PositiveBrand Reviews

The Top Twelve Comics of 2008

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:16:11 -0600

Last year was crap for home property values, banks, auto dealers, the stock market, oil prices, jobs, Republicans, and the Dallas Cowboys. But looking back, it was a pretty good year for comic books. DC concluded their 52 week "Countdown" and kicked off their "Final Crisis." Marvel thrust their entire universe into paranoia-laced chaos with a "Secret Invasion" that left the super-villains in control at the end of the day. Image wrapped up another "Casanova" thrill ride without Casanova Quinn. Dark Horse opened the gates of Hellboy with stories that feature "Lobster Johnson", "Abe Sapien", the "BPRD" from 1946, and even a "Hellboy" story that was written and drawn by Mike Mignola. Not only did the big guys all come to the show with their "A-game" but so did smaller publishers like Avatar Press with their super-radical "Black Summer". And then there was Archaia Studios' second beautiful installment of "Okko". And Icon's pulp-perfect "Criminal". Not sure what we're talking about? Read on. (Our Top 12 are listed in chronological order.)

		B.P.R.D.: 1946 #1 Published by Dark Horse Comics Written by Mike Mignola, art by Joshua Dysart Mignola puts us in the middle of World War II torn Europe better than Spielberg and Eastwood put together. Except in Mike Mignola's WWII, you're not just contending with Nazis but you've also got vampires coming out of the castle's woodwork. The first issue of this series was creepier than Dick Cheney and twice as scary. And the perfect way to kickoff this riveting series. When it comes to helping put back together a post-war Germany, miles of Army red tape and Cold War diplomacy proves to be of little concern compared with vampires that crawl all around you in dark hallways and an evil spirit that works through the body of a 7-year old Russian girl.

		The Umbrella Academy: Apokalypse Suite #6 Published by Dark Horse Comics Written by Gerard Way, art by Gabriel Ba This book is a totally unexpected surprise - both the content as well as the circumstances surrounding its creation. The Umbrella Academy is an amazing story about seven exceptional children born without fathers, raised by an alien (who among other things nurtures super-intelligence out of primates) along with a robot mother and a giant Arab for the sole purpose of saving the world. If that sounds pretty far-fetched, consider for a moment how this incredible and perfectly scripted story was the first comic book written by My Chemical Romance's lead vocalist Gerard Way. And it was written while Way was on tour with his band. Unbelievable!

		The Immortal Iron Fist #13 Published by Marvel Comics Written by Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction, art by David Aja A mad scientist is attempting to blow up Heaven while the universe's greatest kung fu masters are engaged in a tournament that happens once every eighty-eight years. Danny Rand, Luke Cage and the Heroes for Hire lead the battle against Hydra and their evil leader, Xao to save Heaven and establish Danny Rand as the greatest Iron Fist of them all. Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja prove that kung fu is alive and well in the Marvel U. The big mystery behind this book is why it's not Number One on Marvel's sales charts every single month.

		Black Summer #6 Published by Avatar Press Written by Warren Ellis, art by Juan Jose Ryp Ever since Steve Rogers became America's Super Soldier, comic creators continue to be inspired by the concept of government made super heroes. If you liked Alan Moore's Miracleman, Mark Millar's The Ultimates, Warren Ellis' The Authority, or J. Michael Straczinski's Supreme Power, then you're gonna love Black Summer. Ellis dials up the action, the violence, and the political insanity to 11 in this super bad ass story about a Super Soldier who decides that protecting America begins by killing the president for his crimes against the country. Ouch.

		Casanova #14 Published by Image Comics Written by Matt Fraction, art by Fabio Moon Casanova #14 is the final issue of the second story arc about the Quinn family and friends and their convoluted plans for protecting and / or controlling society in Matt Fraction's whacked out vision of the future. If the first sotry arc made you think nothing could be weirder, Fraction totally proves you wrong with this second roller coaster ride. In your face! Maybe the real trick here though is that he did it withou the aid of his lead character Casanova Quinn. Makes it pretty important to pick up the next issue as soon as it comes out.

		Captain America #39 Published by Marvel Comics Written by Ed Brubaker, art by Rob De La Torre Ever since Ed Brubaker killed him, I just can't seem to get enough of Captain America. By the time the Death of Captain America saga reaches issue #39, we've been teased with the prospect of Captain America's return through the past with the Invaders, from outer space with the Skrull invasion, or possibly the weirdest, through the womb of Agent 13. But in this issue, the new Captain America, Cap's old partner, Bucky, is confronted with a brainwashed Captain America replacement from the fifties. It sounds as goofy as a Casanova plot but it's really amazing comic book storytelling by the master, Ed Brubaker.

		Omega The Unknown #10 Published by Marvel Comics Written by Jonathan Lethem and Karl Rusnak, art by Farel Dalrymple and Paul Hornschemeier The story of a mute, reluctant superhero from another planet, and the earthly teenager with whom he shares a strange destiny -- and the legion of robots and nanoviruses that have been sent from afar to hunt the two of them down. Created in 1975 by Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes, the original Omega The Unknown lasted only ten issues but was a legend to those who recall it -- an ahead-of-its-time tale of an anti-hero, inflected with brilliant ambiguity. Jonathan Lethem has turned his fascination with the 1975 Omega into a hysterical, poignant, and moving story about lonliness and purpose in a crazy, confusing world.

