A Fistful of Reviews

Madame Xanadu #29 (Vertigo)


I am truly sad that this series is over. I will miss this character, the great stories expanding the eras, and most of all Amy Reeder's art. I'm not sure why they ended this series but it's been a fun trip.

Locke and Key: Keys to the Kingdom #3 (IDW)


I like the time passing overlays showing that the kids are still fighting odd fantasy-esque battles but that it's become a daily part of life for them. My favorite scene this issue was Boyd explaining that he and his friend were "playing cars" (Boyd and his friend had both become giants and were using real cars). I also like how the kids are starting to see the downsides of using the keys.

Walking Dead #79 (Image)


After reading Thomm's post and seeing this book through a new perspective - it is true that there is much more of a character focus in this book that in the TV series. I also agree that Andrea is a stronger character in the books and would like to see more of that side of her in the TV show next season. Regardless I'm interested to see how people deal with the latest walker incursion.

American Vampire #9 (Vertigo)


I really like this book - this issue was pretty harsh though. I did like the reveal about Cash's dad being a (good) vampire. Sweet's escaping was, of course, inevitable. The thing with Cash's baby was unexpected and seriously creepy. Scott Snyder writes his genre well.

JSA All Stars #13 (DC)


This cover must have been hard to pull off. This was an entertaining issue and it was nice to have a spotlight on Cyclone's character. I really don't get the nanites thing but I was more concerned that Cyclone has different bones now... I'm not really sure where they're going with that.

izombie #8 (Vertigo)


This book is so great. This issue seems to be pushing us towards finding out more about Gwen's past. Her latest meal was the mother of one of Gwen's childhood friends. Also I'm interested to find out more about where Gwen and Horatio's relationship is going (as it's probably not going to end well).

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard #4 (ASP)


This was the final issue of these short stories. While overall I had fun reading (most) of them I will be gladly looking forward to the next MG story written by David Peterson, the Black Axe.

Batwoman #0 (DC)


I didn't much like the back and forth story boarding for this issue. It's my understanding that the art team will be switching off issue in the future so that should help. Regardless the story was okay but really, why would it take Batman such a long time to figure out Batwoman's identity... it was a little unbelievable.

The Walking Dead, TV Version

So, The Walking Dead's initial 6 episode run on AMC has come to an end. A very popular six episodes, at least by basic cable standards. Its popularity is well deserved. The Kirkman, Moore and Adlard creation retains all the tension and horror of the source comic, even in color. Kirkman wrote the 4th episode, but there was no guarantee his comic writing would translate well to TV or that any of the other writers would appreciate what he'd created.

Coincidentally, I'm reading The Walking Dead Compendium that collects issues 1-48. As a result, I've just read the same time frame in the story that is now being presented in the show. The differences between the two are striking, so that the show retains the same feel as the comic, and utilizes the same premise, it goes in a whole other direction.

First, the similarities. Rick is still shot at the beginning, leaving him in a coma when the disaster strikes. It's drawn out a lot more in the show. The comic took all of 1 page to tell that part. Anyway, Rick wakes up to discover there's no one in the hospital, signs of carnage everywhere, and when he opens the wrong barred door, a whole lot of shambling corpses intent on munching on him. As with the comic, Rick first heads to his own house and runs into a man and his son who have taken up residence in his neighbor's abandoned house. They fill Rick in on the disaster and that people have gone to Atlanta to be protected by the military.

It's when Rick gets to Atlanta that there are a lot of differences cropping up. And that didn't even happen until the start of the second episode. Instead of Rick being rescued from a zombie horde by just Glenn, there are a whole contingent of people from the camp on the outskirts of Atlanta who've come in to the city to look for provisions. They're holed up in a department store and are trapped there when Rick's shooting at the zombies attracts more of them. They eventually escape and make it back to the camp.

We've already seen cast changes when in the department store but there are still more of note when we get to camp. We still have Jim, whose entire family was eaten by zombies as he escaped; sisters Amy and Adrea; Dale, whose wife was bitten; Carol and her young daughter, Sophia; and Rick's partner, Shane, along with Rick's wife, Lori, and son, Carl. We also had the aforementioned Glenn. In addition to them are a middle aged black couple, Carol's abusive husband, a young Hispanic couple and their 2 daughters, and a pair of redneck brothers. In fact, one of those brothers was left handcuffed to the department store roof when the others escaped because he's a racist who was trying to take over the group and beat up the middle aged black guy. There may be some other people who I forgot, too. Unfortunately, I can't recall any of the names of these new characters.

After the happy reunion for Rick, he and a bunch of the others go back into Atlanta to try to free the redneck handcuffed to the roof and to recover a bag of guns Rich had brought but dropped when surrounded by the zombies. They're ambushed by a Hispanic group who also want the guns and end up in a standoff with them when each side ends up with a hostage. That's eventually resolved, as well as the redneck not being found because he cut off his own hand to escape. His brother, of course, isn't too happy about that.

