April 2008 Archives
This month's D Magazine sports Dallas Blonde Bombshell, Jessica Simpson on the cover. But if you can somehow direct your attention to page 22, there you will find a two-column review of Pandemonium Comics' February Issue, Dark Dallas. D Magazine editor, Trey Garrison popped into Zeus Comics in February where he fell under the charms of Kirby Jackson brandishing his .45 in front of the Centennial Liquor store 's neon cowboy splashed across the cover of Dark Dallas' premier issue. Garrison made the shrewd decision to pick up that first issue of Dark Dallas and promptly posted his discovery on the D Magazine blog, Frontburner. But Garrison's appreciation for Pandemonium Comics' gritty slice of Dallas could not be covered with a simple blog entry. And so to our eternal gratitude, Garrison published the following article in May's D Magazine. D Magazine is Dallas' leading lifestyle magazine, available on every newsstand in town with a monthly circulation of 492,500. Their May cover and their review of Dark Dallas are included below for your reading pleasure.
Free Comic Book Day is this coming Saturday (May 3) but before it gets here, you can get your hands on a Free Comic from DC, titled DC Universe Zero. It heads the list of books we recommend you trade your hard earned pennies for this Wednesday.
Descriptions by Midtown Comics
Editorial by Mike Heronime
Writer : Grant Morrison;Geoff Johns
Artist : Various
Manufacturer / Publisher : DC
Description : This is it! The greatest DC characters! Your favorite writers and artists! Everything leading to Final Crisis and beyond starts here! Take a journey through the past and present of the DCU, and witness the emergence of the greatest evil in the universe -- and the stunning return of a force for good! You dare not miss DC Universe: Zero!
Editorial: Okay, this is the end of DC's last big event (Countdown) or the beginning of their next big event (Final Crisis). In any case, it's chock full of great art, writing, and amazing characters. Best of all, it's free. Better boogie into your local comic book shop early on Wednesday and snatch up this treat before they're all gone.
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #14
Writer : Fraction/Brubaker
Artist : Tonci Zonjic - Kano
Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel
Description : "This is it, kids--the skull-busting, chest-punching, punch-kicking conclusion to THE SEVEN CAPITAL CITIES OF HEAVEN. Seven practitioners of super kung fu, champing at the bit to bloody each other to a pulp. A rogue Hydra cell, intent on destroying K'un-Lun from Earth, loads its terror train full of explosives and prepares to fire it through a warp in space-time. A schism in the leadership of K'un-Lun threatens to tear the city in two. The original Heroes for Hire, outgunned, outmanned, and out of time somewhere in Tibet. And Davos, the arch-rival of Iron Fist, intent on exploiting all this chaos, wants to assassinate Danny Rand once and for all. When was the last time a comic melted your face off? When was the last time you read "
Editorial: You know Iron Fist was never this cool 'til Fraction and Brubaker got their hands on him. Now it should be on everyone's top ten list. It's one of those rare comic book serials that is just as exciting and enticing as any TV serial (Lost, 24, Battlestar). And this particular issue will wrap up the big tournament story arc that threatens to wipe K'un-Lun form the face of the Earth. Don't miss it.
NEW AVENGERS #40
Writer : Brian Michael Bendis
Artist : Leinil Francis Yu
Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel
Description : "Very special guest artist Jimmy Cheung returns to the pages of New Avengers for this very important tie-in issue. Spinning right off of events in NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI #1, find out exactly how the Skrull empire was able to infiltrate the Marvel Universe and who instigated the invasion and why."
Editorial: FOr everybody that's been reading the Skrull Invasion hype as much as the actual issues, this issue of New Avengers promises to offer some background explanations. It's highly recommended reading before the Skrull train leaves the station. It might be mighty hard to get on board once this baby really takes off.
