------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE COMIC BOOK NET ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE - ISSUE NUMBER 50 ________________________________________________________________________ Our Web Page is now at http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet ------------------------------------------------------------------------- $Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$ $ o \o/ _ o _| \ / |_ o_ \o/ o $ $ /|\ | /\ _\o \o | o/ O/_ /\ | /|\ $ $ / \ / \ |\ /) | ( \ /o\ / ) | (\ / | / \ / \ $ $Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$Au$ GOLD PLATED ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! This publication is brought to you by the members of the premiere BBS network for the discussion of comics books and the people who create them, The ComicBook Network!!! Edited by: David LeBlanc [ComicBkNet@aol.com] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The ComicBook Network was founded by Ed Dukeshire and Mike Imboden ------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you wish to receive these issues automatically through your internet account, please address a message to ComicBkNet@aol.com to be placed on the subscription list. ________________________________________________________________________ T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] On the Net ............................ David LeBlanc [2] Letters to the Editor ................. Your Page! TRIVIA CONTEST......................... Guesses and Answers [3] CBN Insider ........................... News, gossip, & rumors. [4] Suspended Animation.................... Michael Vance [5] Top 50 Comics for March................ Comic Shop News [6] Some Stuff............................. Nathan Bredfeldt [7] REVIEW: DR. WONDER #1 & #2............. David LeBlanc [8] Comic Stores recommended by CBN........ CBN list of TOP RETAILERS [9] Quick Keady Komments................... John Keady [A] How to join ComicBook Network.......... BBS 101 [B] BBSes Linked into CBN.................. CBN node list [C] E-Mag Info: Submissions, Subscriptions, Back Issues, Copyrights ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] On the Net by David LeBlanc Since I put out the last issue on Friday the *special* week had not ended yet. On Saturday the check came (annual incentive compensation!), and the snow blower is paid for. What a week! Well we finally hit the big five-0 and like any other respectable publication with a number divisible by 25 we have the mandatory cover enhancement! Wait until we run the variant covers in a future issue! Bobb Waller's shipping list will not be in this issue as he has been in bed with a fever lately. Hopefully he will return by next week's issue. If you gotta know what's shipping before next Wednesday, visit our web page for the link to get the info you need! We have another jam packed issue for you this time. Suspended Animation, the syndicated column by Michael Vance returns and will be around for the next several issues. Another returning name is John Keady with some comments about the last weeks DC comics. We also have the list of the top 50 comics by volume for March as listed by Comic Shop News and our own recommendations of where to shop for comics from the members of the Comic Book Network. Finally, a first look at a new company that brings back some of the down to earth classic art of the early Marvel days and soon the story telling craft of Tony Isabella. Read all about the first title from Old Town Publishing - DR WONDER and then tell you retailer to save you a copy when it comes out in April. And since the trivia has been drawing such a good response, I have decided to keep it going in the letters page. A special bonus for those who have some good trivia they would like to donate. Send me your questions, (and the correct answer with directions how to verify it) and please nothing so obscure that no one would have a chance to find the answer, and *IF* I use it *AND* no one answers it correctly you will win the Cheezy Prize. (tm) On with the show! David LeBlanc [ComicBkNet@aol.com] Editor The Comic Book Net E-Mag ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2] Letters to the Editor If you want to comment on this or any previous issue, want to offer something for us to publish, or just want to shamelessly suck up to the editor to try and get your name in print send Email to: ComicBkNet@aol.com Note: letters of comment may be used in future issues of the CBN E-Mag unless you specifically request us NOT to use them. +++++ From: nuffsaid@escape.com To: comicbknet@aol.com I wish to receive future issues of the e-mag, so please put me on the mailing list. I produce a radio talk show on WBAI-FM in NYC called 'Nuff Said! and have found the news items in the e-mag to be extremely helpful in gathering news items for the broadcast. Receiving it through my mailbox will speed up the process. Currently, I have been running through Lynx to get to it and having it waiting in my mailbox will be so much nicer. Any other info you'd feel that might be worth my attention please send it along also. Ed Menje nuffsaid@escape.com [WOW! A real radio producer uses CBEM to beef up his show. Think he'll give us a free plug? Too bad he didn't say when it is on or the frequency.] A letter commenting on Jim Murdoch's AMALGAMATIONS is up next: From: Andrew Krepela > Smilin' Stan Schwartz? Mr. Lee and Julie would have thought Amalgam was > a great idea. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Er.... They're both still alive, aren't they? > Subject: Amalgam! jlx > Firebird: Fire and Phoenix Also the name and costume for Firebird are from a female Marvel superhero who was part of the West Coast Avengers for a few years. > Dark Claw foe Warlord Gh'ul: Ra's al Ghul plus ??Marvel part. Warlord Ghaur, Deviant sorcerer and enemy of The Eternals > Don't ask what Lord Nimrod and X-tremists are supposed to mix. I don't know the DC half, but Nimrod is a futuristic version of the Sentinels, an X-Men foe who came back in time to battle them on a few occasions. The X-Tremists are probably a combination of the MLF (Mutant Liberation Front) who fought X-Force and The Extremeists who fought the Justice League and included some cool villians such as Mindslayer and Doctor Diehard. They were DC parodies of Marvel Villians (kinda like Marvel's Squadron Supreme was a parody of DC's Justice League). Diehard was Magneto, there was a Doctor Octopus clone in there, and Mindslayer was Dormammu. > Magneto and the Magnetic Men #1 > Sinistron is: Mr. Sinister (check the forehead), Ultron, and Hawk (cape) I thought the forhead and name were Sinestro + Ultron = Sinistron? The cape is Mister Sinisters. > Arrowcaster is Speedy and ??? Hawkeye? What other archers does Marvel I believe they had a Golden Age archer named Arrowman. Icebreaker / Andrew Krepela @ Brain Damage Studios, Inc. 1996 BDS Homepage at http://www.eskimo.com/~icebrkr +++++ And one to our resident commentator, Nathan Bredfeldt: Subj: Dark Horse in Issue 49 Date: 96-03-14 From: bluetiger@gargamel.ptw.com (Mike Jacobs) Dear Nathan Bredfeldt, I enjoyed your article "The Dark Horse Dichotomy" in Issue 49 of the Comic Book Net Electronic Mag. I just wanted to ask why there was no mention of Ghost in the article??? Ghost, in my humble opinion, is the best comic Dark Horse produces but seems to get little or no attention. This is a shame since Ghost has a very good writer and the art ranges from good to excellent. Maybe it's the 'Bad Girl' image?? I will admit that what initally caught my eye was the cover of Ghost #8 which is a stunning rendition of Ghost seated on her Jade Throne. But what has kept me reading Ghost, and encouraged me to collect the first 7 issues and the specials, is the excellent story line. I'm hoping that in the future Ghost will get the acclaim that it deserves. Thanks for the tip about the up coming Star Slammers. >!< Mike J >!< bluetiger@gargamel.ptw.com [TRIVIA CONTEST] The question was: Name the *exact* title of the very first comic published by Valiant! And of course, we had LOTS of mail with many guesses, so with heavy editing: From: cscherer@mgl.ca (Carl Scherer) Okay I have three guess. number one. WCW number 1. -Based on the tuner broadcast wrestilingg, World championship wrestling. number two The adventures of mario. Number three The adventure of Captian N and the Game masters. (not sure about the title.) From: geoffrie@teleport.com (Jeff Jelmeland) Here is my hopefully educated guess: Magnus Robot Fighter 4000 A.D. released in 1990. From: olcapss@smartlink.net Solar, Man of The Atom From: olcapss@smartlink.net To: ComicBknet@aol.com Second try Magnus Robot Fighter From: desada@edc1.edc.ca (Desabrais, Dave) My shot at it is: Magnus Robot Fighter, 4000 A.D. From: desada@edc1.edc.ca (Desabrais, Dave) how about Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom From: 103514.2754@compuserve.com (Jose Mochove, Jr.) I believe the answer to you question is Rai. From: 103514.2754@compuserve.com (Jose Mochove, Jr.) Hmmm.... Okay, howabout Harbinger. That is what I meant to write in the first place.(of course) From: 103514.2754@compuserve.com (Jose Mochove, Jr.) To: ComicBknet@aol.com (INTERNET:ComicBknet@aol.com) Oh, okay. Now I feel just dumb. The first comic published by Valiant was Super Mario Brothers 3. I'm pretty sure of this. Well, kinda. From: desada@edc1.edc.ca (Desabrais, Dave) To: ComicBknet@aol.com (ComicBknet) hhmmmmmmmm, this research is getting fun. How about The Adventures of the super mario brothers? From: desada@edc1.edc.ca (Desabrais, Dave) With that in mind, would it be Super Mario Bros. ??? From: 103514.2754@compuserve.com (Jose Mochove, Jr.) To: ComicBknet@aol.com (INTERNET:ComicBknet@aol.) Ah, okay, now I understand. I just got your new issue. I think the answer is just Super Mario Bros. under the Nintendo Comics System imprint. ++++++ The ones who guessed Super Mario Brothers were the closest, but I asked for the *exact* title and thanks to the late Seaborn Adamson I can tell you it was: SUPER MARIO BROTHERS SPECIAL EDITION #1 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Special 50th Issue Trivia question! Be the first to reach our Email with the correct answer and win a Cheezy Prize(tm)! From the first run of SHOWCASE, name the first character to get a series of their own. ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [3] CBN Insider - News, gossip and rumors from around the industry Archie goes to Bosnia 3/12 - There are no convenience stores in Bosnia but thanks to Archie Comics Publications there are comic books. Archie Comics has sent an assortment of comic books to the American troops stationed there, the idea of Supply Sgt. Edwin Rodriquez of the HHC 16th Engr. Battalion. He ended up with more than 500 Archie Comics to disperse to the troops forwarded to him by Michael Silberkleit, chairman and co-publisher of the company. "According to Sgt. Rodriquez, the troops can't buy any magazines or exchange foreign money, and the comic books boost their morale," said Silberkleit. "We are happy to do our part for these soldiers and will ship comics to any active-duty troops who request them," he added. "For as long as I can remember, Archie Comics has supported the American armed forces by delivering comic books to the soldiers who represent our country overseas," said Richard Goldwater, son of Archie's creator, and president and co-publisher of Archie Comics. "I recall letters from troops dating back to World War II and as recent as Operation Desert Storm, thanking us for the comic books sent." +++++ On Friday, March 8, CBEM published Rich's Revelations for March with his usual cutting edge news. In it he said Fabian Nicieza was reader to take over the top editing job at Acclaim. The next day Bernard Chang posted the first confirmation of the news on America Online: Fabian Nicieza is our new Editor-in-Chief. 'Nuff said. Laters, Bernard Chang And by Monday others were spreading the word around the nets. Rich also mentioned the auction of the Eclipses estate to high bidder Todd Mcfarlane. There has been much debate about this one and just what he has bought. According to posts from The Comics Journal, Rich's reported price was high - not $40k but $25k. They also said the auctioneers told all the bidders that they had NO paperwork on Miracleman or who owns the rights. Speculation is rampant on the nets with a consensus opinion saying that any rights are split between Gaiman & Buckingham, possibly Eclipse (now Todd), and Dez Skinn with some suggestions that Todd is just going to hand over whatever he got out of this to Gaiman. Finally, Kurt Busiek has said that Dez has posted on Compuserve statements saying that neither he nor Mick Anglo's estate had any claim on any rights to do new Miracleman material. Could it be that the only thing holding up new MM material all along has been the dispute between Gaiman/Buckingham and Eclipse and with them sold out Todd could be the catalyst to get new MM books on the racks? Stay tuned! +++++ Speaking of Kurt Busiek, he let this one out this week: JONNY DEMON #1-3 were published by Dark Horse in 1994. This would seem to be an appropriate place to mention, in the event that anyone's interested, that work on a new Jonny Demon story, a four-part serial for DARK HORSE PRESENTS, is under way. I don't know when the story will appear, but I've turned in the first plot and Neil Vokes has it on his drawing board. +++++ From this week's CSNsider, lots of stuff we already told you about, and ...The Superman animated series is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Saturdays this fall, while on UPN The Incredible Hulk will also be on Saturday morning's lineup. Teri Wood's "WANDERING STAR" is moving to Sirius Entertainment beginning in May. BUMPKIN BUZZ the popular strip that runs in the Comic Buyer's Guide every week, will be compiled in a trade paperback from Caliber in May. More multi-media comics are on the way with Kamite Comics planning a NUMIDIAN FORCE CD-ROM with Ocean State Publishing. They say that Arnold is out and Chevy Chase's Scarecrow is in, of course that was set to type several days ago. As of this week, Hollywood trades say Arnold definitely has signed to play Mr. Freeze and George Clooney gets a $25million contract for 3 Warner movies, the first being the next Batman! THE SEARCHERS, debuts in May from Caliber. The new series by Chris Dows and Colin Clayton features descendants of fictional characters created by Wells, Verne, Doyle, Burroughs, and others. +++++ ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [4] SUSPENDED ANIMATION by Michael Vance "So this is X-RAY BOY," thinks the Pentagon's secret agent, "and he's wearing the X-Ray Specs I've been sent to retrieve for the Pentagon! But, how to get him to surrender them willingly?!" No answer comes from Cowboy Gorilla, Yarn Man or Gower Goose! That great slab of lumpy oatmeal, Megaton Man, is too busy pushing their microbus