---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ed Dukeshire and Mike Imboden Present: THE COMIC BOOK NET ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE ISSUE NUMBER 281 1999 EAGLE AWARD NOMINEE 9/08/2000 Edited by: David LeBlanc - ComicBkNet@aol.com FREE VIA EMAIL SINCE FEBRUARY 1995 ______________________________________________________________________ C O N T E N T S ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [A] Submissions, mailing address, web page [1] On the Net ............................ David LeBlanc [2] Letters to the Editor ................. Your Page! [3] TRIVIA CONTEST ........................ Win *real* prizes! [4] Network Buzz .......................... News, gossip & rumors [5] Interview: Jason Yungbluth ............ Paul Dale Roberts [6] 4 Color Review:Analysis Paralysis ..... Murray Roach [7] And Let Me Tell You Why ............... David Coulter [8] Martian Vision ........................ John Jones [9] M.O.E. Reviews ........................ Paul Dale Roberts [10] My View:ALTERED REALITY 2000, GET BENT/UNSHAVEN CHI ......... David LeBlanc [11] New Comic Book Releases List .......... Charles LePage [12] HYPE! Section ......................... Various ______________________________________________________________________ World Wide Web Home Page-->> http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet Mailed by Egroups: http://www.egroups.com/group/ComicBookNetworkEmag HTML WEB EDITION at -->> http://www.digitalwebbing.com/cbem featuring a week's worth of the online strips: Steve Conley's ASTOUNDING SPACE THRILLS AND DR. CYBORG by Alan Gross & Mike Oeming ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, FREE, please send a message FROM that account TO: ComicBookNetworkEmag-subscribe@egroups.com To UNSUBSCRIBE send a message FROM the account to be dropped to: ComicBookNetworkEmag-unsubscribe@egroups.com 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 2000 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. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Editor, the Network Administration Team or the members and users of The ComicBook Network. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [A] E-Mag Info: Submissions, Back Issues, Web Page SUBMISSIONS ----------- To submit an article, review, column, etc. to our e-mag, simply E-mail it to the editor at: ComicBkNet@aol.com Reviews of mainstream books are welcome and we encourage reviews of indies and self published material as we feel that material deserves more exposure to the general public. If you write intelligent, coherent, and timely reviews of anything it will almost always be printed so give us a shot. Commentary on the state of the industry, and personal observations and reflections related to comics are *most* likely to be included in our publication. PLEASE, no material on Gaming, role playing, collectible card games or other hobbies or collectibles other than comic books. That does not include plugs for web pages UNLESS they are concerned with print comic books. We do not promote web comics as we do not consider them to be comic books. SEND US YOUR WORK ----------------- We also accept product for review purposes. Advanced copies of comic books will not be returned but anything sent to us *will* be reviewed in the ComicBook Net Emag. Send all material to: David L. LeBlanc 84 Heather Circle Jefferson, MA 01522-1419 Material is generally reviewed in the order received and be advised that we work a few weeks in advance so your review may not be in the magazine immediately. Advanced copies are therefore encouraged so the review will occur prior to your product hitting the stores. THE Comic Book Net WEB PAGE http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet ---------------- If you have access to the World Wide Web, please stop by and visit our web page! On our web page, you can find the latest issue of our E-Mag, as well as all back issues and an annotated index. You'll also find important information and other neat features like links to the HTML version of the current issue of this magazine at DIGITAL WEBBING, [http://www.digitalwebbing.com/cbem], some of the comic companies and creators' web pages and many other Comic Book related links! You can also find some back issues at America Online, by going to Keyword: COMICS, then choose the menu item _Comic Book Forum_ and then going to the _Comics Library_ from there. These are non-zipped text files. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] On the Net David LeBlanc This week I am feeling my age. Not only has it been a stressful one with changes going on at the job, the sewer project in the neighborhood presenting all kinds of surprises when we arrive home (what won't be working today - cable tv, power, water???), and everyone still adjusting to new schedules now that school is back in session, but a life event also took place. Yesterday, 9/7/00, #1 son turned 21. I would say he became a man, but he was a lot more mature than a lot of "men" I know more than two years ago. Take it from me, no matter how young at heart you feel, and I never was one much to make a fuss about my age, when your child is no longer a child you reflect on how quickly time passes. Those of you with children - savor every minute. While you are at it, share some of these new comics with your kids: AMAZE INK (SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS) Dreadstar Metamorphosis Odyssey TPB, 10.95 CROSSGEN COMICS Mystic #4, 2.95 DC COMICS Secret Society Of Superheroes #1 (Of 2), 5.95 Starman #71, 2.50 IMAGE COMICS Midnight Nation #1, 2.50 Savage Dragon #78, 2.95 INSIGHT STUDIOS GROUP Liberty Meadows #14, 2.95 LONE STAR PRESS Ace Of Diamonds #1, 3.95 MARVEL COMICS Ultimate Spider-Man #1, 2.99 <--------- Pick of the week, no foolin! SHARKBAIT PRESS Pete Pod Postal Worker Second Clip, 9.95 It is with great pride I dedicate this issue to Jason. You have become the person I had hoped you would be and exceeded those expectations. Happy Birthday! 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: Popimage BIMP Preview! From: dino@cobite.com (Dean Haspiel) Gang-- Brad Collins at Popimage.com is offering a 4-page preview of my new comic BOY IN MY POCKET. Make sure to click on the thumbnails for the preview images. Go to: http://www.popimage.com/industrial/090600poppreview.shtml# Enjoy! --Dino +++++ Subj: 'Nuff Said! radio/web show guest info Sep, 2000 From: nuffsaid@escape.com (Nuff Said) 'Nuff Said!, the comic book interview/talk show, is on the air for a full hour every Tuesday at 10 PM on WBAI-FM, 99.5 in the New York City metropolitan area. We're also on the internet at www.wbaifree.org and www.2600.com as well. There's a link to each of those on our own web site: www.nuffsaid.net. Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2000 - Mort Walker talks about the creation of Beetle Bailey and the creative process for doing a comic strip for 50 years. Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2000 - A short monologue from me then listener phone calls for the rest of the hour. Tuesday, Sept 26, 2000 - Sex and comics. 'Nuff Said! becomes 'Nuff Sex! with our guests Chris Companik and Mercy E. Van Vlack each of whom have done quite a variety of sexually-oriented or sexually-explicit comics (mostly for magazines). Your phone calls, too. WBAI-FM, 99.5, is a 50,000 watt station broadcast from the Empire State Building. Our signal usually gets out to New Haven, CT; Westhampton, L.I.; the Poconos of Pennsylvania, Orange County, NY and Trenton & Princeton, NJ. But via the internet for an even greater distance, natch. The show covers the entire world of comics: golden age, silver age, contemporary, mainstream, independent, underground, foreign, strips and fandom. Hosted by Ken Gale (interviewer) and Ed Menje (Engineer). WBAI is a Pacifica Network station (if your local station carries any Pacifica programming (such as "Democracy Now" and Gary Null), they might be able to get 'Nuff Said! as well). WBAI-FM, 120 Wall St., 10th flr, New York, NY 10005. --Ken Gale, interviewer and co-host ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [3] [TRIVIA CONTEST] **THE FIRST PLACE TO FIND THE EMAG EACH WEEK IS ON OUR HOME PAGE!** IF YOU ARE DESPERATE TO WIN THE TRIVIA, GO THERE FIRST ON FRIDAY NIGHT http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet/emag.htm QUESTION OF THE WEEK Prizes donated by Discount Comic Book Service at www.dcbservice.com where you can order most DC, Marvel, Image, and Dark Horse comics, statues and retail products for 35% off. +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: "The Story of You-Know-Who" was the subtitle of a one-shot about who? Jay Perry receives The Golden Age of Marvel Comics TP from our sponsor, Discount Comic Book Service for being the first to know that the who in the title was Arseface, of the series PREACHER. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: What is Bill Anderson's relation to what DC Hero? 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 This Excite News Article (http://news.excite.com/news/r/000904/22/film-cuba) has been sent to you from senft@worldnet.att.net News Article: Comic book hero By Ed Meza BERLIN (Variety) - Fidel Castro is the latest big shot to profit from the current craze of turning comics into films. German film group Helkon Media is gearing up to produce a $15 million live-action, English-language TV miniseries based on the popular Italian comic book "Corto Maltese" -- to be shot entirely in Cuba. Created by Hugo Pratt, the comic books feature the swashbuckling exploits of high-seas adventurer Corto Maltese. Pratt's stories have been translated into 20 languages. The picture, based on Pratt's story "The Ballad of the South Seas," follows Corto Maltese's fate after he's shipwrecked on a mysterious island, captured by fierce cannibals and ultimately obliged to rescue the beautiful damsel Pandora. Helkon promises an international all-star cast for the project. Shooting will begin in February. +++++ The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund -- http://www.cbldf.org TICKETS ON SALE FOR NEIL GAIMAN'S LAST ANGEL TOUR Tickets are now on sale for NEIL GAIMAN's LAST ANGEL TOUR. This seventh and final GUARDIAN ANGEL TOUR will bring the acclaimed comics and fantasy author to CHICAGO, NEW YORK, PORTLAND OR, and LOS ANGELES for a series of dramatic, intimate readings from his fiction and poetry. All proceeds from these events benefit the non-profit COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND and help protect the First Amendment rights of comics creators and retailers. Tickets are currently on sale for all four Last Angel Tour stops through TICKETMASTER: OCTOBER 16: The Vic Theatre, CHICAGO call Ticketmaster at (312) 559-1212 or visit http://www.ticketmaster.com/cgi/artist.idc?searchname=NEIL_GAIMAN&state=il&t ype=STATE&minorcatnum=21&MajorCatNum=2 OCTOBER 18: St. Mark's Church, NEW YORK call Ticketmaster at (212) 307-7171 or visit http://www.ticketmaster.com/cgi/artist.idc?searchname=NEIL_GAIMAN&state=ny&t ype=STATE&minorcatnum=104&MajorCatNum=4 OCTOBER 24: The Aladdin Theatre, PORTLAND OR call Ticketmaster at (503) 224-4400 or visit http://www.ticketmaster.com/cgi/artist.idc?searchname=NEIL_GAIMAN_LAST_ANGEL _TOUR&state=or&type=STATE&minorcatnum=43&MajorCatNum=2 OCTOBER 26: Pacific Design Center, LOS ANGELES call Ticketmaster at (213) 480-3232 or visit http://www.ticketmaster.com/cgi/artist.idc?searchname=NEIL_GAIMANS_LAST_ANGE L_TOUR&state=ca&type=STATE&minorcatnum=104&MajorCatNum=4 Tickets are available for $20, or $16 with a valid student ID. PREMIUM TICKETS, which include seating in the front rows and admittance to a private cocktail reception with Gaiman before the reading, cost $60. Comic Book Legal Defense Fund MEMBERS are welcome at the reception regardless of what level ticket they may purchase. For complete tour information, visit the CBLDF at http://www.cbldf.org or call the Fund toll-free at 1-800-99-CBLDF. Gaiman first attracted critical acclaim for his graphic novels and the long-running comic series "Sandman." In addition to his comics work, Gaiman is the author of the best-selling novels "Neverwhere" and "Stardust," and has seen his unique vision translated for film, television, and the stage. He is the recipient of the prestigious World Fantasy Award and is noted in "The Dictionary of Literary Biography" as "one of the top ten post-modern writers" in America. The author’s Guardian Angel Tours have always been special occasions, offering a rare chance to spend an evening with a master storyteller. In small, intimate theatres across the country, Gaiman has mesmerized audiences with poems and tales of the macabre and the fantastic. And in the course of these tours, Gaiman has raised more than $100,000 to support the CBLDF. But now Gaiman has announced that his 2000 reading series will be The Last Angel Tour. "I've been doing these tours since 1993," said Gaiman. "I've really enjoyed returning people to the days when an author would take his work to the public, when a literary reading was something exciting, fun, and theatrical. Dickens did it. Oscar Wilde did it. And, in a much lesser way, so have I. "I feel now like it's time to turn over the reins," he continued. "We always planned for the Guardian Angel Tours to come to a conclusion. The audience wants us to keep doing it, but at the end of the day, well, I think there has to be an end of the day. I'm finishing a new novel at the moment, and I'm working on a number of different movie and television projects. Finding two weeks a year to actually get out on the road is getting harder and harder." On The Last Angel Tour, Gaiman will be reading from his shorter fiction and poetry, including stories from his collections "Angels & Visitations" and "Smoke & Mirrors." He will also be debuting new, unpublished works and giving fans an early look at his new novel, "American Gods." Each reading will be preceded by a private cocktail reception with the author for Premium Ticket holders and CBLDF Members, and followed by a question and answer session with the audience. The readings begin at 8 pm, with the private receptions starting at 6 pm. "While this will be The Last Angel Tour, it certainly won't be the end of my work in support of the Legal Defense Fund," said Gaiman. "What they're doing is more important now than ever before, and I think we'll continue to work closely on new ways to raise money and awareness of the Fund's mission." "Neil is by far one of our strongest supporters," said CBLDF executive director Chris Oarr, "and I'm extremely glad that he has devoted so much of his time and celebrity to the Fund. No one better understands that comics are an important medium worthy of respect. Neil's own work is proof enough, but the fact that he's willing to go out and make that case personally in so many places across the country makes him a truly special advocate." The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization protecting First Amendment rights in the comics community. Donations and inquiries should be directed to the CBLDF at P.O. Box 693, Northampton, MA 01061. For more CBLDF news and information, pick up a copy of "Busted!," the Fund's free quarterly newsletter, or visit the CBLDF web-site at http://www.cbldf.org. # # # For additional information please contact Chris Bleistein at (413) 586-6967 or cbleistein@cbldf.org +++++ Infogrames Teams With DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Products to Bring Superman to the Virtual World LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 6, 2000--Superman(TM), the legendary super hero, will soon be fighting for truth and justice once again in the video game arena thanks to an unprecedented agreement among Infogrames Entertainment, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Products. The worldwide agreement, which was announced Monday at London's European Computer Trade Show, gives Infogrames the rights to feature the "Man of Steel" in an extensive program of games for all leading interactive gaming platforms including Sony, Sega, Nintendo and others. This cooperative license with DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Products allows Infogrames to create games based upon the best-selling Superman comic books as well as the Emmy award-winning Superman Animated series from Warner Bros. Animation. The result will be a series of games offering a variety of stories, themes and sensibilities. The games based upon the animated series will be created specifically for children and young adults, while games created from the edgier style comic book stories will appeal to hardcore gamers and long-time Superman fans. "Superman's appeal bridges the generations and it's exciting to be creating a line of video games for fans of all ages," said Dorothy Crouch, vice president of Licensed Publishing for DC Comics. "The scope of this license is huge and it's only fitting for the world's pre-eminent super hero." "Infogrames, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Products will work together to make sure that every aspect of the Superman games captures the imagination of the gaming public," said Kerri Orders, vice president with Infogrames Europe. "The exciting range of Superman's powers, the richness of his supporting cast, his colorful rogues gallery and his entire universe give us incredible material to draw upon. We intend to use this material to create epic adventures for the Man of Steel that will leave gamers in awe." "This agreement is another exciting step in what has been a very successful relationship between Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Infogrames," said Michael Harkavy, vice president of Worldwide Publishing, Kids' WB! Music and Interactive for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. "Beginning with the success of games based on the Looney Tunes(TM) and Wacky Races properties, our partnership is taking on super hero proportions and the sky is the limit." Superman was the first super hero and remains the prototype for the genre. He is a universally recognized cultural icon, the most widely recognized fictional character in the world, and the only licensed property with more than six decades of continuous adventures in print, film, television, radio, theater, online and other media. "Superman is an inspiration for people around the world, representing the fight for truth and justice and symbolizing the unlimited power of humanity to achieve the impossible," said Orders. "He is a timeless, classic hero for men, women, boys and girls. With his phenomenal abilities, he is the perfect video game hero." +++++ GLEN COVE, N.Y.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--September 6, 2000-- Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Marks the Final Journey for the Fireseed Family Acclaim Entertainment (NASDAQ: AKLM), today announced that Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion, the final N64(R) episode in its three-million-unit-selling Turok franchise, has arrived in stores. Developed by the highly-regarded Acclaim Studios Austin, Turok 3 offers a compelling combination of storyline-driven gameplay and objective-based action. Game highlights include dual main characters, incredible cinematics, and unrivaled multiplayer modes. Turok 3 also features "living environments," a unique property that allows the environments to be in a constant state of movement, wholly independent of the main character's actions. Turok 3's sound team has created a fully orchestrated musical score, digital speech and improved sound effects throughout the entire game for enhanced gameplay experience. Turok 3 is also available for the Game Boy Color. "Turok 3 is the culmination of nearly seven years of dedicated Nintendo 64 development. With its release, Acclaim has continued to push the boundaries of what the machine is capable of, and delivers the most intense, story-driven chapter in the history of the series," said David Dienstbier, creative director at Acclaim Studios Austin. "The game ends the Turok series not with a whimper, but with a bone crushing, ear splitting, dinosaur crushing, thermonuclear bang!" The storyline for Turok 3 centers around "Oblivion," a monstrous cosmic entity that consumes everything in its path. Oblivion desperately seeks a means to punch through the Netherscape that separates our world from the Lost Land, and the Lost Land from countless others. The last shreds of the pure energy source that created our world and nearly wiped out Oblivion, are contained within the Light Burden that every member of the Turok lineage has carried. The death of the Turok mantle will signal the beginning of the end... the rebirth of Oblivion. Once engaged in Turok 3, gamers will find themselves in the most graphically detailed environments ever seen on the N64. For the multiplayer buffs, Turok 3 includes over 48 unique maps and eight gameplay modes such as Blood Lust, Monkey Tag, Color Tag and Capture the Flag. Turok 3 offers 24 incredibly innovative and upgradable weapons and over 40 cunning enemies with unprecedented artificial intelligence. Turok's most popular weapons make a comeback, and gamers can expect to see new weapons including the all-powerful Chest-Burster. Turok 3 is supported by a marketing program that includes promotional TV, radio support, spread ads in gaming and broader-based male publications, an innovative Internet program at turok3.com, and full retail support including pre-order programs and a full complement of POP opportunities. +++++ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, IF NOT INDEED SOONER: NEW EDDIE CAMPBELL WEB-PAGE Eddie Campbell Comics is pleased to announce their continued advancement into the twentieth century -- behind schedule, but steadily progressing -- with the launch of an official website, at www.eddiecampbellcomics.com! Featuring up-to-date news on the publications of the company, the activities of the publisher, and the public houses that he favours, CampbellCom (as we like to call it) is your one-stop shop for Eddie Campbell news. And if a corporate supermarket opens up down the road temporarily undercutting our own value-packed information services, we'll be pleased to direct you to their premises with a terse notice on the door. Dedicated sections for each of the major works of Eddie Campbell will feature sample stories for online reading, beginning with the 1001 Nights of Bacchus tale Gilgamesh -- available for the first time anywhere in its original black-and-white-and-colour format. Stories and art galleries for other sections will appear as if by advanced technological voodoo-magic over the coming weeks. But there's some kind of textual-visual content-matter to draw your attention in the meantime. We'd tell you about it, but then you wouldn't bother going and looking for yourselves, would you? But it's not all comics and crass encouragements to buy same (for example from Top Shelf Productions, our American and Internet sales agent, located at http://www.topshelfcomix.com). In Eddie's Corner, our beloved founder will be rattling on about whatever ill-mannered bee has willfully lodged itself in his graying bonnet of late. This month, it's how the old hacks who churned out Batman under Bob Kane's signature don't get enough respect, or some such. Good heavens. In Eddie's Shout, he'll be hollering like an old man from his balcony at the neighbourhood children, insisting that they'd be better off watching Laurel & Hardy or listening to Billie Holiday instead of whatever rubbish they think they're really into. (The neighbourhood children will roll their eyes, mutter "o-KAY, Dad" and return to their Mario Kart 64 game). But have a look anyway, because he'll also be recommending booze -- lots and lots of booze -- and that, at least, is something he can be admitted to hospital about. I'm sorry, that should read "knows a lot about." Other handy guides to the contributors, collaborators and characters (fictional and otherwise) of Eddie Campbell Comics will be found now and/or in the future at EddieWeb (as we like to call it). Along with all the tediously predictable information on where to find Eddie Campbell in print or in person that you'd expect to find on any cartoonist's website. Except for the information being about Eddie Campbell, of course. Click now on http://www.eddiecampbellcomics.com (as web browsers like to call it) and let the cyber-thrill ride begin! Enquiries can be directed to webmonkey@eddiecampbellcomics.com +++++ CLASSIC TV FAVORITES COMING TO MID-OHIO-CON 2000 (Columbus, OH) On November 25 & 26, Mid-Ohio-Con will be "reuniting" one of TV's most popular mothers with several of her most fondly remembered kids, as JUNE LOCKHART, BILL MUMY, ANGELA CARTWRIGHT and JON PROVOST come to Columbus, Ohio. Joining them at the Columbus Hilton in Easton Town Center, will be TV's original "Batgirl", YVONNE CRAIG. One of America's favorite and most accomplished motion picture and television actresses, June Lockhart (www.junelockhart.com) is perhaps best remembered for her starring roles on LASSIE and LOST IN SPACE. Currently, Ms. Lockhart has a recurring role on ABC TV's Emmy Award Winning, GENERAL HOSPITAL. Bill Mumy (www.billmumy.com) has appeared in numerous television series and motion pictures over the years and will forever be remembered as "Will Robinson" on LOST IN SPACE. Mr. Mumy has also appeared in over 100 episodes of BABYLON 5 as the character, "Lennier". He is an accomplished actor, writer and musician. Angela Cartwright (www.angela-cartwright.com) first won America's heart at the age of four when she appeared with Danny Thomas on MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY. With numerous television and motion picture credits, including THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Ms. Cartwright starred as "Penny Robinson" on LOST IN SPACE. She, along with June Lockhart, also appeared in the LOST IN SPACE motion picture. Jon Provost (www.jonprovost.com) will forever be remembered as "Timmy", starring in TV's all-time classic series, LASSIE. Mr. Provost, currently enjoys a successful career outside the entertainment industry and is working on his autobiography. Yvonne Craig (www.yvonnecraig.com) has co-starred in motion pictures with Elvis Presley, danced professionally and made TV history as "Batgirl" on BATMAN. Her vast television career also includes a memorable role on the original STAR TREK. All of these popular actors will be appearing and signing autographs during both days of Mid-Ohio-Con. Thousands of comic book and pop culture fans and collectors from all across the US, Canada and Europe come to Columbus, Ohio each year for Mid-Ohio-Con. In addition to popular media guests, the show also features appearances by over 100 of the most popular comic book artists, writers and editors in the business today. Collectors can browse a retail display area packed with comic books, movie memorabilia, Japanese animation, science fiction collectibles, original comic and cartoon art and much more. Mid-Ohio-Con will also offer attendees a full line-up of special interest programming throughout the Thanksgiving weekend. Mid-Ohio-Con will be November 25 & 26 at the new Hilton Columbus Hotel, located within the exciting Easton Town Center. Show hours will be Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. For additional information, call R.A.P. Promotions, (419) 526-1427, weekdays between 9am & 4pm, EST. Advance ticket sales and updated show information can be accessed through the show's web site; www.midohiocon.com. Roger A. Price R.A.P. Promotions, Inc. Mid-Ohio-Con Ohio's BEST Comic Book & Pop Culture Party! November 25 & 26 at the NEW Columbus Hilton Hotel! www.midohiocon.com +++++ From the Comic Reader at http://www.thecomicreader.com/newsmain.htm BUSIEK, AWESOME CLASH PUBLICLY OVER 'YOUNGBLOOD GENESIS' Who wrote "Youngblood Genesis," solicited by Awesome Entertainment in the September issue of Previews? Awesome is soliciting the book as being written by Kurt Busiek. Busiek, both in recent Usenet postings and a press release e-mailed out Friday night, is contending that's overstating the case. He says he wrote three plots for the project known at the time as "Youngblood Year One." "Awesome is apparently having the project completed now, but with another scripter finishing off the writing. This is not mentioned in the solicitation, nor is any new scripter named," Busiek says in his press release. "I don't have any problem with Awesome using those plots -- they were written work-for-hire and paid for, so [Awesome Entertainment founder and publisher] Rob Liefeld's got every right to use them as he sees fit. My problem is with the solicitation listing me as the only writer involved." The press release follows on the heels of several days of heated exchanges on the rec.arts.comics.misc newsgroup on Usenet between Busiek and Awesome employee Jimmy Jay, who passed along comments by Liefeld. "Kurt Busiek wrote three brilliant plots for 'Youngblood Year One' that have been waiting patiently for the appropriate talent to emerge and illustrate the title," Liefeld posted via Jay on Wednesday. "Kurt has been informed that we were going to move forward with this project since the spring of '99. Both myself and the project editor contacted Kurt several times over the past year to ask him to script the project and Kurt told us his schedule was full and that he would be unavailable to work with us on it. At one point he also suggested that if we waited until after [Gorilla Comics] launched that he would have been open to, but by no means committed to, giving the project further consideration. We waited and he informed us that he could not script over his plots and Kurt politely told us he understood that we needed to move forward and we set out to find someone who could finish the job. Kurt's plots are terrific, filled with intrigue and conspiracy sure to appeal to fans of his work on 'Avengers' and 'Astro City.' Kurt's story densely weighs in at 90 total pages, which brings each of the three volumes in the series as 30 page oversized books. It was written right after 'Marvels' and we are anxious to finally publish the work. "Busiek's glib attitude towards the project is in keeping with his attempts to distance himself from a project that he cashed checks for a long time ago. He has also stressed to me and others that he does not want to have other projects competing with his struggling Gorilla titles. The plots require minimal omissions of a few Image characters such as Lynch and Wynn. Kurt himself suggested that they are easy to replace with other government operatives to further the story. "As for someone else scripting over Busiek's plots, this is not a new practice for him, in fact it is one that he is utilizing on the upcoming 'Defenders' title." Busiek is the