While this group is hoofing it back to camp, because the redneck who cut off his hand took the van they came in, a bunch of zombies attack the camp. Carol's husband, Amy and a few others whose names escape me are killed. The camp is saved when the expedition returns in time to re-kill the zombies. Oh yeah, in the meantime, Shane had beaten Carol's husband pretty badly when the husband was being abusive to Carol. This had him laid up in a tent and easy pickings for the zombies.

Like in the comic, Jim is bitten during this attack. After the attack, they decide to leave. Here's where we get into major differences. First, Shane's not dead. In the comic, Carl had killed Shane when Shane tried to kill Rick while they were out hunting. Shane in the show isn't so wedded to the idea of waiting where they are until rescued that it drives him off the deep end, like it did in the comic. Shane still had a relationship with Lori while she thought Rick was dead. Shane's still pissed that Lori dropped him for Rick. Shane lied to Lori about Rick being dead in the show version, which wasn't the case in the comic.

Second, instead of heading out away from Atlanta in hopes of finding some succor, the band heads for the CDC to try to find out what happened. Not all of them go to the CDC, though. The Hispanic family headed to Birmingham to find family they have there. The rest of the band does get to the CDC, where there's one surviving scientist. He gives them the low down that it's some sort of contagion that causes the dead to regain a minimal brain stem activity that drives them to eat whatever living thing they encounter. This is shown really quite neatly with fMRI scans of someone who was bitten and volunteered to be scanned to show the change in brain activity. That fMRI ends with a bullet tracing through the skull after the person becomes a zombie. Of course, it's the scientist's wife.

Which is how we finish at the end. The scientist has given up. His efforts to discover a cure have failed (his wife was by far the smarter one who could possibly have done it), and the CDC is running out of fuel for its generators, which will automatically trigger an explosion that will wipe out the entire building to make sure none of its many other fatal substances, such as ricin, can fall into the wrong hands. He intends to stay there and call it quits. The middle aged black woman in the group decides she can't handle the new reality, either, and stays with him. After much tension and drama about him trapping the others with him for this quick death, he lets them out of the control center, which allows them to break out of the building when Carol reveals she has a hand grenade that she'd found on Rick's clothes at some point.

Third, I don't like how the Andrea character is developing. In the comic, when Amy dies from her bites by the zombies, Andrea immediately shoots her in the head so she won't become a zombie. In the show, Andrea holds vigil over her sister until Amy stirs as a zombie, and only then, afte much weeping and gnashing of teeth, shoots her in the head. Andrea also wants to stay with the scientist to die until Dale says he'll stay with her if she does. These two points in her story on the show make Andrea a much weaker character than she is in the comic. In the comic she's not only the best shot in the group, she knows what needs to be done to save them and does it. In many respects she's the female, more stable version of Rick. The show needs to move her more in that direction and away from the weepiness.

Important missing characters in the show are Allen and his wife, as well as their twin boys. They play a large role in the opening chapters of the comic but don't exist in the show. Allen's eventual death has a heavy effect on Rick, in part because his effort to save Allen not only is a failure but cause Allen a lot of pain in the process. What's more, Andrea and Dale take on the responsibility of raising the twins after their parents' deaths. Unless these characters are introduced later, that's not going to happen.

Here's the thing that I wonder. Has the show taken it too far afield from the comic? The changes in cast aren't that big a deal. The changes made the cast more diverse, which would fit for a cosmopolitan city like Atlanta. But Kirkman has always been adamant that the comic wasn't about how or why the disaster happened. There's been no knowledge beyond what the relatively small cast knows. There's idea what happened in the rest of the US, let alone the rest of the world. And there's nothing at all about how the zombie change works that isn't found out by the survivors by trial and error of trying to save their own who become infected.

I think the way Kirkman has handled it in the comic is better. He's telling stories about these survivors and how they cope. What changes are made in them by the disaster? How do they relate to one another under these circumstances? Do they build in hopes of a future? These are the central elements of the comic.

The show runs the risk of becoming a hunt for how it all happened and what they can do to fix it. I also found the character of the scientist at the CDC to be trite, as well as his whole situation. Holed up in his impregnable bunker, he's had more than adequate food, plenty of water, and so on. He's got it good and doesn't want to continue. Yada, yada, yada. I've seen that sort of thing in sci-fi and fantasy tales innumerable times.

I like the show, but we'll see how it goes from here. If it just leaves the CDC thing behind as a memory, it'll be good. If it becomes a hunt for a cure, it's going to be a whole other thing than the comic. I might still like it, but it'll have a much harder time being the same sort of story about the people that the comic is.

Oh, and Carol on the show is nowhere near as hot as Carol in the comic was. Evidently TV doesn't believe hot women get abused by their husbands.