ULTIMATE HUMAN #4
Writer : Warren Ellis
Artist : Cary Nord
Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel
Description : "Hulk vs. Iron Man -- the conclusion! The full scope of Peter Wisdom's terrifying plan is revealed, but Tony Stark and Bruce Banner are powerless to stop his mad scheme! Has the world traded the horror of the Hulk for a menace many times more deadly? The dream team of Warren Ellis and Cary Nord deliver a shock ending to the climax of this critically acclaimed event."
Editorial: It's the final conclusion to Warren Ellis's take on Ultimate Leader. When we last left them, he had Hulk and Iron Man in a tough spot. How much you wanna bet they get free and kick some ass? Hopefully they do it in some sort of completely unsuspected way. Knowing Warren's work, I think we should be abel to expect a nice healthy helping of the unexpected.
WIZARD #200
Editorial: SO Wizard Magazine is celebrating their 200th issue with 2 issues. I'm not sure how that works mathematically but leave it to Wizard. Anyway, this is the second of the two celebration issues. I picked up the first one and had a ball crossing off all of the issues I have read from their list of Wizard's Top 200. Taking their quiz was mildly amusing as well. This thing is like 200 memory lanes all jammed into one issue. And now they're gonna do it all over again this week. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy while you still can.
Review by Mark Allen
It had been a while since I’d read a comic series about a superhero team that I was really invested in as a reader. A series with amazing, progressive characterization (that is, characters which evolve), tons of action that doesn’t act as a substitute for an interesting plot, and the overwhelming sense that something amazingly sinister is brewing just out of sight. In other words, an epic story. Yep, it had been QUITE some time since such a story came along.
Then, I found Hand of The Morningstar.
The Hand is a group of super beings who act on the will of a seemingly supernatural entity called..., well, the Morningstar. Dispatched globally, wherever a disaster is in the works, be it natural or man-made, the Hand appears to “care for the world,” as stated by team leader, Titan. But, is the Morningstar really a benevolent being, concerned only for the safety of humankind, or something entirely different?
This is the basic question posed by the series, and as of the end of volume two, I’m all in.
Writers Brett Burner and Mike Miller (also the artist of the series) have set up a wildly entertaining story line that involves insane action, great characters and that building sense of dread mentioned above. Specifically, readers get to watch as Titan, who comes across as shallow and self-absorbed, appears to become something more. Kudos to those fine gentlemen for developing sympathetic characters.
Miller kicks in another heavy contribution, as he super-charges Hand with an art style that is clean, dynamic, action-oriented and expressive to a fault. Miller knows his craft, and it shows.
Hand of The Morningstar is one of the best team comics offered today, and is recommended for all ages, but especially those who enjoy well-crafted superhero stories. Volume three is also available, with volume four expected in May.
Find it at online auctions, some online retailers, and at www.zgraphicnovels.com <http://www.zgraphicnovels.com> .
Mark Allen
Mark Allen
Our shortest list of recommendations yet, we have three comics for your consideration this week. Two of the three issues are also numbered three in their respective series. If only this was the third issue in the Conan Legacy Frazetta Covers series we’d have ourselves the perfect trifecta. But, if you look at the snake on this cover... It's coiled in the shape of the number three! Magic!
Anyway, to kickoff this week's triple treat, here’s a little video that helps remind us all why three is a magic number. True.
Descriptions by Midtown Comics
Editorial by Mike Heronime
CONAN LEGACY FRAZETTA COVERS #2
Writer : Kurt Busiek
Artist : Cary Nord - Dave Stewart
Manufacturer / Publisher : Dark Horse
Description : ”This second installment in the Conan Frazetta Cover Series celebrating 75 years of the legendary barbarian, adapts Robert E. Howard’s classic tale of murder and intrigue, “The God in the Bowl.” This story marks the Cimmerian’s first encounter with the deadly sorcerer Thoth-amon and his menagerie of vile giant serpentine creatures’brought to life by the stunning painting “Chained” by the living legend Frank Frazetta, featured for the first time ever in comics!”
