EAch week I'll be posting the 3-4 most memorable panels from the week and putting them up for a public week-long vote. The winning panels gets posted on the sidebar and earns boasting privileges over lesser panels...
This week:
CoolWebPoll
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comics,
panel of the week
I'm the token ginger school slapper. And you?
Find out your Harry Potter personality at LiquidGeneration!
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quiz
Accessorising gone Bat-bad
(photos courtesy of Newsarama blog)
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blogosphere,
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What we Learned and what we Thought about it:
(links courtesy of Newsarama)
HITCH IS A LIAR: MILLAR/HITCH ON FANTASTIC FOUR
It's the 'Misdirection of the Year Award. Checking the previous teasers about the new title, they were always followed by 'Bryan Hitch confirmed it's NOT the Fantastic Four'.
The interview makes me hopeful for a good run, especially saying that they will try new ideas and locales, instead of just bringing back the Frightful Four, Dr Doom and Galactus (mr McDuffie, I'm looking in your general direction).
Who else chuckled at Hitchy proclaiming this will be a monthly? Honestly now... I'll adopt a 'wait and see' attitude here.
What I really hope here is for an actually significant run in terms of sheer issues produced. Millar hasn't stayed on a title for more than 12 issues, other than Ultimate X-Men. The last Fantastic Four writer to give us a significan run was Claremont and it wasn't even a good one. And the last time I seriously enjoyed a Fantastic Four run was Scott Lobdell's three issues of Heroes Reborn.
'Wait and See'
DC'S NEW KIDS COMICS
Right there is the biggest mistake on DC's part. 'Kids' titles, instead of 'All Ages'. Kids don't really like being talked down to. And where are the digest collections to get these comics into their hands anyway. Anyway:
The direct animation-linked comics (JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, TEEN TITANS GO) are being scrapped (amen) and replaced by some new concepts:
TINY TITANS by Art Baltazar (creator of the horridly boring, but cute PATRICK THE WOLF BOY), which again looks too cute to resist, with that distinct mini-Marvels appeal. I'm sure it will do wonders in merchandising.
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM by Mike Kunkel (HEROBEAR) which follows thematically from Jeff Smith's excellent recent mini.
SUPER-FRIENDS which actually uses the JLU cast? I'm not going near that.
FRANCIS MANAPUL NEW LEGION ARTIST
A Top Cow alumni to follow up after the super-talented Barry Kitson? Disgraceful I'm sure Leonard Kirk was available and a wiser choice. Manapul is apparently also ditching most of Kitson's designs and replacing them with a mix of old and new in Image 90s style... Cosmic Boy and Saturn Girl's costumes say it all. Btw, no Supergirl!
GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY & BLAXPLOITATION LUKE CAGE
The image really says it all here. G.T. is the infamous creator of Dexter's Laboratory and Samurai Jack. Now I'd love to see a Cage cartoon in this style! This is "a new four-issue mini-series that puts Luke Cage at the center of ’70s-style butt-kicking action".
Hey, as long as he has a 'fro and is sporting that tiara, I'm there!
COUNTDOWN: ARENA
A 4-issue mini in the popular 'YOU decide' format. What it is, essentially, is a fan-voted vote between different versions of popular characters from different Elseworlds projects. Like seeing Kingdom Come Superman, versus Superman Red Son and True Brit Superman (just as an example). The winners of the fan voting will win the in-comic battle and make it into Countdown.
It's more 'DC versus Marvel' than Jason Todd, I'm surprised the interviewer didn't bring up that connection instead.
SI SPURRIER ON SILVER SURFER
I met simon in a recent signing in Manchester and he explained just how he pitched this project, putting in every crazy idea he could muster, to make the book completely un-pitchable and unpublishable. Then Marvel green-lit it. It should be fun, I won't spoil anything beforehand.
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TOP 50
I'm not going to post the whole list, just those relevant to me (=those I've watched!)
50.Babylon 5
47.Alias
45.Xena
37.Lost
31.Animaniacs
29.Saved By The Bell
28.Transformers
24.Ren & Stimpy
21.Twin Peaks
17.Family Guy
16.Batman the Animated Series
15.Star Trek the Next Generation
13. X-Files
12.Looney Tunes
11.Firefly
9.South Park
8.Simpsons
7.Freaks and Geeks
6.Muppett Show
4.The Sopranos
3.Battlestar Galactica
1.Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Hmm, not too bad, 22 out of 50, that makes me a 44% TV geek, I guess.