		Dead Space #5 Published by Image Comics Written by Antony Johnston, art by Ben Templesmith Ben Templesmith rocks. You may be familiar with his art from his work with Warren Ellis on the kickass detective series "Fell." In "Fell", Templesmith does a great job of creating a mood and a location that are one and the same. In "Dead Space", Templesmith accomplishes the same miracle. The outpost colony where this sci-fi zombie thriller takes place is simply crawlng with creepiness, thanks to Templesmith's mojo. And Antony Johnston has done an excellent job of making a truly scary, frighhtening story come to life (and death). Maybe the most amazing thing is that this is based on a video game and it's still a great comic. Inconceivable!

		Okko Cycle of Earth #1 Published by Archaia Studios Written and Illustrated by Hub It is the Winter of 1109 in the official calendar of the Pajan Empire. Okko and his faithful companions – the mysterious masked Noburo, Noshin the monk, and young Tikku – arrive at the City of the Blasting Powder. While seeking a guide to help them cross the perilous chain of the seven monasteries, they meet a skillful warrior: Mow of the Wind. On the one hand, Hub's kung fu storytelling is fairly straightforward and relatively typical for the genre. On the other hand, the art is amazingly detailed and immaculately rendered. A good story and great art make for an exceptional comic.

		All Star Superman #12 Published by DC Comics Written by Grant Morrison, art by Frank Quitely Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely saved Superman. Superman comics had become unreadable before this series started. The character had been so deconstructed and reconstructed that he was a pail shadow of his former self. That former self, thank goodness, still lived in the mind of Grat Morrison. And with the help of Frank Quitely, Superman has returned. Issue 12 concludes their run in stellar fashion. Every issue of this series has been a reminder of what makes Superman great along with suprises that we never expected before. Bravo.

		Criminal Volume 2 #6 Published by Icon Written by Ed Brubaker, art by Sean Phillips Ed Brubaker proves that comic books are equal if not superior to all other forms of media entertainment with Criminal. This noir inspired series transcends the genre. In each issue, Brubaker highlights an old film-noir gem but if you take the time to watch most of these flicks you'll see that they're actually inferior to Brubaker's Criminal series. Corny dialogue and implausible plot lines that are a dime a dozen in film noir flicks from the forties and fifties are nowhere to be found in Criminal. This is truly masterpiece level entertainment that raises the bar for every screenplay writer and novelist in the biz.

		Secret Invasion #8 Published by Marvel Comics Written by Brian Bendis, art by Leinil Yu Secret Invasion began with a lot of teasing and anticipation. As usual, Brian Bendis delivered on the promise. For a story that was spread out over several months across several other titles, Secret Invasion still managed to deliver like a high speed thriller/summer blockbuster. All the way up to it's dramatic conclusion (Issue #8) which includes a breathtaking twist in the ending with more teasing and anticipation for the next big blockbuster. These guys make comic books hurt so good.

Too Many Captain Americas

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:03:52 -0600

By Mike Heornime

When Captain America died last year, I went immediately into denial saying, "there's no way Cap is really dead." He'll be back. My second reaction was to begin imagining how he might return. I guess the guys at Marvel went through a similar process -- and then decided to publish all of those stories. Because now, instead of no Cap, we've got Caps comin' out our whazzoo. It's very much like the death of Superman. The minute he left us, he was replaced with a half dozen second rate Supermen.

Captain America was shot point blank by his secret agent girlfriend and I was still convinced that it wasn't enough to kill the Super Soldier. But in the weeks and months that followed, we were presented with evidence that seemed to confirm that Steve Rogers was definitely dead. Maybe the most amazing thing about Cap's death has been Brubaker's ability to keep Captain America's comic book alive and kickin' with its title character apparently pushin' up daisies (maybe, takin' a dirt nap on Boot Hill would be more appropriate than daisies).

Brubaker has done a lot more than just keep the spirit of Captain America alive. And he's had plenty of help from Marvel's best and brightest. As a matter of fact, Alex Ross, Brian Bendis, Jeph Loeb, Mark Millar, Matt Fraction, and Ed Brubaker have all had a hand in bringing back Captain America from the dead. So much so that we now have had at least nine appearances of Captain America since Steve Rogers was plugged full of lead. That's right. Nine.

Here they are in no particular order.

Captain America, the Corpse.

We've all seen this guy. It's supposedly the body of Steve Rogers, dead as a doornail. But is it really? Now that we've seen Captain America from Outer Space (see below), can we really be sure that Agent Carter didn't hypnotically ventilate the body of a Skrull imposter? This has my vote for how Marvel plans to return Steve Rogers to Marvel U continuity. But it's certainly not their only option.

Captain America from Outer Space.

