The Wiz

Ease on down, ease on down the road...with things that struck my fancy from Wizard 174[includes MidJersey Comicon listing]

FAN AWARD Vote in each category, then add your final vote in April.

March 1-29 1 year later There are 23 titles that tie in, my god. No wonder there is little room for other comics.

Andy Kubert tales over Batman in July with Grant Morrison
Adam Kubert Superman's Action Comics in coming months -- top secret writing team hints "writers are unbelievable. I don't think there's ever been this high a profile writing team on a book"

Brave New World 6 stories over the summer including --
DC's The All New Atom by Gail Simone

Wonder Woman-- Heinberg/Dodson "As an archtype, WW is not as clearly defined. She's been a goddess, princess, ambassador.

Ron Marz - Cyberforce Ion "I'm not going to be blogging because frankly if I'm writing something I'd rather get paid for it."

V for Vendetta V and Evey overthrow a fascist government in Britain
Alan Moore unhappy with the adaptations of his work into film

New Spiderman costume 27% like it?? 12% love it?? [Hope spidey goes back to the 'ol blue and red myself]

Alias omnibus $69 What many feel is Bendis' best work ever is collected here.

Kolchak's McGavin dies

Darren McGavin dies at 83

He starred in 2 of my all time favorites: Kolchak, the Night Strangler/Stalker and A Christmas Story.


"Throughout his television career, McGavin gained a reputation as a curmudgeon willing to bad-mouth his series and combat studio bosses."

#1 fangirl moment

1. Rags Morales looks up from a sea of people wanting sketches and signatures and says "Redhead Fangirl! How's it going?"

Rags remembered our 2 min meeting last June at Wizard. I was getting anxious waiting with my one Identity Crisis comic-- everyone around me seemed more in the industry. The guy behind me yelled to Rags that blah, blah from DC has been calling him, and the woman was an exhibitor, and people with sketch book portfolios. Rags took a photo with me, asked if I'd be around -- I said "they are shipping us off to a party". He teased that he wasn't invited, and I said "oh, I think DC could get you in, Rags". There wasn't more of a chance with 20 people waiting for him for more interaction, but I left by saying "Rags, I love your work". [michael bair sign was there because he was the inker on Identity Crisis and next to Rags]

The artist alley was just way too narrow even during the professional exhibit hours, it must have been jammed the rest of the weekend. Javits is huge, but the exhibit hall had small avenues compared to Wizard in Philly. It would be fine for the NY national con, thumbing through comic bins, but for this size show the space was too small. Then there were odd corridors to get to the meeting rooms (cross empty cafe space, go under escalator, pass airbrushed car, don't go in the travel expo, down hallway). It's easy to get to from Penn Station, but I wonder what sea of people it was today.

Lost a great post--

I just spent 40 mins creating a great post about hour 1 and 2 at the con.
Got a new apple ibook-- and closed the window of Safari without saving by accident. I could cry.
But here are two images, one of the Infinite Crisis sketch I got for going to the retailers breakfast-- CS from Comic Lair told me it sells for $200. We got no breakfast b


And Greg Horn, the current cover artist for She-Hulk. He was busy talking to the IGN.com guys and didn't pay me much attention (well!). But he was discussing his wife being pregnant with triplets, so I guess the man has a lot going on.

Winged mammal Lego man

I posted the Lego car from the autoshow--- now Lego Batman from the NY Comicon.

My lengthy fangirl report, with my top moments will begin later today. For now--

Fangirl In New York

Me and "guano" a new character on Nicktoons. Guess they know guano means crap, hope it's an ironic joke. He is fuzzy and cute and had 2 of his own assistants.
A big report tomorrow from me on the Diamond retailer breakfast (with no bfast), the professional four hours on the exhibit floor before the public doors opened, 30 min Vertigo preview panel, Con party for retailers at the Diamond showcase (figures before they are out, beer and sushi!), and more from the fangirl! My feet hurt, I'm exhausted, and have bags of comics, figures, postcards and even a Gizmo!

Floweringnose

Fantastic Four: Big in Japan
I'll admit I purchased this after hearing about the death of Seth Fisher, the artist of FF: Big in Japan. I'll also admit to wondering what the circumstances were to fall the 7 stories off a Tokyo nightclub. Was it drinking, a stunt, or just a mistep?

The art is whimsical, with monsters coming out of toliets and invading houses and unusual combinations like a tapeworm with wings and jaws. The color palette is so expressive, with pinks and greens and blues that just pop. Its a great hybrid of classic comic art, with a anime twist, brought to life by color. Sad to lose an artist with so many more years ahead of him. The art for Green Lantern: Willworld had such a unique and singular vision. This image is from Vertigo Pop.


What remains of us after we die?
Looking at his art, and his web site, it makes me a feel philosophical about life, loss, and death. Seth leaves behind a wife, child, and his art.

