The Improving X-men: Is there hope for mutant kind?
Comic comments on Sodacomics Blog By "The Ace of Knaves".
The Improving X-men:
Is there hope for mutant kind?
By "The Ace of Knaves"
Yes folks, it's time for a situation update. Is "Uncanny X-men" still
crap? Yup, but the franchise is showing more improvement. X-men legacy
is becoming intriguing (Mr. Sinister and a boy Xavier cannot be anything
but intriguing). And "Get Mystique" was a smashing Wolverine storyline
(NOOO! Don't take Jason Aaron away!!!!). Also hopeful was the inspired
"free comic book day" X-men issue by Carey and Land. You
could argue that it was a rip-off of classic issue #143 (1980), but it
had the same feeling of Claremont's X-men and that has been missing
for a LOOOOONG time. Keep it up lads! Even the much lamented (by me
at least) "Wolverine: Origins" has finally made some sense after 25 issues.
Congratulations. What a convoluted development! (Though I can't say I'm
enthusiastic about Way tackling Deadpool in the upcoming series ).
Still the pick of the mutant litter has to be X-force, now featuring
the return of Archangel. That's right: ARCH-angel. And Kyle and Yost actually
manage to use this re-metamorphosis in a scientifically sound way to tie
up some loose ends of the implausible return of Angels original wings
and his "healing blood", by creatively tying everything to the "blood
of Apocalypse" storyline (seems obvious now really). It's not retconning,
it's actually using continuity to clear up a past mess, and that's probably
a first for Marvel. Kyle and Yost: 10 points!
Yeah, eindelijk nog eens een leuke Terminator gezien. Toen de eerste film uitkwam in 1984 was ik nog net geen 10 jaar. Pas enkele jaren later op tv gezien. Ik stam nog uit de tijd dat er nog niet in elk gezin de Video-speler standaard deel uitmaakte van een huishouden. Den 2 was ook zekers ok, maar den 3 ben / heb ik nog niet gezien. Wou eerlijk gezegd geen bejaarde Schwarzenegger zien. Zoveel lovende kritiek heb ik toen ook niet gehoord.
En dan komen ze met een tv-serie. Waarom me dat wel prikkelde ...?? Heeft het iets te maken met de staking in Hollywood of gebrek aan iets anders. Ben blij dat ik het in ieder geval wel heb gedaan.
Momenteel houden ze een summer-break en volgt episode 10 ergens in september. Misschien dat ik den 3 toch eens een kans geef.
Trust No One Certainly no machine but maybe you can trust ...
Every once in a while you find yourself reading a comic book that really
blows your socks off. Recently, countdown 6-5 had this effect on me (even
though what followed was nothing but I disappointment). I hadn't figured
on getting an even bigger thrill out of a back-issue of Batman 520
(Jul. 95), Written by Doug Moench and drawn by Eduardo Barreto.
Just to situate the issue in Batman chronology: Bruce had just returned
to being Batman after Dick Grayson had replaced him for a short while
following Knightsend, but Gotham hadn't been hit with the plague yet.
Regular artist on the series was Kelley Jones and to be honest
I wasn't very impressed with his art. Letter columns from the time emphasise
that it was but a small portion of the fans who would agree with me in
this, but that aside, I still find fault with it. His "costumes" were
perfect, and his mega-long eared Batman is an inspired rendition of the
most gothic and dark batman, just falling short of parody, so no complaints
there, but his "uncostumed" characters look ridiculous. Fortunately he
has evolved since then, because his current art on "Batman: Gotham
after midnight" still has the great gothic feel, but at least now
he's also able to produce a recognisable Alfred (Instead of the bald moustachioed
Walter Matthau that he used to draw instead)
So I guess that the switch for issue 520 to Barreto was part of the charm
as this issue focuses heavily on supporting cast officer Harvey Bullock,
and I cannot imagine Kelley Jones at the time rendering it so beautifully.
And the art really is beautiful, not just in the drawing, but also in
the page lay-out. Moench and Barreto manage to get the pace of the story
and of the panels just right, so that when the unexpected and shocking
climax comes, it just blows you away. I don't think I've ever seen the
murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne illustrated in such a gripping way as
the similar murder in this issue, which gets blended into the story in
a perfect reminder of why Gotham need the Batman. If you can find it as
a back-issue, buy it, because it really is the medium at its best,
combing all elements of story and art to maximum effect.