Secret Invasion is Marvel's blockbuster event for the summer and Brian Bendis kicked us all in the brain balls with his show stopping scene at the end of issue 1. A space ship lands on Earth and is confronted by the New Avengers and the Mighty Avengers. When the space ship doors open up, who steps out? Marvel's Mightiest Heroes of the 1970s. Luke Cage sporting his tiara. Spider-Man with webbed armpits. Furry blue Beast before the catlike transformation. And Captain America. Over the course of the next couple of issues, it was revealed that some of these 70s throwbacks are the real McCoy (Hank?) while others are actually Skrulls. We've been told that this is Outer Space Cap is the real Cap but it hasn't been confirmed. Until then, here are some other options.

Captain America from the Invaders.

A little time traveling hocus-pocus, and Shazam! the Invaders from WWII are suddenly pulled from the past and thrust into the mixed up continuity of the present. Of course, the Invaders were a team of super heroes that included the Human Torch, Toro, The Sub-Mariner, Bucky, and Captain America. Now, with the wave of a magic wand (or magic keyboard as the case may be) and Voila!, the original Captain America/Steve Rogers is back. But is he here to stay? And how will he feel when he discovers that he's been assassinated by his girlfriend and replaced by his sidekick? If you thought Steve Rogers had problems before when he thought his sidekick died in an explosion and he had to adjust to contemporary American life, just imagine what it would be like to have this particular Invader's current blast of cold reality hitting you in the face.

Captain America, the Sidekick.

If you think for a second that the death of Captain America is the end of Captain America, witness Bucky Barnes. Long considered one of the few permanently dead characters in comics, Ed Brubaker did the unthinkable by bringing Bucky back from the grave to the applause of fans everywhere. Apparently Bucky Barnes was picked up by the Russians who brainwashed him, augmented his body with bionics, and transformed him into the world's most lethal assassin, the Winter Soldier. Thank goodness he was rehabilitated in time to fill the boots of his mentor. Today, Bucky Barnes IS Captain America. But I would be pretty surprised if Marvel left it that way. For one thing, they made sure they gave him a distinguishably different costume supposedly so that you can tell the difference between the real Cap and the Barnes Cap.

Captain America, the Punisher.

One of the first Marvel characters to pick up the mantle of Captain America was Frank Castle. Apparently Frank is a bit of a Captain America fanboy. Who knew? Anyway, soon after Cap's death, Frank decked himself out in his own version of Captain America's costume and set about Punishing criminals in his new guise. It's pretty hard to take seriously once you see the costume. But when it comes to effectively creating dramatic situations with tongue firmly placed in cheek, no one does it better than Matt Fraction, author of Punisher War Journal (and Iron Fist and Iron Man, too). Frank's not a real contender for the title of Captain America but he's been another one of the many Caps to hit the scene since Rogers' demise.

Captain America, the Archer.

Another huge fan of Captain America is Clint Barton, the man that used to be the Avenger named Hawkeye. I guess all those years of getting yelled at by Cap had the same effect as the Helsinki Syndrome. Anyway, not too long after Cap was put into cold storage, Tony Stark approached Clint Barton and asked him to take up the mantle of Captain America. After a brief tryout, Clint gave it up, admitting to Tony and himself that he was no Captain America. Too bad. He would've been my choice to put on the old stars and stripes in a world without Mr. Rogers.

Captain America, the Life Model Decoy (LMD).

One of our first glimpses of the posthumous Steve Rogers was in the pages of New Avengers, and seen through the astrally projected eyes of Doctor Strange. ("The coast is clear!" Yeah, right. Thanks Doc.) But alas, it was just a trap, as Wolverine confirmed later with his excellent super sense of smell. So who was that laying on the slab in the SHIELD morgue? A SHIELD LMD of course. As a matter of fact, if you wanted to get technical, Marvel is probably crawling with Captain Americas considering how many Cap LMDs SHIELD has made. As far as SHILED is concerned, you can never have too many Captain Americas around.

Captain America from the Fifties.

In a recent issue of Captain America, Agent Carter is digging around the Red Skull's lair when she comes across a Steve Rogers in a tube. By the next issue, we find out that this isn't Steve Rogers but instead some guy from the Fifties who was recruited to be Captain America's replacement while Steve was locked up in a block of ice somewhere in the Arctic Ocean. I guess, later this Cap replacement showed up and made trouble for the original Captain America who had been thawed out by then by the Avengers. Cap had to put this second rater down for whatever reason. And now the Red Skull has gotten his mitts on him and plans to make him the new Captain America. I'm sure Captain America the Sidekick will have something to say about that.

"Cap," the Earth Protecting Robot.

Probably the most unexpected Captain America appearance came in the pages of Mark Millar's Fantastic Four. In Millar's story, an old friend of Reed Richards has constructed a parallel Earth to be home to humans after our planet has been destroyed by our own pollution and neglect. To help make sure this new Earth will be safe from the ravishes of war, they invented "Cap," a very aggressive and effective robot designed to wipe out all military forces everywhere. "Cap" is a giant robot decorated to look a lot like like Captain America. When it accidentally ends up on the original Earth, "Cap" begins to fulfill its programming by going around the planet and destroying every military base on Earth. Eventually, Reed Richards puts the bot down 'cause "Cap" was programmed to never harm former boyfriends of his creator. Go figure.

