The con that ate Austin

If you happen to be anywhere near the Austin area next weekend and you have any love for comics or the small press, I'm guessing Staple! has already been added to your to-do list. If not — what's the matter with you?

Staple! is a great little expo that gets bigger every year, and features the talent of both local and national creators. This year's big names are Eric Powell (who provided the art for the 2008 version of the Staplegator) and Brian Wood, and favorites like David Malki, Danielle Corsetto and Scott Kurtz are scheduled to be there, too (check out the link for more details).

One of the things I always like about Staple! is how laid-back the whole thing tends to be; the creators are always very cool and willing to just kind of hang out with attendees, and there's usually a good mix of participants to check out. Austin's a good comic book and media town, and it's not uncommon to run into folks like Paul Benjamin, Harry Knowles and Rivkah. All in all, it's a lot of fun for a $5 ticket. Seriously, if you think about it that's just ridiculous.

I plan on being there this year, so let me know if you might be going — it'd be cool to meet up!

And really, doesn't that Eric Powell poster kick 10 kinds of ass?

Friday Night Fights: The Paladin goes medieval!

The Paladin, who should definitely NOT be confused with any captains from America, knew how to deal with Nazis while fighting for the Allies during World War II.


Hmm ... it feels like I'm forgetting someth ...


There it is!

Everyone knows Stan Lee got his ideas from Bahlactus ...

Following a link? You can read more of Great Caesar's Post here (there's a contest going on!).

Panels from "I, Paladin," originally published online by Flashback Universe.
Chad Bowers, writer; Pierre Villeneuve, artist and plotter

Roll call!

Inexplicably and certainly unexpectedly, I was seized by the sudden urge to update my blogroll over there on the right. Actually, it's been in the back of my mind for a while but I finally got around to it — tomahto, tomahteeyo, right?

I ended up adding a bunch of blogs that I enjoy reading, as well as a couple of new categories. Just to make sure they're not overlooked, here (in no particular order ... unless you think "alphabetical" is an "order") are the fellow bloggers now on the list:

4th Letter

Armagideon Time

Brainfreeze

Collected Editions

Comics Fondle

Funnybook Babylon

Hero Sandwich

Matching Dragoons

Not Blog X

Occasional Superheroine

Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine

Polite Dissent

Prospero's Manga

Siskoid's Blog of Geekery

The Johnny Bacardi Show

Like I mentioned, there are a couple of new categories, too: "Resources," which has links to search engine Ask Cerebra and the Tales From the Longbox comic blog updates feed; and "Podcasts," where you can get some of the best cake and pie recipes on the web. Ha! I kid! There's no pie, but plenty of comics talk at Staple Pop and the Comic Pants podcasts.

A bunch of these are blogs I've been following for a while and just haven't gotten around to linking, and some are sites I've just recently discovered; if you see anything that's new to you, give 'em a try and support your pal the comics blogger.

Stroke of Evil: Don't forget to enter!

I just wanted to remind everyone that I'm having a little contest here at Great Caesar's Post in honor of the wacky fun that is the Beard Hunter!

Remember, a copy of Doom Patrol Vol. 4: Musclebound is up for grabs, so be sure to enter. And in case you don't know what the hell I'm talking about, you can find out everything you need to know about Grant Morrison's story of beard-centric vigilantism by reading the GCP series of posts!

Here are the details: Send me a picture of yourself stroking your own evil beard in an evil manner (as the bearded evilly do), and the best one will get a copy of the Doom Patrol Vol. 4: Musclebound paperback, featuring the story of the Beard Hunter! And since fake beards are allowed, nobody gets left out — just be creative!

You can enter by posting your photo to your blog and sending me a link in the comments section of this post, or e-mail your photo to maxoromero [at] gmail [dot] com: A winner will be announced Wednesday, February 27, featuring the winning picture. Good luck!

WTF Wednesday: The Beard Hunter takes it on the chin!

I hope you're lathered up and ready to go, Stubbles — it's time for the fourth and final installment of ...

