---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ed Dukeshire and Mike Imboden Present: THE COMIC BOOK NET ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE ISSUE NUMBER 204 3/05/99 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 *3RD ANNIVERSARY*....... Win *real* prizes! [4] Network Buzz .......................... News, gossip & rumors [5] Ramblings `99 ......................... Rich Johnston [6] Tony Isabella's Journal ............... Tony Isabella [7] Interview - Jon Hastings .............. Paul Dale Roberts [8] Venting My Spleen ..................... David Groenewegen [9] Pipeline Commentary & Review .......... Augie De Blieck Jr. [10] Had Your Phil? ........................ Phil White [11] Random Thoughts in a Les Than Random World ............... Gary Sassaman [12] Odds and Ends ......................... Eddie Mitchell [13] Some Pages, A Cover, and A Few Staples. Marlan Harris [14] M.O.E. Reviews ........................ Paul Dale Roberts [15] My View:Comic Book Profiles/Gene Colan. David LeBlanc [16] The 1999 HARVEY Nominations ........... Comics Journal [17] New Comic Book Releases List .......... Charles LePage [18] 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 First off, the new PREVIEWS has a quote from CBEM #175 praising BIG BANG COMICS. While the quote indeed appeared in CBEM it was not from yours truly but from one of our stellar columnists, David Coulter. Thanks again to Comic Book Profiles for using a pull quote from my last review for their ad for CBP #7, also in this month's PREVIEWS. This issue, the first of issue of March, marks the Anniversary of our trivia contest - the single longest running feature of this publication. We celebrate the third anniversary of the contest with this week's issue and have a special prize for our winner. For those who are new to CBEM, here is a brief explanation of how this began. Shortly after I became the editor here I learned of the tragic death of the official archivist of the the Valiant Universe, Seaborn Adamson. Seaborn was a longtime presence online in BBS forums and later on the internet. In fact, he was one of the first people I met, online, that was anyway connected to an actual comic book company and had made it his mission to help promote Valiant comics and their characters. On one BBS network he began to run trivia questions, giving out those early premium issues as prizes. I was fortunate to win the first one, something that always will be remembered fondly. As time went on Seaborn also helped keep us fans informed of new Valiant projects both on the BBS networks and on AOL. After a while I lost track of him, and was very busy with the Emag and the Comic Book Network. Occasionally I would drop into the Valiant forums on AOL and catch up on things going on, and Seaborn was still active there. Then I got involved with taking over the Emag and getting it relaunched and so I missed the news on AOL for several weeks. When I finally made it back I saw a message posted by a Valiant employee that Seaborn had died in a car crash near his home in Georgia. The next issue of the Emag I decided to run a trivia question in his memory, giving a prize to the first correct answer. The response was overwhelming and so the next issue I ran another one. After the same enthusiastic response I decided that this should be a regular column, and the rest is history. What is not yet history is the brand new comics waiting for you this week on the racks: ABSTRACT STUDIOS Strangers In Paradise Vol III #93298 Songs & Lyrics, 2.75 CORSAIR PUBLISHING Dork Tower #3, 2.95 <-----PICK OF THE WEEK!!! DC COMICS Batman & Superman Worlds Finest #1 (Of 10), 4.95 Fanboy #2 (Of 6), 2.5 Flash 80 Page Giant #2, 4.95 Starman #53, 2.5 Vext #3, 2.5 Young Justice #8, 2.5 IMAGE COMICS Mage Hero Discovered Coll Bk 4, 4.95 MARVEL COMICS Avengers Forever #5 (Of 12), 2.99 OCEAN COMICS Wedding Of Popeye And Olive #1, 2.75 ONI PRESS INC. Oni Double Feature #11, 2.95 THORBY ENTERPRISES Johnny Cosmic #2, 2.95 So, today we not only celebrate the longevity of one of our most popular features but also the life of a fellow fan who was dedicated as we are to spreading the joy of reading comics. As it happens I received the following last week in the email and found it appropriate to pass along at this time, for those who are sometimes at a loss when a tragic death occurs. HOW DO YOU LIVE YOUR DASH? I read of a man who stood to speak At the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone From the beginning...to the end. He noted that first came her date of birth And spoke the following date with tears, But he said what mattered most of all Was the dash between those years. (l900-l970) For that dash represents all the time That she spent alive on earth... And now only those who loved her Know what that little line is worth. For it matters not, how much we own; The cars...the house...the cash, What matters is how we live and love And how we spend our dash. So think about this long and hard... Are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left, That can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough To consider what's true and real, And always try to understand The way other people feel. And be less quick to anger, And show appreciation more And love the people in our lives Like we've never loved before. If we treat each other with respect, And more often wear a smile... Remembering that this special dash Might only last a little while. So, when your eulogy's being read With your life's actions to rehash... Would you be proud of the things they say About how you spent your dash? Author Unknown This issue is for you Seaborn. 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: David Groenewegen's article in CBEM 203 From: peter@glad47.demon.co.uk (Peter Sidwell) Greetings from a new reader! I only found your magazine at #199, but I've greatly enjoyed reading it every week since. There's a great mix of announcements, rumour and opinions, which I rather miss from my last comic shop. I'm writing largely in response to david Groenewegen's article this week. The complaints that letter columns are going seems fair in a way, and I can see how it feels as though the fans' forum is being destroyed. But the impression I got from the announcement of Vertigo's dropping them was that it's a way to help them survive in the comics marketplace, and this way they can continue to produce titles that maybe wouldn't be done otherwise. I have to say, if this is the reason and not a cover, that it seems a damn good reason to do it. DC consistently try experimental titles and concepts that Marvel would shy away from, presumably because DC is a publishing company and Marvel a character-licensing company. If this helps them to afford it, so much the better. And people can still write to the book if they have a point to make, and the creators will pay as much attention to this as they would have anyhow. I agree that the feeling of being able to affect the story is lost, and that without any indication that your letter has been read the effort may seem wasted. But I would like very much to call everyone's attention to an equal, if not superior, way to communicate about Vertigo in particular. The DC WWW Message Boards set up this week already have over 800 registered members and at least two Vertigo authors (Peter Gross, Books of Magic, and Caitlin Kiernan, Dreaming) are posting to them. So is Sean Phillips, who's doing #5-8 of the Invisibles. This means that readers have a forum for open discussion on a huge range of topics, and can be reasonably sure that anyone at DC making decisions will read their opinions. After all, it's in their interests. Admittedly, not everyone who reads comics will have web access, and so this is an area which can't completely replace the letters page. But I suspect a lot of Vertigo readers are professionals or students, and probably use computers a lot anyway. What's needed is for DC to publicize the web boards as loudly as they can in the comics. Interestingly, one of the topics discussed on the Other Vertigo topics board is the disappearing letter columns, where there's a lot of support for keeping them. I suspect this is because of all the reasons David gives, such as the extra insight they can provide for all readers. The most popular idea seems to be to ditch the On The Ledge page in favour of the LetterCol. I suppose that'll depend on how many comics Vertigo feel they sell because of that listing. which maybe wouldn't sell otherwise. But anyone who can, should go and check out the message boards interesting arguments and yes, some stupid ones too. Incidentally, since David points out that some creators may have been scared off by "petty and vindictive criticism" in the past, and thus avoid a web presence, there's a post to the Aquaman board about the null response one reader got to a couple of constructively critical letters to Mr Larsen, by someone who has despaired and dropped the book. There's also a fair bit of anti-Byrne criticism, but that's to be expected in a comics forum ;-) It should be a wake-up call to authors if they're criticised, especially since there's every opportunity for any supporters to counter the claim. If this continues to be successful, it would be nice if DC would open further boards devoted to simply comics in general, small press and indy publications, even Marvel discussion, if that's what people want to talk about! In the long run, it would bolster the entire industry, and that's something DC do seem to have an eye on. This would be more pressing if they do buy Diamond, and I should imagine it would be appreciated by comics fans netwide. Just a thought. Yours, Peter Sidwell. +++++ Subj: CBEM Fourth Anniversary Issue From: jackr@axess.com (Jack Ruttan) To: ComicBkNet@aol.com If I save this issue on disk and put it in a baggie, do you think it will be worth something? Or is that just the embossed chrome variant cover version? J. Ruttan, Montreal [Our anniversary issue is definitely valuable and should be preserved with the greatest of care. Be sure to virus scan the file and write protect your disk before storing it in a hermetically sealed mayonnaise jar in you basement. DL] +++++ From: "Augie De Blieck Jr." Subject: RE: Venting My Spleen [This letter copied to David Le Blanc for CBEM for the CBEM letters column and David G., since he wrote the damned thing I'm about to talk about. =) ] Hi Davids, * In the most recent issue of Cerebus, Dave Sim announced (not for the * first time) that he was no longer going to publish a letters page. Pardon me while I pick my jaw up off the floor. I hope he was just joking or throwing a temper tantrum. I don't read Cerebus. I did at one point for a time, but having started in the middle and not at the beginning of the story, I couldn't get into it all that much. But even when the story made sense to me, the letters column there was the most glorious part of the book. It's single-handedly the best letters column in comics today, particularly in this ever-dwindling population of columns. I like the letters columns where the creator talks and not the assistant editor. I'm not necessarily a fan of the letters column in which the character answers the letters, as in Lobo and She-Hulk, however. I like to think of the letters column as something more personal that shouldn't be used as a facade. When I write to a comic book, I want to talk to the creators involved. The loss of Vertigo was bad enough. That Marvel has decided to do a letters column for Marvel X on the web only is pretty bad. (It's a 12- issue series; you'll have a good nine issues' worth of material there, not like with a 4 issue mini-series in which you might only get the chance to print letters in the last issue, depending on time constraints.) But to lose Cerebus -- ?!? Then Savage Dragon would instantly become the best and longest form letters column in the business. Or maybe I'm a jaded cynical old hack, who also pities the current state of letters columns overrun by the semi-literate ravings of every Tom, Dick, and Harry with e-mail access who give no thought or energy to their letters, but do so because it's easy, convenient and a possible ego boost. ::shrug:: I don't know. -Augie +++++ To: "David Coulter" From: "Enrico Salvini, the Muffin Man" Subject: One-character websites Hi David, just read your review of Eric's "Deadman" website. It's a fine website indeed! I'm the agent for Alex Horley, Saverio Tenuta and Alberto Ponticelli (all of whom have provided art for Eric) and I manage a similar website dedicated to Grendel. You can find it at http://members.xoom.com/muffinmancloset/grendel.htm If you feel like dropping by and tell me what do you think of it, I'd appreciate it a lot. Oh, and make sure you visit The Cliff site @ http://web3.foxinternet.net/greymalk/cliffhome.html The Literary site @ http://members.xoom.com/sgettis/home2.html The Twilight site @ http://www.iconographics.com/twilight/index.htm There's some mighty interesting stuff (and concepts) up there for your art-browsing pleasure. Best, Enrico ********************************************************************* Ultimate Art Central - http://members.planet.it/freewww/ultimateart/ Your launching pad to original art, comics, collectibles and music ********************************************************************* Original art agent for: Alex Horley, Alberto Ponticelli and Saverio Tenuta +++++ From: "Ben Adams" Subject: That OTHER Prison Comic (from a huge Delano fan) ****FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**** E-mail me at ben@mediawarpcomics.com for more info. Hi. This is is just a quick note from Ben Adams, writer of the independent comic PRISONOPOLIS that has attracted a significant amount of critical praise. Right now, I'm very busy getting ready for the grand opening of the Mediawarp Comics website at www.mediawarpcomics.com. I'd like to get back to that as soon as possible, but I just received my copy of CBG #1321, which contained some reviews of the first issue of the new Vertigo mini-series CRUEL & UNUSUAL, which is about the privatization of the prison system. Right off the bat, I'd like to congratulate Delano and his collaborators Tom Peyer and John McCrea for joining what is (I think) a worthwhile dialogue about the state of prisons in this country. I'm a huge fan of Mr. Delano's work and look forward to seeing how he deals with the topic. HOWEVER, I simply feel obligated to say "I was there first, dammit!" I published the first issue of PRISONOPOLIS two years ago and received praise for it from Tony Isabella, Joe Zabel, and many others. In fact, I am building a collection of prison articles that I'm beginning to post on the Mediawarp