__________________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- " C O M I C B O O K E - M A G " Issue 15 - June 26, 1995 "Brought to you by the fine folks at the COMIC BOOK Network!" Editors: Ed Dukeshire Network Administration: Mike Imboden Mike Imboden Ed Dukeshire David Leblanc Bobb Waller Special Thanks: Ryan Brewster Anthony Palacio Walter Tietjen Chris Oarr David Leblanc William Hughes Nathan Bredfeldt Jeff Watts John Keady Jim Murdoch __________________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [-1-] The 25th Hour ...................... Mike Imboden [-2-] Comicunications .................... Ryan Brewster [-3-] CSNsider ........................... David Leblanc [-4-] Recent Reads/Random Thoughts ....... William Hughes [-5-] Some Stuff ......................... Nathan Bredfeldt [-6-] Feedback ........................... Various [-7-] BBSes Linked into CBN .............. CBN Staff __________________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- /--[-1-]--/ THE 25TH HOUR /--------------------------------------------/ The 25th Hour By Mike Imboden BATMAN FOREVER Review I usually gauge how good a movie is going to be by counting the number of previews and what the previews are for. The higher the number and the better looking the movies are means a better feature presentation. As wonky as this sounds, it's rarely failed me. Until today. There were five previews. The movies were POWER RANGERS, WATERWORLD, MORTAL KOMBAT, UNDER SIEGE 2 and ACE VENTURA: WHEN NATURE CALLS. That's a fairly respectable number AND the content was pretty good. Nevertheless, I had high hopes for the movie that followed. BATMAN FOREVER is everything the hype said it would be. Funnier, more colorful, more action and more Batman. Too bad the sum of the parts didn't come out equalling more than about a 6 on a 10 point scale. I suppose a *********SPOILER WARNING********** is due here. If you don't want anything ruined please skip ahead. I don't wanna be blamed for wrecking anyone's weekend. Ok... The first thing that I should say is that I went in to this with a very open mind. I had read a draft of the script and was really actually quite excited about B:F. That said, I'm ready to ramble.... First, the music was all wrong. Danny Elfman scored a wonderful soundtrack for the first two movies. Heck, it must've been good, they used part of it in the ads for FOREVER. This time out we are subjected to Elliot Rosenthal's feeble attempt. Music is meant to set the tone for the movie or the current scene. Try this in your own home... Find a particularly neat scene in a movie, say the part in the first Indiana Jones movie where Indy is racing away from the giant rock ball. Listen to the music... It's fast paced, exciting. It draws you into Indy's plight. Now, turn the sound down and watch the same scene. This time, use your stereo to play something 'funny', perhaps the 'Road Runner' theme song. Notice how that changes the scene? Well, the musical score in FOREVER has the same effect. Not comedic, but it sure as heck doesn't pump you up. The music in the first two movies made me think, "Batman kicks a$$!". This made me shrug and say, "Yeah, Batman could probably beat up on my mom.". Big goose egg for the music. Val Kilmer. Hey, the guy is a talented actor, no doubt about it. The problem is, Kilmer is no Bruce Wayne. He pulled off the Bat alright, but then again, most anyone can whisper like Michael Keaton and sound kinda tough. Kilmer's biggest problem was with the Bruce Wayne character. He barely changed his voice, not rising much above the Batman 'whisper', sorta making the dual identity thing a moot point. I'll give him a passing mark for effort. Chris O'Donnell was terrific. The Robin character was the best part of the movie, aside from Dr. Chase Meridian in a nightie, Dr. Chase Meridian in a sheet and Dr. Chase Meridian in an evening gown. I don't have any bad things to say about Robin except for one part towards the end. Robin and Batman reach the island where Riddler and Two-Face are at and says to Batman, "Holy rusted metal". As I shook my head and sighed I almost missed the next line where Robin explains the island is rusted metal with holes in it. Bad joke, though. Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey were pretty good in their roles, I was afraid Carrey would ruin the movie. That honor, however, goes to Joel Schumacher. Jones could have done a bit better, his character was no Nicholson 'Joker', but demented and wild enough. Carrey did a good job and didn't appear to try and ad-lib too much. In fact, I'll go so far as to say I enjoyed his performance. The movie itself had two holes that are still bugging me. While talking to Batman, Chase mentions his taste in women leaning towards the ones that wear "skin tight leather and carry whips". I thought, "Good, they are half-heartedly acknowledging the other movies. Yet, later as Bruce decides to tell Chase who he is, (what the heck is the point of this secret identity if you're gonna tell every set of boobs who you really are?), he says "I want to tell you something I've never told anyone before". Whoa, Brucie boy, you forgetting a reported named Vale and a villainess named Kyle? The other is as Two-Face's goons are wrecking havoc at the circus, Bruce leaps out of his seat and starts battling the goons. Ok, there was mass confusion and everyone was running around, but didn't anyone notice Wayne kicking royal butt in the center ring? Howzabout all the 'GNN' tv cameras? Suspension of disbelief is one thing. Acceptance of the absolute stupid is another. The fight scenes were well done and had there not been poor music playing, would have been better. The first two movies lacked any real good kick-a$$ fights, so this was a plus. Robin's acrobatics were exceptional to watch. One particular scene is him trying to get from the top floor of Wayne Manor to the bottom and into a door that leads into the Batcave that Alfred has just entered and is shutting. An oddity was the use of older model cars. It was if Schumacher was trying to date the movie for some reason. Aside from the Batmobile, all of the cars looked to be from the early 60's. Weird. Jim Gordon was played as a Batman flag-waving idiot going so far as to act like an excited child when he sees Batman swoop in in the Batplane on his trek into battle the bad guys. C'mon, Gordon is a tough cop, not a six year old on Christmas morning. Maybe I'm being a bit hard on the movie. Maybe after seeing two very well done and intriguing films I'm jaded. Of course, maybe it's time I devise a new way to tell if a movie is going to be good or not. Then I won't be so disappointed when the movie flops. M!ke (who never claimed to be good at reviewing things). Comments, questions and/or flames can be sent to me at COMICBKNET@AOL.COM or by netmail to 1:109/748 (or if on CBN to 23:403/0) __________________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- /--[-2-]--/ COMICUNICATIONS /------------------------------------------/ Comicunications by Ryan Brewster Ý Þ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÝ Ûßßßßßß ÞßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÝ Ý Û ÛßßßÛ ÛßÛßÛ ßÛß Ûßßß Û Û ÛÜ Û ßÛß Ûßßß ÛßßÛ ßÛß ßÛß ÛßßÛ ÛÜ Û Ûßß Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û ÛßÛÛ Û Û ÛßßÛ Û Û Û Û ÛßÛÛ ßßÛ Û ßßßßß ß ß ßßß ßßßß ßßßß ß ß ßßß ßßßß ß ß ß ßßß ßßßß ß ß ßßß ßßßßßßß -------The Comic Book Net's Weekly Comics News Journal-------- ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛ Û Û ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ Û Û ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ Û Û Û ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ Volume 1, Issue #21 Monday, June 26th, 1995 _________________====[ General Spoiler Warning ]====______________________ X-Men Crossover with WildCATs: [Source: Combo] 6/25/95 - In a recent interview in Combo #7 (currently at comic stores and on newsstands), Scott Lobdell stated that he and Jim Lee were working on a 3-part WildCATs series. Said Lobdell himself: "We've planned three separate issues of the X-Men/WildC.A.T.s story. The third issue, which will be the first one out, is a story that takes place 30 years ago, within X-Men and WildC.A.T.s continuity. It deals with Logan's pre-Wolverine days, before the X-Men, and Zealot of WildC.A.T.s, who is quite long-lived herself. "As of this writing, the second issue takes place approximately five years ago within X-Men continuity, which places it around the time of the Neal Adams' X-Men. It features Marvel Girl and Grifter, with cameos by both teams' respective characters. "The last issue, which will be X-Men/WildC.A.T.s #1, will be a 48-page story involving all the current-day members from both teams. This way, we can establish a relationship between the various characters prior to the crossover itself. Too