$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $ Ed Dukeshire and Mike Imboden Present: $ $ $ $ THE COMIC BOOK NET ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE ISSUE NUMBER 350 $ $ 1/04/2002 $ $ Edited by: David LeBlanc - ComicBkNet@aol.com $ $ $ $ Nominated as FAVORITE COMIC EMAG in the 2001 EAGLE AWARDS! $ $ $ $ FREE VIA EMAIL SINCE FEBRUARY 1995 $ $ $ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 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] Press Releases ........................ Diamond Comics [6] Interview: Kurt Busiek ................ Tim O'Shea [7] A View from the Cheap Seats ........... Rich Watson [8] Sound and Fury ........................ Craig Lemon [9] M.O.E. Reviews ........................ Paul Dale Roberts [10] My View: THE BIG O .................... David LeBlanc [11] Top 100 Comics shipping in January .... Diamond Comics [12] New Comic Book Releases List .......... Charles LePage [13] HYPE! Section ......................... Various ______________________________________________________________________ World Wide Web Home Page-->> http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet Mailed by Yahoo!: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ComicBookNetworkEmag AOL text copies in Sci-Fi Library II - Keyword aol://4400:3990 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@yahoogroups.com To UNSUBSCRIBE send a message FROM the account to be dropped to: ComicBookNetworkEmag-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.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 2002 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 Emag, simply Email it to the editor at: ComicBkNet@aol.com You must include your REAL name and a valid Email address in order to be published in this Emag. Sorry, we do not accept anonymous columns. 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 any comic book 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 also includes 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 any comic books 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 of our 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. AOL search/keyword: aol://4400:3990 ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] On the Net David LeBlanc ComicBkNet@aol.com We start off the new year with a big bang from our 350th, super-duper, divisible by 50, super extravaganza issue! Can't you tell from the expensive cover? A little format change to some things, the Diamond monthly press releases have moved up to the news area from Hype, the top 100 is now correctly title for the month they go on sale, not the month just past, and we have a new columnist in the mix plus a return of a frequent one this issue. I love it when things come together like that. These came to the local store this week: DC COMICS Batman The Ten Cent Adventure, 0.10 <---- PICK OF THE wEEK! Doom Patrol #4, 2.50 Four Women #4 (Of 5), 2.95 Power Company Josiah Power, 2.50 Power Company Striker Z, 2.50 Tom Strong #15 (resolicited), 2.95 MARVEL COMICS Alias #5, 2.99 Exiles #8, 2.25 New X-Men #121, 2.25 Ultimate Spider-Man #17, 2.25 Once again the dreaded deadline doom rears its head so, on with the show! 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, including those sent to the columnists, 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:Image Comics Preview: Legend of ISIS Greetings! New from TIDALWAVE STUDIOS is the Legend of ISIS. A 5 page preview of this is out today in stores. You can grab yours from your local comic book store. It is in the back of Image Introduces: Believer. The Legend of ISIS will be in stores in Feb! Drawn by RV Valdez (WitchBlade) and written by 10th Muse creator Darren G. Davis. Inks by Rick Ketcham. Order yours today! We have plans to launch The Legend of ISIS as a series. So this one- shot will not be reprinted. Isis will be making her way into our other Image comics such as 10th Muse and Black Tide. Some Legends should not be forgotten! Have a great new years and we thank you for all your support over the last couple of years! If you cannot view the jpeg, please visit our website (tidalwavestudios.com) All my best, Darren Davis TidalWave Studios +++++ From:Jimhar1 Hey everybody, I am pleased to announce that Shades of Blue #5 is out in stores nationwide today! It is the final chapter in the highly exciting "Silence" story. If you've read the previous 2 parts, then how can you possibly miss out on this one? This is the finale, for pete's sake! Don't miss it! You won't know who wins the big fight between Heidi and Silence! The issue is written by Rachel Nacion and I, with art by Cal Slayton. I think it's Cal's best work to date. He's really getting a feel for the characters, and I think you all will be pleasantly surprised with his latest take on Heidi and the gang. Take a look at the cover page to our web-site (www.ampcomics.com) to see what I mean. Issue 6 is also available for order now from the January Previews. Look for our big ad under the Amp Comics heading on pages 224 and 225. Issue 6 features a surprise for Heidi, as she finds the script for a comic book about her adventures written by Marcus! But in Marcus' version of things, he's the hero, she's the sidekick, and everyone thinks he's the school stud. Good thing Heidi has a red marker with her to make a few corrections to his story... Also, we have a new message board devoted solely to us at www.deepfriedcomics.com. Just go to the site, click on "Forum" at the top of the screen, register with Deep Fried, and go about telling us how much you love Shades of Blue (or how much you hate it--we're equal opportunity forum hosts!). Cal and I will be posting regularly about our progress on various future issues, so if you'd like a sneak peek at what's ahead and how the book is put together, come on by. Finally, the Shades of Blue weekly strip will return to comics2u.com in January. Cal is doing some great work as the regular artist of that now, so check it out. It's fun and it's free! I hope everyone has a safe and healthy 2002. Jim Harris Publisher, Shades of Blue www.ampcomics.com +++++ Subj:Fernando Molinari illustrator Date:1/2/02 2:22:47 AM Eastern Standard Time From:fernando_molinari@hotmail.com Hi,friends: My name is Fernando Molinari, illustrator. If you are interested to include other artists in your graphic projects, here is my website. It contains several artistic expressions of mine, professional works and resume. Fernando Molinari molinarifernando@hotmail.com (email) www.fmolinari.com.ar (web page) ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [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 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: What was Harvey (Two-Face) Dent's original name when he first appeared? So as not to confuse people with another famous character, Harvey Kent got changed to Dent. Steven Rowe is our winner and he gets Powers: Roleplay from our sponsor. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: From: Brent Clark Rogers In Superboy #50, three characters from the original KAMANDI series appeared. Name them. IMPORTANT RULES NOTICE Email your guess to ComicBkNet@aol.com or just REPLY to the message if you read the Emag in your mail. DO NOT quote the entire message! You MUST allow mail from ComicBkNet@aol.com to be notified if you win. 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. Winners will forfeit their prize if the Email notification is not accepted from ComicBkNet@aol.com LIMIT: ONLY ONE PRIZE every 4 weeks PER PERSON! ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [4] Network Buzz News, gossip and rumors from around the industry December 29, 2001 - New York Times Comics Turning Tragedy Into Tribute By JULIE LEW About six years ago, Joe Quesada was starting his own comic book imprint and created a superhero called Ash, whose alter ego was a firefighter with fantastic powers. "We had this idea of a firefighter superhero because it never had been done before and it seemed like such an obvious, obvious thing," recalled Mr. Quesada, who is now editor in chief of Marvel Comics in New York. "We were really intrigued with the idea of a guy who was really a hero in his day job and a hero in his hero sort of life." Ash was retired two years ago, but now in a comic-book-style twist an anonymous firefighter has attained hero status in comics once again. He appears in "Heroes," published by Marvel on Oct. 16 and spearheaded by Mr. Quesada. The $3.50 comic book has sold more than 225,000 copies — 100,000 in the first two days — and is in its third printing. He said the company would give the net profits to the Twin Towers Fund. The somber cover features a firefighter cradling a victim of the World Trade Center attack, with the caption "The world's greatest superhero creators honor the world's greatest heroes." While benefit comic books are not new, "Heroes" has distinguished itself by possibly making the fastest appearance in comic book history. "It was very remarkable that Marvel was able to get it out so quickly," said John Miller, the editorial director of Comics Buyer's Guide. "Comics used to take a long time to reflect reality." With 64 full-color pages of reflections by such luminaries as Stan Lee, Frank Miller and Alan Moore, "Heroes," was put together in a week and a half, which is almost faster than a speeding bullet in comic book publishing time. Most comic books are produced in three to six months. The interest in "Heroes" is inspiring other tribute comic books. Immediately after Sept. 11 in a frenzied flurry of e-mail messages and phone calls, comic book artists and writers across the country discovered that they all wanted to do something to help and decided to do what they do best — relate stories in graphic form. Jeff Mason, who runs the Alternative Comics publishing company, said that "on the 12th, we decided to do a book" after more than a dozen cartoonists had approached him. Mr. Mason, a k a Geoffrey R. Mason, a criminal defense lawyer in Gainesville, Fla., received so many contributions that what he originally thought was going to be 98 pages became 208 pages. Also spotlighting a firefighter on its cover, Mr. Mason's "9-11: Emergency Relief" ($14.95) departs from Marvel's book in that there are no superheroes in its stories, a strict tenet of the alternative comics universe. The 85 contributors — from relatively unknown artists to talents like the comics pioneer and graphic novelist Will Eisner — tell their stories in drawings that are black-and- white, except for Mr. Eisner's dramatic one-page illustration of a man watching the Sept. 11 tragedy unfold on a television that has broken open with red blood dripping out. Without superheroes lurking in the background, "9-11" has a more personal tone. The stories span almost every nuance of the range of emotions and experiences expressed in the aftermath of Sept. 11. Graham Annable, for instance, related in "Pacific Time," a simple nine-panel strip, how the tragedy initially affected him even in California. "My alarm radio went off and, hearing the events on the radio, I just lay in bed and could not believe the succession of things I was hearing," Mr. Annable, a video game animator for LucasArts in San Rafael, Calif., recalled in a phone interview. "The world just sort of flip-flopped in one small morning, and I tried to capture that kind of feel to it." At the other end of the spectrum, Evan Forsch tells in nine pages the harrowing story of his escape from the 89th floor of One World Trade Center after American Airlines' Flight 11 flew into the building. Mr. Mason said he hopes to earn $175,000 from the first print run and will donate it to the Red Cross. The book is scheduled to be in bookstores on Jan. 16, and Mr. Mason is beginning a national book- signing tour on Jan. 17 with some of the artists and writers at Midtown Comics in Manhattan. DC Comics, another leader in the comics world and the home of Superman, has joined forces with an alternative comics publisher, Dark Horse Comics, to publish a two-volume book titled "9-11" ($9.95 each), which is to benefit several charities, said Shawna Ervin-Gore, a publicist for Dark Horse. The first volume will be available on Jan. 24. It will have 192 pages of personal stories of grief and loss from more than 150 contributors. For example, the comics artist P. Craig Russell juxtaposed images from Sept. 11 with the words from the World War I poem "In Flanders Fields." The second volume features more than 200 contributions from an industry wide cross section of artists and writers, including Mr. Lee, the creator of heroes like Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk and Batman. Mr. Lee, who spends most of his time these days working with MGM on movies and television shows through his company, Pow! Entertainment, said he took time out to contribute an Aesop's Fable-type story to DC's book and a few lines to Marvel's "Heroes" because he has "always liked that type of writing." He added: "I tried to express a little bit about how people feel and mainly try to put in a few words that would motivate people a little bit, make them feel a little better about our country and what our country is capable of." While the comics industry is experiencing a resurgence of interest after several years of diminishing readership, these tributes have spurred crossover attention. Kevin Smith, the film director, wrote a poem for "Heroes" and is writing a story for Marvel's next Sept. 11 tribute comic book, "A Moment of Silence," due in stores on Jan. 14. " `Heroes' brought people into the comic book store that rarely come into a comic book store," he said. Mr. Smith also owns a comic book store, called Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, in Red Bank, N.J. Part of the attraction of Sept. 11 for comics is the latitude granted to artists. "The one image that everyone who's seen it said was a jaw- dropping image is the portrayal of the people on the Pennsylvania flight," Mr. Miller said, referring to a rendering in "Heroes" of the scene as it might have happened when the passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 rushed the hijackers. Mr. Eisner, 84, said that for years, "I've been waiting for the graphic novel or the use of comics for serious material to be accepted, and here, for the first time, this medium has dealt with a major event." He added: "Imagery has tremendous power, far greater power than words alone. It doesn't have the reach that words have. It cannot evoke the depths that a series of words can. But it can certainly engage you in a highly emotional way." +++++ Steven Grant Investigates Crime, Horror with Mortal Souls at Avatar Press Avatar Press has announced plans to expand a line which has come to include the best writers in comics with the addition of Steven Grant's Mortal Souls, a three issue mini-series written by Grant with art by Phil (Heavy Metal, Frank Frazetta Illustrated) Xavier. A bloody, bitter mix of crime and horror, the project will debut in March 2002 from Avatar Press. At a time when