Coraline -- A Review

Publisher: HarperCollins

Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman

Adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell

Colorist: Lovern Kindzierski

Letterer: Todd Klein

Format: 192 (6x9) pages, TPB

Price: $9.99




WOW, what a great book!!! The funny thing is that I don't think I would've ever gotten it last week (or any other) if it hadn't been for my store's subscriber empty box bonus coupon, which allowed me any one item at 40% off. I had no idea what I was going to try to get, so I was just perusing the shelves looking for something "good and cheap". Other than trying to save a few bucks on a possible Christmas present (for one of my children, NOT myself), which would probably be collecting dust in a few weeks, this seemed like the most reasonable choice. A quick consult with our very own Greg (nice to see you by the way -- sharp threads!) and my mind was made up (and if I had remembered Jim and Lee's recommendation from two and a half years ago that would've helped too [The blog's search engine really works well folks!]). For an impulse buy, having it be only six dollars was a huge bonus too!!!

Based on the creators involved, I was anticipating this to be a good read. I've enjoyed P. Craig Russell's art for quite a while since his work on the first Elric series by Pacific Comics (I still need the Stormbringer one though, which was published by Topps and Dark Horse -- [update: just purchased it off ebay]). Michael Moorcock was one of my favorite authors growing up, although he also wrote one of two books that I actually destroyed after reading it, "Behold the Man". The other one that I threw away, instead of donating it to a thrift store, was William Peter Blatty's "The Exorcist". Don't think of it as censorship -- they were my books and I had the right to do with them what I wanted and I'm not going to ask for them to be banned, but I wouldn't recommend them to anyone and two less copies in the world wouldn't hurt. I probably shouldn't even bring them up, since now you'll probably just go out and read them...(sigh). Anyway, I've never to my memory read many Neil Gaiman comics (I know I'm probably the only one who hasn't), but I did see the Stardust and Mirrormask movies and liked them well enough.

Most of y'all are probably already familiar with the basic story -- maybe you saw the recent film version (see some film comments below). However, in case you're not, here's the gist: Coraline (age around 8 to 10 I suppose) has just moved into an apartment (flat) in an old house with her two parents. There are two other groups living in the house, a pair of aging spinsters that were former actresses and an old man who claims to be training some mice for a circus. There is one area of the house that is locked up and vacant . In fact, there is a door from Coraline's drawing room to the vacant area, but when the door is opened you see that the connection has been entirely bricked up.

Both Coraline's parents seem to barely tolerate her existence (at least that's how she perceives them). Maybe they're just weary of her constant proclamations of boredom (Boy is that familiar). When it's nice outside Coraline likes to explore the grounds where she encounters a black cat. She also interacts with the other tenants, which strike her as a bit odd. They also never get her name right, pronouncing it Caroline instead. Things start to get a little (Rosemary's Baby-ish) creepy [a film I will NEVER see again], when they indicate that she's in danger.

Well, one day Coraline unlocks the door to the brick wall only to discover that there is now a dark passage way behind it. After walking through it she meets her "other" mother and "other" father, who seem much more loving and attentive than her real parents offering her whatever she wants, but their black button eyes are very unsettling. They want her to stay for ever and always -- the only catch is she's got to let them sew some black buttons over her eyes. Coraline declines and goes back home.

Soon after she realizes that her parents have been stolen so she has to return to the other world. She's armed with a few protective devices: a stone with a hole in it (given by the spinsters), some food (to counter act the "other" food), and the black cat (who can speak on the other side). The "other" mother is more agitated this time around and more predatory -- she also enlists some rats to obtain the key to the door to keep Coraline locked on this side. She punishes Coraline by placing her inside a mirror where she meets three spirits of deceased children (well, one of them is a fairy of some sort).

Apparently, the "other" mother is some sort of spidery creature called a Beldam, who will eventually suck the life out of Coraline. They warn her to get away while she can. However, Coraline is determined to save her parents and vows to save the souls of the spirits as well. When she is released from the mirror prison, she challenges the Beldam (who we never see it its real guise) to give her a chance to find the souls and her folks in exchange for her freedom. If she loses, then it's black button eyes time.

Despite the Beldam's trickery, Coraline is successful is winning the challenge, but she barely manages to escape. Things seem to be better now, but the Beldam's right hand also followed her and is trying to retrieve the key to the passageway. Coraline ingeniously dispatches the hand and finally all is right in the world and even the neighbors are now more normal.

Okay, obviously that recap doesn't scratch the surface of all the wonderful nuances this story contains. I'm curious if there are any recurring themes in Gaiman's other children stories. It's a fairly intense story for kids and I wanted to make sure I read it first before releasing it to my literate offspring. I didn't really get the chance though, because I was immediately urged to read it to my eight-year old daughter, Evy, who absolutely was enthralled with the book. We read the whole thing in two sittings.