co-writer of Marvel Comics' new "Defenders" monthly series with series illustrator Erik Larsen. "What a bad man I am, not wanting to be solicited as the writer of a project I'm not actually scripting," Busiek posted in response. "How glib of me. And heck, I'm already seven years distanced from those plots -- how much further can I get? "But since Rob's been so nice as to insult me while using my name to sell his books, let me respond. Every time someone at Awesome has called and asked me to do work for the company, I've said I'm too busy at the moment (which is true), but that maybe in the future, things'll be different. Which was also true, at the time. "Let me amend that. Never again, Rob. Whatever mileage you're getting out of soliciting me as the sole writer for this project, when you know it's not true -- and when that was the one request I made of your editor when he talked to me about the project, that I not be credited as anything more than plotter -- had better be enough. It's the last you get." BEAU SMITH GIVES IT (ART) AWAY Beau Smith has two fists full of art and he's ready to make sure comic fans get what they're asking for. Or, as Smith himself put it at CBR's own DC Comics message board on Saturday: "Hey, Just wanted to let you guys know that if you're interested I'll send ya a free art print from one of the many comic books that I've written since dinosaurs walked the Earth. ('The Tenth,' 'Wynonna Earp,' 'Batman/Wildcat,' 'Catwoman/Wildcat,' 'Parts Unknown,' 'The Undertaker,' 'Spawn' stuff, etc.) "All ya gotta do is send a s.a.s.e. ($.66 cents) to: Beau Smith The Flying Fist Ranch P.O. Box 706 Ceredo, WV 25507 "I'll see ya get a signed print ASAP. The one you get is random. Could be from any of the books I've done or am doing. "Just my way of saying thanks for reading comics!" +++ Comic Artwork on Display in New York City Posted by Jonah Weiland - 11:27 PST Official Press Release The art work of many of the great Comic book illustrators of the 60's and 70's will be on display at the Marry Mount Manhattan College Art Gallery in N.Y.C. from Sept. 10th Through Oct. 14th. Original comic book pages by Jack Kirby, Carmine Infantino, Steve Ditko, Gil Kane, John Buscema and other artists of the silver and bronze ages of comic history will be showcased. The exhibition will include original pages from the Incredible Hulk, Spider-man, Green Lantern and other comics as well as some unpublished works. "I am very happy to be able to display these works in this kind of fine arts setting," says Charles Viera curator of the exhibit, Marrymount Manhattan College faculty member and one time Defiant Comics colorist. "These are truly great American artists that are under appreciated and hopefully this exhibition will help focus some attention on their skills and their contributions to our culture". The Gallery at M.M.C. is open from 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The public is invited to an opening reception September 14th (please call the M.M.C. Gallery at 212-517-0697 for reception hours and more information). Marrymount Manhattan College Gallery 221 East 71st. New York, NY 10021 Source: Charles Viera +++++ From Comics2Film at http://www.comics2film.com X-MEN TOYS ---------- Toy Biz has unveiled the latest line of action figures based on the X-MEN movie. The figures arrives in toy stores this October. Each 6" fully poseable figure carries a suggested retail price of $5.99 each. They are: * Sabretooth * Rogue * Toad * Logan * Cyclops * Professor X WITCHBLADE ---------- Turner Network Television's (TNT) Original thriller Witchblade scored as the top movie for the week, earning a 4.5 rating (3,491,000 households) for the 8 p.m. (ET/PT) premiere performance. +++++ From The Daily Buzz at http://www.mania.com/newsarama/index.html Marvel Looks For Movie Money Business Week's online site has posted a fascinating analysis of Marvel Enterprises' current business plan. In a nutshell, the comic book giant's dilemma is this: while Fox's X-Men movie pulled in more than $150 million this summer, Marvel recently posted an embarrassing $27 million loss. "Today, we're going for meaningful profit participation in movies," said Marvel spokesman David Collins. "In the past, this company would sign away rights to characters for cash and give up any long-term licensing revenues. We'd get $1 million or $2 million, and then we'd get to make toys." "I view Marvel as having the potential to be the leading entertainment company in the world built around fantasy characters," said Paul Cuneo, Marvel's new CEO. "I view all of our characters as brands, and what we're doing is brand management. I view our characters as celebrities -- only they don't get old or misbehave. We're going to place them in as many mediums and entertainment venues as possible, and we're building the business for the long term." What this means is that we'll be seeing Marvel signing new and smarter (i.e. more profitable for Marvel) movie deals in the future. Already, the company has Daredevil, Spider-Man and Ghost Rider feature films in the works. "If you want to do a major movie with our characters, there are other things we will now want besides up-front license fees," a Marvel official said. "We'll be doing joint ventures with studios, and we'll be participating in the profits from dollar one." --Business Week +++++ HSN Celebrates X-Men's 25th The Home Shopping Network will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the new X-Men this weekend with an hour-long special airing Saturday, Sept. 16 at 4 AM. To commemorate the event, the program will offer the X-Men Black Sun Dynamic Forces Exclusive featuring a signed, alternate cover by Jae Lee and Jose Villarrubia. Viewers will also be able to order copies of Ultimate Spider-Man #1 autographed by Joe Quesada and Brian Michael Bendis. Other limited edition and signed comics-related products will be available to order, including the Alex Ross "Monster" Earth X Lithograph and a new George Perez lithograph featuring The Avengers. New X-Men Lithograph Trailer Park, Signed by Alex Ross & 09/8/00 ----------------------------------- Next Men Movie In Development Coming Attractions reports that screenwriter Mark Johnson and Vanguard Films are developing a big screen adaptation of John Byrne's Next Men. Johnson, who will write the Next Men screenplay, is best known for his script work on the in-development action flick Backcountry. According to Johnson, the Next Men movie will focus on the first story arc of the Dark Horse comic book series. Byrne is reportedly involved in the development of the project and will continue to serve as a consultant on the production. --Coming Attractions/Corona +++++ From Newsarama; http://www.Fandom.com/comics/ WINNER OF THE 1997 & 1998 INTERNET "SQUIDDY" FOR BEST WEB SITE WORD ON THE STREET Let's face it, it was Joe Quesada's week_ but with all the interviews and commentary on the net the past few days, readers still have not heard from the other side of this equation_former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras. Reached for comment by Newsarama for his reaction to the development, Harras gave us the following initial statement. "I think Joe [Quesada] is an excellent choice as EIC, he has great instincts. I enjoyed working with him and that he has always had my full support and I`m just looking forward to spending more time with my family. That last part may sound cliché, but it`s the honest to God truth. Five years in that job is a long, long time_and as a wise man said, `Change is good'. I might change that to `Change can be fantastic'." According to Diamond Comics Distributors, Image Comics has announced that Image Central will no longer permit order adjustments to be made on books that ship late. "Under this policy, books that fail to make their returnability window will either ship returnable, or be cancelled and resolicited at the creators` expense," reports Diamond. "Order adjustments will continue to be permitted for price and/or format changes." The policy applies only to late books published by Image Central, and will not affect those published by Todd McFarlane Productions or Top Cow Productions (including J. Michael Straczynski`s Joe`s Comics imprint). "My feeling is that the retailer should not be penalized for a creator`s irresponsibility," said Image Comics Publisher Jim Valentino. So what does this mean for Image readers? Concluded Valentino, "I believe [this policy] will go a long way toward our stated goal of making late books the exception rather than the rule." According to Marvel's Bill Rosemann, creator Erik Larsen's previously announced Fantastic Four limited series, is now scheduled to debut in December under the title Fantastic Four: The World`s Greatest Comic Magazine!, with a cover by Erik Larsen inked by Bruce Timm. Readers may recall the 12-issue series was conceived under the working title Fantastic Four 100.0 through 100.1, and is set directly after issue #100 of FF V.1 (by Lee and Kirby) with the premise of, "What if Stan and Jack planned a grand finale to conclude their run/relationship." POWERS ART STOLEN The following was posted on Sunday by creator Brian Michael Bendis on his message board: "We here at Powers land have been the victims of a theft. I fed exed mike the original art of powers 4 and the covers of 1 and 2. and they were stolen. Our friends at fed ex promise it wasn`t them. We actually have a friend at fed ex and had it traced. It is gone. If you see this art, which sadly included the ebay pieces, on sale at a con or on line or in cbg, please contact mike and myself immediately. There is a reward. For my comic pro friends. Learn the lesson. Todd Mcfarlane warned me of this a year ago. Do NOT put your real name or the name of the comic company on the air bill. Comic fan employees are hip to the fact that the larger packages have original art in them." Bendis can be reached at brian1138@aol.com. DORKIN RELEASES FULL CREATOR LIST FOR WORLD`S FUNNIEST Over at rec.arts.comics.misc on Usenet, creator Evan Dorkin dropped a note explaining his take on DC`s solicitation information for the upcoming World`s Funniest one shot coming in November. Here`s what he had to say... "The solicitation copy for WORLD`S FUNNIEST neglected to mention the entire roster for the book, which annoyed me a little as everyone on the project worked their asses off and deserved to be mentioned -- so, for those that might be interested, here`s the complete rundown, in order of appearance: Brian Bolland (cover), Dave Gibbons, Mike Allred, Shelly Moldoff, Stuart Immonen and Joe Giella, Frank Cho, Jaime Hernandez, Scott Shaw, Stephen DeStefano, Jim Woodring, David Mazzucchelli, Jay Stephens, Glen Murikami and Bruce Timm, Frank Miller, Doug Mahnke and Norm Rapmund, Phil Jimenez, Ty Templeton, and Alex Ross. Tom Orzechowski broke his hand lettering all the segments, and Chris Chuckry should be in the process of going blind coloring everything (save Alex`s Kingdom Come pages, of course, and Mazzucchelli`s segment which he colored himself). And no, we`re not printing the Crisis section on Baxter or Mando or whatever it was using the retina-murdering Flexographic process. That kind of attention to detail we`re not willing to do. I don`t know if this will actually be the "world`s funnest" comic, in fact I seriously doubt it, but I do think it`ll be well worth the price of admission, and as I`ve said before, even if I didn`t do a good job, the artists all put in 100% and it looks beautiful. End of hype." +++++ From Zentertainment; HTTP://WWW.ZENTERTAINMENT.COM To sign a friend up or begin receiving ZEN yourself, e-mail: subscribe@ZENtertainment.com MALKOVICH & HOFFMAN IN 'SPIDER-MAN'? John Malkovich is reportedly in talks to play Normon Osborne, aka the Green Goblin, in Sam Raimi's live-action SPIDER-MAN film. Additionally, CORONA COMING ATTRACTIONS recently ran a rumor that Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Magnolia, Flawless) is in talks to play Doctor Octopus. http://www.marvel.com http://www.corona.bc.ca/films 'DESPERATE TIMES' RELAUNCHING IN NOVEMBER Chris Eliopoulos' DESPERATE TIMES comic strip will relaunch in both print and eBook form this November at AAAARGH! Comics, in association with AFTER HOURS Press and JAM Books. "By giving people the ability to cheaply access a comic, they may enjoy it and the industry gains new readers," says Eliopoulos, "Hopefully, with a humor book that looks and reads like a comic strip, it will appeal to folks who would never dream of picking up a comic before." http://www.desperatetimes.com ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [5] Interview Paul Dale Roberts Silhouet9@AOL.COM Interview with: Jason Yungbluth, Creator of Deep Fried! Interviewed by Paul Dale Roberts, Publisher, Jazma Universe Online! http://www.jazmaonline.com/ Question: Before we get this interview started, can you tell us something personal about yourself? Your family life, where you were born and raised, what schools you attended? First, let me say that that is a lovely cologne you are wearing. My life began on the Scottish highlands where I was born Connor McCloud of the clan McCloud...oh wait, that's someone else's origin. Darth Vader's I think. No, I was born on September 30th, 1971 in Buffalo, NY, just before it's transformation into the East Coast's foremost high-tech industry Mecca. I've lived there all my life, attended the University of Buffalo where I got my BA in illustration. I have a fraternal twin brother who has a decent job and is respected in the community, and a younger brother with a decent job and who is much cooler than I am. I hate them both. My parents divorced when I was 7, but that's about it for interesting childhood traumas that my present distorted personality could be attributed to. Oh, and dad was a Hell's Angel who sprinkled methamphetamines on our breakfast cereal. Question: What was the first comic book you ever read? It was a Green Lantern comic book that then, as now, struck me as quite surreal. It had something to do with GL and Green Arrow mourning over the death of some pet starfish from Mars or something called "Itty." I remember that it just seemed odd that the issue appeared to be devoted to them bemoaning the loss of this pet, and then later I think they were sitting Shiva for it after burying it in the back yard, where the reader sees that Itty's burial plot has begun to glow. All and all quite a queer book. Now I suppose if I read it again it might seem trite, if I understood the context better, but back then it seemed as un-Super Friends-ish as one could get, which I liked. I hope that something I do someday has that affect on an impressionable reader. Question: For people unfamiliar with Deep Fried, can you please tell us something about it? No. Well, alright. But only because I'm entranced by that cologne. Deep Fried is basically my vessel for spewing all the weird crap that comes into my head. It has no other function than that, and provides no benefit at all to society. Primarily it is the home for "Beepo and Roadkill," a comic strip that I have developed and redeveloped since I was 12. Readers: Let your dreams die, or else be prepared to become a 28 year old hack who 's still trying to turn a buck on something he concocted as a rip off of "Garfield". Besides being used to inflict "Beepo and Roadkill" on the world, it is also home to miscellaneous other strips and characters I've come