Jim is trapped under a collapsed pile of chronologically organized Legion comics (or in another state…), so I’ll be filling in for you today. If you’re missing Jim, please just replace any names I use with “Brainiac 5” and assume the ultimate point of my argument is how Connor Hawke should be Green Arrow. If you can wait, he should be back later this week.
Late last year, I took Star Wars Legacy off my pull list. For those of you who don’t know, Star Wars Legacy is set 150 years or so after the first Star Wars movie and follows the adventures of Cade Skywalker in a universe ruled by Sith. It is also Dark Horse’s best selling Star Wars comic. Beating out comics about Darth Vader, the Rebellion, and a war that was detailed in a series of tie in novels. Why is this? The creative team, John Ostrander and Jan Duresma, should not be discounted, but I think the obvious reason is momentum. That’s the reason I read it and while I love the movies, I’ve never bothered with Star War comics before. Continuity wise, this is the most far flung Star Wars property and nothing is holding it back.
We’re not finding out what happened between Star Wars and the Empire Strikes Back, we’re not finding out how Luke learned how to fly, this is the most current Star Wars book. Quite simply, every issue is forging into untouched ground and because it is set so far in the future, it is probably never going to be undone or contradicted by another movie. I think this is what fans responded to, the feeling of forward momentum, as opposed to the tired navel gazing that accompanies any book about Boba Fett. I have no idea what’s going to happen to Cade Skywalker. I know exactly what is going to happen to Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo or anyone else in the series.
Essentially, it became a Star Wars comic like every company owned superhero comic, not owned by its creators, but you knew that this was the book that was moving those characters forward and it wouldn’t be superceded by anything else. However, I dropped the series for the same reason I never read any other star wars books. It lost its momentum. If I had to watch one more scene of “OH NO CADE HAS THE DARK FORCE EYES” without actually doing anything with it, I was going to kill a tribble…. Ewok … whatever. The book was spinning its wheels and it stopped being something I looked forward to every month and became a very easy way to save money in a recession.
Most tie in books fall victim to the traps I detailed above. Star Trek comics have been traditionally been forgettable tripe, like the stuff published in the 60’s, OR have been well intentioned books in the 80’s by Peter David that were completely nullified when the next movie came out. Most successful tie in properties have that sense of momentum that everyone knows won’t be undone. The Buffy comics are another great example of this. I’m no Buffy fan, but I’m a comics fan, which means I have to listen to someone who is a Buffy fan on a fairly regular basis.
When the Season 8 comics came out, people were super turbo pumped. Joss Whedon, the writing staff of the show, and super star creators were writing it. But most importantly, everyone knew that no tv show was going to undo this. It was new, but more importantly, it was next. But over time, the fan consensus seems to have dimmed and people seem to have come to the same conclusion that I did on Star Wars Legacy – this comic is spinning its wheels.
Licensed comics are extremely tricky business. A good one has to juggle a sense of forward momentum, paying homage to what has come before without navel gazing, and managing the needs of the larger franchise. Its no wonder what seems like such obvious moneymakers have rarely been as successful, financially or creatively, as you would think they should be. And I haven’t even mentioned the artistic challenge of getting likenesses right! Star Wars Legacy did a great job, but eventually lost what made it work so well in the first place. It’s no great surprise that they have cancelled the series at issue 50. Maybe they’re going to bring it back, but I hope they’ve got some new ideas if they do.
Tomorrow! A review of a licensed comic that has no right to be working nearly as well as it is – IDW’s Doctor Who ongoing!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Time Off
We should be back to a more normal schedule next week, but I was away and was unable to get to doing a full post for Monday.
Quickly the best books were Killer, Red Robin, Nemesis and Brightest Day, more on those tomorrow and a quick what I'm getting Wednesday.
Quickly the best books were Killer, Red Robin, Nemesis and Brightest Day, more on those tomorrow and a quick what I'm getting Wednesday.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
A Day to Remember
May 10, 1970
Young mother of two
Age twenty-five
In perfect peace sleeps
While her child kicks inside
The day before
A rare treat
The Shoney’s parking lot
Lunch out to eat
A brakeman says
That he can’t work
The graveyard shift
Because of his daughter’s still birth
The “Extra” will fill
The slot that night
But first he waits
To kiss his wife
She watches his taillights
Fade from view
Then off to bed
For this mother soon due
Telephone rings
Dead of night
Shatters peace
Bringing fright
“There’s been an accident and you need to go to Petersburg General Hospital.”
Racing heart
Urgent desperation
Brings her brother-in-law
With swift transportation
Rushing through
The emergency room door
She asks to see him
As silence grips the floor
The doctor walks out
And looks at her
He only utters
These five words
“We did everything we could.”
Still hours from dawn
Cars gather about
The twin chinaberries
Of the little green house
The boy – age six
Wakes to bathroom lights
His cousin in PJs
A bewildering sight
Living room voices
Rouse him from bed
Abruptly sounds cease
As he faces their dread
His grandfather, Poppee,
To him cannot speak
Lifts him, tucks him,
Kisses his cheek
The boy returns
After more rest
“I want to see Mama.”
His insistent request
The relatives vainly
Try to dissuade him
She’s sleeping they tell him
He refuses to heed them
His mother is lying
Alone in the dark
He cuddles beside her
More cracks in the heart
“Mama, why is everyone in the house?”