The narration is fairly concise and Russell's page layouts mesh perfectly to keep the flow and the interest, capturing all the subtle and unsubtle sinister aspects. The coloring is brilliant as well, but I'd really like to comment on the exceptional lettering job. There's a lot of inventive approaches in placement that just enhance the whole experience. My favorite page is when the Beldam's hand comes to the tea party and meets its demise. The view point is awesome and so is Coraline's fractured counting. I'm interested in reading the original text, but I can't imagine it would be as good as this version. After all, it's not like a script where it's going to tell the reader that you have to look down upon the scene in a certain way. Russell has already covered those bases for you and while the source material could be very suspenseful and engrossing in it's own way -- I don't have the imagination to keep the appearances of the people and the furniture, etc. in my mind while I read.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I couldn't help but praise this unexpected joy of a graphic novel. My 10-year old, Helen, has nearly finished it herself and I suspect the whole family will read it in turn. Not bad for six dollars. The experience of reading it with Evy, well to quote MasterCard -- "priceless".

******

Last Sunday night, we all (except the two youngest ones) sat down to watch Coraline as a family (2D version). It was made by the same guy who directed The Nightmare before Christmas, which isn't my favorite movie by far. I liked the stop-motion animation, but I really don't understand why they changed certain parts of the story, including my favorite tea party scene near the end. The stylistic animation made everything (both the real world and other world) too surreal. Russell's adaptation is firmly grounded in the "normal" world and deals with the supernatural sparingly -- only when he needs to, which makes the story more terrifying in places (I think). Even though the Beldam undergoes somewhat of a transformation in the comic, the movie leaves nothing to the imagination and shows it/her fully as the spidery thing. Coraline isn't some blue-haired girl, she looks just like one of my daughters. She's also much more capable and brave in the comic -- she needs a little help, but she certainly doesn't need a neighbor boy to finish off the Beldam. Really, changing that scene totally took her ingenuity right out of the story. To sum it up, if you've seen the movie then you haven't experienced the wonder of Coraline.

Comics And... Exclusive! A Day in the Life of Dan Didio

Comics and Other Imaginary Tales has obtained an exclusive look in the life of DC Comics co-publisher Dan Didio


7:00 a.m. Wake up, eat breakfast. Pour bowl of cheerios, but decide that you would rather have pancakes. Call Geoff Johns and ask him to stop making his own breakfast and cook you pancakes like your mom used to make.

7: 42 a.m. Talk to wife before you leave about the great romantic evening you have planned for her and how it will redefine their relationship for years to come.

9:15 a.m. Prank call Sean McKeever, pretending to be Joe Quesada offering him the job writing the Amazing Spider-Man.

9:16 a.m. Laugh. Comb Mustache.

10:45 a.m. Read the script for high profile creative team’s innovative reinvention of obscure Silver Age DC character. Talk to editor about the project’s potential to win an Eisner.

11:15 a.m. Talk to Grant Morrison about his latest story arc on Batman, Inc. During his explanation of how Tibetan mysticism is essential to understanding why Batman is fighting glowing space worms, sigh and fondly remember days working on Reboot.

12:31 p.m. Read Scans Daily comments, followed by reassuring call to Greg Land who reminds you that everything's going to be ok and there's nothing wrong with you.

1:20 p.m. Interview with Newsarama about all the great writers working at DC right now, assure them that you’re talking about more writers than just Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns.

1:45 p.m. Conference call with Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns. During call, yell at Peter Tomasi for listening with a cup pressed against the door.

2:00 p.m. Slash Sean McKeever’s Tires.

2:01 p.m. Start writing latest issue of the Outsiders.

2:02 p.m. Finish writing latest issue of the Outsiders.

2:11 p.m. Call high profile creative team doing the innovative reinvention of obscure Silver Age DC character. Ask them to tie the book into latest DC Crossover, Final Crisis 2: Finality.

2:52 p.m. Call Fabian Nicieza, ask if he can take over an innovative reinvention of obscure Silver Age DC character that is suddenly without a creative team.

3:00 p.m. Take car to mechanic, tell him you need your oil changed.

3:03 p.m. Call mechanic. Tell him you have changed your mind and would like your tires rotated instead.

3:06 p.m. Call mechanic. Tell him you have changed your mind and would like a tune up instead.

3:40 p.m. Call mechanic. Tell him he’s fired because you read online that he was complaining about how much you change your mind.

4:00 p.m. Waste time at the office by watching Silence of the Lambs. Suddenly get idea for the next story arc in Teen Titans.

5:00 p.m. Meeting to discuss new takes on DC’s characters. Question: Is there a silver age Black Lightning and can we bring him back? Thought: Can Damage be the new Black Lightning?

6:00 p.m. Go to eat dinner, find out that children have gone over to Mr. Quesada’s house for dinner. Peter Tomasi joins family for dinner instead.

7:00 p.m. Wife asks what happened to the romantic evening they were supposed to have. Explain that you can’t be held responsible for other people’s expectations. Ask Fabian Nicieza to handle this on short notice.