So, as you can see, there's no shortage of Captain Americas. Quite the contrary. We have quite a glut. So the next time somebody decides to kill an A-lister like Batman, just relax. Chill out. It ain't nothin' to worry about. There are always plenty of skrulls, robots, time travelers, imposters, decoys, pacts with the devil, and sour seafood induced nightmares around to bring back any superhero from his (always) premature demise. Superheroes never die, they just get re-invented.

Waiting For Comics An Extra Day

Sun, 25 May 2008 14:17:19 -0600

Review by Mike Heronime

New comics come out every Wednesday. It's like having a favorite TV show. You wait until Wednesday when it comes on and then you get to re-connect with your friends and familiars once again. It's one of these habitual rituals that people seem to adopt and adapt to so easily. I think it has something to do with the sun rising and setting and rising again and the comfort that comes with patterns that repeat. So in this regard, "new comics come out every Wednesday" is like hope for a bright tomorrow.

So what does it mean when Wednesday comes and goes without new comics? Doom? Despair? Well, no. But certainly disappointment. Kinda like the writers strike. Favorite TV shows were suddenly not available on their promised dates. Sadness set in. But this too came to pass. Just like this Wednesday will. The good news is that this comicless Wednesday will be swiftly followed by new comics on Thursday. A very short if not slightly inconvenient 24-hour delay in our chance to reconnect with our friends and familiars in the pages of our favorite comic books.

When Thursday finally gets here, and you find yourself scoping out the numerous options available to you on the shelves of your local comic book store, if you pick up nothing else, be sure to grab copies of the following:

ALL STAR SUPERMAN #11

Writer : Grant Morrison

Artist : Frank Quitely

Manufacturer / Publisher : DC

Description : "Superman--dead? What is the secret behind the Daily Planet's ominous headline from the future? And what does Clark Kent have to say about it? All the pieces of Lex Luthor's master plan to kill Superman begin to come together, building up to the All Star big bang in story's finale!"

ASTONISHING X-MEN GIANT SIZE #1

Writer : Joss Whedon

Artist : John Cassaday

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "Too big to be contained in a normal issue, the grand finale of Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly) and John Cassaday's (CAPTAIN AMERICA, Planetary) landmark run is right here! The powerlords of Breakworld bring the fight to Earth. Can the X-Men stop them from destroying the whole planet? Will the Avengers join their fight? What we do know is this: one of the X-Men won't walk away from this fight. Plus spotlight interviews with Whedon and Cassaday!"

BATMAN #677 RIP

Writer : Grant Morrison

Artist : "Tony Daniel, Sandu Florea"

Manufacturer / Publisher : DC

Description : "Continuing "Batman R.I.P," the epic story that will change the legend of the Dark Knight forever! As the life of Bruce Wayne takes an interesting turn with Jezebel Jet, the life of Batman falls into the ultimate downward spiral."

FINAL CRISIS #1

Writer : Grant Morrison

Artist : J.G. Jones

Manufacturer / Publisher : DC

Description : "Witness the historic start of the final chapter in the Crisis trilogy that could only spring from the mind of Grant Morrison -- Final Crisis, featuring stunning art by J.G. Jones (52 Covers)! Worlds will live and heroes will die in this epic tale spanning the beginning and end of the DC Universe! The entire Multiverse is threatened as the mysterious Libra assembles an army of the DCU's most terrifying super villains. But what is the ultimate plan, and who will live to find out?"

IMMORTAL IRON FIST #15

Writer : Various

Artist : David Aja

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "TALES OF THE IRON FIST! When we last saw Bei Bang-Wen, he was leaping to what seemed to be a certain death off the top of the Taku Forts -- would you believe us if we told you that was only the beginning? Join us as we take a look at another one of the fabulous Iron Fists of years past and his legendary legacy in "The Story of the Iron Fist Bei Bang-Wen -- The Perfect Strategy Mind and his Miraculous Travels to the Dark Continent, and What Mysteries of the World and of the Self that He Learned There (1827-1860)" By Matt Fraction and Khari Evans!"

KING SIZE HULK #1

Writer : Jeph Loeb

Artist : Various

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "HULK vs. SHE-HULK! HULK vs. WENDIGO! HULK vs. ??????????? JEPH LOEB! ART ADAMS! FRANK CHO! TOO many SUPERSTARS to fit into a puny REGULAR-SIZED issue!!! We're comin' upside your head with a KING-SIZE spectacular with MORE smashing, bashing, trashing, and clashing than should be allowed by law!!! Three new tales that fill in the gaps of the best-selling HULK book, and set up NEW storylines! PLUS, classic tales including THE INCREDIBLE HULK 180 (the REAL 1st appearance of Wolverine!) and AVENGERS 83 (Lady Liberators, anyone?)! More? You want MORE!?!? How about a super-secret MYSTERY ARTIST????"

NEW AVENGERS #41 (SECRET INVASTION TIE-IN)

Writer : Brian Michael Bendis

Artist : Leinil Francis Yu

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "The Avengers are trapped in the Savage Land, battling friend and foe. And Spider-Man heads to the one person in the entire place he knows he can trust: Ka-Zar!! But is it really him? This important chapter rewinds the events of the very first New Avengers story and shows how it connects to the Invasion."

How Will You Vote (for Marvel's 2007 Covers)?