WTF Wednesday Presents:
The Beard Hunter!

As we know from the last episode, the Beard Hunter has been pulled from his lonely ... oh, so lonely ... war on facial hair to take down a specific target — leader of the Doom Patrol, Niles Caulder! Having so far dodged the Beard Hunter in the aisles of the grocery store he was ambushed in, Caulder is on the run from the mighty Razor of Vengeance.

Meanwhile, the Beard Hunter's earlier escapades haven't escaped notice, and the cops are on his trail! Yes, cops ... with mustaches.


That guy looks like Stalin! At least his mom will stick up for this troubled and complex man, right? And at last someone will be able to shed some light on the five 'o clock shadow of his soul!


Uh ... aaaanyway, if you think our hero would be bothered to hear this, think again! As he trails the scraggly Caulder through the store, Ernest Franklin is already making plans for the blood money he'll be receiving from the Bearded Gentlemen's Club of Metropolis. Plans so nefarious, they're almost inhuman — self-publishing!


Caulder has been up to his own plans though, laying a devious trap composed of exposed wiring, aluminum foil and corn flakes. Finally, the Beard Hunter has Caulder in his sights, closing in for the kill and then, in an act of bitter irony ...

EXTREME ELECTROLYSIS!

As the curtain closes on the Beard Hunter, he has time to reflect and ponders how many volts that was, anyway (his guess? "A lot."), and laments the fact that he never got around to dating. And then, a bright light and he sees the face of his heavenly reward.

And thus, the running gag comes home ...

Sonuva ...

Turn your shaving mugs over, my friends, and join me in honoring this bane of the bristled, our fallen warrior ... the Beard Hunter!


A CLOSER SHAVE!

And now, a rare look inside the rat's nest that is the Bearded Gentlemen's Club of Metropolis:

Click to see Moore!

Heeeey ... that dude in the middle looks familiar ...

HOLY CRAP! A CONTEST!!

I had so much fun with this series, I want to share it! Send me a picture of yourself stroking your own evil beard in an evil manner (as the bearded evilly do), and the best one will get a copy of the Doom Patrol Vol. 4: Musclebound paperback, featuring the story of the Beard Hunter! And don't feel left out, ladies! Fake beards are allowed (the better to infiltrate the BGCM) — just be creative!

You can enter by posting your photo to your blog and sending me a link in the comments section of this post, or e-mail your photo to maxoromero [at] gmail [dot] com: A winner will be announced next Wednesday, February 27, featuring the winning picture! Good luck!

Panels from Doom Patrol #45
Grant Morrison, writer; Vince Giarrano, penciller; Malcolm Jones III, inker

Pollyanna posting

There's another blog fight making the rounds that seems to be dying out pretty quickly, and I'm grateful for that because, honestly? Sometimes you guys kill some of the joy I have for comics.

I'm not talking about this debate or the people involved in it, in particular. This is something that's been bothering me lately, even thought it's really nothing new. I'm talking about the people who seem to be fueled by nothing but anger, the people who seem to get a juvenile joy out of pushing other people's buttons, and the people who would rather jump to conclusions instead of actually listening to somebody else.

This isn't to devalue anyone's opinion, especially where it concerns an important topic such as race, women's issues or matters of sexuality. These are things that need to be addressed in the comics we read — but I don't think they need to be addressed in every comic we read. I think if we try to include every cause and concern we have into every title, we run the risk of excluding someone else, especially if we get caught up in the heat that flares up in some our cross-blog "discussions." Not all comics are going to satisfy everyone, but we've got choices about what we read, and we've got voices to express our displeasure — and yes, sometimes our anger — when something just flat-out offends us. As readers, these are our tools — not weapons — and it's up to us to use them responsibly.

Are there things that need to be changed? Without a doubt. I'm always excited that Blue Beetle is Hispanic, and a little saddened that the only other Hispanic character that made that kind of impact on me was from comics that are now at least 30 years old. But do I see improvement? Yes, even if it is slow and often hamstrung by the proverbial two steps back.

