------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE COMIC BOOK NET ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE - ISSUE NUMBER 54 ________________________________________________________________________ World Wide Web Page------>> http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet ------------------------------------------------------------------------- o \o/ _ o _| \ / |_ o_ \o/ o /|\ | /\ _\o \o | o/ O/_ /\ | /|\ / \ / \ |\ /) | ( \ /o\ / ) | (\ / | / \ / \ 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 & Answers [3] CBN Insider ........................... News, gossip, & rumors [4] Suspended Animation ................... Michael Vance [5] Out of Africa ......................... Marc Sparks [6] Some Stuff ............................ Nathan Bredfeldt [7] Keady's Komic Komments ................ John Keady [8] Our Favorite Comic Stores ............. The ComicBook Net [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 First a note for our valued readers on America Online. If you can't read this (think about it) it is because the File/Open menu item on AOL does not like large files. Anyone who downloads this as a file from the Comic Book Library files in the Science Fiction area will read the explanation in the description file each week. There is nothing we can do about it except advise you to use a text reader or word processor to read each issue. If you get this mag mailed to your Email account on AOL everything over 20K is sent as an attached file. You can read that ascii file at your leisure offline as it ends up in your AOL download directory. The alternative is to use the web browser and get it off our web page. I was going to hold off sending out this issue for another day, for several reasons. When I first took over the mag I made it clear that I would only release it when we had enough good material to make it a full issue (then shamelessly repeated the r.a.c.m. best web sites of 1995 list twice in the same issue!) I carefully removed any reference to it being a "weekly" E-mag and have avoided making promises I felt I could not keep. So far only one person sent me a message on a Friday night asking where the new issue was. So, I thought maybe I should delay it a day on purpose to get you readers used to the idea that these things don't always happen in a tight time schedule without flaw. Next, this week has been pretty full for me. I left home Monday noon after clearing yet *another* 8" of snow, for a Regional meeting in New Jersey, 200 miles away. Spent the week in meetings (and shooting pool at night) but missed yet *ANOTHER* snowstorm of 14" which set the all time season record for any year in Central Massachusetts at 133". Number one son had the job while I was away of digging out the homestead. Well, I did have the trusty ThinkPad with me and kept somewhat up to date on things in my spare time. Since the bulk of each issue is contributed columns the work is just copy and paste for the most part. Another factor is the quickness with which the trivia contest is responded to each week. I barely get the issue out by 10:00 or so on Friday and by midnight answers are coming into the mailbox. What if I published at noon on Saturday. Those late night key pounders would be sleeping and the daytime folks could get a shot at winning. Bobb Waller did not get his list out by Friday, hope he and his computer are virus free and something else is the reason. I can't really hold up the mag for this one item although it is a welcome part of each issue. After reviewing all of this I decided to compile the issue and once I got going I knew I would send it out as soon as it was spell checked, entered into the mailer outbox, typed and coded into the web page and zipped into the file for distribution. BUT, do expect there will come a time when I am not so punctual. Memorial Day Weekend will be a *BIG* family event for me starting on Friday night so anticipate a late issue or none even that weekend, but we'll see. This time we have the usual stuff, with the exception of the new comics list. I am running the Comic Store list again, which will appear periodically as a service from the sponsors of this magazine - The ComicBook Network! 