“They’ve come over to help out, because Daddy was in a very bad accident at work.”
At first that appeases
But then he asks “When
Is Daddy coming
Back home again?”
“Daddy’s not coming back home. Your Daddy died.”
****
Broadway Railyard
Is the scene
Of the tragedy
By negligence unseen
N&W boxcar
He stands astride
At the brake wheel
As the diesel slowly glides
A wire hung low
Over the tracks
Hangs him up
Drags him back
Drops him on
The engine top
They see his legs
And quickly stop
His numbered days complete
At age thirty-one
His days without number
In Heaven begun
****
She calls to family
In Leavenworth
Her widowed mother
Answers first
Of course, they’ll come
No need to doubt
Pretty soon
They’ll be en route
Her mother mentions
In dismay
How the call began with
“Happy Mother’s Day”
Mother’s Day Mourning
The flowers today
Are for your husband
Who passed away
Mother’s Day Morning
Forty-years past
Remembering brings healing
To the family at last
His infant son
Eight days from birth
Then in the womb
Now pens this verse
Easter Sunday 2010
Easter Sunday 1970
Young mother of two
Age twenty-five
In perfect peace sleeps
While her child kicks inside
The day before
A rare treat
The Shoney’s parking lot
Lunch out to eat
A brakeman says
That he can’t work
The graveyard shift
Because of his daughter’s still birth
The “Extra” will fill
The slot that night
But first he waits
To kiss his wife
She watches his taillights
Fade from view
Then off to bed
For this mother soon due
Telephone rings
Dead of night
Shatters peace
Bringing fright
“There’s been an accident and you need to go to Petersburg General Hospital.”
Racing heart
Urgent desperation
Brings her brother-in-law
With swift transportation
Rushing through
The emergency room door
She asks to see him
As silence grips the floor
The doctor walks out
And looks at her
He only utters
These five words
“We did everything we could.”
Still hours from dawn
Cars gather about
The twin chinaberries
Of the little green house
The boy – age six
Wakes to bathroom lights
His cousin in PJs
A bewildering sight
Living room voices
Rouse him from bed
Abruptly sounds cease
As he faces their dread
His grandfather, Poppee,
To him cannot speak
Lifts him, tucks him,
Kisses his cheek
The boy returns
After more rest
“I want to see Mama.”
His insistent request
The relatives vainly
Try to dissuade him
She’s sleeping they tell him
He refuses to heed them
His mother is lying
Alone in the dark
He cuddles beside her
More cracks in the heart
“Mama, why is everyone in the house?”
“They’ve come over to help out, because Daddy was in a very bad accident at work.”
At first that appeases
But then he asks “When
Is Daddy coming
Back home again?”
“Daddy’s not coming back home. Your Daddy died.”
****
Broadway Railyard
Is the scene
Of the tragedy
By negligence unseen
N&W boxcar
He stands astride
At the brake wheel
As the diesel slowly glides
A wire hung low
Over the tracks
Hangs him up
Drags him back
Drops him on
The engine top
They see his legs
And quickly stop
His numbered days complete
At age thirty-one
His days without number
In Heaven begun
****
She calls to family
In Leavenworth
Her widowed mother
Answers first
Of course, they’ll come
No need to doubt
Pretty soon
They’ll be en route
Her mother mentions
In dismay
How the call began with
“Happy Mother’s Day”
Mother’s Day Mourning
The flowers today
Are for your husband
Who passed away
Mother’s Day Morning
Forty-years past
Remembering brings healing
To the family at last
His infant son
Eight days from birth
Then in the womb
Now pens this verse
Easter Sunday 2010
Easter Sunday 1970For anyone who is interested in any more details (or explanations for a particular stanza), I'd be happy to respond to e-mails or comments. I don't want to add too much now as I want the piece to speak for itself. Special thanks to my mother, brother, and aunt who sent me their recollections. I regret that I was unable to work my sister (then almost five) into the poem more directly. I will say that the original intention was to focus on my Daddy, but it turned into a focus on my mother, which is appropriate given the day. One day I will get to meet him (1 Thess 4:13-18). Thanks for letting me share.
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Feeling the Love
Still in the mini series mode, and fresh in the mind, Chris Roberson's and Shawn McManus's Cinderella From Fabletown with Love gets the one day early review today. I've been commenting on this series on The List postings as it came out, so it shouldn't be 
any surprise that I think it's well worth the $18 (plus tax), and then some. It's also in trade form now.
any surprise that I think it's well worth the $18 (plus tax), and then some. It's also in trade form now.Set in a time before the Dark Man's arrival at Fabletown, the brief version of the story is that Fabletown spy Cinderella is sent by Sheriff Beast to Dubai to learn who's selling large quantities of magical items to wealthy Mundy (that'd be you and me, the mundane) buyers. On the same mission for the Arabian Fables is Aladdin, leading to their pooling of his resources and h
er resourcefulness. The mission takes them from Dubai to the North Atlantic and into a little known Fable realm called Ultima Thule (Latin for Farthest North). Cindy and Aladdin defeat the magic wielder behind the flooding of magical goods into the Mundy world and engage in some well deserved R&R.