8:00 p.m. Tell wife you want a divorce and how you were reintroduced to your high school girlfriend by Geoff Johns. Tell her how grateful you are to have your “one, true love” back and how you feel reborn. Assure wife that she’ll get a new wardrobe and will still be an important part of your life as your neighbor and we’ll see lots of each other.

10:00 p.m. Totally don’t see her anymore.

* Apologies to Spooky at Dear Mr. Levy

IDW Preview Review for February 2011

Lee: I’ve been doing this long enough to recognize a slow February when I see it. Luckily it doesn’t appear to be one for IDW.
Thomm: February’s only the best month of the year. Best chance of snow in Maryland. President’s Day. Groundhog Day. My birthday, too.

Art of George Perez HC
Desperado and IDW are proud to present a retrospective volume devoted to the entire career of one of today's most popular artists, George Perez. This book offers readers and fans a chance to witness his immense and sensational career from his early days at Marvel to his glory days at DC where he co-created the New Teen Titans, which rivaled the X-Men in popularity at the time, and revitalized Wonder Woman as both writer and artist. This volume covers his return to the Avengers, as well as his resurgence at CrossGen and his own independent projects. This tome also offers glimpses of previously never-before-seen material from his files and sketchbooks, private commissioned work, as well as beautifully reproduced images of his personal favorites with insights into his life and creative process. This book is a necessity for any George Perez fan, as well as for anyone who truly appreciates comic books in general. $49.99
Lee: All I can figure is there are some crazy GP fans out there because this is the third or fourth art book that has been done for him. The price is steep but if you love Perez then it’s likely a must have.
Thomm: Perez is one of the few artists that I can almost instantly recognize but, really, I’d rather have a collection of his run on Wonder Woman or Teen Titans than an art book.

Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms Vol. 01 SC by Jeff Grubb (w) Rags Morales (a & c)
The classic DC Comics Forgotten Realms series is collected in trade paperback form for the first time! This action-packed volume collects the first eight issues of the fan-favorite by writer Jeff Grubb and artist Rags Morales (Identity Crisis). TPB Full Color. 204 Pages $19.99
Lee: If memory serves, this was an ordinary sword and sorcery team book. It only lasted 25 issues and the only truly interesting thing about it is the early Rags Morales art. I’m sure someone has fond memories of this series, it just isn’t me.
Thomm: I have no memories at all of the series, so it’s definitely not for me. Is IDW a farm team for Marvel and DC? Our first two picks here are of properties owned by the Big Two.

Fish Police Vol. 01 SC by Steve Moncuse (w & a & c)
Steve Moncuse's fondly remembered classic from the black and white explosion is collected here for the first time in more than 20 years. Hugely successful, and even becoming a Saturday morning cartoon, Moncuse's opus features a wide array of memorable characters alongside intricate and intriguing storylines! Meet Joe Gill, a Fish Police officer, the beautiful (but deadly!) Angelfish, Dr. Calamari, and the evil organization know only as S.Q.U.I.D! TPB B&W 112 Pages $14.99
Lee: While I’m not overly intrigued by Forgotten Realms, I am on the other hand, very interested in Fish Police. One of the few well loved series to come from, and semi-survive the B&W boom of the 80’s, Fish Police has always interested me. I’ve never actually read any of the stories but the fanbase is so passionate that it makes me want to check it out. In an interesting aside, Fish Police was actually developed into a cartoon in the 90s with John Ritter as the lead voice!
Thomm: Which only makes me think of Spongebob Squarepants. I remember this series being a big deal in the ‘80s, but like Lee, I never read any of it. A passionate fan base isn’t recommendation enough for me. I think Tarot has a passionate fan base, after all.

Phoenix Without Ashes HC by Harlan Ellison (w) Alan Robinson (a)
Harlan Ellison, one of the Grand Masters of science fiction and a multiple Hugo-, Nebula-, and Edgar Award-winner, returns to his roots with the graphic novel, Phoenix Without Ashes. The year is 2785, and Devon, a farmer banished for challenging his community's Elders, discovers a secret that changes everything he knew about the world, leading him on an adventure beyond his understanding and on a quest to solve a mystery beyond his comprehension before his entire world is destroyed in cataclysm. $21.99
Lee: Phoenix Without Ashes is the novelization of Harlan Ellison's ill fated TV venture from the early 1970's.
Thomm: So none of this is new? Um, when did writers become chess players? There’s no actual writers organization awarding the title of Grand Master, is there?

Plane Story SC by Kevin Sacco (w & a & c)
A modern-day Bildungsroman, The Plane Story follows young artist Kevin Sacco as he inches his way into the New York commercial art scene of the 1970s. Along the way, we are introduced to his Communist-turned-ad exec father, a mother he never knew he had, a cigarette smoking guardian angel, and a bevy of characters that all influence his fate. The Plane Story tells the universal story of a young man with a dream as he encounters the world's complicated realities. Think Mad Men meets A Contract With God in this wacky memoir in which the narrator/hero finds his greatest inspiration from New York's Everyman. $19.99An preview of Sacco’s story telling abilities can be found here. It isn’t this book but it will give you an idea of his ability.
Lee: IDW seems to be spilling over into Fantagraphics land with the ’real life’ story. It certainly sounds interesting, and if the preview is any indication, Sacco can certainly draw pretty pictures and tell a tale. It is certainly worth investigating.
Thomm: Doesn’t sound all that interesting to me. Everyman’s dream kinda means, well, it’s every man’s dream, which isn’t something I haven’t seen previously. Now, I did have to look up Bildungsroman, so I’ll give them credit for at least providing a learning moment for me.