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. +++++ I thought it was neat we get mentioned in CBG April 12 edition in the Ad for Dr. Wonder but get this! Subj: Dr. Wonder listing Date: 96-04-07 15:04:36 EDT From: Oldtownpub To: ComicBknet David, thanks for your offer to place my listing for Dr. Wonder on your network, where it will be picked up by other BBS's. Here it is; I hope the format is satisfactory. If not, please let me know. [Included was a write up for me to post to the Comic Book Network] I'm glad you were pleased to hear that you'd been quoted in our CBG ad. We've also included a lengthy quote on the back cover of Dr. Wonder #1. I'll send some copies when it's printed, in a couple of weeks. Best, David Allikas ------------------------------- Dr. Wonder #1 ships week of April 22 [Nothing like more free publicity! Speaking of which, a response to my review of Jack Split: Subj: Re: Jack Split #1 Date: 96-04-09 13:21:45 EDT From: MlstrmCOM To: ComicBknet David, Thank you for the review and the complimentary issue of THE COMIC BOOK NET ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE. I forwarded your comments to our writer and artist. They were very pleased by your Bosch reference. His work greatly influenced their representation of the UNDERGUT. Once again, thanks. I have another reason for writing you. I have space in the first issue of Jack Split for ads. If you'd like we can run an ad for THE COMIC BOOK NET ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE. All you need to do is write the copy and get it to us by 4/20. Let me know if this is something your publication would be interested in. MNB --- {A very generous offer, Thanks!} +++++ Subj: Newts-letter Date: 96-04-06 04:13:37 EST From: arkham@buffnet.net (Paul Myers) David, How's about signing me up for the ComicBkNet newsletter ? Huh ? Pleeeze ? And send me a gross of the ComicSquish T-shirts too ! [Sorry, the T-shirts went fast] Well, skip the t-shirts, but the newsletter would be cool. Ed sent me a copy of the April Issue. Very Funny ! I especially liked the Superman/Catwoman crossover comments from Mr. "Bowser Denny". Kind of an "in" joke, but funny enough to carry even without knowing him. [Fido-nauts know the joke on that one] From what Ed says, you're doing a great job with it. Congrats. Take care, Paul [TRIVIA CONTEST] It seems we never strike a happy medium. Either I get tons of correct answers or just a few, all correct. Anyway, lots of responses this time to the question, Where did the Green Goblin first appear? From: LMihalovic@aol.com Wed, 10 Apr 1996 17:00:55 -0400 Subject: Re: CBEM #53 trivia David, <> Okay this is assuming that you mean the character of the Green Goblin who was first portrayed by Norman Osborn. Let me try and do this without digging into my old spiderman comics. hmm Norman Osborn first appeared as a "shadowy" figure in the background of several earlier Spidey stories before Spider-Man actually faced him as the Goblin. Also Stromm his former business partner went on to become a one-shot Spiderman villian which led to Osborn becoming the Goblin. So which came first? I don't believe we actually saw Osborn in that Stromm issue so I would have to say he was seen in the shadows before anything else. How about (and this is a complete guess) Amazing Spiderman #13. Thanks for listening and I hope you at least got a good laugh out of my guess if nothing else. Time for my medication, Len Mihalovich +++++ Subj: Trivia question Date: 96-04-09 11:39:37 EDT From: desada@edc1.edc.ca (Desabrais, Dave) First appearance of the Green Goblin: I'm assuming you mean the first Goblin, so I'll say Amazing Spiderman #14 +++++ From: Jim Murdoch Subject: Re: CBEM #53 1/2 >tell us in what comic was the first appearance of The Green Goblin. Amazing Spider-Man #14. Jim, Master of Comics smiv@primenet.com Order SPANDEX NOT REQUIRED #2 and HIGH OCTANE THEATRE #! from APL Shipping June 1996 +++++ From: Michael Klobe Date: Sat, 6 Apr 96 12:29:27 CST Subject: Re: CBEM #53 1/2 > tell us in what comic was the first appearance of The Green Goblin. The Green Goblin was first seen in Amazing Spider-Man 14, and revealed his true identity in ASM 39. Still one of my favorite villians. -mck _ _| ~~. Michael Klobe \, _} mklobe@objectspace.com \( Texas Fight! +++++ From: Ed Dukeshire <103676.2236@compuserve.com> Subject: Re: CBEM #53 1/2 Hi David! The trivia question is TOO easy for us old folks -- ;) Answer: Amazing Spider-man #14 (1st appearance of the Green Goblin). -- ed P.S. Whaddya mean I can't play? ;) [Sure you can. I only restricted the first contest.] P.P.S. In the off-chance that I was the first one to answer correctly, give it to the next person in line. [I guess the Cheezy Prize is safe from you this time. :) ] +++++ Subj: Trivia Date: 96-04-06 02:08:57 EST From: Hyperstorm The answer to your question, "What was the first appearance of Green Goblin?" is Amazing Spider-Man #14. Oh, yeah, great mag. I enjoy signing on every Friday and seeing it waiting for me. Jose Mochove, Jr. Hyperstorm@aol.com 103514.2754@cserve.com +++++ Subj: Trivia Contest Date: 96-04-05 23:47:33 EST From: JDunlop I'm a bit late on this one, but being probably one of the few people around with a complete set of "Welcome Back Kotter" comics from the '70s, I thought I'd confirm that issue number 8 indeed was printed without a price on the cover (it should have been 35 cents.) [A bit late is right! Sometimes I get answers just a few hours after sending out an issue, like the vultures have been waiting to pounce! Notice Jose answered at 3:00 A.M. EST. Thanks for the additional info.] Well those were in reverse order and