---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ed Dukeshire and Mike Imboden Present: THE COMIC BOOK NET ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE ISSUE NUMBER 202 2/19/99 Edited by: David LeBlanc - ComicBkNet@aol.com FREE VIA EMAIL SINCE FEBRUARY 1995 ______________________________________________________________________ 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! [3] TRIVIA CONTEST ........................ Win *real* prizes! [4] Network Buzz .......................... News, gossip & rumors [5] Ramblings `99 ......................... Rich Johnston [6] Tony Isabella's Journal ............... Tony Isabella [7] Interview:Lloyd Smith ................. Paul Dale Roberts [8] Venting My Spleen ..................... David Groenewegen [9] Had Your Phil? ........................ Phil White [10] Sound And Fury ........................ Craig Lemon [11] And let me tell you why ............... David Coulter [12] Random Thoughts in a Less Than Random World .......... Gary Sassaman [13] M.O.E. Reviews ........................ Paul Dale Roberts [14] My View: .......................... David LeBlanc [15] New Comic Book Releases List .......... Charles LePage [16] HYPE! Section ......................... Various [A] Submission, Subscriptions, Back Issues, Copyrights, BBS Info ______________________________________________________________________ World Wide Web Home Page-->> http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet HTML WEB EDITION at -->> http://www.digitalwebbing.com/cbem featuring the exclusive comic strips: HEROES RERUN by Johnny Gonzales and ACTION COP by John E. Thompson ----------------------------------------------------------------------- o \o/ _ o _| \ / |_ o_ \o/ o /|\ | /\ _\o \o | o/ O/_ /\ | /|\ / \ / \ |\ /) | ( \ /o\ / ) | (\ / | / \ / \ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The ComicBook Network was founded by Ed Dukeshire and Mike Imboden ----------------------------------------------------------------------- If you wish to receive each issue automatically through your Email account, please address a message to: ComicBkNet@aol.com with the word SUBSCRIBE in the SUBJECT to be placed on the FREE subscription list. To drop it use UNSUBSCRIBE as a SUBJECT. See section [A] for the address to mail material to be reviewed. ______________________________________________________________________ All text contained within is copyrighted to the originating author(s). Except where elsewhere noted, The Comic Book Net Electronic Magazine is Copyright 1999 by The ComicBook Network. You may freely distribute or retransmit this file intact without alteration for noncommercial purposes only. Except for personal archiving, permission must be obtained from the individual authors to reproduce, retransmit, or publish any part of this magazine. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] On the Net David LeBlanc This issue is special to me as it marks the third anniversary of my becoming editor of CBEM. The Emag started publication the last week of February 1995, which means next week is our 4th anniversary as an ongoing electronic publication about comics. The Emag was started by Ed Dukeshire and Mike Imboden, co-founders of The Comic Book (BBS) Network as a way to spread the views of the members of the network beyond itself to the the comic enthusiasts on the internet. It began as reprinting, if you will, the messages posted to the network and an occasional original piece for the mag itself. It gradually became the opposite until today we see mostly material submitted for publication from outside sources. When I took over the Emag was almost dead. After Ed's tenure as editor another member of the network took over and tried to get us better exposure by publicizing the emag on Usenet and starting our first web site. He was successful in that regard but the network itself was experiencing the first pangs of a slow erosion of popularity that nearly all BBS networks have seen due to the universal access of internet email, newsgroups and chat rooms. BBS networks were dying and a series of untimely computer crashes and personal problems nearly erased the Comic Book Network altogether. Around that time, that former editor decided the emag was more his baby than the network's and attempted to spin it off - that is begin his own emag using our mailing list, claiming he was re-naming the emag. The core members decided we still had life left and rights to the emag and prevailed in keeping the emag and the mailing list as well. But we needed an editor which is why yours truly was drafted. My conditions were few: the mailing list is shared by us three so that no one can try that again. The mailing list is used for absolutely NO other purpose or mass mailing of any kind. The emag will attempt to be weekly, hopefully on the same night each week BUT if there is not enough material then we skip a week. I think we have done that twice. Any comic that is mailed in for review by its creators or publishers gets a review, even if it takes a few weeks to get to it. This rule has never been violated. And once it stops being fun, I quit. I'm still here. In three years I think I have gotten a lot more out of this venture than I certainly expected. All the exposure to comics I probably would never seen or tried on my own has been my reward. Though I may not be able to recommend a comic that has been submitted for review I am grateful for the opportunity to sample them. I try to be honest in my criticism and look for the positive in even the very bad material that very rarely crosses my desk. I think it is best for creators to get honest opinion, even if it hurts, or else they will get stagnant and not look objectively at their own work. I don't mean to say my opinion is always right - it is just an opinion and everyone has one. Most people are good sports about any constructive criticism, at least the professional ones are. The other reward has been my association with the greatest group of fans around - my contributors. They have been a diverse group - some staying for only a column or two and others popping in every now and then while some have stayed for long stretches and a few - Like Paul and and Tony and Rich and Chuck have been around for a real long time and continue to this day. Some are comic creators but most just plain love comics and write about it to spread that love. I am happy to provide the vehicle for them to do that. In the time I have been running the show we have grown from about 200 subscribers to the newest landmark about to be achieved - 1200! We must be doing something right. And at your local store this week are some things just right for your reading pleasure: ABSTRACT STUDIOS Strangers In Paradise Vol III #21, 2.75 AMAZE INK (SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS) Love In Tights Valentines Day Special #1, 2.95 COMICS CONSPIRACY Para Troop #5, 2.95 DARK HORSE Dark Horse Presents #140, 2.95 DC COMICS Action Comics #753, 1.99 Invisibles Volume 3 #12 (Of 12), 2.95 Superboy #61, 1.99 IMAGE COMICS Mage The Hero Discovered Coll Ed Book 3, 5.95 magazines Comic Book Profiles #6 - Gene Colan, 2.99 <--Pick of the week! MARVEL COMICS Captain America #16, 1.99 Hulk #1, 2.99 NUMBSKULL PRESS Gutwallow #6, 2.95 The other benefit I did not mention is getting to see the fruits of your labor advertised in the very media we promote. My first printed letter of comment was a big thrill, and I have had a few over the years. More thrilling is to see the emag being advertised in comic books and magazines and to have those publications bring even more subscribers our way. This week I had that thrill again as I received my issue of COMIC BOOK PROFILES and found a quote of mine from my last review right there on the back cover. What a great way to celebrate my anniversary! NEXT WEEK - the 4th ANNIVERSARY of CBEM! David LeBlanc - ComicBkNet@aol.com Editor The Comic Book Net Electronic Magazine ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [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 CBEM unless you specifically request us NOT to use them. Your Email address and/or name will be withheld upon request. +++++ Subj: special val. day/pres. day/mardi gras update From: GSassaman Visit us at http://www.innocentbystander.com Yes, it's a triple threat holiday weekend, and along with it comes another, albeit minor, INNOCENTBYSTANDER.COM update. Check out the WHAT'S NEW PAGE for a glimpse of winter in San Diego and an update about our next comic, FUZZHEADS #1. And check out our private commission page (that's under the ARTWORK button on the Home Page) for a new portrait of a perennial favorite. Happy three holidays! -Gary Sassaman http://www.innocentbystander.com +++++ Subj: entertainment cost From: halschuster@hotmail.com (Hal Schuster) Hi fellow readers, I was reading this week's newsletter, a usual Saturday fun break for me, when I again came across the topic of comic book sales and mainstream perceptions so I decided to share a random thought. Yesterday I bought I WEREBOY, a Japanese comic book translated to Thai, near my home in Bangkok. The comic book contains 840 pages of art and story for 99 baht, a little under $3. Quality equals that of better US comic books, in my opinion. Think SANCTUARY, a Japanese comic book translated to English that Viz published in America at $16.95 for 238 pages, albeit on better paper. This brought home a message many readers of the newsletter have already noted: the high entertainment cost per hour of American comic books. A Thai can spend 99 baht for a comic book that easily takes several hours to read (840 pages!). Alternatively, they can spend 95 baht for an audiotape which plays for less than an hour; purchase a movie ticket for 80 baht to watch a 90 minute movie; or consume at least 100 baht in a video arcade in less than two hours. That makes the comic book's entertainment cost per hour very competitive. Can we say the same about a twenty-some page comic book for a minimum price of $2? Just a thought, but, to the best of my knowledge, all of the countries in which comic books are mainstream entertainment follow models similar to the Thai comic book entertainment cost model rather than the American model. This may be oversimplifying. Or it may not. Sometimes the simple answer is true. In any case, I would love to be able to buy 840 pages of American comic books for less than $3. Aside: Prices for Thai books and magazines are much more similar to American book and magazine prices. Keep happy, Hal +++++ Subj: save Timespell &Marvel From: pjhay@clara.net (p hayward) David, Thanks for cbem. It's one of the highlights of my sad week :) I still can't believe I don't have to pay for the thing- it's worth a fortune, even with skipping any bits I don't like. Thought I'd send you a mail which you can include all or part of in your mag. Anyway, you probably haven't heard that Timespell is in a bit of trouble, sales-wise. I know that you don't normally endorse any project but this one deserves to go the full 12-issue distance. It's also about time that we comic fans stood up for what we believe in. We've stood by & watched many good titles & publishers of all genres go out of business over the past few years but how many of us actually got off our arses & did something about it, no matter how small? This is one of the best independent comics of the last few years & I won't even compare it to the X-Files :) It has a story which is both coherent & wide in scope with interestingly-defined characters & true dramatic tension. If I haven't sold you on it yet how about this- Carla Speed McNeil likes it. A woman with, as all Finder fans know, impeccable taste. Not only that but #1 is available for just 99cents. 99 cents. What can you get for that? A 32-page black & white comic? I don't think so. Well, this one you can. Where's YOUR excuse for not picking it up & supporting it ? Just remember, sooner or later they'll cancel your favourite book for lack of sales. And then we'll possibly lose another talented creator . We've lost too many already. Marvel are a different case. I can't answer for quality because I only read Doctor Strange & an issue of Earth X, but I've been told that they're not up to much- they certainly weren't went I stopped reading them 3 or 4 years ago (12 years- has it been that long?- for the X-men). Don't understand people who say, for example, all Valiant waas crap when they must have read them all to be able to comment like that & are thus very sad individuals (English expression meaning people with no life) or haven't read them in which case their stated opinion is invalid- even without resort to defining "is". But.. if Marvel go under then who would not be affected? retailers would lose so many sales that some (many?) of them would not survive. Diamond would lose all the Marvel revenue & to recoup their losses might have to reduce or remove their independent listing. Closed shops & less access to the consumer- there wouldn't be a creator or fan of US comics anywhere in the world who would not be adversely affected by the end of Marvel. So when we read the latest bad news or rumours from there maybe we should think twice before we smile. And then do the same before we gloat over any company or title's cancellation. Every one, whether Prisonopolis or Chase was somebody's baby & some readers' favourite. "Every man's loss diminishes me more" or whatever that quote should be. We're just a few fans (& getting fewer judging by sales) all living in a very glass house. So I wouldn't advice dissing superhero/ romance or whatever comics because YOUR favourite is next on the list. Save Timespell. Save Marvel. Save the industry. Thanks for your time Paul Hayward +++++ Subj: errata From: comics@thorby-comics.com (Comics Editor) In you CBEM #201.3: "SPACE GIRL By Mike Kadin & Adam Byrne [...]Stay tuned to see if it lives up to its promise." It's _SPACEGAL_, just like the title says, not SPACE GIRL. [mea culpa - I noticed that too late as well. DL] We've discontinued any further issues, as we feel it's just not ready yet for further development along the lines we feel it should go. Misters Kadin & Byrne may be taking it to other publishers, but as yet we have no news on that. Thanks for the glowing reviews. We're glad you liked the comics! Best regards, Tom Tetzlaff Editor, Thorby Comics +++++ Cayretano Garza has done a wonderful back cover for BrainBomb. Everyone visit this site to check it out. I have a feeling very little text will be going on the back to clutter up his delightful image. Please use Netscape to view. http://panam2.panam.edu/~cgarza/brainbomb/ Brian Clopper ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [3] [TRIVIA CONTEST] **THE FIRST PLACE TO FIND THE EMAG EACH WEEK IS ON OUR HOME PAGE!