Starstruck deluxe ed. HC by Elaine Lee (w) Michael Kaluta (a & c)
The classic, galactic-spanning saga of Starstruck, the renowned stage play/radio drama/heady science fiction classic, continues! Collecting all 13 issues of the completely remastered Starstruck series by Elaine Lee and Michael Wm. Kaluta. 280 pages of Starstruck and Galactic Girl Guides adventures, covers, pin-ups, glossary, postcards, and so much more! The first truly comprehensive collection of this material in a grand, over-sized hardcover edition. This beautiful book features some of the finest art ever put to paper by Kaluta, including many pages that were never printed in the original run. Additionally, Kaluta painstakingly added approximately 20 of art to NEARLY EVERY PAGE to ensure the aspect ratio of the comic would be consistent and correct. The end result is unlike anything you've ever experienced, a head-spinning, synapse-snapping, soul-searing ride to a world like no other the world of Starstruck. Hardcover. Full Color. 360 Pages 8 x 12 $49.99
Lee: From my understanding of Starstruck, it is equal parts messy, convoluted story, and beautiful pictures. Maybe the story isn’t as bad as I’ve heard because this is the 3rd or 4th time that the series has been reprinted. I do know that it’s a labor of love for Kaluta and it shows in his art. That alone makes it worth the money.
Thomm: Unless you’re a story guy like me. The art can be Michelangelo but if there’s no coherent story to support it, it’s sure not worth $50 to me. If I just want pretty pictures, I’ll buy those on their own.

Lee: Even though I managed to cut out the big expensive hc’s last month, it looks like I will be getting another one this month. Seeing Kaluta’s art oversized might just be too much for me to resist.
Thomm: Nothing really jumped out at me here. I’d say the Perez book and the Fish Police would be my two most likely purchases.

Marvel Preview Review for February 2011 Part 2 of 2

WOLVERINE #1000
Written by Rick Spears, Jimmy Palmiotti, Mark Simmons, Vince Hernandez & Sarah Cross
Penciled by Tim Green, Rafa Garres, Mike Ryan, Luke Ross & Joao LemosCover by Stephen Segovia
He’s literally clawed his way out of hell, but in this savagely super-sized special, Wolverine’s inner diablo is unleashed when he leads The Last Ride Of The Devil’s Brigade. And Logan’s WWII era suicide-mission behind enemy lines is only the beginning of his troubles in a collection from today’s hottest talent that takes the long-lived killer to the bayou, the Mojoverse and beyond! 80 PGS./ $4.99
Lee: Seriously? Issue 1000???? If the Point 1 issues weren’t a mess then this certainly is.
Greg: I love that someone at Marvel either didn't know that Deadpool #900 was a joke or didn't care.

X-23 #6
Written by Marjorie Liu
Penciled by Will Conrad
Cover by Kalman Andrasofszky

X-FACTOR #215
Written by Peter David
Penciled by Emanuela Lupacchino
Cover by David Yardin

DEADPOOL MAX #5
Written by Dave LaphamPencils & Cover by Kyle Baker
Lee: Theme month time… can you guess it? That’s right, it’s bondage time! Yahoooooo. There’s one for the girls who love girls (X23), and one for the boys who love boys (X-Factor), and one for the boys who love girls (Deadpool)! Best part about Marvel is they cater to everyone.
Greg: Marvel has been catering to the bondage community for years! Look how long Chris Claremont wrote X-Men!

TAKIO GN HC
Written by Brian Michael BendisPencil, Cover by Michael Avon OemingCreated by Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Avon Oeming and Olivia Bendis. Takio is the first all ages graphic novel series from Marvel’s Icon imprint and the first new creator owned book by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming since their award-winning, long-running Powers. Takio tells the story of two sisters in a multiracial, adoptive family who are driving each other insane!!! Their overprotective mother makes them walk to school together, eat lunch together, and play together. They can’t get away from each other!! But when a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime accident gives them real-life superpowers, these two sisters become the first actual superheroes in the entire world. And it is awesome!! Now the sisters have to learn to get along so they can save the world and get home by six… or they are so grounded. This fast-talking, whip smart new graphic novel series will thrill fans of Bendis’ Ultimate Spider-man! 96 PGS./ $9.95 Trim size: 5-3/4 x 8-7/8
Lee: So, which Bendis is going to show up on this book? The Avengers Bendis of the last 5 years whose writing I can no longer stand, or the Powers/USM Bendis that can tell a great story. Your guess is as good as mine but it’s always worth checking out.
Greg: I love that a high profile creator is doing an independent children's superhero book. The market needs more of this. I also love that the guys who did the monkey f**king issue of Powers are doing it.