Editorial: What a kick-ass painting by Frank. I loved these comics when they first came out. Busiek was so true to Howard’s original stories and Cary Nord’s art was excellent. But now, with Frazetta covers, these comics are masterpieces. Grab a masterpiece comic book for your own this Wednesday.
HULK #3
Writer : Jeph Loeb
Artist : Ed McGuinness
Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel
Description : ”Not a flashback!” Not a dream! Together again for the first time! The battle you NEVER thought you’d see — The Hulk Vs. The Abomination!” But…wait, we’ve seen that lots of times!” Well… No you HAVE NOT. And it isn’t just because superstars Jeph Loeb & Ed McGuinness are bringing it to you for the first time — it’s because if you’ve been reading the Hulk (yes, we know there’s one or two of you), it CAN’T be possible! But it is — AND IN COLOR — LOTS OF THEM! The pulse-pounding, gamma-spawned action adventure continues in Hulk #3!!!”
Description: The Abomination is on this month’s cover. But he was killed two issues ago by a gun wielding Red Hulk. What’s up with all that? Only one way to find out. And if you decide to pick up this comic book to see for yourself, you won’t be sorry. The McGuinness/Loeb team that made Superman/Batman such a hit are now applying that same magic to the Hulk. This has been a riveting story so far. I don’t expect this issue to be anything less than nail-biting goodness.
X-FORCE #3
Writer : Various
Artist : Clayton Crain
Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel
Description: The X-Force is back and they are as badass as ever. The super badness kicks off right away this issue. Just look at the cover. It has super bad-assery oozing right off the page. If you can resist picking this thing up, you must be so bad ass that I suggest you step away from your computer, go to your phone, call Chuck Norris and challenge him to a throwdown. Not feeling that badass? You need to pick up this issue of X-force, my friend.
Press ReleaseApril 14th – For the third year in a row, the city of Dallas proclaims the first weekend in May "Free Comic Book Day" in honor of CAPE, the comic and pop-culture expo. CAPE 4 (www.capeday.com <http://www.capeday.com> ) takes place on Saturday May 3rd at Craddock Park from 10am-6pm in the heart of Dallas. This festival of comic and comic art includes more than 80 comic book writers and artists for a free afternoon in the park. With several thousand attendees and over seven thousand free comics, CAPE has grown to be the world's largest Free Comic Book Day event.
"It's an incredible honor for my hometown to recognize my work and the work of my peers while we reach out to the community for CAPE," said Scott Kurtz, CAPE host and creator of the web strip PVP.
Kurtz will also be celebrating the 10th anniversary of his web strip PVP at CAPE. The marriage of the two prominent PVP characters will be marked at the event by a wedding guest's registry book. "I would like to invite all of my fans and the CAPE attendees to sign the guest book for Brent and Jade," said Kurtz.
This year's list of CAPE guest comic book artists and writers includes the new additions Daniel Way, (Wolverine Origins and Ghost Rider) and Andy Kuhn (Firebreather and Marvel Team-Up). They join industry giants Mark Waid, Chynna Clugston, Robert Kirkman, Greg Pak, Jason Pearson, Gail Simone and David Mack. With over 80 guests, CAPE! just keeps getting bigger and bigger! For a complete list of guests and to view the proclamation go to www.capeday.com <http://www.capeday.com> .
CAPE 4 takes place at Craddock Park on Saturday, May 3rd, 2007 from 10am – 6pm coincides with the Free Comic Book Day events taking place all over the world. CAPE! festivities allow fans a chance to interact with top creators in the comic industry, get sketches, talk comics and pick up some fantastic free goodies including 7,000 free comics and much more!
CAPE 4 is hosted by Popsyndicate, PVPonline and Zeus Comics. The event is also supported by sponsors the Art Institute of Dallas, Martini Lab, Liquid Logixx, Christon Company, Courtyard Marriot, the Marvel Zombie Society APA and Korn, Bowdich and Diaz.