crime comics are ascendant with a handful of rising star creators, Steven Grant remains one of the few masters of the genre and to many, the preeminent crime writer in the field. "Lots of people can write stories that tug at your heart or make you smile," says writer Warren Ellis. "Only Steven Grant can write stories that punch you in the face and steal your keys. He remains the best crime writer in comics." "Grant's efforts in both mainstream and indy comics have been a major contribution to the evolution of the comics scene for over a decade," notes Avatar Press editor in chief William Christensen. "His work on the original Punisher mini-series was a key part of the mid-80's mainstream comics renaissance. Quality indy series such as his extensive Whisper run were vital to the indy companies' rise to prominence. Steven has consistently been an innovator throughout his career, and I'm very pleased that he is interested in continuing his long run of groundbreaking projects with a creator-owned saga at Avatar." "You can't do what you want for corporate comics, which are now focusing on "safe" projects," explains Grant. "They're not interested in creator-owned projects. They want to be polite, to not rock the boat, to maintain control. Only companies like Avatar Press now give writers free reign to do truly interesting or innovative work, especially work like Mortal Souls, with ideas and themes that really haven't been tackled before in comics, that mixes genres and hopefully breaks new ground. I don't get notes from Avatar saying things like, "make it more like Hellblazer" or "make the hero nicer so we won't scare off movie studios." The work is pure, it's clean, it's what I want it to be." Series artist Phil Xavier is an up and coming star who began to garner notice for his detailed, intricate work on the indy series Legendlore, and has recently come to wider attention due to work in Heavy Metal, Frank Frazetta Illustrated, and Avatar's own Threshold. "It's great to be working with Steven grant doing what he does best... crime comics. And this one has a fascinating horror twist." A project grounded in both crime and horror, Mortal Souls reaches beyond both of those nightmare genres. Pursuing an unpredictable killer, police detective Eric Sharpe watches his life turn into a waking nightmare as the killer, in her last living act, gives him "the sight". He discovers the existence of "Qelipoth", which literally means the husks of the dead. They're dangerous creatures, once men but now without souls, consumed by their own emptiness and hunger and hating the living for the mere condition of being completely alive. The Qelipoth not only exist, they control the world. Now the only one who can tell who they are, Sharpe becomes their #1 enemy and target, and possibly the last hope of humanity on Earth. Avatar Press has carved a niche for itself as a publisher that pushes the boundaries between mainstream and independent with titles such as Strange Killings and Dark Blue from Warren Ellis, Alan Moore's Glory, Garth Ennis and John McCrea's Bigger Dicks, company owned characters such as Pandora and The Ravening, and long-running anthology title Threshold. Now entering its fifth year, Avatar has published nearly 300 comic books since 1997. Steven Grant's Mortal Souls begins in March 2002 with art plus regular and wraparound covers by Phil Xavier. The saga will be a three issue mini series for mature readers. For more information, email info@avatarpress.net or see our web site at www.avatarpress.com. +++++ CYBEROSIA SIGNS DISTRIBUTION DEAL WITH BIBLIO SOMERVILLE, MA - January 3, 2002. Cyberosia Publishing announced today that it has signed an exclusive deal with Biblio Distribution to bring Cyberosia's titles to the book trade. "Biblio Distribution is a perfect fit for Cyberosia," says publisher Scott O. Brown. "With our rapidly growing line of titles, we felt that we needed a dedicated, flexible distributor with a strong sales force and close ties to major wholesalers such as Ingram and Baker & Taylor. Biblio Distribution has a wide reach that will allow us to expand into the book trade and put our graphic novels into the hands of a public ready to accept the form." Cyberosia's current titles include the supernatural pulp thriller FRIGHTENING CURVES, the critically acclaimed short story collection APORIATICA, and OVERTIME, a riveting science fiction crime story. All three books are readily available through Biblio Distribution. With growing demand for these titles, Cyberosia expects to cement its presence in the book trade while maintaining its relationships in the specialty market through Diamond Comic Distributors and FM International. Biblio Distribution is a division of the National Book Network, Inc. Biblio offers distribution capabilities that are as sophisticated and state-of-the-art as those enjoyed by the largest publishers in the industry. Biblio offers sales representation, customer service, warehousing, order fulfillment, and a variety of other services. Cyberosia Publishing publishes acute horror, science fiction, and literary graphic novels. For more information, visit www.cyberosia.com or email publisher Scott O. Brown at scott@cyberosia.com. Cyberosia Publishing's books are distributed to the Trade by Biblio Distribution, a division of National Book Network, Inc., 800-462-6420. +++++ From the Comics Continuum at http://www.comicscontinuum.com/: ATOMIC CITY TALES RE-RELEASED Oni Press announced on Thursday the re-release of the first volume of Jay Stephens' Atomic City Tales will be in April. Atomic City Tales: Go Power was originally published by Kitchen Sink. "The comics community has a pretty good sense of history, but sometimes we forget about recent history," said Oni Press editor-in-chief Jamie S. Rich. "There's a lot of clamor for the four-color slugfests that inspire those wistful tears of nostalgia, but what about the comics that laid the foundation for Oni Press and all the current crop of independents and creator-owners? Where is the weeping for Atomic City Tales?" Here's how Oni describes the book: "Atomic City Tales: Go Power is a whimsical look at what happens when a rockabilly-styled hipster gets superpowers, and how it changes the face of superheroics and supercrime in a futuristic metropolis. Big Bang joins the likes of the Quirk and the Green Torpedo in socking it to Doc Phantom and his gang of loonies, and along the way he kicks down the fourth wall by bringing Jay Stephens in to be his own personal cartoonist and set his adventures down on the comic book page." "I look forward to seeing my early work come back into print," Stephens said, "and getting my books under one publishing umbrella. There are a lot of new readers who have seen Jetcat Clubhouse, who have seen where I ended up, but don't yet know where I came from. This is their chance to make things right." Atomic City Tales: Go Power is scheduled to ship on April 19. It is a standard comics-sized book with 160 pages of black-and-white story and art. +++++ From Newsarama at http://www.comicon.com/Newsarama/ PUBLISHERS MAKE FREE COMIC BOOK DAY CHOICES Plans for the May 4th, 2002 Free Comic Book Day event continue between Diamond, retailers and (so far) the 'big four' publishers, and more specific details are beginning to take shape. Newsarama has learned DC, Marvel, Image and Dark Horse have worked out the preliminary plans as to what free comic book they will offer during the event, with some details still to be finalized. DC has decided to offer a full reprint of Justice League Adventures #1, the new series based on the new Cartoon Network animated program. "We thought it would be good to show as many recognizable characters as possible in a self-contained story," explained DC's Bob Wayne. Justice League Adventures #1 seemed the logical choice, with the extra recognition from the tie-in WB Animation series on Cartoon Network." Though the details have not been finalized, Marvel, who had an interesting choice to make considering the event is scheduled for the day after the premiere of the highly- anticipated Spider-Man film, choose a "full color reprint of Ultimate Spider-Man #1", but minus the original cardstock cover and likely on a different grade paper stock. A representative for the publisher says current plans call for ads to be included in the book promoting the Ultimate Spider-Man trade paperbacks (two volumes which collect issues #1-13 of the series – a 'Collected Edition' of issues #1-3 will be re-offered for sale in March), as well as other Marvel products and the 1-888 Comic Book Locator service. Image Comics is going with its probably most recognizable pop-culture character, Tomb Raider, though a choice between reprints of Tomb Raider/Witchblade #1/2 and Tomb Raider #1/2 (a Lara Croft origin story) is still to be decided. Image's Jim Valentino said either way, their contribution will be a book in the 24-page range and though both possible contributions come from Top Cow, the free book will feature ads highlighting a range of Image Comics products representing them as a company. Finally, the first of the original participants to offer a brand new comic will be Dark Horse. The publisher will offer a 16-page, all-new Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones story. The story is being created for DHC's Star Wars Tales #12, but as of May 4th, the Free Comic Book Day version will be its initial publication. The timing of the event is fortuitous for DHC as well as for Marvel has Star Wars: Episode 2 opens 12 days later on May 16th. All the books will likely feature a unifying Free Comic Book Day trade dress. JUDGES NAMED FOR EISNER AWARDS Entries are now being accepted for the 14th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, to be given to the finest publications and creators of 2001. Publishers can submit any comic, graphic novel, or comics-related periodical, book, or item that was shipped to retailers between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2001. The deadline for submissions is March 15. The submitted items will be considered by a blue-ribbon panel of judges, who will select the final items to appear on the Eisner Awards ballot. This year's judges, who have been chosen by Awards Administrator Jackie Estrada, are: Matt Lehman, owner and operator of Comicopia in Boston, Massachusetts. He has owned the store for 13 years and has been a comics retailer since 1986. He is an active member of the DC comics RRP program and serves on the board of directors of PACER. Additionally, he has been a guest film reviewer on "Here and Now," a news show on WBUR, the Boston NPR affiliate. Lee Marrs, comics writer, penciler, inker, letterer, computer colorist, cover painter, and editor. One of the "founding mommies" of the Wimmen's Comix Collective, she has been active in the alternative press with such titles as Pudge, Girl Blimp, but she's also done work for Marvel, DC, Vertigo, Dark Horse, Heavy Metal, and many other publishers. An Emmy Award-winning art director, Marrs is the president of Lee Marrs Artwork (an animation company with clients such as Apple Computer, Time Warner Inc., Nickelodeon, and MTV), and she teaches interactive design and storytelling at UC Berkeley Extension and SF State's Multimedia Center. Greg McElhatton, the online reviewer for iComics.com. After serving on its steering committee for three years, he is the new executive director of the Small Press Expo, as well as on the steering committee for the Ignatz Awards. He was one of the original freelancers for Wizard magazine (1991-1996) and was a co-editor of the anthology EXPO 2000. Calvin Reid, news editor and reporter for Publishers Weekly. He has reviewed and written about comics and comics publishing for PW and other publications since 1987. He currently edits PW's comics department. Tim Stroup, co-owner and submissions director of Cold Cut Distribution. A lifelong comics reader, Tim became actively involved in fandom in the early 1990s by contributing to fanzines and APAs and later to the Marvel Comic Official Index books organized and written by Murray Ward. In early 1994, he co- founded (with Bob Klein) The Grand Comic-book Database, an international, Internet effort to compile creator credits for every comic book ever published. In late 1994, Tim joined with Mark Thompson and Tim's former wife, Cathy, to form Cold Cut Comics Distribution. "These individuals were chosen for their knowledge of comics, their wide-ranging interests, and their reputation for integrity," says Estrada. "I look forward to working with them in the judging process and really appreciate them volunteering their time to this important task." Those wanting to submit entries for the judges to consider should send one copy each of the comics or books to be considered and include a cover letter indicating what is being submitted and in what categories. The tentative categories include best single issue, best short story, best serialized story, best continuing comic book series (at least two issues must have been published in 2001), best limited comic book series (at least half of the series must have been published in 2001), best new series, best title aimed at a younger audience, best anthology, best graphic album—new material, best graphic album—reprint, best archival collection, best humor publication, best U.S. edition of foreign material, best writer, best writer/artist, best penciler/inker (individual or team), best painter (interior art), best lettering, best coloring, best editor, best comics-related publication (book or periodical), and best comics-related item. Publishers may submit a maximum of five items for any one category, and the same item or person can be submitted for more than one category. Each imprint, line, or subsidiary of a publisher may submit its own set of entries. There are no entry fees. Creators can submit materials for consideration if: (a) their publisher is no longer in business; (b) their publisher is unlikely to have participated in the nomination process; or (c) they have severed connections with the publisher or have similar reasons for believing that their publisher is unlikely to consider nominating them or their work. All submissions should be sent to Jackie Estrada, Eisner Awards Administrator, 4657 Cajon Way, San Diego, CA 92115, before the deadline of March 15. The nominees will be announced in April, and ballots will go out in May to more than 5,000 creators, editors, publishers, distributors, and retailers. The results will be announced by celebrity presenters at the gala awards ceremony on the evening of August 2 at Comic-Con International in San Diego. The Eisner Awards are administered under the auspices of the San Diego Comic Convention, Inc., a nonprofit educational corporation. Anyone with questions about submitting entries for the awards can e-mail Ms. Estrada at jackiee@mindspring.com or call her at (619) 286-1591. Additional information on the Eisners can be found at www.comic-con.org +++++ From Comics2Film at http://www.comics2film.com