up with. Basically I just want to make people laugh, but to make the laughs as unexpected as possible. Question: How did you come up with the idea of Deep Fried? "Beepo and Roadkill" ran for two years in student periodicals at the University of Buffalo, and was fairly popular. Buoyed by that success, and by my lifelong dream to be a cartoonist, I tried to syndicate the strip, but was repeatedly told that though it was funny, it wasn't "family friendly." Meanwhile, "Cathy" continued to bore the shit out of America and strips like "Mutts" proved why the comics page will never be cutting edge again. Bitter? Goddamn right! But only because there is nothing funny in the newspapers anymore. Hey, I tried. Anyway, I still loved my creation and felt there had to be an audience for it. I finally decided that I'd take it to the masses via a self-published comic book where I could tell all the jokes the syndicates thought society couldn't handle, and a bunch of others that are the reasons my grandmother says novenas for me. I chose the name "Deep Fried" because a friend who knows my sense of humor well always commented that my brain was "fried." Question: Can you talk about the characters in Deep Fried? Well, there are Beepo and Roadkill, who will be in every issue. Beepo is an alcoholic, melancholic clown who (cliche approaching!) is representative of me, at least part of me, the worst parts. He is a loser, broke, never gets laid, drives a crappy car, doesn't know why the hell he wants to be a clown and is convinced he's a fraud. Plus, something I have noticed as I've developed the strip, he is rapidly becoming of secondary importance to Roadkill, which has to make him feel even worse. Expect him to kill himself sooner or later. Roadkill is Beepo's cat. He began as a cat called "Schmitty" when I was 12 and in love with "Garfield," then in high school he morphed into something more anarchistic as "Bloom County" became my strip of choice. Anyway, he faded away for a time only to reappear in college paired up with Beepo. I wish I could remember the impetus for Beepo's creation but I can't. I think I just started drawing him. Roadkill used to be friendlier towards Beepo, but now it seems like he cheerfully loathes him. I'm pretty mean towards Beepo, which I suppose is masochistic seeing as how he is semi-autobiographical. Roadkill is Beepo's flip-side, and mine as well. He's overstimulated, unreserved, callous and, at times, sociopathic. He also consumes narcotics, especially heroin, which he is shameless about. I am hoping that this particular quality will add something new to the humor landscape. Weapon Brown is the star of "A Peanut Scorned," my Charlie Brown parody. I'm simply spoofing the post-apocalyptic sci-fi genre in the funniest way I could imagine, with those formerly sweet and lovable Peanuts characters. The story will be about four chapters long, by which time I hope to have mocked every element of both Peanuts AND all those Road Warrior-style movies. My favorite part of doing this is drawing it as an action comic, and except for the fact that it stars Charlie Brown, Linus, et al., it really isn't deliberately a comedy. Finally there is Clarissa. I can't say much about her without revealing too much about the cartoon she appears in, except for the fact that I have been quite surprised at her popularity amongst the people who have read the strip, and the fact that everyone is always taken by surprise by the comic strip I wrote for her, "Clarissa Ruins Thanksgiving." She will definitely be back in future issues. Question: I couldn't believe 'A Peanut Scorned.' Charlie Brown all grown up and ready to kick some behind? How was this idea conceived? The real genesis of "A Peanut Scorned" was a cartoon I did in high school of Charlie Brown as a cyborg thug. "Charlie Brown 2057: No more failure face," was the caption. I remembered it years later and decided to run with it. Question: What's up with Roadkill? This cat is one big terror and I would say he is worse than Heathcliff, Garfield, Felix, Tom, Top Cat, Sylvester & Fritz combined. He's a walking talking time bomb, anything can happen around this cat! I'm glad you mentioned Fritz the Cat. I have fond memories of my brother and I watching the Fritz movie through a scrambled cable station during the wee hours of one childhood morning. If there's one feline I'd like Roadkill associated with, it's Fritz. What can I say about him? He's evil! He's evolved over time from being a friendly kitty who played guitar in an alleycat band to this psychotic menace! I try to keep him lovable though, and his role as a character is not ever to be "bad ass" or one of those annoying "in your face," hipper-than-thou types. He simply has no self control, and since he is both a cartoon and a cat, he is not really bound by any legal or ethical constraints, so he does whatever he wants whenever the thought occurs to him, and poor Beepo is usually left hoping to survive his pet's machinations. Question: I loved the artwork in Deep Fried. How did you get so good? I don't know who draws Deep Fried. I simply leave a script and a plate of Windmill cookies on my drawing table when I go to bed. When I wake up, the cookies are gone and the art is finished. Question: What is the future for Deep Fried? Aardman has optioned Deep Fried as it's first X-rated Claymation feature. Until it hits theaters in 2002, Deep Fried will remain a bimonthly comic available at fine shops everywhere. Question: Have people compared Deep Fried to the works of Evan Dorkin or Jhonen Vasquez? I'd sure like them to! They are my favorite alternative cartoonists. Dorkin's Milk and Cheese, especially, has had a big influence on my work. When I decided to do my comic book, it was in part due to the fact that I couldn't find enough humor like Milk and Cheese out there. I wanted to do a comic book that I would read myself, to fill that void for people with my tastes. Question: Do you have a website? If you do what is the URL address? Sure do! http://www.whatisdeepfried.com. There are Flash animations, a weekly Beepo and Roadkill strip and other craperoo that I am just so gosh darn proud of! Question: How can somebody contact you? They can e-mail me at DeepFriedComic@aol.com, or by Ouija board. Question: If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring with you and why? A jar of Vaseline, a copy of the April '82 issue of Swank, and...wait, is this supposed to be an all ages interview? Question: Your thoughts on the comic industry? Well, I know what we all have heard, that it is in a slump. Frankly I can't speak to that. It doesn't help that Diamond has a monopoly on distribution, or that Marvel keeps churning out the X-crap. I don't think comics will ever disappear, nor do I think that the Internet is a solution for providing the actual content (who the hell wants to read a comic book sitting bolt upright in front of a computer?). I think, however, that the Internet can provide new life to the community of enthusiasts that would otherwise trickle away as comic shops close. As far as alternative comics, I think they will weather the storm better than the rest of the industry, since there is always a market for subversiveness even when kids find other venues for their pop-culture and action fix, as represented by mainstream comics. Question: Your 3 favorite fictional heroes and why? Burke, the Andrew Vacchs private eye. He is the most hard-core private eye in contemporary fiction. I dig Jesse from "Preacher" quite a bit. A true hero who takes no shit. I really can't think of a third. Question: Your 3 real life heroes and why? I respect a lot of people for a lot of reasons, but can't point to any specific heroes. If you are a person who is not afraid to live your life exactly as you want to live it, you are a hero to me. Question: What movies, cartoons and TV shows are your favorites? Loved "Reservoir Dogs." Like Dragonball Z (just one lonnnng fight scene), The Powerpuff Girls, NYPD Blue, though less and less, X-Files, Babylon-5, Blade Runner, Clerks. I watch Voyager, but it's like watching a car wreck (it's terrible but you don't want to miss it). Lexx, South Park, Simpsons. Question: What books do you read? I usually prefer certain authors over specific titles. Clive Barker and Andrew Vacchs are my only constants. I also like any number of selected books from the sci-fi or crime fiction genres. " The Forge of God" and "Anvil of Stars" by Greg Bear, for instance. Question: What are your hobbies and recreational activities? None, really. I'm not much of a well rounded person. I spend almost all of my time involved in cartooning or some aspect of my art career. Question: What comic books do you read now? Preacher, though that's done with. The Authority. Anything new from Dorkin or Vasquez. I'm waiting for Sin City to get good again. Question: Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10 years? Stinking rich and on the cover of Rolling Stone! Frankly, my ambitions are simply to make "Deep Fried" successful, make a few people laugh, make a little scratch off of it. If I can build a name for myself, my next project will be more ambitious, a sci-fi crime satire comic that I have pie-in-the-sky dreams of turning into a movie. Let's see if I can generate a little traffic on my web site first. Question: What are some of your other projects? I've done other small press work, "Forever Eve" for Shadow Song Comics, "The Accumulator" for Buffalo Nickel Comics. I drew two issues of a comic called "Tatters" for Caliber Comics that they have yet to publish...action comics, all, "Clarissa Ruins Thanksgiving" will appear in an upcoming issue of Kieron Dwyer's Lowest Comic Denominator, and I am currently looking for alternative weekly newspapers and other websites to carry Beepo and Roadkill (besides my site, it's currently also at http://www.mycomix.com). I'm continuing to produce new animations for my website, too. The current feature, "The Family Circus Sense," has been a big hit. Question: When can we expect the Deep Fried: The Movie? Who is going to play the main characters parts? As soon as Scorsese starts returning my calls. I definitely want Steven Wright for Beepo. Question: Well, I guess that winds up the interview. Thank you. Is there anything else you would like to say before closing? Is that cologne TommyBoy? Let me smell your neck... ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [6] 4 Color Review webmaster@4colorreview.com [4-Color Review is a website that's gone through many changes in the 4 years it's been online. It began as a small review site, and has grown to a full-blown webzine with reviews, columns and much more. The following article is presented by 4-Color Review where it was originally posted. If you enjoy this article we encourage you to send mail to 4-Color Review and then visit the web site for comic book READERS at - http://4colorreview.com ] Murray Roach (mroach@4colorreview.com) is a lifetime comic book reader hailing from exotic Canada. Murray likes long walks on the beach, Molson Golden and moose. He also happens to be a talented writer, with Analysis Paralysis being one of the more popular sections at 4-Color Review. "Analysis Paralysis" Murray Roach mroach@4colorreview.com "...a little child shall lead them." Isaiah: 11:6 You don't have to have read any type of bible lately to know that one of the most asked questions in comic discussion today is "How can we get new readers (kids!) into this wonderful hobby?" (My esteemed colleague Jason Baldwin reminisced in his recent column about how he got hooked as a kid. If you haven't read that edition of Paper Cuts at 4colorreview.com, please do so!) Many people have their views on gaining readers - marketing, lower prices, more newsstand sales, and a slew of other suggestions. I decided to find out directly from the source how to get kids interested - I interviewed an expert. Having never done any type of interview before, I prepared by purchasing the following materials: Batman & Robin Adventures #20 (Templeton, Kruse, Beatty) Superman Adventures #3 (McCloud, Burchett, Austin) Simpsons Comics #47 (Graff/McCann, Loyo, Basvington) Gon Colour Spectacular (Tanaka) Pokemon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu TPB (Ono) I can hear the skeptics already - you bought that stuff? Why the hell didn't you get a copy of Watchmen, some Steranko Nick Fury's, and the 300 Hardcover? Who in God's name is going to start reading comics after you give them that type of a selection to choose from? Simple: my expert, Christopher Roach, age 6. Now, my cousin Chris is a pretty smart kid - he reads incredibly well, but is also just your average 6 year-old: plays hockey, plays Playstation, and gets into trouble whenever possible. He was ecstatic when I gave him that pile of comics. In the weekend I spent at his house I saw him read the books at least 3 times EACH. He even read the DC Adventures books to me just to prove he could. What follows is my take on each book and what he liked, disliked, and why. (My ratings are based solely on his reactions while reading the book and how dog-eared each copy looked when I left Monday morning!) B&R Adventures - "Batman's really cool. I wish they'd make another movie." That pretty much echoes my sentiments on Batman as well. Christopher thought this book was pretty keen. It even had B&R stopping a guy for drunk driving, which is a message that should be driven home at any age. The part that amazed me the most was that when he read it to me, he actually said aloud the 'Krack' and 'Whap' sound illustrations and really seemed to get into the scenes where Batman and Robin were pummeling the bad guys. In truth, I actually got more out of the fight panels than usual just because he was so excited. He told me he'd buy this if he had the money and when he read the 'Next Issue - Catwoman!' blurb at the end, the logical question "Hey Murray, will you bring me that issue the next time you come to visit?" followed immediately. Good to see that next issue line still works. Combined Roach rating - B Superman Adventures - Even though I know Scott McCloud will not read this column, I'd personally like to thank him for this book. In it, Superman witnesses the explosion of Krypton exactly 27 years after it happened ('cause physics aces know, that's how long it took the light to get to earth!) After Christopher read this book to me (which also had lots of 'Bamms' and 'Pows') he actually asked why the light took so long to get here. I'd bet good money his Grade 1 reader doesn't have any stories that would stimulate his mind to ask that question. True, I don't think he got much out of my answer (in which I may have used a bit too much university physics), but he seemed genuinely intrigued by the idea that the stars were so far away the light would take years to get here. I think this is something publishers could use to get parents to buy a comic book for their kids - there is the possibility for something deeper than the 'Whams' if the kid reading it isn't brain dead. Thanks Scott - in the hands of a great writer, funny books are more than just that. Roach rating - A Simpsons - I'd never read one of these before, but as I did, I found myself doing the voices in my head - especially Mayor Quimby and Chief Wiggum. Christopher's parents let him watch the Simpsons and he claimed the same thing - I believe his exact line was something similar to "Homer talks