel over with a big, stupid smile on my face.

But before that happens, let's talk comics!

Strange Tales #2 (of 3): I've been pretty picky lately where Marvel comics are concerned, mostly because the all-more-common price bump to $3.99 forces me to be choosier and because I'm not that big a fan of X-titles and crossover events written by Brian Michael Bendis. But while the cover price for Strange Tales is a full buck more, it is worth every penny (and not just because it's thankfully Bendis-free).

Pulling together some of the best writers and artists from indie comics, the Strange Tales anthology series is proving to be a wonderfully self-deprecating and lovingly delivered ode to the Mighty Marvel Manner. Most of the stories poke fun at the inherent silliness of superhero comics, but at the same time hit all the right notes to remind readers that these are the reasons we love the characters in the first place. This title is just fun, and it's nice to see the publisher apparently giving the creators the freedom to pull it off so well.

If you can take your superheroes with a grain of salt, and want to see some great work by writers and artists who aren't usually found in these spandexed circles, check this one out. You can also see a preview of Strange Tales #2 here.

What else is on the list

Batman and Robin #5: Philip Tan's artwork, while fine in other instances, just doesn't seem to fit on this title. It's not enough to take a lot away from Grant Morrison's note-perfect story about the adventures of the new Dynamic Duo, but it's enough to be distracting. I'm looking forward to past Morrison collaborator Cameron Stewart taking over on art with issue #7. Download the preview for issue #5 and see what you think.

Superman: World of New Krypton #8: I like Superman, OK?! And it doesn't hurt that writers James Robinson and Greg Rucka are putting together something that shines a new-but-familiar light on the qualities that make Superman interesting. Every issue advances the plot, gives the reader insight into the characters and ramps up the consequences for Clark by putting him into a steadily more complicated situation, all of which makes me happy. Punching an asteroid is easy, but what do you do when you're put in charge of a super-powered army? Check out a preview here.

Sweet Tooth #2: Weird, slightly menacing and undeniably melancholy, Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth is only two issues in and promises to be essential reading, so get to it.

X-Men vs Agents of Atlas: OK, remember what I said earlier about not being into X-Men books? Well, this is an exception. No doubt trying to get readers for the always excellent — but criminally ignored — Agents of Atlas, the regular series is being suspended for this mash-up with the ever-popular band of mutants. In a strange twist, this spray-cheeze and cracker combo is having the opposite affect (in my mind, at least) and making me buy an X-Men book because my beloved Agents are in it and because Jeff Parker's writing it. You win this round, mutants! You can also read a preview and root for the Agents here.

And maybe ...

Daredevil #501: Ed Brubaker's out, but Andy Diggle is in, making it hard to wait for the trade.

A Distant Neighborhood Vol. 1 and The Summit of the Gods Vol. 1: Both of these are by Jiro Taniguchi, and they both look beautiful. The plot of A Distant Neighborhood, while a familiar time-travel trope, still sounds interesting. Check out both at the link.

Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1: I'm not gonna lie — this looks kinda awesome. That, or it's going to be terrible. It could really go either way.

Haunt #1: OK, not really — I just wanted an excuse to post McFarlane's Spider-Spawn cover.

Woof!

Waiting for the trade

Criminal: The Sinners #1

Doom Patrol #3

Greek Street #4

Irredeemable #7

Jersey Gods #8

King City #2

The Muppets: Robin Hood (trade paperback)

Waiting for the library

Peter and Max: A Fables Novel (hard cover)

What are you getting this week? And where's my pie?!

The Monday Fly: I don't think la señorita is listening, amigo!

2009-10-05T16:10:00.000-05:00

LA MOSCA HUMANA

¡AY, QUE RICO!

Cuadro de The Human Fly #9
Historia, Bill Mantlo; dibujo, Frank Robbins; tinta, Mike Esposito

Kiiii-yaaah!!

2009-09-30T16:02:00.001-05:00

Originally, this post was going to be a better-late-than-never pull list, but since there are only a couple of titles I'm definitely picking up this week (Green Lantern #46 and Unknown Soldier #12) ... well, it seemed kind of silly to call it a "list."

But there are a couple of other comics that are calling out to me this week, namely the Shang-Chi, Master of Kung-Fu one-shot and the Justice League of America 80-Page Giant. Both feature old favorites, and it'll come down to taking a look at both of them in the shop before I can decide on either one. But since the Shang-Chi title reminded me of this incredibly awesome house ad ...

I think you can tell which way I'm leaning, Grasshopper.

What are you picking up this week?

Items! Of! Interest!

2009-09-28T20:38:00.000-05:00

You know who can't be stopped? Well, yeah, Godzilla, but y'know who else? Kevin Church, the Internet's cheeriest comics and pop culture blogger who also happens to be a damn fine comic creator in his own right.