Classic stuff!
Which reminds me, looking at the date of this issue, it was also around
this period that printing switched from classic "newspaper paper" to the
glossy kind. I really miss the old paper. Sure, the colours are much fresher
with the modern printing, but old back-issues still have that real comics
smell and feel. Especially the smells, which to me bring back all the
excitement of the comics stand in the newspaper story (by the way: Are
the Dutch translated versions still being printed on this paper? Because
they used to be even when the American ones had switched to glossy).
Marvel's still got it!
(But they don't advertise it so much )
By "The Ace of Knaves"
It's a very weird thing: Marvel Comics still publish great comics, but
for the past few years their promotional activities have tended to focus
on the not quite so good stuff. While marvel was hyping the in my view
disappointing and uninspired "Civil War" and "World War Hulk" they were
doing absolutely great stuff on the other end of the galaxy. Literally
on the other end of the galaxy, because Annihilation and Annihilation
Conquest did an absolutely smashing job of creating a viable storyline
for Marvel's Cosmic Cast.
These guys were often featured as overkill baddies or guest stars, but
they really work best when they're all thrown together. Who cares if you're
cosmically powered if the other characters in the series also are? This
nicely balances out the characters and prevents them being just "all powerfull"
but allows the story to be more about the Person than about the Power.
Other really good stuff produced by Marvel includes Ghost Rider, the Twelve
and "Avengers: Initiative". Hardly the most famous characters in the Marvel
universe. And it's still continuing; you can go for the "Infiltration"
deal, but I would tip you to ignore some of the infiltration spin-offs
and pick up a "Nova" or "Guardians of the galaxy" instead. They feature
some really great work by Dan Abnett (who writes awesome SciFi novels
too!). In my opinion "Guardians of the galaxy #1" is a serious contender
for best comic of the year. Really! Check it out!
However the pick of the litter has to be "Invincible Iron Man #1". After
having tried for a few years to damage Tony Stark (Civil War was a PR
nightmare!) and make Iron Man a tarnished hero they've finally turned
around. Using the momentum of the equally excellent movie, they finally
present Iron Man in a way that we haven't seen since the early eighties.
There's hints of "demon in a bottle" "armor wars" and all the great Iron
man tales from in between. And it features probably the best quote of
the year: " cotton and spandex.
Three for $9.99. Got 'em at target. 'L-A-M-B-O-R-G-H-I-N-I.' " (You'll
have to read it to get it).
Sterling stuff! This series looks like it's going to have everything that's
been missing from the "director of shield", so as a long time Iron Man
fan, I can only say that I think I'm in love!
Het is eindelijk zover, mijn eerste bescheiden mini-EXPO
loopt van 24 mei tot 21 juni te Mechelen.
Wat is er te zien?
Pentekenigen, schilderijen en originele strippagina's.
Waar precies?
Stripwinkel de Stripkever, Bruul 79, Mechelen (kleinwinkelcentrum). Boven de
stripwinkel is er een ruimte beschikbaar voorjong strip en ander
talent.
Wie heeft daar nog geexposeerd? Brecht Evens en Randall C., Simon
Spryut en meer van dat geweldig volk.
Iedereen is welkom op de vernisage,
23 mei en die start om 20.00u. EXCLUSIEFAANBOD: De nieuwste strip van mezelf
is te koop op de vernisage en je krijgt er een gratis poster bij. Ook de
receptiedrank wordt gratis aangeboden. Gratis alkohol en mooie tekeningen, een
combinatie die niet te missen is.
"Faces" and "Going sane": two great
Legends of the Dark Knight coming in TPB.
By "The Ace of Knaves"
I was quite happy to see the announcement of "Faces" and "Going sane"
in TPB, as these are two excellent story arcs from "Legends of the Dark
Knight" which I just recently read as back-issue comics. "Faces" (by Matt
Wagner) was published originally is issues 28-30 (march to may 1992) and
contains a solid Two-face story. I can't really find myself in the "army
of deformed super-powerful slaves" blurb used in the promotion of the
TPB, as the to me the story seems to be more about the balance between
interior beauty and exterior deformity (and vice versa) rather than about
any "super-powers". Not every deformed body has a deformed soul and not
every beautiful body has the soul to match. Quite ironic that Two-face
has to learn this lesson in this arc. The art by Willie Schubert is absolutely
spot-on for this theme. If you liked Tod Browning's movie "Freaks", you're
going to love "Faces". I know I did.