funny eh Mur?" This, my dear readers, is the power of a child's imagination. He instantly related the book to the TV show he watched every Sunday just before bed. He claimed this was his 'second' favorite book, because it was funny and he knew all the characters - he couldn't say that about Brainiac or Harvey Bullock. Hmm, I wonder if that could be useful information? Have to rate this one an A+ Gon - This was my favorite book, although Christopher's reaction was "Where are the words?" I bought this on a recommendation from Julie at my comic store, but I don't honestly think it was a kid's book. Not for a child that age anyway. He flipped through it a few times, but didn't seem to get the idea that the pictures could tell a story without words. However, both my aunt and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you haven't read any adventures of the tiny dinosaur, get some. Rating? Probably a C, but this was my bad as it was obviously not for young children. Pokemon - if you were curious about the first favorite book, be curious no longer. This was a trade, collecting the first bunch (3 or 4) of issues from the regular series. When I left, it honestly looked like this book was 10 years old he'd read it so many times. Why? "Pokemon's the best - everybody at my school watches the show and plays with the cards." Christopher actually already owned an issue of the comic (sans cover) and asked if there was anyway I could buy him more of these. I'll be writing Viz about subscription information before his birthday in June. I'd seen some of the buzz these little Japanese fur-balls were generating, but I'd never experienced it. Chris' eyes lit up when he saw this book. Why don't Marvel and DC learn something from this phenomenon? Kids between 6 and about 12 (maybe older) spend countless dollars on the cards, the movie, the video games. My 6 year-old cousin owns all of the above. He knows every character and their powers. Can recite the stats from the gaming cards. The movie - verbatim. I would like to say that it wouldn't be too far a stretch to get him to learn all that info about some 'mainstream' Marvel or DC book. But that would be a lie. Marvel and DC movies and games are so different from anything produced in their comic books that I can barely keep track of it all - how the hell could a 6 year-old?? But Pokemon is apparently the same in every medium and kids are more than smart enough to recognize that. You have to market to your audience - if the big publishers want to get kids, they should be sending all their executive editors on a Pokemon course, at least part of which is taught by people like my cousin Christopher. Rating - off the scale So there you have it. I asked the one type of expert who I've not yet seen polled what would get him interested in comic books and those were his responses. As for me, I don't have any suggestions on what should be done. But, consider this - I recall getting some shares of Kenner Toys when I was about 5 (yep, first stock I ever owned) for one reason - at the annual shareholders meeting there were hundreds of kids who got to play with all the new toys. I don't know if Time-Warner should start handing out previews of Superman at their annual meeting, but there has to be a way to tap youngsters who want to read and want to gain an interest in the characters. Not all of them have a cousin with thousands of extra comics lying around. The kids who want to play Sega full-time or watch videos? I think it's time to realize - we're not going to get them anyway. That's really all I have to say - I welcome any and all suggestions, especially from anyone who's conducted a similar experiment with a younger sibling, cousin, or even their own child. And if you haven't, why not? Remember - children are our future in more ways than one. Until next time, I remain, -- Murray Roach ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [7] And let me tell you why ... David Coulter DneColt@att.net [David - who declared himself "America's Weirdly Cool Columnist" in a misguided tribute to The Firesign Theatre -- lives with his family in Kansas City and pays the bills as Marketing Director for a computer consulting group. He's heard the old saying that the best comics ever published were the ones that came out when you were ten ... and he's not buying it. He knows there are good comics out there, he can hear them breathing.] Long time readers may recall that every summer I provided my fans with a summer reading list. This summer would have been no different -- had I actually pulled the trigger and written the column. But I didn't. So, here's my Back-To-School reading list: My Top 10 Comic Stories of All Time. One word of explanation here: I'm not talking about single issue stories. As much as the emphasis these days is on self-contained, single issue stories, I still have a preference for sprawling, multi-issue epics (but -- to be sure -- sprawling, multi-issue epics with an actual ENDING, hence the lack of Claremont-Era X-Stories). Also, the stories chosen are mostly stand-alone stories, meaning they can be read without having any idea who the characters are, or what they'd been up to. Many of the stories I've chosen have been reprinted in TPB format. This wasn't the basis of my decision -- it's just a happy coincidence. I'll also try to list the actual titles and issue numbers (if I can coax them out of my raddled memory.) Also, they aren't listed in any particular order -- none outrank any of the others -- they're all good. And one final word of explanation -- as I wrote this, it inflated to enormous size, so in the interests of size, I'll run the second half next week. Ready? Good. Here we go: #1: Fantastic Four -- The Galactus Trilogy One of the first -- and still the greatest -- FF epics of all time. Legend has it that Stan tossed out the plot idea: "The FF fight God" (later amended to “a god"), and Jack turned in a story with the FF going up against a planet-consuming giant with a big "G" on his chest and a silver freak on a surfboard. These three issues (#48-50) are the centerpiece -- and probably the highpoint -- of Lee & Kirby's run on the FF. The FF started slowly (in my opinion), with stories that were more a less mixture of Kirby's previous work on the Challenger's of the Unknown (a group of adventurers in a sci-fi setting), Young Romance (Sue's more or less constant pining for the diffident Reed), and Marvel's monster comics. While the stories might not have been that great ("The Infant Terrible" comes to mind as a less than stellar addition to the canon), the IDEA was compelling. Unlike the Challengers, the adventurers were themselves monsters (some -- Ben Grimm in particular -- were more monstrous than others), and they had Marvel's soon-to-be- patented "feet of clay" (i.e. they argued all the time, told each other to "shut up" and "butt out,” and seemed to be either running out of money or getting evicted form the Baxter Building on a regular basis. The series began to pick up speed around issue #30 as both Stan and Jack seemed to get more accustomed to the novelty of the characters, and started trying to tell more ambitious stories. The peak of the 103 issue run came between the classic two-parter in #39 & #40 ("And A Blind Man Shall Lead Them!” & "Battle of the Baxter Building!”) where a powerless FF and Daredevil take on Dr. Doom, and #77, the last of the Micro-Verse Trilogy. After that, the quality dropped off as Jack lost interest and moved to California. The series began to repeat itself, recycling old characters and ideas until the end of their collaboration (issue 102 & and a badly-mangled 108). If this 40-issue period where Stan and Jack were really hitting their stride was one of the highpoints of the comic art form (and it certainly was), then the 8 issues between #45 and #52 were a milestone. In that brief period of time in 1965/66, Stan and Jack introduced a hidden race in a hidden land (the Inhumans), a space god and his herald, and the first black superhero (Black Panther). In addition -- almost as an afterthought really -- they turned in one of the finest single issues of any comic ever: #51 "This Man, This Monster.” Amidst all this wealth, it's hard to pick favorites, but the Galactus Trilogy gets the nod since it's a great synthesis of everything that made this run so great (great villains, great heroes, compelling characters, fantastic stories, and the greatest deus ex machina in comics: The Ultimate Nullifier), and it's been reprinted in dozens of places, most recently as a Silver Surfer ones-shot (last year, I think). For additional reading, pick up the TPB "The Trial Of Galactus" by John Byrne, a very worthy follow-up to the original trilogy. The Galactus Trilogy: Cover scan: http://www.neternity.com/ff/ Fantastic Four 48-50 Reprinted in: The Fantastic Four (Fireside Books, mid 70s) Marvel Masterworks Volume 25 (or FF, V. 5) (Mid-90’s) Silver Surfer: First Coming Of Galactus (one shot, 1999) #2: Cerebus -- High Society For those of you living in a cave, Cerebus is Dave Sim's 300-issue epic: A story of a misanthropic barbarian aardvark that started as a joke (a parody of Barry Windsor Smith and Roy Thomas's Conan the Barbarian run) and grew into something I'm fairly sure Dave Sim never envisioned. For the last 20-plus years, it's been a vehicle for Sim to lampoon everything from comics books to pop culture in general, and to put forth his sometimes controversial views on life. High Society is -- like the FF story above -- a nice syntheesis of all the elements that make the series great, namely humor, political satire, and boundary-pushing comic art. The story first appeared in issues 26-50, and was collected in the first of Dave Sim's "phonebook" reprints of the series (up till then, they'd been collected 5 issues a time in "Swords of Cerebus.” The story in a nutshell is this: Cerebus's wanderings lead him to Iest, sort of the New York of Cerebus's world. Carrying a sack of gold he'd picked up on a previous adventure, he checks into the fanciest hotels in town -- the Regency -- for a little rest, relaxation and whiskey. Suddenly, local VIPs begins plying him with bribes and -- after a while - - he realizes it's because he had been appointed "Kitchen Staff Supervisor" by Iest's ruler, Lord Julius, a few issues prior (in Sim's most ambitious story to date, the Palnu Trilogy). In fairly short order, Cerebus goes form milking the situation for more gold and booze to running for Prime Minister in one of the all-time funniest -- and most realistic -- election parodies in ANY medium. Along the way, we meet several prominent characters, the scheming Astoria, the brilliantly cretinous McGrew brothers, the Moon Roach and the Regency Elf -- a profane version of Tinkerbell. This volume is worth the price of admission alone for the antics of the Moon Roach ("Hsssss! Unorthodox economic revenge! Whump!”), one of the funniest parodies Sim has ever pulled off. The Moon Roach is too bizarre to explain -- and too funny to miss. The book is smart political satire, and a damn good, very compelling story that stands by itself very well. High Society Cover scan: http://cerebus.org Cerebus 26-50 Reprinted in: High Society (Aardvark-Vanaheim) Cerebus Weekly 26-50 (natch!) #3: Watchman Well, this one was inevitable, don't you think? Say what you will about this series (like, it's responsible for all the grim `n' gritty crap that followed), it's still one hell of a story, and one that stands up to -- and almost requires -- many re-readings. It's a dense comic in every sense of the word: There's something going on in every single panel -- usually many things that need to be noticed and understood. From little touches like the floating cufflinks to the constantly repeating visual motif of the splatter on the Comedian's button (what the hell does it mean, anyway? In 15 years I've never figured it out!). This one narrowly edged out The Dark Knight Returns simply because it's more ambitious in scope and -- at twelve issue -- has a better "thud" factor that The Dark Knight Returns mere four issues. To be honest, I'm immensely relieved that Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons pulled their support from the spurious 15th Anniversary Special, and that the whole thing got canned. As Gibbons noted, it's a barely-justifiable rip- off, and one that might have sabotaged this series' lifespan. People who've never read the book might avoid the "plain" TPB on the theory they were "missing something" from the "Special edition.” Everything you need is in the TPB. If you haven't read it, do so. Watchmen Cover Scan: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0930289234.01.LZZZZZZZ. gif #4: The Metamorphosis Odyssey Other wise known as Dreadstar: Chapter One. Jim Starlin is acknowledged far and wide as "the master of the cosmic epic,” but people say that without seeming to have a clear idea of what that means. I mean, is something "cosmic" just because it's set in outer space? Is something an epic just because it's told in more than one chapter? When these people refer to a cosmic epic, they seem to be referring to Jim's run on "Warlock,” a several year journey that traveled through several titles (Strange Tales, Warlock, Marvel Two-In-One, and Avengers). In fact, I don't think Warlock WAS a Cosmic epic. Warlock was a horror story that just happened to be set in space (Adam Warlock WAS a vampire, after all), and it was far from an epic (which Webster's defines as “a long narrative in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero") -- rather, it was a very personal story of one man's struggles identity, alienation, and his place in the universe. The Metamorphosis Odyssey WAS an epic -- built with the tools and played on the stage he built for Warlock's one- man show. The MO took Walock's elements of horror, science-fiction, and personal struggle and mixed them together with Arthurian myth and end-times theology. I mean, the title ought to tip you off for one thing: Starlin's no dummy, he knows what sort of baggage a title like Odyssey is going to be carrying, and he chose it very deliberately. As to the story itself (wondering when I was going to get to that, weren't you?), it appeared in Marvel's late, lamented (by me, anyway) Epic Illustrated. It debuted in issue #1 and lasted through the #7 and, in those 14 chapters (two per issue) told the story of (to paraphrase Douglas Adams) the end of the world and what came next. The plot follows an alien named Ahknaton (I think) as he travels the galaxy and assembles a sort of `roundtable' of being who will help him defeat a seemingly unstoppable alien race bent on conquering the galaxy. One of the last members to join his group is a man named Vanth Dreadstar whose role, apparently, is to be a bad-ass and protect the group while they find a way to defeat the evil Zygoteans. The story blew my mind when I read it 20 years ago, and it still blows my mind when I read it today. And -- lucky you! The entire thing is being collected between two covers by Slave Labor Graphics and released this month. If the only Jim Starlin work you're familiar with is the "Infinity Gauntlet" (or "War,” or "Crusade"), or his recent, wispy satire of corporate America, "Wyrd,” then do yourself a favor and run down to the comic shop and find this book -- you will not be sorry. The Metamorphosis Odyssey Cover scan: http://www.slavelabor.com/webstore/merchant.ihtml? pid=654&step=4 