For more information on CAPE or if you are a comic professional who wants to attend please visit www.capeday.com <http://www.capeday.com> or call Zeus comics at 214-219-TOYS.
Descriptions by Midtown Comics
Editorial by Mike Heronime
Writer : Bob Gale |
Artist : Phil Jimenez |
Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel |
Description : "Sometimes It Snows In April" (Come on it's a Prince reference from 20 years ago! The day of the massively unhip editor is upon us) continues with Spidey caught in the middle of two ancient threats that are conspiring to take him and the city itself down. Plus, Carlie trapped at the Police Station with someone after her blood!" |
Editorial: If you're still complaining about Quesada trashing Spider-continuity, you obviously haven't been reading the latest issues of Amazing. So now, it's out 3 weeks in a row every month. And unlike DC's 52, the art is great each week. And the writing is top notch. And if you want Marvel and DC to produce great comic books that you can follow every week like episodes of Lost (without a writers strike or a Summer break), then do yourself a favor and pick up an issue of ASM this Wednesday.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #37
Writer : Ed Brubaker |
Artist : Various |
Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel |
Description : "ACT THREE OF ""THE EPIC THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA"" STORY BEGINS! With a new Cap now established, things go from bad to worse as the Red Skull makes an unexpected move for the very soul of America! And what was it that Sharon Carter saw at the end of the last issue? Act Three - The Man Who Bought America - begins here! By the most popular Cap team in years - Brubaker and Epting!" |
CAPTAIN MARVEL #5
Writer : Brian Reed |
Artist : Lee Weeks |
Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel |
Description : The end is here. The truth of Mar-Vell's trip to the future is revealed once and for all. Brian Reed (MS. MARVEL) and Lee Weeks (INCREDIBLE HULK) bring the last chapter of Captain Marvel's saga to light as the Secret Invasion begins. |
Editorial: Are you ready for this? If you're a big fan of Captain Marvel like I am, then you're not going to be too happy. I mean I don't know for sure but I have the feeling that this whole thing is going to end when they reveal that the good Captain is really a Skrull Captain instead of a Kree Captain. Or maybe, if our dreams come true, the Skrull Captain was the one that died of cancer and this is the real Captain. Neat twist? Or another major continuity eraser like poor old Peter and Mary Jane Parker's last day. You tell me what you think.
INCREDIBLE HERCULES #116
Writer : Greg Pak |
Artist : Khoi Pham |
Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel |
Description : "Is Hercules a Skrull? Maybe. But is he an Eternal? Ikaris and Thena certainly think so, and they may just kill Herc to prove it! " |
PROGRAMME #10
Writer : Peter Milligan |
Artist : C.P. Smith |
Manufacturer / Publisher : DC/Wildstorm |
Description : "The United States is in shambles as a race war in the South is exploding, and the Russian Dolls are cutting a swath of death across America! A conspiracy within the CIA, though, could change the entire face of the conflict...but will Max be a willing sacrificial lamb? " |
Editorial: Every issue I get torn between admiration and frustration with C.P. Smith's art. His realistic approach is at its best when it's more stylized but unfortunately it often comes across as very stiff and stilted like an animated movie made with paper dolls. Probably not the effect Smith is after. But the story's been interesting which makes it a little easier to let Smith's shortcomings slide by and hard to let this comic book slide by.
Review by Mark AllenJohn Romita, Jr. 30th Anniversary Special, published by Marvel Publishing, Inc., 62 pages, $3.99.
How did I miss this one? Published in 2006, Marvel’s John Romita, Jr. 30th Anniversary Special is one of those publications that gets fans of comics and comics history completely goofy and giddy.
There are few more deserving of recognition, based on volume of work and important projects under their belt than Jr. This “salute” to his accomplishments is the next best thing to a hardcover book, such as The Art of John Romita, which covers his father’s career.