er resourcefulness. The mission takes them from Dubai to the North Atlantic and into a little known Fable realm called Ultima Thule (Latin for Farthest North). Cindy and Aladdin defeat the magic wielder behind the flooding of magical goods into the Mundy world and engage in some well deserved R&R.That's the brief, but it's only the frame. The fun of the story is often in the interplay between 
Cinderella and Aladdin. Her Western culture clashes with his Arabian culture, though he's not a Muslim fundamentalist nor she a secular purist. They go from outright hostility (no doubt in part due to his attempt to kill her on their first meeting) to grudging respect and eventual affection. Along the way the role of Islam and women is argued, including three former harem slaves who make the point that women in the west face challenges that men do not, too. This is no treatise on women's rights, but the insightful use of real world topics in a story that would logically present conflicts between cultures is a welcome sign of intelligence. The spying between friends is a lot of fun, too.
Cinderella and Aladdin. Her Western culture clashes with his Arabian culture, though he's not a Muslim fundamentalist nor she a secular purist. They go from outright hostility (no doubt in part due to his attempt to kill her on their first meeting) to grudging respect and eventual affection. Along the way the role of Islam and women is argued, including three former harem slaves who make the point that women in the west face challenges that men do not, too. This is no treatise on women's rights, but the insightful use of real world topics in a story that would logically present conflicts between cultures is a welcome sign of intelligence. The spying between friends is a lot of fun, too.Then there's the method of telling the story. Each issue (except the first and the last) begins 
with Cinderella having a memory of a prior spy adventure that ties into what's happening in the current story. These are vignettes that flesh out how long she's been working as a spy and how her character has developed over the centuries. The first issue doesn't do that because it starts with her wrapping up a spying engagement immediately preceeding the main story, while the last flashes to her well known origin with Prince Charming, tying into the villain's relation to that story. The memories take the reader to the Napoleonic Wars, the US Civil War, WW II, and the Cold War and are succinct. They provide the stage for her evolving relationship with Aladdin and with the villain of the piece.
with Cinderella having a memory of a prior spy adventure that ties into what's happening in the current story. These are vignettes that flesh out how long she's been working as a spy and how her character has developed over the centuries. The first issue doesn't do that because it starts with her wrapping up a spying engagement immediately preceeding the main story, while the last flashes to her well known origin with Prince Charming, tying into the villain's relation to that story. The memories take the reader to the Napoleonic Wars, the US Civil War, WW II, and the Cold War and are succinct. They provide the stage for her evolving relationship with Aladdin and with the villain of the piece.Because she isn't wealthy like the Arabian Fables, Cinderella has to make barter deals with Frau Totenkinder (the witch of the Hansel & Gretel story) for magical items she'll need to use in her mission. The tense relationship between the two of them is a fascinating duel with so many 
parries and thrusts you can almost see the allegorical swords a-swinging. Machinations, unlike wealth, are not in short supply in Fabletown.
parries and thrusts you can almost see the allegorical swords a-swinging. Machinations, unlike wealth, are not in short supply in Fabletown.An added bonus is the story of Crispin Cordwainer, the shoemaker of The Elves and the Shoemaker fame. He works for Cinderella at her shoe store, Glass Slipper Shoes. The store is her cover for being able to gad about the world, and Cordwainer, who's unaware of her function as a spy, runs the store. He's tired of just selling the shoes she designs and, while she's off on this mission, reaches a deal with the elves for new designs and magical capabilities. The latter is initially a success, but the fact that neither he nor the buyers know how to turn off the magical functions blows up in his face. It's a prob
lem Cinderella has to fix at the end of her mission and leads to penury for Cordwainer.
lem Cinderella has to fix at the end of her mission and leads to penury for Cordwainer.The last thing I'll point out about the series is the wonderful cover art by Chrissie Zullo. There's a stained glass art quality to the work, with heavy lines that bring a two dimensional appearance, but that style slowly lightens as the story progresses so that by the end it's much more fluid, entirely in keeping with developments in the story.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Allostatic Load Rising
While I actually managed to squeeze in some time for reading this week I decided to forgo my usual fistful of reviews. You see, there's just too much going on right now.
For those of you who don't know I'm graduating with my BA today. While this should be exciting (and somewhere in the back of my mind, it is) I find myself dealing with a lot of stress. First, there was finals. Finals are almost always stressful but this time there was the extra added pressure of pass or don't graduate. I'm sure I passed my finals, so far I have 2 As a S (on an S/U scale) and an unknown grade that irks me... but worse case I ended up with a B. So I should be free and clear, right? Hah!
While I am excited to have my family in town for graduation that also means I have to clean the house. Normally this would be okay, but this time I have my grandmother staying with us - which means that I can no longer put off setting up the guest room. So I painted it today (because asking someone to sleep surrounded by fluorescent pea green seemed cruel) and went to set up the bed frame my fiance's sister gave us... only to find that the supports were missing. Long story short, I ended up at Home Depot on the other side of town purchasing lumber.