to care! None suspect the intrusion of FORBIDDEN FRANKENSTEIN! Okay, Don Simpson suspects, but he wrote and drew MEGATON MAN vs FORBIDDEN FRANKENSTEIN, a subtle, nutty, satire of Stan Lee's 1960's Marvel Superheroes. In truth, pilgrim, his are the overused bold type, exclamation points and footnotes that are trademarks (TM) of '60s Marvel comics*! This comic is a marvel of exaggerated exaggeration offered with the dead-pan expression of silent film comedian, Buster Keaton. It's also wonderfully written epic melodrama using Lee's bloated and self-conscious dialog (so bad and so sincere that it was good). And beyond all else, it is drawn with the same love that transforms a homely woman into a goddess in the eyes of her lover. If Simpson didn't love epic superhero art with all of its blemishes and shortcuts, his visual satire would simply be bitter and nasty criticism. Moreover, Simpson's talent as a writer and artist even transcends its subject. If a true artist brings a unique viewpoint to his work, Simpson must have three eyes. Simpson is a unique. Although this wacky and brilliant satire of Marvel superheroes requires an extensive understanding of Stan Lee's work in the '60s, it's HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! MEGATON MAN vs FORBIDDEN FRANKENSTEIN #1/$2.95, 32 pgs from Fiasco Comics/writer and artist, Don Simpson/available in comics shops and by mail. (*see BIZARRE HEROES #7 -- Dandy Don) MINIVIEW: DOC SAVAGE: Curse of the Fire God [Dark Horse Comics]. High adventure from the precursor of superheroes as Doc and gang battle the mighty fire god Kuchulkan struggling to sacrifice the crew on a Delezon altar. Recommended. (Mr. Vance is a professional writer having written for numerous magazines like CBG, Starlog and Comics Interview. His work has appeared in over 500 newspapers and he's had work published by Comico, Renegade, Innovation and Rip Off Press. SUSPENDED ANIMATION appears in 14 publications reaching 214,000 readers in the U.S., Ireland and Portugal.) ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [5] Top 50 Comics for March Source: Comic Shop News #456 Top sellers by *volume* as reported by dealer orders to Diamond and Capital City and sales by a cross section of comics specialty stores. 1 Marvel VS DC 3 2 Legends of the Dark Claw 1 3 X-Patrol 1 4 Magneto & the Magnetic Men 1 5 Spider-Boy 1 6 Super Soldier 1 7 Amazon 1 8 JLX 1 9 Bruce Wayne: Agent of SHIELD 1 10 Speed Demon 1 11 Assassins 1 12 Bullets & Bracelets 1 13 Doctor Strangefate 1 14 Uncanny X-Men 331 15 X-Men 51 16 Spawn 43 17 Spawn 42 18 Gen 13:Ordinary Heroes 19 Spawn 41 20 Generation X 14 21 Gen 13 7 22 X-Force 53 23 X-Man 14 24 Cable 30 25 Death: The Time of Your Life 1 26 X-Factor 121 27 Amazing Spider-Man 410 28 Excalibur 96 29 Batman 529 30 Detective Comics 696 31 Detective Comics 695 32 Batman: Shadow of the Bat 49 33 Robin 28 34 Azreal 15 35 Catwoman 32 36 Robin 27 37 Catwoman 31 38 Azreal 16 39 Batman Chronicles 4 40 X-Men: Askani's Son 2 41 Sensational Spider-Man 3 42 Spawn/WildC.A.T.S. 2 43 Storm 3 44 Sin City: That Yellow Bastard 1 45 X-Files 12 46 Superman: The Man of Tomorrow 4 47 Action Comics 720 48 Spider-Man 67 49 Superman the Man of Steel 55 50 Adventures of Superman 533 ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [6] Some Stuff By Nathan Bredfeldt 5 COOL THINGS IN MAY'S PREVIEWS This week, I'll pass on a mildly amusing anecdote, before listing the 5 cool things... Anyway, this week I went to pick up my comics from one of many local comic stores (the comic book depression really hasn't hit Dallas all that bad, in terms of store closings), and when the guy behind the desk pulled out my comics from the reserve box (that's the box behind the desk that they keep comics I've ordered in advance) on top was a Gen13 comic. I almost had a heart attack. A Gen13 comic in >MY< box! I quickly demanded to see the manager. "Nate, I'm the only guy that works here!" The guy behind the counter said. I wasn't about to fall for that. I told him I wanted the guy who filled my box fired IMMEDIATELY! "But, I own the place." The guy said. I didn't have to buy that Gen13 comic, but I didn't get anyone fired, either. So it was sort of a good/bad thing. I think I need a girlfriend, or another hobby, or something... Anyway, after hearing my brother telling me that this newest Previews (vol VI, #3; for May `96) didn't have anything exciting in it, I decided to compile a list of ten really neat things in the new previews. I couldn't get ten, so I cut it to five, and added 5 really lame things. In order of appearance: LAME THINGS #1: P. 9: "Tell us about you favorite Image Comics Hero!" contest! I hate contests, and I hope lots of people who enter list folks like Groo and Bone, or someone from strikeback. Most Image `heroes' suck. #2: The new non-alphabetical comic listing. Hate it. Hate it a lot. Die, Previews! Die! #3: P. 46: Godzilla gets a 50 cent raise in cover price! This is my last issue! #4: P. 72: Nine Princes in Amber: I