website. I also have a spanking new Delphi Forum, where I hope to get lots of prison-related discussions going. I would like to announce that I will be writing and posting my own review of CRUEL & UNUSUAL on the Mediawarp Comics website (and elsewhere) once the series has wrapped up. I have to admit I'd love to read Mr. Delano's review of PRISONOPOLIS. I also have to admit that I'd love to see some other reviewer write a comparative review of both series. My guess is that PRISONOPOLIS is a little more romantic and character-driven than CRUEL & UNUSUAL, which will probably be darker and more bitingly satirical. But, like I said, I really like Mr. Delano's work and look forward to seeing what he does with the comic. WWW.MEDIAWARPCOMICS.COM is about 99% complete, and I'm writing the press releases about it right now. If you're interested in prison comics, please come on over. I've posted reviews from Tony Isabella, Cliff Biggers, and many others. Also, be sure to order MURDER BY CROWQUILL from Amazing Montage Press in this month's PREVIEWS. It contains a 16-page story by myself and John Polacek, and I think it's some of our best work!! Tim Truman, Joe Lansdale, Joe Zabel, Gary Dumm, Steve Conley, and Alex Robinson are some of the others who have done stories for CROWQUILL. More is coming your way soon! Ben Adams www.mediawarpcomics.com +++++ From: "Keith OBrien" (klutter@frontiernet.net) Subject: Re: CBEM 203.5 > Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food? A variety of reasons. First, the cost per unit may be low, but the ratio money to volume of consumable is pretty low. You can buy a mouse for about the cost of a pound of beef. Second, pet food is marketed to humans, not cats. Mouse flavor is not high on human lists of desirable foods. Third, if it really WERE marketed to cats, the real appeal of mice is their being alive and the right size for a cat's sense of play. -The (literal) Keith (with four cat kids of his own) [Well at least someone reads the Emag right down to the punch line at the end! DL] ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [3] THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF ..................THE 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 Prize donated by As You Like It Publications Publishers of COMIC BOOK PROFILES MAGAZINE +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: What comic is considered the first of a regular series to be offered to the direct market only? Eric Gufstafson hit it first, and knew that Marvel's DAZZLER beat out CAPTAIN VICTORY from Pacific by several months. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: As is our practice, the anniversary question involves the VALIANT Comics line. This question may seem ambiguous and even may have several correct answers - depending how cute you want to get. HOWEVER, there is one answer that wins the Special Cheezy Prize(tm) What is extraordinary about the January 1998 issues of most of the titles of the Acclaim VALIANT HEROES Comics? 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 It was reported this Friday that Del Close, who had been hospitalized with collapsed lungs, died Thursday March 4th. The comics community knows Del best for his ground breaking series with John Ostrander, WASTELAND for DC - a mix of horror, humor and autobiography. Del was also a pioneer of improv comedy as an early writer, director, and performer for Chicago's Second City. He was said to have passed the last days knowing of his impending death at peace with his fate and among his friends. +++++ From: insight Subject: CORRECTION TO THE NEWS RELEASE: LIBERTY MEADOWS GAINS INSIGHT We would like to correct our release to reflect the following information and give you a URL or where you can see more. First, it is the National Cartoonists Society. Second, it is the Reuben Award. Third, Frank Cho is not nominated for the Reuben Award (which is Cartoonist of the Year), he is nominated for a Division award for the category of Magazine and Book Illustration. There is a big difference. Although the Division Award is a great honor, it is voted on by a jury that judge only submissions in that category. The Reuben Award is voted on by the entire membership of the NCS, and as such, is its highest honor. We are sincerely sorry for any confusion our news release may have caused on this point. Meanwhile, Frank says, "I'm still not wearing any pants." For more information on the Liberty Meadows book go to: http://www.clark.net/pub/insight/lmcomic.htm For more information on Frank's "Titanic Tales" illustrations, go to: http://www.clark.net/pub/insight/TTpage.htm And scroll down to the illustrations for the science fiction story "Bride of the Beast Man". You won't be disappointed. Insight Studios http://www.clark.net/pub/insight +++++ Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Enterprises Enter Spiderman Agreement - Pact Sets Stage for Launch of Spiderman Franchise - CULVER CITY, Calif., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and Marvel Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: MVL) have signed an agreement that sets the stage for launching the long anticipated Spiderman filmed entertainment franchise. The agreement will enable SPE and Marvel to produce motion pictures and television series based on the Spiderman character. Additionally, Marvel and SPE have established a joint venture to exploit picture-related and series-related merchandise. The announcement of the agreement was made today by SPE Chairman and CEO John Calley and Marvel Enterprises President and CEO Eric Ellenbogen and Chief Creative Officer Avi Arad. "This is a great day for the studio," said SPE's Mr. Calley. "I am delighted that we will be able to bring this long sought after comic book hero to the world of Sony film and television entertainment." "Spiderman is the crown jewel of Marvel's vast character library," noted Mr. Eric Ellenbogen. "Our pact with Sony is a giant step forward in leveraging Marvel content to the fullest across all media. I can't imagine a more momentous new beginning for our company." Marvel's Arad added, "In Sony we have a partner who completely understands the unlimited potential of Spiderman. I couldn't be more pleased with the enthusiasm and direction of Sony's creative team." Along with Marvel chairman emeritus Stan Lee and Mr. Ellenbogen, Mr. Arad will serve as executive producer of all Spiderman film and television projects. "We couldn't be happier -- at long last -- to bring this popular character to the big screen to the delight of audiences around the world," said Amy Pascal, president of Columbia Pictures. "Our worldwide marketing and merchandising operation is looking forward to working with Marvel in creating an innovative program for this exciting franchise," said Bob Levin, president of worldwide marketing for SPE. "We have been working closely with Marvel for some time to develop a framework for a broad based relationship on Marvel's library of characters. We are happy to see this dialogue bear fruit in the form of Spiderman and look forward to our partnership in the years ahead," said Yair Landau, executive vice president, corporate development and strategic planning. In making the announcement, Mssrs. Calley and Ellenbogen also noted that the pending lawsuits between the two companies over Spiderman have ended and all claims have been settled between both parties. In addition, the disputes between Marvel, SPE and MGM on this matter have been resolved. +++++ From the SPLASH PAGE at www.comicon.com: JOHN GOLDWATER, ARCHIE PUBLISHER AND COMICS CODE ORIGINATOR, DIES. RIVERDALE MOURNS. John Goldwater, publisher of the hugely successful ARCHIE COMICS line, passed away at his home in Manhattan Friday. He was 83. Goldwater grew up in East Harlem as an orphan and, as a teenager, left to travel across the country, working odd jobs as he went, said he wife, Gloria. After returning to New York several years later, he worked loading magazines at the docks before creating Archie, she said. "He loved Superman, and he wanted to create a kind of opposite to Superman," she said. While official company policy credits Goldwater with the creation of Archie Andrews, the first Archie story was drawn by Bob Montana and written by Vic Bloom. The editor was Harry Shorten. Historians have long credited Bob Montana as being the creative and stylistic force behind the series. Goldwater's greatest impact on comics was behind the scenes in his pivotal role as one of the founders of the Comics Magazine Association of America. He served as president of the CMAA for twenty-five years and was instrumental in the creation and direction of the COMICS CODE AUTHORITY, a self censorship scheme put into place by comics publishers in the wake of the Kefauver Senate Hearings in the 1950's. Amy Kiste Nyberg, in her book, SEAL OF APPROVAL: The History of the Comics Code, says: "At the original meeting of publishers on August 17th, 1954 at the Biltmore Hotel in New York City, Goldwater reported on the activities of the Special Committee on Organization which recommended that the association be empowered to establish and enforce a code governing the industry in both editorial and advertising content; that a symbol or seal be designed; and that a public relations campaign be undertaken to inform the public, wholesalers, and newstand dealers about the new steps taken for self regulation. These recommendations were incorporated into the CMAA's official bylaws." The COMICS CODE quickly became a form of institutionalized censorship within the comics industry, and is credited with driving a number of Goldwater's competitors out of business and essentially neutering the artform of comics for the next thirty years. It continues to this day, with the CODE's stamp of approval on almost all comics receiving newstand distribution. Goldwater was the author of "Americana in Four Colors: A Decade of Self Regulation by the Comics Magazine Industry" which he wrote in 1964. Thanks to Karen Flage and Steve Bissette +++++ Veteran artist Christopher Ivy has joined with Sam Edmisten to provide computer embellishments on Red Hills Productions' POST MORTEM #1 which is set to ship in JUNE. (See April's Previews to order.) "Chris was going to be joining us on issue #2 originally, but a lightning strike to our computer damaged many of the original completed pages and necessitated his early arrival on issue #1 to help out," states series co-creator Sam Edmisten. "The man is a consummate professional; he came into the fold during a crisis and really pulled us out of a bind. In other words, we've made our deadlines." "I can't believe how Chris has brought such dimension in the finished pages," says Kimberly Edmisten, co-creator of the series. "With Javier's (Saltares) pencils, Lou's (Douzepis) inks, and now Chris and Sam's computer shading added to the mix...This is one fine-looking funny book!" Ivy has worked on nearly every title at Marvel at one time or another and is currently doing inks on several projects at DC. His past credits include The Flash, Sovereign 7, and Hulk 2099. "Anyone familiar with Chris' work will certainly recognize the quality he brings to all of his projects. This is certainly the case on POST MORTEM," Sam said. He will continue with computer embellishments on issue #2 (already well into post-production) and will be sharing the inking duties with Saltares as well. For those unfamiliar with the title, POST MORTEM is a dark comedy/adventure comic about the exploits of the last, great zombie-hunter, MERCUTIO JONES (Super-Fly Samurai) and his never-ending quest to bring about an end to the necro-virus that plagues mankind. POST MORTEM is a must-have mini-series chocked-full of zombies, stereo-types and locker-room humor. It is suggested for mature readers because of some violent content and adult language but the humor is all in good, clean fun. POST MORTEM #1 Ships in June Price- $3.25 Full Color painted cover 32 B&W pages Bimonthly Published by Red Hills Productions For more information and a preview of POST MORTEM#1, visit Red Hills Productions on the world wide web at http://www.redhillsonline.com. Contact: Sam and Kimberly Edmisten via e-mail redhills@redhillsonline.com or write Red Hills Productions P.O. Box 117 Patterson, NC 28661 +++++ From the news section of the DIAMOND Comics web site www.diamondcomics.com: Daredevil Joins Marvel Masterworks With all the recent interest in the hot new Daredevil title headlining the Marvel Knights line, Marvel has decided to offer fans a look at where it all began: Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil Vol 1 HC (JAN990807D4/$34.95). This deluxe hardcover edition reprints Daredevil (Vol. 1) #1-11, and features an introduction by the writer of those issues — Stan "The Man" Lee! A signed version (JAN990808H/$99.95) autographed by Lee is also available. Showcasing the art of Wally Wood, Bill Everett, and Joe Orlando, this 240-page collector's volume features the origin of the Man Without Fear, plus early appearances by several recurring villains. Don't miss these classic Daredevil stories! Descend Into The World Below In The World Below #1 (JAN990049D3/$2.50) by Paul Chadwick (Concrete) and Ron Randall, six adventurers in search of alien technology descend to a strange, vast underground world populated by bizarre creatures. Concrete fans will recognize the quirky psychological edge Chadwick adds to the tale, and all readers will appreciate the complete, single-issue stories and the Silver Age-style storytelling covers. An "Alternate Reality" Witchblade Tale In Witchblade: Infinity (JAN990686D2/$3.50), Scott Lobdell and Adam Pollina address the questions raised by a reality in which Sara Pezzini never received the Witchblade. If Sara hadn't been at the theatre that fateful night, could someone less worthy — or even evil — have acquired the Witchblade? What qualifies someone to wield the Witchblade? Would Sara be forced to confront the other wielder? These questions and many others will be explored in this 40-page stand-alone issue. Brief Notes Keif Llama: Gas War #1 (JAN991462E/$2.95) from Oni Press kicks off a fast-paced, all-new Keif Llama tale written and illustrated by comics veteran Matt Howarth (Post Bros.). In this tale of intergalactic intrigue, Llama, a top-notch xenotech, is aiding an intergalactic cartel's negotiations for mining rights on a gas giant, when civil war breaks out and an artifact is discovered that could mean doom for all parties involved. This high-quality title will appeal to sci-fi readers and to Howarth's many loyal fans — don't miss it! +++++ From: steve@steveconley.com (Steve Conley) Here's what's happening with Steve Conley's Astounding Space Thrills