Featuring a timeline of his career from ‘77 to ‘06, a sketch gallery, a 16-page interview with Romita, Jr., testimonials from many other comics professionals to his talent, accomplishments and importance in the industry, a reprint of his first story done for Marvel’s American publishing branch, and more, this ought to hold the gentleman’s fans for some time. Of special interest to many will be the way John Jr. handled accusations of his father opening doors for him in the business. Personally, it doesn’t matter to me whether Sr. gave him a helping hand or not, though I happen to believe his son made it on his own merit. What matters is that he IS in comics, and the medium is better because of it.
No other artist in the world of comics can put more raw power into a single character. Jr.’s figures fairly crackle with energy, even when they are standing still. And though I’ve contended in the past that his art has lost a certain “flow” over the years, I believe it’s because his characters have gotten “bigger,” filling the page even more, making it seem that they may leap from a flimsy pamphlet no longer able to contain their power. That’s progression of art style, folks, and sometimes you lose one thing for something else. It’s up to the fans to decide whether they think it’s worth it or not.
Check out John Romita, Jr. 30th Anniversary Special yourself and see what you think.
Mark Allen
Mark Allen
By Mike HeronimeCape! is the FREE COMIC BOOK DAY festival hosted by Zeus Comics in Dallas, Texas. Going on its fourth year, Cape! takes the concept of FREE COMIC BOOK DAY one step further by introducing the comic book curious not just to comic books for perhaps the first time but also to comic book artists, writers, and publishers. Hosted and promoted by Zeus Comics, Dallas' critically acclaimed premier comic book retailer, Cape! is held outdoors in tents and is free to everyone. PositiveBrand / Pandemonium Comics will have a table at the festival, where you can pick up the latest copy of Pandemonium Comics for free if you printout this article and bring it with you. Here are copies of this year's Cape! flyer and for more details, be sure to check out www.capeday.com.
Editorial by Mike Heronime
Descriptions by Midtown Comics
Descriptions by Midtown Comics
Writer: Zeb Wells |
Artist:Chris Bachalo |
Manufacturer / Publisher: Marvel |
Description: "Sometimes It Snows In April (Come on it's a Prince reference from 20 years ago! The day of the massively unhip editor is upon us) continues with Spidey caught in the middle of two ancient threats that are conspiring to take him and the city itself down. Plus, Carlie trapped at the Police Station with someone after her blood!" |
Editorial: Chris Bachalo's Spider-Man and Wolverine are spot on. This is another fun arc in the new adventures of Spider-Man. So far I have to say that the big changes in Spidey's life have all been positive. It's too bad about the whole erasing continuity thing. I feel bad for the creators but this is definitely a good thing for the fans. And the right thing for Marvel to do There. I said it.
BPRD 1946 #4
Writer: Mike Mignola - Joshua Dysart | |||
Artist:Paul Azaceta | |||
Manufacturer / Publisher: Dark Horse | |||
Description: "With the body count rising, Bruttenholm and his allies race to track down the missing subjects of Project Vampir Sturm before they can be unleashed on the world. Written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and Joshua Dysart (Violent Messiahs, Swamp Thing, Conan and the Midnight God) and drawn by Paul Azaceta (Grounded), B.P.R.D.: 1946 chronicles the first investigation of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense in the ruins of post-World War II Berlin." Editorial: This title has been great, unlike the Abe Sapien series which I have touted positively until now. It's the first thing I've ever had to complain to Mignola about but Abe Sapien's 3rd issue was pretty incomprehensible and pretty much consisted of Abe being chased the whole time. But that's not what BPRD is about. This particular story has been damn scary and absolutely riveting. I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for Wednesday. CRIMINAL 2 #2 Writer: Ed Brubaker Artist:Sean Phillips Manufacturer / Publisher: Marvel/Icon |
FANTASTIC FOUR #556
Writer: Mark Millar |
Artist:Bryan Hitch |
Manufacturer / Publisher: Marvel |
Description: "That's the problem with Utopias-- they're all-too-often built on a foundation of human tears. When an organism designed to abolish war is set into motion, and it decides that the only way to accomplish its objective is to eliminate anyone who could possibly pick up a weapon, there's only one foursome to turn to if humanity is going to survive!" |
Review by Michael VanceMeanwhile (Milton Caniff/a biography/951 pgs. & $34.95 from Fantagraphics Books /written
by Robert C. Harvey/available at book and comics shops, and at www. fantagraphics.com.