If you follow GCP regularly (or semi-regularly, as the case may be, and if so, why is that the case, jerk?!), you already know I'm a fan of The Rack and its limited series spin-off Lydia. This time Church is doing something a bit different with She Died in Terrebone, a crime/mystery strip he's writing, with art by T.J. Kirsch. There are four prelude strips that do a nice job of setting the story's tone and introducing the main characters, as well as giving readers a feel for Kirsch's appropriately rangy artwork, and the first story arc is already two strips in — get in on the story before all the other kids laugh at you.

As if that wasn't enough, Church is also partnering with artist Ming Doyle on another new humor strip called The Loneliest Astronauts, launching tomorrow! The premise sounds great, well-suited to Church's shank-to-the-kidney style of humor, and I can't wait to see Doyle's sketchy take on the trappings of life in outer space.

...

Behold! The Batman sketches of Eliza Gauger!

Are you man enough to handle the most disturbing Underoos ever?!?

...

Finally, I'm not doing this comic justice with a blurb but I wanted to make sure I mentioned Underground — by writer Jeff Parker and artist Steve Lieber — and how you should be reading the hell out of it.

Underground is a crime story involving dirty land developers, Native American concerns, park rangers with hearts of gold and, of course, a cave that serves as a character in its own right. Parker is writing a script that smolders with the kind of menace only greedy, amoral and all-t00-human characters can bring, and Lieber delivers the knowing touch for depicting nature and realistic facial expressions that helped make Whiteout famous.

My only gripe would be the coloring by Ron Chan, which seemed rushed or blocky in places throughout the first issue. This could just be a matter of bad registration off the press, and it certainly isn't enough to take away from what is shaping up to be a winning comic.

If you haven't read it yet there are previews of issues #1 and #2 at the Web site, and you can also download a black-and-white version of the full first issue there — so get to it!

The Monday Fly: Maybe if I try to cut its power ... ?

2009-09-28T16:39:00.000-05:00

THE HUMAN FLY

ALSO PITIES YOU,
FLYING ROBOT
BIRD-THING.

Panel from The Human Fly #3
Bill Mantlo, writer; Lee Elias, artist; Don Perlin, inker

The Human Fly has more pity than Mr. T.

Review: Detective Comics #857 and an unanswered Question

2009-09-25T15:04:00.002-05:00

Believe it or not, this blog is still active — let's talk comics!

In particular, let's talk about Detective Comics #857. I've got a problem with the current incarnation of 'Tec, now featuring an updated Kate Kane as Batwoman. The concept behind the four-part "Elegy" storyline (which wraps up with this issue) is pretty derivative on the face of it. A tough-talking ass-kicker in a cowl is chasing a white-faced, murderous looney who is trying to release a deadly poison into Gotham City; sound familiar?

But that's not my problem. My problem is actually that, in spite of it featuring a Batwoman presented as a cookie-cutter, female version of the original guy with pointy ears, I really, really like it. The story is muscular and dangerous; unlike the ever-prepared Batman, the reader gets the sense Batwoman could lose and the bad guys might actually win this time. Her nemesis, a fairly obvious Joker analog (with a bit of Mad Hatter in the mix) called Alice is sadistically and charmingly nuts, and is one of the few new Bat-family villains I've liked enough to want to see again. (Rucka also manages to use her to make the whole Crime Bible/religion thing interesting for a change.)

That update I mentioned — Kate is the military daughter of an Army colonel who helps her in the field — works pretty well, and becomes a vital plot point in this issue. Writer Greg Rucka gives readers a believable Batwoman, and I'm looking forward to finding out more about how she got there.

But the real star of the show is artist JH Williams III, who seems to be determined to single-handedly dragging comic book layout and design forward. His chilly, nearly sculpted artwork is framed — but barely contained — by panels that take the shape of thunderbolts and misty, melting boxes that fan out across the page like a dreamy, bare-knuckled tarot deck. It is impressive, it's imaginative and it's simply beautiful. It takes me longer to read an issue of Detective than most other comics, and that's mostly because I just pore over every panel.

Detective Comics also comes with The Question as a back-up feature, and it's also written by Rucka, with art by Cully Hamner. Unfortunately there isn't much to say about this one. Rucka seems to be phoning it in, and while I loved Hamner on Blue Beetle I just can't get into his work here. I've never been much of a fan of Renee Montoya as the Question, and the work here drags the character down where it should be lifting her up.

You can check out a preview of both Detective Comics #857 and the back-up Question feature right here — and then let me know what you think in the comments!

The Monday Fly: Progress

2009-09-21T17:21:00.003-05:00

THE HUMAN FLY

CAN DIG IT.

Panel from The Human Fly #19
Bill Mantlo, writer; Lee Elias, artist; Ricardo Villamonte, inker

Adventures in Sound — Part 10

2009-09-18T13:08:00.001-05:00

Panel from Atomic Robo: The Dogs of War #2

Hey! This is my 500th post!