am OFFENDED that such a wonderful book could get such lousy treatment by DC. Horrible art, a mere 48 pages, and a $7 cover price! Zelazny must be rolling in his grave! #5: P. 162: From Dusk Til Dawn Deluxe edition: Ok, Big! Get over it! The movie stank! Nobody cares! Please go away! (by the same token, P. 192, Stargate #1, a comics adaptation of the movie. Gee, so soon?!?!) GOOD STUFF! #1: P. 55: Shadows of the Empire Preview. It's good to finally see Boba Fett portrayed in comics as something other than a blundering idiot. He talked too much, though. #2: P. 79: Marvel/DC crossover classics. I'm only getting X-Men/New titans because $4 is a lot, and it's been a long time since I've read a good story from either team. #3: P. 88: Batman Adventures with Poison Ivy and Harly-Quinn! =) #4: P. 143: Strikeback #5...what a great cover! #5: P. 337 Star Wars Playsets. I always wanted a Death Star. Now, before anyone gets mad, I didn't mention the Groo Statue (P. 326) because I'm always hearing stories about X number of statues getting dropped and breaking. (Actually, it was just Death and Grendel statues, but it's a pattern...) Anyhow, enjoy May! Next: The Bad Girl Book that went too far! (This time I promise...) ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [7] Review: DR WONDER #1 & #2 by David LeBlanc DR. WONDER - Old Town Publishing $2.95 ($3.50 CNDN) Story: David Allikas Primary art: Dick Ayers Second story art: Irwin Hasen Colors: Richard Ayers This is a preview black & white edition, the comic debuts in April. There is not much I can say about the two major artist for this comic that hasn't already been said. Ayers has worked on nearly every Marvel title starting way back in 1949 before jumping to DC in 1975. Most recently he did Bombast for Topps and did a 2 year run on Femforce for AC. He is known equally well for his pencils and his inks. Irwin Hasen probably would have been a staple of the 60's Marvel bullpen as well, his credits going back to the 40's National Comics. The thing that sidetracked his comic book career was a comic strip he co-created that ended up being one of the most popular syndicated features of all time, "DONDI", which he worked on for 32 years. He has also devoted himself to teaching at the Joe Kubert school for 20 years and recently at the School of Visual Arts in New York. SO, what are these guys doing creating a new comic, indeed a new comic company? It is easy to see, without reading the mandatory hype page all new comics come loaded with, by just reading the comics. They want comics to tell imaginative stories, carefully crafted in the classic style. Stories that have beginnings and endings and are about larger than life heroes and realistic relations and the girls even wear real clothes! Stories that don't pretend to be great literature but at the same time don't insult the reader with page after page of mindless slugfest, people with over proportioned anatomies, and plots that lead no where or are so convoluted you wonder if the writer even knows what is going on. Dr. Wonder is a comic that brings you back to a time when the art was crisp, active, and could tell the story, even without dialogue. It has its faults, but they are not anything too far removed from the willing suspension of disbelief, which is good enough for me. Eliot Wunderbach is a Chemistry professor who has developed a new technology from the rare element isobortium to give human beings super powers. Ok, the others have their kryptonite, adamantium, vibranium so this isn't too much to take. The hard one to believe is that in these days how such an advanced scientist is such a computer illiterate. He naively allows a stranger access his files through the Internet and what he thought was a Belgian scientist is a community college dropout in a prison in Idaho. This guy, cleverly named Gill Bates, steals the formulas and most of the supply of the rare element and has two real scientists create the start of an army of super criminals he dubs the Web of Evil. The first mission is to break Gill out of jail and the second is to get the remaining isobortium from our friend the Doctor. Well, how would any other professor react to news that super criminals are coming to get him? Why call out the ROTC of course! Huh? Well, that gave me a chuckle, especially when he uses the helicopter to confront them off campus. He has devised a weapon to drain the isobortium powers from the bad guys but during the fight his weapon is shattered and he is bathed in the element and its gases. Yup, you guessed it, a hero is born! The kicker is that his power is to draw on the power of the other isobortium enhanced beings. If he gets close to one that can fly, he can too. Likewise he can draw on their super strength, or magnetic powers, or lightning, whatever it is, but at a lower level. The guy is only going to be able to do super stuff when he is close to whatever thug the evil computer genius Gill Bates sends after him. And he will have to outwit them because