WITCHBLADE SEASON 2 ------------------- Witchblade returns to TNT in January, with encore airings of the original movie and the first season. Here's the current schedule, as published by TNT: First Showing Encore Showing Episode (8 p.m.) (11 p.m.) ------- ------------- -------------- The Original Movie 1/21/2002 1/22/2002 Episode 1 - "Parallax" 1/28/2002 1/29/2002 Episode 2 - "Conundrum" 2/4/2002 2/5/2002 Episode 3 - "Diplopia" 2/11/2001 2/12/2002 Episode 4 - "Sacrifice" 2/18/2001 2/19/2002 Episode 5 - "Legion" 2/25/2002 2/26/2002 SMALLVILLE ---------- The January 15th episode of Smallville will be a new installment called "Rogue". The episode introduces the recurring character of Lex Luthor's ex-girlfriend, played by Kelly Brook (The Big Breakfast). +++++ From Comic Book Resources at: http://www.comicbookresources.com/ Winner of the 2000 Squiddy - BEST GENERAL COMIC WEBSITE NEW IN-STORE DATE FOR 'DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #2' Official Press Release THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #2 (NOV010565), which was scheduled to reach stores on January 16, instead will reach stores on January 30. "What can I say? Good things take time, and this book is way beyond just good," says Group Editor Bob Schreck. "Trust me, it will be worth the wait." Please note that copies of DK2 #2 ordered to arrive on the staggered ship dates also will be delayed to follow the weekly delivery pattern. In addition, revised release dates for DK2 #3 will be announced in the near future. +++++ From the DC Comics Online Newsletter at http://www.dccomics.com BACK TO PRESS: PLANETARY/THE AUTHORITY: RULING THE WORLD As super-hero teams go, WildStorm's Planetary and the Authority often seem like opposite sides of the same coin, occupying the same universe while taking diverging paths in the battle against chaos. Now, the story that brought together these two different- yet-similar teams for one spectacular adventure is back with a new printing of PLANETARY/THE AUTHORITY: RULING THE WORLD. This classic one-shot, originally published in the summer of 2000, pits the two teams against invasions from beyond space and deranged gentleman-horror-writers in blockbuster movie-style action. PLANETARY/THE AUTHORITY: RULING THE WORLD is written and illustrated by fan favorite creators Warren Ellis, Phil Jimenez, and Andy Lanning. "This reprinting was brought about because of the suggestion of Jim Hanley (of Jim Hanley's Universe in New York City) that we bring some Prestige Format publications back into print," says Bob Wayne, DC's VP — Sales & Marketing. "We then conducted a survey of our retailer focus group for potential titles, and this project was at the top of the list." "I'm really glad to see this happening," says Scott Dunbier, WildStorm's Group Editor. "It's too good a book to remain out of print." PLANETARY/THE AUTHORITY: RULING THE WORLD is scheduled to reach stores on April 17. The 48-page Prestige Format special will be solicited in the February issue of Previews (Volume XII, #3). FIVE CLASSIC MAD COLLECTIONS BACK IN PRINT Starting this February, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of MAD Magazine, the first five MAD paperback collections will be reissued in new, enhanced facsimile editions after being out of print for more than 25 years. These titles will be brought back into print by ibooks and include the cover blurb "50th Anniversary Edition." The first of them, The MAD Reader, is solicited in the books section of the December issue of Previews (Volume XI, #12). The five titles are: The MAD Reader (originally published in 1954): scheduled to be in stores in February MAD Strikes Back! (1955): scheduled to be in stores in March Inside MAD (1955): scheduled to be in stores in April Utterly MAD (1956): scheduled to be in stores in May The Brothers MAD (1958): scheduled to be in stores in July Each title is restored to its original, classic cover art; covers to subsequent printings are included as well in a special cover gallery. The introductions to The MAD Reader and MAD Strikes Back! by Roger Price and the comedy team of Bob & Ray, respectively, also have been restored. In addition, each title includes a new contextual essay by MAD historian Grant Geissman. The five books include such MAD classics as: "Superduperman!," "Starchie," and "Poopeye," written and illustrated by the original "gang of idiots," Harvey Kurtzman, Wallace Wood, Will Elder, and Jack Davis. DC DIRECT POCKET SUPER HEROES MINISITE AT DCCOMICS.COM The line of DC Direct DC Comics Pocket Super Heroes may now be viewed at a DCComics.com minisite. The minisite includes desktop images, a checklist, printable cutouts, and a survey to help gauge which characters might be included in the DC Comics Pocket Super Heroes Series 2. A look behind the scenes and an animated Pocket Super Heroes Playhouse will be added to the site soon. TIME.COM NAMES DC AND DC-RELATED PUBLICATIONS AMONG 2001'S BEST Time.com has just released its list of the top ten comics of 2001, which includes serial publications, collected editions, graphic novels, and books about comics. At the #9 spot is the Chronicle Books' title Jack Cole and Plastic Man, while VERTIGO's HEAVY LIQUID is included at #10. DC TITLES NOMINATED FOR GLAAD'S OUTSTANDING COMIC BOOK Three titles from DC and its related imprints are among the five nominees for the 2001 Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards as Outstanding Comic Book. The DC titles are GREEN LANTERN, TOP 10 (America's Best Comics), and USER (VERTIGO). NEWS FROM THE MAINSTREAM PRESS The December 2 edition of the Memphis, TN, Commercial Appeal ran the article "Miller Strikes Again, Rejuvenates Batman in Sequel," about THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN, in which Andrew Smith writes, "If you buy one book in December, it must be this one." The December/January issue of Ms. Magazine includes an item on the 60th anniversary of Wonder Woman, with Marcia Ann Gillespie calling her "the undisputable queen of DC Comics." The December 2 edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram includes an item on Wonder Woman's 60th anniversary, with Amber Nimocks writing, "…it's little wonder that this woman has captivated our imaginations for the past six decades." The November 25 issue of the South Bend, IN Tribune, includes the article "Fans of Wonder Woman, Other Heroes Flock to See Mr. Ross," about an appearance by Alex Ross in conjunction with WONDER WOMAN: SPIRIT OF TRUTH. The December 6 edition of the Miami Herald includes an item called "Batman: A Knight to Remember," about THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN. The January issue of Stuff features a list of "Top Picks" for 2001, which includes the Watson-Guptill publication Spy vs. Spy: The Complete Casebook. The December 21/28 "Best of 2001" double issue of Entertainment Weekly names Tom Welling, star of Smallville, as "Best Boy Wonder" in its "Entertainers" section. In the "TV" section, Bruce Fretts calls Smallville one of the top ten new shows of the year, calling it "a subversively witty spin on comic-book mythos." The November 30 edition of the Chicago Tribune includes the article "Super-heroes to the Rescue," which includes information on the jointly-published SEPTEMBER 11 volumes. The November 11 edition of the Toronto Sun includes an article on THE SANDMAN, which Derek Tse calls, "a richly imaginative, cross-mythical saga." The November 18 edition of the Salina, KS, Journal, includes the article "New Choices for Comic Fiends Come Out in Time for Holiday," in which Andrew A. Smith recomments such gifts as the BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS TP, the GREEN LANTERN ALAN SCOTT POWER BATTERY REPLICA, and the SHAZAM! and BLACK ADAM ACTION FIGURES. The December 2 edition of the Syracuse Post-Standard includes a review of WONDER WOMAN: SPIRIT OF TRUTH, in which Jeff Kapalka writes, "The art_shows us how wonderful it would be if super- heroes were in the real world." The November 24 edition of the Muskogee, OK, Daily Phoenix & Times Democrat includes a review of the Dorling Kindersley publication Batman: the Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight, with the reviewer writing, "This book is big, fun, and not so pricey." The December 2 edition of the Sunbury, PA, Daily Item includes the article "Super-Hero Stuff in Comics Stores, Online," in which Bill Radford recommends the Dorling Kindersley publication Batman: the Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight, DC Direct's THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN STATUE, and the Watson-Guptill publication The Superman Radio Scripts Vol. 1.The November 15 edition of Columbus, OH, Columbus Alive, includes the article "Moore Is More," a guide to the in-print works of Alan Moore including the SWAMP THING TPs, WATCHMEN, BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE, SUPERMAN: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW?, THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, and PROMETHEA. The December 2 edition of the York, PA, Sunday News includes the article "Future Dark Knight Returns," about THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN, in which John Simcoe reviews some of the highlights of Frank Miller's career. The "Goings On" column in the November 28 edition of the Philadelphia Weekly includes a review of WONDER WOMAN: SPIRIT OF TRUTH," with Liz Spikol praising the artwork by Alex Ross. The November 11 edition of the Colorado Springs Gazette includes the article "DC Comics' Newest Book Truly a Wonder to Behold," about WONDER WOMAN: SPIRIT OF TRUTH, which Bill Radford calls, "mighty impressive." NEWS FROM THE TRADE PRESS The "Buzz" section of February issue of Toyfare includes an item on the DC Direct's DC Comics Pocket Super Heroes. This issue also includes coverage of upcoming the BRAINIAC 5, MON-EL, VANDAL SAVAGE, and THE SHADE ACTION FIGURES. The "Heat Index" in the February issue of Wizard mentions the covers to the "Last Laugh" event, saying, "DC drew upon some of the most respected talents in the biz_to do all the covers for this crossover — and the results rock!" The "Heat Index" also includes SUPERMAN #176, while BATMAN #600 lands in the "News Flashes" column. The upcoming project BATGIRL: YEAR ONE is covered in the "News & Notes" section. Also in Wizard: The JSA faces off against Marvel's The Invaders in a "Last Team Standing" drawn by Stephen Sadowski and Andy Lanning. The article "Heroine Addiction" looks at comics ten best female heroes, including Tulip O'Hare (at the #10 spot), Black Canary, (#8), the new Batgirl (#5), Wonder Woman (#3), and Oracle (#1). The sidebar "Babe Watch" mentions Catwoman, Angela St. Grace and Hawkgirl as characters "to keep your eye on." The "2002 Preview" looks at events in the works including the JLA/AVENGERS crossover, future plans for THE AUTHORITY, and other titles including BATGIRL, the BATMAN books, THE FLASH, GREEN ARROW, HAWKMAN, HELLBLAZER, JLA, JSA, NIGHTWING, OUT THERE, ROBIN, the SUPERMAN books, and WONDER WOMAN. In sidebars to this story, Wizard interviews DC writers and artists including Jeph Loeb, Kevin Smith, Geoff Johns, Humberto Ramos, Brian Azzarello, Alex Ross, and Ed McGuinness. "Also in 2002" gives brief looks at other titles including BIRDS OF PREY, THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, CATWOMAN, CODENAME: KNOCKOUT, GREEN LANTERN, HARLEY QUINN, the JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE CREATING_ Specials, 100 BULLETS, THE SPECTRE, SUPERGIRL, THE TITANS, and TRANSMETROPOLITAN. The "Coming Attactions" section includes the article "Smallville Hits It Big for WB Network." DC Direct product covered in the "Stuff" section includes the BRAINIAC 5, MON-EL, VANDAL SAVAGE, and THE SHADE ACTION FIGURES, the SUPERMAN JUSTICE LEAGUE ANIMATED MAQUETTE STATUE, and the GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO POWER RING PROP. The "Picks" section spotlights such DC titles as CODENAME: KNOCKOUT, THE FLASH, GREEN ARROW, HELLBLAZER, JSA, THE LEGION, 100 BULLETS, SUPERMAN, and the "Bruce Wayne: Fugitive" storyline. The collected editions JLA: DIVIDED WE FALL, TOMORROW STORIES BOOK ONE, TRANSMETROPOLITAN: GOUGE AWAY, and WONDER WOMAN: PARADISE LOST are noted in the "Trading Post" column. JOKER: LAST LAUGH #1 is included at the #9 spot in this issue's "Hot 10 Comics." The "Price Guide" features several "Crystal Ball" sidebars that focus on hot items for 2002, including HAWKMAN, the GREEN LANTERN ALAN SCOTT POWER BATTERY REPLICA, JLA/AVENGERS #1, the JLA/JSA graphic novel, the DC Direct Green Lantern action figure series, and the SUPERMAN: DEPARTURE FROM KRYPTON STATUE. Finally, ACTION COMICS and JLA writer Joe Kelly is interviewed in this issue's "Hot Seat." The cover of the December 28 issue of Comics Buyer's Guide (#1467) features the story "Dark Knight II Closes Year with a Bang," about the enthusiastic reception THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #1 has received from retailers and readers. "Comics Guide" reviews THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #1, with Maggie Thompson writing, "It's fast, it's fun, it's fascinating." In the "Reading Room, DK2 #1 is named "Pick of the Week," with Brett Weiss writing, "_the unorthodox usage of several classic DC characters is executed brilliantly," and giving it a grade of "A+." WONDER WOMAN #170-75 are reviewed as well, with Weiss writing, "Those not buying WONDER WOMAN on a regular basis are missing out on something special," and giving the series a grade of "A." THE DANGER GIRL SKETCHBOOK is also reviewed, with Brent Frankenhoff giving it a grade of "B+." Comic Shop News #756 begins with the article "Dropping a Dime on Batman Leads to Murder Rap," about BATMAN: THE 10-CENT ADVENTURE and the "Bruce Wayne: Murderer?" storyline. The December issue of Tomart's Action Figure Digest spotlights a number of DC Direct products including THE PHANTOM STRANGER, MORDRU, and TIM HUNTER ACTION FIGURES, the CATWOMAN ANIMATED STATUE, the JUST-US LEAGUE OF STUPID HEROES ALFRED E. NEUMAN AS GREEN ARROW and ROBIN ACTION FIGURES, the SUPERMAN JUSTICE LEAGUE ANIMATED MAQUETTE STATUE, the LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES MON- EL and BRAINIAC 5 ACTION FIGURES, the VANDAL SAVAGE and THE SHADE ACTION FIGURES, the GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO POWER RING PROP, the PLANETARY: ELIJAH SNOW, THE DRUMMER and JAKITA WAGNER action figures, the ECLIPSO ACTION FIGURE, the GORILLA GRODD DELUXE ACTION FIGURE, THE SANDMAN: DANIEL, DELIRIUM, and DESIRE ACTION FIGURES, the LOBO DELUXE ACTION FIGURE SET, and the SILVER AGE SUPERMAN AND LOIS LANE ACTION FIGURE SET. Issue #757 of Comic Shop News includes the article "Dream Lover," about THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: THE THESSALIAD. The issue also includes an item on John Byrne's upcoming series LAB RATS. The CSN Winter Preview looks at upcoming DC and VERTIGO titles including ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #600, BATMAN: THE 10-CENT ADVENTURE, the "Bruce Wayne: Murderer?" storyline, BATMAN/NIGHTWING: BLOODBORNE, THE FLASH ARCHIVES VOL. 3, GOLDEN AGE GREEN LANTERN ARCHIVES VOL. 2, GREEN ARROW #12, THE POWER COMPANY, JLA: SHOGUN OF STEEL, the JLA: DIVIDED WE FALL TP, JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE AND JERRY ORDWAY CREATING THE JLA, the STARMAN: A STARRY KNIGHT TP, the WONDER WOMAN: PARADISE LOST TP, the WORLD'S FINEST ARCHIVES VOL. 2 HC, the SUPERMAN: 'TIL DEATH DO US PART TP, THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: THE THESSALIAD, and S.C.I.