** IF YOU ARE DESPERATE TO WIN THE TRIVIA, GO THERE FIRST ON FRIDAY NIGHT http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet/emag.htm QUESTION OF THE WEEK (Prizes donated by THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT - Worcester, MA) (DC COMICS & DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS, INC.) +Submit your own trivia and win the CHEEZY PRIZE(tm) if you can stump+ +the readers! You MUST submit the correct answer with your question.+ LAST ISSUE'S QUESTION OF THE WEEK: > Who used the pseudonym Martin A. Bursten? Stan Taylor had the correct answer first: Martin A. Burnsten was a comic book writer in the early Golden Age. His real name was Martin A. Burstein. He has been incorrectly credited as being Jack Kirby. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: WHAT IS THE SOURCE FOR THE CHAPTER TITLES IN MAGE:THE HERO DEFINED? 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! Messages with more than one guess will be disqualified. LIMIT: ONE PRIZE PER MONTH PER PERSON! ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [4] Network Buzz News, gossip and rumors from around the industry BENEFIT ANTHOLOGY DEDICATED TO THE GENRE OF MAYHEM 24 great comics creators with one thing on their minds-- 'Who am I gonna kill tonight?!?' Amazing Montage Press announces the publication of MURDER BY CROWQUILL, a benefit project for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. MURDER BY CROWQUILL is an all-new anthology of comics by 24 of the best comics creators working today. What's unique about it is that all the comics will be exercises in the mystery genre-- in fact, at 180+ pages, MURDER BY CROWQUILL will be the largest anthology of mystery comics ever published! The contributing cartoonists are a diverse group, and each tackles the assignment with their own unique approach! Classic whodunnits, bizaare paradoxes, hilarious pastiches, and compelling crime dramas-- MURDER BY CROWQUILL has it all! Contributors include Tim Truman and Joe R. Lansdale (JONAH HEX), Batton Lash (WOLFF AND BYRD, COUNSELORS OF THE MACABRE), Mack White (VILLA OF THE MYSTERIES), and Alex Robinson (BOX OFFICE POISON). Also contributing will be Jenni Gregory (DREAMWALKER), David Yurkovich (THRESHHOLD), Colin Upton (BUDDHA ON THE ROAD), Steve Conley (ASTOUNDING SPACE THRILLS), Ben Adams and John A. Polacek (PRISONOPOLIS), Joe Chiappetta (SILLY DADDY), Tony Consiglio (DOUBLE CROSS), Charles Dougherty, Robert Humble and Mort Castle (THREADS). And the list goes on! Gary Dumm (AMERICAN SPLENDOR), Scott Gilbert (TRUE ARTIST TALES), Michael Neno (THIS ETERNAL FLAW), Josh Neufeld (KEYHOLE), Jesse Reklaw (CONCAVE UP), and Joe Zabel (THE TRESPASSERS). Stephen Blue (Image's THE AWAKENING) is doing the cover. The introduction is by Don McGregor (DETECTIVES INC.); book design will be by Steve Conley. The anthology is edited by Joe Zabel. MURDER BY CROWQUILL is being solicited in PREVIEWS' March issue. It will ship to stores in May, 1999. Cover price for the book will be $9.95. Benefits from the book above printing costs will be donated to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which provides much-needed support for the legal defense of artists, publishers, and retailers. The book will be published by Amazing Montage Press. Established in 1994 (as Known Associates Press), Amazing Montage is the only comic book company dedicated to the modern mystery genre. Amazing Montage has published Joe Zabel's series THE TRESPASSERS and the recent graphic novel ORACLE, A TRESPASSERS MYSTERY. +++++ CHICAGO'S NOWtheatre TRANSMITS GAIMAN'S "SIGNAL" NOWtheatre's special benefit performance of "Signal to Noise" raised more than $2,300 for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization protecting the First Amendment rights of the comics community. The stage play was written by Marc Rosenbush and Robert Toombs, adapting the ground-breaking graphic novel by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. The benefit performance took place on February 6 at Chicago's Victory Gardens Theatre, with all proceeds supporting the CBLDF and the NOWtheatre group. "Signal to Noise" is the story a dying film maker, imagining the final film he'll never live to produce. In the original graphic novel, the story unfolds as an interior monologue accompanied by McKean's innovative art. Toombs and Rosenbush, who also directs, have brought this inward-looking story to life on the stage. Portrayed by veteran actor William J. Norris, the film maker now converses with two close friends. Their conversation is punctuated with scenes from the unfinished screenplay, set on the final day of 999 A.D. As the characters in the screenplay fear for the end of the world, the film maker must confront both the blurring of reality and fantasy and his own mortality. Paula Jasinski attended the performance but was unfamiliar with Gaiman's work. "I thought it was very well done, very affecting, very intense," she said. "Anyone who's ever lost someone close to them could really relate to the story. The end was especially powerful--a friend of mine was weeping, and there were a lot of other people dabbing at their eyes. It really deserved the standing ovation." "What NOWtheatre has done works very well," said Gaiman following the premiere. "Actors moving around is not the same as static images on the page. The joy of media is that they're different." Gaiman introduced the play, and also attended a small reception preceding the performance. Held at the nearby Alumni Club, the reception was attended by fans, retailers, journalists, and comic creators alike. Literary lion Gene Wolfe made an appearance, as did a number of comics celebs, including Alex Ross (Kingdom Come, Uncle Sam), Steve Darnall (Uncle Sam), Chris Ware (ACME Novelty Library), Jill Thompson (Sandman, Scary Godmother), and Ivan Brunetti (Schizo). The performance and reception were organized to benefit the CBLDF and NOWtheatre. Gaiman, of course, is one of the Fund's staunchest supporters and one the most outspoken proponents of free expression in comics. His fans certainly seem to share his enthusiasm. At the reception, Gaiman fan Chris Withers presented the Fund with a check for more than $650, collected two days earlier when Gaiman signed at Chicago's Stars Our Destination. Stars Our Destination and Chicago Comics took the lead in promoting the event, along with Comix Revolution, Bucktown Comics, Comic Relief, Tenth Planet, Comic Collector, Comics Galore, All American, and Graham Crackers Comics. Dark Horse Comics, publisher of "Signal to Noise," was a key sponsor of the benefit. "The amazing thing about this event," said CBLDF executive director Chris Oarr, "was that we were able to put it all together inside of three weeks. That's only thanks to Dark Horse and all the Chicago area stores who paid for and distributed materials to get the word out. Of course, I should also thank the legion of Neil's fans who helped us spread the word on web-sites and newsgroups. This thing just caught like wildfire." "It was a very entertaining evening, all around" said Jim Mortensen, owner of Comix Revolution. "It was for a good cause, and I got to see some good friends. The whole event was well supported by the Chicago comics community--it's refreshing to see so many people come out to support the Fund." "Signal to Noise" continues its run through March 14, with regular performances Wednesdays through Sundays. Tickets are still available from the Victory Gardens Theatre box-office by calling 1-773-871-3000. +++++ From the SPLASH PAGE of Comicon.com $250 MILLION JUNK BONDS SALE MAY RESCUE MARVEL FROM SECOND BANKRUPTCY! BUT WHO BOUGHT 'EM? As reported on the SPLASH last week, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter lead-managed a $250 million junk bond offering Wednesday in a succesful attempt to raise cash for financially strapped MARVEL ENTERPRISES. The company announced that all the bonds had been issued within hours of going on sale. The offering of unsecured 10 year notes were priced at a par to yield 12% with the first payouts due in December of 1999. The WALL STREET JOURNAL reported that the private-placement-eligible offering "raised a few eyebrows in the market", since the underwriter, MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER & CO "usually sells less-speculative bonds". According to Federal Filings, Morgan Stanley owns an 11.27% stake in Marvel. The WALL STREET JOURNAL also reported that "Traders weren't able to provide quotes on the notes in the secondary market, which led to speculation that the notes might have been sold to just a few select buyers".The JOURNAL went on to say that "Some market participants were surprised that the deal priced at all". +++++ From The Daily Buzz at http://www.mania.com/newsarama/index.html Galactica Flies Again? Art Holcomb has been signed by Realm Press to develop and write a new Battlestar Galactica comic. Holcomb previously contributed to Star Trek: The Next Generation, Eternal Warriors, and many other shows and projects. Realm Press also announced several contributors in addition to series regulars James Kurhoric and Chris Scalf for the upcoming Galactica comic; Jim Shooter, who was editor-in-chief at Marvel when the series first came on TV and was instrumental in Marvel's licensing of it, will be writing a Starbuck story for the second, yet-unnamed title. Jae Lee, currently artist of Marvel's "Inhumans," will create a variant cover for Battlestar Galactica #1. +++++ From Newsarama; http://www.AnotherUniverse.com/newsarama WINNER OF THE 1997 REC.ARTS.COMICS.* "SQUIDDY" FOR BEST WEB SITE Linda Medley announced CASTLE WAITING will go on a year long hiatus beginning with issue #8. She takes the break to work on BOOKS OF FAERIE for VERTIGO as the artist for Bronwyn Carlton. Joe Casey and Jose Landron are leaving CABLE this June. When the editors wanted to replace Jose as of #70, Joe decided his enthusiasm for the book was tied to the close collaboration with Jose and therefore he declined to stay on. Later in the week Fabian Nicieza squashed rumors he wanted or had been offered the job. "It has nothing to do with Rob Liefeld and everything to do with CABLE. The time I spent on the launch of the monthly CABLE title was the most disappointing part of my entire comics writing experience and as such, I would rather not revisit the character outside of guest-shots or crossover requirements in my Gambit monthly assignment." So who is going to be the new artist? Would you believe ROB LIEFELD? "Yes, it is true I will be coming on board Cable with issue #71, I believe," Liefeld told Mania Tuesday morning. "I was informed by Marvel that they were looking for a new team on the book and they asked me if I was interested and after some consideration, I said 'Yes'." The anniversary ONI DOUBLE FEATURE will feature creators KevinSmith & Mike Allred, Paul Dini, and Sergio Aragones. Marvel has announced the 6-issue Galactus The Devourer mini-series - solicited to begin shipping with issue #1 in April - has been postponed indefinitely. All orders have been canceled and the entire mini will be resolicited at another date. Signing on as the artist that will finish the series after #1 is John Buscema. - Writer Joseph (Slingers) Harris recently ddropped Newsarama a line to respond to what he calls "false cancellation rumors" that have surfaced on usenet and the web over the last couple of weeks involving his freshman ongoing series. "Slingers is absolutely NOT canceled. Not as of today, anyway," said Harris. "I've just finished writing issue #9, am currently outlining our big 'end-our-first-year blowout' that will be issues #10-12, and am getting ready to sit down and figure out just what's going on in our second year. We have an annual in the works for later on in 1999, and we're all hopeful we'll get to stick around as this book is now, and has been from the beginning, an absolute labor of love." [NOTE: See Ramblings `99 this issue! -DL] ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [5] Ramblings 99 Rich Johnston twisting@hotmail.com [Renamed for the new year, Ramblings 99 continues to spread confirmed and unconfirmed news and rumours. It welcomes comment, especially comment that clarifies, refutes and corrects information already disseminated. Rich Johnston is an advertising copywriter, co-self publisher of Twist And Shout Comics, BBC comedy writer and comics columnist. He currently lives in South London, England. His column can be found online at: http://www.twistandshoutcomics.com All Ramblings e-mail received will be considered public domain and may be quoted.] This column is RUMOUR. Do not take anything here seriously. These RUMOURS are presented here as GOSSIP for their ENTERTAINMENT value. Dateline: 15 February 1999 Dog Eared Press Release David Bishop, editor of 2000 AD, Britain's super duper weekly sci-fi comic comes crawling and pleading to me for a plug. Beg, you New Zealander dog, beg! That's more like it. Oh alright then. Hmmm. "The final issue of 2000 AD before the year 2000 will be a special 100-page edition. Prog 2000 will be published on December 15th, 1999, and stay on sale for three weeks. (Normal numbering will be resumed on January 6th, 2000 when Prog 1174 is published.) The content will be all new strip and features with absolutely no reprint." Good to hear it David. Have a biscuit. Now, is there going to be anything else special about this issue apart from its size? "Chomp chomp chomp. It'll have the best of the title from the past, present and future. A lot of acclaimed creators who have helped make 2000 AD the Galaxy's greatest comic are contributing to this millennial treat." Stop the generalities David. Now if you want me to give you a tickle, roll over and tell me who you've got lined up. "Dave Gibbons is drawing a new Rogue Trooper tale - his first strip art for 18 years on the character he co-created in 1981. The story by John Tomlinson explains the link between the original Rogue and the blue-skinned warrior Tor Cyan in current 2000 AD series Mercy Heights. Brian Bolland is drawing a new cover for Prog 2000, probably Judge Dredd. More details as we confirm the line-up of creators..." Well you've only got ten months David! I suggest you stop rolling around drooling and get on with it! Good dog. And for your next trick, get Alan Moore to do more Halo Jones by giving him the rights to the characters he worked on for Fleetway. Stop whining. Oh all right, have another tickle. And it might be worth noting that Diamond UK's appalling distribution speed means that the US won't see the issue until it's well into the new year. Any other companies who want to send us press releases are more than welcome. Cartel Conspiracy In central London, Gosh, Forbidden Planet and Comics Showcase rule (with a minor irritant of Comicana). Located within minutes (seconds if you run) of each other, they operate an interesting co-existance, willing to direct potential customers to each other, selling each other comics when one shop runs short and providing