his power level is lower. The tragic deaths caused by the first battle in this war inspire him to accept the responsibility to stop these newly created criminals and perhaps find other beings with powers to aid him rid the world of this scourge. The last page of #1 indicates a whole range of characters will be entering his life and the next issue debuts Cad-Man, more tragedy and the menace of Constrictor. This is old fashioned comics with a present day setting. The art is simple and elegant and the story while a bit corny, is basic, to the point and fun reading. It is hard to guess wether this will appeal to the fans of X-Men angst, Lady Death, or the endless parade of heroes with less than sterling morals. It is something I would not hesitate to buy multiple copies to give away to people so they can enjoy a good basic comic book and escape the glitter and gloss with an entertaining story. Maybe the lack of dazzle and busty babes will doom it, but it is worth looking into for what it is. And, starting with #3 the writing will be done by Tony Isabella! The back stories add another dimension rarely seen in comics anymore but often was a staple in the old days. They are stories much shorter and unrelated to the main characters in the book. In the first two, one is a tale of an aging cowboy, another a king imprisoned by war. A delightful break and a welcome refreshment after a super hero main course. These little stories with a moral or a strange twist always delighted me in the early days of Marvel. I welcome them with open arms and Hasen's art is just the right style for the atmosphere they convey. This first effort from yet another new company is worth a look see. No mutant frogs, or killer bimbos, or alien death squads have shown up yet. If that is all that will interest you then pass on by. This one is for those of us who just want to be entertained for a while by craftsmen who love their work. Rating: I don't *DO* ratings - BUY THIS BOOK! ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [8]Comic Stores we recommend! These stores have been mentioned by the members of the Comic Book Network as the places they like to shop. We suggest you check them out when in the area and mention you heard about them from the Comic Book Network. Heck, print it out and tell them *hundreds* of people read this mag! Maybe you'll get a free comic! Conway Comics Plus The Comic Book Store Hwy 286 9307 Treasure Hill Road Conway, AR Little Rock, AR Collector's Edition Comics The Golden Apple 3217 John F Kennedy Blvd 8962 Reseda Blvd North Little Rock, AR Northridge, CA 91324 Famous Faces THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT Wickam Rd 244 Park Avenue Melbourne, FL Worcester, MA 01609 Comikazi, Comics, Toys, & Noise THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT 503 State Road 387 Main Street North Dartmouth, MA Fitchburg, MA 01420 Web Head Enterprises Collectors World 353 Main Street 235 Muddy Branch Rd Wakefield, MA 01880 Gaithersburg, MD The Closet Of Comics Brainstorm Comics 7315 Baltimore Avenue (U.S. Route 1) 177B Thomas Johnson Dr. College Park, MD 20740 Frederick, MD Paperback Bazaar The Card Buck 120 Tri-City Plaza 68 Partition Street Somersworth, NH Saugerties, NY 12477 The Comic Empire Of Tulsa Memphis Comics & Records 3122 S. Mingo 665 S Highland Tulsa, OK Memphis, TN Myth Adventures EG Comics 3000 N. 10th 142 Maple Ave McAllen, TX Vienna VA 22180 ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [9] Quick Keady Komments by John Keady {a short one this time from the DC conference of ComicBook Net- D.L.} Here is what I picked up this past week! Hitman #1- Actually I was rather impressed with this issue. I am not particularly a grim & gritty fan but this one has it's share of good humor and Tommy Monaghan is not an indiscriminate killer which is a good thing in my book. I'll be picking up the next one for sure! Green Lantern #74- This whole Hero's Quest thingy didn't do a whole lot for me as I think it was just an excuse to have guests pop in on this book. I just remembered this is #73.....Egads! What's coming in this book is what I'm really looking for with #75 coming up and the upcoming GL/GA crossover! Superman #111- I woulda never thought Supes would lose his cool as he did in this issue. Who could blame him though! His engagement is over, Lois's best friend is killed and he leaves the body, Lori Lemaris continues to be a distraction in his life and who knows, maybe his underwear is on too tight! I actually liked the raw emotions that this issue embodied! JLA #110- OK forget there was a villain in this issue....this one was more like a REALLY campy soap opera with assumptions of Homosexuality, fratricide, more homosexuality and one member quits! I still can't decide if I like social themes so strongly used in a story but it did make for some good reading! --- * Origin: << Crystal Aerie >>(703) 415-0134 ComicBookNet (23:403/4) ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [A] How to join the COMIC