- SPY. From WildStorm, CSN spotlights the DIVINE RIGHT BOOK ONE TP, EVERQUEST: THE RUINS OF KUNARK, FARSCAPE: WAR-TORN, KINDRED II, ROBO DOJO, the TOM STRONG BOOK TWO HC, and the TOMORROW STORIES BOOK ONE HC. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [5] NEWS RELEASES - January Andrew Smith Marketing Communications Supervisor sandrew@diamondcomics.com Diamond Comics January 2, 2002 Marvel Comics #1 Sets All-Time Comics Sales Record In January, Diamond Comic Distributors President and CEO Steve Geppi sold the celebrated "Pay Copy" of Marvel Comics #1 to Jay Parrino's The Mint for an unprecedented $350,000. The sum marks the largest ever paid for any comic book. Diamond International Galleries President John Snyder negotiated the deal with Bill Hughes and Robert Hughes, the Mint's authorized representatives for the transaction. The record-setting price is twice the value listed in The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide for any copy of Marvel Comics #1. Released in 1939 by Timely Comics, and generally considered to be the cornerstone of what would become the Marvel Universe, the book features the origin of the Sub-Mariner, the introduction of the Golden Age Human Torch, as well as the first appearances of Ka-Zar, the Golden Age Angel, the Masked Rider, and the Jungle Terror. The "Pay Copy" (so called because of notations on its pages regarding payments to the creators of each piece) was graded by the Comics Guaranty, LLC (CGC), at 9.0 (Very Fine to Near Mint). While most copies of Marvel Comics #1 were slightly misprinted, the "Pay Copy" was not, and is further distinguished by its crisp, white pages - a rarity in any Golden Age title. "This is a beautiful book," said CGC Primary Grader Steve Borock. "The registration on the pages of this copy of Marvel Comics #1 are phenomenal. We're all in agreement that it's one of the finest known copies. It is a great piece of history and it was fantastic to be able to see and grade it." January 2, 2002 Diamond Adds Volume Pricing on Selected Toys Beginning in January, Diamond Comic Distributors is offering volume pricing on selected toy products solicited in the Previews catalog. With volume pricing, retailers who order a set number of cases or pieces for a given product (e.g., 50 or more cases of Dark Alliance Action Figures) will be billed at a lower price per unit. As with trading card products, volume pricing levels for toys will be listed under the applicable product's item line in the Previews Retailer Order Form. "Toys are becoming a bigger and bigger part of our customers' product mix, and volume pricing is our way of making this lucrative inventory line even more attractive to shop owners," said Diamond Vice President of Purchasing Bill Schanes. "For years, we've offered volume pricing on trading cards to great success, and it is our hope that retailers will respond just as favorably to our toy incentives." January-solicited toy products available at volume pricing levels include the Planet of the Apes Kubricks Assortment 1 (JAN023363H) and Assortment 2 (JAN023364H), as well as the Peter Cottontail Series 1 Assortment (JAN023286H). Retailers wanting more information on toy volume pricing should contact their Diamond Customer Service Representative. January 2, 2002 Investment Protection Begins with Diamond's Collecting Supplies Catalog This March, comics specialty retailers can provide their customers with the means to safeguard their collectible investments with Diamond Comic Distributors' Collecting Supplies Catalog 2002 (JAN020001J). Provided free in equal quantities to retailers' individual Previews orders, the latest edition of this must-have resource offers retailers and consumers alike a complete listing of supply products (bags, boxes, mylars, and much more) offered by Diamond - all from leading manufacturers like Blue Line, Comicare, Comic Defense System, and E. Gerber Products, among others. Additional copies of the catalog (JAN020002J) are available at the Net Cost of 35¢ per copy, with each carrying a MSRP of 75¢. January 2, 2002 New Year, Great New Look for Diamond Consumer Website Beginning in January, Diamond Comic Distributors' consumer website (located at http://www.diamondcomics.com) entered the first phase of a general overhaul designed to move the site into the future both in terms of appearance and functionality. The site is the central hub of Diamond's online presence, and contains links to Previews Online, the Toy Chest, Video Vault, and the Diamond Bookshelf, as well as to special "boutiques" (such as the Lord of the Rings site) and weekly shipping lists, Previews Update, and more. The site's new look is more modern and uses the latest web technologies to provide a more pleasing and intuitive experience for visitors. Currently, the updated look is restricted to the www.diamondcomics.com domain, but in the months of January and February, it will be added to the domains for Previews Online (http://previews.diamondcomcis.com), the Toy Chest (http://toychest.diamondcomics.com), and Video Vault (http://videovault.diamondcomics.com). "This may seem like a simple face-lift," said Diamond Marketing Communications Manager Barry Lyga, "but we've implemented organizational changes that will make it easier for neophytes and longtime users to operate the site. It's also more interactive and more fun to look at, which means that visitors will stay longer, browse longer, and see more great products that they want to buy at their local comics shops. The Comic Shop Locator Service has much greater prominence in this new design, with consumers able to search for a store from any page through a convenient text entry box. "More important than the cosmetic changes, though," Lyga continued, "are the changes we've made behind the scenes. The new site is designed to be able to change rapidly and automatically with the help of a database-driven engine. This means that once our new database system is online internally, we'll be able to reflect its contents to the world faster and better than ever before." At the same time, Diamond's web team is hard at work on a top-to- bottom redesign and reorganization of the Retailer Services Area (http://retailer.diamondcomics.com). "That particular site has grown dramatically since its inception," said Diamond Internet Development Manager Mark Haynes. "With the addition of services such as Reorders Online, Comic Shop Locator Service profiles, and Previews on Windows functionality, the time has come to make the Retailer Services Area as user-friendly and as easily accessible as the consumer site." Look for ongoing website improvements to all of Diamond's various sites throughout early 2002. January 2, 2002 Expected Ship Dates for Selected Sections Added to Order Form Beginning with the January issue of the Previews catalog, Diamond Comic Distributors is supplying expected ship dates for all products found in the Collectibles & Novelties and Prints & Posters sections to the Previews Retailer Order Form. "This has been a long time coming," explained Diamond Purchasing Manager Steve Tulp. "By adding expected ship dates for these profitable products in the Previews Retailer Order Form, we are enhancing its worth as a sales and ordering tool. Specialty retailers will now be able to access better information for their customers which will help everyone sell more product." January 2, 2002 January Exclusives: Ringing (Sales) in the New Year! Retailers can spring into 2002 with a treasure-trove of profitable exclusive items solicited in the January issue of Diamond Comic Distributors' Previews catalog! Previews Exclusives These items are available only through the Previews catalog. The Simpsons Blocko Figures: Previews Exclusive Homer/Marge/Lisa, Bart/Grampa/Apu, and Mr. Burns/Smithers/Carl (JAN023399-01H) Three-Packs: This April, Matt Groening's madcap denizens of Springfield, USA, are available as building block-style figures. Standing approximately 21/2" tall, each figure features modular bodies, interchangeable parts, and a wealth of accessories. Masamune Shirow's Man/Machine Interface Previews Exclusive Action Figure (JAN023351H): Imported from Japan, this "Fire Wall Motoko" variant figure brings the excitement of Ghost in the Shell 2 to American fans! Including a silver cyber-suit with removable mask, this Previews Exclusive figure comes with five mini-drone assistant figures, and is scheduled to ship in February. Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington Action Figure Limited Edition Previews Exclusive Boxed Set (JAN023371H): Imported from Japan, this set includes an approximately 14"-tall Jack Skellington figure, six heads with various expressions, and 13 PVC figures (three previously unreleased). Limited to 1,000 pieces, the set comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and is guaranteed in stores by February 6. Alex Ross's Earth X #1 Wall Scroll (JAN023445F): A Previews Exclusive item for six months, the 29" x 40" wall scroll is illustrated by award-winning painter Alex Ross. Todd McFarlane's Spider-Man #1 Wall Scroll (JAN023444F): A Previews Exclusive item for six months, the 29" x 40" wall scroll is illustrated by fan-favorite artist Todd McFarlane. Soul Taker Previews Exclusive "Cast" (JAN023178-9H) and "Date Kyosuke" (JAN023180-1H) T-Shirts: Featuring images from the hit anime series, each of these Previews Exclusive T-shirts come in L-XL sizes. Previews Exclusive Crow "Moonshadow" (JAN023189-90H) and "Sleep No More" (JAN023191- 2H) T-Shirts: Available in L-XL sizes, both of these T-shirts include images of James O'Barr's popular anti-hero, The Crow. Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose #13 Special 2nd Anniversary Previews Exclusive Cover (JAN022273F): This special anniversary edition comes signed by creator Jim Balent and model Holly Golightly. Coven: Tooth & Nail #1/2 Previews Exclusive Prism Foil Edition (JAN022244H): Illustrated by Karl Waller - and limited to 500 copies - this 16-page collector's item ships to retailers bagged and boarded with a Certificate of Authenticity. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Official Magazine #2 Previews Exclusive Edition (JAN022798H): Besides its handsome Previews Exclusive variant cover, this 68-page must-have magazine includes exclusive interviews with the hit show's cast and crew, behind-the- scenes reports, and other Buffy- related news. Farscape Magazine #6 Previews Exclusive Edition (JAN022812H): Featuring an out-of-this-world Previews Exclusive variant cover, this issue of the popular 68-page magazine includes interviews with actor Paul Goddard (Chrichton) and writer Ricky Manning, as well as information about the series' third season. Official X-Files Magazine #2 Previews Exclusive Edition (JAN022843H): The truth is in this 68- page magazine, which gives X-Philes all-access to behind-the-scenes X- Files news, set reports, and exclusive interviews with the cast and crew. Diamond Select Toys & Collectibles These items are specially created by Diamond's sister company, which works with toy suppliers to develop, manufacture, and market toy products for both specialty and mass-market retailers. Peter Cottontail Series 1 Figure Assortment (JAN023286H): A Specialty Market Exclusive for one-year, these all-new toys are based on the classic Rankin/Bass Easter special. Consisting of Peter Cottontail (with basket of eggs and Antoine the Caterpillar), Donna (with bonnet and heart), Seymour Sassafrass (with cane, hat, and magic egg), and Irontail (with magic egg and spellbook), these must-have toys are guaranteed to ship in March - just in time for Easter sales! Red Skull 8" Resin Statue (JAN022106H): Captain America's archenemy...as envisioned by sculptor Sam Greenwell! This Marvel-ous collectible is the first in a line of statues based on the Avengers' heroes and villains, and is limited to 7,500 pieces! Ultimate Magneto Bust (JAN022107H): Sculpted by artisan David Cortés, this 7"-tall resin rendering of Marvel Comics' Master of Magnetism comes in packaging that includes all-new Adam Kubert art. Shipping with a Certificate of Authenticity, this collectible is limited to 10,000 pieces. Ultimate Magneto Special Edition Bust (JAN022108H): Limited to 500 pieces, this "battle- damaged" version of the Ultimate Magneto Bust ships with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Cortés and illustrated by Kubert. (MORE) Ultimate Magneto #1 Adam Kubert Poster (JAN022109E): Illustrated by series artist Adam Kubert, this 221/4" x 341/2" print features the Ultimate X-Foe at his most vile! Dawn Wall Scroll (JAN023429H): Fans are sure to rise to the occasion with this breathtaking new wall scroll, featuring a stunning image of Joseph Michael Linsner's redheaded goddess. Lovingly constructed of 100% satin, this gorgeous collectible measures 27" x 34." This month's Previews also offers again The Hooded One Previews Exclusive Glow-in-the- Dark Figure (JAN023408H), the Transformers Vol. 2: End of the Road Previews Exclusive HC (JAN022632F), the Spawn Series 12 Repaints Figure Assortment (JAN023415Z), the Evil Ernie Bust (JAN023311H), the Vandala Bust (JAN023312H), the Frazetta Special Edition Barbarian Figure (JAN023399H), the Frazetta Series II Destroyer Figure (JAN023396H), the Frazetta Series II Sea Witch Figure (JAN023397H), and the Frazetta Series II Snow Giant Figure (JAN023398H) - giving retailers another opportunity too bring these best-selling exclusives into their stores, and another chance to sell them to consumers who are looking high and low for them! Art for all of these products is available upon request. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [6] Interview Tim O'Shea tim_jen@mindspring.com [Tim O'Shea is a 32-year old desktop publisher who lives in Atlanta with his wife and son. Tim has been reading comic books on a weekly basis since 1977.] Busiek Charges Up the DC Universe with the Launch of Power Company Reprinted from www.Thecomicreader.com with permission. With the launch of his new book, Power Company, (with series co-creator and artist Tom Grummett) at DC Comics through the 14-page preview in JLA 61, Kurt Busiek is one step closer to writing his first regular series for DC. But before Power Company's first issue in February 2002, DC has lined up a series of Power Company one-shots for the month of January (a Powersurge event), starting next week with Josiah Power. DC's official preview site (http://www.dccomics.com/features/powerco/powerco.html) provides full details on all seven one-shots, plus the regular series (which Kurt describes at the site as "it's a professional superhero team organized along the principles of a law firm. They have partners, associates, billable hours, pro bono work, support staff and more, and a big part of the book will come from the fact that the members aren't all there for the same reason"). My thanks as always to Kurt for his time. Tim O'Shea, TCR News TCR: As an industry veteran (and a long-time fan long before the start of your professional career), what is different in terms of writing for the DC universe versus the Marvel universe (or are there noticeable differences, other than the understandable obvious)? Busiek: Mostly the schedule -- what would be considered on time at Marvel is screamingly-late at DC, so it's taking some adjustment to their different scheduling and production approach. As for writing in the universe itself -- the biggest change is that I have to research a lot more, and consult with folks who know. The Marvel U is a far more familiar place to me - - but I'm having a ball getting to play with the DCU, and just give me twenty years, and I'm sure I'll catch right up! TCR: Power Company is a series that you've been developing for years. Were there certain elements that you had to scuttle as the years progressed, as someone else would do something similar? Busiek: Not really, no. There was, at one time, a new series announced from someone else called POWER COMPANY, which wasn't a business of any kind, and I swore and kicked things and came up with another name -- but then the new series never came out, so I didn't have to worry about it any more. [The alternative name, by the way, was SUPERSTARS INC., but I went and used "Superstar" elsewhere...] And just after we signed the deal with DC, someone else announced that they were going to do a book about professional superheroes, and even compared them to a law firm, which made me nervous -- but they also talked about how their heroes were employed by the city and punched time-clocks, so that didn't sound like what I wanted to do. And then that series never materialized either. There were various characters that I dropped as I came up with better ideas, but that's not what you mean, I think. Oh, wait, I think there's one -- for a time, the role that eventually came to be filled by Witchfire was filled by a luxury-loving ex-jewel thief named Solitaire, who I scrapped when Malibu published their SOLITAIRE book. But I'd probably have dumped her anyway, since in the DCU, it's hard to be a slinky female ex-jewel thief and not wind up being thought of as minor league next to Catwoman. TCR: How did Tom Grummett become involved in the project. What is the greatest attribute to his skills as an artist? Busiek: Tom wasn't initially an artist I thought of, since he'd been working with Karl Kesel for so long. But Karl actually suggested him, when I was looking for artist suggestions -- Karl thought Tom would be up to do a new series like POWERCo, and that he'd welcome the challenge. The DC guys were all for it, so we called him, and he was indeed up for it, and there you go. I'm delighted -- I first saw Tom's work when he was doing a small-press SF book called PRIVATEERS, and I tracked him down to offer him work on OPEN SPACE, which I was editing for Marvel at the time -- and it turned out I was about two weeks behind Mark Waid, who'd tracked him down to do DC work, the rat-bastid. Anyway, Tom did a few OPEN SPACE stories for me, and designed much of our shared-universe technology, so I knew he was a terrific guy to work with from a design standpoint. And he and I were actually supposed to do a story together, an AVENGERS fill-in -- but he never had the time to get to it, and it ended up being set aside when the AVENGERS editorship changed. [Ironically, that story is being drawn now -- it'll be my final issue of AVENGERS.] So I watched Tom's stuff at DC, and was jealous of the writers who worked with him, since his storytelling, his character designs, his page layouts and his draftsmanship were just so damn good. And now I get to work with him at last, not just on a fill-in, but on an ongoing series, so I consider myself a lucky, lucky man. I just had to wait for it... TCR: Were there any characters you had in the original PC line-up that DC said, "No you can't use that person"? Busiek: Nope. I thought that they -- or Walt [Simonson] -- would tell us they'd rather we didn't use Manhunter, but they seem to like what we have planned... TCR: Now that you've started writing your first DC universe title, any interest in writing any other DC character titles? Busiek: I'd love to write KAMANDI someday -- and other DC stuff, like FLASH, METAL MEN, FIRESTORM, BLUE BEETLE or other books, or characters ranging from Barry Allen in his heyday as Flash to oddball choices like Commander Steel or the pre-Crisis Supergirl (now there's one that's not gonna happen!), but it all depends on time and workload. Lots of other things I'd like to do, too. TCR: Power Company is not the first team book you've written, what aspects of a team book appeal to you as a writer and seemingly draw you to the subgenre? Busiek: I like the ensemble cast -- I like playing the characters off one another, and having a larger cast to explore. Plus, I seem to come up with team ideas -- I'm not sure why. Deep-seated childhood insecurity, maybe. TCR: I think one key to a successful series is not only the main characters, but the supporting cast. A prime example is in the 1980s IRON MAN series, when Mrs. Arbogast played such a vital role in the book. Will Power Company have support staff/supporting characters like that? Busiek: I don't know that they'll have anyone quite like Mrs. Arbogast, but there'll be supporting characters among the support staff, yes. You'll get to know more about them as they get introduced... TCR: Power Company's launch is being boosted by several different one- shots, featuring stories on the individual PC members. In one story (SKYROCKET [on sale January 16]), the tale is set at the height of the career for Green Lantern (Hal Jordan). How much fun was it to work with Hal "at his best"? Busiek: Oh, it's always fun to write Hal. It's not quite the same, writing him as a guest-star, as it would to be able to write him in an ongoing series where I could really explore the character and chart a new direction for him. But he's a favorite, so it's fun to write him whenever I have the chance. TCR: Another Skyrocket-related question, do you think a patriotic character like that has even more of a greater draw in a post-9/11 world, or do you think 9/11 will have any impact on readers? Also, do you ever find yourself writing differently in any way after 9/11? Busiek: I honestly don't know whether patriotic characters are more of a draw; I don't really think about that kind of stuff. I write the characters I find interesting, and if they're popular, that's great, but I don't try to jump on trends. And I'm not conscious of writing differently post 9/11 -- it may well be I am, but if so, it isn't deliberate. I just write as honestly and as interestingly as I can, and hope readers want to go where I want to take them. I did worry a little about Skyrocket, in that she's a patriot, but she's also black and female, which means that her nation (and her time in the armed forces) hasn't treated her as equitably as it could, and that'll come up in the stories. So I fretted a bit about whether people would react negatively to stories that featured implicit (or even explicit) criticism of the military or of the nation, until I figured screw it -- I can't do this job if I'm second-guessing what the audience will think. My job is to tell good stories and tell them well, and if I do that, then I should be on safe ground, regardless of the subject matter or the tenor of the times. TCR: Would you say your more excited about this project than many of your other successes of the past, seeing as PC has been nearly 20 years in the making? Busiek: I'm pretty excited about finally making it a reality, yes. But when I'm actually doing the work, I tend to get caught up in whatever I'm writing, and I'm excited about whatever it is I'm focusing on. Otherwise, it'd be hard to do the job. So there's always a satisfaction in getting to realize an idea that's been percolating in my head for a long time -- as THUNDERBOLTS and ASTRO CITY did, in different ways -- but it's exciting to do something like AVENGERS, that I never really expected to be working on, too. TCR: In the preview (available in JLA 61), it's revealed that part of the Power Company services includes a medical team. In addition to the heroes, what other divisions are there to Power Company and how prominent a role will these divisions have? Busiek: That's something I'm sure we'll get into as the series progresses. In the meantime, I'd rather play it out on the page than lay it all out in advance. TCR: You really crammed a lot of story into the 14-page preview. Was there anything you had to trim out of the preview for space reasons? Busiek: Nope. It fit in pretty nicely, I thought. TCR: Looking at the lineup of artists on the different one-shots, there's a broad spectrum of artists. I was curious, did editor Peter Tomasi help select the artists with you, or did you and Tom make the choices? Busiek: Most of the artists were my suggestion, but Peter and I talked it all through, and he was instrumental in helping choose them, and in getting them actually on board. TCR: Also, I'm familiar with most of the artists, but I'm not aware of Ramon Bachs. What series has he worked on in the past, and what made you choose him for the Striker Z one-shot? Busiek: He's been doing a lot of STAR WARS stuff for Dark Horse, and drew the JOKER/MASK crossover. I first saw his work when I went to a con in Spain, and was impressed with the life and energy it had. Since then, his agent has kept me up to date with Ramon's latest samples, so when we needed someone who could do a light, energetic adventure story set in and around the Hong Kong film industry, he's one of the guys that came to mind. TCR: I think its safe to say that on your Avengers run, Tom Brevoort was instrumental in the book's complex planning. Will you and Peter have a similar working relationship, or is the DC writer/editorial relationship a different kind of situation? Busiek: That's something I'm sure we'll figure out as we go along. Every book is different, as is every working relationship, and it takes a while to find your feet in it. I've talked to Peter a lot, and I've talked over story ideas with Tom Grummett far more than with any AVENGERS penciler (only fitting, since Tom's the co-creator of the team), and Steve Wacker, the assistant editor on the book, has been a wellspring of support, enthusiasm, and out-of-the-box ideas. A year from now, I'm sure we'll know a whole lot more about how we work together -- but so far, so good! ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [7] A View From the Cheap Seats Rich Watson cptsisko318@aol.com [A graduate of New York's School of Visual Arts, Rich Watson has been a self-published cartoonist since 1993, and whose output includes the superhero drama Celebrity and the romantic fable Rat: A Love Story. He currently resides in New York and gets his comics weekly from Jim Hanley's Universe and Midtown Comics. Rich can be contacted on his board http://www.revampscripts.com/board/Rich_Watson.shtml and is featured on the website http://www.smallpresscomics.com/] The 2001 Top Ten Posted by Rich Watson on December 24th, 2001 (Views: 8) Well, here we are at the end of what has been the most insane damn year in recent memory. I mean, remember when thinking about the year 2001 used to inspire hope for the future? The 21st century meant the promise of something better - and even when it started to look more and more like we weren't gonna have super-intelligent artificial intelligences and space stations and all that Stanley Kubrick/Arthur C. Clarke stuff, at least it seemed like we were headed in that direction and from there, who knows? Maybe it could lead to humanity finally starting to get their act together. At least, that's what I used to think of whenever I thought of the year 2001. Now, 2001 will forever be marred with a big black stain in the shape of a giant steaming crater in lower Manhattan where once stood two humongous skyscrapers, and is now a graveyard for thousands of souls whose only crime was that they were born in a country that some lunatic half a world away has got a beef against. There's no doubt that we've all witnessed absolute evil, the worst that man is capable of, this year. By the same token, however, we've also seen the best. From world-famous celebrities to elected officials to the average Joe on the street, we've seen a nation rise as one and say screw you, we're not gonna let this stop us. We're gonna bury our dead. We're gonna fight back. And we're gonna move on with our lives. I know I myself have taken much-needed comfort in this, and in knowing that me and mine are safe, and that there are those who are fighting to keep it that way. Living in New York still feels like a powder keg to me. I'm still afraid of the possibility of subsequent attacks here. I still get shook up when thinking about the morning of September 11, and the enormity of it, and its implications, but I feel like I can deal with it, and put it in perspective, a little better now. And for that I'm grateful. 