often in a team-up book, the characters don't know each other and don't really relate to one another. In this story, by the third issue there will be relationships established between several key characters." Batman Forever Has Record Debut: [Source: Associated Press] 6/23/95 - Batman Forever surpassed Jurassic Park's 2-year-old record with a $53.3 million box-office take over the course of its first weekend, re- establishing the box-office clout of the Batman movies. Batman Returns is currently third, with the first recent Batman movie (technically the _second_....) in fourth place. Batman Forever also set a record for one night, selling nearly $20 million in tickets its opening night. New X-Men Writer: [Source: Paul J. Grant] 6/14/95 - Fabian Nicieza (whose last issue writing X-Men will be X-Men #45) will be succeeded by Scott Lobdell, who will write issues 46-50 of the popular Marvel Comics title. Following Lobdell's brief term on the book, Mark Waid (Flash, Impulse, coming: Captain America) will become the regular writer of X-Men. Mark Waid was originally going to write X-Force, but will be taking over X-Men (as of #51) instead. New Prime Team: [Source: Hank Kanalz] 6/19/95 - Beginning in October, the new creative team on Malibu Comics' Ultraverse title Prime will be Len Strazewski & Gerard Jones on writing, Kevin West (Marvel's Guardians) on breakdowns, and John Statema (who took over pencilling the title with #24) on finishes. RUMOR: Another Hulk Comic Coming?: [Source: Toronto Hype! Comic Cafe] 6/22/95 - A new Hulk series, to be entitled The Savage Hulk, will be released in November. The Hulk will split into two bodies, one being the intelligent Hulk of the Incredible Hulk, and the other being the savage, green brute of old. No word yet on whether Peter David, who currently writes The Incredible Hulk for Marvel, will be handling the chores on The Savage Hulk. Conflicting rumors claim that the title is simply a nostalgic "Untold Tales"-type one-shot, for the folks who miss their savage brute. :) Nicieza to Write New Captain Marvel Series: [Source: Fabian Nicieza] 6/21/95 - Fabian Nicieza, who recently left the Marvel title X-Men, will be writing the new Captain Marvel ongoing series. It will feature the character Genis, created by Ron Marz and Ron Lim in Legacy. "[Genis is a character] who is desperately trying to fill his father's enormous shoees, but figuratively ends up stumbling in bare feet half the time." The first story arc, which will last for 4 issues, will deal with Genis accepting the name and mantle of Captain Marvel. Babylon Talks To Strangers: [Source: Pamela Hazelton] 6/25/95 - Hart Fisher will write, with Tom Derenick illustrating, a 4-part miniseries beginning in Babylon Crush #3 from Boneyard Press in October. More of Babylon's past will be revealed as she confronts the stranger who has stalked her, right as the stranger's mafioso brothers land at LAX to settle an old score. X-Men Evolve: [Source: Rich Johnston] 6/21/95 - Colossus will return from Avalon, Wolverine will team up with Sabretooth, and Magneto will disappear in the next big X-Men crossover. The crossover, to be entitled X-Men: The Evolution of a 20-year Revolution, will be detailed in a separate storyline in each title and will also deal with the Legacy Virus and the "Magneto Mystery". Image Rumors Persist: [Source: Rich Johnston] 6/16/95 - William Tucci's popular comic Shi is rumored to be headed towards Image Comics. Jeff Smith's Bone took the same route a month or so ago. Also, rumors claim that Top Cow and Wildstorm are considering splitting from their parent Image company. Wildstorm Comics would be the result, launching with Top Cow, Sam Kieth and Dale Keown. DC/Vertigo UK No More: [Source: Paul J. Grant] 6/18/95 - DC is shitting down the Vertigo office in London, leaving Art behind as he acquires his British citizenship. He will continue to help out the books, but he will no longer be a DC employee. Monkey-Man & O'Brien Postponed again: [Source: Hype! Comic Cafe] 6/21/95 - Art Adams has delayed his new Legend comic Monkey-Man & O'Brian once again. The new comic, to be published by Dark Horse, will not debut until next spring... The Phantom hits the Big Screen: [Source: Hype! Comic Cafe] 6/21/95 - Billy Zane and Cameron Diaz (The Mask) have signed on to star in a movie based on Lee Falk's The Phantom. The movie will be directed by Joe Dante. CFD Presends Scimidar: [Source: Pamela Hazelton] 6/25/95 - Tom Derenick (Babylon Crush, Star Trek, Night Thrasher, Subtle Violents) will illustrate the premiere issue of Book VII of R.A. Jones' (Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor, Deep Space Nine, DC Showcase '95) Scimidar, to be published by CFD Publications. The new series will introduce an original character, the villainess Bloody Mary. Lois Lane Gets in Shape: [Source: PRNewswire] 6/8/95 - Bally Total Fitness, America's largest health club network, has launched a "Year of Total Fitness" campaign by offering Americans a free workout at any of the organization's 340+ centers nationwide. As part of this campaign, the club has named actress Teri Hatcher (Lois of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) as honorary Goal Patrol member and the new national Bally Total Fitness spokeswoman. Teri Hatcher will star (heck, if you watch any TV, you know this already...) in a new Bally Total Fitness television campaign, which has already begun. Wizard Press Cancels Collectors' Sportslook: [Source: Wizard Press] 6/8/95 - Citing not being able to survive in a sharply declining trading card market while battling a variety of cost increases in production, Wizard Press, publishers of Wizard: The Guide to Comics and InQuest: The Future of Gaming, has cancelled their Collectors' Sportslook magazine. Wizard Press extends their deepest apologies to both of their Collectors' Sportslook subscribors. >;) ____________________________________________________________________________ Legal Stuff: Copyright (c) 1995 Ryan Brewster. Distribute ONLY IN ENTIRETY. __________________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- /--[-3-]--/ CSNsider /-------------------------------------------------/ CSNsider by David Leblanc This is the CSNsider from CSN #420, which will be in shops on 7/5/95. It is reproduced in its entirety with the expressed permission of COMIC SHOP NEWS. Mark Waid, popular writer of The Flash, Impulse, and soon to be writer of Captain America, has signed on as writer of X-Men, replacing Fabian Nicieza, who is taking a break from all X-titles; Waid's first X-Men issues will appear late this year or early next year... Acclaimed Hugo and Nebula Award winner Roger Zelazny, a major figure in science fiction for thirty years and the author of such works as Lord of Light and Nine Princes In Amber, died in mid-June... The first Image issue of Jeff Smith's Bone will be Bone #21... And don't be surprised if another comic or three follows the Bone path to Image in the next few months... Is it possible that there's a wedding in Superman's future in both the comics and the television series? Could be, as DC has often thought that it would be a great publicity tie-in if the event occurred in print and on screen at the same time, more or less... More Alien Nation tv-movies on Fox? Could be! In spite of light ratings for the first telefilm, Fox has a fondness for the series... Negotiations are underway to continue comic book adaptations of Anne Rice's Lestat stories for another company now that Innovation Comics is dead; new adaptations could begin in early 1996... An all-ages Superman title, a la Batman Adventures, is likely from DC once the Superman animated television series debuts. CSN #420 features a cover feature on Radioactive Man from Bongo Comics plus more news and the July Hot Picks. This is also our eighth anniversary issue. The only way to get Comic Shop News is to visit a shop that carries CSN. The publication costs the shops just a dime each and is generally free to customers. If your shop doesn't carry CSN, nag 'em until they do. After all, isn't your business and satisfaction worth a dime a week? Visit our WWW site! http://www.actwin.com/csn Ward Batty wardo@netdepot.com Cliff Biggers cliffbig@netdepot.com (c)1995 CSN, Inc. All Rights Reserved. úúúúÄÄÄÄÍÍÍÍ*David LeBlanc> ComicBkNet@AOL.COM david.leblanc@gaquatic.iii.net RIME->5179 FIDO 1:322/743.1 __________________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- /--[-4-]--/ RECENT READS/RANDOM THOUGHTS /-----------------------------/ Recent Reads/Random Thoughts By William Hughes :: Marvel Comics ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: MAXIMUM CLONAGE ALPHA The recent Spider books seem to jump around from issue to issue. One issue will be a really interesting read, while the next will bite the big one. This is one of the latter. Priced at