"Going Sane" (by De Matteis) appeared in LOTDK65-68 (nov 1994-feb 1995)
and features a quite tragic story about how Batman and the Joker are doomed
to each other. I don't want to give away too much, but I do want to say
that it contains some heart-breaking scenes when the Joker's fragile recovering
sanity is once again broken. In fact at this point in the story the roles
seem to reverse: whereas normally you'd be angry at the Joker for disturbing
Batman's peace, here Batman seems to come close near the villainous part
as he (probably involuntary) draws the Joker back into their eternal dance
of death and insanity.
I can only hope that this heralds the appearance of more LOTDK TPB's,
as there are some other marvellous story arcs from this period really
deserving the treatment, such as "Prey" (LOTDK 11-15) featuring the always
wonderfully unstable Hugo Strange.
We're
on "well deserved" holiday from 05-05 untill 13-05. The
shop stays open for orders, but they will be shipped starting from
16-05. There could be delay on posting the preorders for May, so
please forgive me ; )
Please
Note:
Deadline
for this month's previews is closing on monday 22u.
Count-down, Let-down The oldest trick in the book ...
Will the REAL Wolverine please stand up?
Count-down, Let-down The oldest trick
in the book (and how I fell for it)
By "The Ace of Knaves"
Damn! As it turns out DC WAS kidding when they called their big event
"final crisis". After my lavish praise for their bold plot and excellent
storytelling for countdown issues #06-05, they followed up with a Disappointing
Cheat in issues #04-03.
Once again it's the "biggest announced event of the
year" where actually nothing much really happens.
Sorry folks! Wrong universe! It was the oldest trick in the book and I
fell for it. Turns out it was "universe 51" that was totally destroyed
and not the mainstream one. I should have been suspicious by the lack
of continuity with the ongoing series and by the sudden absence of the
twin globes in the top left panels which usually announce which dimension
stuff is happening in. I don't now if I'm angrier with myself for falling
for this or with such excellent writers as Dini and Giffen for choosing
they easy way out. I guess I was spoilt by the absence of parallel universes
in DC recently, so I forgot that "it only happened in a dream/other universe"
was the easiest way to chicken out. Still it wouldn't have been so bad
if issues 04-03 were up to par with the excellent writing of 06-05. But
all the emotional stuff was absent in overstuffed action issues. Only
Holly and Ray seemed to care that the "heroes" just screwed up and let
a world die. The others didn't give a rats arse. "Hey, it was just some
other dimension right? Not like those people there matter!" I would expect
this behaviour from Jason Todd (can someone please bring out the crowbar
again!) but not from Kyle or Donna. They should have been devastated.
The rest of these issues was also un-involving as now it was my turn not
to give a rats arse about Mary Marvel or Jimmy Olsen. I liked Piper and
Trickster. They were B- level villains but they really shined. Mary Marvel
as "bad girl" just doesn't work. I felt sorry for Jean Loring when she
was eclipsed, but I couldn't care less about "the corruption of Mary Marvel".
Bring back Black Adam! And as for Olsen taking centre stage: What a revoltin' development! 'Nuff said!
Writer: Garth Ennis Artist: Carlos Ezquerra
When the chips are down, there's only one team to call
to keep Britannia ruling the waves: the Rifle Brigade!
This new trade paperback collects the 3-issue Vertigo
miniseries ADVENTURES IN THE RIFLE BRIGADE and its sequel,
OPERATION BOLLOCK. Ey-oop! Yer aht of order!
Writer: Bill Willingham Artist: Bill Willingham
Written by acclaimed FABLES creator Bill Willingham.
When a professional Vegas poker player collects vouchers
for the souls of a roomful of people as a bar prank,
he's just anted up for a game he never imagined. He
thinks they're just worthless napkins, but envoys from
Heaven and Hell think differently. Suddenly, Joey's
caught in the middle of a tug-of-war between celestial
powers...can he bluff his way out of it?