separate distinct services. And their prices are more or less identical. In the most recent Comics International, Gary Lawford places a personal double page advert announcing his intention to open a new store called B-HIVE LTD, a follow up to his now-sold HIVE comics shop in Brighton. It's opening in Earlham Street, just down the road for Comics Showcase. We've been told by one source that the address is 11 Earlham Street, but we've also been told 19. Either way, that's the Cambridge Circus end of the street, a place that has had no comics presence for a fair while. What's remarkable are the prices Gary has printed in the ad, ostensibly for his mail order and for the Brighton shop, but the ad heavily hints that these will be the prices on the shelves of the London shop too. It seems to be an approximate 50p to the dollar on items up to $4 and 60p to the dollar on higher priced items. Either way, that's a significant discount on local shops (which also charge much lower than the national average). As a result of this announcement, a summit meeting of the long denied London cartel of comic shop owners has been called and we have been told that a representative of the shops has contacted Gary and told him that they'll match his prices as long as he keeps them that low. A source within the Hive says that Gary may well just tell everyone about this in future Comics Internationals. Comic shops in Britain have a long history of interesting pricing decisions, where chains will charge remarkably different prices around the country, where groups of shops will collaborate to keep local prices high and where the distributors ally with certain shops to keep new entrants out of the market. Gary's new shop looks likely to cause a major upheaval. And London looks like it's going to go through a comics price war the likes of which has not been seen for decades. How this will affect current shops rumoured to be struggling is unknown. Me? Oh I live in Putney. I've got a local comic shop in 30th Century and They Walk Among Us pretty close too. I already pay more than in the City for my books, so this change probably won't alter my purchasing decisions. Mind you, with Liam Sharp, Glenn Fabry and Brian Holguin appearing for the grand opening, I might just force myself to pop by... While the grand opening has yet to be announced, curious parties can pop by and buy comics while the shop is setting up, from the first week of March onwards. This Year's Comic Book Geek. *SPOILER ALERT FOR THIS YEAR'S LOVE* This Year's Love, a new British film (think Short Cuts crossed with This Life) set in Camden, London, features as one of the ensemble cast, a comic book seller. Shambolic hair, thick specs, weedy frame, it's surprising that along with the rest of the cast, he's able to have sexual relationships, admittedly only ones that go wrong. He attempts suicide, sucks lollipops, becoming a frothing stalker and basically goes off his trolley. Not a bad film, certainly, but it's given my fiancee rounds of ammunition should she ever find the need to use it. Ah well, at least Chasing Amy came out on video over here recently (with a beardless Ben Affleck on the cover). This Year's Love is released in Britain on February 19th. No bloody idea about the US, sorry. I'll give it till about autumn, if I were you. Dateline: 18 February 1999 Slingers Slung. Slingers is due to be cancelled. I Wondered What The Hell Had Happened To Him. It's been reported that it's Alan Davis' wish that his friend and old stablemate Terry Kavanagh take over the scripting duties on the X-Men books that Davis is plotting. But Marvel seems to keep asking people like Fabian Nicieza (ah, there he is) and Joe Casey to do the job. So will Davis put his foot down? Considering that Mark Powers, current X-editor, used to be Terry Kavanagh's underling, is this personal politics at play? All comment, especially from people involved with these rumours is welcome, and will be kept confidential if you wish. Marvel Saviour Well, despite past cut backs, future cutbacks, expanding the Marvel line, selling off the dead wood, etc, Marvel are still up shit creek without a paddle, and may be filing again before the end of the year... but could someone provide an air lift? Mauricio da Sousa International Inc, Brazil's largest publisher, making Marvel Comics look like Defiant Comics, seems to be interested in buying stock. Well, at least the Deodatos will always be in work... ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [6] Tony's Isabella's Journal Tony Isabella tonyisa@ohio.net Tony Isabella is a featured weekly columnist in the nation's largest comic book collector's publication, Comics Buyer's Guide. His satiric "Tony's Tips!" is a favorite among fans and industry professionals alike. A life long comic book fan, Tony began his career in 1972 as a comics professional as assistant to Stan Lee! He has worked in nearly every aspect of the business, from retailing, to distribution to writing. Among his credits is the creation of DC's first black super-hero, Black Lightning. Tony's latest project, the daily "Tony's Isabella's Journal" made its debut in June of 1997 on the world wide web exclusively through World Famous Comics, at http://www.wfcomics.com/tony The following is one of those daily columns . . . Tony Isabella's Journal #595 Ah, Sunday. Sainted Wife Barb is attending a bridal fair with her Aunt Nora and Cousin Heather. It's supposed to be for Heather, but I suppose I shouldn't entirely dismiss the possibility that my wife is looking to trade up. Kelly and Eddie are downstairs playing an extremely loud game which appears to involve using fighter planes to slaughter stuffed animals. I'm not going to ask. Meanwhile, here at TOT Central, we're bringing you the "Tony's Tips" column first published in COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE #1313 [January 15, 1999]. The reprint will be followed by a new "Tony's Mailbox" feature. Here we go. ****** TONY'S TIPS! "Once, they were a sacred bastion of innocence. Giving us pulpy, non-smutty happiness for only a nickel. But now, imagine if those wonderful Katzenjammer Kids had grown up to be skinheads and sweet little Nancy, a cheap harlot...that's what's happening today." --Kent Brockman, SIMPSONS COMICS #39 ****** I am less than 48 hours away from another birthday as I write this week's column--I'll be 47, you rude person--and still loving my comic books. It's a relationship that definitely has its highs and lows, the latter being somewhat dominant following a week which saw Gladstone Comics and Kitchen Sink Press--two of our classiest publishers--leave the building. And yet there remains something so compelling about the comics art form that, perhaps against all common sense, I cannot and will not turn my back on it. How can I? It's such a splendid medium in which to entertain readers and express ideas. Its applications are limitless and its potential equally so. The comics industry is a kingdom waiting to ascend to undreamed-of heights and influence if we could but find the keys to unlock its gates and let the people enter. Maybe we left them in our other suit. ****** COMICOLOGY: THE KINGDOM COME COMPANION (Harbor Press; $16.95) is cover-touted as "volume one of the magazine that belongs on your bookshelf." I'm not going to disagree with that assessment since, at a weighty 272 pages, it certainly feels like a for-real book to me. If I were inclined to look at all askance at editor-publisher Brian Saner-Lamken's tome, it would be because it's 80 pages longer than the story it discusses. Not, as I once heard somewhere, that there's anything wrong with that. KINGDOM COME, which I was inspired to re-read by the arrival of a preview copy of COMICOLOGY, was, first and foremost, one heck of a great story. It was one of the most deliberately-executed and serious-minded super-hero stories of all time, ranking with BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, MARVELS, and, of course, WATCHMEN. But, along with the serious intent, writer Mark Waid and artist-originator Alex Ross also created a work with the ability to amuse and engage comic-book fans long past the actual reading of the tale. There are dozens of characters, most of whom are never named and never speak a line of dialogue, who have their own fascinating and largely-unrevealed histories. There are dozens of visual nods to characters and objects from the vast history of DC Comics. It's these enigmatic tidbits that continue to delight the readers of KINGDOM COME to this day, and it's this fan gestalt that COMICOLOGY address so entertainingly. COMICOLOGY's eye-catching cover is a full-color rendition of key Kingdom Come characters, but drawn by Alex Ross in the style of the SUPER FRIENDS from the animated series of the same name. It's a delightful homage to the legendary Alex Toth, who did design work for the show. (A quick show of hands. How many of you would love to see a meeting between Scooby Doo and the Spectre?) Past the cover, COMICOLOGY offers articles on the origins and future of KINGDOM COME and its creators; a simply amazing annotated guide to the story; sidebars on other DC events and on the original proposal that became KINGDOM COME; a sketchbook featuring over 150 never-before-published pieces by Alex Ross; a "twenty questions" piece featuring Ross and Waid responding to lingering posers about the story; a complete KINGDOM COME character index; and interviews with both Waid and Ross. That's a lot of stuff for seventeen bucks and earns COMICOLOGY my highest recommendation. In fact, I've got a further suggestion for you. You've been working hard. You deserve a reward. You should set a day aside to re-read KINGDOM COME, preferably in the DC Comics/Graphitti Designs slip-covered edition if you have it, while also reading along with the annotations from COMICOLOGY. It's a wonderful way to re-visit a true comics classic. ****** "Comic Book Legal Defense Fun" is what the cover of SIMPSONS COMICS #39 (Bongo; $2.25) promises and that's what writer Scott M. Gimple delivers in "Sense and Censorability." A fact-finding visit to the "adults only" section of a Springfield comic-book shop lands Homer and the show's owner in jail. The situation quickly becomes desperate. In the words of police chief Wiggum: "Simpson! You're looking at 180 years here, easy! Purchasing obscene material! Transporting obscene material! Publicly reading obscene material! Bagging and boarding obscene material in the hopes that it will go up in value!" This is definitely a "laugh-so-that-you-might-not-weep" story as the censorious forces of Springfield put the hapless Homer--and the comic-shop owner--on trial in a courtroom drama that would give Perry Mason the shakes. I laughed, I cried, I started figuring out if I could squeeze a donation for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund out of my anorexic checkbook. Some other reasons to buy SIMPSONS COMICS #39 would include mirthful artwork by Phil Ortiz and Tim Bavington, an editorial page plug for the CBLDF, and, on the flip side, a parody of a Silver Age cover, and the conclusion to "The Heroic Life and Mortifying Death of Radioactive Man" by Bill and Kayre Morrison. That adds up to 30 pages of comics and features, making SIMPSONS Comics one of the best buys in comicdom. Don't miss this issue. Also recommended: TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #4 ($2.50). See Lisa Simpson as Earth's only hope in the Jack Kirby-esque "I Faced Tahn- Enn-Bahm, the Christmas Tree From Another World" by Chuck Dixon, Ortiz, and Bavington. Gasp in disbelief at the double-page spread by Geof Darrow, an incredible panoramic scene that would have Waldo feeling crowded. Revel in horror nostalgia as Batton Lash, Julius Priete, and Bavington take you to the Bradbury Carnival for a visit with "The Illustrative Man." Buy this comic book and do your part to keep that Halloween spirit alive all year long. ****** In that spirit, let me also direct you to Mike Manley's GIANT- SIZE ACTION PLANET HALLOWEEN SPECIAL ($5.95). This tabloid issue features eight complete stories by some of the top talents in the comics field: "Monsterman" by Manley, "Brannigan's Ghost" by Bret Blevins, "Little Stiffy" by Bill Wray, "Wrathbone & Bitchula" by John Heebink, "Doc Thunder" by Jason Armstrong, "The Wretch" by Phil Hester, "Hem & Haw" by Scott Cohn, and "Uncle Slam & Fire Dog" by Ande Parks. It's a big and brassy book that had me laughing out loud. Unfortunately, since some of the strips aren't suitable for younger readers, I can only recommend this special to the "13-and- older" crowd. Which I do. Thought for the future. I'd love to see Manley and company do another comic book of this type with an eye towards getting it into mainstream bookstores. I think it would be a big hit with the kids who so love the "Goosebumps" books. ****** One last item. I want to pass along the warm thanks of Bill Mantlo's family to all who sent cards and good wishes to him. In a matter of days after CBG ran the update on Mantlo's condition and distributed it to various online message boards and newsgroup, the family had already received dozens of cards. You guys and gals are the absolute best. Thank you so much. ****** TONY'S MAILBOX Here's a letter from CRAIG PRUITT: I'd like to hear your thoughts on characters with multiple titles. Due to their fan followings in the past, I can understand why Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man star in more than one monthly title. However, do you believe any character needs FOUR titles per month? Isn't that a liability, especially in today's depressed market? In terms of story output, this results in four years' worth of stories crammed into each year for over a decade. Do you believe this actually shortens the shelf life of these great characters? Is it any wonder many fans feel that nothing fresh or innovative is coming out of the titles anymore? Is it any wonder many fans simply refuse to buy any titles featuring Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man because you really have to buy four comics a month; despite the assertions that each title is "self contained?" In case you're interested in recent sales figures, the latest retail order figures for November indicated SPIDER-MAN: CHAPTER ONE was almost out of the top 20. The newly relaunched "continuity" books, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and PETER PARKER, SPIDER-MAN, are already in the bottom portion of the top 10. The WEBSPINNERS anthology book just barely made the top 30. The sales for Batman and Superman appear bleak. No Superman title shows up until 45. Batman doesn't even crack the top 60 until #55. Here's a copy of the actual standings: 45) Superman 55) Batman 56) Action Comics 58) The Adventures of Superman 61) Superman, The Man of Steel 62) Detective Comics 76) Batman: Shadow of the Bat 85) Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Do you think Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman would benefit creatively and commercially if each line was cut to two monthly titles instead of four? Perhaps you could address the issue in an upcoming "Tony's Tips." You ask a lot of interesting questions, Craig, but I can only speak for myself in answering them. I would gladly read TWO Batman/Spider-Man/Superman comic books each week if they featured well-written stories. And, by the time you add in annuals, Elseworlds, mini-series, specials, spin-offs, and the like, we're getting at least that many comic books each and every week. My enjoyment of them depends on how good they are, not how many there are. I wouldn't assume the relatively low sales of these comics is attributable to their numbers. The entire comics market continues to perform poorly and, as you demonstrated, the titles still sell well enough to remain in the Top 100. I'd also question your contention that the four monthly titles featuring these characters represent four years' worth of stories. Instead, I would submit that, too often, stories are padded to fill all those issues. In that sense, I think there's been a definite slide in the creativity and quality of the titles, the solution to which, in my mind, would be to write better stories for the titles. Weekly or not, the stories in the "Funeral for a Friend" issues of the Superman titles were terrific. Weekly or not, the stories in, say, the "Millennium Giants" issues weren't. Cutting the frequency of these titles isn't an guarantee that they will present better stories. Given that, and given that they are still performing reasonably well in this admittedly pathetic market, I can't see making a convincing argument for DC and Marvel to drop any of their Batman/Spider-Man/Superman titles. My advice to readers who have a problem with multiple titles is the same as my general advice to all comics readers. Buy what you enjoy. If you stop enjoying a title, for whatever reason, stop buying it and find another title you will enjoy. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff. In the meantime, why not visit "Tony's Poll" page? You can vote on the questions there and get the current results instantly. To get from here to there, all you have to do is click HERE. Tony Isabella January 24, 1999 ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [7] Interview with . . . by Paul Dale Roberts Lloyd Smith, Creator of Blue Moon Comics Mystery Adventure Tales Question: First off Lloyd, I am very pleased to have this chance to interview you. I have been a loyal Blue Moonie and enjoy your publication called Mystery Adventure Tales. But, before we talk about your comic book, let's talk about your personal life. Where were you born and raised? What schools did you go to? Maybe something about your family life or heck, you might want to talk about your very first kiss or something. Answer: I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. I lived in Ohio until I was almost eleven and have lived in Ky ever since. I graduated from Union College in 1985 (where a bunch of pals and I, including Kurt Bowlock, formulated plans to start our own comics company. It didn't work out then, but it's working out now!) I'm married to a lovely lady named Carolyn who has put up with me for over 15 years, and we have two children, Jessica, 12 and Luke, 10. Of course, they're comics fans--they have no choice! I am a teacher by profession and I love kids in spite of my job! As for my first kiss, heh, heh--I was almost six and she was seven... Question: What was the very first comic book you read? Answer: Either a Lee/Kirby FANTASTIC FOUR or a Lee/Romita SPIDER-MAN. I looked at the pictures and mom read them to me. I learned to read that way, of course! Question: Why do you like comic books? Answer: They're fun! At least, the good ones are... Question: How did you get started with your publishing company called Blue Moon Comics? Answer: In 1988 I decided that it was time to make a long-time dream a reality. I put an ad for writers and artists in the COMICS BUYERS GUIDE and had these big plans about a 64 page full color comic--I wanted to bring back the Golden Age format with Modern Age stories and art. I got tons of submissions and assembled a killer team--guys like Jon Gilbert, T.W. Montgomery, Dave Law, Brian Pimenta, Bill Holloway, Billy Leavell, Larry Nadolsky, Josh Neufeld--I even had a story from Lou Manna and Stan Timmons! High quality stuff, but the market was terrible...none of the material ever saw print. All the guys were great and most of them have gone off and become pretty successful in comics and other fields. I kind of wrote off publishing after that, but my bud Jon Gilbert had a comic published, and I just had to write and congratulate him. He and I started writing each other pretty regularly, and he kept talking to me about getting back into publishing. Every time I thought I came up with a good reason not to bring back BLUE MOON, Jon came up with three reasons more why we should. When he came up with talented guys like Ed Quinby, Seppo Makinen, David Vance and David Owens who would be willing to take a chance with us--and Kurt stepped in and offered to start the cash flowing, well, I had no reason to resist any longer. The "new" BLUE MOON is a team effort, and it wouldn't be a reality without Jon and Kurt (or Ed, Seppo, David or David for that matter). Question: Why is it, that some people refer to Blue Moon Comics as the "Star Search for Potential Comic Book Creators"? Answer: 'Cause you're a genius and started it!(lol!) No, really, at first we started BLUE MOON and MYSTERY ADVENTURE TALES as sort of a portfolio for myself, Jon, Kurt, and our artists, but over the nearly two years (!!) we've been back at it, we've seen that there is so much talent out there--real talent that deserves to be seen--with no place to show off their work that I guess we've sort of taken up a crusade to give all these great artists a place to make themselves known and get the practical experience that will hopefully give them the boost they need that will catapult them into the big time...and if Kurt, Jon, or I get pulled along with them, icing on the cake! Besides that, the three of us are capable of putting out such a huge volume of stories that we're constantly looking for talent to draw, ink, and letter--if we had 20 artists we wouldn't have enough! Question: For people who are unfamiliar with Mystery Adventure Tales, can you tell us something about this comic book? Answer: MAT is a good old anthology comic in which we experiment with styles, formats, and genres. In any given issue, you may see Golden, Silver, and/or Modern Age style superheroes, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, humor, romance, mystery--any genre is fair game for us as long as it has a "fantasy twist" to it. We also run prose stories and articles on comics history. We plan on doing even more--westerns, sword and sorcery, drama, teen humor--the sky's the limit! If folks are looking for fun and variety, I don't think it's any hype to say that MAT is the book for them! Question: Who have been some of the talents that frequent Mystery Adventure Tales? Answer: The already oft-mentioned and much loved Ed Quinby, Seppo Makinen, David Vance, David Owens, Jesse Landrum, Jesse Thomas, Laurie Wright, Ernest Edwards, John Sowder, Steve Addlesee, Charles Dougherty, Russ Miller, and even a couple certified comics legends Dick Ayers and Steve Skeates. Of course Jon, Kurt, and me have to stick our fingerprints all over each issue too! Question: How many pages does Mystery Adventures Tales average? How many times does it come out? How much does one issue cost? How can one subscribe? Answer: MAT averages 56 to 80 pages, it just depends. It's published six times a year. Each issue is $2.95 ($3.50 in Canada) plus a buck for shipping and handling. Subscriptions are $18 in the U.S. and $21 in Canada for six issues. Question: If someone is inquiring about Blue Moon Comics, how can they get in touch with you? Do you have a website and if you do, what is the URL address? Answer: Inquiring minds can reach me at BLUE MOON COMICS/HC 66 Box 1448/Barbourville, KY 40906 or at blue_moon_99@hotmail.com. I love getting mail--snail or e--so write me everyone!! Question: How can someone submit a storyline, script, artwork to you? Answer: Same addresses as above. Again, I go to the mailbox or webmail every day hoping to hear from comicdom, so make my day out there, okay? Question: Where do you think Blue Moon Comics is headed? I hope BLUE MOON carves a sort of niche for itself in which comics fans can get great comics at a great price and new talent can be taken to the heart of fandom. We're in the process of releasing a trade paperback collection of our first years' best comics and distributing it through the big distributors, so I hope we become a fixture in comics shops everywhere! Question: Are many more fans becoming aware of Blue Moon Comics? Answer: Slowly but surely. What's cool and weird at the same time is that a lot of pros are getting and enjoying MAT--Andrew Pepoy, Mike Weiringo, Roy Thomas, Steve Skeates--we must be doing something right! Question: Where do you want to be 5 years from now? 10 years? Answer: If I could just make a living writing and publishing BLUE MOON COMICS I'd be a happy man. Of course if I were writing the AVENGERS on the side... Question: If there was anything besides comics that you could be doing, what would that be and why? Answer: Well, I do other things--I'm a teacher, I sing baritone in a gospel group...I always wanted to be a disk jockey, though...or a game show host/producer like Chuck Barris! (Anyone out there remember the Gong Show?) I'd get a kick out of running WCW, too--and I'd fire Eric Bischoff and disband the NWO! lol!!!! Question: What cartoons, tv shows and movies do you like? Answer: I love old Tex Avery cartoons and Batman Adventures, WCW, the Andy Griffith Show, all kinds of adventure and sci-fi movies--most recently Armageddon. Question: What books do you like? Answer: Just about anything by Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Michael Moorcock, Stephen King, my favorite books are the old WEIRD HEROES anthologies edited by Byron Priess back in the '70s. George R.R. Martin's Wildcards books are cool, too. Question: What comic books do you read now? Answer: JLA, Avengers, Astro City, Territory, Big Bang...too many for my budget! Question: Do you accept mature audience material for Mystery Adventure Tales or general audience type of material? Answer: We aim for as big an audience as we can, so we take only general audience material for MAT. Question: What hobbies and recreational activities do you participate in? Answer: Between teaching, publishing, singing, and my family--sleeping has become both a hobby and a recreational activity! I do love playing around with my new computer, though! Question: Can you tell us some of your favorite stories that have been published in Mystery Adventure Tales? Answer: Buy our trade paperback out this summer and you'll find out! (Ha! I can be a stinker, can't I?) Question: Mystery Adventure Tales has the feel of Silver Age Marvel, DC, Charlton comic books, do you agree? Answer: I sure hope so! Although we do try to throw in stories that could be considered Golden Age style and we are trying to do more Modern Age style stories, the Silver Age is our great love, and it shows--sometimes more than we want it to! My dream is to combine the format of the Golden Age and the fun of the Silver Age and update it enough that kids today can enjoy it without knowing that it's really a book for us old fogies! Question: Do you have back issues available? Answer: Yep, we keep all our back issues in print at cover price plus a buck shipping and handling. Question: If you were on a desert island, what 3 things would you want on that island with you and why? Answer: My wife and two kids--I can do anything as long as I have them! Question: Blue Moon Comics Universe is a growing universe, how does this make you feel? Answer: Happy isn't a strong enough word. BLUE MOON is a dream come true and it's getting better every day! Question: Will Blue Moon Comics be hitting the racks? Or will it always be done by mail order? Answer: I hope that soon we can do both. I'd like to find some way to break into the comics racks at the bookstores, grocery stores, etc. too! I want BLUE MOON comics to be everywhere, 'cause we try to have something for everyone in every issue. Question: What do you think of the comic industry (pro and con)? Answer: I love comics, always have and always will. I think the industry kind of dug itself into a hole in the past few years by catering to the speculators--and even by catering too much to fandom. I think that if we would all learn that there's a world out there that doesn't understand our superheroes but likes a good laugh, a good scare, a good cry--the publishers seemed to know this until the late '70s/early '80s--and try to draw in non-comics readers with material that would interest the Steven King fan, the tv fan, the movie fan and get their wares back in the public view, meaning the drugstores, checkout lanes at the grocery store, chain stores, we'd see real growth. I have nothing against the comics shops--I love 'em!--but when the outlets are limited then so is our audience. We need to find formats that are more wallet-friendly, too. It can be done! Now that we've recovered from our fling with speculators and returned to good art and good stories, if we can show the "real world" how good we are, comics will see another growth spell to rival the 1940's! We've got some real talent--let's show the world! Question: This winds up the interview Lloyd, is there anything you would like to comment on? Thanks for the interview! Answer: Hey, it's been a kick! Thanks for asking me! ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [8] VENTING MY SPLEEN David Groenewegen david.groenewegen@lib.monash.edu.au [David Groenewegen is 30, a librarian and sadly addicted to comics. He has been reading them since before he could read, and plans to keep on doing so. His first trip out of the house with his infant son was to a comic shop. Can't start 'em too young. ] As it says up the top of this page, I recently became a father for the first time. This has provoked many thoughts in my head, but there is one that is very relevant to the comic collector. When he gets old enough to appreciate comics, what I am going to let him read? The funny thing is that this is a two part question, depending on how you come at it. Firstly, I have plenty of comics that I don't think a child should be reading. Some of them are too sophisticated (when do you get to be old enough to appreciate Watchmen?), some have too much sex, and some have too much violence. Now, one day he will get to read all of them, if he is interested, but I think I will have to parcel out what he reads for a while. This is the problem that many non-comics readers would anticipate. But many comics fans are thinking "How could you let a kid touch your books?". When I was a kid I had loads of comics. In fact, I had so many I used just throw them all in a cupboard in my bedroom, the bottom of which was a good foot deep in every type of comic you can imagine. Sometimes I used to sit in the cupboard on top of them all and pull one out at random to read. I had comics floating around the back seat of my mum's car. I had comics under the bed, stuffed behind furniture, lying on the floor of the lounge room. Comics were just a source of entertainment, and while I liked having lots of comics, I never made any great effort to keep them in good condition. At best, I used to get a bit annoyed if a cover fell off. Now, of course, things are different. I keep all my comics bagged, in a chest, in alphabetical order. When I read them I only take one out of the bag at a time, always keep them flat (but not too flat), only read them with clean hands. I treat my "prestige format" issues with extra special care, never bend them all the way open, preferring to squint into the middle of the pages. How can I let a little kid touch these things which I have guarded so lovingly? This attitude will be the death of comics. When did the comic become an object of veneration instead of a source of entertainment? When did condition become more important than the story inside? Why would anybody want to buy something you can't touch? In the hope of making a small step towards ending this terrible attitude I announce here and now that I will let my son read my books, and that I will not fret over the way that he treats them. He will have free access to those books deemed safe for a developing mind, and he will be able to leave them scattered about the place, take them in the car of long trips, and generally enjoy them on their own merits. I do this in the hope that my comic owning brethren will do the same, in order to liberate the hobby we love, and build its audience. I urge you to follow me. Of course, there will have to be a few exceptions - he's not going to ruin my set of Dark Knight. Or Watchmen. And The Kingdom may be too old for him. And he probably won't enjoy the Legion. Or the JLA. Hmm. This ain't gonna be easy. David Groenewegen davidhar@lib.monash.edu.au ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [9] HAD YOUR PHIL? Phil White ogre4@earthlink.net [Phil White has contributed articles and cartoons to Comic Buyer's Guide, Wizard and Cinefantastique. He has written comic books for Americomics (AC) and Mattel Toy Company and has self-published comic books featuring his own characters, including Ogre, Felony, and the acclaimed "I Hunt." He supports his comic book hobby, and his family, as director of marketing and sales with a medium sized software and remote data-entry company in Southern California.] CONTEST OF CHUMPIONS I don't enter many contests. As a marketing person, I realize contests are an excellent way for the sponsor to build a database of prospective customers... a database that can then be sold to fulfillment (direct mail) agencies. Plus, the odds of winning a contest are seldom in one's favor. Competitive contests, on the other hand, are a different matter. If a contest is based, in part or whole, on the participant demonstrating some talent, I'm much more likely to consider entering... especially one where I can exhibit my aptitude for writing or cartooning. So, when Warriors, Wizards & Robots, a comic book shop on Beach Boulevard in Westminster, California sponsored a graphics contest I jumped at the chance to enter. The owner announced a "Design a Store Logo" contest for his customers, with a grand prize of $150 and with two runner-ups winning $25 each in merchandise. I didn't much care for the man. He was mean spirited. While I was a regular customer, he once yelled at my toddler son and daughter for quietly sitting on the floor reading his comics as I picked out my weekly purchase and browsed the back issue bin. The unkempt clod made my kids cry and they never wanted to go to a comic shop with me again. Still, this was 1980, a time when comic book shops were fewer and farther between. And the prospect of winning $150 off this guy inspired me. I designed a logo that had a space warrior firing a weapon at a wizard, who was casting a spell at a robot, who was shooting electric bolts at the space warrior. Like the tigers in Little Sambo that chase each other's tail in a circle, these three characters formed a nice oval. In the center of the oval was the name of the comic shop. I matted and framed the illustration and proudly submitted it to the owner. In total, I probably spent 16 or more hours on my entry. Months later, I asked the fellow about the contest. "I only had six entries so I canceled it," he said flatly. I asked for my artwork back and he begrudgingly removed it from the wall behind the cash register and shoved it at me, as if I was an Indian Giver. I never returned to that store, and I felt no remorse to learn that creditors had descended on Warriors, Wizards & Robots like locust on a bushel of brussels sprouts. The curmudgeon owner lost his business. As far as the contest though, I felt like a chump. It wasn't the last time. A few years later, Jim Shooter announced a big-time essay contest in Marvel Comics. The topic of the essay was "How can Marvel improve their comics?" Shooter repeated the Marvel mantra that its readers were important and that Marvel wanted to create the kinds of comics the readers wanted to read. It seemed a clever way to get readers involved. And some lucky stiff would actually win a grand prize. This was not a time of sterling story telling or clever innovations from the House of Ideas. Many Marvel writers and artist had fled to DC and brought their fans with them. It occurred to me that this contest might be a desperate act to learn what untried concepts and ideas might bring readers back and increase sales over Marvel's current offerings. I imagined that most of the entries would come from Marvel's core audience of prepubescent, adolescent males, who would scribble lame suggestions like which characters should fight which characters. I, on the other hand, was a seasoned marketing guru experienced in providing successful product strategies. I gave this topic deep, marketing-type thought. I studied Marvel's history, then considered their competition. I remembered getting hooked on Marvel comics thanks to AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Spidey was a senior in high school when I began reading the comic and I was about to become a senior myself. It was our comparable ages, plus his happy-go-lucky attitude when in costume, that appealed to me back in the sixties. I was one of those who also read the original X-MEN, mostly because they were cheerful teens when I was a cavorting juvenile. So, whatever concept I came up with had to be about a happy teenager. Checking out the competition, I saw that their most popular title at the time was the NEW TEEN TITANS. This confirmed my theory that what Marvel really needed to improve was to introduce an entire team of teenage super heroes... characters that the average teen of the seventies could quickly relate to and appreciate. Marvel was already publishing NEW MUTANTS at the time, but it was a book I found both dark and unpleasant . These serious, angst-ridden teens, drawn in heavy blacks by Bill Sienkiewicz, hated their powers, themselves and, sometimes, each other. Marvel also had the much lighter POWER PACK, but those kids were way too young to appeal to teens. With the exception of these two comics, Marvel had few teens in their stable of characters. Nova had been introduced in 1975, but his title was long gone. Nita (later Namorita) had been swimming alongside her cousin, Sub- Mariner, off and on since 1969 or 1970. Rick Jones was available, though I was unsure of his age. (Like Snapper Car and Dick Clark, Rick never seems to age, or to mature.) With so few existing kid characters, Marvel would have to create almost an entire new team. But, that was good because readers could be in on the ground floor. I did not presume to suggest team members, powers or its reason for existence within the Marvel universe. These elements are best left to the assigned creators. So I wrote a wonderful essay proposing that Marvel develop a new team of happy teenage super heroes to appeal to their teen readers. I used my first word processor and went though a couple of outlines, and several drafts, correcting spelling and grammar all along the way, striving for perfection. It was a beautiful typing job. A masterpiece of logical pros. I mailed off this stunning entry then sat back and waited for a phone call from Mr. Shooter, who would want to congratulate me on winning the contest and, very likely, offer me a job. Months passed. I seem to recall reading in COMIC BUYER'S GUIDE an apology from Jim Shooter for the many delays in judging that were attributed to his time constraints and to having received so many entries in the contest. It may have actually been close to a year before he finally announced the winner and printed the winning essay. I didn't win. Still, I eagerly read the winning essay to become enlightened with its sage wisdom in pointing out a new direction for the publisher. The winning essay said, in essence, "Marvel is perfect just the way it is! So, don't change a thing!" Once again I felt like a Grade-A a chump! In case you're wondering what got me started down this "Contests of Chumpions" path of memory lane, it was the announcement from Marvel that they are bringing back CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS. The original, MARVEL SUPER HERO CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS, was published in 1982 and was Marvel's very first limited series. Yes, that's the comic we can blame for opening the floodgates of limited series. Like many Marvel zombies I bought into this series because it was going to feature nearly all the Marvel characters currently appearing in their own comics at the time. I can recall little of that series. There was some god-like entity (Games Master?) who kidnapped Marvel super heroes to use as pawns in a competition with a computer entity that had done the same.* What followed was a boring, predictable, three-issue slugfest that probably ended with Captain America wagging a finger at these super beings, lecturing that disrupting private lives of others for personal fun is, "bad." I say "probably" because I just don't remember much of it. I can't tell you who wrote it. I can't tell you who illustrated it. It was, like too many limited series and annuals, just plain forgettable and a total waste of money. A story that temporarily displaces a character outside his or her regular continuity, by necessity, can have zero impact on regular continuity. One must not mess with the established, licensed character or basic story bible. We have a very few exceptions to the rule. Spider- Man's radical costume change during and after the tedious SECRET WARS limited series was one that comes to mind, but even that didn't last forever. Because nothing permanent or important ever seems to happen in limited series and annuals, and because they are often relegated to a fill-in artist, I seldom order these in advance. I'll wait to how they look and read when they hit the racks. The new CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS will pit members of the Avengers against members of the X-Men and the Fantastic Four's extended family, fighting for fighting's sake. After thirty years of interacting with one another (seven years if you are John Byrne) it is hard to believe these characters would be interested in fighting each other. So, expect some weak plot devise to start the battles. To make it seem like a real contest, Marvel is asking readers to vote on the outcomes. We all saw the results this had with the MARVEL Vs. DC comic books from a few years ago. Fan favorite characters, like Wolverine, win against lesser favorites that have more power, and some poor writer is responsible for having the outcome make sense. Bad enough having stories dictated by a board of editors, who seem to get their directions from marketing gurus, let alone having the fans dictate the outcome. The voting process itself smacks of an elitist attitude. Ballots are to be submitted via Marvel's web site. If you are reading this, you can vote, but not those readers who lack the means to access the necessary hardware and software. Can you spell class action suit? Will the story be more memorable than the original CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS series? Given the nature of limited series and annuals, I have reservations. I'm betting that when it's all over, nothing will have changed for any of the characters involved. But, that really doesn't matter. You see, "Marvel is perfect just the way it is! So, don't change a thing!" * The computer entity had earlier made a dramatic, one panel appearance in STRANGE TALES #167, where it played a similar game against Doctor Doom using Nick Fury and his S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as game pieces against the Yellow Claw and his hordes. Another Steranko classic. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [10] Sound And Fury Craig Lemon CraigLemon@aol.com Slightly fewer issues this time - coincidentally this column comes to you the same week of the month as the previous one, meaning that I'm mostly covering issues subsequent to those covered last time - so Young Justice and Avenger Forever have received the chop. Their place is taken by a couple of odds and ends. Preacher 42 (DC/Vertigo: Ennis/Dillon) The Salvation storyline wraps up in the first eight pages, with the 'shocking' revelation of what Quincannon actually gets up to in his slaughterhouse. If any regular reader didn't see that coming a mile off, they should hang their head in shame. Much the same as Gunther does, off screen. As before, this is no comic to get into at this late stage - if you've liked it in the past, you'll still like it now (although next couple of issues should see things hitting high gear again if you've been a bit peeved at the relative slowness of the recent storyline - the calm before the storm it looks like. Recommended. The Trenchcoat Brigade 2 (of 4) (DC/Vertigo: Ney Rieber/Ridgway) Things take a turn for the surreal as the adventures involving mad, drunk Cossack, Pyotr Konstantin continue with him travelling back in time to meet himself as a young man. The four Trenchcoats don't get much to do this issue: John Constantine seems to know a little of what is going on, but the gang of four get assailed by manifestations of guilt before he can do anything about it. If you bought issue 1, get a hold of this and see if it makes more sense to you than it did to me. Otherwise, forget it! Starman 52 (DC: Robinson & Goyer/Snejbjerg & Champagne) Jack's interminable journey into space ends him up on the planet Rann, where we meet Adam Strange again, fresh from his encounter with the JLA a few months ago. This time there's an interplanetary conference underway, with the idea being to form a League of Planets for peace and harmony throughout the universe, yadda yadda yadda. Of course, some nasty villains spoil the day, for a not adequately explained reason, and a big fight ensues, with the shock ending being ... given away by Starman Secret Files a few months ago, as I recall. This title is still marking time, come back at about 55. Planetary 1 (DC/Wildstorm: Ellis/Cassaday) Planetary is this organisation funded by an extremely wealthy 'fourth man', identity unknown. The idea behind it is to recruit three others with certain 'abilities' for them to uncover all the secret events that have been happening over the last 100 years or so. So far so straightforward, but ... this is Warren Ellis's writing, so what happens next is surprising to say the least. It's nothing. The 'team' uncover a secret, there's loads of exposition and flashback about what it's all about, then ... that's it. It's not a superhero title, it's not a slugfest, it's not even Stormwatch. It's strange, it's weird, it's Planetary, and I suggest you go out right now and get yourself a copy. But, whatever you do, you must give it a few months to grow on you. Avengers 14 (Marvel: Busiek/Perez & Vey) Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. The Beast is back. Bounces around for a bit. Has a couple of lines. A punch on the villain of the issue. And leaves. What is the bloody point? Busiek and Perez make an appearance...ho hum, once again. And they're taking a rest from issue 16 for three issues (or so), so Ordway will step in. Thanks guys, but no thanks, I'm stepping out from here. My advice - jump off right now. Bone 35 (Cartoon Books: Smith) (Yet) another issue marking time. Revealed in this issue: secrets will be revealed in issue 37! There should be a better way to hype the future than like this - don't get me wrong, I like Bone, but as we draw nearer the two-third point in the storyline, this portion comes out very unfavourably compared to the rest. To whit: Thorn and a couple of Bones have a nice chat whilst making preparations; Grandma Ben, Phoney Bone and Lucius have a nice chat whilst making preparations; the Hooded One and Roque Ja have a nice chat then go off and make preparations. Backup strip Riblet concludes this issue, thank goodness, as it was totally dire and unfunny. I'd still recommend getting a hold of the TPBs if you want to give it a try - don't step in at this point, whatever you do. Leave It To Chance: Trick or Threat & Other Stories (Homage: Robinson/Smith & Freeman) This is the second LitC TPB, covering issues 5 to 8 of the, er, not very regular series. Part of the attraction of TPBs for me is the extra bits such as introductions, and Paul Smith provides a short one here, summarizing the genesis of Chance, plus a few sketchbook pages at the back are a very nice addition too. If you haven't encountered LitC before, this is not too bad a place to start - there are three stories in this TPB concerning Chance Falconer, teenage daughter of Lucas Falconer, a famous arcane investigator. It deals with Chance wanting to take up her father's legacy, but he just wants her to ultimately bear a son to do the same. She gets help from her pet dragon, Georgie. Kitty and Lockheed, anyone? So, she just 'falls' into investigations, and makes the best of it when events occur around her. Unfortunately this leads to predictability, in that you know that there's something going on in her new school featured in the two-parter herein, you know who's involved, and you just know that something in the food will be drugged, before the plot actually gets going. Similarly with the last story in this collection, The Phantom of the Mall - this brings vividly to mind the ages-old Judge Dredd story, of I think the same name. In a nutshell, LitC evokes strong feelings of deja vu in me, and I'm not sure I like that feeling too much. However, I suspect I'm not the target audience anyway - so if you don't know who Lockheed is, if you haven't read JD's Phantom story, and if you haven't read anything concerning mysterious schools over mysterious caves, then get this collection. Comics International 104 (Quality Comms: Dez Skinn edits) This is an unashamed British review, although CI is available in the US on an ever-increasing basis, and is a fantastic alternative to the juvenile tripe that is Wizard, and turgid hype that is Previews. Yes, there are an awful lot of adverts. Yes, the news is fairly standard fare, especially for anyone connected to the 'net. However, the extras more than make up for this. The Advance previews take just 8 pages, but give you just as much useful info as Previews. There are additional sections covering: the 'net; comic-to-film projects; comment sections for anyone to contribute to, usually about the state and future of the industry; pages upon pages of snappy reviews; Letters; Question and Answer columns; and the always-popular hot rumour column. This is really a thoroughly excellent read, and an essential purchase. Thanks for listening: comments, questions or recommendations gratefully received at the above email address. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [11] And let me tell you why .... David Coulter david102@netscape.net [David - who declared himself "Official Columnist Of the New Millennium, " and then thought better of it (deciding instead on "America's Weirdly Cool Columnist") -- lives with his family in Kansas City and pays the bills as Marketing Director for a computer consulting group. He likes Superman better than Batman, baseball better than football, and Mac better than Windows.] Dynamic Forces really irks me. Well, traffic in "Exclusive, Signed Editions" in general irks me, and DF is just the most visible component of that whole scene - so, I guess it's nothing personal. But, it does irk me, and it's taken me a while to figure out why. Maybe this story will help to illustrate it: At my old shop (Powerhouse Comics, in Appleton, WI - best shop in NE Wisconsin) there was a copy of Supreme on the wall that had been signed by Alan Moore (it was Moore's first issue on the book, I forget the specific number). Now, faithful ALMTYW readers may recall what an Alan Moore fan I am - but not fan enough that the $25 price tag didn't deter from buying it. In fact, I didn't even consider buying it until they had a Spring Cleaning Sale where they took 50% off all back issues in the store for a day. "Even the stuff on the wall?" I asked, eyeing a $17 Marvel Premiere #15 (the 1st - and only - Roy Thomas/Gil Kane Iron Fist). "Yup," said Bob, the owner. "Even the stuff on the wall." As I was hauling my purchases up to the counter, and having the aforementioned MP #15 taken down, I once again eyed the autographed issue of Supreme. Sure, I already had the book - but this one was signed by Alan Moore, and it was only $12.50 . 12 bucks for an authentic Alan Moore autograph! Why, it's cost me that much in time and admission alone just to get him to sign a book if - by some chance - he actually wound up at a convention near me. But I didn't buy it. Know why? Because I realized it was worthless. An autograph isn't really about getting the SIGNATURE, it's about getting PROOF that you shared the same physical space as the autographer. The autograph itself is worthless - in fact if some Joe Blow walked up and scribbled on the cover of your copy of Giant-Size X-Men #1, you'd be pretty pissed, wouldn't you? But if you happen to by in the same room with, say, Dave Cockrum, and you happen to have a copy of Giant-Size X-Men #1 in your pocket - well, what better way to memorialize the moment? Now, I know that a lot of people pay for autographs these days - even Mr. Super-Nice Guy, Mark McGwire, would probably hit you up for a few bucks to sign his baseball (I certainly hope he makes McFarlane pay through the nose for that privilege). But the thing is, you're not paying for the signature - you're paying for the privilege of being in the presence of whoever it is. I don't doubt that if Sammy Sosa was at a convention charging $25 for his autograph, he'd be just as happy to shake your hand as sign your ball. If you have to PAY for an autograph just to have the autograph - you're a shmuck. Your basically putting down good money for something that, in a just world, you should get for free (of course, upon reflection, none of this applies to dead guys. If you want to pay $300 for Babe Ruth's signature, that's probably ok, since the chance you'll ever GET one is nil). But if you put down good money for something you should get for free, AND you don't even get the minor perk of actually setting your eyes upon the individual doing the signing . you're a cretin, plain and simple. Collecting is an outgrowth of the whole hunter/gatherer impulse. We don't hunt Mastodons anymore - we hunt down back issues of Action Comics (or whatever). You can't tell me you don't get a rush when you finally run across that elusive issue of Snot-Man you've been looking for the last 3 years in the quarter bin. It's a total rush! At first, you can't believe your eyes. You do a triple take, making sure that, yes indeed, it really IS Snot-Man #483. It looks like it's in one piece . and with trembling fingers you open the bag and slide it out - sure enough - there might be a few dings on the cover, but all the pages are there, it's still nice and sturdy. No, there's no question about it, it's Snot-Man #483 from 1967, with that classic Steranko cover (you know, the one with the Mucousy Marauder sailing out into space as the Earth explodes behind him), and it's only 25 American cents! Surely, the gods are smiling on you today! THAT, my friends, is what collecting is all about. That adrenaline rush that starts in your feet, rushes up your body, and slaps the top of your head off as you finally complete your collection of Snot-Man. Getting autographs is the same thing. I can count the number of signed comics in my collection - literally -- on one hand: 1. Doom Patrol #1 signed by Steve Lightle at the Kansas City Comic Convention; 2. Scary Godmother & Revenge of Jimmy signed by Jill Thompson at a the same con; 3. Mage #1 signed by Matt Wagner at a con in Chicago; 4. Nexus #25 signed Mike Baron at the same con, 5. Invaders #1 signed by Roy Thomas at a different KC con. I also have a copy of the Silver Surfer Graphic Novel by Stan Lee and John Buscema signed by Stan Lee - but it doesn't count. See, I didn't actually MEET Stan. I bought the book for $5 at a going-out-of-business sale in NY. I didn't KNOW it was signed by Stan until I got home and opened it up. I was pretty psyched about it - but a little disappointed because I DIDN'T REALLY GET THE AUTOGRAPH. I don't think an autograph counts unless you actually SEE the individual, walk up to them and say, "hey man, can I get your autograph?" An autograph isn't really about getting the SIGNATURE, it's about getting PROOF that you shared the same physical space as the autographer. Because, if you don't SEE them signing the book, how do you know they did? Oh sure, you'll get a "certificate of authenticity" - but pretty much the only thing it authenticate is that you're a sap. Comments? Criticisms? Flames? E-mail them to david102@netscape.net or DneColt@aol.com. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [12] RANDOM THOUGHTS IN A LESS THAN RANDOM WORLD Gary Sassaman GSassaman@AOL.COM [Gary Sassaman is the Writer/Artist/Publisher of INNOCENT BYSTANDER, you know...the "nice little comic you can take home to mom."] Some very short notes this week, Well, despite what I said last time about "Hypertime," I sure am enjoying the Kesel and Grummett exploration of it in Superboy. This book has always been heavy on the Kirby Konnection, and their little trip through the many worlds of DC has landed square into the Superboy world I grew up with...Ma and Pa Kent, Krypto, Smallville, and the trap door in the Kent house. Very neat and I recommend it...for what that's worth. The jury is still out on Hulk. One issue does not a series make, although I liked Garney's art and Byrne seemed to cool down his nigh-Don MacGregor-like verboseness. I'm going to give this one a couple more issues before making a final decision as to it's fate in my little corner of the comic book reading world. The Alex Ross/Wizard publication is very cool and very complete. Although to be honest, nothing could interest me less than Earth X. I want to see Ross paint the classics...not some knocked-off versions of alternative realities. Fat Spider-man? Funny, once. Not interested in reading more about it, thank you very much. Seems like everyone is jumping onto the "hey-kids-let's-open-an- online- comics-store" bandwagon. Problem is there seems to be some doubt as to how valid and long-term online sales are, especially when you factor in the cost of maintaining a product and shipping it. While everyone seems to agree this holiday season was a great one for online sales, business types are still wondering if it can be achieved all year long. So a comic book sales version of Amazon.com sounds like a great idea. It remains to be seen if it will work, or what the backlash will be from retailers when they find out Diamond may be the ones doing all the order fulfilling. Speaking of comics...we were, weren't we? If you are anywhere near San Jose, CA , next weekend, Feb. 27-28 is the big APE show at Parkside Hall in downtown. Admission is $6/day or free if you hung on to your Comic-Con Intl. badge from last year's San Diego Con. Come out and meet such small press luminaries as Batton Lash (Wolff & Byrd), Rich Koslowski (The 3 Geeks), Linda Medley (Castle Waiting) and even your's truly (Innocent Bystander), plus many, many others. Check the APE website at www.ape-con.com for complete details. We'll all be there, hawking our wares, at what promises to be one of the biggest Alternative Press Expos of all time. And if you wear your Hypertime jacket, you just might be able to blast off into an alternative Alternative Press Exp, where maybe a young Siegel and Shuster are selling their self- published Superman comic... It could happen. Just ask DC. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [13] Multiverse Observer and Explorer Reviews Paul Dale Roberts silhouet9@aol.com [Paul promotes amateur and professional comic book artwork, scripts, storylines, and unpublished comic books with a newsletter called the Peoples' Comic Book Newsletter. Its website is at Jazma Comic Book Newsletter Productions at http://www.twmgrafix.com/jazma He is also a prominent letter hack, as anyone who reads comic letter pages would know. He is in production of his own self-published comic book called The Legendary Dark Silhouette and has copyrighted over 600 characters for his Jazma Universe.] M.O.E. Sidenote: After watching some Dr. Who videos and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I knew it was time to go down to A-1 Comics, to see what was on their racks. I had enough of BBC and the English for one day. To my surprise, they had the following titles: Stephen Blue - The Awakening, Deadend by Brut Comix, Lovee and Romance by Toxic Paradise Book, Harvey Kurtzman - Mona #1, Topshelf, Volcanic Revolver by Oni Press, Tongue Lash by Dark Horse Comics, Adrian Tomine - Sleepwalk, Thomas Ott - Dead End, The Curse of Brambly Hedge by Castle Waiting, Aces High #1 by EC Comics, Tales Designed to Carry an Impact #1 by EC Comics. If you have any questions about these indy titles, Brian Peets, owner of A-1 Comics, will assist you. He can be reached at: A1Comics@quiknet.com MOE Sidenote: There are plenty of books that would adapt easily into comic books and one of the titles that I can think of is Stardust by Neil Gaiman and we all know who Neil Gaiman is. So I thought I would stop by Doubleday Books and check out some of their science fiction and fantasy titles. Here are some books I would love to see turn into comic books, because of the unusual characters in the stories and the settings: Robert Jordan - The Dragon Reborn, Mercedes Lackey - Bardic Voices, L.E. Modesitt, Jr. - Fall of Angels, Barbara Hambly - IceFalcon's Quest, The Flying Sorcerers by Ace Fantasy, Christopher Golden - Of Masques and Martyrs, Terry Brooks - The Wishsong of Shannara, David Drake - Redliners. There you have it, if you agree that these books would make good comic books, drop me a line at Silhouet9@aol.com or if you know of any other books, that would adapt well in the comic book form, let me know, so I can check it out and mention it in my MOE Sidenote. Multiverse Observer and Explorer signing off, until next time..... Name: The Vault of Horror #27 Publisher: EC Comics Written by: Numerous writers Drawn by: Numerous artists Price: $2.50 Comments: A Betty Page look a like named Drusilla is the hostess of this comic book. Drusilla who teams up with the likes of The Vault-Keeper, The Crypt-Keeper and The Old Witch introduces stories like: Any Sport in the Storm. This story is about Lon Shannon and like most men, he doesn't like marriage, but his foxy girlfriend named Heather has other ideas. Come to find out Heather is a sea hag and she drags poor Lon into the depths of the sea, forever and ever. Coffin Spell is about Nadyi and Janos who seek out fresh cadavers for Dr. Karolyi and his students. When fresh cadavers can't be found, they contemplate murder. At the end Nadyi becomes a vampire and attacks his abusive co-worker Janos. Other stories are called "The Catacombs" and "Out of Sight" about a freak named Benny who gets lucky with a beautiful woman named Hulda. A suave charming mind reader called the Great Brain has his eyes on Hulda and when he gets too personal, his brain is snatched out of his head by Benny and displayed to the audience. Fun stories and only keep one light on and keep the rest of the house dark. Name: Shadow Lady - Dangerous Love 5 of 7 Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Written and Drawn by: Masakazu Katsura Price: $2.50 Comments: In this issue, detective Bright confesses his love to the Shadow Lady. Shadow Lady is actually Aimi and Demota hits Aimi with a strong fact. That fact being is that Bright loves Shadow Lady and not Aimi. Aimi has a plan to make Bright hate the Shadow Lady, but it all backfires and Shadow Lady is left with a dilemma. Bright gets into a physical confrontation with the perpetrator and the action is done with breakneck action that fits well with this story. When Shadow Lady brings the escaped perpetrator to Bright, he releases the perp, because he says he can't be assisted by a criminal and that criminal is Shadow Lady. A shocking move, that Shadow Lady wasn't expecting. Excellent artwork, done Manga style! Name: Spirit of the Tao #7 Publisher: Top Cow Written by: D-Tron Drawn by: Billy Tan/pencils Team-Tron - D-Tron, Jeff DeLos Santos & Andy Kim/inks Price: $2.50 Comments: D-Tron didn't waste anytime as the story starts off with an earthquake and then the encounter of the Moiri Clan. That Disciple looked great in her outfit....wow! The scene shifts were done just like a major motion picture, going from the tundras of the Antarctic, to Alcatraz Island and back to San Francisco. All chaos has been set forth in this story and so many things were happening at once. With Wolfgang trying to hold on in San Francisco and a eco system that is going wild. I can't wait until the United Nations officially hears about the Tao and the Armageddon that is unfolding and see how they will react. The Tao hunters have their hands full and it doesn't seem to let up. Master Lang proves to be a true hero that is quite brave as he rages battle, all for the love of the dragon spawn. One scene that really stuck with me, was when the Jaikap warriors felt the power of the Tao through Lance and Jasmine. That was one incredible scene! They partially morphed into their dragon beings and killed the Jaikap warriors, but wait to see how it was done! Billy Tan is a master with the pencils! Great details! The artwork is picturesque and colorful, you won't be disappointed! High quality! Master Lang is strong willed as he is willing to die, because he does not want the Tao to heal him or anyone else for that matter. Energy charged entertainment!! Go pick up an ish and check out their website at: http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/~cymun/tao ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [14] My View David LeBlanc ComicBkNet@aol.com [David LeBlanc is the Editor of the Comic Book Net Electronic Magazine. He is a long time fan of comics and the electronic media - having been the moderator of the comics forums on WME, FIDONET and the Comic Book Network. He and his wife are attempting to raise two teenage sons in a suburb of Worcester, Massachusetts. David supports his comic book habit by working as the Manager of Marketing and Sales for a privately owned manufacturer of electro-mechanical components.] DELTA: THE ULTIMATE DIFFERENCE #2 24 PAGES, BLACK & WHITE, COLOR COVER $2.95/$4.10 CAN Apex One Graphics PO Box 398 Fulshear, TX 77441 http://www.digitalwebbing.com/apexone Created, Written & Illustrated by: Michael Greczek Mgreczek@aol.com First thanks for the mention of our web site and the back cover ad for Digital Webbing is nice too (because it also mentions CBEM!) That aside, we calls them as we sees them, and I think this comic needs some work. The art is good enough to make the grade though the inking is a bit heavy. This combined with very little action make the story rely more on the text which is one of the things that needs the most work. The plot is basic enough, it deals with genetically altered beings who have escaped the creators and are hunted by them. Not the freshest idea around. The main character, John Delta, escaped from the secret government base, which just experienced a fire and the amazingly unbelievable destruction of a 500 ton generator used to tap the Earth's core for power. The people running the secret project are scrambling to save their funding while the military is called in to find answers - and John Delta. In fact, he is called a "Frankenstein" creation but the details of why must be from the first issue. So John has found refuge in a local farm for endangered animals, has shown he has some unusual powers, and we also get a glimpse of two other areas in the world and people who are connected to this plot somehow. The hardest thing to overcome is the scripting. The book begins with an attempt to explain evolution from explosion of distant stars which spawned cosmic debris of the four basic elements which combined in the arrid (sic) atmosphere of space (two adjectives that definitely don't bring outer space to mind) and then used ENTROPY as the ENERGY of reaction to create more complex amino acids. Uh, Entropy is energy? Anyway, this discussion goes on for two pages with the last panel showing a primitive reaching for an apple claiming that this space genetic material was responsible for the creation of true consciousness on earth. Willing suspension of disbelief is mandatory for anyone to want to accept this as the premise for the comic. Unfortunately, things do not improve much once we move into the main story. Two military helicopters are said to be "high above" the rockies when it is clear from the art they are at the mountain tops, not high above them. The dialogue ruins any attempt at realism as one pilot gives the old "OVER AND OUT" routine over the radio. Note to comic writers who want to use military jargon - OVER means "I am done talking, your turn." OUT means " I am done talking and am signing off" OVER AND OUT is never used because it is a contradiction in terms. At least they didn't say "repeat"! OOPS! I spoke too soon. A few pages later one pilot reports, "no contact ...REPEAT...no contact" REPEAT is an artillery command and for that reason the military will use the phrase "SAY AGAIN" instead. Things get a little better but frankly I had to stop and reread things to try and understand it better - a sure sign of something not right. Phrases like "absorbing energy from the QUANTUM VACUUM FIELD" and "sending the resultant ENTROPY into an alternate reality" are just enough out of kilter with even pseudo science that is normal for comics that I could not get into the right frame of mind to enjoy what little was left of the story. The back up story, "THE BEGINNING", did little to entertain us any more than the main story. Instead we get two scientists arguing for 5 pages over the true nature of consciousness while showing us the device that will be used later to create the aforementioned altered humans. In fact there is a full page ad for the Journal of Consciousness Studies, which you can get for only $60 a year. If this is for real it certainly seems out of place in a $3 comic. I hate being so overly negative about any comic, but for $2.95 and only 24 pages I prefer something that is not trying so hard to be intellectual and tries harder to just entertain me. The parts that should be entertaining, the action sequences, fail to do the trick and none of the characters are very compelling. I doubt this comic will survive for very long. VEENA #1,#2,#3 24 pages, black & white, color covers, $2.95/$4.10 CAN (debuts in April - bi monthly) Eric Theriault Press 4265 St-Denis #8 Montreal, Canada H2J 2K9 veena@cam.org Created by Eric Theriault This happens to be a good contrast to the last book reviewed. In just 24 pages and in a smaller format (8 1/2 X 7) this little black and white stirs up ideas and thoughts and has fun doing it. VEENA is a curious and intelligent young lady. Her stories involve a strange pair of sunglasses she found through which she sees Native American ghosts. She takes them to professor Bob and gets involved with his time travel experiments. In their travels they even find other people with similar glasses and even conspiracies and men in black along the way. Eventually she gets answers and presumedly will move on to other adventures. In fact in issue #3 she has an adventure investigating the nature of a ghost in her building. But there is a lot more to this work than Veena. There are fill-in short stories as well. Some are slice of life type. Some are true and other observations of the human condition. All have the professional polish of the accomplished artist. It has the look and style of an alternative comic with enough variety to keep things interesting. Some may know Theriault from his work for Fantagraphics, Kitchen Sink and Antarctic Press. He also has some guest artists involved such as Luis Neves, Carle Basha, and even Bernie Mireault contributes a back cover for #2. Those inclined to seek out quality non-mainstream comic work need only ask for VEENA and enjoy. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [15] New Comic Book Releases List [NCRL] by Charles LePage ncrl@mediaone.net +++WINNER OF THE 1996 REC.ARTS.COMICS.* "SQUIDDY" FOR BEST WEB SITE+++ http://www.jacksonville.net/~ncrl New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, 2/24/1999, compiled by Charles LePage with information from Suncoast Comics. This is the *preliminary* list and is not complete. The completed list is posted weekly, usually Monday evening, at rec.arts.comics.info, http://www.jacksonville.net/~ncrl, and Compuserve's Comics Publishers Forum. "TPB" = "trade paperback". "GN" = "graphic novel". "AA" = "available again". "SC" = "softcover". "HC" = "hardcover". "S/N" = "signed/numbered". "AR" = "ask retailer about price". PUBLISHER TITLE, ISSUE NUMBER, PRICE IN U.S. DOLLARS ABSTRACT STUDIOS Strangers In Paradise Vol 6 High School TPB, 8.95 ACCLAIM COMICS Nio #4 (Of 4), 2.5 ALTERNATIVE COMICS Magic Whistle #3, 2.95 AMAZE INK (SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS) Mister Blank #9, 2.95 ARCHIE COMICS PUBLICATIONS Jughead #116, 1.79 Jughead With Archie Digest #148, 1.99 Sonic The Hedgehog #70, 1.79 AWESOME ENT/HYPERWERKS Deity Vol 2 #4, 2.95 BONGO COMICS Simpsons Comics #41, 2.5 CHAOS! COMICS Evil Ernie #9, 2.95 Lady Death #14, 2.95 CLAYPOOL COMICS Elvira #70, 2.5 Soulsearchers #34, 2.5 CPM MANGA Lodoss War Grey Witch #4, 2.95 Slayers #5, 2.95 DARK HORSE Aliens Apocalypse Destroying Angels #2 (Of 4), 2.95 Blade Of The Immortal Dark Shadows (2 Of 5) #30, 2.95 Drakuun The Hidden War (5 Of 6) #23, 2.95 DC COMICS Batman Chronicles #16, 2.95 Catwoman #67, 1.99 Detective Comics #731, 1.99 Doctor Midnite #2 (Of 3), 5.95 Dv8 #0, 2.95 Flash #147, 1.99 Flash 80 Page Giant #2, 4.95 Free Crisis #1 Cover Poster, AR Green Lantern Sterling Silver Symbol Ring Size 10, 79.95 Green Lantern Sterling Silver Symbol Ring Size 11, 79.95 Green Lantern Sterling Silver Symbol Ring Size 12, 79.95 Green Lantern Sterling Silver Symbol Ring Size 13, 79.95 Green Lantern Sterling Silver Symbol Ring Size 6, 79.95 Green Lantern Sterling Silver Symbol Ring Size 7, 79.95 Green Lantern Sterling Silver Symbol Ring Size 8, 79.95 Green Lantern Sterling Silver Symbol Ring Size 9, 79.95 Hellblazer #136, 2.5 Hitman #36, 2.5 JLA #28, 1.99 Jonah Hex Shadows West #3 (Of 3), 2.95 League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen #2 (Of 6), 2.95 Legion Of Super Heroes #114, 2.5 Lobo #61, 2.5 Looney Tunes #51, 1.99 Resident Evil Official Comic Magazine #5, 4.95 Robin #63, 1.99 Sandman Presents Lucifer #2 (Of 3), 2.95 Supergirl #31, 1.99 Superman & Batman Generations #4 (Of 4), 4.95 Superman The Man Of Tomorrow #13, 1.99 Supermans Nemesis Lex Luthor #2 (Of 4), 2.5 Wildcats 2 Sided T/S LG, 18.95 Wildcats 2 