(yes, I haven't watchewd the Office or the Wire, or 24. Deal with it or move on ;) )
And there's no arguing that these series belong in the Top 50. Sure, I wouldn't place Firefly on spot 11 (above Star Trek? really?) or Family Guy above Transformers.
As for what I would use to fill the gaps?
criminally ommitted:
SIX FEET UNDER (deserves to be in the Top 10 as much as The Sopranos does)
ANGEL (see above, but Buffy, or better yet have it replace Firefly)
FAULTY TOWERS
BLACK ADDER
SEX AND THE CITY
FRIENDS (kinda obvious. and WILL & GRACE by extention)
FRASIER
BEVERLY HILLS 90210 (hey, if Saved By The Bell gets the cut, this one is even bigger in terms of teen culture impact)
any other recommends?
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That is to say, the Gay perspective on X-Men, courtesy of the Boy Blunder over at GayGamer.net
Boy Blunder is replying to the recent bigoted hacker attack on the popular queer website, using the x-men as a modern analog for queer nation and other groups of people who are sometimes gated for simply being different. I couldn';t have said it better than B-B, so I'll simply quote him here:
The most important lesson I learned from comics though relates to hatred. I learned that any group that is sufficiently different is a target for ignorance. Skin color, sexuality, mutant abilities, whatever the cause, if you are different, you will be hated. You see, gay people tend to love superheroes because we get it. We know what is like to hide your True Identity™. The need to blend in, the protection of banality. But it is a lie. We are different, and we're hated because of it.
I also learned, largely due to Stan Lee, that the responsibility for dealing with hatred directed at me is in my hands. I could rant and rage and take matters into my own hands, like Magneto. In truth that probably could accomplish some good. Or, I could choose to be like Charles Xavier and the X-Men. I could choose to love and defend those people that hate me. This really isn't altruism, in my opinion, it is about what I allow to consume me. I choose love over hatred.
I have no idea if they will catch whomever did this. In many respects I don't care. But I can promise you this, if anyone anywhere hates me for what I am, my response is simple. Let's go have coffee and talk. Explain to me where you're coming from, and I will attempt to do the same. Its okay to disagree, and we'll probably not change each others minds. But I will not react to hatred with more hatred, only love and coffee.
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blogosphere,
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Sweet Jesus WHY!?!
We're above and beyond pointing out the obvious glaring anatomy mistakes, the crimes against perspective and the widely-spread foot mutation.
Liefeld is probably not the worst artist in existence, or the worst artist in the business. I'd describe him as simply untrained and undisciplined. What is annoying to me is how this obviously amateur artist can consistently find high-profile work in the industry's top company and attract the most competent writers to produce scripts for him to wreck. After all ,this guy has drawn for every major name in the business, from Jeph Loeb to Joe Casey and from Robert Kirkman to Alan Moore himself!
Marvel at more preview art over at NEWSARAMA
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SCANS DAILY is runing the letters page with fan reactions to his coming out (Alpha Flight #106), wirtten by my friend Scott Lobdell. I must remember to ask him about whiplash from that event and post here.
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PEARLS BEFORE SWINE regularly bridges the gap from absurd puns to cultural commentary, and from running gags to moments of sheer sarcastic brilliance. No wonder it's my favourite strip.
(And no wonder it's done by a Greek, eh? ;) )
Nothing you need to know to enjoy, apart from the two protagonists: Rat (a self-absorbed, cynical, basically evil and apathetic, well, rat) and Pig (a dumb pig)
This is the start of a new storyline/gag, u can follow the rest form the above link
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comics
Courtesy of Brian Cronin:
an interview for the Ranger Rover kids program.
Kids? Comics? Who would have thought to combine the two!
John Byrne did an amazing job here, answering simply and directly and in a friendly manner (Oscar-worthy performance there) but not talking down to the kids. If I didn't know better ...
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comics
Mike Carey's 'FELIX CASTOR: THE DEVIL YOU KNOW' and Neil Gaiman's 'FRAGILE THINGS' are nominated for the August Derleth Award in the Novel category and the Collection category, respectively, in the British Fantasy Society Awards.
The Awards are awarded annually since 1971, and the winners will be announced on the 23rd of September.
I'm only one third of the way through Carey's FELIX CASTOR novel, but the delay sis solely due to the troublesome mr Potter! FRAGILE THINGS is on my shelf waiting its turn to be read, behind ANANSI BOYS.