I still have a lot of work to do before the party on Saturday too =/
As for comic books -
The Last Stand of New Krypton event wrapped up nicely. Of course I am a sucker for anything involving the Legion of Superheroes and having Brainy/Kara time was a nice bonus. I'm glad to see Mon'el back in his old costume and off to help the Legion with the bottle worlds. I'm really not sure why Supes stopped Zod from killing Brainiac... I mean, I'm intrigued that Brainiac 5 took him away but it seemed to make perfect sense that Brainiac would have been executed. Ah well, Jim Gordon should have killed the Joker back in the day too, but we all knew that wasn't going to happen. The War of the Supermen event seems almost anti-climatic after all that's happened but I guess I'll have to wait and see how it turns out. Mostly I'm just looking forward to more Legion stories :)
Over in the Marvel Universe... I really hate Marvel right now. Here I was actually enjoying all the Hope stuff as an event and what does Marvel do?
THEY KILL NIGHTCRAWLER ><
I hate you Marvel. Why would you do this to me? Kurt has been one of my two favorite Marvel characters for a very very long time. I even enjoyed the Nightcrawler mini-series... that's how much I love this character. And now he is dead. I mean sure, they gave him a noble death and all. But it doesn't matter because with Kurt dead and Kitty stuck in phased form I have no attachment to any of the remaining characters. I just don't care what happens to them anymore. Perhaps I'll change my mind after I'm less pissed off by this, but for now Marvel is dead to me.
...and now I'm off to see Iron Man 2 *cough*
Those were my high and low comic book points this week. I enjoyed Stumptown, Echo, Madame Xanadu and GLCorps. Also, the FCBD Mouse Guard book was a nice way to introduce new readers to the story. I've also been perusing the Mouse Guard RP book I got for Christmas as I'm thinking of trying to run a game. So far it seems like a fun and easy to play RP game. It could be fun to try it out.
When next I post I'll have my BA - hopefully I will also have my sanity.
For those of you who don't know I'm graduating with my BA today. While this should be exciting (and somewhere in the back of my mind, it is) I find myself dealing with a lot of stress. First, there was finals. Finals are almost always stressful but this time there was the extra added pressure of pass or don't graduate. I'm sure I passed my finals, so far I have 2 As a S (on an S/U scale) and an unknown grade that irks me... but worse case I ended up with a B. So I should be free and clear, right? Hah!
While I am excited to have my family in town for graduation that also means I have to clean the house. Normally this would be okay, but this time I have my grandmother staying with us - which means that I can no longer put off setting up the guest room. So I painted it today (because asking someone to sleep surrounded by fluorescent pea green seemed cruel) and went to set up the bed frame my fiance's sister gave us... only to find that the supports were missing. Long story short, I ended up at Home Depot on the other side of town purchasing lumber.
I still have a lot of work to do before the party on Saturday too =/
As for comic books -
The Last Stand of New Krypton event wrapped up nicely. Of course I am a sucker for anything involving the Legion of Superheroes and having Brainy/Kara time was a nice bonus. I'm glad to see Mon'el back in his old costume and off to help the Legion with the bottle worlds. I'm really not sure why Supes stopped Zod from killing Brainiac... I mean, I'm intrigued that Brainiac 5 took him away but it seemed to make perfect sense that Brainiac would have been executed. Ah well, Jim Gordon should have killed the Joker back in the day too, but we all knew that wasn't going to happen. The War of the Supermen event seems almost anti-climatic after all that's happened but I guess I'll have to wait and see how it turns out. Mostly I'm just looking forward to more Legion stories :)
Over in the Marvel Universe... I really hate Marvel right now. Here I was actually enjoying all the Hope stuff as an event and what does Marvel do?
THEY KILL NIGHTCRAWLER ><
I hate you Marvel. Why would you do this to me? Kurt has been one of my two favorite Marvel characters for a very very long time. I even enjoyed the Nightcrawler mini-series... that's how much I love this character. And now he is dead. I mean sure, they gave him a noble death and all. But it doesn't matter because with Kurt dead and Kitty stuck in phased form I have no attachment to any of the remaining characters. I just don't care what happens to them anymore. Perhaps I'll change my mind after I'm less pissed off by this, but for now Marvel is dead to me.
...and now I'm off to see Iron Man 2 *cough*
Those were my high and low comic book points this week. I enjoyed Stumptown, Echo, Madame Xanadu and GLCorps. Also, the FCBD Mouse Guard book was a nice way to introduce new readers to the story. I've also been perusing the Mouse Guard RP book I got for Christmas as I'm thinking of trying to run a game. So far it seems like a fun and easy to play RP game. It could be fun to try it out.
When next I post I'll have my BA - hopefully I will also have my sanity.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Dark Horse Preview Review for July
Jim: Dark Horse is starting to become the fourth place publisher as IDW is clearly passing them at least in the direct market. Of course with their product solicitation I wonder how much they rely on the direct market as their major source of income.
Lee: DH is so diversified that I’m not sure they care. The company is stable and makes money. They have good branding and solid revenue streams. I’m sure they would like to be #3, but I bet they’re ok with #4.
BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY ARCHIVES VOLUME 3
Paul S. Newman (W), Dick Wood (W), Joe Certa (P), Al Williamson (P), Bob Jenney (P), Angelo Torres (P), Al McWilliams (P), Alberto Giolitti (P), and others
On sale Sept 1, FC, 232 pages, $49.99, HC, 6 5/8" x 10 3/16"
A modern gambling cheat is punished by spirits of centuries-old playing cards . . . Three adventurers in pursuit of evil find the greatest evil ever spoken, heard, and seen . . . An enchanted telephone booth brings success to a simple man, but when greed gets the better of him, his good fortune comes to an end . . . A mirror that reflects an antique dealer’s heart’s desire does more than just show him what he wants . . .