Gah — that's already more than I meant to say about this, but I hope it will be taken in the spirit in which it's written. Essentially, it's this: We all share a love of comics, and whether it's capes, indies, manga, what have you, we should remember that we have that in common.

EDIT to add:

It's been pointed out to me that this post (originally uploaded Feb. 18) might be a little unclear, so I wanted to make sure there's no misunderstanding. I'm not saying readers or bloggers should be passive consumers who should just be happy they're getting their comics — hell no. If nobody argues, if no one points out the ways readers are being taken for granted, then problems will never be solved.

What I am saying, though, is that arguments should be reasonable and intelligent, not just the garbled screaming of a raw nerve that's been touched. That's counterproductive and, frankly, bullshit. People should be able to debate as much as they want — just don't be an ass about it, whether you're leaving a comment or you're the original poster.

Finally, as I mentioned above, the idiocy of a simple mistake being somehow unnecessarily blown up into a back-and-forth about race wasn't what made me write this post. But, the misguidedness that led to it was a last straw for me. Luckily, a comment from David Brothers seemed to defuse the whole thing, which is a great example of what I'm talking about.

Basically, it's this: Just because we read comics, that doesn't mean we can't act like grown-ups.

Friday Night Fights: When gods cry!

As you might've guessed from my ongoing series on the sublime insanity that is The Beard Hunter, I'm a fan of Grant Morrison. Some may grouse about his sometimes silly, often obscure style of storytelling, but there's no denying he's written some of the most imaginative and thoughtful stuff out there.

Plus, he's the man behind a lot of my favorite stories, and not just the Doom Patrol run. There's also Kill Your Boyfriend, The Invisibles, Seaguy, We3, Seven Soldiers of Victory and All Star Superman, and a whole bunch of other titles I'm leaving out. A lot of it is fun, most has an underlying theme you have to really think about, and a disturbing number of them end with the reader saying, "Whu ...?"

The guy's deep, is what I'm saying. So consider this my excuse if my description of Vimanarama doesn't do the book justice.

In this three-issue mini-series, an enormous hole has opened beneath the Bradford, England store of a Muslim family. After a baby accidentally opens the gates holding back the evil Fireborn warriors, Ali and Sofia almost as accidentally summon the Ultrahadeen, the Indian avatars of light and love, and the sworn enemies of the Fireborn.

You'd think that'd be enough, right? Oh-ho, not if you're Morrison. It turns out that Sofia is the stranger Ali is supposed to wed in a pre-arranged marriage, AND she's also the reincarnation of the beloved of Prince Ben Rama, the leader of the Ultrahadeen. Or something like that — my head's starting to hurt.

What's important is that Sofia doesn't remember anything about any past lives, and she thinks Ali is kinda dreamy, in a loserly way.

Prince Ben Rama doesn't take this well: Are you prepared for a world where ...

A GOD GOES EMO?!

Click, if you're gonna whine about it ...

Yeah, I gotta tell you man, that line never works. Now pick yourself up, princess, before you really do something to embarrass yourse ...


Prince Ben Rama, taken down by a dead leaf ... and a broken heart!! That's an emo knockout in anybody's book.

Bahlactus is man enough to cry ... but he won't.

Following a link? You can read more of Great Caesar's Post here!

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Like any good Bollywood movie, Vimanarama not only features foliage-on-deity violence; there's also a hot-'n-steamy three-way love scene!


OK, more like two-and-a-quarter.

Panels from Vimanarama #2
Grant Morrison, writer; Philip Bond, artist

It was love at first sight

Panel from Superman Through The Ages one-shot
Originally published in Action Comics #1
Jerry Siegel, writer; Joe Shuster, artist

WTF Wednesday: The Beard Hunter feels the burn!

Hey everyone! Put down that stubble-filled Hemingway and pick up your aftershave, it's time for the third installment of ...

WTF Wednesday Presents:
The Beard Hunter!