Epic Illustrated 1-7 Reprinted in: Dreadstar: The Metamorphosis Odyssey I think that's enough for now, tune in next week for part 2, featuring picks 5-10, including works by Matt Wagner, Scott McCloud, Alan Moore (again), and Art Spiegalman. Comments? Criticisms? Flames? E-mail them to DneColt@aol.com ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [8] MARTIAN VISION John Jones martianmanhunter2@juno.com *OR* CityClerk6@aol.com [John Jones, the Manhunter from Marathon, IL, no longer dwells in Marathon, IL. He may, soon, no longer dwell anywhere other than a cardboard box, if he doesn't win the Lotto this weekend, thanks to recent city budget cuts. He is not related to Rick Jones, Indiana Jones, Cleopatra Jones, Halo Jones, or even Gerard Jones, as far as he knows, which is too bad, because he could probably borrow some money from one of them. For as long as he continues to have a home to plug his computer in at, he can be reached at martianmanhunter2@juno.com, or CityClerk6@aol.com, and it's probably best to send any email, or offers of cash contributions, to both email addresses, since he can usually check one or the other from the computer in the public library.] TOOL OF THE TRADE What Continuity Is, Isn't, And Shouldn't Ever Be I thought, just to be different and original, I'd try to write about something I've never written about before. Thus, today's topic is something completely new and unique to this column: Continuity. (No, I haven't fallen and hit my head on something hard. I'm being ironic. You gots, I say, you gots to pay ATTENTION, son.) It occurs to me that in the midst of all this fannish uproar... or, at least, impassioned debate... as to whether continuity is a desirable element in four color superhero fiction or not, and whether, in fact, the very presence of continuity has, as some maintain, all but destroyed comic books as a viable financial medium... we've overlooked something. It seems to me that, as people often do when they're talking about things they're very deeply invested in... we've failed to define our terms. For purposes of this article, I want to try to change that. I want to look at where continuity originated, and how it evolved, and therefore, show what it was, what it is, what it's meant to be, and what it never, ever, should have become. The origins of continuity are dim and vague and ultimately debatable. However, as with most crucial storytelling elements in the four color funny book field, continuity itself seems to have first occurred in the newspaper comic strips of the 40s and 50s. I myself suspect it was Milt Caniff who first came up with the initial, groundbreaking idea of letting his various supporting characters in strips like TERRY AND THE PIRATES and STEVE CANYON actually remember their past meetings and interactions with various villains and refer to them in later adventures, but I could be wrong. Whatever the case may be, the first real hint of continuity in a serial illustrated adventure format was pretty much limited to this... heroes would run into a particular villain again, and both heroes and villains would make reference to their past meetings, usually in terms like: "Dragon-Queen! But you were killed by Dr. Sushi Wok's pygmy gibbons in that lost Burmese temple! How can YOU be here?" or "Blast you, Lieutenant Friendly, and those miserable orphans you travel with! You may have managed to somehow destroy my Flying Death Ray Kite Squadron back in the jungles of Java, but you won't be that lucky THIS time!" It's easy to see and essential to note at this point that when we look this far back into continuity's dim and complex history, we can clearly define what continuity actually is: A tool for better characterization. I think many comics writers and editors have lost sight of this simple fact over the years, and as they have, it's grown easier for many insightful, analytical fans to lose sight of it as well, and to blame 'continuity' for the fact that a great many comics these days are filled with Byzantine, trivial, annoying little details and constant references to past stories, or simultaneously published stories, or even stories that are being planned as a big miniseries this summer but haven't appeared yet, so much so that the comics themselves have become all but incoherent and nearly completely inaccessible to any casual reader who might be made curious by a cover, or a movie or TV adaptation, and try to start reading them. But this incomprehensible labyrinth of convoluted dates, issue numbers, alternate future timelines, and weird character names that all have 'star' or 'hawk' or 'death' or 'silver' or 'black' or 'laser' or an internal 'y' where an 'I' should be in them, is not where continuity started, and it is not what continuity is supposed to be. At its base, continuity was simply a way for Milt Caniff, or Frank Robbins, or whoever it was who first came up with the idea, to make their characters seem more real. Prior to this, all fictional adventures, whether they featured hard fisted fighting Americans apparently hopelessly lost in exotic foreign jungles for vague reasons,WWII aviators starting their own small, perpetually struggling air delivery services, hard boiled private detectives with a soft spot for sexy dames in slinky dresses, cartoon animals, or even those bizarre men and women in tights and capes over in the kid's funny books on the newsstands, were self contained and entirely self referential. In melodramatic stories telling tales of good vs. evil, the villain invariably died horribly at the end of the story, making these simpler stories from a simpler time into something very much like modern morality plays in which, inevitably, the bad guy got punished by all knowing, all seeing fate at the end of the story for his vile and wicked machinations throughout the plot up to that point. The idea that villains could, maybe, actually return to menace the hero anew was probably what gave someone the original idea for what gradually became that thing we call 'continuity'. Doubtless this came about through some overworked, stressed out writer/artist, at some point, saying to himself, "You know, King Boilermaker was a great bad guy, and he'd fit perfectly into this particular plot, I wish I could use him again..." and then realizing that, if Cap Cannister and Pat McFlack and Jumpin' Johnny Jupiter could all survive various deathtraps and seemingly inescapable dooms every other episode, there was no reason why Dragon-Queen or the Black Pharaoh or Professor Dexter Diabolico couldn't, either. And, of course, if you were going to bring an old villain back, it would only make sense to have your heroes go "Gosh -- didn't you plummet screaming to a horrible demise from your own anti-gravity Death Moon back in 1939?" And thus was born, in its crudest and most elemental form... continuity. As a side note, it's also worth mentioning that this was the point where serial heroic adventures stopped being modern morality plays, since, once villains started surviving their apparent demises at the end of the story, much of the 'evil is eventually and inevitably punished by God' theme, which is the whole point of morality plays, vanished. To call contemporary comic books, for example, 'modern morality plays' indicates a staggering ignorance of exactly what medieval morality plays actually were, and what modern comics actually are. In modern comics, good is sometimes but not always rewarded, and evil is rarely punished in any manner more significant than a brief beating by the heroes, followed by either a seeming death (inevitably to be explained away when the villain next returns) or a brief and probably reasonably comfortable jail term that ends with either the prisoner's fairly quick release (as super villains rarely actually do much of anything WRONG, since superheroes tend to show up and stop them BEFORE they manage to kill all the Geminis in Manhattan or melt the polar ice caps) or their clever escape. Modern day comic books are, for the vast most part, adolescent power fantasies, and the titles which have been most successful with an adolescent audience are the ones whose editors seem to understand this basic premise and stick more or less strictly to a formula of creating a bunch of attractive, superpowered characters that young, often lonely, boys will either want to be or want to hang around with, who run around beating the living snot out of other, meaner, uglier superpowered characters, which young, often lonely boys think they would enjoy doing. Even in some of the more violent Image comics, where evildoers ARE punished, often fatally, by the heroes, the fact that the protagonists kill the bad guys, or permanently cripple them, or simply beat the crap out of them to punish them for being so goshdarned nasty, is a crucial departure from the morality play theme, in which only God (or blind fate) is allowed to punish evil. Probably the only real modern morality play I can think of occurring in superhero comics within the past thirty years or so were the Fleischer-Aparo SPECTRE stories in ADVENTURE COMICS back in the early 70s. The formula of these stories was simple: first 8 pages, evildoers show up and demonstrate how evil they are with graphically violent and truly awful deeds (like pumping a bank full of nerve gas so they could rob it without interference), last 8 pages, the Spectre, as an agent of God and Justice, takes truly horrifying vengeance on them (such as turning them to wax and melting them, turning them into wood and feeding them through a buzz saw, etc). The Spectre, at least in these stories, never had a recurring villain, nor did he really even have opponents... just evil victims who richly deserved their horrible fates. But back to continuity. When villains started showing up for rematches, and heroes and villains started remembering their past encounters, it was the first, crude, most basic form of continuity that audiences had seen to date. And it wasn't hard for the writers of that time (who were mostly artists, too, and don't I wish the writer/artists of the modern day could all plot and sling around word balloons as well as Milt Caniff!... or even draw as well as he did) to realize that this gave an additional level of depth and credibility to their characters that had previously been lacking. After all, real people remember their pasts, in fact, to most real people, the past is very important. So, when the stars of people's favorite adventure serials started encountering old acquaintances again and picking up the threads of past relationships once more, it struck a note in them. The audience responded to it. These heroic protagonists suddenly had something in common with their readers, and that was an infinitely valuable attribute for a fictional character to have. Comic strip creators of that day often went to significant extremes to create characters that a wide audience would be interested in, which is doubtless the motivating impulse behind the whole 'kid sidekick' thing in the first place, and the reason why Terry, of Terry and the Pirates, was a young boy, but travelled around with an older male companion as well: to create an ongoing adventure drama that would appeal to a larger audience than just kids, or just young men. And for the creators of that time to suddenly discover that, hey, if we give the characters some sort of memory of the past, it makes them seem more real to the audience... well, that was like finding a big chunk of raw gold in the middle of a log while splitting kindling. The technique spread like wildfire through serial adventure fiction, and through the Golden Age superhero comic books as well. For most of the Golden Age, this was pretty much the extent of 'continuity'... characters in comic books would remember past encounters with enemies, and sometimes, potential love interests, although there was a lot more romance in the newspaper strips than there was in the comic books. The next crucial development in continuity would be the inclusion of various independently published characters in the same coherent universe, and while Roy Thomas is now currently hopping up and down like a little kid having to go to the bathroom screaming "Mention the Justice Society, mention the Justice Society, mention the Justice Society RIGHT FRICKING NOW!", in point of fact, the JSA was more an example of lack of continuity than any further development of it. Yes, a particular publisher got the idea of taking a bunch of reasonably popular featured superheroes and combining them in one big sort-of team title... but the group did not fight evil as a team, they gathered together at the start and end of the story, then broke up for individual stories/adventures, and got back together at the clubhouse at the end to discuss the adventure, making the JSA little more than a framing sequence for a typical anthology type comic book of the time. In their own solo stories, the various JSA members made no mention of their 'team' adventures, and in fact, in JSA itself, the only 'continuity' was the forementioned memory of past villains, when they returned, which was very rarely. Justice Society of America, however seminal and crucial the concept of the 'superhero team' was, did not really in any way provide the next evolutionary step for continuity. Nor did the various WORLD'S FINEST tales in which Batman teamed up with Superman, for the same reason... neither hero ever seemed to remember the adventures in their own comic, or make any mention of them. Even a bit later, when Batman became an infrequent guest star in Superman and Superman family titles (he often stood in for Superman or Clark Kent in some plot to keep Lois from discovering Superman's secret identity or to humiliate Lois when she tried too blatantly to manipulate Superman into marrying her, for example, although Superman almost never showed up in a Bat-title in return), there was no real 'continuity', since, again, there was no mention of past adventures when the two met again, not even a "Oh, this is like the time when you had me pretend to be you to fool Lois, only this time, we're doing it to fool Jimmy, right?" Even the Justice League of America, when it came along in 1960, failed to take the next step forward, although they did go the JSA one better and actually fight their villains as a group. Still, the individual members had no apparent memory of League cases in their own separate titles, and rare guest appearances by other heroes in those titles were never remembered from one story to the next. No, continuity, like the rest of the world, was going to have to wait for Stan Lee. Stan didn't waste any time establishing cross-title continuity in the nascent Marvel Universe. In SPIDER-MAN #1, a cash-strapped Spidey tried to join the FF, and reference was made to that meeting in future issues of both titles. Similar cross-overs fairly quickly occurred between AVENGERS and THE X-MEN, AVENGERS and the FANTASTIC FOUR, and unlike the JSA or even the contemporary JLA, the various members of the Avengers, who all, at one time or another, had their own series somewhere in the early Marvel Universe, remembered their adventures in the team and made reference to them when their fellow Avengers would frequently show up for cameo appearances. Even better, when the Hulk went on a rampage in New York City, both the Avengers AND the Fantastic Four tried to corral him... and cameo appearances