an unbelievable $4.95, this doesn't deliver anything storywise despite the 48 pages, except for one or two events that will undoubtedly be repeated in other issues. This is a complete and utter waste of time, unless you are someone who still judges a book by it's cover, which is mildly interesting although not worth ANYWHERE NEAR FIVE BUCKS!!! Avoid this book like the plague. --- WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #127 Maximum Clonage Part Two Y'know, despite the revelations concerning the true Peter Parker, this stuff just isn't all that interesting. I don't care if the guy in the Spider suit is a clone or not, this is a character we've known for years, and he just wouldn't act this way. He'd never make some of the decisions he's depicted as making. Even though I _am_ curious about the whole clone story, there just isn't any meat to it. Too many parts make me actually grimmace when reading them. I may have to sit this one out and drop the Spider-line entirely... --- CABLE #22 Ian Churchill impressed me with his guest spot on the final, pre-AoA issue of CABLE. Now he's back as the new regular penciler. I like his artwork, but I think he's drawing all the characters much to big and muscular. I really like the the faces he draws for his characters though, and for that I'll forgive the monstorous biceps that Cable is packing. Heck, Rictor looks as though he'd give any body builder a run for his money! I have one complaint that keeps cropping up in this book, and that's the ties with X-FORCE. I personally would rather see Cable in just one book a month. Either drop CABLE, and feature him exclusively in X-FORCE, or get him outta that team. Neither book deals with the characters enough to allow them to grow, because of the constant crossing over. That's my opinion, anyway. What do _you_ think? Should Cable leave X-Force? Or should his book be cancelled? Should the OTHER Nate be in X-Force instead? Opinions, please? --- UNCANNY X-MEN #323 ARRRGH! Another guest artist! Whatever steam Marvel had built up with AGE OF APOCOLYPSE, they are losing quickly. I had been really hyped on these books again, for the first time in a long time. But with the second rate art that's been going on in some of the mutant books, across the board drops from my pull list may be in order. Of the guest artists, Bryan Hitch is probably one of the better ones, although I wish he'd get familiar with some characters like Bobby Drake before drawing them. And I don't find the cheescake shots like the first panel featuring Psylocke to be necessary at all. Oh, and some panels featuring Archangel and the Beast were terrible! Does the blue skin preclude any detailing? Overall, this was either a rush job, or this guy just isn't ready for the majors. (But judging by what caliber the "majors" are dealing in lately, maybe I'm mistaken.) Storywise, a few interesting developments, with the waking of Gambit, on a slightly ominous note, and the introduction of new villians. Plus, we see more on the post-AoA Sabretooth. --- X-MAN #5 Another remnant from AoA is here! Yep, Nate is back! The most powerful mutant of the AoA universe is now quite possibly the most powerful in the regular one! Plust the return of someone I thought we'd never see again-- and it doesn't bode well for the X-Men, especially not Scott and Jean! Artwork was cool, although I have a minor complaint- what's up with Nate's legs? Either he has the most muscular legs on the planet, or he's constantly flexing his thighs. Enough already... :: DC Comics ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: WARRIOR #33 I don't know what it was that made me pick up this issue, but I hope to show better restraint in the future. I don't care for the new powers or personality traits of Guy Gardner, I liked him better as the obnoxious guy than this wannabe Wolverine-ish character. The artwork is okay, but it isn't good enough to save the other low-end qualities of the book. I'll pass in the future. --- LEGION/SUPER-HEROES #71 I keep meaning to get back into the LEGION books, but everytime I do, something keeps me from continuing. Maybe it's the nostalgia I feel for the history and team that _I_ remember in my youth. (Heck, I can only imagine how the REAL old-timers feel!) It's not that the new stories I've read aren't interesting, they have been. It's just that it's like watching old friends who have amnesia or something, who are the same, yet