Thu, 22 May 2008 22:18:48 -0600

Marvel Comics wants to know which comics you believe sported the best cover art in 2007. Visit their website and you can browse every comic book cover published by Marvel in 2007 and select your top 5. I know it's a little late in the year for a Best Of 2007 contest. But it's still a fun little romp down memory lane. Below you can check out my picks, just for grins. Visit Marvel to cast your vote by clicking here.

Project Resurrection

Thu, 22 May 2008 22:11:32 -0600

Review by Mark Allen

Project Superpowers, published by Dynamite Entertainment, 32 pages, $2.99.

As seems to be popular these days, Dynamite Entertainment has “resurrected” several Golden Age comic book heroes for a series entitled Project Superpowers. But this project is far more than simply an attempt to cash in on a trend.

The plot is by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger, and involves heroes of W.W. II interacting in the modern world. Readers are treated to the story of a hero who has to make a difficult choice, visiting what he sees as a lesser evil upon his comrades in order to put a halt to a larger one. But, was his decision the right one? That’s the question that is addressed, against a background of intriguing characterization, a looming global threat, and the growing anticipation of confrontations, not just between good and evil, but also between degrees of righteousness.

Additionally, any time a writer sets up a vexing “who do you trust” dilemma in a story, it’s a good thing. (Yes, I want to be vexed by storylines; it means I’m invested.) Ross and Krueger are quite successful in that regard, as Bruce Carter, aka “The Fighting Yank,” is torn between two would-be advisers; the ghost of an ancestor and a mysterious apparition called the American Spirit. This helps keep readers guessing, and glued to the story.

Carlos Paul handles the interior art, which fairly explodes with drama, action and intensity when called for, while ably portraying more subdued scenes as well. All the while, his style is grounded in reality, steeped in detail, and made all the more enjoyable by the choices of colorist Debora Corita.

Alex Ross supplies the covers for each issue, which, while not adding anything to the actual story, makes for a most attractive “wrapping” for this gift to comics fans.

Project Superpowers is well worth your time and investment, and will probably appeal more to teenage and adult readers. Find it at comics shops, online retailers and auctions, and atwww.dynamiteentertainment.com .

Mark Allen

Where is DC This Wednesday?

Sun, 18 May 2008 20:49:25 -0600

By Mike Heronime

Despite my commitment to small press comics and my determination to buy fewer superhero comics and more non-genre books, Marvel continues to capture my comic book dollar. It's simply because they continue to employ the best creative talent in the business. Ed Brubaker, Bryan Hitch, Mark Millar, Greg Pak and Brian Bendis are represented in this week's books alone. It's not that DC doesn't have their share of top talent. The difference is that Marvel's superhero writers are creating comic books that transcend the super hero genre and read more like action movies than superhero comic books. Captain America, Fantastic Four, Hercules, and Secret Invasion are all prime examples of Marvel's great success with creating comic books that are tremendously entertaining without feeling like stories about goofy flakes with capes. The other book on this week's list is from Wildstorm. And like the Marvel books, The Programme turns the traditional superhero story on its ear and in the process, makes it completely plausible that this sort of thing could happen any day now.

If you don't buy anything else this Wednesday, make sure you pick up these great comics.

Descriptions by Midtown Comics.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #38

Writer : Ed Brubaker

Artist : Various

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "Bucky Barnes never wanted to be Captain America, but he's doing his best to carry on the legacy of Steve Rogers, in his own way, while trying to save Sharon Carter from the Red Skull and his minions. But maybe he's not the only one running around in a Captain America outfit! Part Two of ""The Man Who Bought America"" by the acclaimed team of Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting."

FANTASTIC FOUR #557

Writer : Mark Millar

Artist : Bryan Hitch

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "World's Greatest" concludes! It's the ultimate engine of peace pitted against Reed Richards' most lethal invention, for all the marbles! And a shocking final page that'll have you feeling every minute of the thirty-day wait until the next issue!"

INCREDIBLE HERCULES #117 (SECRET INVASION TIE-IN)

Writer : Greg Pak

Artist : Khoi Pham

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "The Greek Goliath gathers the most powerful super-team ever assembled to counter-attack the Skrull gods! Face front, True Believers, and prepare for the pantheon-pounding premiere of... THE GOD SQUAD!"

MIGHTY AVENGERS #14 (SECRET INVASION TIE-IN)

Writer : Brian Michael Bendis

Artist : Mark Bagley

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

PROGRAMME #11

Writer : Peter Milligan

Artist : C.P. Smith

Manufacturer / Publisher : DC/Wildstorm

Description : Max has finally become the superman that the U.S. Government has sought -- but at what price? And is American society crumbed beyond salvage? The super-human war of ideologies is on!

Pacitti Plugs Pandemonium Comics

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:38:28 -0600

By Mike Heronime

Among my favorite comic book authors I include Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Mark Waid, and, of course, Eric Robinson and Tony Pacitti. I would suggest that most of the names on the short list you probably recognize with maybe the exceptions of Eric and Tony. Eric introduced me to Tony. Both writers work with me on the comic books we publish for Pandemonium Comics. Eric writes Dark Dallas and Tony writes two titles, RoboPlanet and The Silencer. And both writers are getting their share of press lately. Eric was recently mentioned in a D Magazine review of Dark Dallas. And now you can read Tony's interview by Southcoast 247 as they pick his brain to find out his secrets to comic book success. You can read their interview with Tony by clicking here.