BOOK NETWORK You too can enjoy the intelligent conversations and informative threads that occupy the conferences of the Comic Book Net every day! However, many people who read this e-mag aren't familiar with the Local BBS echo-mail system.... Bulletin Board Systems are scattered everywhere across the continent and the world, many of them are free! Chances are, if you have a modem you have the accompanying communications software. Using the Terminal Emulation software that came with your modem, you can dial up one of the many systems linked into CBN (see the listings down a few paragraphs). Most of the boards offer all the message echoes in the Comic Book Network... There are message bases devoted to all the bigger comics publishers, as well as big Small Press and Independent message bases, not to mention sections for general (doesn't even have to be about comics!) conversation. If you are worried about long distance charges, worry no longer! Most if not all the BBS's offer a mail service from which you can download a .QWK packet of recent e-mail to read offline with a program called an offline mail reader. You can read & write messages at your leisure, and then upload your own messages & replies the next time you call your local BBS. There are many .QWK packet readers out there, for every type of computer system. They all give you a better explanation in their documentation than I can. These programs are available all over the Internet and are free to download from most BBS's. I recommend SLMR or OLX-TD for DOS to get started. These "mail runs" (dialing up, downloading the mail packet and uploading replies) generally take less than 5 minutes to accomplish, and at the average after-5pm/weekends/holidays long distance phone rates, that is LESS THAN $.75! See? Even less expensive than many of the commercial information services available! :) So what else can you find on free BBS systems? There are plenty of files for specific types of computers. Some systems also offer other types of message networks ranging from general topics to specific themes like sci-fi, role playing, games, music, etc. And, let's not forget online games. Join into the many different multiplayer games, each system sports different challenges. There's nothing like becoming the most powerful being in a online adventure! And when you _do_ log on, leave a message in The Bullpen conference to ALL, and introduce yourself to us! You're guaranteed to get plenty of replies and all the help you need to join in the fun! ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [B] BBSes Linked into CBN Here's the most up-to-date node listing for the COMIC BOOK NETWORK F=FIDO Q=QWK B=Both *=Major HUB -- ARKANSAS ------------------------------------------------------------- F* Karate & Comics & ... Russelville AR 501-968-3910 Robert Wood Conway PC Users AR 501-329-7227 Tim Stone -- CALIFORNIA ----------------------------------------------------------- Q Freedom Flight Victorville CA 619-955-6445 Ronald Siodla Electronic RPO Newbury Park CA 805-498-8061 Kelly Cruise -- FLORIDA -------------------------------------------------------------- F Never Never Land Melbourne FL 407-253-8754 Wayne Bell Steel Dog Cafe Destin FL 904-654-1631 Keith Schultz Ghost's Realm Crestview FL 904-689-6664 Kie Dorton -- ILLINOIS ------------------------------------------------------------- F The Chess Board Grand Prairie TX 214-641-1136 Ken Givens -- INDIANA -------------------------------------------------------------- F The CyberSpace BBS Indianapolis IN 317-856-9020 Charlie Smith -- KENTUCKY ------------------------------------------------------------- Lex Corp Georgetown KY 502-867-0992 -- MARYLAND ------------------------------------------------------------- B* CBN SuperHub Frederick MD 301-874-6020 Mike Imboden F The Vampyre Bar! Frederick MD 301-698-5194 Darryl Pierce F DataStorm Kettering MD 301-390-5243 Tarek Gordan F Bifrost Mount Rainier MD 301-779-9381 Kevin Carlin F Womens World East BBS Silver Spring MD 301-431-0647 Wendy Dumser F Sherata's Realm Mechanicsville MD 301-884-9732 Linda Peek -- MASSACHUSETTS -------------------------------------------------------- F Archives BBS Acushnet MA 508-995-0085 John Viera F Muskrat & Heatwave New Bedford MA 508-984-5321 Dennis Racine B* Keystone BBS Shrewsbury MA 508-753-3767 John Harris F HellFire BBS S. Dartmouth MA 508-979-8930 Brock Cordeiro B Call Again Soon Worcester MA 508-791-1281 Joe Johnson -- MICHIGAN ------------------------------------------------------------- F Intl. Comic Network Dearborn Hgts MI 313-565-8464 Anthony Palacio -- MISSOURI ------------------------------------------------------------- F The Oan Citadel Grandview MO 816-767-1488 Brian J. Stewart -- NEW HAMPSHIRE -------------------------------------------------------- Venom's World Rollinsford, NH 603-749-5599 -- NEW JERSEY ----------------------------------------------------------- -- NEW YORK ------------------------------------------------------------- Asgard TW BBS West