Best of luck to both our british faves!
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Some people have taken this blog's name too literally...
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blogosphere,
fun fun fun,
queer
Word needs to be spread.
Comic Book Idol is the brainchild of writer J. Torres, a sort of online American Idol for aspiring comics book artists. The first contest gave us the talented mr Scherberger who went on to work for Marvel's Marvel Adventures line, Jonathan Hickman who wowed with his experimental aproach to the NIGHLY NEWS for Image, and introduced me to one of my favourite fledgling artists: MARTIN REDMOND
press release:
Los Angeles, CA - August 7th, 2007 - Comic Book Resources (http://www.comicbookresources.com), the leading comic book news and resource Web site, is proud to announce the return of its wildly popular art contest, COMIC BOOK IDOL, hosted by comics writer J. Torres ("Wonder Girl," "Alison Dare")
COMIC BOOK IDOL seeks to find the next great artistic talent in comics. After a one-month submissions process, ten finalists will be selected to compete in a five-week contest. Each week, the contestants are given an assignment, which will be critiqued by some of comics' top creative talents. Additionally, the submissions are judged by the public, who vote to determine which contestants will move on to the next round. Once the votes are in, two contestants will be voted off COMIC BOOK IDOL, and the process begins again until after five weeks, when there will be just two finalists remaining.
In the two previous COMIC BOOK IDOL contests, contestants and winners have gone on to work for major publishers including Marvel Comics, Image Comics, Top Cow Productions, Aspen Comics, Oni Press and others.
"This has been a long time coming and I can't wait for the launch of COMIC BOOK IDOL 3," said CBR Executive Producer Jonah Weiland. "The previous contests have seen a wide array of talent, with many of them finding paying, steady work within the industry. Comics isn't an easy industry to break into, but with COMIC BOOK IDOL, we're able to bring ten new artistic talents to the attention of major comics publishers, and what can be better than that?"
New York Comic Con is the main sponsor of COMIC BOOK IDOL 3 and will provide the winner with an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City for the 2008 show to meet and network with editors from major publishers. Greg Topalian, Event Director for NYCC, notes, "This is a terrific opportunity to encourage talent and a trip to New York City is a perfect way for the winner to make contacts in the industry."
Further details on the contest will be made available in the coming weeks, including additional prizes and whom our celebrity panel of judges will include.
Submissions for COMIC BOOK IDOL 3 begin on September 4, with Round One of the contest beginning October 3.
COMIC BOOK IDOL 3 is a presentation of Comic Book Resources and is sponsored by the New York Comic Con.
Comic Book Resources (http://www.comicbookresources), located in Los Angeles, CA, has been online since 1995. One of the largest comic book destination sites, Comic Book Resources is a comic book community with daily news, commentary, forums and more. Comic Book Resources is visited by over 2.5 million unique visitors each month. Comic Book Resources is a division of Boiling Point Internet, a Los Angeles based design and hosting firm.
Contact:
Jonah Weiland - jonah@comicbookresources.com
Executive Producer, Comic Book Resources (http://www.ComicBookResources.com/)
818-985-6688
J. Torres - jtorres@comicbookresources.com
Executive Producer, Comic Book Idol
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A thing of beauty! And a sure sign of the Apocalypse when an american comic is done justice (pun pun pun) on the animated version
although the animation itself could use a better polish and is still not up to japanese standards in its proximity to the original style, the voice acting...
the voice casting is simply put... dreamy. It's essentially the best possible with the right people regardless of how expensive or big they are
McLachlan (TWIN PEAKS, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES) as Superman!
Lucy Lawless (XENA) as Wonder Woman!
David Boreanaz (ANGEL) as Green Lantern Hal Jordan!!
Jeremy Sisto (the freaky incestuous psychotic brother off SIX FEET UNDER) as Batman!
it's the cream of the crop of voice actors that is guaranteed to drive fanboys (and girls. and gays) wild!
With a bigger budget I don't see why this couldn't be a viable cinema release...
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if you're a non-Greek speaker, please accept my apologies and turn away ;)
I'm a regular contributor at www.comicdom.gr, the major Greek comics portal, doing reviews and misc. articles for them. I will be posting my weekly reviews in this space, including some bits that might have been censored by the site editor, like the embedded video in this review.
ALL-FLASH #1
Writer: Mark Waid
Artists: Karl Kerschl, Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund, Manuel Garcia & Ruy Jose, Joe Bennett, Daniel Acuna
Colorists: Stephane Peru, Tanya & Richard Horie, Daniel Acuna
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Editor: Joan Hilty
Ή αλλιώς, "out with new, in with the old!"