Imagine you're twelve years old and suddenly
discover that you are the returned Jesus Christ. You
can turn water into wine, make the crippled walk and
perhaps even raise the dead. What do you and your family
do, and how does it affect you knowing that you're destined
to grow up and take part in a conflict that people have
been waiting almost two thousand years for? Chosen has
been described in the British press as Spider-Man meets
The Book of Revelation. SFX Magazine describes it as
Harry Potter for Christian fundamentalists.
Written by Keith Giffen & Alan Grant Art
by Simon Bisley & Christian Alamy Cover by Bisley Don't
miss this new volume collecting both the 4-issue LOBO
and LOBO'S BACK miniseries that helped make the Last
Czarnian a legend, co-written by 52's Keith Giffen!
First, Lobo is sent to capture a crotchety old teacher
who, along the way, makes life miserable for her captor.
Then, Lobo must take in the most dangerous being in
the universe - and is promptly killed. But heaven doesn't
want him and hell can't handle him, so Lobo is reincarnated
- as a woman with big guns and a very bad attitude!
Attention all:
This month in your
favorite Previews catalogue,
they resollicited
Ultimates Origin #1 again.
You can recognize resollicitations by the code (RES).
It means all previous orders are cancelled.
Please order this title again
and let us know !!
We'll make sure you won't pay double!!
Digital Back Issues For Sale
Column by Tyler Chin-Tanner, 2008.
Weve established that the Internet is a good resource for
promoting a new comic, and a webcomic can be great way to
get readers interested enough in the story that they go out
and buy it. Its difficult to make much money on the actual
digital distribution of a webcomic, but the strategy of the
publisher should be to sell the print version and consider
any web presence to be for promotional purposes.
There is, however, a growing market of publishers selling
digital versions of their back issues, comics that have already
been published and sold in print. The sales numbers on these
digital comics are hardly those of a booming industry, but
if the materials already been paid for and assembled for
the print version, then any additional income from selling
a digital file is simply a bonus.
The million dollar question is how much to charge for these
digital comic books. At one point, Top Cow announced that
they would make the cost to download one of their comics the
same as the cover price of the print comic so that retailers
wouldnt be upset that they were underselling them. I thought
this was odd since its a different final product. Publishers
have adjusted their prices depending on paper quality and
cover thickness. Hardcover graphic novels cost more than softcovers.
Certainly it couldnt cause too much of a problem to lower
the price when theres no paper at all.
Furthermore, retailers have never felt the need to stick
to the cover price. Discounts are often available on comics
even on the day them come out, not to mention left over back-issues
which can often be found for a fraction of the cover price
in discount bins.
Today its more common to find digital comics priced lower
than the print version. Top Cow comics are still some of the
higher priced comics, going for $1.99 a single issue on their
affiliated webstore Direct2Drive. Other publishers go slightly
cheaper with Archaia selling most issues for 99 cents at DriveThru
Comics and Devils Due and IDW matching that price at Pull
Box Online. Slave Labor makes a small attempt to undercut
them all by offering their downloadable comics for 89 cents.
Of course I bought print copies of their Street Angel series
from a 50 cent bin. They werent in great condition, but collectibility
is hardly an issue when comparing digital files. I did end
up buying the Street Angel graphic novel when it came out
though, it was a good series and I wanted to replace those
ratty issues, so theres a case where making material available
for cheap can end up bringing in cash later.
My favorite method of offering downloadable
comics is what the website Wowio.com is doing. They offer
free downloads on all their comics, choosing instead to bring
in revenue through selling ad space to companies by placing
ad pages at the beginning and end of the digital pdf file.
This allows them to pay the publishers and creators each time
the comic is downloaded without charging the customer.
For me this is a good value for a digital comic because I
dont really enjoy reading comics on a computer. I use it
as a resource to test new comics or to find titles I wouldnt
normally know about. Even at 99 cents or 89 cents each, this
can get pricey for comics I may not even want to read ever
again.
And yes, this is the website I use to for making the issues
of my series Adrenaline available for free download. As a
matter of fact, I just uploaded #6 if anyone is interested.
My one criticism of Wowio, and I find this same problem with
the other sites Ive mentioned, is that theres not a lot
to see of the comic before downloading it. Theres just the
cover image and a short blurb. Even if the comic is free,
I dont want to have to download a comic just to get the slightest
idea if its something I might be interested in.