It is made clear by the author of Meanwhile and many other creative folk that Milton Caniff was “one of the greatest creators of popular fiction of the twentieth century…” But not one person who gasped at the massive biography of Caniff’s life that I carried with me to myriad places had heard of him, and none of them remembered his comic strip Terry and the Pirates; a few said “oh” at the mention of his comic strip Steve Canyon.
The sad thing is that the praise lavished on Caniff by his admirers in this tome about his professional and personal life is completely justified. Caniff was and remains one of the greatest cartoonists who ever lived. Indeed, in his day, his reality-based art and storytelling were a huge influence on the newspaper comics page and in comic books.
You’ll find lavish examples of this work in this book including Sunday pages, daily strips, promotional art, sketches and character designs.
Advice: today’s comics artists could do themselves a world of good if they studied and immolated Caniff’s pen and brush work and his visual storytelling, particularly staging. But they don’t. And today’s comics writers could do themselves a world of good if they would study and emulate Caniff’s pacing, dialog and characterization, especially in Terry. But they won’t.
Finally, readers would do themselves a world of good if they would buy and read this definitive biography of a master cartoonist, and one heck of a nice guy. That means you, bucko.
Buy. Enjoy. Learn about one of the greatest art-forms in the world and one of its greatest practitioners, Milton Caniff.
Meanwhile receives the highest re-commendation.
Michael Vance
Check out Dark Corridor #1 for two Michael Vance short stories at www.mainenterprises.ecrater.com <http://www.mainenterprises.ecrater.com> .
Interested in the exciting Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection & Toy and Action Figure Museum? Try fourcolorcommentary. blogspot.com and www.youtube.com/watch <http://www.youtube.com/watch> ?v=eCARtM5BvvU.
by Robert C. Harvey/available at book and comics shops, and at www. fantagraphics.com.
It is made clear by the author of Meanwhile and many other creative folk that Milton Caniff was “one of the greatest creators of popular fiction of the twentieth century…” But not one person who gasped at the massive biography of Caniff’s life that I carried with me to myriad places had heard of him, and none of them remembered his comic strip Terry and the Pirates; a few said “oh” at the mention of his comic strip Steve Canyon.
The sad thing is that the praise lavished on Caniff by his admirers in this tome about his professional and personal life is completely justified. Caniff was and remains one of the greatest cartoonists who ever lived. Indeed, in his day, his reality-based art and storytelling were a huge influence on the newspaper comics page and in comic books.
You’ll find lavish examples of this work in this book including Sunday pages, daily strips, promotional art, sketches and character designs.
Advice: today’s comics artists could do themselves a world of good if they studied and immolated Caniff’s pen and brush work and his visual storytelling, particularly staging. But they don’t. And today’s comics writers could do themselves a world of good if they would study and emulate Caniff’s pacing, dialog and characterization, especially in Terry. But they won’t.
Finally, readers would do themselves a world of good if they would buy and read this definitive biography of a master cartoonist, and one heck of a nice guy. That means you, bucko.
Buy. Enjoy. Learn about one of the greatest art-forms in the world and one of its greatest practitioners, Milton Caniff.
Meanwhile receives the highest re-commendation.
Michael Vance
Check out Dark Corridor #1 for two Michael Vance short stories at www.mainenterprises.ecrater.com <http://www.mainenterprises.ecrater.com> .
Interested in the exciting Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection & Toy and Action Figure Museum? Try fourcolorcommentary. blogspot.com and www.youtube.com/watch <http://www.youtube.com/watch> ?v=eCARtM5BvvU.
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