When we last saw our anti-hero, he was nursing his wounded pride (thanks, mom) with body-building magazines, hunting knives and body oil, but after receiving a cryptic letter from The Bearded Gentlemen's Club of Metropolis we find The Beard Hunter deep in enemy territory!

What could lure The Beard Hunter into the headquarters of an organization that would paint beards on their mirrors to "teach beardless visitors the error of their ways," and which once tried to dump beard tonic into the reservoirs to create a bearded city? Ernest Franklin keeps his lunch down long enough to learn that The Bearded Gentlemen have contacted him because they have a common foe; leader of the Doom Patrol, Niles Caulder!

Caulder should have known better than to defy the will of the BGCM! When he "lost the use of his beard," it made perfect sense that the group would want to buy his orphaned follicles — to refuse was a slap in the club's whiskery face!

Soon, The Beard Hunter is ... er, on the hunt, catching up to Caulder in a supermarket. It's on now!

Have I mentioned that Niles Caulder is confined to a wheelchair? It doesn't seem to matter much as the wily beardo manages to avoid The Beard Hunter's wildly spraying Uzi and lays a trap of sunflower oil that sends the vigilante on his ass and into a display of canned goods. And even worse, Caulder adds insult to injury by using The Beard Hunter's own weaponry against him!

But even as Caulder makes his escape, The Beard Hunter is confident he will catch his prey. In fact, he's so confident he stops to make preparations for the end-game with a ritual observed and venerated by vigilantes everywhere.

Click for more Wessonality!

Next week: Dénouement! Or — Is this the end for The Beard Hunter?!

Panels from Doom Patrol #45
Grant Morrison, writer; Vince Giarrano, penciller; Malcolm Jones III, inker

The Pull List: (2-13-08): Seriously, Barry?!

Whoops! Where does the time go? A busy day means a quick-and dirty pull list this week, but if you see anything you'd like to talk about, why not drop me a line in the comments? There is some fun stuff coming out today, and manga makes a particularly strong showing, as well as a certain German World War I fighter pilot.

And to make up for the leaner list, please enjoy the double entendre stylings of Ted Kord:


To the list!


This week ...

Atomic Robo #5

Booster Gold #0 (preview!)

Jack Staff #14

Wonder Woman #17


Maybe ...

Beowulf Vol. 1 (another preview!)

Dark Metro Vol. 1 (even more preview!)


Trading Up ...
(Titles I either am, or will be, picking up in trade)

100 Bullets #88

B.P.R.D.: 1946 #2


Recommended ...

Crossing Midnight Vol. 2: A Map of Midnight

Showcase Presents: Enemy Ace Vol. 1

Uzumaki Vol. 3

So long, Steve

The groundbreaking Steve Gerber, creator of Howard the Duck, Omega the Unknown and so much more, died Sunday due to complications stemming from pulmonary fibrosis. Personally, I thought his work on Hard Time, the longest lasting title from DC's fleeting Focus imprint, was one of the more interesting and intelligent things the company had put out for a long time.

Gerber's influence will be missed, but I'd like to think his work will endure and continue to inspire.

Mark Evanier and Tom Spurgeon have excellent write-ups on the life and often irreverent times of Steve Gerber, so give them a read, and then find some back-issues and treat yourself to some of Gerber's work itself. You — and I think Gerber — will be glad you did.

Third time still a charm?

If you follow this sort of thing, you probably already know DC's plans to launch yet another weekly series once Countdown wraps up. This time around the series (which will be called Trinity) will focus on the Big Three, namely Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. Shorter backup stories will also be featured.

This is all well and good, and frankly sounds more interesting than Countdown ever did, but I have to ask: Do we really need another weekly series?

Personally speaking, I'm not sure I could afford committing to a weekly, in terms of either money or interest. Plus, Countdown was weaker than 52, which isn't exactly inspiring. What happens when you take a concept and make a copy of a copy of a copy? And will this really stand on its own (as it's being touted), or will it just end up another way to tie in the overblown "events" DC (and Marvel) are so fond of nowadays?

I don't know about you, but for me the idea of another "big" weekly book is a lot less charming the third time around.