If I were to offer a piece of advice to a publisher putting
their material online, it would be to make more information
and material easily accessible to the most amount of people
rather than worry about how many cents more you can get from
a few people.
Well, I could talk for weeks on end about webcomics, and
I plan to do more later in the year. But next week I want
to start discussing strategies for small publishers at comic
conventions. The convention season is starting up and the
big New York Comic-Con is in a week. Ill be there at a small
publishers table. Time to start writing on the topic and
gearing up for the summer.
---
Tyler Chin-Tanner started his own publishing
company, A Wave Blue World, and writes and draws layouts for
Adrenaline, its flagship series.
Karate Kid kills the the universe! (with a little help from the monitor)
Will the REAL Wolverine please stand up?
Karate Kid kills the
universe!
(with a little help from the monitor)
By "The Ace of Knaves"
Boy oh boy! When the good folks at DC decided to call their big event
the "Final Crisis" they really meant business! The countdown is only down
to five yet and already the earth and all of it's A-level heroes have
been destroyed.
That's a welcome change from the usual "biggest announced event of
the year" where actually nothing much really happens.
It's not just that they really do present the most final crisis possible,
they also do it in an incredibly talented way (thanks to Paul Dini, Adam
Beechen and Keith Gifen). Issues 06 and 05 of countdown were among the
most gripping and emotionally involving comics I've ever read (and that's
saying a lot given my hamster-like collecting of comics). The concept
of telling the story through the eyes of has-been superhero Buddy Blank
(the original OMAC) gives a fresh angle and the scenario presented is
absolutely unique as this time it's no supervillain that wreaks havoc,
but a "simple" disease. In fact, it's the very heroism of the DC heroes
that dooms the world as they seek to preserve the life of Karate Kid.
Now normally in such a crisis everything goes just right and the heroes
carry the day, but this time all the little things just go wrong and all
the best intentions back-fire (Green Lantern spreading the plague universally
when looking for a cure illustrates this best). It's great to see how,
through the Monitors machinations, everything goes down the drain.
A very wonderful dynamic here is how the Atom (acting as scientist first
and a hero second) had predicted all this and sought to prevent it, but
how the "hubris" of the others actually causes it (We're the good guys!
We'll find a solution! We can't let him die! Everything will turn out
all right because it always does! Right? WRONG !!!).
Great stuff!
I was only disappointed that this story seems to happen outside of continuity
as in the other series all the dead heroes are still going about their
business normally. I would have like to see a cross over with a "the death
of " each of the major heroes simultaneously, but this would probably
have been too depressing as these two issues of countdown had already
left me shaken. The reality and sense of this disaster makes it only more
nightmarish.
Written by MARK MILLAR Pencils & Cover
by JOHN ROMITA JR. Sickening violence...just the way
you like it. The most screwed-up superhero comic of
all time continues in what's sure to be the most exciting
launch of 2008. What would happen if you tried to be
a super hero? What would happen when an ordinary man
in a latex suit comes face-to-face with the criminal
underworld? Read about super heroes like you've never
seen them before and feel happy that you are living
here right now when this book is being published. Your
grandchildren will only envy you. Comics just don't
get better than this.
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Penciled
by LEINIL FRANCIS YU Cover by GABRIELE DELL'OTTO Variant
cover by STEVE MCNIVEN SECRET INVASION IS HERE!! Years
in the making, months in the teasing...and it all STARTS
HERE!! The shape-shifting alien race known as the Skrulls
has secretly infiltrated every super-powered organization
on Earth with one goal...full-scale invasion! In this
DOUBLE-SIZED first issue, page after page unveils reveal
after reveal and shocking moment after shocking moment!
Brian Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu leap off the pages
of mega-hit New Avengers and deliver a story that will
change the Marvel Universe forever. THE MARVEL UNIVERSE
WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!!