AVENGERS: WEST COAST AVENGERS — FAMILY TIES PREMIERE HC
Written by Steve EnglehartPencil, Covers by AL Milgrom & Richard Howell
Hawkeye! His wife, Mockingbird! Wonder Man! Tigra! Iron Man! When the Avengers set up shop in California, there’s no shortage of enemies waiting to destroy them — from Kraven the Hunter to Morbius the Living Vampire to a war between Ultrons! Plus: It’s the most complicated family tree this side of Cyclops when the Vision marries the Scarlet Witch, and the Grim Reaper wants revenge! Guest-starring Hank Pym, the Wasp and the Thing! Collecting West Coast Avengers (1985) #1-9 and Vision & The Scarlet Witch (1985) #1-2. 296 PGS./ $34.99
Lee: Anyone remember if this was any good? I didn’t like Milgrom’s art at the time but it has since grown on me.
Greg: Yeeeesh. And Lee says I'LL buy anything.

MARVELMAN FAMILY'S FINEST PREMIERE HC
Written by Mick AngloPenciled by Mick Anglo, Norman Light, George Parlett & Don LawrenceCovers by Marko Djurdjevic & Mick AngloCollecting Marvelman Family's Finest #1-6 in the original black and white, and Marvelman Classic Primer.280 PGS./Black & White/ $34.99
MARVELMAN CLASSIC VOL. 2 PREMIERE HC
Written by Mick AngloPenciled by Mick Anglo, Frank Daniels, Don Lawence & James BleachCover by Doug BraithwaiteCollecting MARVELMAN #35-44 in the original black and white.216 PGS./Black & White/ $34.99.
Lee: I want to make sure I read this correctly, Marvel wants me to pay $70, for 496 pgs of b&w British comics that even the British don’t like enough to reprint? Are they insane? Wait, don’t answer, this is from the same company that collected the Cap Wolf storyline so it does make sense.
Greg: Look, I'm sure this is historically important in the grand scheme of comics, but for f**k's sake Marvel, will you please just reprint the Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman stuff? Even better! Will you please let Neil Gaiman finish his run on this book?

DAFFOLDIL TPB
Written by Frédéric BrrémaudPencil, Cover by Giovanni Rigano
Collecting Daffodil #1-3. 144 PGS./ $19.99
HUSK TPB
Written by Frédéric L’homme & Stephane Louis
Pencil, Cover by Arnaud Boudoiron
Collecting Husk #1-2. 112 PGS./ $16.99
Lee: I hate to harp on pricing policies but Marvel must think we are all stupid because there is no other explanation for this. The Daffoldil single issues were only $6, which is $2 cheaper than the collected version. As for Husk, the single issues are $5 cheaper than the collected version!
Greg: Maybe if we didn't have to pay for all that fancy french socialized medicine for Mr. L'homme, we'd get affordable books! But noooooo... NOT IN BARACK OBAMA'S AMERICA!


Greg: I'm just super excited about Mangog. Maybe he'll fight FrankenCastle!?

Lee: Mangog v. Frankencastle???? A little part of me says 'cool' but a bigger part of me hopes and prays that Joe Q. at Marvel doesn't read this post and go "I can make that work."

Marvel Preview Review for February 2011 Part 1of 2

Lee: Another month, another lam basting of Marvel. I know your busy Greg but maybe you should take over the picking duties.
Greg's innermost thoughts and feelings according to Wikipedia: FrankenCastleFrankenCastleFrankenCastleFrankenCastleFrankenCastleFrankenCastleFrankenCastleFrankenCastleFrankenCastleFrankenCastleMoreFrankenCastleWhycan'twegetmoreFrankenCastle...
Greg's REAL innermost thoughts and feelings via Wikileaks: OH NO LEE. I could never do that. You are too good at it. You are the best. I eagerly read your comments, then study them, then read them again, then analy... anazi.... study them some more. I can only hope to achieve your level of whit and comic knowledability someday.

AVENGERS #10
Written by Brian Michael Bendis Pencils & Cover by John Romita Jr.
The Infinity Gauntlet is back! And no power on the Earth can stop it! It is sentences like these that made Stan Lee invent the phrase: ‘Nuff Said!! Another pulse-pounding, Earth-shattering chapter from Marvel's blockbuster superteam of Bendis and Romita Jr! Plus: Another illustrated chapter of the oral history of the Avengers!32 PGS./ $3.99
Lee: Oh wow, the Infinity Gauntlet is back. YAWN. I’m sorry but the gauntlet holds no fear anymore. Heck, the Pet Avengers just beat Thanos and the gauntlet a couple of months ago. It’s hard to be threatening when a bunch of dogs and cats beats you.
Greg: I know its fashionable to bash Bendis around these parts, but these Oral History of the Avengers back ups have been great. More interesting than 90% of the back up comics we've been getting. If we HAVE to get $3.99 books, could we please get more inventive back up material like this?

