BOOM Studio News, a Review and other Comic Book News

First up a Review of Cover Girl #5 (of 5)

Written by Andrew Crosby and Kevin Church with art by Mat Santolouco.

The Premise: A star of a new movie being filmed has to have a bodyguard hired to protect him from some major bad guys who are trying to kill him. The twist, the bodyguard is a beautiful woman named Rachel.

The Review: The story is much more involved then that, but that is not important for issue #5. Last issue I thought the art was rushed, but this issue it looks very good. You really could have missed all four issues before this and still get a kick out of the action packed ending, whereby our unlikely dynamic duo take out the bad guys. This book was done with wit, style, humor, character building and some strong action. This was just a very good ending to a really well done series. I know that I extol the virtues of BOOM a lot on this blog, but it is because they package some really well done stories. If you skip this issue, do yourself a favor and pick up the trade that should follow.

GRADE A - AS A SERIES AND AN ISSUE ___________________________________________________
Look at what BOOM has coming out in November

2 Guns #4 (Resolicited)Written by Steven GrantDrawn by Mateus SantoloucoEverything comes unraveled. Trench and Steadman find when everyone wants you dead, your only ally has got to become your enemy! Teaming up, they angle to take down the conspiracy that threatens to wipe them out. A fun crime fiction romp in the vein of Ocean's Eleven and The Italian Job! 24pgs, FC (4 of 5) SRP: $3.99 (SEP07 3461)

Dominion #3 (Resolicited) Written by Michael Alan NelsonDrawn by Tim HamiltonChicago is in flames. Citizens lie dead in the streets. And the authorities have discovered that the threat isn't the superhumans that walk their metropolitan area wantonly killing people, it's the possible spread of the virus. As quarantine is ordered, panic spreads, causing even more fear and destruction. Armageddon has come to Chicago, and threatens to spread across the planet... $3.99

FALL OF CTHULHU #9 Written by Michael Alan NelsonDrawn by Greg ScottThe darkness continues. Mister Arkham gathers his forces, as a godwar brews in H.P. Lovecraft's world of the Cthulhu Mythos. Who will survive? $3.99

Potter's Field #3 Written by Mark WaidDrawn by Paul AzacetaHe has no identity. He has no history. He leaves no fingerprint. What's the past that John Doe is trying to hide? And how can he find the keys to it in Potter's Field, the cemetery for the unnamed dead? More brilliant storytelling from the creator of Kingdom Come and writer of 52! $3.99

Salem #0 Written by Chris Morgan and Kevin WalshDrawn by Mike HawthorneColonial America. Salem. For mankind's greatest sin against God, they were born - the Coven of Thirteen. Thirteen witches granted elemental powers, each one derived from an aspect of Christ's crucifixion. One man stands against them: Elias Hooke. A new hero in the tradition of Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane or Clint Eastwood's The Man with No Name from the screenwriter of Celluar and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift! $3.99

WARHAMMER 40,000: BLOOD AND THUNDER #3 by Dan Abnett and Ian Eddington & Daniel Lapham and Adam DuncanThe savage career of Blood Axe Kommando Skyva moves ever onward and upward as he takes command of a colossal Ork Gargant, leadng the vanguard against a formidable force of Imperial Guardsmen. Meanwhile, Skyva’s “Lanky Grot” pet – covert captive Colonel Castillian -- seizes his chance for freedom. $3.99

Giant Monster TPB Written by Steve Niles art by Nat JonesFeaturing an introduction by Bernie Wrightson, with new art penciled by Bernie Wrightson and inked by Kelley Jones!'Giant Monster' is the ultimate giant monster story from the writer-creator of the smash-hit vampire epic 30 DAYS OF NIGHT. The year is 2013. Astronaut Don Maggert's first solo manned space flight has him disappear in the grip of an intergalactic horror. Returning to earth, he's been transformed into something that will throw the entire planet into peril! Featuring oversized Kaiji action and giant monster throw downs! SC, 6x9, 128pgs, FC SRP: $14.99

Except for Warhammer 40,000 every one of these books is on my buy list. One problem that has plagued BOOM is lateness on some books, now whether that is a financial issue or publisher problem or creator issue I don’t know, but smaller publishers do take a bigger hit for late books. Still I encourage you to add one or more of these titles to your list and I think you’ll enjoy the stories. Late or not, the stories are good enough to be worth the wait.
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Comic Mix is a website that has one heck of an ambitious idea. They are launching a series of free comics online with some major talent lined up to produce it. Click on the link to see what they have planned. It almost sounds a little too ambitious and I wonder where the bang for the buck is for these guys. I assume the marketing plan has to have a payoff somewhere down the line, but on the surface I don’t see it.

I’m fascinating by business plans as my second career in banking was financial forecasting and budgeting. When I had my own store I put together a basic business model for myself. I made money within six months (just never enough to raise two kids at the time in New Jersey). So I find myself trying to determine what these different companies are doing to make money. I still haven’t figured out why You Tube was worth 1.6 billion dollars. Someone wake me in 2045 and let me know if that investment has finally paid off.

So good luck to Comic Mix and the creators in making this pay off, but right now it looks to be a boon for comic fans and a bust for the talent involved.
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Baltimore Comic Con and Retailer Convention News were almost underwhelming and also overwhelming. For the most part I read and forget the news as waiting for a project that has been announced is a ridiculous. Last year an All Star Batgirl book and All Star Wonder Woman book were announced and neither has seen the light of day. Now we have a Sergio Aragones / John Severin Bat Lash series announced and a Billy Tucci Sgt. Rock series, both will be on my list but I’ll wait until they are solicited.

Marvel just absolutely killed me with all of their news. Secret Invasion, the follow up event after WW Hulk with another series By Loeb and McGuiness on the Hulk(Loeb has Ultimate Volume 3 and 4 announced, a Spider-Man series announced, another Ultimate cross-over announced and he occasionally actually has a book come out with him as writer), the Spider-Man stunt, another X-Men event to follow the coming cross-over. I recently wrote about Event Fatigue and apparently Marvel has just said that everything is going to be an event. The joke is some of their best series are under the radar and non-event books, Punisher (MAX), Iron Fist, Criminal and Daredevil to name a few.

I really prefer just a good solid series (Birds pf Prey, Wasteland. Left on Mission, Killer, Mouse Guard) and I also want stories to have end points or have an ending. I still think one of the major problem with many super hero books is these characters have been published continuously since the 60’s and every iteration has been done to death on Peter Parker, Scott Summers, Professor X, Reed Richards, Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, etc. DC has less of a problem as they actually put new people under the masks, Marvel almost never does and all of their characters have lost relevance because of that.

Lee will have his post up Thursday this week.