Τα έχετε χαμένα; Αναρωτιέστε τί απέγινε ο μηνιαίος τίτλος του Flash; Πάει αυτός, πρόλαβε και βρώμισε ήδη, βλέπει το Multiverse ανάποδα, και άλλα συμπαθή. Πού, πώς, πότε; Και ποιός τώρα; Όλες εύλογες απορίες. Μη σας πιάνει κρίση, όμως, θα τα πούμε όλα.
Αναδρομή, Flash-back στα πεταχτά:
- Barry Allen. Χημικά, κεραυνός. Flash. JLA. Crisis. Θυμαράκια.
- Wally West. Ανηψίος Barry. Χημικά, κεραυνός. Kid Flash. Teen Titans. Crisis. Flash. JLA. Γάμος, παιδιά. More Crisis. Παγιδευμένος σε άλλη διάσταση.
- Bart Allen. Εγγονός Barry από το μέλλον. Επιταχυμένη ανάπτυξη. Impulse. Young Justice. Σπασμένο πόδι και κάρτα βιβλιοθήκης. Kid Flash. Teen Titans. More Crisis. Μερικά χρονάκια σε άλλη διάσταση. Flash. Χαμηλές πωλήσεις. Θυμαράκια.
(Ούτε καν από την JLΑ δεν πρόλαβε να περάσει, το δύσμοιρο)
Για τους αργούς της τάξης, αναλυτικά: για να φρεσκάρουν το franchise του Flash, τα κεφάλια της DC αποφάσισαν να δώσουν σύνταξη στον επιτυχημένο τους Flash, Wally West, στέλνοντας τον διακοπές-όλα-τα-έξοδα-πληρωμένα συν γυναιξί και τέκνοις, σε μια άλλη διάσταση. Τη θέση του παίρνει ο, ως πρόσφατα, ανώριμος και παρορμητικός, Impulse ή Kid Flash, Bart Allen, τον οποίο γερνάνε μερικά χρονάκια, να τους έρθει και στο σωστό ηλικιακό target group. Φυσικά, ξεκινάνε τον τίτλο με καινούριο #1, με αμφιβόλου ποιότητας συγγραφείς και σκιτσογράφο. Χωρίς ταυτότητα, χωρίς supporting cast και χωρίς ελπίδα, ο τίτλος βουλιάζει πριν προλάβεις να πεις Τιτανικός (ή αντίστοιχα COUNTDOWN), οι fans ωρύονται και η δημιουργική ομάδα τρώει πόδι. Έρχεται ο πολλά υποσχόμενος Mark Guggenheim, ανακοινώνει μεγαλεπήβολα σχέδια, φέρνει πίσω αγαπημένους Rogues και supporting cast και ξαφνικα...
...σκοτώνει τον πρωταγωνιστή.
Μα σου είχα πει, Bart, παλικάρι μου, να προσέχεις το #13, είναι γρουσούζικο.
Ταυτόχρονα, στους τίτλους JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA και JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA, το crossover "The Lightning Saga" κορυφώνεται με την αναπάντεχη επιστροφή του Wally West και της φαμίλιας του!
Του δώσαμε μια ευκαιρία του μικρού, αλλά ας επιστρέψουμε στα γνωστά και δοκιμασμένα. Wally West και ο άνθρωπος ο οποίος τον εδραίωσε ως Flash: Mark Waid!
Τα παραλειπόμενα:
Η αρίθμηση με την επιστροφή των Wally και Waid συνεχίζει από εκεί που σταμάτησε pre-Crisis, σαν να μην υπήρξε ποτέ ο δύσμοιρος Bart. Claaaaaassy!
Η DC -και καλά- λέει ότι αυτό ήταν το σχέδιο της από την αρχή, να επιστρέψει μετά από ένα χρόνο ο Wally. Φυσικά. 'Αρτια εκδοτική κίνηση, να λανσάρεις ένα νέο τίτλο με δευτεράτζα δημιουργική ομάδα και κατεύθυνση, επίτηδες (ναι, ναι), για να αποτύχει και να έχει πιο θερμή υποδοχή στην επόμενη αναδιοργάνωση.
Γκαντεμιά να είσαι teen sidekick σε καιρό Κρίσης. Superboy, Impulse, Joker's Daughter. Aν ήμουν ο Robin, θα ήμουν στα πρόθυρα να πηδήξω.