These stories and many, many more are collected in Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery Archives Volume 3! Tales of suspense, crime, intrigue, horror, and irony, hosted by the renowned actor Boris Karloff and featuring art from some of the finest comics storytellers from the sixties.
• Features a new introduction by the film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer John Landis!
• Contains issues #11–#16, from September 1965 to December 1966.
• More than thirty chilling tales compiled in this new collection!
Jim: How many of these do they produce, 300, 400? I mean if Dark Horse can make this work and make some bucks why has DC all but abandoned their Archive program?
Lee: They can’t produce very many, that’s for sure. In terms of material, I think this is supposed to be very good. At least the art is supposed to be very good, although the stories might be slightly saccharin.
CONAN: THE NEWSPAPER STRIPS VOLUME 1
Roy Thomas (W), Doug Moench (W), John Buscema (A), Ernie Chan (A), Alfredo Alcala (A), Rudy Nebres (A), Pablo Marcos (A), Alan Kupperberg (A), and Tom Yeates (A)
On sale Sept 8, FC, 280 pages, $34.99, HC, 12" x 9"
From September 4, 1978, until April 12, 1981, thousands of readers across the country thrilled to the daily adventures of everyone’s favorite barbarian, Conan! Now Dark Horse Comics is proud to present the Conan newspaper strips collected for the first time in a handsome hardcover volume. Readers will once again enjoy the talents of Roy Thomas, Doug Moench, John Buscema, Ernie Chan, Alfredo Alcala, Rudy Nebres, Pablo Marcos, Alan Kupperberg, and Tom Yeates as they artfully unfold the continuing saga of Conan in these daily comic strips!
• Conan remains one of the most popular licensed comics, with newly created Conan stories and an extensive reprint program, both from Dark Horse!
• Collects daily newspaper strips from September 4, 1978, through April 12, 1981.
Jim: I never even knew there was a Conan newspaper strip. Dark Horse is republishing everything with the Robert E Howard name attached to it.
Lee: I only know the strip existed because I’ve seen people selling the original art to it. But, I’ve pretty much had enough Conan for awhile. DH certainly has managed to reprint a lot of this material.
DOCTOR SOLAR, MAN OF THE ATOM #1
Jim Shooter (W), Dennis Calero (A/Cover), and Michael Komarck (Cover)
On sale July 14, FC, 48 pages, $3.50, Ongoing
Empowered by a thermonuclear catastrophe, Doctor Solar discovers that he can control energy. . Immeasurable strength is his at a whim. Power beyond imagination courses through his body. But he knows that the same kind of science run amok that created him can also empower the wicked. In the aftershock of the cataclysm that created Doctor Solar, ripples throughout space time imbue one Whitmore Pickerel with the power to create life—which he uses to serve his selfish desires and reckless ambitions. His newly created being, Leviathan, invulnerable and immeasurably strong, clashes with the Man of the Atom in a fierce battle that ravages the city. Meanwhile, for his personal amusement, Pickerel creates Glow, a living fantasy of unearthly charms . . . and deadly possibilities!
• Special bonus for this supersized issue: the very first Doctor Solar story from 1962!
• Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #1 is but the first act in an explosive program that will also see Shooter reimagine Magnus, Robot Fighter and Turok, Son of Stone for the twenty first century!
• Jim Shooter (former Valiant Comics editor in chief) returns to the character he redefined in the 1990s!
Features a variant cover by series artist Dennis Calero!
Jim: Well the Valiant version of Doctor Solar was great; can Jim Shooter catch lighting in a bottle one more time? His Legion run was well done until a falling out with management which is Jim’s history so I hope all the parameters with Dark Horse have already been hammered out and we can see Shooter stay on something for a few years.
Lee: I was never a fan of the Valiant version so I’m not sold. But, this did change the entire market for awhile so maybe it can do so again.
DOCTOR SPEKTOR ARCHIVES VOLUME 1
Donald Glut (W) and Jesse Santos (A)
On sale Sept 29, FC, 200 pages, $49.99, HC, 7" x 10"
Doctor Adam Spektor is an occult detective and monster hunter who travels the world over in search of the supernatural. Investigating everything from rumors of odd, ghostly occurrences to appearances of strange, deadly creatures, Doctor Spektor spends his time in the field putting his life at risk to save innocents from the sinister and the grotesque. Whether conducting occult experiments on curing vampirism or fighting unearthly behemoths, Doctor Spektor stalks the forces of evil—to record and investigate their existence as well as protect us! Created by writer Donald Glut and artist Dan Spiegle.
• This volume reprints the first seven comic books from the original 1970s Doctor Spektor series, with art by the incomparable Jesse Santos!
Jim: Dr. Spektor? Wow, Dark Horse is publishing the entire Gold Key library of material. I’m not sure what the market place is for this stuff, but two archives in a month for this stuff is pushing their luck.
Lee: I can tell you that I am interested in all the Gold Key material. But, it’s hard to justify $50 on stories that I’ve never seen or read. This is a pure price point issue for me. If it were $30, then I would own all of these.