I've launched a new, full-color daily comic strip featuring characters from my indy comic book series Astounding Space Thrills. Every weekday, a new episode of Astounding Space Thrills: The Daily Adventures featuring robots, rayguns, underwater kingdoms and cliffhanger endings is available: -- at http://www.astoundingspacethrills.com//daily -- via e-mail. Visit the site to subscribe -- on your own web site. The AST site has coode that you can copy and paste into your HTML to add the strip to your web page. The strip is automatically updated, so you can sit back and watch your web page traffic line-up :) Already 15 web sites have added AST to their pages. And it's all FREE! It's a web thing. Issue 3 of Astounding Space Thrills the comic book (with the Drew Struzan cover) is somewhere between the printing press and the retailers right now. I expect it'll be in stores and your hands soon! Issue 4 if set for May and boasts a beautiful Kelly Freas cover. I hope you folks take a minute to stop by the new site, maybe subscribe to the daily e-mail and hopefully tell a friend. Thanks! Steve Conley Storyteller, Astounding Space Thrills http://www.astoundingspacethrills.com +++++ GRAPHICNOVELS.COM TO DONATE PROCEEDS TO CBLDF Northampton, MA -- GraphicNovels.com, the world's largest on-line purveyor of fine graphic novels, has announced that it will donate 10% of its total sales for the month of March to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. All purchases made at http://www.GraphicNovels.com will help the CBLDF continue its mission to protect the First Amendment rights of the comics community. "We recognize the importance of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund," said Robert Altomare, co-owner of GraphicNovels.com, "not only to the creative side of the industry, but also to retailers like ourselves." The benefit, which will run from March 1st to April 7th, 1999, allows customers at GraphicNovels.com to contribute something to the Fund with every regular purchase. GraphicNovels.com is a full-service on-line store offering a comprehensive collection of more than 2,000 graphic novels at discount prices. They also offer comic collections and libraries for sale. "I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Altomare at this year's A.P.E.," said CBLDF executive director Chris Oarr. "He's got me really excited about this benefit. GraphicNovels.com is setting a great example--it's a simple way for retailers to show their support, and it allows customers to buy something good and do a little good at the same time." The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization preserving First Amendment rights in the comics industry. Donations can always be sent directly to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at P.O. Box 693, Northampton, MA 01061. Be sure to check out "Busted!"Grap The Newsletter of the CBLDF or our web site at http://www.cbldf.org for more CBLDF news. For additional information contact Chris Bleistein at (413) 586-6967 or cbldf@compuserve.com +++++ Pow! Stan Lee Media Adds Heavy Hitters to Exec Team; Moreshead, Dixon, Hoin Seize Top Creative Management Posts ENCINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 1999--Stan Lee Media Inc. (www.stanleemedia.com and www.stanlee.net), the recently formed company established to deploy the global brand, intellectual property development capabilities, and goodwill of comic book publishing icon Stan Lee, Tuesday announced that it has hired three key executives to fill its top creative posts. Dana Moreshead, previously executive director of creative services for Marvel Entertainment, joins as vice president of creative services; Ken Hoin, formerly senior producer for Disney Online, is now executive producer for StanLee.net; and renowned film/television/interactive writer Buzz Dixon joins the company as vice president of creative affairs. All three will work under the aegis of Stan Lee, chairman and chief creative officer of Stan Lee Media as well as report to Devendra Mishra, chief executive officer. "We feel that having Dana, Buzz and Ken aboard is a coup for us. We are excited to be forming the nexus of our creative group around these three talented and aggressive executives, each of whom bring an unparalleled breadth and depth of experience from their respective fields," commented Mishra. As vice president of creative services, Moreshead will be responsible for the licensing, merchandising and continuity of the Stan Lee brand and the company's creations. In this capacity, he will pursue and oversee all respective third-party relationships and applications as well as supervise their media locations and environments. Moreshead joins Stan Lee Media after an eight-and-a-half-year tenure at Marvel Entertainment. While there, he co-founded Marvel's East Coast and West Coast creative services departments, which oversaw advertising, promotions, licensed product development and special projects. Of particular note is his work on Marvel's Theme Park (a venture with Universal Studios), the advent of digital style guides, as well as the product coordination of Marvel's 300 global licensees. As vice president of creative affairs, award-winning film, television and interactive game writer Dixon will be Stan Lee Media's Internet publisher and interactive games supervisor. A 20-year industry veteran, Dixon created and wrote hit shows and properties for such companies as Amblin Entertainment, Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Hasbro, Marvel, Universal and Warner Bros., among others. Dixon also helped to design games for TSR's interactive Dungeons & Dragons line. His film and television credits include "Dark Planet," "G.I. Joe: The Movie," "Batman," "Superman," "Tiny Toons" and "Transformers," among others. Additionally, he has written and edited in print for Marvel, National Lampoon and Disney. As executive producer for StanLee.net, Hoin will direct Stan Lee Media's online presence and services, supervising all content applications on the Internet. Hoin, one of the first employees at Disney Online, helped create Disney Blast, the Internet's first entertainment-driven service for kids 3-12. As senior producer for more than half of the site's content, Hoin managed a team of artists, engineers, producers and writers in the development and production of online comics, interactive stories and educational applications. Stan Lee Media has headquarters in Encino. The company's corporate and investor relations Web site can be found at http://www.stanleemedia.com. +++++ The Harvey Entertainment Company Responds to Acquisition Proposal LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 4, 1999--The Harvey Entertainment Company (NASDAQ:HRVY) announced today that it has referred an acquisition proposal by an entity, the principal of which is stated to be Jeffrey A. Montgomery, to Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation, Harvey's financial advisors. The proposal consisted of certain note obligations and warrants of such entity. Mr. Montgomery was former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harvey Entertainment. Harvey Entertainment was first notified of the proposal through a news announcement issued this afternoon. Gary Gray, Chairman of the Board, commented, "Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette was retained by the Board of Directors to assist Harvey Entertainment in developing, reviewing and structuring a range of strategic alternatives. DLJ will advise us whether the Montgomery letter has any substance. It will be reviewed along with other alternatives currently under consideration. In any event, the Board reserves the right to enter into, or not to enter into, any transaction, exercising its business judgement and fiduciary duty to Harvey shareholders." The Harvey Entertainment Company is engaged in the management and exploitation of its proprietary branded characters through merchandising and filmed entertainment, which includes theatrical, home video and television. The Harvey Classic Character Brands include Casper, the Friendly Ghost, Fatso, Stinkie and Stretch (the Ghostly Trio), Richie Rich, Baby Huey, Hot Stuff, Little Audrey, Wendy the Good Little Witch and many others. For more information on The Harvey Entertainment Company, visit the Company's website at http://www.harvey.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the need for permanent senior management, the need to secure financing for the Company's existing production activities as well as to implement the proposed business plan, the success of the Company's expansion strategy and risks of the Company's merchandising, home video, and filmed entertainment activities, the management of growth, fluctuations in quarterly and annual operating results, the release of filmed entertainment products, the risk that the pursuit by the Company of strategic alternatives will not be successful and other risks most recently outlined in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations. 1999 (c) Harvey Comics, Inc. CONTACT: The Harvey Entertainment Company, Los Angeles Michael S. Hope Interim Chief Financial Officer 310/789-1990 or Jaffoni & Collins Incorporated, New York David Collins 212/835-8500 or hrvy@jcir.com +++++ From COMICS 2 FILM Website: http://www.comics2film.com FROM AIN'T IT COOL NEWS: The TV related Coax section of Ain't it Cool News has been providing sneak peeks at upcoming Marvel super-hero cartoons. Three production stills from Spider-Man unlimited showed up on the site on Thursday, 2/25. The stills showed the show's logo as well as two shots of the new Spidey in action. A more recent update offered stills from the Avengers animated show. We were surprised by the radical changes in costume designs given to the different characters. While Wonder Man is clearly recognizable and similar to his comic book self other characters were not. A still of what is presumably Hawkeye, features the archer in a anime-style body armor with a nasty looking heavy artillery bow. Another grainy still depicts what we are assuming to be Ant-man and the Wasp, accompanied by a robot insect. This is not your father's Avengers. http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/ Big Bang (Knights of Justice) ----------------------------- Big Bang comics characters may be coming to a TV screen near you. Writer Steve Conrique-Ross tipped Comics 2 Film off to a live-action pilot called Knights Of Justice that has been filmed based on Chris Ecker and Gary Carlson nostalgic creations. Dichiera Productions has completed principal photography on the pilot and a rough cut was screened at last summer's San Diego Comic convention. The low-budget film stars martial arts champion Allen Woodman as the Batman-like Knight Watchman. Actress Lorin Taylor plays a new heroine called Masker. Masker was created just for the movie, but has also appeared in recent issues of Big Bang comics. Knights Of Justice also features the heroes Ultiman (Mike Constantin) and Thunder Girl (Sandra Kuhn). The four heroes battle the evil scientist Cortex and his small army of robot henchmen. Photos from the production are available on the Big Bang Comics website as well as Lorin Taylor's site. Although the production has a low budget the creators fought to ensure the movie had the right look. The characters and their costumes are said to closely resemble their comic book counterparts. In keeping with the nostalgic approach of the comics, the film makers were hoping to capture a movie-serial feel for the pilot. The pilot is in post production and is due out late 1999. The Knight Watchman character may be headed for the big screen as well. According to Ross, producer/director/screenwriter Philip Cable (24 Hours to Midnight) has developed a screenplay for the character. Ecker and Carlson have contributed enthusiastically to the project, providing extensive illustrations for a proposal that's been presented to potential investors. No casting has been done on the movie, but Ross reports that there have been discussions with Adam West to appear in the Batman-influenced movie. Ross and Cable may also work together to bring one of Ross's comic creations to live. The adventures of Chesty Sanchez were originally published by Antarctic Press. Ross describes Chesty Sanchez as "the story a woman whose wrestling career ends when she's wrongly accused of a crime. She's hired by a food company ("Frijoles del Oro"/"Beans of Gold") to dress in a leather mariachi costume and be their crime-fighting mascot; sort of an ass-kicking Ronald McDonald." The property had been optioned a few years ago, but rights have since reverted back to Ross. Building on their previous work on the masked-wrestler movie Champions of Justice Ross and Cable are seriously considering making Sanchez their next co-production. Ross directs interested parties to visit his website or contact him at maskrado@adnc.com. http://www.knightwatchman.com http://www.lorintaylor.com http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/1190/lineup.html +++++ From The Daily Buzz at http://www.mania.com/newsarama/index.html Matt Wagner has announced a follow to his GRENDEL: BLACK, WHITE and RED is in the works for next year. +++++ From Newsarama; http://www.AnotherUniverse.com/newsarama WINNER OF THE 1997 REC.ARTS.COMICS.* "SQUIDDY" FOR BEST WEB SITE German Garcia will be the new penciller on ACTION COMICS with Steve Epting doing Adventures of Superman instead. DC has also announced that SUPERMAN: MAN OF TOMORROW is cancelled with #15. According to Joe Kelly, DEADPOOL will live on past the issue #33 which was thought to be its last. Joe also said he would stay with the book as long as Marvel keeps it going. +++++ From Zentertainment; HTTP://WWW.ZENTERTAINMENT.COM To sign a friend up or begin receiving ZEN yourself, e-mail SeanJordan@aol.com and say SUBSCRIBE. The new issue of WIZARD: THE COMICS MAGAZINE has Kevin Smith casting the SUPERMAN LIVES he wrote a couple of years back, from the actors he envisioned delivering the dialogue of its characters... His list includes Ben Affleck as Clark Kent and Superman, Linda Fiorentino (Dogma) as Lois Lane, Jack Nicholson as Lex Luthor, Famke Janssen as Mercy, John Mahoney (Frasier) as Perry White, David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) as The Eradicator, Jason Lee as Braniac, and naturally, Jason Mewes as Jimmy Olson. http://www.wizardworld.com According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, ALLIANCE ATLANTIS has teamed up with TOP COW's Marc Silvestri on THE PROJECT, a sci-fi drama based on a concept by Silvestri about a group of young people who learn they've been raised to become a new breed of super-agents, who turn their abilities of telekinesis, telepathy, and shape changing towards combating global terrorism. ALLIANCE film division LE MONDE will create a PROJECT feature film, which will quickly spin-off into an ALLIANCE ATLANTIS Television TV series, both of which will be written by Silvestri. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com http://www.topcow.com Whoopi Goldberg is expected to play death in MONKEY TOWN, a live action and animated adaptation of the graphic novel DARK TOWN. Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) will direct the film, starring Brendan Fraser as a cartoonist who finds himself trapped in his own purgatory-like creation after falling into a coma. WIZARD reports J. Michael Straczynski will write the 24-issue mini-series RISING STARS for TOP COW, which premieres this July. Keu Cha (Tomb Raider / Witchblade #1/2) will supply the artwork on the series, which follows the adventures of a small town of 113 super-powered characters who gained unique powers from an alien energy flash. +++++ From the DCOnline newsletter; http://www.dccomics.com/newsletter.html To subscribe, or for questions or comments about the DC newsletter, please email DCWebSite@aol.com. NEWS BYTES 1998 HARVEY AWARD NOMINATIONS The nominations for the 1998 Harvey Awards, given out each year at WonderCon in Oakland, CA, have been announced, and DC Comics- affiliated projects or talent have garnered 12 nominations. Congratulations to all involved! BEST WRITER * Garth Ennis for his body of work in 1998, including PREACHER and HITMAN SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR * Sergio Aragones BEST INKER * Mark Farmer for his body of work in 1998, including JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE NAIL BEST LETTERER * Todd Klein for his body of work in 1998, including HOUSE OF SECRETS BEST COLORIST * Brad Anderson for his body of work in 1998, including BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #112-113 BEST COVER ARTIST * Glenn Fabry for PREACHER * Dave McKean for THE DREAMING and Cages hardcover (Kitchen Sink) * Alex Ross for SUPERMAN FOREVER, SUPERMAN: PEACE ON EARTH, and Kurt Busiek's Astro City (Homage) BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM OF ORIGINAL WORK * SUPERMAN: PEACE ON EARTH by Paul Dini and Alex Ross * YOU ARE HERE by Kyle Baker BEST ANTHOLOGY * GANGLAND, edited by Axel Alonso BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT * PLASTIC MAN ARCHIVES VOLUME 1, edited by Bob Kahan and Rick Taylor ACTION FIGURES ARRIVING EARLY Good news for action figure fans! The next three DC Direct action figures -- the WONDER WOMAN ACTION FIGURE, GOLDEN AGE SANDMAN ACTION FIGURE, and SWAMP THING ACTION FIGURE -- will be arriving in stores on March 17 rather than their solicited in-store date of April 21. ANIMATION EPISODE SCHEDULE Warner Bros. Animation has supplied us with the following air schedule, which is subject to change. THE NEW BATMAN/SUPERMAN ADVENTURES airs weekdays and Saturdays on the WB Network, and BATMAN BEYOND airs Saturdays. Times given are Eastern and Pacific. 3/8/99 (4:00 pm) -- "Knight Time" (Superman) 3/8/99 (4:30 pm) -- "Animal Act" (Batman) 3/9/98 (4:00 pm) -- "Beware the Grey Ghost" (Batman) 3/9/99 (4:30 pm) -- "Livewire" (Superman) 3/10/99 (4:00 pm) -- "The Way of All Flesh" (Superman) 3/10/99 (4:30 pm) -- "Deep Freeze" (Batman) 3/11/99 (4:00 pm) -- "Bane" (Batman) 3/11/99 (4:30 pm) -- "Cult of the Cat" (Batman) 3/12/99 (4:00 pm) -- "Little Lost Girl -- Part 1" (Superman) 3/12/99 (4:30 pm) -- "Little Lost Girl -- Part 2" (Superman) 3/13/99 (8:00 am) -- "Little Big Head Man" (Superman) 3/13/99 (8:30 am) -- "Beware the Creeper" (Batman) 3/13/99 (9:30 am) -- "Shirek" (Batman Beyond -- NEW) ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [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: 02 March 1999 Can't change my S.T.R.I.P.E.s. I am such a twat (yes, I know you all agree). I got creator response to a story I ran and forgot to run it. My bad. Anyway, a while back when looking through the DC advance solicitation, I trashed the marketing for DC's now-in-Previews, Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. I got an e-mail from geoffjohns@aol.com who responded. "Well, you really go into it!! (What was that about?) Thanks for letting me filling you in a bit more. . . (By the way WHERE do you get your info!? I don't even know the full scoop on May's releases!!) Anyway... Issue zero was partly done, as a double-sized issue, to act as a defining story for the original Star Spangled Kid, dealing with the origin of the cosmic belt. The other half is introducing the new Star Spangled Kid and S.T.R.I.P.E. in a high-action adventure with Jack Knight against the Icicle. With the history behind it, we felt the book would best be served to do a "special" first, followed by the new Star Spangled Kid's adventures starting at day one -- which will be issue #1. We decided to simply call the special Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #0!" "And as far as who we're targeting. . .anyone who likes fun comics. . .but we'd LOVE to see female readers AND Golden Age fans give it a try. They won't be sorry. Thanks, Rich." Thanks Geoff, and sorry for not running this sooner. Now. Where was I? Tanklife. Did you know that Jamie Hewlett of Tank Girl fame, now living in West London has a new flatmate? None other than Damon Albarn, lead singer and writer for Blur. Woo hoo! (Q, April 1999) Biggest Rumour Of The Year As Far As I'm Concerned. Mark Waid has denied he's involved in the following story and doubts that Grant Morrison is either. Kurt Busiek says "no comment". Matt Idelson managed to avoid the story completely. And there's been no reply from Roger Stern or Joe Kelly. So what's the fuss about? I remember in the days just after Image was announced, at the short-lived Alexandra Palace Comics Convention in London, a group of Vertigo writers suggesting that they should get together and create a company called Substance. Well. I've had a rumour passed on to me that Mark Waid, Grant Morrison, Kurt Busiek, Tom Peyer, Roger Stern, Garth Ennis and Joe Kelly are getting together to create either a writers' company or imprint, hiring artists for each project but the copyright staying with the writer. This could be through one of the existing Big Companies or it could be an independent project. Also, Matt Idelson may be involved in putting together the project. This will happen at the earliest in late 1999 when certain exclusive contracts have ended. As I always say, this is a rumour. It may or may not be true. Certainly, after Mark Waid's reply, parts of it can't be true. But maybe parts of it are. It certainly won't be the first time I've heard rumours along these lines. But it's a damn interesting one, eh? And then I got some info from another creator who said "The only group of writers I've heard about includes Waid and Busiek and a few others. The story is they have engaged Mike Friedrich to shop around a newstand comics magazine concept aimed at younger readers. Stan the Man might be involved." Mark Waid's response? "Another oldie, dead many, many months ago. Strike two." All these rumours running around like rabid monkeys... maybe one of them will be true one day. Sigh. German Superman German Garcia of X-Men and Cable is Joe Kelly's new artist on Action Comics, after leaving the planned X-51, part of Marvel Tech's new line. Marvel Tech really aren't having much luck keeping creators these days, are they? Send your submissions in, you tech-minded artist folks! **** Okay, some heavy creator-based rumours today. Anyone with anymore info, confirmation, denial or background please e-mail me, as always at twisting@hotmail.com. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [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 #623 The lead feature of today's TOT originally appeared a "Tony's Tips" in COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE #1318 [February 19]. It is followed by a new "Tony's Mailbox." ****** TONY'S TIPS! "Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man much better than through mortal friends." --S. Weir Mitchell ****** A few years ago, at a Chicago Comicon, I was presenting the CBG Fan Award for "Favorite Reprint, Graphic Novel/Album" when I described such books, be they in hardcover or soft, as our "comics literature." For these were and are the comics most likely to find their way into libraries and mainstream bookstores. A few months back, in this column, we started talking about how important such volumes had become to the future of the comics industry and, more specifically, what collections we'd like to see. Like so many good ideas, it started with a comics reader. He sent me a list of the collections he wanted to see. I responded with a list of the collections I wanted to see. I also asked you to send me lists of the collections YOU wanted to see. I received dozens of letters and over a hundred suggestions. Running just the initial responses filled two "Tips." What I had originally thought would make for a quick column quickly grew into two solid days of tabulating the results and selecting the best of your comments to accompany them. There were two clear leaders among the suggestions: the Golden Age Spectre and the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. If I add the requests for volumes featuring the Silver Age Spectre, the 1970s Spectre by Michael Fleisher and Jim Aparo, and the most recent version of the Spectre by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake, the "Ghostly Guardian" pulls ahead by several votes. Interestingly enough, some of the votes for the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents came from readers who have never read the original comics. They learned about the characters from articles about them or from other fans. In one case, a fan's interest was sparked when he saw the originals--with their great Wally Wood covers--displayed on a retailer's display board at a convention. At $35 and up, they were well beyond his means, but he's longed for a T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents collection ever since. While sending in their suggestions, several readers commented on HOW they would prefer to see their choices reprinted. They put forth some thoughtful arguments. We'll start with Anthony Bozzi, Direct Sales Coordinator for Wildstorm Productions. He wrote: I need to point out my desire to see this stuff done right the first time: with new covers, well-written introductions, new coloring, and supplemental material. I absolutely hate it every time the music industry "remasters" the sound and packaging on back catalog compact discs that have been previously available for years. The new edition always makes their initial effort stand out as a "shoddy, money-first" type project. It also forces music fans to decide if they like the artist in question enough to buy the same album on CD twice. Either way, the purchaser walks away with a poor taste in his or her mouth. We also heard from Raphe Cheli: I want to compliment Marvel and DC for jumping on the Cerebus bandwagon and reprinting stuff in black-and-white. Even with all the faults with the Essentials paperbacks--such as pulling their stats from other reprints of the material and the complete lack of forewords or historical information--I have purchased the Silver Surfer and all three Spider-Man volumes. I'm not interested in the X-Men, but I noticed Marvel has solicited an Avengers trade. For $13, it's a bargain! Don MacPherson took issue with my comments on the DC Archives and Marvel Masterworks volumes. He wrote: You recently listed your top picks for reprint collections of Golden Age and Silver Age stuff you'd like to see from DC. I, too, love those stories from yesteryear, but DC's Archives editions and Marvel's Masterworks volumes don't make those stories as accessible to the average reader as you maintain. When I was a kid, DC published its Blue Ribbon Digest line, which was how I discovered a lot of the Silver Age stories and a few Golden Age tales I have come to cherish. I would love to see the return of this digest format. If DC kept it affordable, it would be a great way for longtime readers like myself to catch up on old favorites and to introduce new readers to the vastness of the DC Universe. Mitchell Rentzler touched upon nearly every possible format in his comments: I really like the Essentials format because you get a large arc of story at a cheap price. They are the Sizzlers of the comic-book world. DC's Archives series, as well as Marvel's Masterworks format, are great, but their price is prohibitive. I can usually find them at a discount, but I live in New York City where there is a wealth of outlets for this material. I know a lot of people live in one- shop towns where they cannot easily find a lower price. For this reason alone, I wish DC and Marvel would put out cheaper, softcover versions of some of their more popular volumes. The tabloid collectors editions were terrific, but they were hard to store and sell. Much as I loved them for the art, I don't think we will ever see them again. One of the forgotten formats is the digest. DC even did Doom Patrol and Metal Men issues. They are small and can be racked with the paperbacks. Best of all, they can be sold at the supermarket checkout counter where they become an impulse item and, when the line is moving too slow, instant entertainment. Imagine if DC came out with a series of digests reprinting some suitable-for-all-ages titles like Plastic Man, Captain Marvel, Metal Men, and The Brave and the Bold. I think both fans and the bottom line would be pleased with this format. Other forgotten formats I miss are DC's 100-page spectaculars and the 52-pages-for-a-quarter comics the company published a few decades ago. I would buy them just for the oddball reprints that backed up the original material. I won't even go into my fantasies of such collections as DC Gorilla Stories, The Best of Flash Mutilation Stories (big head, puppet, fat, slow, old, teletubbie, poor Barry!), DC Wedding Come- On Stories, which would never happen inside the comics despite the scene on the cover. One can always hope. I agree that there's a need for both hardcover and softcover collections of classic comics material, although I'm unsure if this would be financially feasible for the publishers. The hardcover editions are, of course, ideal for libraries, and generally hold up better and longer than trade paperbacks. The tabloid is making a comeback of sorts. SUPERMAN: PEACE ON EARTH seems to have done well in that format, which will also be utilized for the upcoming SUPERMAN/FANTASTIC FOUR crossover by Dan Jurgens. Retailer