(Welcome to) Hell,Michigan

"There's something here, and it's spreading, and it's evil, and don't tell me you don't know it. All of you."

Hell Michigan 1 came out in June, sold out, and was sent back to the press. I like the change of the photo-horror cover. Dan Jolley (writer) and Clint Helinski (artist) have put together a great new horror series of evil invading a small town...and the few strong-willed people who search for others to help stop it.

FC9

In the shadow of the Empire State Bldg

I went to Jim Hanley's in NYC yesterday. Besides loving the store, I like getting an Mister Softee ice cream cone with chocolate jimmies on the next corner.

Purchased: Powers - want to see more of Mike Oemings work; Serenity vol. 1 (wish their was an Alan Tudyk cover!); Ant because I have been diggin' Image Comics recently.

And the Marvel previews...Marvel Team Up #14 of Invincible and Spidey Nov 2005! Dan Slott's The Thing!

Marvel Knights Spider-Man Vol 4 "turning Peter Parker's life upside down. He's got an incredible new pad, a new job, and a new nemesis who's everything that Peter isn't. And wait..who's that hitting on Mary Jane?" (cover shows Wolverine touching her face-- you know he has a 'redhead fetish'!) Wooo eee!

Run, Runaway

Brian K. Vaughan never disappoints-- I love Y the Last Man, Ex Machina is amazing, so I bought the first 2 issues of The Runaways. Teen girls with different powers (a witch, one with a t rex, an alien, incredible strength)....trying to stop the collapse of humanity by Victorious, who at this point in time is just another awkward, comic loving teen boy. These teen girls took down The Pride (their parents), who were on the dark side.

"The Pride was like the US taking down Saddam. We got rid of a monster, but we didn't plan for what would happen next. "

The Runaways by BKV

Gutsman and Tigra

I always rave about Gutsman-- a wordless comic by Dutch artist Erik Kriek--- you have to see for yourself. Gutsman's story is told in air bubbles-- if you've played The Sims, it's similar. His girlfriend is Tigra "sparkling female counterpart of the Gutsman" who is the "masked defender of male inadequacy". In an Adaptation/Charlie Kaufman way, Erik Kriek writes himself into the story "the lovestruck artist". I have a Tigra shirt from Amsterdam I love.

And for pure design, Erik Kriek's website is great Gutsman Comics
It's funny, sexy, with unique style. Any artist who creates a character and ends up flirting, drinking, and in bed with her sneaky (but ugly) sister... I tip my hat to that.

Here because you were chosen

Just read Of Bitter Souls, written by Chuck Satterlee, art by Norm Breyfogle. The cover art is great, along with most of the interior art. The writing seemed a little light, but I love the premise so I'm going to stick with it. The timeline keeps flipping between present day and 3 years ago in New Orleans. It reminds me of visiting New Orleans, the above ground cemetaries; Garden District; wrought-iron fences; and the green, green bayou.

Four individuals are chosen, to their delight or disgust, are directly related to their worst character flaws. Hmm...what would mine be... Having a short Irish temper and an Italian attitude in the grocery line? Crying watching the Oscars "In Memorium"? Sad, really.

Oh.my.god. Oracle!

My jaw dropped on the last two pages of the latest Birds of Prey. If you are interested at all in the future of the Oracle, my favorite girl Barbara Gordon, you must read it! I don't want to spoiler it here...but wo! where is this going?

Nobody takes a book out without getting a card!

K and I spent a time and dough at Comic Lair last night. In my stack: Of Bitter Souls, Supergirl (with Turner cover), Villains United 4, House of M 5, Birds of Prey 85, Penny and Aggie, Banana Sunday (i love monkeys!), Walking Dead TP2. Plus comics from the con last week I've yet to get to. And I'm currently reading Bite Club.

C threw in a freebie...
REX LIBRIS, vol 1, issue 1, "I, Librarian". "Rex Libris, public librarian. Here you will find, for the first time, the tumultuous tales of the public library system and its unending battle against the forces of evil". No way!