FEAR AGENT #28: OUT OF STEP #1 (of 5)
Rick Remender (W), Mike Hawthorne (P), Tony Moore (P/Cover), and John Lucas (I)
On sale July 28, FC, 32 pages, $3.50, Miniseries
Heath Huston is mortally injured. His family, all of humanity, has been totally consumed, amalgamated by Tetaldian robotic conquerors. There is no hope. So who will save the asses of the universe this time? A drink is poured, a rocket ship ignited, and a cigar lit—a new Fear Agent will rise.
Four super champions of sci-fi pulp—Rick Remender, Mike Hawthorne, Tony Moore, and John Lucas—reunite, one final time, one final drink. Also includes a special Tales of the Fear Agent by legendary creator Hilary Barta!
• 32 FULL pages of COMIC-BOOK ACTION!
The final tale of the last Fear Agent begins here!
Jim: Yeah! I have been waiting for this for a long time. This is Remender’s best work and I can’t wait to see how he ends it.
Lee: This is where we disagree because I think Remender has run this off the tracks. There were lots of good ideas but they have just gotten wilder and stranger until it’s no longer believable. I’m glad to see a conclusion to the story, I’m just not hopeful that it will be good.
HELLBOY: THE STORM #1 (of 3)
Mike Mignola (W/Cover), Duncan Fegredo (A), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale July 7, FC, 32 pages, $2.99, Miniseries
A terrible storm is brewing, bodies are missing from their tombs, and the forces of darkness gather against Hellboy for a final bloody showdown.
Mignola and Fegredo reunite for the final arc of the bestselling saga that includes Hellboy: Darkness Calls and Hellboy: The Wild Hunt. The final arc of the Mignola/Fegredo saga!
Jim: So is this just wrapping up this storyline or is this the final Hellboy saga? I have to assume it is just wrapping up this story line.
Lee: I’m going with storyline too. I can’t see Hellboy ending any time soon.
VAMPIRE BOY
Carlos Trillo (W) and Eduardo Risso (A)
On sale Sept 22, b&w, 480 pages, $24.99, TPB, 6 1/2" x 9 1/2"
Left nameless by his father and sentenced to eternal life by a trick of fate and fortune, the protagonist of Carlos Trillo and Eduardo Risso’s Vampire Boy has spent fifty centuries in a body that never ages, locked in an eternal struggle with a rival as immortal as he.
Acclaimed writer Carlos Trillo teams with legendary artist Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets) to produce a poignantly engrossing twist on the classic vampire mythos, now collected in English for the first time!
• Writer Carlos Trillo has worked with some of the giants of the international comics scene, including Alberto Breccia and Jordi Bernet. Acclaimed artist Eduardo Risso is known for his work on titles like 100 Bullets, Aliens, and more.
• Collected in English for the first time!
Jim: Lee told me this was not that great and it was collected in English before, but Trillo and Risso make this an easy buy for me. It is almost impossible to have too much Risso in your collection
Lee: Yep. DH needs to do some homework. This was originally printed, in English, by SAF productions. Now, based upon the poor translation it’s arguable if the SAF version counts as English. Anyway, Trillo has written a million books and when you’re that prolific, some are good and some are bad. I wasn’t that impressed the first time. I have better Risso in my collection so I am passing on this.
Jim: A good month for Dark Horse as we are getting a little more out of the comic book side and some interesting reprints.
Lee: I really, really like the Gold Key reprints, I just wish they were cheaper.
Lee: DH is so diversified that I’m not sure they care. The company is stable and makes money. They have good branding and solid revenue streams. I’m sure they would like to be #3, but I bet they’re ok with #4.
BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY ARCHIVES VOLUME 3
Paul S. Newman (W), Dick Wood (W), Joe Certa (P), Al Williamson (P), Bob Jenney (P), Angelo Torres (P), Al McWilliams (P), Alberto Giolitti (P), and others
On sale Sept 1, FC, 232 pages, $49.99, HC, 6 5/8" x 10 3/16"
A modern gambling cheat is punished by spirits of centuries-old playing cards . . . Three adventurers in pursuit of evil find the greatest evil ever spoken, heard, and seen . . . An enchanted telephone booth brings success to a simple man, but when greed gets the better of him, his good fortune comes to an end . . . A mirror that reflects an antique dealer’s heart’s desire does more than just show him what he wants . . .
These stories and many, many more are collected in Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery Archives Volume 3! Tales of suspense, crime, intrigue, horror, and irony, hosted by the renowned actor Boris Karloff and featuring art from some of the finest comics storytellers from the sixties.
• Features a new introduction by the film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer John Landis!
• Contains issues #11–#16, from September 1965 to December 1966.
• More than thirty chilling tales compiled in this new collection!
Jim: How many of these do they produce, 300, 400? I mean if Dark Horse can make this work and make some bucks why has DC all but abandoned their Archive program?
Lee: They can’t produce very many, that’s for sure. In terms of material, I think this is supposed to be very good. At least the art is supposed to be very good, although the stories might be slightly saccharin.