are not at the same time. It's just weird. All that aside, I still enjoyed this particular issue, the Daxamites are a frightening race in this new continuity. It's a well written book IMO, but I'm still not sure if I'll read this title on a regular basis. I'll still check in from time to time though... especially with the upcoming Superboy crossover coming up. --- SUPERBOY #18 This is a very enjoyable read when Kesel and Grummett are both involved. I like the little "pre-crisis" things that they throw in, sort of in homage, or as a joke- such as the opening page with a flying Krypto. Then it's explained away, sort of like the "Holy Metal" line in the latest Batman flick. This issue features a character who reminds me of Mon-el from two or three continuities ago, I think he was called Valor or something pre-Zero Hour. I don't think we've seen anything from him since then, so this may be him. He's going by the name of Champion right now, and he certainly gives the modern day Superboy a run for his money. Superboy is a good comic, without all the angst and grittiness that's in alot of books these days. If you want a nice, easy super-hero book without alot of darkness, give this one a shot. --- ROBIN #19 Another quality "no darkness, no grim/gritty" title is ROBIN. The current creative team is Chuck Dixon and Mike Wieringo. When I first came across Wieringo's artwork on FLASH, I hated it. I had finally grown accustomed to it and he left the book. I don't know if he's toned down his style or something, but it seems to work very well in this title. Dixon doesn't feel the need to have Robin attached to Batman's utility belt, and that is good. Robin is a strong character, and can stand on his own for the most part. The two of them are putting out a nice fun book. This issue was a riot, due to the villians in the book. A kid named Ulysses, the little General, who finds a homeless man to front his own crime organazation. Funny stuff, without being out and out slapstick. --- DAMAGE #15 I keep meaning to start picking up this book on a more regular basis, because I like the character, and I like the mystery surrounding his origins. Trouble is, everytime I pick the book up, it starts with a blurb telling me about all the plot elements in all the other books I'm NOT reading, such as TITANS. This book is never gonna grab me if I can't give it a shot as a stand alone. Crossing over every five seconds with a handful of books is no way to get me to read it, heck it'll probably make me avoid it! It's nice to see Randall Savage as a main player in this title, as well as appearances by the JSA, although retired. The artwork is nice, and the overall style and pacing of the book reminds me of the comics I read when I was a kid, the stuff from the seventies and eighties. If I could just get a few issues under my belt with no references to OTHER books, I just might add it to my pull list. --- ICON #28 ICON is one of my favorite monthly books. I love the characters, especially Rachel, and the contrast she represents to Icon. Dwayne Mcduffie is getting real close to breaking into my own "Top Ten" writer's catagory. He produces quality entertainment issue after issue. While alot of it isn't groundbreaking stuff, it is intelligently done, and I know when I pick up an issue of ICON I'm going to be entertained. There aren't that many comics out there that I feel comfortable saying that about. This issue is closely tied to the LONG HOT SUMMER mini series, but the mini isn't needed to enjoy or understand this book. The relationship between Rachel and Icon is further strained by his decision to do a commercial promoting the amusement park that cost Rachel and many of hre neighbor's there homes on Paris Island. --- LONG HOT SUMMER #2 The Summer is heating up! Things are reaching the boiling point, as the Utopia Park has it's Grand Opening with a few uninvited guests- The Blood Syndicate. Also an appearance by... Howard Stern? Well, sorta. A shock jock obviously modelled after Stern is a supporting character in this issue. --- STATIC #25 The cover they wouldn't publish! Man, what happened to Milestone's complete autonomy? Judging from the letter's page, Dwayne McDuffie isn't very happy about this turn of events. Could this be the beginning of the end of the relationship between DC and MILESTONE? In this tenuous age of distribution, I doubt it. Milestone needs DC right now. Still, I don't think