Giant-Size Wednesday, Smash!

Sun, 11 May 2008 23:30:00 -0600

Descriptions by Midtown Comics

Editorial by Mike Heronime

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #559

Writer : Bob Gale

Artist : Phil Jimenez

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "The DB, New York's trashiest tabloid, has just hired the sleaziest, most muckraking, lowlife paparazzi of them all...PETER PARKER?! Say it ain't so, true believer! Also in this ish, J. Jonah Jameson finds inner peace and harmony...(Hey, it could happen! Maybe.) All this and the first ever livestreaming super-villain: Screwball! Dan Slott returns to Spidey, and he's bringing Marcos Martin (DOCTOR STRANGE: THE OATH) with him!"

Editorial: Here it comes again. Another week of Spider-Man. No complaints. How long can they keep it up? Let's just see.

BATMAN #676 RIP

Writer : Grant Morrison

Artist : Tony Daniel - Sandu Florea

Manufacturer / Publisher : DC

Description : "Are you ready for Batman R.I.P.? Beginning the epic story that will change the legend of the Dark Knight forever! Everything in Grant Morrison's groundbreaking run on Batman has been leading to this story, and nothing will ever be the same again. Who will live? Who will die? Who will be Batman? The answers are sure to shock you in Batman R.I.P., featuring artwork by Tony Daniel & Sandu Florea and covers by Alex Ross."

Editorial: Here it comes. Batman is dead?! Is it possible. You can bet I'll be picking up the book to find out. I'm banking on Grant Morrison's plans to make us all forget Frank Miller and Alan Moore. Count on it.

BPRD 1946 #5

Writer : "Mike Mignola, Joshua Dysart"

Artist : Paul Azaceta

Manufacturer / Publisher : Dark Horse

Description : "B.P.R.D.: 1946 rises to its astounding conclusion as Bruttenholm at last comes face to face with one of the most diabolical villains to emerge from the Third Reich, a mad genius whose creations will plague the B.P.R.D. for years to come."

Editorial: It's truly the scariest, creepiest comic book on the stands. If you missed the Hellboy Free Comic Book last week, then you missed a lot. Among other things, it included a little tie-in story to 1946.

CASANOVA #14

Writer : Matt Fraction

Artist : Fabio Moon

Manufacturer / Publisher : Image

Description : "The second album of CASANOVA comes to an end and you absolutely won't believe it. If Casanova comes back, surely this would be the issue, right? Right? He's gonna come back, isn't he? It's all gonna work out all right, isn't it? At the end of the issue, everything will be beautiful again and nothing will hurt, right? Right? Hello? God? By MATT FRACTION (PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL, THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST) and FABIO MOON (SUGARSHOCK, De:TALES), it's the comic GQ called ""Brilliant."""

Editorial: GQ called it brilliant. I guess even GQ can be right once in a while. It is brilliant. Kick ass. Off the hook. Flippin' fantastic. If you aren't reading this book, check you pulse. You might be dead.

GIANT SIZE INCREDIBLE HULK #1

Writer : Roger Stern

Artist : Cory Hamscher - Zach Howard

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "The Hulk may be a misunderstood monster, but his former sidekick, Fred Sloan, is determined to set the record straight. He's traveling the country, finding stories of the Hulk touching people's lives, researching for his book, 'Hulk Encounter: A Survivor's Story."" But will he find the Hulk revered as a hero, or despised as a menace? Meanwhile, the green goliath himself is on the run, getting into trouble as he goes. Join classic Hulk writer Roger Stern for this look into the impact of Hulk's smashing! PLUS: Re-presenting the hard-to-find INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #7 by Robert Stern, John Byrne and Bob Layton!"

Editorial: A Giant Size Hulk without Greg Pak. Is that even possible? We'll see. The Hulk is hot. Can't miss this one.

TWELVE #5

Writer : J. Michael Straczynski

Artist : Chris Weston

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : Tensions rise and heroes come to blows as the time-lost Twelve from the Golden Age find their fundamental beliefs challenged in the world of the 21st Century. Plus; the Origin of the Witness--he's seen what you've done!

Editorial: JMS is making this his Watchmen. So far, so good. Is it possible that guys like JMS, Morrison, or Millar make the world forget about Alan Moore? Read this one and tell me what you think.

Crosier Gets Tapped by Yahoo!

Fri, 09 May 2008 14:22:40 -0600

Those familiar with Pandemonium Comics will be familiar with the name of Daniel Crosier. Dan provided the writing and art for the January issue of Pandemonium Comics titled "Sons of Soil." He has also created cover art for PositiveBrand titles "The Zombie" and "The Land of Andrak." Additional cover illustrations by Dan will be seen later this year on Pandemonium Comics titles "The Arena", "The Exquisite Vanishteer", and "Grave Mistakes." Given Dan's unique talents and style, it's no wonder Yahoo! has asked Dan for his expert opinion on pursuing a career in comic book art. What follows is an excerpt from an article posted by Yahoo! Hot Jobs targeting job seekers.