CONAN: THE NEWSPAPER STRIPS VOLUME 1
Roy Thomas (W), Doug Moench (W), John Buscema (A), Ernie Chan (A), Alfredo Alcala (A), Rudy Nebres (A), Pablo Marcos (A), Alan Kupperberg (A), and Tom Yeates (A)
On sale Sept 8, FC, 280 pages, $34.99, HC, 12" x 9"
From September 4, 1978, until April 12, 1981, thousands of readers across the country thrilled to the daily adventures of everyone’s favorite barbarian, Conan! Now Dark Horse Comics is proud to present the Conan newspaper strips collected for the first time in a handsome hardcover volume. Readers will once again enjoy the talents of Roy Thomas, Doug Moench, John Buscema, Ernie Chan, Alfredo Alcala, Rudy Nebres, Pablo Marcos, Alan Kupperberg, and Tom Yeates as they artfully unfold the continuing saga of Conan in these daily comic strips!
• Conan remains one of the most popular licensed comics, with newly created Conan stories and an extensive reprint program, both from Dark Horse!
• Collects daily newspaper strips from September 4, 1978, through April 12, 1981.
Jim: I never even knew there was a Conan newspaper strip. Dark Horse is republishing everything with the Robert E Howard name attached to it.
Lee: I only know the strip existed because I’ve seen people selling the original art to it. But, I’ve pretty much had enough Conan for awhile. DH certainly has managed to reprint a lot of this material.
DOCTOR SOLAR, MAN OF THE ATOM #1
Jim Shooter (W), Dennis Calero (A/Cover), and Michael Komarck (Cover)
On sale July 14, FC, 48 pages, $3.50, Ongoing
Empowered by a thermonuclear catastrophe, Doctor Solar discovers that he can control energy. . Immeasurable strength is his at a whim. Power beyond imagination courses through his body. But he knows that the same kind of science run amok that created him can also empower the wicked. In the aftershock of the cataclysm that created Doctor Solar, ripples throughout space time imbue one Whitmore Pickerel with the power to create life—which he uses to serve his selfish desires and reckless ambitions. His newly created being, Leviathan, invulnerable and immeasurably strong, clashes with the Man of the Atom in a fierce battle that ravages the city. Meanwhile, for his personal amusement, Pickerel creates Glow, a living fantasy of unearthly charms . . . and deadly possibilities!
• Special bonus for this supersized issue: the very first Doctor Solar story from 1962!
• Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #1 is but the first act in an explosive program that will also see Shooter reimagine Magnus, Robot Fighter and Turok, Son of Stone for the twenty first century!
• Jim Shooter (former Valiant Comics editor in chief) returns to the character he redefined in the 1990s!
Features a variant cover by series artist Dennis Calero!
Jim: Well the Valiant version of Doctor Solar was great; can Jim Shooter catch lighting in a bottle one more time? His Legion run was well done until a falling out with management which is Jim’s history so I hope all the parameters with Dark Horse have already been hammered out and we can see Shooter stay on something for a few years.
Lee: I was never a fan of the Valiant version so I’m not sold. But, this did change the entire market for awhile so maybe it can do so again.
DOCTOR SPEKTOR ARCHIVES VOLUME 1
Donald Glut (W) and Jesse Santos (A)
On sale Sept 29, FC, 200 pages, $49.99, HC, 7" x 10"
Doctor Adam Spektor is an occult detective and monster hunter who travels the world over in search of the supernatural. Investigating everything from rumors of odd, ghostly occurrences to appearances of strange, deadly creatures, Doctor Spektor spends his time in the field putting his life at risk to save innocents from the sinister and the grotesque. Whether conducting occult experiments on curing vampirism or fighting unearthly behemoths, Doctor Spektor stalks the forces of evil—to record and investigate their existence as well as protect us! Created by writer Donald Glut and artist Dan Spiegle.
• This volume reprints the first seven comic books from the original 1970s Doctor Spektor series, with art by the incomparable Jesse Santos!
Jim: Dr. Spektor? Wow, Dark Horse is publishing the entire Gold Key library of material. I’m not sure what the market place is for this stuff, but two archives in a month for this stuff is pushing their luck.
Lee: I can tell you that I am interested in all the Gold Key material. But, it’s hard to justify $50 on stories that I’ve never seen or read. This is a pure price point issue for me. If it were $30, then I would own all of these.
FEAR AGENT #28: OUT OF STEP #1 (of 5)
Rick Remender (W), Mike Hawthorne (P), Tony Moore (P/Cover), and John Lucas (I)
On sale July 28, FC, 32 pages, $3.50, Miniseries
Heath Huston is mortally injured. His family, all of humanity, has been totally consumed, amalgamated by Tetaldian robotic conquerors. There is no hope. So who will save the asses of the universe this time? A drink is poured, a rocket ship ignited, and a cigar lit—a new Fear Agent will rise.
Four super champions of sci-fi pulp—Rick Remender, Mike Hawthorne, Tony Moore, and John Lucas—reunite, one final time, one final drink. Also includes a special Tales of the Fear Agent by legendary creator Hilary Barta!
• 32 FULL pages of COMIC-BOOK ACTION!
The final tale of the last Fear Agent begins here!
Jim: Yeah! I have been waiting for this for a long time. This is Remender’s best work and I can’t wait to see how he ends it.