reluctance to the tabloids could be a problem, but, if the readers support these projects, I suspect the retailers will follow their lead. Hopefully, the same will hold true for the fine folks who make the protective bags and boxes which guard our comics treasures. The digest comics/supermarket checkout line connection is one I often hear, but I suspect most fans are unaware of how checkout line racking works. Magazine publishers buy space on those racks and it ain't cheap. It's a profitable arrangement when the digests feature well-known characters like Archie, but would be much more of a risk with the titles Rentzler mentions. Keep in mind that the Archie stories--with their clean artwork and terse writing--are very readable when reprinted in the digests. The same wouldn't be the case with most DC Comics stories, although I'd bet BATMAN ADVENTURES and SUPERMAN ADVENTURES would still look pretty good at that size. I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for anyone to publish 52- page comics for a quarter, but DC will again be venturing into the realm of the "100-page spectacular" later this year. Since I truly love big, fat comic books, I am SO there. Rentzler's other collection suggestions--bogus weddings, DC gorillas, Flash mutations--were definitely among the wilder ideas received from CBG readers. Which is not to say I wouldn't relish such volumes. I like "The Bride of Jungle Jimmy"--the cover shows the hapless Olsen about to be wed to a gorilla--as much as the next demented comics fan. We'll return to this discussion next week. ****** TONY'S MAILBOX Today's letter comes from MIKE LAVIN of the Lockwood Library at the University at Buffalo: Let me start out by saying I enjoy TOT. The adjectives hat come to mind are: reasoned, reasonable, mature, informative, fun, and insightful. Not a bad mix. I noticed in your bio that you frequently speak at libraries and schools in your geographic area. I've been reading comic books since 1963, and have been a librarian since 1977, so the intersection of the two spheres is always of interest to me. Unfortunately, few librarians seem to share my interest. I continue to be amazed at how few public, school, or college libraries maintain browsing collections of current comics, even though on a "cost per use" basis, comics represent a potentially effective and appropriate library expenditure. I'm curious to know the type of reception you have received from librarians on your speaking engagements. The fact that you are invited to speak at libraries is in itself encouraging. Do librarians ever ask your advice on starting a comics collection? The professional literature of librarianship is notable for the paucity of articles on the comic book medium. Recently, I persuaded one of our journals, entitled "Serials Review" to run a major series of articles on the topic of "Comic Books and Libraries." The articles will appear in four consecutive issues, two of which have already been published. I was asked to edit the series, and wrote several of the articles myself. I am realistic enough to know that these articles won't change my colleagues' perceptions, but every little bit helps. Mostly, I'm writing to say "Keep up the good work," and to encourage you to promote the idea of comic books in libraries whenever the opportunity presents itself. Most of the libraries I've spoken at in recent years already have comic books as part of their current collection. So they are already favorably disposed towards comics. Some librarians, especially those who visit this website, have asked for recommendations on comics and comics-related books that might be of interest to their patrons. Although I try to base my suggestions on the librarian's interests--children's section, young adult, general--the titles that come up again and again are Akiko, Bone, Elfquest, DC's Big Book series, DC's Archives series, MAUS, OUR CANCER YEAR, anything and everything by Will Eisner, the Marvel Essentials books, and the Sandman trades. Thanks for the kind words, Mike, and good luck on the "Serials Review" series. I would love to see the articles whenever they're published. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff. Tony Isabella February 21, 1999 ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [7] Interview by . . . Paul Dale Roberts silhouet9@aol.com Interview with Jon "Bean" Hastings, Creator of Smith Brown Jones Question: Can you tell me something personal about your life? How was it growing up? Where were you born? What was family life like? Schools? Ever been expelled from school and so on. I was born in 1967 during the Summer of Love in Hippie-ground-zero, San Francisco. I grew up in Walnut Creek, Ca., which is suburbia cubed. I'm sure my hometown was designed as an experimental colony created to find out how homogenized life could be. My dad was an English/French teacher (now retired) and my mom is a housewife with masters in English, which could have led to stifling intellectualism and a job involving the wearing of ties. Fortunately, my dad is as nuts as I am and my mom loves movies, so I was sufficiently warped growing up. I'm sorry to say that I didn't get into much trouble in school, I spend most of my time perfecting my geekines. I then went on the graduate from U.C. Santa Cruz (Go Slugs!) with a degree in "Art", whatever that means. Question: What was the very first comic book you read? I'd say it was a issue of Mad Magazine, if that counts as a comic. Others that I consider "first", in the sense of seminal influences would be Edward Gorey's work, the old Pogo and Humbug comics my mom kept from the fifties and the Dell "UFO" reprints that my grandfather gave me. Question: Tell us something about Smith Brown Jones: Alien Accountant. What is this comic book all about? My book is about a very average alien who has to deal with exceedingly unaverage situations. He works as a tabloid reporter to help him find out what makes us Earthlings tick. However, he is constantly being side-tracked by weirdness, including everything from bumbling invaders to vampire unicorns to talk shows to burping cats. Question: What the heck is this ruckus about a Tour de Farce? Could you two please elaborate? The Tour de Farce represents our mission to put a little whimsy back into the comics world. Aside from the usual goal of wanting people to try something new, we want people to try something funny and we're willing to act like fools to do it! We'll be traveling the country with our Comedy Machine spreading the gospel of giggles to young and old as we hit all the major conventions. We'll be a juggernaut of laughs, baby! Question: And what is the Comedy Machine? The Comedy Machine will be the centerpiece of our booth at the various conventions. It's a kinetic sculpture/backdrop that will grow in size at each consecutive convention. It must be seen to be believed! Question: Will there be other creators around during this tour de farce? We've asked a few people, but as yet they were too afraid of us to commit. Question: Where are the stops? A.P.E. VI, WonderCon, Chicago, and San Diego so far, with some signings thrown in at some point. Question: If someone is inquiring about the Tour de Farce, Smith Brown Jones: Alien Accountant, how can they reach you? Do you have a website and if you do, where is it? My website is at http://members.xoom.com/kiwistudios and there'll be tour updates when I get around to it. You can also check out the www.slavelabor.com to purchase most of my stuff (plug, plug). Question: Where do you two want to be 5 years from now? 10 years? Five years: Watching the "Smith Brown Jones" cartoon with my future kids and present wife. Ten years: Rocketing through space in the experimental X-F1000 "SpaceWarper" on my way to a comic book convention in Alpha Centuari. Question: Tell us something about the promotions for Cartoon Art Museum and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund? I'm on the board of directors for the Cartoon Art Museum, so I'll be singing their praises during the tour and, once we work out the final details, I'll be soliciting material for a museum benefit comic that I'll be editing. As for the CBLDF, we'll be giving away nifty stuff for donations that you won't be able to get any other way, so start writing those checks! Question: Will this tour last 1 year? Nope, 364 days, eight hours, thirty-two minutes and forty-three seconds.. Question: Are you stopping by A-1 Comics in Sacramento? (smile) If you are, I will get you in touch with Brian Peets the owner, just let me know. (bigger smile) . We might just do that (smile). Question: If there was anything besides comics that you could be doing, what would that be and why? My first love was movies, which are basically comic books with too many other people involved, so I'll have to use the old cliche, "I'd like to direct." Question: What cartoons, TV shows and movies do you like? Too dang many (getting things done-wise), that's for sure. Cartoons: Anything by Chuck Jones and the Warner Brother's crew, Tex Avery, "The Simpsons", the Fleischers, most Disney. TV: "X-Files", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Monty Python", anything well-written or odd. Movies: B-grade horror and science fiction, Hitchcock, Buster Keaton, the Coen brothers, John Sayles, Terry Gilliam and on and on. Question: What books do you like? I try and go back and forth between fiction and non-fiction. Non-fiction for information to steal for story ideas, fiction to steal the style I should use to for the stolen information. Question: What comic books do you read now? Strangers in Paradise, ACME Novelty Library, Hellboy, Cerebus, Bone, Castle Waiting, pretty much anything by Alan Moore or Frank Miller and anything that catches my fancy. Question: What hobbies and recreational activities do you participate in? No time, drawing! (OK, movies.) Question: If you were on a desert island, what 3 things would you want on that island with you and why? My wife Terry, a lifetime supply of food and a gigantic mansion. Question: Are you two going to be the next Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello of the comic industry? We're going to be the next Donny and Marie, minus that whole weird teeth thing they've got going. Question: What do you think of the comic industry (pro and con)? Pro: There's lots of wonderfully diverse stuff coming out in all genres. Con: But there's not enough people reading it! Question: Will there be a crossover between Evil & Malice and Smith Brown Jones? Well, duh. Question: This winds up the interview is there anything you would like to comment on? Thanks for the interview! That's a nice shirt. Paul: Gee, thanks Jon, I bought it at K-Mart. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [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. ] A couple of weeks back I wrote a very nice column about Keith Giffen, and now, of course, he has given me reason to regret it. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but his recent "confession" on a Legion of Super Heroes chat board has really pissed me off. A bit of Legion history. A few years back, before the Legion was rebooted, and when my interest in the LSH was at its peak, there was a storyline where a second set of Legionnaires suddenly appeared in the bowels of the earth. There was a lot of speculation about whether they were clones of the current team, or whether the current team were clones of them. Turns out that Keith intended for the current team to be the clones. That is, he was intending for the members of the LSH whose adventures we had been buying for twenty years, to be revealed as clones. He was then going to have a pitched battle between the two sets of Legionaries, which would result in the deaths of an undisclosed and randomly chosen number of them, with the older Legion being sent off into deep space at the end. Let's leave aside the attacks on the logic of the LSH (Legionnaires killing each other? Unthinkable), and look at the wider problems this would have caused. Let me say that I can see that in many ways this would have been a pretty cool story, there was potential for a lot of other stories coming out of it, and that Keith might even have been able to carry it off without my being as angry as I am now. But really, this is just a slap in the face to Keith's predecessors on the book, and to the readers who have an emotional investment in the characters. The Legion was one of the few mainstream books with any real sense of believable history. The Legionnaires had gotten older, dead Legionnaires almost always stayed dead (with the exception of Lightning Lad, and Giffen had explained that away anyway), they got married and had kids. Sure there were continuity glitches, and the Byrne reboot of Superman had stuffed a fair chunk of the early stories but why worry too much about those things, they were either fixable or forgettable. There was always a sense in the Legion that it all fit together somehow. For the "original" (read: dicky-sixties-style-beloved-of- babyboomers) Legion to come back would decimate that sense of history, as well as send out the message to all the creators of the book in the intervening time (including Giffen's long time partner, Paul Levitz) that their work was somehow wrong. That they weren't really doing anything to the real Legion. That the real Legion can be brought back, intact, including such long dead characters as Ferro Lad and invisible Kid. That twenty years of work is irrelevant. In many ways, it is far more contemptuous than the reboot, which also ignored all that history, but replaced the "original" Legion as well. If I had worked on the book I would have been insulted. But I didn't, I'm a fan, and therefore I am actually much more important than creators. "Why, how arrogant of you David, creators are gods who can do as they will", I hear you cry. Bullshit. With the exception of creator owned works, we are the real owners of the comics characters we support. It is through our patronage that these characters continue to live and breathe, through our memory that they are remembered and cherished. Once the corporation has sucked a character away from its original creator, it is the fans who keep it going. Creators who pick up an established character are just caretakers, and need to be reminded of that a little more often. They are not toys. We, the fans, the people who support books for years through indifferent stories, lousy fill ins and stupid creative teams, we are the ones with the emotional investment that deserves respect. To be told that the characters we have followed, and laughed with, and mourned, and loved for decades are not what they seemed, that they are merely a copy, this