DC should be making any editorial decisions for MILESTONE whatsoever, and especially not over something so ludicrous as this. Bad move, DC. I guess no publisher is perfect. Anyway, both covers are nice, although not worth the controversy. The important thing is the insides, which is definitely back on track after it's recent slump. Virgil is dealing with the women in his life and "regular" stuff and the title gets top notch again. Cudos to MILESTONE for not shying away from a touchy subject such as teen's and sex. Moreso for dealing with it responsibly. Too many companies would have avoided the subject altogether, and painted an unrealistice portrait for their young readers. Ivan Velez and MILESTONE took the subject head on, and dealt with it in a very mature and even educational manner, without being preachy. Because of this, the character comes across as being more realistic, because the things he's going thru are REAL. --- BATMAN ADVENTURES #34 The team of Puckett and Parobeck turn in another winner. I really enjoyed the scenes involving Catwoman. This series is ending soon, to make way for the new ADVENTURES OF BATMAN AND ROBIN comic by the same creators. If this issue is any indication, it'll be going out the same way it came in--- high marks across the board. READ THIS SERIES! --- AZRAEL #7 Top notch book happening here, are you missing it? Azrael is searching for the truth of his origins, and of St. Dumas. He finds answers here, and they may have driven him completely mad! Good solid storytelling and art, this is NOT the Azrael you remember from KNIGHTFALL. Check it out. :: Image Comics :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: WEAPON ZERO #t-4 When I read the synopsis of this issue in PREVIEWS I thought it sounded interesting enough, but I didn't put alot of stock into what I'd be getting. I had no idea it would be this exciting. The artwork and coloring are top notch, and the story piqued my curiousity immediately. It's like STAR WARS meets ALIENS in a super-hero setting. And this issue sets up those elements beautifully. This first issue starts by showing the ending to a space battle between two alien races above the Earth millions of years ago. It shows how this event caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, and then jumps into modern history, to the space program in this country, and shows that traces of this battle still exist. After signals are picked up from the moon, astronauts are sent to investigate, and make some suprising discoveries. I highly recommend this book, which is a four issue limited series priced at $2.50 per issue. The numbering is like a countdown in this space program, the first issue being T-4, the last, I am assuming, will be T-1 or more appropriately T-0. Plot/script credit goes to Walter Simonson, plot/pencils to Joe Benitez. --- MAXX #16 It's MAXX. It's good. It's hard to explain. That pretty much sums it up, although I have to add that the page count was pathetic. I know it's due more to paper prices than anything else, but geez! Soon the print medium will be completely dead! I can get the Maxx cheaper on MTV! :: Valiant Comics :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: MAGNUS #55 I was two seconds away from dropping this book because it had slipped so much in recent months. I decided to hold out and see what Keith Giffen could do with the book, and I'm glad I did. Giffen isn't working miracles here, but at least he's making it interesting again. He's moved the time ahead a bit, to distance himself from what has gone on before, and looks as though he's starting fresh. The artwork is better than recent issues, but I still feel a Steve Rude type artist is needed on this book. Hints were dropped on the letters page about a "name" penciler who is signing on in the fall, and I pray it isn't who I think it is... It's too soon for me to start recommending this book again. I'll be honest, there are better things to spend your money on these days. But it's good enough for me to stick around at this point, I've got alot invested in this character, having a complete run of the Valiant series. If you're a Magnus fan, you may want to check out the new direction that begins with this issue, but I don't think I could recommend it to anyone else. --- X-O MANOWAR #50-X Nothing unexpected here, but it was still a fun read. It looks as though Paul is being turned into Aric's arch-nemesis. It's a big battle