2001 has definitely been a banner year for comics. Not just the proliferation of them in the mass media, from the films GHOST WORLD and FROM HELL to the TV shows SMALLVILLE, WITCHBLADE, and THE TICK, but to the books themselves getting serious attention, from the World Trade Center benefit book HEROES, to J. Michael Straczynski's run on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and Kevin Smith's run on GREEN ARROW, and now Frank Miller's DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN. I know I feel like the proverbial kid in a candy shop whenever I go comics shopping these days, be it at my friendly neighborhood store or at one of the many conventions I go to. There really is more good stuff out there now than ever before, in a wide variety of genres. My Top 10 List for 2001 is of my favorite new or ongoing titles this year, NOT my choices for the best. I want to make this distinction clear. There are plenty of books I simply have not gotten around to reading, for whatever reason, no matter how good they may be. Some I've only started reading for the first time. (For example, I've finally started reading BONE this year with the first two TPBs. Wonderful book.) Regardless, this list is no more, no less, than the ten books I've felt most strongly about this year, all biases and prejudices on the table. I'm simply not qualified to determine what was the best in this or any other year. I just know what I like. This was such a good year that I have to have an Honorable Mention list as well: BIZARRO COMICS (DC) - Who cares if the fanboys didn't dig it? I found most of these stories to be a wonderfully fresh interpretation of the DC Universe and discovered a lot of artists I didn't know about before. BONEYARD (NBM) - Boy, was this a tough cut from the Top 10. A fun book that straddles the line between all-ages and mature readers, with great artwork too. DEEP FRIED (Death Ray Graphics) - MAD magazine for the 21st century. Does it go too far? Yes, but that's the point - and you still can't help busting a gut laughing. THE GOLEM'S MIGHTY SWING (Drawn & Quarterly) - THE NATURAL meets KAVALIER AND CLAY in this fine tale of baseball and Judaism. This will likely be on a lot of Ten Best lists, I think. QUEEN & COUNTRY (Oni) - Greg Rucka taking on the world of British espionage looked to be a surefire winner - and it has been. RAVEN'S CHILDREN (Shadowgrass) - A meticulously detailed world of men and gods in a hunter-gatherer society, with a compellingly told story behind it. TALES OF THE CHEROKEE (Mandalay) - Native American culture is ripe with stories. How wonderful that someone thought to put them in comics form. USER (DC/Vertigo) - A fascinating story about the digital world and the real world, and the woman who bridges the two. Beautiful painted art as well. WAR STORY (DC/Vertigo) - Garth Ennis' take on World War 2 from four different perspectives proved him to be at the top of his game. X-FORCE (Marvel) - Perhaps the most innovative new superhero title from the House of Ideas in years. I never know what's gonna happen next. Of the books from last year's list that didn't make it onto this year's list, here's a quick rundown: PEDRO & ME and FAITH: A FABLE were both one-shot graphic novels. BERLIN and 4 HORSEMEN were both mini-series that ended last year. PREACHER and BOX OFFICE POISON were both ongoing series that ended last year. RISING STARS and THE RED STAR dipped for me. The former's second act wasn't anywhere near as interesting to me as the first. Plus, it went on far longer than it should have. It ended on a high note, though. As for the latter, well, it simply had a tough act to follow after its initial arc. The new issues were good, but not quite on the same level. Plus it didn't come out often enough. I wish it were bimonthly. PATTY CAKE & FRIENDS vol. 2 was simply a victim of the numbers. I love this book dearly, and always will, but there wasn't room for it on this year's list. This is a great book though, and definitely worth reading! There were two new TPBs of it this year, collecting the Slave Labor issues, so go ye forth and seek them out! And now the Cheap Seats Top Ten for 2001! (Warning - some of these descriptions contain spoilers.) 10. DOG & PONY SHOW (Paradise Valley). If you read my review of this superlative book earlier this year, you already know my feelings about it and the remarkable lady behind it. Let me tell you something about Pam Bliss. She doesn't make comics to appear on the cover of WIZARD. She has not tried to get Hollywood to come to Valparaiso (though they'll come one day soon, that's for sure). The extent of her ancillary merchandise is a couple of T-shirts and a voluminous supply of buttons. To understand why she makes the comics she does, you only have to meet her once. Everything she knows about the craft of sequential art she learned on her own, coupled with a unique understanding of the way the world works and her place in it. She's the favorite aunt that everyone in the family turns to for one reason or another. She's the savvy and smart city mouse who prefers the life of the country mouse. She's the proprietor of a comics franchise with a body of work matched by very few within the self-publishing field. She's the dog lady in the slouch hat. She's the Queen of Small Press. And she's my friend. Here's to her. (www.paradisevalleycomics.com) 9. ASKARIHODARI (Warrior's Drum). I love it when I start reading a series from the first few issues and the realization quickly builds that I've gotten in on the ground floor of something special. The Vertigo book HOUSE OF SECRETS was like that for me; so was (and is) Alan Moore's PROMETHEA. So is it now with Glenn Brewer's book. Well, technically, issue 1 came out in 2000, and I didn't know about it then, but ever since picking it up at SPACE earlier this year, I have no doubt that ASKARIHODARI is gonna take off in a big way real soon. Like Brian Michael Bendis' JINX and GOLDFISH, it's a black and white crime comic in which the creator uses real people as models for the characters. Most of those people in this case are African-American, and Glenn presents them with all their virtues and vices, their strengths and vulnerabilities. Now there are people who say that a "black-themed" comic can't sell. That it's too much of a niche market. That not enough black people read comics to begin with. To them I say, this book is not about race any more than STRAY BULLETS is, or AMERICAN CENTURY, or even THE PUNISHER. And anyone who tries to pigeonhole a book as meticulously illustrated, as intelligently written as this into something as ill-fitting as a "black" book, is in for a world of shock. This is only the beginning for Glenn Brewer and ASKARIHODARI - and you can take that to the bank. (www.askarihodari.com) 8. AMELIA RULES! (Renaissance). This was a fabulous year for children's comics. In Jimmy Gownley's book, Amelia's parents are divorced, and from the outset we see how it affects her world. She tells her stories to a disembodied companion - the reader, technically, since she breaks the fourth wall when she does this, but looked at another way, it could be interpreted as an imaginary friend. We see her eavesdropping on arguments between her parents. We see her classmates tease her because of her parents' situation. Despite all of this, she gets to have as much fun as other children. The artwork is light and engaging, but one overlooked aspect is the lettering. Pages literally explode with the crazy variations of fonts used to express anger, fear, paranoia, excitement, infatuation, and other such emotions. Lettering in general doesn't get enough notice in comics, partly because most of the time they aren't used as creatively as they are in this book. Add some judicious use of computer-generated effects, and the result is one rock solid, genuinely entertaining title that deserves as long a life as possible. Oh, and Tanner's a hottie. More Tanner! (www.renpress.com) 7. MURDER ME DEAD (El Capitan). The aforementioned JINX and GOLDFISH, along with TORSO, kinda set the bar for me in terms of what crime comics were capable of, and after WHITEOUT, SCENE OF THE CRIME, and 100 BULLETS, along comes another book to add to the ever-growing library. David Lapham presents this neo-noir thriller in a very old-school, EC Comics style, with its structured layouts and even its lettering. The story of doomed musician Steven and his femme fatale lover Tara could very easily have been a Bogart and Bacall movie, with its twists and secrets and betrayals and action. It's the kind of story that really needs to be read all at once, and I'm tempted to get the TPB and sell off my individual issues. Either way, I'm glad to have followed this masterfully told tale. (www.straybullets.com) 6. DORK! (Slave Labor). Funnyman Evan Dorkin took a page from the Robert Crumb/Seth/Joe Matt playbook with the tragicomic "Cluttered, Like My Head" in issue 7 two years ago. It didn't seem like he could top that, but I'll tell you what - "The Intervention" in this year's issue 9 came damn close! As harrowing and painful as the former was to read, the latter was equally hilarious and madcap - and it even had a heart! The killer thing about this story is that anyone who's a diehard comics fan, like Bill (who, after all, is merely an extension of Dorkin himself), has probably debated the logistics of the various characters in their head lots of times ever since they grew up, to the point where they questioned the value of the comics themselves. Go to any comics message board on the internet and you're bound to see such debates, in one form or another. That doesn't keep us from loving our comics, though, as Dorkin makes abundantly clear in this wonderful story which will make you proud to be a fan - if you aren't already. (www.houseoffun.com) 5. HEROBEAR AND THE KID (Astonish). If the Small Press Expo had gone on as planned, Mike Kunkel would have been nominated for four Ignatz Awards for this remarkable title. This is not really a children's book, because that doesn't even begin to encapsulate the themes explored in it. From one issue alone (number 3), I got out of it the following: the true nature of heroism, the perils of celebrity, the power of imagination, and even a religious subtext. Surely such a comic that addresses such topics as deftly and engagingly as these cannot be for kids alone, but for everyone. I was caught totally unprepared for the level of the writing and art, which are both off the charts. The art isn't inked, but the reproduction is so good it doesn't need to be, really. Even WIZARD recognized this as one of the best independent books of the year, and rightly so. HEROBEAR AND THE KID speaks to the heroic ideal in all of us, and as Tyler, its young protagonist, learns, the role doesn't require a mask and a cape. And never was such a message needed more than this of all years. (www.theastonishfactory.com) 4. PRIVATE BEACH (Slave Labor). Sometimes a comic will come along in which I get to know and love the characters so much, that it's as if they're friends that I hang out with every so often. With each new issue, I get to catch up on old times, gossip about who's up to what, and have a good laugh. BOX OFFICE POISON was like that for me, and David Hahn's PRIVATE BEACH, with its delightful characters and breathtakingly stunning artwork, is becoming the same way. I went back and bought the original 3-issue mini-series, FUN AND PERILS IN THE TRUDYVERSE, which has a TWIN PEAKS-like plot involving a stray extraterrestrial, and while it was amusing, I find I'm much more drawn to the goings-on of Trudy and Sharona and Siobahn and Junior than anything else. In this second series, the weirdness is played down and only hinted at here and there, and I like this much better, because it suggests at something bigger down the road, yet doesn't hit you over the head with it. In fact, it would be easy to read this book and not think there was any X-FILES-type stuff going on, and who knows - maybe there isn't. I mean, I thought that UFO on the cover of issue one was a frisbee at first... This is a sincerely fun and entertaining book that really needs to be seen by more people. (www.slavelabor.com) 3. 100 BULLETS (DC/Vertigo). This title has grown way beyond its initial premise into something much grander in scope. The hook was enticing enough: if you were given the opportunity to murder someone who wronged you - and get away with it completely - would you? If that's all this book were about, that would be plenty, but Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso have built an equally intense ongoing arc to complement this scenario, involving the Freemason-like organization known only as the Trust, and its renegade band of enforcers called the Minutemen. Watching the chess game developing between Graves and Shephard, the linchpins on which the series revolve, has been utterly tantalyzing, and there's so much more to come. 100 BULLETS is another book I've followed since its inception, and I have enjoyed every issue of it. (www.dccomics.com) 2. POWERS (Image). I find it very gratifying and encouraging that Mike Oeming has become as popular as he has from this book. I recall back in college, when I decided to become a comics artist, that the Todd McFarlane/Rob Liefeld/Jim Lee style of art was the rage at the time. I didn't like the idea of conforming my art style in order to get a job with Marvel or DC; indeed, I was already trying to make my art into something that looked more "mainstream," so to speak. And now here it is years later, and there's this hit book published by Image - the company founded by those selfsame creators - in which the art is the antithesis of the style that was so popular a decade ago. Oeming's characters are very distinctive, going far beyond merely changing hair styles and clothing like some artists do. He can use the most subtle of facial expressions to convey emotion. His superheroes may not look quite like those in the corporate comics but they're convincing and they work for this particular comic. And his images are very accessible and readable. And in a year in which POWERS did some clever experimentation with formatting, both with the covers and the interiors, Oeming's art did everything it was supposed to and more. And hey, that Bendis ain't too bad a writer, is he? (www.jinxworld.com) 1. STRANGERS IN PARADISE (Abstract). For every hopeless romantic who believes their special someone is right around the corner. For every wounded soul battered and bruised by life that refuses to give in. For every wallflower working up the courage to speak that first "hello." For every wild child who's the first to arrive at the party and the last to leave. For the macho ladykillers, the femme fatales. The single parents and the estranged children. The fools, the psychopaths, the geeks. The pious ones who put their faith in a higher power. For those who've fallen by the wayside... and those struggling to get back on the path. For everyone who has ever felt the power of love in their lives and been forever changed by it. Terry Moore's series is for all those and more, because the story of Francine and Katchoo is our story. Their hopes and dreams, their failures and triumphs, their laughter and tears, are ours. And when times are toughest - whenever life conspires to set our heroines at odds with themselves or the world or both - we know that they'll find a way through because of the one thing that has bound them through 62 issues and counting: their love. Because as they have taught us, without it, they - and we - are never more than... well, you know. (www.strangersinparadise.com) ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [8] Sound And Fury Craig Lemon craiglemon@aol.com [Reading comics for 20 years, reviewing them for 5, and now reviews editor at http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/ Craig is waiting for the bottom to fall out of the market he loves and cherishes, and hopes it never happens.] Sound And Fury, January 2002 Edition A new year, and a new promise to deliver monthly columns_let's see how badly I keep this promise, hey? I don't know about you guys, but to me it seems that Trade Paperback collections are growing in importance, and quality, almost from month to month. With Marvel's aggressive new program of printing collections almost as soon as the last issue included is released, with DC continuing to collect major storylines (albeit a year down the line), and with the ever-present manga releases from the likes of Dark Horse and Viz, the choice is astounding_and