Αξίζει να παρακολουθείς το Counting Down του Newsarama, με τον interviewer να φωνάζει για τις τρύπες στο continuity μεταξύ των τίτλων και τον Editor να προσπαθεί απεγνωσμένα να το παίξει cool.
Ο θάνατος του Bart ήταν από τα καλύτερα φυλαγμένα μυστικά της χρονιάς, με την DC να μπαίνει σε αρκετό κόπο να βγάλει ψεύτικα solicitations για τα τεύχη μετά το θάνατο του, και να αντικαθιστά τις παραγγελίες του τεύχους #14 με τον παρόν τεύχος ALL-FLASH #1. Ή μήπως, απλά, τους ήρθε μετά η ιδέα να επιστρέψουν στην παλιά αρίθμηση;
Ήρθαμε πίσω στα δικά μας. ALL-FLASH #1. 'Αλλο φρούτο. Γράφει ο Mark Waid, σκιτσάρουν μύριοι όσοι ήταν available τελευταία στιγμή. Αλλά δένει ωραία το γλυκό, με κάθε σκιτσογράφο να αναλαμβάνει διαφορετικό ρόλο στην αφήγηση:
Ο Karl Keschl αναλαμβάνει το δέσιμο της ιστορίας και μπαίνει ως εκ τούτου πρώτο όνομα στη μαρκίζα. Ο Wally έχει μόλις μάθει τα τραγικά νέα και κυνηγάει τον υπαίτιο του θανάτου του Bart. Ταυτόχρονα, η αφήγηση σε πρώτο πρόσωπο χρησιμεύει να ενώσει τις διάφορες αφηγηματικές ενότητες από τους σκόρπιους τίτλους της DC, για τους fans που πιθανώς δεν αγοράζουν COUNTDOWN ή JUSTICE LEAGUE/SOCIETY και δεν ήξεραν το παρασκήνιο της επιστροφής.
Έτσι, ο Ian Churchill αναλαμβάνει την περίληψη του φινάλε του "Lightning Saga" από την οπτική του Wally West, και ο Manuel Garcia δείχνει το aftermath του θανάτου από την οπτική των Rogues, σαν περίληψη του COUNTDOWN.
Ο Joe Bennett δίνει τον επίλογο της ιστορίας, με την επιστροφή στην καθημερινότητα για την οικογένεια West και ο Daniel Acuna μας δίνει μια ματιά στο πολλά υποσχόμενο μέλλον του Flash, ή μάλλον της Flash Family, καθώς παίρνουμε μια πρώτη γεύση από τις superhero ταυτότητες των, έφηβων πλέον, παιδιών του Wally.
Εμείς τι κρατάμε από εδώ:
O Waid επιστρέφει δυναμικά, με κέφι για τον χαρακτήρα και μια καινούρια οπτική γωνία (ως πάτερ-(σούπερ)φαμίλιας). Μένουν δύο, κυρίως, σκηνές: η αυτοσχέδια σαδιστική ποινή του δολοφόνου, και η αγαπημένη meta σκηνή, όπου η θεία Iris επεμβαίνει στον caption μονόλογο/αφήγηση του Wally. Ο Karl Keschl κλέβει την παράσταση στα εικαστικά, με φρέσκο ευλύγιστο σκίτσο, με μοναδική δυναμική, βοηθούμενος και από την έντονη (στα όρια πρόκλησης αποπληξίας) παλέτα του colorist. Τα διαφορετικά στυλ θα έδεναν καλύτερα αν είχαν τουλάχιστον τον ίδιο colorist, αλλά μάλλον περιμένω πάρα πολλά.
Το τεύχος πετυχαίνει τον βασικό στόχο του, παρά τα εμπόδια. Κλείνει το κεφάλαιο Bart Allen, δείχνει πειστικά και δραματικά την οργή και αντίδραση του Wally, προσθέτοντας μια πανέξυπνη και σαδιστική νότα ευθύνης στους ώμους του, και δρα ως γέφυρα για τη συνέχιση του θρύλου του Flash.
Only 18 months between posts. I am making an active commitment to blog regularly, after my newfound addiction to the comics blogosphere.
If you're reading this, post a comment to let me know you're out there and I'm not talking against a blank screen.
More to follow.
p.s. permission to spank me if I don't post for more than 2 working days!
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Greek Lover - She-Hulk #30 (Marvel Comics)