My librarian senses are tingling

Check this magnet I got from CafePress.
Can't believe I found one that combines my job and my hobby!

Marvelin' Dan Slott

If you ever get the chance to spend some time with Dan Slott (the writer for Marvel's She-Hulk, Spiderman/Human Torch, GLA, now working on The Thing), prepare to kick back and laugh your head off. He's a wellspring of comic stores and voices (ask for the chickenhawk). He hands in storylines on napkins written at the diner. He worked on Ren and Stimpy. Looney Tunes. He was the perfect guest. And driving him to the train station, I got to hear even more fun stuff!

Slott interview

The Sirens of Jersey

When I asked artist Daniel Horne the other day if he grew up in Cherry Hill, NJ, he said that he was originally from Pittsburgh. He said he moved here because "I met a Jersey girl" Laughing, I said "oh she brought you east?" and he said "Jersey girls- they are like The Sirens luring men to them from the east". Gotta love that.

Talk about the passion...

Too wiped out to blog more tonight after the show today, but MANY thanks to everyone who came out, set up, or helped out.
Executive Producer R the Spider-- YES!
C for the pizza, ice cream -- Yum!
Admission table friends- Woo Hoo!
Excellent artist, writer, publisher guests-- Your talents floor me.
Dealers- Hope you made some dough and found new customers and old.

PICTURES here!
Artist, dealer, writer and Stormtrooper (and Trooper Groupies) MidJersey Comicon Pics from today


I want to point out to adults that there is a world of good material available to you now in comic form - in this medium - and learn to give it your support because the more you support it, the better the material will be as it comes out. - Will Eisner

it's the final countdown...

...to the first MidJersey Comicon in Bordentown! I will certainly blog about it and take lots of comic fanboy and fangirl photos.

Comicon

SuperRedheads!

Thanks B at Comic Relief for his list of redhaired super heroines (or super villians), beyond
BATGIRL, MARY JANE, & POISON IVY.

• mystique
• moira mctaggart
• red sonja
• thundra
• jean grey
• madelyn prior/goblin queen
• tigra
• oracle
• phoenix II (rachel summers)
• indigo (outsiders)
• starfire scarlett (g.i. joe)
• hellcat
• giganta
• angela (killer angel Spawn)

monster hunter, friend, dedicated reporter first

I ordered the Kolchak tales- Black and White and Red all over sight unseen because of the good memories I have of watching Kolchak the Night Stalker in my childhood. After a good Peter Cushing/ Christopher Lee horror movie, like The House that Dripped Blood, Kolchak and
The Night Gallery were my personal favorites.

The writing is in the clipped noir/reporter-on-the-beat style "You need someone who knows his way around the morgue, I'm your guy". The illustrations are black and white, with a great Kolchak likeness and shading. And as the article mentioned, all good X-files fans know that Chris Carter created the series from his love of the show.

Kolchak from Moonstone books

Girly comic fun

On my first look, Penny and Aggie looked juvenile in the art work. But after reading it, it is actually a pretty cool comic. The girls are opposites--Penny is blonde, shallow, and snobby; Aggie is dark haired, thoughtful, literate. Their interactions make for some funny sarcastic exchanges. In vol. 2, Aggie has a mad crush on a boy she saw run by. Her obsessive thoughts of him, poetry writing, and attempts to catch his eye are painfully familiar to most from their own teen years.

Aquaman and Mera

Alex Ross- Wow! The artwork on this new Justice series is incredible. The color, realism, two page spreads....and it features Aquaman, one of my long time favorites. I always like when Aquaman was the one to do the moral lesson on the Superfriends. And Mera, red haired and blue eyed, looks incredible in this too. It's a 12 issue comic series.

Justice #1

Robin's short pants

Have you read the new Batman and Robin The Boy Wonder? The superstar team-up of Frank Miller and Jim Lee. I mostly enjoyed it (Vicki Vale appears to be a redhead in this?? huh?) . Robin wears short green pants again. I did love the last panel...Batman holds up the young Robin and tells him "You've just been drafted. Into a war.".