The Colorful World of Comic Book Artistry

Daniel Crosier, comic book illustrator currently working on "Bartholomew of the Scissors" (Blue Water Productions), says comic book illustrations are a natural extension of his artistic ability, which includes creating contemporary wood sculptures, paintings, building props for local films, and directing short films. "This is another outlet for my art and storytelling. Having a background in illustration translates well into comic books."

Comic book illustrators typically work closely with the in-house editorial department. As stories evolve, so do the illustrations to match the characters and their actions. Illustrators need to adhere to strict deadlines to ensure their role is on track with the publisher's schedule and be able to work with others. "Work at your craft and learn how to take criticism," says Crosier.

Dream big: "Network, network, network!" he advises. "If an opportunity doesn't present itself, make an opportunity. Things will rarely happen to you." A degree in fine arts is a plus.

The rest of the article can be read here.

Buying Comics Again

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:25:39 -0600

By Mike Heronime

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY has come and gone. Hopefully you took advantage of the opportunity and snatched up some excellent free comic books on Saturday. If not, your comic book store probably still has some great books lying around (like X-men, Hellboy, Ignatz, and Gekiga which I highly recommend). So while your trolling your comic book store this Wednesday for FREE books, be sure to pick up copies (you'll have to pay for these) of the following top notch titles:

Descriptions by Midtown Comics

Editorial by Mike Heronime

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #558

Writer : Bob Gale

Artist : Phil Jimenez

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "The frighteningly funky and fearsome Freak returns, more powerful than ever! And this action-packed issue features the gorgeous art of Barry Kitson -- fresh from Marvel's THE ORDER! Plus: Menace! Curt Connors! Aunt May! Lots of innocent bystanders! Gale wrote it, Wacker edited it, and Marvel actually thought it was a good idea to publish it!"

Editorial:

AVENGERS INVADERS #1

Writer : Jim Krueger

Artist : Steve Sadowski

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "The original Invaders (Captain America , Bucky , Human Torch , Toro , and the Sub-Mariner) return in a twelve issue maxi-series by the award winning team behind EARTH X, Justice and Project Superpowers .The greatest super-team of World War II finds themselves transported from the battlefields of the Second World War to a future they never imagined! Now, the Invaders find themselves confronted by two teams of Avengers who want desperately to believe these heroes are who they say they are, while Tony Stark faces his greatest challenge since the Civil War as he must deal with the "return" of Steve Rogers. Confronted by a world they barely recognize, the Invaders will have to show two teams of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes just what kind of power, courage and sheer determination it took to defeat the forces of unrelenting evil in the Twentieth century. In fact--they may just have to do it again in the Twenty-First."

Editorial: Spider-man continues to be a great series. Please support this book and we'll end up with DC and Marvel producing comic books like TV series. Every week it'll be a new episode. These guys have the resources so they should do it.

DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME #3

Writer : "Robin Furth, Peter David"

Artist : "Lee, Isanove"

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "With Roland's consciousness trapped within Maerlyn's Grapefruit, his ka-tet companion, Alain, enters the mystical todash space in an attempt to rescue his friend. But as he and Roland flit in and out of alien dimensions, Cuthbert, the last member of their ka-tet, desperately tries to stave off a pack of slavering mutant wolves who have come to devour the unconscious Roland and Alain!"

Editorial: The art is great. The story is okay. Definitely creepy. Well written at least. This is probably more appropriate to purchase as a hard bound collection (note to self).

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1

Writer : Matt Fraction

Artist : Salvador Larroca

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "A bold new ONGOING TITLE for the biggest hero of 2008! IRON MAN! You know you love him! And as the summer's most anticipated movie boot-jets its way into theaters, here's the perfect jumping-on point for new readers and Iron Man fans alike! Tony Stark -- Iron Man, billionaire industrialist and director of S.H.I.E.L.D. -- faces the most overwhelming challenge of his life. Ezekiel Stane, the son of Tony's late business rival and archenemy Obadiah, has set his sights, his genius and his considerable fortune on the task of destroying Tony Stark and Iron Man. What's worse, he's got Iron Man tech, and he's every bit Iron Man's equal and opposite--except younger, faster, smarter--and immeasurably evil. Rising star writer Matt Fraction (IMMORTAL IRON FIST) and superstar artist Salvador Larroca (UNCANNY X-MEN) join forces to repulsor-ray your comic books to a cinder!"

Editorial: Not as good as the movie. But not too bad. Matt Fraction is writing it but it's very different from Casanova (not nearly as weird) and Iron Fist (not nearly as intense). But don't let that keep you from picking up a copy. It's just getting started. And knowing Fraction, when this baby kicks in the overdrive, look out.

LOGAN #3

Writer : Brian K. Vaughan

Artist : Eduardo Risso

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : "In the gut-wrenching conclusion to Vaughan and Risso's epic story, Wolverine must make the single most difficult decision of his long and bloody career."

Editorial: I don't really think this is BK Vaughn's greatest work. But Risso was born to draw Wolverine. The main thing about the series is how it finally clears up how Logan lost his memory.