these puppies stay in print, so no worrying about getting to the shop a week later and them being sold out. So that's what I want to concentrate on – a monthly roundup of some of the best I've read that month, either new releases or old favourites that just cried out to be re-read_if you want more, you can drop by http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/reviews and say hello! Feedback, abuse and review offers can reach me on the above address. Cheers! Craig. Judge Dredd: Emerald Isle 4/5 Writer: Garth Ennis Artists: Steve Dillon (Emerald Isle); Ian Gibson (Almighty Dredd); Anthony Williams (The Magic Mellow-Out) Publisher: Titan Books (ISBN 1-84023-341-9) Comments: Another set of stories culled from the early days of Garth Ennis's writing career, featuring some of his earliest Judge Dredd work at his most raw, coupled with two later pieces which show how much his writing developed in the intervening year. The first, and longest, story herein, the eponymous "Emerald Isle", was not just one of Ennis's first Judge Dredd pieces, but one of his earliest writings ever. Preceded by "Troubled Souls" in the ill-fated Crisis magazine, both stories were thematically linked by Ennis writing about what he knew best and felt most comfortable with at that stage in his life - the life and times of Ireland. Although the protagonists in each story were wildly different (Tommy in Troubled Souls, the "everyman" character trying to make sense of the situation, compared to Judge Dredd in Emerald Isle), both were outsiders looking-in, discovering truths behind the façade, and ultimately both stories ending the same way - in death and departure. Of course, "Emerald Isle" is the Judge Dredd show, spending far less time reacting to events, and far more instigating events of his own. Dredd is in full classic force - no second thoughts, no hesitation, no lessening of standards to meet local expectations - it's the culture shock that works as humour in this story, with Dredd hitting up hard against the Murphyville laid-back approach, and not giving an inch. The plot, such as it is, involves itself with a hitman from Mega-City One influencing an Irish independence movement to ever-greater acts of violence in order to free them from the yoke of Brit-Cit - Dredd gets involves, kicks serious ass, and leaves again_and that's about it. But as with much of Ennis's early work, it's the journey that's interesting even if the destination is a little old-school, and he comes up trumps here with spot-on Dredd dialogue and humour drawn from the characters and situations he comes up against. This story also marks his first collaboration with Steve Dillon, who was already a well-established artist in UK comics by this stage; what he made of this young, upstart writer is anyone's guess, but he turns in an excellent job, especially in the design of the Irish Judges' uniforms and the lovely, cute, and ultimately doomed Basking Soggy creatures. You need to check it out to see what I mean. "Almighty Dredd" is a three-parter with Ian Gibson, famed for his superlative Halo Jones work with Alan Moore, and shows Ennis stretching his legs slightly as he attacks another of his perennial favourite targets - religion. A Church of Dredd is kidnapping and sacrificing citizens in the name of Dredd - they look forward to his Coming and the Justice that will be served when he does_of course, you know what sort of Justice Dredd will dish out on their heads from the first panel of the first part of the story. Again, it's the journey rather than the destination that is of interest - after all, the ending is never in doubt from the off - it's the little touches like block names and Dredd-ized versions of popular hymns that make this a fun read. Finally the book wraps with a two-part riff on "The Magic Roundabout". If you're not familiar with that seminal 70s children's TV show then this story will pass you by entirely. If Eric Thompson means nothing to you, then this story will mean nothing to you. But one who knows Dougal, Brian, Ermintrude, Dylan and the wonderful Zebedee will get a huge kick out of Duggle, Derek, Verminprude, Lennon (an inspired name) and the crazed Jobedee. Anthony Williams rises to the challenge to reinvent these classic characters without being so close as to be sued, and does a marvellous job. Again the story's ending is a little weak, bit of a damp squib, but picking up the references makes this the pick of the bunch. Final Word: Weak, obvious endings to each of three stories stops this book from being a total classic, but for a writer's early work this is forgivable. An essential purchase for 2000AD and Ennis fans, for anyone who knows The Magic Roundabout, and for people who want an entertaining, but ultimately lightweight, read. Superman/Gen 13 5/5 Writer: Adam Hughes Artists: Lee Bermejo (p), John Nyberg (i) Publisher: DC Wildstorm/Titan Books (ISBN 1-84023-328-1) Plot: The five teenagers of Gen 13 get another weekend field-trip, this time chosen by Caitlin Fairchild, and she picks Metropolis due to her mooning over Superman as a kid. Wouldn't you know that they almost immediately bump into him, literally in her case, and when she wakes with Supe's cloak on her amnesia kicks in until she realises she must be ... Supergirl! It doesn't matter that she can't fly, doesn't have super-hearing and has orange hair - that's because of red kryptonite of course. Things go from bad to worse for the new Supergirl, whilst the rest of Gen 13 enlist Supes to try to find her...and what happens when the real Supergirl turns up? Comments: Curiously this isn't an Elseworlds book, which seems to imply that now Wildstorm the company is owned by DC, the Wildstorm characters can almost be deemed to reside in the DC Universe in general. More power to DC is this is the case, as Adam Hughes downs his drawing pens in favour of the typewriter and puts together a fantastic book in the process. Drawing on his familiarity with the Gen 13 characters and personalities, the insertion of such into Metropolis is not a bad fit at all, and it takes Superman until the last few pages to really reassert himself as the premier hero in the DC pantheon. As is typical with Gen 13 stories, the keyword is humour, and in this particular case, humour done exceedingly well. The Gen 13 teens hold Superman in suitable contempt for the most part - after all, he's just an over-grown boy scout, the old man of the superhero universe, and not at all relevant to today's kids, and reading their opinions (specifically Grunge's) seems uncomfortably like DC acknowledging their problems with attracting kids to the Superman titles. Maybe that is part of what this book is intended to achieve, to inject a little of the "cool" surrounding Gen 13 into the moribund Superman fanbase and general perception? In any event, Hughes tears the Superman's own perceptions of himself down with ease; the sparkling dialogue makes this book a real treat. The excellence of the art in this book is highlighted nowhere more than in the three alternate covers shown in the last few pages of the book - J. Scott Campbell's good girl art versions are just so cartoony and cliched compared to the almost realistic version inside by Bermejo and Nyberg. Their story-telling is faultless, there's not much in the way of special tricks but that doesn't really matter - the point of the book come across very well, the art supports the script without glossing over it, yet it's not simple cartoony figures on bland backgrounds. Well, maybe the backgrounds are a little staid, certainly some more variety wouldn't've gone amiss, but that's a minor point given the art package as a whole. Final Word: The best Superman story I've read in the last couple of years - a nice collection, in a nice format, and well worth your money. Judge Dredd: Death Aid 4/5 "Death Aid, parts 1 to 7" "Return of the King, parts 1 to 3" "Christmas With Attitude" Writer: Garth Ennis Artist: Carlos Ezquerra Publisher: Titan Books, ISBN 1-84023-344-3 Continuing to collect Garth Ennis's 2000AD work, Titan have put out this batch from 1992, and it's a good read although a slightly mixed bag of stories. "Death Aid" is the titular story, and runs for the bulk of the book across seven episodes. This involves an old-time adversary of Dredd, the Hunters Club, an exclusive club of assassins, who were last featured something like 5 or 6 years previously in the pages of 2000AD. Ennis brings a satirical spin to them in this story, parodying the Live Aid ("Heal The World") concerts of 1985 with the Mega-City One equivalent - Death Aid "Kill The World". Yes, this time it's for charity, it's for the kids - every death caused by the Hunters Club generates revenue for the poor and needy. Part of the enjoyment of Dredd is spotting the references to contemporary culture hidden in the block and street names - this time we get all of Cilla Black, Julian Clary and even Warren Pleece name- checked amongst others. Of course, this is part of the problem as well - if you don't get the references they wiill just pass you by and not affect your enjoyment of the story, but picking them up enhances the whole experience (and is reflected in the high rating of this book). Back to "Death Aid", the charity event - the assassins go kill-crazy, and it's up to Dredd to pick up the clues and work out what is going on, and dispense his usual brand of justice to bring it all to a close - if you think that means extreme violencce and fascist behaviour, then you wouldn't be far wrong. Nothing typifies Dredd more than having caught a perp and cuffed him to a holding post, he calls in for a catch wagon, the perp proceeds to vomit over the holding post: "New evidence coming to light, control. We got him for fouling a holding post too." "Return of the King" ties in (far too) closely with continuity of the earlier Necropolis storyline - somehow former Chief Judge Silver drags himself back from the Cursed Earth and attempts to resume duties. The explanation of what he did during Necropolis and how it is all resolved is a little unsatisfying if you're unfamiliar with that storyline - it doesn't really hold together as a stand alone story at all. But, by contrast, the concluding short, "Christmas With Attitude" does the business. Forget JD except for a cameo near the end, this is "A Christmas Carol" Mega-City-One-style. Thinly veiled bastardisations of literary characters are put through the same plot as that novel, with a unique twist and some truly awful attempts at scottish accents in the dialogue. A fun story nonetheless, a great way to close the book, and particularly topical for this time of year. All these stories are illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra - I'm not a fan of his; I really detest the irregular blocks around Dredd's helmet, for example. However, I recognise that, to a lot of people, he is the definitive Dredd artist, and certainly his name is almost synonymous with 2000AD. From my point of view the art isn't great, but at the very least it gets the job done, and there's only one point where things get a little confusing - it almost looks like Dredd who is shot in the head in "Death Aid" as opposed to a doctor - other than that, a fine effort. Totally recommended for recent or long-time fans of 2000AD and/or Judge Dredd, well worthwhile for Ennis completists or those who enjoyed the rip-roaring humour in Adventures In The Rifle Brigade, and worth considering for everyone else. The Complete D.R. & Quinch 5/5 Writer: Alan Moore Artist: Alan Davis Publisher: Titan Books, ISBN 1-84023-345-1, £9.99 Some comic creators' early works are just plain embarrassing. They show a naivete, they show their influences plainly, they may show flashes of potential but ultimately just don't cut it when placed alongside their current pieces, their evolution and experience changes them, usually makes them a better writer, and their early work suffers by contrast. You read a comic, decide to track down someone's earliest pieces, and are left dissatisfied as a result - your latest hero is shown in all his frailties, in all his fallibilities. And then there's Alans Moore and Davis. The D.R. & Quinch stories presented in this TPB appeared in UK weekly 2000AD from the early to mid '80s, short, five page chunks, produced to hectic schedules amid heavy workloads for both these creators. Collected into a TPB as early as 1986 (entitled "D.R. & Quinch's Totally Awesome Guide To Life"), that book fell out of print in 1992. And now they are back. First things first. Get the disadvantages out of the way. The contents herein are identical to that aforementioned TPB (which had a better title, IMHO). There is no more in this TPB, so if you are lucky enough to own that book, then this is really not a necessity for you. OK, that's the disadvantages dealt with, for everyone else, ah, just get your shop to order it and buy it now! You want to know what it's about? Oh, okay. Ernest Quinch is a dirty great pink-and-purple chap, think Barney on acid. He's also a college student and introduces himself thusly: "I like guns and starting fights. My psychiatrist says I'm a psychotic deviant...but that doesn't mean I'm a bad person, right?" His best friend is Waldo "D.R." Dobbs...the "D.R." stands for "Diminished Responsibility", which should be all you need to know. D.R. is a smaller green-skinned chap, with a wicked Elvis hair-do; he's the brains of the outfit, he does (almost) all the talking as they get themselves into, and out of, hilarious scraps and situations in the six stories featured in this book: "...Have Fun On Earth" sees the boys influence the course of Earth's history, thanks to a time-flivver, some guns, and a bad attitude; "...Go Straight!" sees them escape a custodial sentence and just have community service...which they proceed to bring to the doorstep of the judge at their trial; "...Go Girl Crazy!" sees the partnership about to dissolve thanks to D.R. falling head-over-heels in love with a sweet girl, Quinch does his best to blow true love to kingdom come; "...Get Drafted" is the obligatory war story, and an old friend/foe makes a welcome reappearance; "...Go To Hollywood" features the pair lucking into tickets for Planet Hollywood (hmm, maybe I should've said "the planet that is called Hollywood and is basically Earth's Hollywood but on a planetary scale"?), Dobbs falls into the director's game like a natural "it's a disaster movie, man"...too right; "...Get Back To Nature" has the boys running a summer camp for scouts...never was the phrase "Diminished Responsibility" so apropos. It's a comedy, it's a road movie, it's an action fest, all rolled into one. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [9] Multiverse Observer and Explorer Reviews Paul Dale Roberts Silhouet98@cs.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 OF COMIC BOOKS, OR THE ENTIRE STORY. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Name: Infinite Tales #3 Publisher: Blue Moon Comics Creative Force: Lloyd Smith, Jon Gilbert, JP Dupras, Rob Lansley, David Vance, Ed Quinby Price: $1.75 Contact Information: http://bluemooncomics.tsx.org Email: Blue_moon_99@hotmail.com Address: Blue Moon Comics, HC 66 Box 1448, Barbourville, KY 40906 Comments: I have to admit when I get a Blue Moon comic book, it's like Christmas all over again. I received 2 great issues of Blue Moon Comics on Dec 26th and I knew right there, this is truly a Blue Moon Christmas! Blue Moon Comics are created in such a way, that they will bring back memories of the way comics used to be! That's why I enjoy them so much. In this spectacular issue, we get 3 entertaining stories. Let's talk about the first one 'The Living Asteroid'. This is sci-fi at its best. The artwork is spectacular. There are so many details. Space pilot Gary Scott is an adventurous soul, a man who will take on any mission without hesitation. In this exciting adventure Gary lands on an asteroid and encounters those gigantic tentacles that reminded me of something from out of the movies Evolution or Dune. I was so surprised on some of the things Gary encounters on this asteroid. There is talk of the Seedak, a parasite space lifeform, then there is the mystery of the Woron Assembly. Television shows like Babylon 5 and Farscape could easily become jealous of the adventures of Gary Scott, if this was made into a television series. Excellent ending that ends peacefully, who says you need violent climatic endings? But, if you want violence, then the next story 'Up from the Deep' is the story for you! Welcome to Aquanaut Island. This story is The Creature of the Black Lagoon meets Jaws! Your hair will rise on end. When I was in college, I did a Sociology thesis on cults of America and did my own investigation into cults like the Church of Scientology, Church of Satan, Peoples' Temple and the Hari Krishna. I had a creepy feeling come over me, when interviewing these cult members or entering their sanctuaries. I got the same creepy feeling from this story, I felt like I was right there on the wrecking rig and seeing this strange aquatic monster ripping the installation apart and ripping men to shreds. Climatic ending as the installation is destroyed and learning that the real target was the platform, not the monster! This is a great story for conspiracy theorists. There is plenty of mystery. You have a creature with the skin of steel and you ponder the thought....'can this creature ever be destroyed?' Is the creature still alive? Oh, you better believe he is! What destruction will the creature wrought next? Darn good story! Ahh...the last story....that being 'Ultimus - Friends & Foes'. Ultimus befriends a little cute guy named Lietwe...kind of looks like an Ewok. It seems Lietwe has the State police after him, because he painted the First Lady in provocative poses perhaps? Now the paintings have been distributed all over cyberspace? Hmm. What a powerful scene as the police full heartedly attack Ultimus and his new friend without mercy, but the incredible Ultimus keeps the police at bay with ease. Ultimus is a true superhero and will do everything in his power to protect his new friend. He learns about the illegal paintings and decides that Lietwe and he should surrender. Ultimus may have surrendered, he may be in a cell, but he can come and go as he pleases, because of his 'pendant of power'. He has the power of invisibility and can go on stealth reconnaissance missions to discover the truth for his little buddy. But, what is this? Is that the First Lady who confronts Lietwe? Will she place her wrath of vengeance upon the little guy? Dang, I guess I will have to wait for the next exciting issue! Like I said in one previous Blue Moon Comics overview, I had to box up some of my magazines to replace them with Blue Moon Comics and this now includes my The Saturday Evening Post and G-Fan. Why G-Fan, because I'm a BMC (Blue Moon Comic) Fan....nuff said! Oh, don't get me wrong, I still like Godzilla and I wouldn't mind seeing him take on Baltzogg in a future issue of Blue Moon Comics! Name: Vault of Shadows #4 Publisher: Blue Moon Comics Creative Force: Brad Cook, David Matsuoka, Gerhard Grunwald, Lloyd Smith, Ed Quinby, Jonathan Gilbert, David Vance, David Owens. Price: $1.75 Contact Information: http://bluemooncomics.tsx.org Email: Blue_moon_99@hotmail.com Address: Blue Moon Comics, HC 66 Box 1448, Barbourville, KY 40906 Comments: Forget seeing Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, when you can pick up something even better, like the Vault of Shadows from Blue Moon Comics! 'Jeopardy in a Time Lost Land' is a touch of Lost World, Jurassic Park III meets Tarzan. There is plenty of good adventure in this story and you will get a thrill seeing the main hero of the story fall from high up on a cavern ledge and uses the body of another to soften his landing. A real barbaric smart guy that is a seasoned veteran of the jungles. Find out what stem worms are and later in this story, find out more about the Wolf Clan! Superb story! Hey...here's a different kind of story called 'Werwolf', that takes place in 1945 Waldenburg, Germany. The story starts off by introducing all of the soldiers and giving a mini-bio on each one, sort of the way the movie Goodfellas was done and the movie going audience was introduced to each gangster. I love these kind of introductions, it makes me feel like part of the story. I saw this one soldier who is reading Hitler's Mein Kauf and right off I was thinking this is some weird guy. There are shocking pieces to this story, especially when a 10-year-old kid is screaming and kicking that he is a werewolf. This story is quite chilling! 'For the Blood is Life' is an outstanding story of Dracula. What's this? Dracula is part of the Blue Moon Universe? You better believe it. Dracula is part of the Buffyverse, as we all saw Dracula face down with Buffy. We saw the Count in "The Young Indiana Jones", we've seen the Count with Spider-Man and now Dracula is making his presence known in the Blue Moon Universe. It all takes place in the sleepy town of Vandala and wait until a lady named Jenna meets the Count! 'Dreamt' is eerie and darn right spooky as this dad and his kids run to the light and meet up with a devil that looks like he jumped out of a Harvey Comics publication! Great ending when you realize that as long as you're good, as long as you're right, you have nothing to fear! Something we should all remember! Now we get to the last story 'Solomon Wyrd - Once More a Serpent Rises'. I once joined the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC) society, just to learn their dark secrets. This group is a lot like the Freemasons. Solomon is a very secretive man with a very secretive past and I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know the secrets of the Rosicrucians or the Illumnati, because this is a man of the mystic arts. In this story, a garden snake bites Solomon and he notices that the snake was behaving oddly. Solomon gets the feeling that bigger things are to come and later encounters an entity that calls himself The Great Serpent. Could this be the serpent that we all heard about in the Garden of Eden that seduced Eve in eating the apple? Solomon finds himself in a dilemma as the serpent staff from this godly being stops Solomon from tapping the mystical energy. I love the way Solomon talks, he says things like...'return to whence you came, vile creatures'. Like all Solomon Wyrd stories, this story is deep into the mystical arts and brings tingles up and down my spine! Great stuff! Another thing, I love about Blue Moon Comics are their great colored covers! Each issue has eye-candy covers and I can't get enough of them. Go into the Blue Moon Comics website and check them out! My son Jason aka 8-Ball, (self-proclaimed CEO) who has came up with his own backyard wrestling federation called Elk Grove's Extreme Hardcore Federation reads comics here and there and looks for certain ideas and in this comic book he loved the name Wyrd and has now named one of his wrestlers Weird Wyrd. See how comic books influence kids? Jason is now a member of the Sacramento County Sheriff Explorer program, so the first thing I'm going to do is bring some comics to their next meeting. This is a good way to promote comic books and of course I will have to share the PCBN Blue Moon Special with these young minds! Name: Meridian #19 Publisher: CrossGen Comics Price: $2.95 Creative Force: Barbara Kesel, Steve McNiven, Tom Simmons, Morry Hollowell Comments: Sephie really knows how to take charge. She sure has grown in character. She is able to pull the troops together, as she is yellng that they should save the living and not to worry about the dead. The tragedy and disaster really is chaotic and Sephie knows that she needs to be on the high alert. The tragedy of Tobel was quite sad, seeing this city island fall into pieces and people dying everywhere. Sephie has so many other things to worry about, as she feels her light is fading. She must worry about Ilahn. Ilahn is a man of pure evil and she knows he must be destroyed. Sephie now has the same mentality of Present George W. Bush. Sephie knows that she must fight with extreme prejudice. President Bush says that he wants Osama Bin Laden dead or alive. Just a slight difference on what Sehie wants with Ilahn. She simply wants him dead. I do believe Sephie will be able to carry out her plan for vengeance soon. Her outrage is pure adrenaline action. What a shame that Torbel, a beautiful floating city is completely destroyed. The loss of lives must have been tremendous! Barbara Kesel displays her writing superiority in Meridian #19! Name: Saurians - Unnatural Selection #1 Publisher: CrossGen Comics Price: $2.95 Creative Force: Mark Waid, Andrea Di Vito, Rob Hunter, Wil Quintana Comments: The readers have always seen how things are on the human perspective, but now with Saurians #1, we get to see things on the Saurian standpoint. Amazing, the whole story was just downright exciting! War is about survival and Terchac is set out to do exactly that....survive. Terchac seems to be a reasonable Saurian....well, sort of. The humans were made out to be the bad guys, driven by blind hatred as they chase Terchac down. Like I said before, Terchac seemed reasonable and this came to play as he allies with the humans. Terchac is fascinated with human's looks and before I could only see how the humans would have been fascinated by his reptilian looks. This is truly an inside look on how Saurian's see humans. Can humans and Saurians successfully trade off in philosophy and religion? I doubt it. Terchas shows his expertise with a gun as he slaughters his newfound human friends. I was completely taken aback b y this ending. I didn't see this one coming. This story had an excellent twist to it! Mark Waid definitely gets a standing ovation for this one! Name: The Incal #5 Publisher: Humanoids Publishing Comics Price: $2.95 Creative Force: Jodorowky, Janjetov & Moebius Comments: Hey, I love Miss Luz' halo. She is quite deceiving and really placed John in the wringers. Tonight as I read The Incal #5, I was dazzled by the detailed artwork. The story is spectacular and moves with precision. The Incal is a lot like yin and yang, there has to be some kind of balance between what is good and what is evil. Most comic books don't have a 'Story so far", but I'm glad your comic book does. It's easy for any new fan to jump on board. I love this futuristic reality that has cybo cop patrols and eye cops. The eye cops are completely weird; perhaps this will be our future one-day. It was mentioned in Popular Science magazine that scientists are working on flying videocams, who knows. Miss Luz sure has plenty of things to show John. Like how some of her cooks who happen to get killed preparing bio-vita steaks. More weirdness! What a shocking scene that was! Miss Luz shows her true colors with John, but John is too stupid to see her for what she is. A woman of greed and a woman with a big ego. A woman who gets what she wants through her father. A woman of immense power! A woman with a deceiving halo for criminy sakes! The way she made all of her servants prepare so much food and the food is only for her and John. Then there is Miss Luz' Anti-G Bedchamber. I bet you can get plenty of enjoyment from a bed like that! Miss Luz is showing her dark side as she tries to make John her mandog, her slave for a period of 100 years. The surgery looks like it would have been painful and John wouldn't have had a memory, he would have just been the obedient slave to this witch. I was hooping and hollering when John made his big escape with the help of his robotic friend. Like I said before those eye cops are weird! The Incal was a super post Christmas present; we need this kind of sci fi in our humble lives! Thanks for the entertainment. Also, thank you for the bonus Negative Exposure story! This comic book is definitely worth every penny! Name: Dean Motter's Electropolis #3 Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.95 Written and Drawn by: Dean Motter Comments: Oh my gosh! Electropolis #3 was delightfully enchanting. A futuristic world that is touched by 1930s gangsterism. I love it! I love the way the story starts off with the introduction of Tess Lacoyle. Even if there weren't any pictures, I can just imagine what kind of lady Tess is, with the words that she can wrap any guy around her pinky. I was completely sucked into the story, as there is mention of the Vitello Twins and how they have been connected to the kidnapping. This is truly a strange reality, that I found quite intriguing. A reality in which the police precinct consists of robotic and human detectives. The mindset of the populace is in the past, but technology has advanced them into the future. Seductive women like Cara Mia grace this comic book with her Latino charm. Then there are the mysteries and I know I am craving more information on The Architect. This is truly a type of comic book that catches my attention and doesn't let go. Dean, you're a talented genius. You have an outstanding story and the artwork was right on the mark too! I couldn't have asked for more! Name: Soulsearchers and Company #51 Publisher: Claypool Comics Creative Force: Peter David; Neil Vokes; Bill Anderson; Kevin Cunningham; Richard Howell Price: $2.50 Comments: I hope all of the staff at Claypool Comics will have a great New Year! Today, I picked up Soulsearchers and Company #51 and really found this to be an entertaining story. I had some great laughs in the beginning as Baraka slams the narrator. The interactions between Baraka and the narrator was hilarious! Even the narrator describes the fact that Baraka lets out a 'gasp' and Baraka does exactly that! In this story, Baraka is in Hell and I have always imagined as Hell being a place that has a multitude of kingdoms, dimensions and realities. The reason being is I see Hell being described by other comic book publishers or in various movies for that matter. So, I see one section being a place where you might find Clive Barker's Cenobites roaming ar