ANITA BLAKE: CIRCUS OF THE DAMNED—THE INGENUE #2 (of 5)
Written by Laurell K. Hamilton & Jess Booth
Pencils by Ron Lim Cover by Brett Booth
Things go from bad to worse for Anita Blake when a visit to the morgue turns into a bloodbath! Best-selling author Laurell K. Hamilton’s beloved heroine turns up the heat in this count-the-corpses chapter that will leaves fans begging for more! 32 PGS./ $3.99
Lee: I just realized that unlike every comic taking place in the Marvel U, which possess a cover with either shirtless women fighting or women in their underwear, Anita Blake always has shirtless men on every cover. I’m not sure I believe it when Gwen says, “I buy it for the story.”
Greg: Forget all that, this is drawn by Marvel Mainstay RON LIM. I still can't get my head around that.

IRON MAN 2.0 #1 & #2
Written by Nick Spencer Penciled by Barry Kitson
Covers by Salvador Larroca
Spinning directly out of Invincible Iron Man! New mission! New armor! New Iron Man! Lt. Col. James Rhodes is War Machine…the single most advanced one-man weapon of conventional combat. But wars aren’t fought the way they used to be – and when Rhodey has to face a mysterious enemy he can’t shoot, can’t bomb, can’t even see, he’s going to be forced to evolve…or die. Find out why War Machine becomes Iron Man 2.0 in the 3-part launch arc of this all-new ongoing series! By breakout sensation Nick Spencer (Morning Glories, Action Comics) and the legendary Barry Kitson!Issue One – 40 PGS./$3.99, Issue Two – 32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: I like Nick Spencer and I think he’s doing some good work but I worry that he is going to burn out. He’s got three or four books going right now and I worry that a lack of focus could impact all his writings.
Greg: I just lament the state of the comic industry that we don't trust fans to make the connection between Iron Man and War Machine.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #500.1
Special POINT ONE issue.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #654.1
Special POINT ONE issue.
WOLVERINE #5.1
Special POINT ONE issue
Lee: Thank goodness I am not a retailer! If the Minus One numbering wasn’t bad enough, now you have POINT ONE issues. Where in the heck are you supposed to put those in the long box? And, don’t even get me started on what a stupid idea this is…
Greg: A heavily promoted continuity free jumping on point isn't a bad idea, but the POINT ONE numbering thing is. I read comics in the 90's and I can't figure it out.
Lee: And, just to single the ASM out for super special stupidity, don't you think if you have a "JUMPING ON POINT," the character in question SHOULD APPEAR ON THE COVER? Sorry, that's just me being nit picky.
Greg: Ah, its like Jim never left.

THUNDERSTRIKE #4 (of 5)
Written by Tom Defalco Pencils & Cover by Ron Frenz
SPECIAL READER ADVISORY--This publication contains scenes of excessive action and angst in the mighty Marvel manner and is not for the faint of heart! As if they didn’t have their hands full with a power-mad demigod who is determined to destroy Olympus and Asgard, Thunderstrike and Gruenhilda the Valkyrie are traumatized by an unexpected death when they suddenly run into one of the greatest super-menaces of all--Mangog, the merciless!32 PGS./ $3.99
Lee: YAHOOOOOO, Thunderstrike finally ended up on the cover…. Of course it’s just his back but at least he made the cover.
Greg: I love Mangog. He is probably my favorite Jack Kirby character that is not designed only for killing.

ARCADE: DEATH GAME #1 & #2 (of 3)
Written by Paul Tobin Penciled by David Baldeon
Cover by Chris Samnee
When the strange and deadly Arcade decides to rebuild his ruined reputation, he sets his sights on the members of the Avengers Academy and the Young Allies. But when one of his teenage victims escapes, is it a setback for Arcade, or all part of his master plan to turn the entirety of New York into...Murderworld? DEATH GAME starts here! 32 PGS./ $2.99
Lee: We’ve talked about marketing decisions so many times in the past that I should stop. But I can’t. So… who thinks this book is a good idea? Go on, don’t be shy, raise your hand? *chirp* *chirp*… I don’t think so either. You have two teams, Young Allies and Avengers Academy having a crossover IN A COMPLETELY NEW BOOK, and neither of their names appears on the cover! Let’s not even mention that there’s already an Avengers Academy book on the shelf this month, making that THREE books for one set of B list characters. I know Greg loves AA, but this is too much.
Greg: The title is because they cancelled Young Allies. So it couldn't be published in that series. Which is a shame, cause it was pretty good. Sadly, launching anything new in this market is next to impossible. It looks like a good creative team. I'll probably check it out.

MORE TOMORROW!!!!