Islip NY 516-422-4225 Tom Pemberton Interzone BBS Long Is. City NY 718-786-5557 Jim Garvin F Starbase : Red Dwarf Saugerties NY 914-247-9601 John Dragun -- NORTH CAROLINA ------------------------------------------------------- F Electronic Hangover Durham NC 919-286-4542 Richard Lee F Psychotronic Durham NC 919-286-7738 Richard Lee F* TI-Raliegh Maximus Raliegh NC 919-833-3412 Walter Tietjen F Crystal Winds Raliegh NC 919-790-3599 Mike Gurkin -- OKLAHOMA ------------------------------------------------------------- Compumate Tulsa OK 918-628-0887 Danny Pelletier F Snart's Dreamland Collinsville OK 918-371-0980 Jeff Bennett -- PENNSYLVANIA --------------------------------------------------------- F Comic Book Board Philadelphia PA 215-365-5225 William Horton -- TENNESSEE ------------------------------------------------------------ -- TEXAS ---------------------------------------------------------------- Razor's Domain ][ Edinburg TX 210-631-5159 Kevin Nunn Q Way Out There Dallas TX 214-680-2755 Justin Pasher F The Chess Board Grand Prairie TX 214-641-1136 Ken Givens B* FIAWOL/MSConnections Irving TX 214-790-6472 Bobb Waller F Star Streams Waxahachie TX 214-938-7115 Michael Rudolf -- VIRGINIA ------------------------------------------------------------- B Crystal Aerie Arlington VA 703-415-1130 Spencer Greenwald -- WASHINGTON ----------------------------------------------------------- -- ONTARIO, CANADA ------------------------------------------------------ F Dark Knight BBS London ONT 519-850-9929 Michael Cross F MACH 1 BBS London ONT 519-457-6771 Tomasz Heiber Stargate:Above & Beyond London ONT 519-472-4938 Paul Nicholas -- MEXICO --------------------------------------------------------------- B* The Gate BBS Mexico City 52-5-264-2994 Emilio Karam - From USA, dial international-access 011 then 52-5-264-2994# ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [C] E-Mag Info The Comic Book Net E-Mag is published by the many participants of The Comic Book Network. This is a compilation of articles and columns which were originally posted in the network's conferences or written specifically for this electronic magazine. Some articles are independent of any connection with CBN and are used with permission. All text contained within is copyrighted to the originating author(s). You may freely distribute or duplicate intact without alteration for noncommercial purposes only. Please do not distribute except as the complete file as originally transmitted by The Comic Book Net E-Mag THE CBN WEB PAGE ---------------- If you have access to the World Wide Web, please stop by and visit our web page! On our web page, you can find the latest issue of our E-Mag, as well as an annotated index and all back issues. You'll also find important information on how to join the conversation in the Comic Book Net, and other neat features like newly release comic book graphics, links to lists of Comic Book Company addresses, Comic Professionals Email addresses, and other Comic Book related Web pages! The URL address is: http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet LOCATING THE ISSUES ------------------- The latest issue is always available from all the systems linked into The Comic Book Network. You can also find the back issues at America Online, by going to Keyword: Science Fiction, scrolling to the menu item _ Comic Book Forum_ and then going to the Comics Library from there. Most issues should also be available on Compuserve, Genie, Channel1 BBS and Software Creations BBS as well as other non CBN affiliated Bulletin Board Systems. All back issues should be available at the above sites, as well as our World Wide Web page. SUBMISSIONS ----------- To submit an article, review, column, etc to our e-mag, simply post it in any Comic Book Net conference and leave me a message in the CBN: E-Mag conference giving me permission to use the article. If you cannot access the Comic Book Net, submit your articles for consideration to the editor at: ComicBkNet@aol.com Reviews of mainstream books are least likely to get included when submitted from sources outside of CBEM. We give more consideration to reviews of indies and self published material as we feel that material deserves more exposure to the general public. Commentary on the state of the industry, and personal observations and reflections related to comics are *most* likely to be included in our publication. We also accept product for review purposes. Advanced copies of comic books will not be returned but anything sent to us will be reviewed in the ComicBook Net Emag. Send all material to: David L. LeBlanc 84 Heather Circle Jefferson, MA 01522 SUBSCRIPTIONS ------------- If you wish to receive these issues automatically through your internet account, please address a message to ComicBkNet@aol.com to be placed on the subscription list. ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - End of another Issue .. see ya in the funny papers!! "And where were you on the morning of November 20, 1992?"