SECRET INVASION #2

Writer : Brian Michael Bendis

Artist : Leinil Franics Yu

Manufacturer / Publisher : Marvel

Description : The Invasion is here!! The Marvel Universe is in shambles. The Skrull Empire's plan has birthed itself into perfection. It is hero versus hero!! Resurrections and reunions!! Is Tony Stark a Skrull? And is that actually Captain America leading the heroes into a new era?? EXPECT CHANGE!!

Editorial: I am so confused. There are heroes everywhere. Who's a skrull and who's not? It was a difficult question before they doubled the cast. Now I'm afraid we may never know. Do you think?

Diehard Fans' Alter Ego

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:05:30 -0600

Review by Michael Vance

Alter Ego #75/96 pgs. & $6.95 from Twomorrows Publishing/various writers and
artists/available comics shops and at www.twomorrows.com.

Disclaimer: I have written for Alter Ego magazine, and therefore cannot be unbiased in this review.

I love this magazine! Alter Ego is a periodical mostly about the history of super-hero comic book titles with a sprinkling of information on comic strips. It is generally packed from glossy cover to cover with art, photographs, and new information on the world’s most popular artform starting in the early ‘30s.

The cover of the 75th issue is a montage of the art styles used on Fawcett Publication’s
“Captain Marvel”, Superman’s only serious contender for the title of the best selling superhero of all time.

Shazam!! About half of the issue is dedicated to the interpretation of the “Big Red
Cheese” by many different writers and artists for more than fifty years. Features in the rest of the issue include articles on artists and writers probably unknown to most readers. That’s because, for the most part, creators did not get bylines on their stories published in the first 25 years of comic books.

As example, Maxwell Elkan is a man unknown to even most hardcore comics fans. Yet this talented artist produced a substantial amount of outstanding comics work in multiple
genres for twenty years. Recognition of his talent and of his role in the formative years of comics is no longer overdue.

This issue also offers a delightful 2008 calendar featuring famous movie actresses as
super-heroines from the ‘30s and ‘40s. What comics fan could resist Jane Russell as Phantom Lady or Esther Williams as Rocketgirl? Hubba, hubba!

If the preceding sounds like Alter Ego is not a magazine for causal comics readers, you
have good ears. Alter Ego is highly recommended for die-hard comics fans.

Michael Vance

Order Dark Corridor,a horror, fantasy, and suspense short story magazine at www.mainenterprises.ecrater.com! Michael Vance contributes the offbeat tales "The Zoo" and "Picked Clean". $4.50 per issue, USA.

Interested in the exciting Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection and Toy and Action Figure Museum? Go to www.fourcolorcommentary.com

Iron Man Delivers

Mon, 05 May 2008 09:42:22 -0600

Review by Robert Hurst

*WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!* Just returned from a 'sneak peek' of "Iron Man" in Dallas. On a scale of 1-10, I give it an 8 1/2. Director Jon Favreau has made a comic book movie for the masses. You don't have to know anything about the Iron Man comics to appreciate this movie. The movie has a message about the U.S. involvement in the Mid-East and the economic impact of the country's military industrial complex. Robert Downey, Jr. is perfectly cast as Tony Stark/Iron Man. Jeff Bridges as Obadia Stane chews up the scenery and Gwyneth Paltrow aptly brings Pepper Potts to life. It's a great 'origin' movie and gives us insight into Stark's background as a 'boy genius' who had to stand in his father's shadow. Jon Favreau does double duty as Happy Hogan, Stark's chaffeur & semi-bodyguard. Terrence Howard shows that he's ready to play War Machine in the sequel. The script closely follows the Lee/Ditko origin story seen in Tales to Astonish back in the early 1960s.

Stark is kidnapped by terrorists set on making him pay for the horror his family business has caused worldwide. With the help of another prisoner, Stark builds the Iron Man suit to escape his captors. Upon returning stateside he sets about cleaning up the mess his family business has created worldwide as a military weapons manufacturer by improving upon the Iron Man suit. Unbeknownst to Stark, he's being screwed over by the person he trusts the most in the family business. Corporate intrigue feeds into the superhero storyline with a throwdown between Iron Man and War Monger in the movie's climactic battle. For those who thought Nick Fury* might show up as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. or that Black Widow might make an appearance...sorry. There's great humor along with the drama in "Iron Man". I'm ready for the sequel! Question is: who will play The Mandarin?

- Robert

*Editors Note: If you're real patient and manage to wait through the entire length of credits, you'll be rewarded with a brief scene that has Tony Stark and Nick Fury meeting in Stark's home. Fury is played by Samuel L. Jackson. Best of all, he's there to talk about the Avengers with Stark. Looks like an Avengers movie is definitely in the cards for all of us Marvel fans. Enjoy, MH

D Magazine Digs On Dark Dallas

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:15:11 -0600

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.

DC Sells Their Universe For Free on Wednesday

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:11:21 -0600

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

DC UNIVERSE ZERO

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.

Giving the World a Benevolent "Hand"

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:36:41 -0600

Review by Mark Allen

Hand of The Morningstar, volumes 1 and 2, published by Zondervan, in conjunction with Lamp Post, Inc., 160 pages, $9.99.

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