the first one to hit the Emailbox, a little after midnight on Saturday morning: Subj: Green Goblin trivia Date: 96-04-06 00:23:38 EST From: stopper@ix.netcom.com (Steven Topper) Green Goblin first appeared in Amazing Spider-man #14. Thanks for another great issue. Steve Topper [Congratulations Steve, the Cheezy Prize (tm) is on the way, although a bit late since I have been away on business.] +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: Contributed by Carl Scherer - What is The Question's mask made out of? IMPORTANT RULES NOTICE: The first correct answer to reach the editor wins the CHEEZY PRIZE(tm). The editor will be the sole judge as to which guess arrived first! Please be sporting and send only one guess at a time. LIMIT: ONE PRIZE PER MONTH PER PERSON! Submit your own trivia and win the CHEEZY PRIZE(tm) if you stump the subscribers! ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [3] CBN Insider - News, gossip and rumors from around the industry A post by writer Steven Grant concerning his creation, "ENEMY": I don't usually toot my own horn, but a pilot for Fox based on my mini-series, ENEMY, published a couple of years ago by Dark Horse, starts filming at the end of this month, with Billy Wirth (BODY SNATCHERS, BOYS ON THE SIDE) as Malcolm Cory/Enemy, Lisa Waltz as Quillan, Marshall Bell as Dane, Brad Tatum as Wilbur/John Doe, and several more (very surprising if the expected people sign on) actors to be signed. For those who missed it, ENEMY was a political thriller about a male/female team of FBI agents (mind you, this was before X-FILES was ever heard of) hunting down a man who originally appears to be a serial killer, only to find the men he's going after all have a common past, and that "the Enemy," as the agents label him, is being led to his targets by the ghosts of the people they've killed. The agents then become targets for the same people Enemy is hunting. They've modified Enemy's origin somewhat, but the TV show seems very close otherwise to the mini-series, so I'm feeling (hopefully justifiably) proud. Dark Horse is releasing a collected trade paperback of "ENEMY" in May. +++++ USA TODAY April 9 - 5 weeks ago David Copperfield revealed he was the anonymous buyer of the Batmobile from the 1989 movie BATMAN for $189,500. Last Friday he filed suit against the previous owner and the auction house claiming the car is bogus. His publicist claims he was unaware that the vehicle was one of five made for the movie but never used in it. Seems the vehicle comes with restrictions that it not be driven in public, and only be displayed in museums. All bidders were aware of these restrictions. The former owner, Michael Eisenberg, says that Copperfield was betting on being able to get Warner Brothers to relax the restrictions and when they refused he began to claim he was duped. Stay tuned. +++++ USA TODAY April 10 - The front of the LIFE section had an article with the cover graphics of the Youngblood part of HATE, a six part series involving them and New Force, Bloodpool, Supreme, New Man, and Maximage. The heroes are pitted against Sith, an alien using his powers to spread hatred and is said to be loosely based on the O.J. Simpson trial and verdict. +++++ Word is spreading rapidly around the internet that George Perez will not be inking for Liefeld on Avengers after all. Evidently there was a dispute and George posted on Compuserve that he had withdrawn. +++++ Never know where you will find references to comic book these days. Would you believe; SPECTRUM - the official monthly magazine of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers? In an article about interactivity on the Internet in the April 1996 issue, a couple of pages from DC Comics Sovereign 7 Kit are displayed in screen captures from a Netscape Browser using the Shockwave Plug-In. I haven't tried it but the URL in the window is: http://www.macromedia.com/Tools/Shockwave/Gallery/Shocked.sites/Dc.comics/ +++++ From the CSNsider in this week's Comic Shop News #460, lots of stuff we already told you about, plus . . .Garth Ennis will take over the writing on WildCATS soon, Ron Garney will take on the art chores on SIlver Surfer in the near future. . . MARVEL FANFARE will be back in the near future, maybe taking the place of Over The Edge. . . THE AMERICAN is back on as a film project with Mark Verheiden being active in the production. . . the first Marvel theme restaurant is slated for the Orlando area near Universal Studios which has a hush hush new addition involving comic book characters in the works . . . Wolverine 100 sold out and will not likely be reprinted . . . Mr. Hero the Newmatic Man ends its run later this year but a movie project is in development so it could be back. . . Steve Scroce replaces Mark Bagley on Amazing Spider-Man later this year . . . The new (Red Norville) Thor title may be called Journey Into Mystery . . . There is talk of a trade paperback reprinting of the Amalgam Universe stories and other plans for the characters are being discussed. . . INTERFACE, the second Espers graphic Novel is planned now for June. . . marvel plans a Goosebumps title later this year. ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [4] SUSPENDED ANIMATION by Michael Vance Every business and hobby has its own lexicon. In the lexicon of comics, a "crossover" does NOT mean 'getting to be angry a _second_ time'. It means one famous character sharing the stage with another. It takes no great deductive power to see that if one successful character is popular, two together will be boffo boxoffice. Right? Batman with Superman. Superman on "I Love Lucy". Dracula and Abbot and Costello. Well, not _ALL_ crossovers can be as sensational as Sherlock Holmes and The Phantom of the Opera. That's because ADVENTURE OF THE OPERA GHOST, a two issue crossover featuring detective Holmes and The Phantom is an entertaining melding of very similar settings, a gem of research, respect and understanding of this wonderful pair of actors, and a joy to read. As example, this paper play portrays Watson as elemental, not simple, and stripped of pretense. The doctor is treated with a respect missing from many movies that used him as "comic relief". Bravo!! Bravo!! It's also boffo because it's scratchy art dresses the stage (the gritty underbelly of London and Paris) perfectly. This art is ele- mentary, Watson, but not simple, stripped of many of the visual chaos of line plaguing many comics. Encore!! ADVENTURE OF THE OPERA GHOST #s 1 & 2/ 24 & 25pgs. $2.95 ea., Caliber Press/words: Steven Jones; art: Aldin Baroza/ available in comics shops or by mail. MINIVIEW: TARZAN/WARLODS OF MARS [Dark Horse]. Rip-roaring adventure as Tarzan travels the turf of E.R. Burroughs second most famous creation, John Carter of Mars. Its excellent art and story features one of the sexiest femme fatales in comics. MINIVIEW, TOO: BALIONAS. Long suppressed under Communism, comics are blossoming in Lithuania in a fanzine full of avant garde art and ideas. AND there's a pull-out sheet of captions and dialog trans- lated into English! Interested? Send an international reply coupon and an envelope to: Saulius Krusna, Persekininkai, Parecenu, PST., 4589 Alytaus Raj., Lithuania. (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] Out of Africa by Marc Sparks (c) 1996 A good friend came around yesterday and raided my bookshelf. Giving me heart flutters he homed in on my `Doc' Smith books and gathered up the Skylark series. This he said, was for a project, an analysis of language evolution in the Sci-fi genre, for English Lit. This (that's right David you guessed) got me to thinking. So instead of "A Stitch In Time", you get: "Great Celery Sticks Batman! Its The Salad Master!" The English language is the largest in the world, almost twice the size of any other language it is the choice of most global and national broadcasters, and it dominates the literary world. It's evolving to, at an incredible rate, phrases and words meaning less 10 years ago are found in common usage all of the planet. The main thrust of this change used to be slang, minority community's language gradually filtering into the mainstream, and of course national boundaries. English is probably the most common language in the US, Australia, and in South Africa, yet the incorrect (correct?) use of local idiom can leave a foreigner floundering. Yet this is a instance in decline, global communication is gradually standardizing the language, distance is no longer a primary language growth imperative. It's replacement? Commercial arts, contemporary literature, television, cinema, and last but not least comics. Let me offer a collection of words and phrases that have new meanings, or enhanced emphasized meanings, because of their use in film, television or comics. "Go ahead make my day!" "Cowabunga" "Don't have a cow man" "It wasn't me, I didn't do it, you can't prove anything!" (OJ or Bart?) "Mmmmm donut!" "Space, the Final Frontier...." "It's a bird, it's a plane..." "Fastest Man Alive" "It's Clobbering time" "Dark Knight" That gets your thoughts flowing doesn't it? Other facet of this language evolution is less pleasant. While most well read people could struggle through Chaucer (Middle English), there are literate people who cannot (because their circumstances leave them unprepared) read works written a mere 100 years ago, to whom the works of Twain, Wells, Dickens, & Bronte are written in what amounts to a foreign language. So now we have a interesting situation, the power of the fictional arts in influencing modern culture has been illustrated, coupled with an alarming decline in literacy, or a plain lack in third world countries. My suggestion is this: Let the major publishers focus a portion of their resources to a large scale ongoing project devoted to combating illiteracy. This is not a new idea, I know, but this time it