does not show respect (to quote the Godfather). Marvel found this out the hard way with the equally idiotic Spiderclone storyline. I never thought I'd say this, but thank God Keith left the LSH when he did. David Groenewegen davidhar@lib.monash.edu.au ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [9] PIPELINE COMMENTARY AND REVIEW Augie De Blieck Jr. augie@nic.com http://www.nic.com/~augie/pipeline NEWS WEEK Lots of interesting stuff in the news file this week. So let's have fun with these blasted gits, shall we? THE CUMULATIVE ATTENTION SPAN OF A GNAT Whatever's in the water over there at Awesome, it sure is catching. First we have Rob Liefeld. We generally know what to expect from him already, but he sure is outdoing himself this year. So far we've had one issue of RE: GEX, the series which he said he has zillions of ideas for and could be his masterpiece. He was so sure of this, he even struck a movie deal, which he would write and direct. After one issue of that, though, he got bored and solicited for ROB #1, a semi- autobiographical book. That's not out yet and already he's announced this third new project for the year: taking over on CABLE. So for those of you keeping count: In 1999, Rob Liefeld has solicited for three different comic book titles, and produced 20 actual pages of work. Now Ian Churchill is following suit. THE COVEN just wasn't good enough for him. No, sir. Let's read from Michael Doran's NEWSARAMA column, shall we? Awesome Entertainment has announced the debut of an all new Ian Churchill created mini-series entitled Lionheart. Written by Churchill's Coven partner Jeph Loeb, the mini "chronicles the saga of an ancient power that has been handed down throughout the ages, and the woman who now shares its amazing properties." So on top of the fact that Churchill can't manage to produce 6 continuous issues of a series, he's now changing gears to a new series which bears a description which would label it a WITCHBLADE clone, at best. Of course, I believe ShadowHawk (with Alan Moore, Kurt Busiek, and Jim Valentino) beat them both to the concept, but then someone probably beat them to that concept long ago, too. In any case, I'm sure the breakout success that Michael Turner and Joe Madureira have had drawing half-naked women with oversized chests has nothing to do with this decision. But, wait! It gets better! Churchill says this won't mean the end of THE COVEN! (Heck, no. Should this series bomb, he'll need something to fall back onto and proclaim his one true love.) Rob Liefeld is also quoted as saying this: "A special Coven: Origins issue written by Jeph and Ian will ship in June and the Coven is also featured prominently in the pages of Coven vs. Re: Gex, a 2-issue mini-series on sale in May and July. Ian will then return to the Coven in late summer/early fall just in time for a major new storyline." So the two also-rans of the AWESOME set -- RE: GEX and THE COVEN -- will meet up in a mini-series designed to be short enough for someone at AWESOME to actually finish! Fancy that! The sad thing is that they may just be the smarter people for this. Mini-series sell better than titles with long histories. Heaven forbid anyone buy THE SAVAGE DRAGON, right? It's almost at issue 60! It's ancient in this day and age! (BTW, see the letters pages of the most recent DRAGON issue for a beautiful rebuttal of this numbering system by Erik Larsen.) I'm surprised people still read SPAWN, but then nothing has really changed in that series in more than 60 issues, and Todd McFarlane is introducing something like 3 new Spawn-related series in the coming months, so maybe it is starting to fade. WEEK OF DEATH I can't take it anymore. More of my favorite and potentially-favorite projects died out this week than I care to count. But being the dedicated columnist that I am, here's where the death toll stands: * Sierra fired its programming staff in charge of the upcoming BABYLON 5 space simulator. The fate of that program is unknown, although it was far enough along that they might cobble something together to release anything. It remains to be seen if this is for the best or not. * CRUSADE, the B5 spin-off series, was officially declared dead by its creator, jms, this week. The Sci-Fi Channel couldn't afford to grow its audience and bring in a loyal fanbase, so they had to pass on the series. (I suppose they've never heard of deficit financing? I'm just being cranky, is all.) TNT wouldn't finance any more of the project unless it involved naked babes and four-letter words. UPN wouldn't buy it for fear of having something intelligent on its schedule. And The WB wouldn't buy it unless James Vander Beek starred. So rather than pour some model into a skin-tight bodysuit in an effort to gain an audience at the expense of its intelligence, jms closed it down. We wish him well on his future projects and remember fondly BABYLON 5 as the shining beacon of light that it was -- a fully-realized 5 year story arc with the courage of its convictions. * Chris Eliopolous' DESPERATE TIMES comic has ended with the fourth issue. We wish him well in selling the strip into syndication. I look forward to reading the further adventures of Marty and Toad in the local papers. =) * MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000 will be ending at the conclusion of the upcoming 10th season. And there are still so many really incredibly bad movies to make fun of, too. MST3K will live on with the web, but weekends won't be the same with Mike and Tom and Crow. =( And whatever happened to that MST3K comic book series? Oh, wait, that was an Acclaim property, wasn't it? Nevermind. . . UPDATE FILE: Martin Wagner, who left HEPCATS because he can't stick to a schedule any better than anyone mentioned in the first section of this week's column, has found his new career in film. He's scheduled to storyboard Robert Rodriquez's next film, described as a kids' adventure movie. With this announcement, you can expect the movie to begin filming in 2005, just as soon as Wagner has finished 30% of the storyboards and proclaimed financial trouble since Rodriguez wasn't able to pay him on-time for his 6 sorta-continuous years of work. In response, Rodriguez will cite creative differences, noting that Wagner hasn't been able to be creative in more than a decade. JUST PLAIN BIZARRE: And this bit from Diamond Online from the Bizarro Pipeline file: The title of Comics Journal #212 Year In Review (DEC981287F/$5.95) has been changed to Comics Journal #211 Year In Review. And they thought Todd McFarlane couldn't count ! THANKS Special thanks to Michael Doran's NEWSARAMA and Beau Yarbrough's THE COMIC WIRE for the newsbits in this week's issue, as well as Diamond Comics Distributor. http://www.mania.com http://www.comicbookresources.com http://www.diamondcomics.com -Augie -------------------------------------------------- Augie De Blieck Jr. * augie@nic.com <*> Pipeline Commentary and Review: New Every Sunday: http://www.nic.com/~augie/pipeline ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [10] 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.] In a recent column I commented that too many limited series are just plain forgettable and a total waste of money. I was referring to those featuring super hero characters that must maintain a status quo. There is, happily, a myriad of mini series published today that fall outside the restrictive realm of super heroes, series that do allow storytellers the flexibility to tell a complete tale. We have Dark Horse, DC, Image and many independent self-publishers to thank for providing this venue for comic creators. SHEVA'S WAR #1 - 5, by Christopher Moeller, published between October '98 and February '99 by DC Comics' Helix label, is a worthy science fiction tale. Moeller has created a believable world with the planet Tarami, where the surface is too high to retain much atmosphere and where inhabitants are confined to the green valleys nestled deep at the bottom of geological fissures. It is a planet under siege by the Vaylen, a mysterious race that rises up every 300 years or so to advance its interstellar territory. Ahmi is the unfaithful wife of the planet's Baron, as well as a Captain in the peoples' army called the Landwehr. Like other officers in the army, she possesses a form of telepathy used for communications during battle. Mysteries unfold from the very beginning. What secrets contained in the Hammideh Archives are capable of subjugating both mankind and the Vaylen Terror? Why are the Vaylen interested in Tarami, a small backwater planet? Beyond these plot puzzles, Moeller builds interest in his lead character, who harbors secrets of her own. Why, one asks, is the Baroness Ahmi unfaithful? As answers are uncovered the tension and excitement mounts and the odds of survival by the humans grows worse. With each revelation, Moeller manages to peel away more of Ahmi's emotional blocks, revealing her secret truths to herself. By the final issue, her self-revelations result in change. The art is excellent. Moeller paints each page with clear, easy to follow panels. He is adept with the brush and oils, making excellent use of his white pallet. What is most impressive is the realism of his art. His designs could easily be adapted for the screen. I particularly enjoyed his depiction of the cloned warriors utilized by the Vaylen. From a distance they appear to be nothing more than green men wearing green burlap sacks, but up close, they reveal an alien continence capable of devouring their human victims. My only complaint, and it is a minor one, is a bit of unfinished business at the story's end, an obvious enticement for a sequel. It is one thing to plant a desiderate note after the story's climax, especially if the author knows for a fact that there will be a sequel, but to use the final panels in the story is cliched. It's like saying, "The End?" Christopher Moeller has demonstrated real versatility over the years. My first exposure to his artistry was the four issue limited series he created for Innovation in 1991, ROCKETMAN: KING OF THE ROCKETMEN. It was an adaptation of the old Republic Pictures matinee serial. But it was much more than a straight adaptation. Moeller took the script and totally redesigned Rocketman's costume, weaponry and headquarters, giving them his own spin while retaining the 1940's look. This series was reprinted in a trade paperback that same year, but without the magnificent Moeller covers from the limited series. If you enjoy pulp heroes, I recommend looking for this classic. In years past, comic book adaptations of films have suffered from space limitations and restrictions placed on the artist that prevent him from using the actual likenesses of the actors involved. Remember that terrible George Tuska adaptation of a Sinbad movie back in the 70's? I can only name a few adaptations where the artist actually added to the project, rather than mimic it. These include Walt Simonson's adaptation of ALIEN and Jim Steranko's OUTLAND, as well as the aforementioned ROCKETMAN. THE MASK OF ZORRO, #1 - 4, by Don McGregor, Ron Wagner and Rick Magyar, published between August '98 and January '99 from Image Comics, is an exact adaptation of the Antonio Banderas' film that made its debut last summer. The comic came out soon on the tail of the movie, but a lethargic publishing timetable brought the final issue late, after I had purchased a DVD release of the film. Wagner must have been supplied with numerous photographs from the movie production as almost every scene is depicted in its entirety. So much so that the artwork, unlike those I mentioned above, suffers from a distinct lack of angle shots or any artistic expression whatsoever. There is an in-depth annotation by McGregor on the art of adapting a comic script from a screenplay (that might be useful to the five or six writers who find themselves getting that kind of assignment someday) and the comic includes color photographs from the movie in each issue. These extras add a bit more value for the $2.95 price tag. In a move that is typical of greedy publishers these days, each issue of the comic was released with two covers, one by Wagner and one with a photo cover. I can only recommend this series to a.) those who somehow missed the theatrical, video or DVD releases, b.) those who are Zorro completists, or c.) those who collect comics with photo covers. Book adaptations of movies tend to permit the author some leeway to explore the back-story or internal thought processes of characters, if only to flesh out more pages than a straight screenplay would allow. Comic book adaptations, on the other hand, must squeeze a two-hour movie into a compact pictorial digest. And don't forget, comics are for kids, so heaven help the poor studio executive who licenses the next PULP FICTION type film for a comic book adaptation. Then again... JONNY DOUBLE #1 - 4, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, published September through December '98 by DC Comics' Vertigo label, is probably as close as we are going to get to a modern street crime drama in the vein of PULP FICTION from a mainstream publisher like DC. Azzarello spins a web of intrigue as over-the-hill private eye Jonny Double gets suckered into a gang heist by a voluptuous, pouting young frill named Faith. Oh, he knows better than to trust anyone under thirty, but, just like some national leaders we know, he can't control his own libido. When his young, corrupt partners start ending up as murder victims we begin wondering just what Jonny's agenda includes, that is, if he even has one beyond sleeping with the minx. Eduardo Risso does a nice job with the art. It is reminiscent of Moebius or Chris Darrow, but without their noodling little details, and shows a masterful use of solid blacks to balance each page. My Mom warned me about young vixens, but you know, sometimes you just gotta' have Faith! But faith will only take you so far in a world of Machiavellian court intrigue. As witness... GIFT'S OF THE NIGHT #1 - 4, by Paul Chadwick and John Bolton, concludes next month from DC Comics' Vertigo label, and is a comic that goes beyond intrigue to engulf the world of manipulation. The young scholar Reyes learns that the lessons he has been teaching a boy prince at night are being repeated to the king who views them as prophesies to be followed. Reyes wonders if he should use this newfound power to exploit the king's policies in ways favorable to himself and his beliefs. At first, the answer seems clear, but by the third issue Reyes is experiencing some serious misgivings as he sees himself losing control. John Bolton paints this excellent Paul Chadwick story in a fairy tale style. Throughout the series, Reyes' many fears and delights are manifest in fantasy images worthy of Walter Mitty. Sitting in the counsel chambers, for instance, Reyes hears one of the prince's 'visions' misinterpreted by the king in a way that destroys his intended goal. Seeing his plans shattered, Reyes imagines the chambers stain glass window shattering above, its shards imbedded into his head. This series is asking some serious questions of morality and ethics in a very simple way and I am looking forward to reading Chadwick's conclusions as the series wraps up next month. While were talking about fairy tale art, how can I resist mentioning this next book? No, it's not a limited series like those above. It's actually a reprint of a story that precedes an ongoing series that is going on hiatus. CASTLE WAITING:THE CURSE OF BRAMBLY HEDGE, by Linda Medley, has just been reissued by Olio Press. I began reading Linda's CASTLE WAITING series after seeing several recommendations in CBEM and have managed to find all the back issues. (It is up to issue #7.) I missed the original printing of BRAMBLY HOUSE and understand that this second printing has additional material. It is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, a.k.a. Brier Rose, told, somewhat, from the point of view of the witches involved and in a modern tense. The story is 52 pages long, with another 30 or so pages devoted to activities, illustrations suitable for copying and coloring with crayons, and recommendations on children's literature. If you have any little girls around the house this will make a great bedtime read. I'm putting this book, along with the series, next to my LEAVE IT TO CHANCE comics and storing them until I get some granddaughters! Compare any of the limited series I've mentioned here to those featuring your favorite super hero and I'm sure you will agree the storytelling is much more versatile and compelling. Now, where did I put those copies of BATMAN, HELLBOY, STARMAN? ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [11] 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."] Of (Super) Men and APEs Well, APE is a not-so-distant memory. San Jose (and yes, I do know the way to San Jose) has come and gone and I'm still sorting out my feelings from this show. Sales-wise, I did not do as well as SPX, but the real difference seems to lie in selling original art. The crowd in San Jose seemed to be much more, well..."this is really cool, but I don't have any money," as opposed to Bethesda's "this is really cool, I think I'll buy three of them." (Don't laugh, it actually happened with original art, which is a pretty big three.) I met a lot of really nice people and got some new INNOCENT BYSTANDER converts, I think. The crowd was a much younger one that what I saw at both San Diego and SPX. (Lots of piercings, lots of shaved heads, lots of fishnet. Not that there's anything wrong with that.) I don't know if you've ever been to San Jose, but it's a town in transition. Surrounded by mountains, I felt more like I was in a Colorado town, and the addition of a film festival running the same weekend as APE, added to that feeling. Downtown is very much caught between old and new, with gleaming office towers (like the brand new Adobe Systems complex) competing with old buildings. All that computer money and no place to go. I wonder why the Silicon Valley settled here? I didn't get a chance to see any of the surrounding area, so I have no idea what San Jose is like outside of downtown. APE seemed to be well-attended (I heard vague rumors of more than 1,000 people passing through on Saturday, the first day). The weather played a factor, though, in that San Jose hadn't seen a nice day in quite some time, and both Saturday and Sunday were very warm and sunny. I got to spend some time with my friends, Rich and Sandy Koslowski of THE 3 GEEKS fame, who were my table neighbors. Rich and I will be sharing a booth at San Diego this year, also, and I hope to be announcing some big news very soon concerning that venture. But the one thing that really bugged me about APE was quite simple: There was absolutely nothing I wanted to buy. Maybe it's because I've cut down on my comics buying, but nothing caught my eye at APE and made me want to purchase it. That was a strangely sobering thought. I mean is it me? Or is it them? It's me, isn't it? Anyway...onto other things. If ever there was a comic that was magically transformed overnight, it's SUPERMAN THE MAN OF STEEL. While I kind of cringed at the thought of new talent (including Jeph Loeb on SUPERMAN) taking over these books each month, if SMOS is any indication of what we're in for, I'm all for it. Mark Schultz (XENOZOIC TALES, SUBHUMAN) and Doug Mahnke (THE MASK, MAJOR BUMMER) make a great pair. I've been a big Schultz fan for years (and boy, would I love to see him do the covers on this book), and Mahnke really grew on me through his stint on Major Bummer, a book largely overlooked and sadly missed. Mahnke is part Dave Gibbons, with a splash of Frazetta, a smidgen of Mignola and just a hint of Nowlan thrown in. But his style isn't derivative...it's all Mahnke and on the Superman books it's as fresh as it comes. While I'm not particularly enjoying the current "Superman is nuts" storyline, I am enjoying this book. Just pick it up at a comics store and LOOK at it. It's beautiful. And Dennis Janke's inks are great, too, although next issue (#89) heralds the return of Mahnke's Major Bummer teammate, Tom Nguyen on inks. These two go together like Infantino and Anderson, Kirby and Sinnott, Byrne and Austin. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [12] Odds and Ends Eddie Mitchell memitch@worldnet.att.net [Eddie Mitchell lives in Louisville, KY with is partner of five years and three cats. Having read comics for most of his thirty-plus years, he believes strongly in both the medium and the message it can convey. His goal in life is to expose more sadly under-exposed comics to comics readers at large.] A Column of Reviews and Such I'm back! Finally. Let's just say that the weeks since my last column have been a whirl of illness (flu), papers (school), and travel (work). I've barely had time to eat, change clothes, and sleep, much less read any comics and then write about them. Since I absolutely refuse to put out a column that I haven't put serious time and effort into, Odds and Ends just had to slide. There are way too many pieces of garbage passing for reviews on the Internet, and I won't be a part of it. Personally, I think everyone would benefit if a few of the review-obsessed fan boys would take some time off, at least long enough to take a remedial grammar, spelling, and vocabulary course. A couple of them need to take permanent vacations. But that's a matter for another column. After that horrendous typo that slipped into my letter to CBEM last week, I shouldn't talk much more about sloppy writing for a while. (Even though when I catch errors that pop up, I do acknowledge them.) Still, I kind of like the image of the comic market "flooded with carp," which is what I wrote. It seems apt to me, since so much of what is being published these days isn't fit to wrap fish in. Plus, it's a lot more poetic than "flooded with crap," which is, of course, what I meant to write. But enough of this. It's time to actually talk about something! Since I'm still wandering through my reading stack of comics, I thought I would review some web pages that have been on my list of things I wanted to talk about here. There are tons of comic sites on the web, and most of them are pretty insignificant, filled with bad writing, fan boy ramblings, and some of the most thoughtless praise ever heaped on some of the worst comics ever created. It is incredibly rare to find a page that is thought-provoking, witty, creative and insightful, which is why I had marked the pages listed here as topics for discussion. Besides featuring what very few good comics, writers, and artists there are in today's industry, these pages do it with a flair and style that's refreshing. I've just gotten through rechecking all the URL's, so you should be able to get right to any of these you want to visit. Since I don't have enough space to walk you through each page in depth, I'm going to give you a sense of the flavor of each page and let you all check them out. Pioneering Cartoonists of Color: http://www.clstoons.com/paoc/paocopen.htm This is probably the most important pages related to comics on the web. I intended to review it as a part of Black History Month, but February got away from me. Still, while Black History Month gives us a special forum to discuss the contributions of African Americans, they really should be discussed all year round. The PCC page pays homage to African American cartoonists, both editorial cartoonists and strip cartoonists, whose work has become all but lost to modern readers. Many of these artists worked for local black papers and were never seen outside their own city. Some are famous, like Oliver Harrington (who doesn't have a working link yet) and George Herriman, but many are obscure. Thankfully this page has kept them from slipping away! Entries for each cartoonist include a short bio and a sample of their work. Not everybody has a link yet, though. I hope that updates are coming! The page is searchable by both artist name, name of the work, and name of the lead character. Steve 'Ribs' Weissman's World of Comics http://www.spaceageweb.com/ribs/index.html Weissman is fairly popular among alternative comics readers. His comics feature grotesque little children doing the things that grotesque little children do. It's sort of like the result of a mating between Charles Shulz and Charles Addams. The little guys are cute, but they're also werewolves, devils, and vampires. It's a lot of fun, and so is this page, which includes samples of his work, a short bibliography, and upcoming books. The highlight of the page, though, is the presentation of a few of the strips he did for Marvel Vision. Captain America and Spider-man have never looked better! The Parking Lot is Full http://www.plif.com/index.htm Comics designed to make you go "huh?" This is one of my favorite web comics out there! A single panel that has appeared in a few alternative newspapers, PLIF is wild, sometimes a bit tacky, but usually incredibly funny. If you like off beat humor and are not easily offended by cartoons with Jesus in them, check this out! It's the Far Side on steroids. Also check their list of links and recommended reading. The whole site reflects the off beat attitude of the strip. NON-Existence http://www.beat.com/jordan/non/ This is a simple page dedicated to Jordan Crane's alternative anthology NON. Crane is both a talented cartoonist and a skilled editor. Each issue he gathers together some of the best young and under-exposed talent and gives them a forum. It's a shame that it's not more widely read. The site gives updates and ordering info and some art samples. (The cover to #3 is an incredible visual assault of yellow and blue with a little hint of manga.) The best part about this site, though, and the reason I'm listing it here, is Crane's attitude towards reviews. He's gotten high praise from well-known critics on both sides of the Atlantic for NON and prints their reviews as part of the site. But, he also includes one hilariously out of touch negative review right up there with the rest of them. Without saying a word, he makes his point about this particular review, simply by letting his visitors contrast its silly bluster with the eloquence of the other reviews. It's smooth moves like this that make me love this site. The Alternative Comics Kiva http://crudites.com/nick/ack.html This is one of the few review oriented pages that I do like, primarily because of their attitude towards reviewing. (The fact that they also know how to construct intelligent sentences and write meaningful reviews also helps.) They can say it better than me, so I'm just going to quote: "Our idea was to always have more than one reviewer so that creators could get a more holistic view of their work. We also wanted to try to put our critiques in a positive manner. We didn't want to tell people they sucked, we wanted to inspire them to create something better, to challenge them." "Our goal is to further the artform by giving critique that inspires creators to grow. We are not here to pander to the ego of any artist nor are we here to endlessly bash anyone into the ground. If we can think of nothing constructive to say about a given comic then we will choose to say nothing at all." This is the kind of thing I strive to do with this column, usually without succeeding. Does the Kiva succeed? I think so. Check them out for yourself and let me know what you think. They review primarily alternative, independent, and obscure material. Instructions for submission are on the site. A kiva, by the way, is a Pueblo Indian tradition of small discussion groups. I think it's a neat concept to apply to comics. diRt http://www.dirtmagazine.com/pekar.htm diRt is a print zine that's also on the web. Each issue deals with a variety of topics, including some comics. You can check out the whole zine, if you're so inclined, but the particular page I'm indicating has an interview with Harvey Pekar, writer/creator of American Splendor. Pekar is a favorite of mine and he talks about the pitfalls of doing autobiographical material. It's a short interview and well worth reading. Literary Works by Comics Artists Gallery http://members.xoom.com/sgettis/home2.html This is probably the reason I decided to review web pages in the first place. I came across this site and thought that the idea was so great and so well-executed that it deserved some exposure. The concept lifts a page from the old Classics Illustrated series, but, instead of doing a whole story, artists have been invited to contribute a sketch from a classic work. The talent assembled for this page is one of its strongest points, ranging from Will Eisner to Joe Chiappetta. If you've been wondering about the work of artists like Chiappetta or Weissman, this is a good place to get a sample. Not every choice works, however (Fred Hembeck? Why?), but enough of them do to make this a worthwhile visit. And, you might want to see how many of the literary works cited are familiar to you. It may be time to put down that price guide and head to a library! Well, that's all I've got for this time. I'm going to try to include more web pages in my reviews, and if you have one that you think would be appropriate for this column, feel free to email me. I'll check it out, and, if I agree, I'll review it here. But think about it before you contact me. You know what I like and you know what I read. Am I really going to be interested in your X-men or Vampirella web page? Take care! ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [13] SOME PAGES, A COVER, AND A FEW STAPLES Marlan Harris mar93@aol.com [Marlan Harris lives and works in Burbank, CA.] EARTH X #s 0 and 1 (Marvel) Just remember that it isn't KINGDOM COME. Sure, you put the premises of both KC and EARTH X on paper and they look the same but Alex Ross isn't trying to duplicate the success of KC by carrying it over to Marvel. Fundamentally, their universes and characters are so distinct that you're going to get a different result when you plug in the same formula: The universe of the heroes, 20 years in the future. But Ross and his crew change the Marvel Universe from the beginning, changing the present day universe to serve the one in the future, where they tell the story. And they don't even need Hypertime to do it. Co-plotter (with Ross) and scripter Jim Krueger has a certain writing style that often works well in FOOT SOLDIERS but hasn't carried over well in his Marvel projects, like the near-awful AVENGERS Time-slip story and the terribly-overlong NIGHTHAWK. Here Krueger's hyperactive imagination is reigned in by concepts created by Ross and his script serves the story well. Throw in art by the long-underrated John Paul Leon and inks by Bill Reinhold, who seems to be inking a little bit of every project these days, and you know that Ross has picked the best co-creators around with which to work. (The best that Marvel can afford nowadays, anyway.) #0 overviews the history of the Marvel Universe, up to presumably the divergent point that begins the tale of Earth X. It works well as a history of the Marvel Universe, alternate Earth or not. The story also presents X-51, formerly the Machine Man, who has always been a fairly one- dimensional character. X-51 is the eyes of the Watcher, so he can look upon the Marvel Earth X with omnipotent power. This was a technique used in KINGDOM COME, but it was never intrusive there and it never gave the reader a distance to the story as it was occurring. EARTH X is a trickier project, as its 14 issues are much longer then the 4-issue KC and there is more than one linear story happening at a time. Looking just at #1, there are at least 3 main stories happening. Also starting out #1 with the exposition of Captain America's origin story, which might have well been in #0, the story starts at a crawl, especially for those that have heard Cap's history a hundred times before (and who hasn't?). Of course, it picks up a little later in the issue but all the while you have the feeling that you're watching the story on a television monitor, at a distance and not really there, just like X-51 and the Watcher. Ross also has a problem making the characters on the covers look as noble as he did with DC's characters, on KC and really any other project he did with DC's characters. Sure, these new Earth X versions of the Marvel characters we're familiar with are cool, but when you boil it down, it's like Marvel's own Tangent Universe, and Dan Jurgens can make characters just as cool as Ross. And these Earth X versions just aren't as recognizable as their "normal" Marvel Universe counterparts. You know the old guy that Ross painted as the KINGDOM COME Superman is Superman, just older, because you don't mess with the costume. Same with every other major DC character he created/revised/aged for KC. But these aged Earth X heroes are much less familiar and while Ross can paint a beautiful cover better than anyone else, we just aren't filled with awe like we were seeing the majesty and grandeur of an aged, wiser Superman. EARTH X could turn into the story of the year, just like KINGDOM COME. It certainly has the right components. And we've got another 13 issues to see what happens, not counting the #1/2 issue and the follow-up issues Marvel will do with or without Ross to capitalize on the success of the mini-series. CARTOON NETWORK PRESENTS #17 (DC) Featuring Alex Toth creations the Herculoids and the Galaxy Trio. Of course, the stories here never come close to how cool the original cartoons were, but it's good to see these characters in modern comics. With a better creative team, I don't see why people in their 20's and 30's - those that remembers the cartoons with these characters, comics readers or not - wouldn't go crazy over a regular series featuring them, and a non-COAST-TO-COAST Space Ghost, along with the other near-endless number of Toth creations. As for this particular issue, if your comic store actually got the issue, you can't miss the awesome Herculoids cover by Steve Rude. INVISIBLE 9 (Flypaper Press) This comic that looks like it's desperately trying to be funny is actually pretty funny. It takes a swipe at not normal comics conventions, but corporations and life in the `90's, controlled by heads of corporations. Every page is a gag and it doesn't poke too deeply, but it does get some chuckles. There are also some fake ads that you think are real as you page through it, but upon reading it, you realize they're subtle and effective parodies. I don't know if there were further issues of this, and I don't know when it came out exactly (probably within the last year) but it's certainly worth a dollar if you find it in the bargain bins. mar93@aol.com Http://members.aol.com/mar93/BoneMachine.html ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [14] 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.] Name: Para Troop #5 / Bastard Stew Prequel Publisher: Comics Conspiracy Para Troop & Bastard Stew Stories by: Doug Miers Bastard Stew artwork by: Ron Adrien/pencils Tie/inks Para Troop artwork by: Mike Patterson/pencils Jeff Boychuk/inks Price: $2.95 Comments: What's this?? 2 comic books for the price of one? Yep that's right, when buying Para Troop #5, you get a second comic book right in the back called Bastard Stew, that is produced by Studio 3 and Comics Conspiracy! What is Studio 3? Studio 3 is a professional association of comic book artists out of Brazil. These artists are no lightweights, they have been involved with the Battlebooks like Thor, Spidergirl, Citizen V and the list goes on. Super talented artists out of Brazil displaying their magic right here in the good ol' USA! You will love Bastard Stew that hints on a conspiracy and you will be left salivating for more! Before I go on with the stories, please make sure to check out Studio 3 website at: http://www.bbsn.com.br/studio3 and see what I'm talking about. Find out more stuff, by emailing them at: Studio3@comicsconspiracy.com Now with the stories. With Para Troop, the story starts off with the dreaded MIB facing down a farmer with a rifle. The MIB are trying to convince the farmer that he didn't see a UFO, that he saw something else. Then out of no where, Quim's UFO appears and the MIB take the offensive and it's time to silence the farmer witness. Some humor is thrown in, as the farmer tries to quickly retract his statement that he saw a UFO. Oops...too late! One less farmer in the world! Quim and his paranormal crew are searching and investigating crop circles and because there is a crop circle where the farmer saw the UFO, is the reason why Quim has landed his UFO. Willow a paranormal, scares the beejezuz out of fighter pilot as she floats up in the air to greet him. After the fighter pilot ejects, he will have a very bad day, like a missing eyeball and finger, but I'm not going to elaborate anymore than that. The MIBs in this issue, are quite aggressive and there is plenty of action as a conflict ensues. Some psychics have suggested that animals use mental transfers of images to communicate to each other and this is exactly how Quim communicates. He communicates with mental images, which is quite unusual. One paranormal is now completely engulfed in flames and guess which one this is! Highly entertaining story like always and the conspiracy deepens! Doug must spend plenty of time, thinking of ways to send readers down certain directions for the answers and then when you arrive at that destination, you get one wallop of a surprise! Doug uses a lot of creative energy in his stories. After reading them, your left somewhat paranoid. Hey, what's that behind me?...ugh...dang, only my reflection in a mirror. Make sure to check out Para Troop and ask Doug about some of the back issues, so you can catch up with this moving story! Now to the next story, called "Bastard Stew". Secrets, mysteries and conspiracies! With a military General holding onto some top- secret hardware. His savior being Agent Ramon who plans to take him home and doesn't really think the General has what he thinks he has. Agent Ramon is supposed to hand over the General to his partners Kelly and Jack and accidentally turns him over to what he thinks are replacement agents. Kelly and Jack show up after the replacements and Agent Ramon has a shocked look on his face, he knows he has been had. When the General is found dead a few blocks up, Agent Ramon knows he has his work cut out for him. Even though Agent Ramon has made this major mistake, he is a very resourceful agent and you will like the way he uses the sun to fight his battles, something out of a "Ninja handbook". The story is lively and moves at breakneck speed! I hate it when I read a story and I'm able to figure it out. I never have this problem with anything that Doug Miers writes. Doug stays two steps ahead of the readers! Highly recommended and if you need to ask Doug anything about Bastard Stew or Para Troop, you can email him at: Doug@comicsconspiracy.com Tell him the Multiverse Observer and Explorer sent ya' Name: Deity #4 Publisher: Hyperwerks Written and Drawn by: Karl Altstaetter Price: $2.95 Comments: Let me tell you, Deity #4 was pretty darn spectacular! First off, I love to travel and Lucius Ego who can travel interdimensionally from planet to planet, makes me plain jealous. What wonders Lucius must behold! Very dramatic and intense scene as Lucius changes into a part dragon / part dragonoid while fighting this very nasty evil entity. After getting bitten by this evil creature, Lucius cannot morph completely into a dragon and takes a long fall. I thought for sure he was a goner. There is so much going on in Jamie's life, I'm surprised she can hold it together. Jamie seems somewhat confused about her life and there is so much for her to consume in her new role in life. One day, she will know completely on who she is, what her purpose is. Her intuitive sense for knowing when trouble is taking place is a great benefit for her. Because of this, she has an important role as a lifesaver. Those lifesaving capabilities came in useful for Lucius. She does this cool mind meld with Lucius and makes him 100% again. Lucius is able to transform into a dragon and is ready to go for a second round with the evil entity. This time, it's going to be different and I don't believe Lucius is going to hold back any punches. Even though Deity is full of action and climatic drama, I'm glad that there is some comic relief with Angel. Angel seems like she always puts her foot in her mouth and gets scolded every time. I found myself laughing at these segments with Angel The story is great and you already know the artwork is mega-fabulous! If you don't believe me, pick up an issue of Deity and find out for yourself. Visit their website at: http://www.hyperwerks.com Soon, Deity will be going over to Image! Name: Savage Dragon #58 Publisher: Image Written and Drawn by: Erik Larsen Price: $2.50 Comments: Savage Dragon is laying up in bed in William's body. Rita is upset because she thinks William won't be coming back and that Savage Dragon will take full possession of William's body. Kid Avenger gets the boot for being responsible for blowing up Godworld, Detroit and Dart losing her legs. Kid Avenger has a black cloud following him and he causes a disaster wherever he goes. There is a very cool Desperate Times pin up in this issue and you will find comic relief with Desperate Times and Megaton Man. Savage Dragon faces down Cadaver and Fon-Ti a mysterious entity saves the day. Savage Dragon splits from William's body and Savage Dragon is back in the buff! Highly entertaining story, as only Erik could tell it. Check out Megaton Website at: http://www.Megatonman.com and check out Savage Dragon website at: http://www.savagedragon.com Name: Poison Elves #42 Publisher: Sirius Written and Drawn by: Drew Hayes Price: $2.50 Comments: Lusiphur and Jace are broke and trying to find some mercenary work. They happen upon a gothic little town that has a werewolf problem. Mayor Johans Park and Sheriff Dewitt hired a vampire hunter named Winston, that has gotten the vampire population down. The problem is, there is now a werewolf problem. Winston disappears every full moon. Could Winston, Vampire Hunter also be a werewolf and is helping the werewolf population to grow in this sleepy little town? Lusiphur and Jace have been hired by the mayor and given titles of "werewolf exterminators" and now the real adventure begins! Drew does a great job with artwork and the story moves with creepiness. Loved it! ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [15] 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.] COMIC BOOK PROFILES #6 - GENE COLAN 56 pages, black & white, magazine format, $2.99 Spring 1999 Issue - Published Quarterly For those who have not heard of this magazine it is designed to bring the reader an in-depth view of the better known creators in the industry through extensive interviews with the subject and from their life long associates and collaborators. In the past we have seen issues on John Byrne, John Romita Sr., Neal Adams as well as others and the next issue will feature Mike Kaluta. Also on tap is a special tribute to the late Archie Goodwin - scheduled for July. This current issue is all about Gene Colan. As I said, other pros describe what it is like to work with Gene, what they remember about his best work and so on. This time we have Dan Brereton, Peter David, Mark Evanier, Steve Gerber, Phil Hester, Kelley Jones, Stan Lee, Don McGregor, Clifford Meth, Tom Palmer, Mike Pascale, Marv Wolfman and the devoted wife Adrienne Colan all giving us some precious tidbits of their experiences with a comic great. As with every issue Fred Hembeck has the last word in his own comic style. As an aside, special recognition is given to some folks who helped put together the artwork that accompanied this issue and one of those folks was John Pratt - hard working employee of THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT in Worcester, Massachusetts, where I buy my comics. Reviewing this type of magazine is different from