Sided T/S XL, 18.95 Wildcats Poster, 7.95 Wonder Woman #143, 1.99 FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS Enigma Of Al Capp, 6.95 FULL BLEED STUDIOS Pitt #20, 2.5 HELIKON COMICS Galaxion #9, 2.75 IMAGE COMICS Jackie Chans Spartan X #5 (Of 6), 2.95 Kabuki Images #2, 5.95 Kabuki Poster #3, 5.99 Mage The Hero Defined #11, 2.5 Savage Dragon #58, 2.5 Witchblade #29, 2.5 Zorros Renegades II Lady Rawhide TPB, 14.95 magazines Comic Shop News #610, AR MARVEL COMICS Cable 1999, 3.5 Deadpool #27, 1.99 Earth X #1 (Of 12), 2.99 Gambit #3, 1.99 Generation X #50, 2.99 Human Torch Comics, 3.99 Iron Man #15, 1.99 J2 #7, 1.99 Slingers #5, 1.99 Webspinners Tales Of Spider-Man #4, 2.5 Wolverine #137, 1.99 X-Force #89, 1.99 X-Man #50, 2.99 ONI PRESS INC. Volcanic Revolver #2 (Of 3), 2.95 SLEEPY HOUSE GRAPHICS Hanzo Freeway Ninja #2, 3.5 TOPPS COMICS Star Wars Galaxy Collector #5, 3.95 Star Wars Galaxy Collector Dlx #5, 4.95 UNDERHANDED COMICS Captain Dingleberry #6, 2.95 VIZ COMMUNICATIONS Pokemon The Electric Tale Of Pikachu #4 (Of 4), 3.25 Ranma 1/2 Part Seven #13 (Of 14), 2.95 NCRL for the foreseeable future... TITLE OLD DATE NEW DATE DARK HORSE Bettie Page Shot Glass Set 02/17 02/24 Grendel Black White & Red Zippo Lighter 02/24 03/03 Grendel Black White & Red Shot Glass White 02/24 03/03 Grendel Black White & Red Shot Glass Black 02/24 03/03 DH Braingear Usagi Yojimbo Baseball Cap 03/03 03/17 Magic The Gathering Spirit Link Resin Statue 03/03 03/17 DC COMICS Crisis On Infinite Earths HC W/Slipcase 12/02 02/24 Resident Evil Official Comic Magazine #5 02/17 02/24 Batman & Superman: Worlds Finest #1 02/17 02/24 Fanboy #2 02/17 02/24 Lobo #61 02/17 02/24 Superman & Batman: Generations #4 02/10 02/24 The Flash 80-Page Giant #2 02/10 02/24 Wildcats 2-Sided T-Shirt LG 02/10 02/24 Wildcats 2-Sided T-Shirt XL 02/10 02/24 Wildcats Poster 02/03 02/24 Gen13 #38 02/17 02/24/99 Kurt Busiek'S Astro City Vol. 2 #16 01/20 02/24/99 Flintstones & Jetsons #20 02/03 03/03/99 Gen13: Wired 02/03 03/03/99 Crimson #9 02/10 03/10/99 Divine Right #9 01/27 03/10/99 Golden Age Flash Medium Statue 02/24 03/17 Green Lantern: The New Corps #2 02/17 03/17/99 Flintstones & Jetsons #21 03/03 04/07/99 Crimson #10 03/10 04/14/99 MARVEL Battlebooks: Colossus 12/02 02/24* Battlebooks: Gambit 12/02 02/24* Battlebooks: Rogue 12/02 02/24* Battlebooks: Storm 12/02 02/24* Generation X #50 02/10 02/24 Iron Man #15 02/10 02/24 Cable Annual 1999 02/17 02/24 X-Man #50 02/17 02/24 Black Panther #6 02/10 02/24 Avengers: Forever #5 02/10 03/03 Daredevil #6 02/03 03/10 Thunderbolts #25 02/17 03/10 Daredevil #7 02/21 03/14 Spider-Man Manga #28 01/13 TBA Spider-Man Manga #29 01/27 TBA Spider-Man Manga #30 2/10 TBA X-Men Manga #23 01/06 TBA X-Men Manga #24 01/20 TBA X-Men Manga #25 02/03 TBA X-Men Manga #26 02/17 TBA ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [16] HYPE! Section Various Hello! Blonde Avenger calling. The weather here is terriffic!!! I must have spring fever because I've finally thrown away my five layers of blankies and furry rabbit slippers to write. I've been home for awhile ;) First, I wanted to write and inform my fellow publishers and friends about a service I believe is much needed in the promotions biz. Basically, it is a new company offering their 4-color, one poster at a time, printing technology via the web. I am sure you can find a poster printer in your home town, but this company is offering you the lastest in inkjet poster technology at "Wholesale Prices" and that is very hard to find! They have asked me to be their mascot and temporarily use the backside of my site to "test" the internet market. I also promised I would e-mail all my contacts who could use the service. Why am I doing all this you might ask? Not because I'm getting all my posters FREE,(okay maybe) but mostly because they're friends of mine and I truly believe in the product/service. I don't think you will find a better price anywhere and the quality is top notch. Please do me and yourself a favor and go to: http://rampages.onramp.net/~sindee30/podsite Now on to my favorite subject... ME! Is the Blonde Avenger still around and what's up? Many have asked and I thought it was time for another famous mass e-mailing. Now... take a deep breath and enjoy reading about my latest struggles and triumphs. The site: Yeah, I'm very aware of our lazy attempts to update it. It is forthcoming. I have new editorials to share and new pics. Soon, I swear!! We have acquired "blondeavenger.com" and will have BA moved over there. We will feature the full "Short Blonde Girl" story drawn by Monika Livingstone. The old site will continue but it will be hosting my personal endeavors, most notably my own photography. The photographs will showcase past and present images created by me. We will keep you informed. New Comics: We are working on "Texas Vampire Massacre" by Leonard Kirk and Rob Stull and will print/promote it as soon it is done. We will keep you informed. The conventions: I am not going to be sitting at any tables this season. I'm taking a long break from this in order to investigate and observe the comics industry. I want to be able to attend panels and seminars in hopes to gain better insight. The industry is still rattling and rolling around and I'm waiting for the dust to settle. You will be hard pressed to spot me in the crowd... I've made some changes to my looks and what really makes it a challenge is that I will be wearing street clothes! ;) Some possible places you will have a chance to spot me are at Wondercon, New Orleans, and San Diego. Good luck! I'll keep you informed. BA Movie: ???????? Again, I'll keep you informed. David and I have finally made it into the movies though. HBO is showing a movie "Late Bloomers" and I hear that we are given a thank you in the credits. Hey, we are as surprised as you! Benefit Book: Did you know there was one? Yes, there is and it is almost done. For those who want to know the how's and when's of this please contact Paul Gould; editor at: Pg2771@aol.com He'll keep you informed! Philip Butler art: Phil is almost done with his own personal project with Eros titled, "The Butlers Did It". It is not for the faint of heart! It puts BA's early days to shame. ;) OOOHHHHH Philllllll, Nooooooo!!!!! The Photo Pak: The Dave Stevens/Cindy Johns Photo Pak has been distributed through Diamond and is now out as we speak. It was a success and we plan to do more in the future. Thanks, Dave!!! You can order direct from me if you cannot find it on the stands. Some are going for $20.00 now, but you can get it from me for only $10.00, signed. We have printed a new 2-color envelope for it. Tha- tha- that's all folks! Cindy P.S. Did I mention I'll keep you informed? +++++ Comics 99, the UK's comics festival, is on April 2nd - 4th in Bristol. Admission is from only £3. A £6 'Fanboy' ticket gets you over 30 hours of events + there are Special Events (individually ticketed) including the National Comics Awards and All Night Films. For a free programme send an A5 s.a.e. to Comics 99 Warehouse, PO Box 284, Maldon, Essex CM9 4XD. Website: http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Network/1358 Box Office: 0117 925 3845 Hotel reservations: 0117 925 5100 Cheers Kev F Sutherland Comics 99 COMICS 99 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS - Friday April 2nd - Sunday April 4th 1999 * The 3rd Annual National Comics Awards Gala dinner and presentation ceremony. The comic world's own Oscars, featuring Awards in 16 categories including the Charity Vote to find Best Comic Of The 20th Century, proceeds going to ChildLine. Ballot form in Festival Programme. Saturday night The World's Biggest Comic Book Charity project for Comic Relief. 126 of the world's leading comics artists have each illustrated a panel of a specially written script. The art is blown up to create a nine foot high 16 page comic. The original art will be auctioned across the weekend. On show Fri-Sun. Auctions Sat/Sun The Comics Fair 2 days of exhibitions, publishers and retailers booths, and attractions including The Worlds Biggest Comic Book. Signing sessions and personal appearances by guests, portfolio sessions with publishers, and much more. Saturday & Sunday Diamond Comic Distributors Trade Day Retailer presentations and comics business meetings + reception (invite only) Friday Comics 99 Launch Party Featuring launch of Worlds Biggest Comic Book, live music & performance Friday night * Alan Grant's True Confessions Judge Dredd, Batman and Bogie Man writer answers any question, however personal Sunday Computers In Comic Art Seminar & demonstration with Mark Harrison, Dave Gibbons, Phil Elliott, MacFormat + more Saturday * Craig Charles In Concert Red Dwarf and Robot Wars star in stand-up splendour + support Steve Best Sunday night Batman's 60th Birthday Costume Parade Free to enter, for kids of all ages. Prizes galore and surprises aplenty. Entry form in Comics 99 Programme Sunday * Bryan Talbot's Tale Of One Bad Rat Slide show lecture based on his award winning graphic novel Saturday * David Lloyd's The Pencil Performance with slides & jazz, adapted from Raymond Chandler by V for Vendetta artist Sat/Sun * Al Davison's The Spiral Cage Rarely seen one man performance, adapted from his autobiographical graphic novel Sat/Sun Judge Dredd Movie Talk Through 2000AD editor David Bishop leads stop-start dissection of the Sly Stallone adaptation. Saturday * John Erasmus' The Vapour Trail Debut feature film by award winning comics artist. World premiere Sunday What's So Funny Doc? - Warner Bros comics Star guest panel led by publisher Brian Clarke, creators of Bugs Bunny comics etc Saturday * Comic Book Turkeys All Night Film Show The worst comic-based movies ever, round the clock, including Batman & Robin, Spawn, Prince Valiant, and The Flat Slags, presented in association with Venue. Saturday night The 2000AD Event Star guest panel led by editor David Bishop, with creators of Dredd, Sinister Dexter, Slaine et al Sat 2000AD Morning - The Mini-Mega-Con A morning of star interviews, panels and previews from 2000AD/ Judge Dredd creators Sunday What's New From DC? VP Bob Wayne with previews of DC comics, Vertigo, Wildstorm, Paradox, Mad, TV + film et al Sat/Sun DC Universe Comics Star guest panel led by editor Dan Raspler with creators of Batman, Superman, Titans et al Sun Vertigo Comics Star guest panel led by editor Karen Berger, with creators of Hellblazer, Preacher, Sandman et al Sat Wildstorm Comics Star guest panel led by editor Scott Dunbier with creators of WildCATS, Gen-13 et al Sat SFX present Universe City Challenge Comics trivia quiz with star guests + prizes, hosted by SFX Magazine Saturday SFX Meet The Winners Interviews with the winners of the previous night's National Comics Awards hosted by SFX Sunday Junior Comic Classes (for under-nines) Run by the Comic Creators Guild Saturday The Graphic Bible Promotional panel & discussion Sunday Jonni Starr - 3D Animated Comic 3D cartoon, big screen premiere Sat/Sun Warhammer - The Movie Rarely seen comic spin-off film. Sunday Not The National Comics Awards Anti-awards anarchy Saturday night Dear Mr Menzies - please buy my comic The comic self promotion show. Sunday Tripwire meet Marvel Comics Star guest panel Saturday Digital Storyboard - web publishers Demonstration + q&a session Saturday Les Cartoonists Dangereux International publishers panel Sunday The Eagle Classic star guest panel + clips Saturday Class Of 79 - Classic 2000AD 2000AD star guest panel Saturday Independents Day Self published comics panel Saturday Octobriana - Revolutionary Russian comic heroine - panel Saturday The Comic Brunch Breakfast with the stars Sunday morning The Caledonian Contingent Scottish comic creators panel Sunday Tickets cost £3 to attend The Comics Fair, £6 to attend the bulk of events, with some items (marked *) individually ticketed. Special room rates available at the Swallow Royal Hotel - £65 single, £90 double. Exhibition, dealer & publisher spaces available. TICKET HOTLINE: 0117 925 3845 HOTEL: 0117 925 5100 PUBLICITY: 01275 871856 or kevf@netgates.co.uk +++++ PR: Bernie Wrightson To Release Faculty Designs From: webmaster@berniewrightson.com (Official Bernie Wrightson Web Site) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Pamela Hazelton Bernie Wrightson will release his original creature designs for the movie "The Faculty" the first week of March. The designs were used by the studios for creation of the creature and other special effects for the film, which still shows at random theaters throughout the United States. Information on the film can be found at http://www.dimensionfilms.com The designs, nearly 30 in all, collectively show the start-to-finish ideas for the creature in the film, as well as the effects the alien had on some of the victims. The pencils are detailed, and depict Bernie's illustrative, as well his imaginary talents of this nature. The complete set will be revealed to members of Bernie's official fan club (details at http://www.berniewrightson.com/fanclub.html ) on March 1, and select originals will be offered to members only March 5. Remaining originals will be offered to the public on March 6, with prices beginning at just $150.00 US Funds. For many, it's a chance to own a Bernie Wrightson original which has had impact on the horror movie industry as a whole. Bernie has previously worked on designs for the films Ghostbusters I, Ghostbusters II and My Demon Lover. His residing in California allows him more time and energy to focus on the film industry, but there are no plans to steer away from comics. For more information on Bernie Wrightson happenings, visit his official web site at http://www.berniewrightson.com E-mail: webmaster@berniewrightson.com Attachment: Faculty Design #11, copyright Bernie Wrightson +++++ Para Troop #5 ships this week to comic shops everywhere, and it is catching skeptics by surprise. This comic includes a flip feature of Bastard Stew, the prequel to the new color series, penciled by Ron (DarkChylde Legacy #3) Adrian. To see a cover that will really open your eyes, click now to http://www.comicsconspiracy.com/cover-BS.jpg Limited print run -- place your reorders ... Para Troop #5 Previews # DEC98 1187 Para Troop #6 is in Previews now! Meet the Man in White, programmer of the inhuman M.I.B.s. Enter the Alien Diplomatic Zone, where U.S. soldiers, Grey aliens, Federal agents, and Para Troop all try to maintain an uneasy cease-fire. The action explodes anyway, and at least one Para Trooper is reduced to subatomic particles. There is still time to place initial orders ... Para Troop #6 Previews #FEB99 1226 Stop by to see our fully redesigned and updated web page at http://www.comicsconspiracy.com/ Comics Conspiracy is also a retail store, offering a wide variety of comic back issues and novelties. Not just another mutant web site. 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