should be different. Focus should be initially placed on functional literacy, using popular & cool characters simply to get the disadvantaged, ghetto children, children of third world countries, even (and this is a very real problem in Africa) child soldiers interested in reading. Later on, reviving something along the lines of Illustrated Classics using big major talents could bring the works of Shakespeare, Londen, Hardy, Lawrence & Austen to the youth of today. The publishers get something substantial too, (apart from the sales), and that's exposure. Teaching people to read, gets you readers, especially if you use your major properties to entice them into the mainstream of the medium. And new fresh readers is what the industry needs to stay alive, especially when Television, film, and even more importantly Online services are eroding at the traditional readership base. Maybe an industry in desperate need of new markets, should just MAKE that market! Resurging existing markets is one thing, but this is also the perfect means to gain a foothold in the potentially lucrative and virgin third world markets. But even the big publishers couldn't do this this alone, what it requires is for educational and literary bodies to acknowledge that comics are a legitimate literary form, and that contrary to popular perception, comics contribute to reading interest and skills, not the reverse. Half the problem may well be the name "comics", and the perceptions attached to that name. I favour the term "Illustrated Periodicals", (looks better on the CV), or even "Mythos", but that's another column, and Ryan Brewster's already written half of it... PHEW! Well if you waded through that.... *******BONUS REVIEW****** Marvel Two-In-One #28 Presents The Thing And The Sub-Mariner circa 1977 In the power of the PIRANHA! By Marv Wolfman & Ron Wilson Action in the Mighty Marvel Manner! 75c in fare nick (15cUS), This is my favourite kind of comic, my favourite characters teamed-up in one mag, in a COMPLETE story. Marv succeeds in writing a continuing adventure for Ben Grimm, bringing forward plot elements from previous issues without making them intrusive, allowing them to effortlessly flow into a complete side adventure with Namor, before continuing on to their final destination. Characterization is also good, Ben is as always the reluctant hero, 'til clobbering time that is, and Namor the noble displaced monarch. So the villain is a complete cornball, but who cares, compared to Marvel's current standards this one is pure gold! Ratings? it's goodie and its MINE! (back when people made their's Marvel) Finally, a special request: Star Trek fans in the Southern African region? If you feel up to answering a quick questionnaire? Email me at: Figment@connx.vironix.co.za Marc Sparks lives and works in South Africa. He has collected books and comics since the early eighties, and can be quite opinionated. Humour him. ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [6] SOME STUFF-THE APOLOGY by Nathan Bredfeldt You know, I really intended upon writing a big flowery Some Stuff this week; one full of literary allusions, in-jokes, references to great comics from days past and present, and maybe ever a few dancing lemurs. But, as sure as I had all these things planned out, my teachers decided to assign a philosophy test, and english test, and an english term paper within the span of one short week. By the time you read this, they will all be behind me, and I'll be facing my next educational challenge, BUT all the opportunities that I've had to write any sort of significant Some Stuff column has been eaten by the likes of: Mellville, Augustine, Hawthorne, Poe, Descartes, and this monstrous eight page research paper (minimum four sources) on Mary Rowlandson. And for all this, I apologize. Now that the apology is out of the way, let us get down to the world's shortest Some Stuff: Everyone get out your newest Previews (Vol VI #4; for June `96). C'mon, I know you have one! Run get it. I'll wait. Got it? Good. Now, flip to page...143. Look at DEVIANTS RAVE. See the little bold type NOTE at the bottom? The one that says: "This title does not contain any written or drawn story material"? Now, is it just me, or can that note apply to several comic books out there? I won't name any names, but you know them... See y'all next week! Nate PS: Batman/Grendel 2! Star Slammers! Essential Vertigo: Sandman #1! Eradicator #1! Changeling: The Wyld Hunt! June is gonna be a GREAT month!! Next Week: That Sandman #75 review I promised, before this essay came up and kicked me in the head! Plus something else, to make up for the delay. ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [7] Keady's Komic Komments by John Keady Not a bad week for me with most of the books passing muster in my eye. Batman SOTB #51- With Bats in a perpetual dream state, the book focuses more on Narcosis and his plans for turning Gotham into a huge dream factory. For me this story has had the tendency to put me to sleep too. Narcosis does not have that "certain something" that makes a memorable Batman villain. This could change but so far he hasn't impressed me..... Green Lantern #74- Donna Troy, while looking for Wonder Woman runs into her ex-boyfriend Green Lantern and the result is his accompanying her to Rann to try and stop the destruction of the planet at the hands of a tyrannical despot with ties to Apokalips. What made this issue with me is the way Kyle and Donna dealt with each other and John Stewarts helplessness at the hands of a conqueror..... Steel #27- The current storyline wraps up as Steel goes after Hazard, the man who's been a thorn in his side since the beginning of the book. The consequences of what happens in this book will have some far reaching effects in the future of this book. While I've not been too impressed with the direction the book has taken over the 10 or so issues, I did like this particular issue and hope that it begins a new direction that I could like better than what it has been recently Superman #112- What has made this book as good as it has been recently is the excellent character development that has always been a hallmark of this book. Since the breakup of Lois & Clark's engagement, I've been more riveted with this storyline as I have with any villain that has appeared. I think that's a good change of pace from what had been happening with the Supes books since the Death storyline.....while it's good to have such epic crossovers, too many of them will numb us to them and have us expecting major things almost every time! * Origin: << Crystal Aerie >>(703) 415-0134 ComicBookNet (23:403/4) ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [8] Our Favorite Comic Stores The ComicBook Net 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!(It's true!) 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 Ken's Collectibles Exit 48 Flea Market Interstate 40 Judsonia, Arkansas 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 74146 Memphis, TN Myth Adventures EG Comics 3000 N. 10th 142 Maple Ave McAllen, TX Vienna VA 22180 ________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [A] How to join the COMIC BOOK NETWORK (CBN) You too can enjoy the intelligent conversations and informative threads that occur in 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 conversation, collecting, gaming and other forms of entertainment. 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 Conway 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 ------------------------------------------------------------- -- INDIANA -------------------------------------------------------------- F The CyberSpace BBS Indianapolis IN 317-856-9020 Charlie Smith -- KENTUCKY ------------------------------------------------------------- Lex Corp Georgetown KY 502-867-0992 -- MARYLAND ------------------------------------------------------------- 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 603-743-4188 Ira Locke -- NEW JERSEY ----------------------------------------------------------- Phoenix Modernz Systems Seaside Hts. NJ 908-830-8265 -- 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 F Federal Post Spring Lake NC 910-436-2055 Frank Koza -- OKLAHOMA ------------------------------------------------------------- Compumate Tulsa OK 918-628-0887 Danny Pelletier F Snart's Dreamland Collinsville OK 918-371-0980 Jeff Bennett F The Dreaming World Broken Arrow OK 918-451-3056 Greg Adkins -- PENNSYLVANIA --------------------------------------------------------- F Comic Book Board Philadelphia PA 215-365-5225 William Horton -- TENNESSEE ------------------------------------------------------------ The Factory BBS Union City TN 901-885-9647 -- TEXAS ---------------------------------------------------------------- F 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 F Orion BBS Odessa TX 915-530-2712 Dennis Brown -- VIRGINIA ------------------------------------------------------------- B Crystal Aerie Arlington VA 703-415-0134 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 & BeyondLondon 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). Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Editor, the Network Administration Team or the members and users of The Comic Book Network. Except where elsewhere noted, The Comic Book Network Electronic Magazine is Copyright 1996 by the Comic Book Network. You may freely distribute or duplicate this file intact without alteration for noncommercial purposes only. Please do not distribute except as the complete file as originally transmitted by The Comic Book Network. 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 released 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 CBN. 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 01522-1419 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!! "Over my dead body!" - SUPERMAN