Written by GREG PAK Penciled by CARLO
PAGULAYAN, AARON LOPRESTI, GRAY FRANK & TAKESHI MIYAZAWA
Cover by LADRÖNN A whole new world of hurt! Betrayed
by Earth's heroes and exiled into outer space, the man-monster
Hulk has landed on the distant planet Sakaar, ruled
by the tyrannical Red King. Sold into slavery, Hulk
becomes the Green Scar, the planet's mightiest gladiator
- but his new masters get more than they bargained for
when he forges a bond of brotherhood with his fellow
fighters: crafty insectoid Miek, the horrific Brood,
wise rock-man Korg, shadow warrior Hiroim, noble-born
rebel Elloe and her loyal guardsman Skee. Together,
these gladiators start a revolution that could change
their entire world - or destroy it. It's savage sci-fi
fantasy by award-winning writer Greg Pak, guest-starring
the Silver Surfer!
Author: James Farr Art By: Alfa Robbi
Rating: T (Teen Age 13+) Earth's preeminent nanotechnology
scientist must create physical and mental enhancements
for whomever is chosen to represent Earth in the alien
parliament. But when his daughter is mortally injured
in a car crash, he uses the one dose of enhancement
serum on her-which mISBNs she has to go to the alien
parliament! Humor and action ensue as she makes several
unusual alien friends and helps thwart a plot to free
a hugely powerful alien death god trapped inside a black
hole.
The new Previews
Order Form
- APR08 -
is available here.
Click on the link in the first line
of the message and you'll download
the excel orderform.
For those who don't
use the excel sheet,
there's an extra shipment
possible for small orders. More
info ...
In the Excel sheet
you also find
the full description of every comic
and a build- in cost calculator.
Skrulls. Finally the invasion is here. Get your popcorn,
kiddies, this is gonna be fun!
We all know what this is about. The Skrulls have infiltrated
the Marvel Universe and have their eyes set on domination.
They are undetectable by most of the means our heroes have
used in the past. The Invansion starts here and it comes hard
and fast.
Wow. Brian Michael Bendis has given us one heck of an opening
issue. Pretty early on things get out of control and it does
nothing but ratchet up from there. This is the big summer
popcorn blockbuster that Quesada has been promising us all
along. Fortunately for us, this one seems a little smarter
than War World Hulk proper did.
This story comes at us with a frenetic pace and the internet
is sure to come to a loud roar. For all the jaw dropping moments
contained in the first issue, there are probably ten other
things to be explained. The Skrulls, like Bendis, are not
going to let us take a breath during this whole thing. The
reveals and big moments start just a few pages in and almost
every other page features a moment that will make fanboys
everywhere bug out their eyes.
There are a couple of clunky bits. Scenes that dont readily
tell you what is going on (yes, I have my eyes on you, Thunderbolt
Mountain) and dialogue that doesnt make immediate sense.
However, I have a feeling that these are supposed to be that
way (in fact, I KNOW it is true for one particular piece of
repeated dialogue) and that all will be explained in time.
Heck, I imagine by the time the dust settles that we will
even know for sure what that Skrull was doing in Avengers:
Disassembled.h for the title to retain its readership-Caps
alter ego, young Billy Batson, became Micky Moran. Shazam,
the wizard who empowered him, became astrophysicist Guntag
Borghelm, who taught Micky the magic word Kimota (atomic
spelled backwards, near enough). Captain Marvel Junior became
Young Marvelman, while Mary Marvel underwent a more conspicuous
change and morphed into Johnny Bates AKA Kid Marvelman! The
Marvelman titles retained the sense of whimsy which had made
Captain Marvel so popular, and they sold well for almost a
decade before fading away in 1963. End of story, it seemed.
It sure is nice to see Yus art get inked again. It still
isnt as tight as the work Gary Frank is doing with the style
over in Action Comics, but it is much better then the rushed
and unfinished art that plagued Yus run in The New Avengers.
There is still some wackiness from the penciler though, his
Spider-Man is way too ripped. Seriously, with the paper thin
costume he must be wearing, there is nothing left to the imagination
and a breeze must make old Pete awfully cold.
Yu does a fantastic job conveying the script here. There
are none of the muddy panels that were often indiscernable
in Stranges Inner Sanctum. There is a little color thing
at one point, but if you heed my advice and pay attention
to colors, you should do fine. As I stated above there are
a few panels that dont readily make sense, but I am not sure
they are supposed to at this point.
While it is not a perfect comic by any stretch of the imagination,
if the first issue is any indication, this is going to be
one heck of a ride. Fortunately, much of the prep work has
been done in other books, so the exposition is light and summary
like so that we can get to the reveals and explosions right
away. Yippy Kiyay!