I've been a bad blogger

2009-09-16T18:35:00.002-05:00

I'm sorry about the on-and-off schedule posting has apparently been on lately — between work and busy evenings, I haven't been updating as frequently as I'd like. Hopefully things will get back to normal soon, and I appreciate your patience. Yes, YOU — 'cause you're awesome.

So we're good, right?

Damn!

The Monday Fly: Fantastic!

2009-09-14T17:22:00.000-05:00

THE HUMAN FLY

BELIEVES IN BROMANCE.

Panel from The Human Fly #1
Bill Mantlo, writer; Lee Elias, artist

Friday Night Fights: Felonious thunk!

2009-09-11T17:28:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I've taken part in the storied slugfest known as Friday Night Fights, so I figured this first round was no time to play nice.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you a fighter so tough her name alone is a serious crime:

Kyle Baker is one of my favorite creators, and his work on the knife-edged satire Special Forces should be required reading because really war is hell — even if you're a scantily clad, ass-kicking soldier called Felony.

Panel from Special Forces #2
Kyle Baker, writer and artist

Don't call it a comeback — I been here for years!

Ugh

2009-09-08T11:21:00.002-05:00

via io9

The Monday Fly: Oh, my!

2009-09-07T01:35:00.004-05:00

THE HUMAN FLY HAS BEEN WORKING HIS GLUTES.

Panel from The Human Fly #12
Bill Mantlo, writer; Lee Elias, artist; Frank Springer, inker

Adventures in Sound — Part 9

2009-09-04T09:30:00.000-05:00

Click for full (sound) effect!

Panel from Batman and Robin #3
Artist: Frank Quitely

The Monday Fly: Two seconds of immortality

2009-08-31T16:00:00.000-05:00

While everything you'd want to know about the Human Fly as a comic book character can be found in the 19 published issues, finding out anything reliable about the man it was based on is much harder.

Much harder.

About the only thing most people agree on is that the real-life Human Fly was a Canadian stuntman named Rick Rojatt, someone who tried to pull off increasingly spectacular stunts, was never seen without his mask, was rumored to have some sort of ties to organized crime, and — according to one anonymous commenter — was sometimes Cyndi Lauper's boyfriend.

With stories like that, I almost don't want to know the truth anymore. Either that, or there should be a movie 'cause I'm telling you, SOLID GOLD. (Of course, if anyone has any kind of leads, I'd love to hear about them — send me an e-mail, Rojatt!)

And while the Fly undoubtedly got some coverage from the media at the time (stuntmen were a hot trend thanks to Evel Knievel), there isn't much of an actual record left behind. Except for the odd reference here and there, reports either haven't made it online yet, or may just be gone for good. It's a shame really, and I'd like to think that, in some dusty archive somewhere, the exploits of the Human Fly are preserved for posterity.

But for now, all I've been able to find is a couple of first person accounts, an article in People magazine and this — two seconds of footage from a Milwaukee TV promo for "That's Incredible!" featuring the Fly riding on top of a low-flying DC-8 (one of his most famous stunts).

The brief look at the stunt begins at the six-second mark; if you even begin to blink, you'll miss it. Like the Human Fly himself, it comes and goes in a flash.

Adventures in Sound — Part 8

2009-08-28T16:19:00.003-05:00

Panel from Not Brand Echh #1
Letterer: Artie Simek

Today is the King's birthday!

2009-08-28T13:53:00.001-05:00

Before we get into it, let me make a confession: I wasn't always a fan of comic book legend Jack Kirby.

Yes, I was a moron.

OK, maybe "moron" is a bit harsh. I can see where Kirby's distinct drawing style and tendency for sudsy, overblown dialogue wouldn't be everyone's thing. It certainly wasn't mine for a while. "What's with these blocky heads?" I'd ask myself. "Why does everyone have square fingers, and why is everyone's mouth open like that?!" I'd complain. "And why won't these people shut up?!?"

Of course I was too young and too shallow a comic book reader to understand Kirby was a trailblazer. I didn't get it when he drew panels that somehow translated the cinematic energy of film into four colors. I completely overlooked the new ways he laid things out, and his use of collage went right over my head. And of course I didn't know enough then to realize this was all new. No one had done it before. Not like Jack Kirby.

Now I devour Kirby stories like a starving man at a Las Vegas buffet. Now I realize that the melodrama Kirby employed was a distinct decision on his part, guiding it beyond what could have been empty bombast to something that has the weight of opera. Really, it's that good.

On top of all that, it's just plain fun. Monsters, superheroes, romance and things that defy easy definition — Kirby did it all. And for that, I'm grateful. Today would have been Jack Kirby's 92nd birthday, but whenever I read one of his stories I think it's his readers who received the real gift.

In honor of the mind-bending imagination that was the trademark of the man called "King," take a couple of aspirin and head over to Zaius Nation, where you can read an early Kirby story called:

Oh, hell, I can't resist; here's one of my favorite Darkseid panels while I'm at it:

And finally, something from Gavin Jasper over at 4th Letter; I think Jack Kirby would approve.