Lee: This is where we disagree because I think Remender has run this off the tracks. There were lots of good ideas but they have just gotten wilder and stranger until it’s no longer believable. I’m glad to see a conclusion to the story, I’m just not hopeful that it will be good.
HELLBOY: THE STORM #1 (of 3)
Mike Mignola (W/Cover), Duncan Fegredo (A), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale July 7, FC, 32 pages, $2.99, Miniseries
A terrible storm is brewing, bodies are missing from their tombs, and the forces of darkness gather against Hellboy for a final bloody showdown.
Mignola and Fegredo reunite for the final arc of the bestselling saga that includes Hellboy: Darkness Calls and Hellboy: The Wild Hunt. The final arc of the Mignola/Fegredo saga!
Jim: So is this just wrapping up this storyline or is this the final Hellboy saga? I have to assume it is just wrapping up this story line.
Lee: I’m going with storyline too. I can’t see Hellboy ending any time soon.
VAMPIRE BOY
Carlos Trillo (W) and Eduardo Risso (A)
On sale Sept 22, b&w, 480 pages, $24.99, TPB, 6 1/2" x 9 1/2"
Left nameless by his father and sentenced to eternal life by a trick of fate and fortune, the protagonist of Carlos Trillo and Eduardo Risso’s Vampire Boy has spent fifty centuries in a body that never ages, locked in an eternal struggle with a rival as immortal as he.
Acclaimed writer Carlos Trillo teams with legendary artist Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets) to produce a poignantly engrossing twist on the classic vampire mythos, now collected in English for the first time!
• Writer Carlos Trillo has worked with some of the giants of the international comics scene, including Alberto Breccia and Jordi Bernet. Acclaimed artist Eduardo Risso is known for his work on titles like 100 Bullets, Aliens, and more.
• Collected in English for the first time!
Jim: Lee told me this was not that great and it was collected in English before, but Trillo and Risso make this an easy buy for me. It is almost impossible to have too much Risso in your collection
Lee: Yep. DH needs to do some homework. This was originally printed, in English, by SAF productions. Now, based upon the poor translation it’s arguable if the SAF version counts as English. Anyway, Trillo has written a million books and when you’re that prolific, some are good and some are bad. I wasn’t that impressed the first time. I have better Risso in my collection so I am passing on this.
Jim: A good month for Dark Horse as we are getting a little more out of the comic book side and some interesting reprints.
Lee: I really, really like the Gold Key reprints, I just wish they were cheaper.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Sheikman - The Sketchbook 2010
Lee says:
In case you’re new to the blog, Jim and I have loved the work of Alex Sheikman since the first Robotika series. While we love to talk about him, he’s not a household name yet. But, you can imagine our excitement when he first told us that sending us a sketchbook to review.
The sketchbook serves as an introduction to Skeikman’s art and storytelling abilities. The first thing that struck me about the sketchbook was the size. I thought it would be 10-15 pages, and comic book sized. Boy, was I wrong. This is 30 or more magazine sized pages on some of the heaviest paper I’ve seen outside of a Marvel Masterwork or DC Archive.
In terms of content, half the book is filled with splashes. They comprise typical comic book elements such as barbarians, Deja Thoris, and some horror type settings. There’s also some character stuff like Davis’s Marquis and Marvel’s Warlock.
As expected, the splash pages are all very good. Some are fully inked, and some are partially inked so you can see Sheikman’s pencil lines. Skeikman’s original splashes really shine. When Sheikman worked with other characters, the art was more hit or miss. The problem with doing other people’s characters is an artist opens himself to comparison. For example, I thought Alex was able to capture the power, and tortured-soul-ness (yes I know it’s not a word) of Warlock. But his Thanos was lacking because he wasn’t big and foreboding enough. The Marquis was good because Sheikman does great monsters, but the Dreadstar was weak because he wasn’t heroic enough.
There’s a smattering of older material in the sketchbook too. Some of the older work has some minor perspective and figure problems that get worked out in later years. But, I liked seeing it because it showed how Sheikman has grown as an artist.
The real test of an artist is his panel work. Splash pages are easy when compared to panel pages. A splash page doesn’t need to tell a story, it is the story. And, making the transition from splash guy to story guy is harder than it looks. The sketchbook includes a couple of short stories. There are six & four page wordless stories so you can see Sheikman’s story telling technique. And, without doubt Skeikman can tell a story. His composition was solid and the flow to the stories was smooth.
Finally, there is a four page story with dialogue written by Norm Felchle. I thought this was a great inclusion because it shows how Sheikman works with other people’s ideas, and his composition ability when you have to include dialogue boxes.
Overall, if your unfamiliar with Skeikman’s work, this is a great book to get because it will show you what he’s all about. If you’re already a fan such as myself, then this is just gravy because it’s all good.
Jim says:
I’m not one to buy Sketchbooks that often but when it is an artist that has that certain je ne sais quoi then I’m interested.
Alex’s work has a heavy lined style that is dark, moody and very expressive. This book gives us ton of samples of his work. He spots blacks with the best of the, can do the details of armor clad warriors like few other artists and knows how to tell a story. This book is filled with examples of not only his artwork but samples of his story telling ability. He also includes a piece that is a Batman cover that may have been a commission, but I could easily see him being a cover artist as his work is striking, well done and has a singular voice.
You can visit Alex's blog here. Tell him we said hi.
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