by various other heroes who would only exchange a word balloon or two with the star of the strip, or even simply watch him swing by out their window, became common. When Spider-Man seemed to run from the Green Goblin in issue #17 of his own title, and remained at home to take care of Aunt May for nearly the entirety of issue #18, the Daily Bugle called him a coward, and we saw the FF, the Avengers, and Daredevil commenting on the public furor in sorrowful or disbelieving tones... which was simply something you weren't going to see at DC, where every individual character had their own God-Editor, who jealously guarded story content from every other God-Editor, and where the various characters were allowed to co-star in the JLA only grudgingly, and with the implicit understanding that nothing that was done there would ever interfere with, or even impact on, the stories in the characters' individual titles. In fact, it's safe to say that this next, and crucial, development in 'continuity' was all simply an unanticipated fringe benefit of the fact that the early Marvel Silver Age was entirely written, or, at the very least, somewhat plotted and then dialogued by, Stan Lee, and Stan himself encouraged his artists to draw in little guest appearances of other Marvel characters, sometimes deliberately in hopes of boosting circulation on flagging titles, but often, just because it was 'fun'. And it WAS 'fun'. We very young comics fans of the time responded to it with huge enthusiasm, taking immense satisfaction and enjoyment out of the fact that Spider-Man and Daredevil might cross paths on a Manhattan rooftop and chat for a little while before moving on (the early Silver Age was a time before every meeting between Marvel superheroes HAD to result in a misunderstanding and violent fist fight), or that Hawkeye might borrow a mini-sub from the Fantastic Four when he needed to go rescue his fellow Avengers from Attuma. We were kids and had little capacity for analysis, so we didn't know WHY we liked it... but now, it's fairly easy to realize that what we liked about it was that, like the earlier, most fundamental forms of continuity where characters simply remembered their past encounters with other characters, it MADE THE CHARACTERS MORE REAL. We could more easily 'willingly suspend our disbelief' in super characters who acted more like real people, and who lived in a world that was more recognizably like the real world, than we could in those who never remembered their adventures in other hero's titles, and who inhabited a world full of imaginary cities that had dopey sounding, iconic names, with one hero neatly assigned to each of them. This is what continuity is FOR: to add depth and credibility to fictional characters, to make them seem more real, by giving them realistic traits that we recognize, like a memory of their own histories and a capacity to run into other characters in the same line of work who lived in the same fictional realm. In addition to being a characterization tool, continuity is also a valuable plotting aid, as well. A character with a detailed history can always draw on that history for future story ideas. The best writers mix in fresh, original ideas with older plot concepts, or even better, bring back previous story elements in new and unpredictable, yet entirely consistent and intelligent, ways, but nonetheless, the fact that the characters have a history, remember that history, and that that history is creatively valid and available to writers to use as the basis for new storylines, is a priceless addition to any creative repertoire. And this is one of the many reasons why DC's universe-wide divorce from their lengthy past history, the Crisis on Infinite Earths, was, in retrospect, such a spectacular misjudgement. DC had the longest running, richest, and most intricately complex heroic history in the industry, and rather than try to find ways to intelligently use that utterly priceless resource, they simply tossed it away, and then placed their collective trust in a lot of good artists who for the most part wrote poorly, to create something better. Contemptuously discarding the collective work of generations of the seminal, and most creative, writers and artists to ever work in comic books (people like Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, Gardner Fox, Jack Kirby, Dick Sprang, Alex Toth, Joe Kubert, Edmond Hamilton, John Broome, Cary Bates, Jim Shooter, and Carmine Infantino, just to name a few) and then turning the job of creating a replacement mythos over to a roster of writing incompetence that includes John Byrne, Tim Truman, Keith Giffen, Mike Grell, Jim Owlsley and, perhaps the only writer/artist who could actually WRITE better than he drew, Frank Miller... was simply a mind boggling bad move, and the fumbling, ponderous, overwhelming creative cluelessness that currently defines the entire so-called "Original Universe" is a direct result of that cosmically boneheaded blunder. Continuity can also be a circulation booster on lagging titles, as I've already mentioned Stan using it at times in the early Silver Age. By exposing readers of a popular magazine like SPIDER-MAN or FANTASTIC FOUR to the hero of a less well selling comic, like the Sub-Mariner or Daredevil, and writing huckstering panels like "Check out the astounding adventures of the Man Without Fear in his own title, on sale NOW,True Believer!", Stan hoped to get some of the Spidey or FF fans to try an issue of the more lackluster comic, as well... and the technique seemed to work fairly well, too... but this was a side effect of continuity, a little piece of serendipity that never should have been allowed to come to dominate and all but define the term, as it very nearly did at the height of Marvel and DC's crossover frenzies in the late 80s. Continuity is also not supposed to become such an out of control, omnipresent, front-and-center, overwhelming element in a comic book that NOTHING new is ever done and no story ever seems to begin or end, but rather, all current plot developments grow out of past plot occurrences, constantly looping and feeding back into and on each other until it becomes virtually impossible to figure out exactly where certain characters came from, who they actually are, or where they're going. This is especially a hazard in large team books, and almost guaranteed to happen under the auspices of a writer who combines certain dangerous attributes: namely, laziness, a lack of knowledge of how to do real, interesting, three dimensional characterization, and, last and most hazardous to actual story quality, popularity. These three elements unfortunately define in their entirety 'creators' like Chris Claremont, John Byrne, Grant Morrison, and most if not all of the Image Ilk. Chris Claremont, for example, is so lazy that he simply can't be bothered to take the time to establish the relationships he wants his characters to have slowly and naturally the way a real writer would. Instead, he'll tell us, in one panel in X-MEN #100, that Jean Grey and Storm are close, dear, bestest bestest friends who love each other SO much, despite the fact that the two of them have never so much as shared a panel prior to this other than the two big splash pages in GIANT SIZE X-MEN #1. He can't be bothered to remember what a character's powers actually are, or create plots around limited, tightly defined super abilities; instead, he likes to redefine his characters, often spontaneously, as having these really vague mental abilities that he can adapt to whatever story he's come up with off the top of his head that week... as when he had Jean Grey suddenly demonstrate the frankly staggering ability to TELEPATHICALLY ABSORB THE SKILL OF SPACE SHUTTLE PILOT from Peter Corbeau, well enough to pilot a space ship from orbit to Earth's surface, or, more recently, gave the same character the power to create utterly lifelike 'telepathic illusions' so new X-Men team leader Rogue could absorb that power and use it to distract a bunch of bad villains with a fake attack while the real X-Men ransacked their hide-out. In the hands of a criminally self-indulgent hack like Claremont, with no real editorial oversight (editors don't tend to interfere with writers who sell well), the storylines in comic books frequently become utterly impenetrable, as the wretched writer brings up plot elements simply because they're exciting and then drops them again without resolving them, redefines characterizations to suit his own peculiar fetishes (as when Claremont, who seems to have an almost sick need to see male characters dominated and controlled by female characters, suddenly has the previously non-charismatic Rogue turn into the X-Men's latest Alpha Bitch, snapping out orders and taking charge of the team in a manner we'd probably find bewildering if we hadn't already seen every single other female character Claremont has ever written do it at one point or another as well). Add into this a tendency, as has been evinced by Claremont, and especially, by Grant Morrison, to regularly and constantly create NEW characters to add to the team, when the old characters no longer interest them, and you quickly get an utterly bewildering situation in which one even the capacities of enthusiastic young fans, whose memories are equal to the task of keeping track of every single character that has ever appeared in BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, along with all their various abilities and relative interrelationships, are inadequate to keep straight who is who, and doing what, and why, without an inch thick fan fold hard copy scorecard. In such an overcrowded environment constantly suffering from time travel or 'previously untold history' fueled ret-conning, 'continuity' quickly becomes a drag on good storytelling and an actual hindrance to good characterization, as has happened most egregiously in the various X-MEN titles, where there is probably no living sentient being in the universe who could coherently explain the origins of Cable, Bishop, or Nate Grey, X-Man any more, being as confoundingly bound up as those stories are in time travel from alternate futures that no longer exist, maybe, except in some parallel timeline where Howard the Duck is an evil elf, or something. That continuity, in the hands of corrupt, venal publishers who care about absolutely nothing except short term profits, becomes something that smothers and stifles creativity and quality storytelling, should come as no surprise. That continuity, in the hands of a hack who would be more productively employed repainting dumpsters outside stadiums than writing comic books, becomes a pellucid and Byzantine element that overwhelms virtually every other aspect of characterization or plotting, is also hardly a shock. This doesn't mean continuity is BAD, it just means that comic books should be written, drawn, and published by intelligent, creative people who are doing it because they love the characters, respect their readers, and have an honest and sincere need and desire to tell these stories... rather than soulless corporate drones who only care about the company's stock quotes, or lazy, self-aggrandizing egotists who think their latest, 'brilliant' insight about Batman or Reed Richards or Jean Grey is far more important and valid... or convenient to the plot... than decades of previously established work by other, better, and more conscientious writers. This is, perhaps, the most disturbing consequence of continuity abuse: the nominal professionals who use bad continuity as an excuse to refuse to do research on the characters they're given creative control over. Claiming that continuity is nothing but a fetter on their brilliant and innovative plotting, these arrogant turds simply go ahead and do whatever stories they feel like with whatever character they have at hand, distorting the personalities and powers of these characters often out of all recognition to fit the exigencies of their trendy, superficial plots, and responding to criticisms by sneering in their superior tones that they're doing original and brilliant work here and they can't be bothered to worry about little things like the actual history of the title they're currently writing. Often these 'creators' aren't even particularly good writers, but nonetheless, they seem to attract endless legions of carping, puling apologist fans who will endlessly excoriate anyone who thinks a writer should pay attention to what's been previously established in a character's past as being someone who not only doesn't care about Good Stories, but is actually Actively Destroying The Entire Industry Of Comic Books. In such a fan's eyes, somehow, a criticism of Grant Morrison's hopelessly self indulgent laziness as a writer turns into a vicious and mortal blow aimed at the heart of the comic book genre itself... and all because Morrison himself thinks it's just far too tiresome and tedious for a person making five hundred dollars a page to be bothered actually READING the previous issues of the title he's now writing... and ten thousand sycophantic fanboys drool into their modems in the most pathetically Pavolovian manner when he rings that little "oh lord the whole idea of continuity just makes my arse itch" bell. There are endless examples of good, creative, satisfying uses of continuity in comics. From Steve Engelhart's brilliant explanation of the origin and history of the Watcher's blue area of the Moon, originally created as a weird, mysterious, throwaway reference by Stan and Jack in FANTASTIC FOUR, through Alan Moore's astoundingly moving "Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow?", which, despite being nominally an Imaginary Story, is clearly actually the final adventure of the Classic Superman, through a hundred or a thousand or a hundred thousand other wonderful little plots and bits and adventures that simply could not have been done, or would not have been as good, without the element of depth and credibility added by 'continuity', these myriad and all but infinite examples make it clear that 'continuity' is, when used properly by creators who understand their art, an overwhelmingly positive element in any fictional milieu. To say that 'continuity' is somehow causing comics to lose their popularity is to ignore the fact that over the past twenty years episodic fiction on television has been all but made obsolete by growing elements of continuity, and similar elements have even shown up in such overwhelmingly successful movie franchises as STAR WARS. While I, personally, am perfectly capable of enjoying the occasional 'out of continuity' story with a WHAT IF? or an ELSEWORLDS label on it, I have to say that the comics I enjoy the most all have that vital element of consistent, respectful, intelligently done continuity in them. Could concepts like PROMETHEA, TOP 10, or LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN even exist without issue to issue continuity? Would AVENGERS currently be worth reading if Kurt Busiek had an editorial mandate to write stories with a beginning, middle, and end in every issue, where no references were ever made in one issue to anything that had taken place in any other issue, and where the return of Ultron was treated as the villain's first appearance ever, to avoid confusing anyone who hadn't read the Roy Thomas story where the evil robot was originally created? Please. Video games and the adventures of Scoobie Doobie Doo are fine and have their place, but to petulantly demand that all comic books everywhere return to the model of the 1940s and 1950s simply because, in those simpler and more prosperous times, before television and effective special effects in movies and a precipitous decline in cultural literacy, comic books sold better than they do now, is to demonstrate staggering and probably even willful ignorance. Continuity, more than anything else, is that element which separates a comic book you'll put in a polybag and keep for years from one you'll read once and toss in the trash. I want my comic books to have continuity as much as I want my comic books to have good writers and artists. Any writer who can't be bothered to do the basic research necessary to get the continuity right on the series he's now in creative control of should, as far as I'm concerned, enlist in the Peace Corps and go build bridges in Botswana, and any fanboy who stands up stridently to speak for that creator's spurious 'right' to re-define any aspect of a given character simply to suit his own iconoclastic 'vision' can go rivet girders right alongside him. Good characterization strikes me as being the essence of good fiction, and therefore, it really shouldn't surprise me that good continuity is so rare in a genre where it was once so prevalent. Continuity is simply, essentially and ultimately, a tool for writing characters in a more interesting and believable manner... and God knows, there are only a handful of writers working in comics that still seem to know how to do that. Unfortunately, the worst and laziest writers seem to have the loudest, rudest, and dopiest fans. Of course, that's really not much of a surprise when I think about it, since the smart, mature people are too busy reading Alan Moore's and Tom Peyer's and Chris Priest's stuff to pay any attention to X-MEN... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * John Jones, the Manhunter from Marathon, IL, no longer dwells in Marathon, IL. He can clearly recall a time when he thought the Claremont/Cockrum X-MEN were the greatest thing since Hershey's Kisses, but then, he can also recall a time when he thought Kate Jackson could act, too. Unfortunately, the phrase 'we learn or we die' does not seem to apply to either Chris Claremont or his fans, which simply proves that, indeed, there ain't no justice. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [9] 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.jazmaonline.com/ 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.] WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COLUMN MAY REVEAL SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF PLOTS OR ENTIRE PLOT DEVELOPMENTS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Name: Geminar #1 Publisher: Image Written by: Terry Collins Drawn by: Al Bigley/pencils Dan Schaefer/inks Price: $4.95 Contact Information: Snail Mail: 700 Clarence Secrest Rd, Monroe, NC 28110 Email: geminar@earthlink.net Comments: This baby is a one-shot comic book loaded with fun, excitement and adventure! 72 mega-pages! Al Bigley says: 'Geminar is the story of a future astronaut whose final mission has gone beserk when he realizes he's become stranded in an uncharted region of the galaxy, over 100 years in the future! At his moment of despair, he's offered the mantle of hero and protector by an unknown power! He accepts, and begins a new life as Geminar, space-born super hero! The book details the hero's life as he battles villains and conquerers, all the while wrestling with clues dealing with his origins and plight.' Now let me tell you what I found. A dynamic cover that has a touch of Jack Kirby influence. Geminar looks like he is ready to jump out of this comic book! Al Bigley is an exceptional artist, that goes for those well defined details. You won't be disappointed with the artwork, done in black and white. You'll meet up with members of the K'trall. K'trall were a race of conquerors who chose worlds that couldn't fight back. Lots of cool sci-fi technical talk that goes like this..."Internal weapons systems activated. Increasing exterior field protection by fifty percent. Defense gauntlet engaged." All of those Sci Fi Channelaholics will get full enjoyment in the sci-fi aura of this comic book. Unique aliens are found throughout the story. There is one alien named Menon-Gai who is the head advisor of the upper hemisphere of Satya. He's a very strange looking alien, that looks somewhat intimidating in stature and also in the way he presents himself. Very complex scenes, that you have to take your time looking at or you might miss something. Even though this is a one-shot, it's like having about 12 issues packed in one issue. It's a full sized story compacted for your enjoyment. I'm a zip-zap fast reader, but I can't get through this one comic book in one sitting. I have to go back in there to see if I missed anything with the storyline or with the artwork. Like I said, it's highly complex. High impact ending that will have you salivating for more! I definitely recommend this gem of a comic book, it's high class all the way! Marvelous!! Need I say more? Name: Deep Fried #1 Publisher: Death Ray Graphics Written and Drawn by: Jason Yungbluth Price: $2.99 Contact Information: Snail Mail: Jason Yungbluth, 96 W. Northrup Place, Buffalo, NY 14214 Email: darthbeepo@aol.com Website: http://www.whatisdeepfried.com Comments: Let's see what Jason says about his comic book: 'Deep Fried is an alternative humor comic geared towards fans of the works of Evan Dorkin and Jhonen Vasquez. Issue #1 features 'Beepo and Roadkill', the 'anchor' strip whose stars, a depressed clown and his sociopathic cat, will appear in subsequent issues. Also in this issue is 'A Peanut Scorned', a parody of Charlie Brown set after the apocalypse, and 'Clarissa Ruins Thanksgiving', a comic strip which most people have strong feelings about in one direction or other.....Deep Fried will be offered through Cold Cut Distribution....and will be bi-monthly...and set to appear in stores in October. You can purchase this comic book now at my website'. Now let's see what I have to say. Great cover that is actually FUNNY! Two video game nerds that are ready to be surprised by a deranged cat. Artwork is set to the tone of publications like MAD or Cracked magazines. Beepo the depressed clown and Roadkill the cat start off by narrating the story. Roadkill is a very enthusiastic and excitable cat, while Beepo is just the opposite. He drags his feet and is disinterested in everything. The cat says that he has a surprise and blindfolds Beepo and drags him to Lackluster Video to rent some movie video. The way the story is set-up it will have you laughing all the way. Plenty of one-liners, comical situations, embarrassing moments, slap stick comedy and hilarious outrageousness! Roadkill at one point, grabs a gun in the video store, holds everyone hostage (yep, this cat is worse than Felix the Cat!) and yells out to Beepo: "The coverbox said it all! Horrific violence makes you immortal and turns chicks on! I bought it just now off a guy in the 'screen classics' section! He didn't even ask me for proof of age Beepo! How sick is society??" I must say, not only is Roadkill worse than Felix the Cat, but he's even worse than Fritz the Cat!! This cat makes Felix, Fritz, Garfield, Heathcliff look like newborn kittens! He's mischievous and downright nasty at times! You're going to laugh so hard, your nose will bleed! Hilarious, absolutely hilarious! What's this?? 'A Peanut Scorned'. Is that Charlie Brown as an adult?? Oh man, you're not going to believe this one! Charlie Brown as a full grown man with a bad attitude! Remember, when Charlie Brown was a kid, he got the football taken from under him, no Valentines, was unable to talk to the red-haired girl due to bashfulness and always got his kite stuck in the tree? Well, in the shadow of movies like Mad Max, Terminator and A Boy and His Dog, Charlie Brown has a major grudge and he gets even with Doctor Van Pelt. Ahh..Snoopy is a one eyed dog now with a spiked collar! Charlie Brown remembers how he got one flippin' Valentine and then someone stole it. This brought on enough anger to put Charlie Brown right over the edge! Charlie Brown as an adult gets romantic with a very revealing Pepperment Patty. Patty calls this round-headed man Chuck and I must tell you, Chuck has one cybernetic hand too! This story is to be continued! Wow! This was the BEST parody I have read in a long, long time! Who would have thought, that Charlie Brown in some alternate reality grows up to become a harbinger of doom!! This one is a definite MUST READ!! Do I recommend this comic book? I would be a madman if I said no! I'm really confused now, I don't know who is worse...Roadkill or Chuck? All I can say is when this comic book hits the racks, dig deep in your pockets and buy three. One for yourself, one for your mom and one for your dad. Your parents will be pleased that you have the right taste for comedy! It's all here!! Wow! Name: Infinite Tales #2 Publisher: Blue Moon Comics Staff Involved: Lloyd Smith, JP Dupras, Evan R. Driscoll, David Vance, Ed Quimby, Steve Skeates, Tom Doyle, Larry Blake, Dave A. Law, Vatche Mavlian, Phil Fried, Dick Ayers, Steve Busti. Contact Information: Blue Moon Comics Group, HC 66, Box 1448, Barbourville, KY 40906 Email: blue_moon_99@hotmail.com Website: http://www.bluemooncomics.tsx.org Ordering information: Infinite Tales 6 issues $21.00 US // $24.00 Canada // $30.00 Overseas - 2 other publications are coming out called Blue Moon Spotlight and Power Corps. Same price - same fun! Comments: What you have here is 6 powerful adventurous stories like: Ultimus: The Deliverer and the Demon!; Skyblazer; Champion of Light/Champion of Darkness!; One Simple Ton; Space Thunder: Every Locket Has It's Price; No Man Can Stop Toombora! Beautiful double colored covers of Ultimus and Toombora! Ultimus: If you loved Marvel's old Silver Surfer/Galactus series, then you will love this story! A godlike being named Monark rises into the night sky on his own accord to gather an unconscious Ultimus. Ultimus doesn't realize that he is destined for something incredible in his life. For 'in one hand he carries judgement and power, in the other, mercy and hope!' He must redeem a world that has sold itself into slavery. Monark will help him gain powers and knowledge of his world to combat an entity named Lusifer. Lusifer has driven Monark's world into violence and crime! Feel the power Ultimus...because you will be the hand of justice! Extremely powerful story with a hard-edged impact! This one will continue! Skyblazer: A secret military base in Arizona, intrigue, mystery and plenty of drama! Yep, President Harry Truman is also in this story and top ace Mason will discover the X090 Rocketplane! This is no ordinary rocketplane as Mason takes this baby into the deep regions of space! Watch out Buck Rogers, watch out Flash Gordon, there is a new ace in your sector and his name is Mason - Skyblazer! Champion of Light / Champion of Darkness: Do you like Mortal Kombat? Do you like Streetfighter? How about Marvel v. Capcom 2? Well, you ain't seen nothing yet as characters like the Mighty Sandow and fan-favorite Terry 'Ripcord' Vandal go one-on-one in a colossus battle that would make ECW, WCW & WWF cringe. If you love those battle royals, then here you go with this action packed story! One Simple Ton: Team up the Jack Kirby inspired Tommy Doyle with the mythical Steve Skeates and you have a story of One Simple Ton who is a cross between One-Man-Gang and Herbie! Huge fun that will make you crave more exploits of this jumbo sized character! Space Thunder: Let's mix up some Sword & Sorcery, Fantasy and Science Fiction all together and you'll come up with Space Thunder! Spectacular artwork and a riveting story that will keep you right on the edge of your seat yelling for more! No Man Can Stop...Toombora! Remember when Stan Lee used to do those cool horror comics like Fin Fang Foom? Well, this is something that would make ol' Stan smile. The artwork looks like it was done by the legendary Jack Kirby himself! Phil Fried gets credit for the art. The story is a romp-stomping monstrous fun, done an extraordinary way by the Silver-Age master Lloyd Smith! If you can't find this spectacular big fat comic book on the racks of your local comic book store, then go up to the top of this overview and get the ordering information now! If you are ready to be thrilled, then get ready with IT #2!! You don't want to miss out on this one! Name: Elvira #88 Publisher: Claypool Comics Staff Involved: Frank Strom, Tod Smith, Bruce Patteson, Richard Howell, Dan Day, Kim DeMulder Price: $2.50 Comments: The first story 'A Brush with Disaster' had Elvira on the Titanic? Well, a luxury liner in 1922 anyway. I like the concept of Elvira jumping from one dimension to another. It reminds me of that old TV show Time Tunnel or Voyager. I see Elvira was encountering everything from mindless man-slaves to a cornfield with tortured souls on makeshift crosses. All because of the doings of Lord Harvest. It's a good thing that Lord Harvest is limited in traveling through other dimensions. He could be a major threat for the Multiverse. The cornfield reminded me of the movie 'Children of the Corn'. Frank Strom set the pace to this story and left us with an exciting cliffhanger! I will be back for more...but, you knew that already...right? Next story...'That Old Get-up and Glow!' Elvira mourns for her sick Bela. It never was explained what Bela was sick of. Did he eat some bad bean burritos? It's fun to watch him shape-shift from a poodle to a Chimpanzee. Bela doesn't go to a regular Veterinarian, but is lead to a Voodoo practicianer and a mystical shop. Finally Bela is looked upon by mad scientist Alma Gordo. I had to chuckle as Elvira explains that Bela watches horror movies with her and later her mention of a fiasco she had with Stephen King and Anne Rice. Great humor! Now back to Alma as she works on Bela. Alma has the secret desire to become like Elvira. A voluptuous woman and instead becomes a grotesque monster. About this time, I was laughing hysterically! Fortunately for Elvira, Alma gets the lead part in a TV show called Ms. Muscle Mass! This was definitely fun, fun, fun! My request, I would like to see Elvira be a guest speaker on Comedy Channel's new show called Battlebots! They had some Babewatch babe on that show and I rather see Elvira. Sigh. Name: Gatecrasher #3 Publisher: Black Bull Entertainment Written by: Mark Waid, Jimmy Palmiotti Drawn by: Amanda Conner -pencils / Jimmy Palmiotti/inks Price: $2.50 Comments: Great comic, a must read for me. When this happens, I'm inspired to do a bit of letter hacking. Here's that letter to Black Bull Entertainment: Before I start making my comments, I wish to salute the superstar staff at Black Bull Comics. The following superstars should get a standing ovation: Magnificent Mark Waid, Joshin' Jimmy Palmiotti, Admirable Amanda Conner, Gushin' Gareb Shamus, Fabulous Fred Pierce. Even a salute goes out to upcoming superstar intern Jittery Jeff Seymour! Now with all the formal praise, let's talk about Gatecrasher #3! Oh man, with hot lava torture going on in the beginning of the story, I didn't know what to expect next. Then Alec Wagner & Trystan to the rescue. It's a shame that Tystan and Ale