issue, and it'll be summed up in #50-O in two weeks. Not as great a jumping on point as a few issues ago when Sears came on board, but still worth checking out. --- Bill Hughes!! Email Address: william.hughes@p3.f744.n109.z1.fidonet.org. __________________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- /--[-5-]--/ SOME STUFF /-----------------------------------------------/ Some Stuff By Nathan Bredfeldt Nate here, munching an Arby's burger and curly fries, and enjoying some seventies music, while I bang up another thingie (what are these things? Not editorials, I ain't editor. Opinion columns? That sounds good) for CBEM. First off, a thought I had while sitting in English class. I was sitting there, wishing I had some of those new Magic game cards. Things started to mesh in the old brain, and I came to a conclusion: Magic cards are in fact NOT killing our little hobby. Some people have been worried that these buggers are siphoning money off of the nation's youth; money that should be spent on comics. Its brisk sales also prompt dealers that should be spending money on a few copies of a new independant book to instead throw their monetary support to a card game. Add to that the increasing cost and decreasing average quality of comics, and things start looking bad. But, never fear! Things aren't all bad! According to my local comic shop owner, every time a new shipment of magic comes in, it totals about 25 to 40 percent of what he actually ordered. This means that magic cards are usually as scarce as alternate covers of Gen 13 #1! We're talking supply far exceeded by demand. And, when folks like me run up to the comic store to blow big bucks on an armload of magic cards, they ain't there, and instead, an old issue of Golden Age catches my eye. So, rest easy and fear not. Our little hobby is safe, so long as the powers that be can't meet demands! Of course, this still doesn't help the fact that I have no new Magic cards... And, on a completely unsimilar topic, liscensing comics (ie comics based on movies, TV, and so forth)! Liscensing always comes in threes: the main product (TV show, movie, video game), books, and comics. Amazingly, these comics (of which, in case you hadn't guessed, I am a biggie fan) are never as perfect as I'd like them to be. Usually they fall short on either capturing the image of the characters (Babylon 5), or giving us a great story (Star Trek, and Mortal Kombat). Star Wars flip flops between the two. Now, why take your products to comics? I have no idea, but I do have some good guesses: Money! Those comics will make the product's backers happy; and knowing how much extra coverage a show is getting will make the people that buy commercial time a bit more eager. Something to do! During the summer, reruns are abundant. Being able to get a new story from a comic during the months of reruns keeps interest up, and makes you that much more likely to return in the fall. Plus, if you can't wait until summer to read your comics, it gives you something to do at commercial breaks (as do toys) They can crank comics out faster than books. Books take about 7 months to write, edit, and get the art for, comics take about 3. Heck! Comics might even make more money! However, some great things are still without Comics. Highlander, Killer Instinct, Sliders, Exo-Squad, and Earth 2 all need comics! Come on, Dark Horse! You know you want to! - Nate __________________________________________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- /--[-6-]--/ FEEDBACK /-------------------------------------------------/ From: Nathan Bredfeldt Date: 06-19-95 13:21 Subj.: CBEM #14 Feedback! Hi, gang! Just read over CBEM #14, and here's what I think... Great to see contributions from seven different folks! The mag really benefits from this kind of diversity! The Bullpen was great! Keep that guy around! I cannot state enough time how much I appreciate Ry and Dave's news columns. It feels great to actually be knowledgable in something! I love having the inside track on stuff. The reviews were great, too! Murdoch is so eloquent that his stuff makes for great reading! I don't know when I said I hated reviews, but it must have been my evil (but far nicer) twin, Bubba. See ya next week! Nate --- Send feedback to: Internet .......... ComicBkNet@aol.com Fidonet ........... ComicBkNet at 1:324/134.0 Comic Book Net .... 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