I'm still pretty young, but have lost several important people in my life. My father died when I was 9, so my grandmother moved in with us. Nannie died 10 years later while I was in college. A college radio friend died because of a seizure 2 years later. Suicide took 2 of the most decent friends I knew- a sweet writer guy from college in 2001 and my beloved boss/friend in Atlanta in 2005. The only thing I know is that their imprint in my life comes to me, sometimes at very random times.

30 days of the Legion

My 2006 experiment of the Comic Blog Legion has passed the 30 day mark. I have been excited to find new blogs to add my blog link-hopping from my core group of blogs. And I have gotten 17 emails from bloggers who wanted to join the Legion. I've indexed 60 blogs, added their location if given, and laughed out loud at their self descriptions and posts. To the blegionnaires!

Lurkers, let me know if there are any great (or mediocre) comic blogs that deserve a seat at the CBL table. Even the kids table.

2 days until the New York Comicon. I am just look at the Artist Alley list and it is b-a-n-a-n-a-s. Horn, Morales, Jimenez, Bendis, Doran, Finch- and that's without all the special guests. Hope to have good stories, pictures and fangirl moments for the blog!

Get rhythm when you get the blues

Saw Walk the Line so I have Johnny Cash songs running through my head.

Marvel TeamUp 17
The League of Losers begins their preparation in the future to stop Chronok from going back in time to kill all the superheroes. They find the mutant registration act requires each mutant to have a serial number, and that when the superheroes fought against the military- they lost.
Writers always have a theme in the underdog (most sports like Rocky, Rudy, Karate Kid, Revenge of the Nerds, Spider-Man, Say Anything..)

When we pick a team name-- can it be the Avengers?
How dare you challenge the mighty Fin Fang Foom!

Girls 10
The men return without finding a way out from the invisible wall surrounding the town. Tensions rise at the safe house between families and sisters. Ethan wonders how his ex believed they weren't over after "For six months we never spoke, never made eye contact, and you didn't think it was over?" "Nothing justifies having sex with a naked freak you found in the middle of the road, Ethan"
Some of the kids wander off, and when their mothers head to find them, the naked girls, way more than 5 now, attack. The artwork and pacing are just right with the issue cliffhangers, and the between outright imagery to metaphors, (a gigantic sperm, naked girls, male/female relations) continue to draw me into this title.

The Luna Brothers Ultra may come to the small screen!

Variety reports that CBS has greenlit a pilot from Joan of Arcadia creator Barbara Hall based on the comic book Ultra.

Ultra, from CBS Paramount Network TV, revolves around a female superhero who must contend with saving the world while pursuing a life as a single girl in the city. In the comic book, which parodies celebrity magazines, Ultra's alter ego, Pearl Penalosa, is a semi-icon who graces billboards advertising popular products.

15 cent comics

When comics were 15 cents. Recently I paid up to $5.99 for the Batman Gotham County Line series. I wonder how much other people pay per week for comics. I average about $25 a week-- and I only buy trades once in a blue moon.

Hell's Kitchen and more

Thanks to J who sent me Marvel guide to NY superheroes
Click on the United Nations dot and get "Captain America has to share the podium with Dr. Doom.." or The Frick inspired Stan Lee to create Tony Stark's (Iron Man) home and the site of Avengers meetings!
This friday I will be at the NY Comicon-- thanks to C at Comic LAIR for getting me into the Diamond Retailers breakfast (free food and toys) and the cocktail hour (nuff said). Hope to have great gawker moments to report.

Hello, Manta

Aquaman 39: The End has No End.
This is the last Aquaman before the Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis series is on sale March 1.

It's One Year Later…and Aquaman has totally changed! Join the new creative team of Kurt Busiek (ASTRO CITY, JLA) and Butch Guice (JLA CLASSIFIED) for the start of an amazing new undersea adventure!

I've never been afraid to admit liking Aquaman. Busiek has been responsible for some of the best damn comic writing in modern times. I've documented my love of Astro City: The Nearness of You before. Let's see where this goes.

The Aquaman #42 cover gets the RF stamp of approval. Although it makes me think of the Futurama where Fry gets with the Atlanta mermaid girl in bed and thinks..huh, how is this supposed to work. When there is discussion of egg laying he gets all skeeved out and runs away.

Issue 39 wrapped up with a chase and confrontation with Black Manta, after the destruction of Atlantis and the death of his son...

"Very dramatic Arthur. Is this your equivalent of taking me behind the shed? Is this where you beat the bad boy?"

"You're not an activist! Your a depraved sociopath!"

"I know you Arthur." "The one thing you can never know is another man's mind"

Embracing the spider

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
The Other 10 of 12

Bug related metamorphosis--Stark, Hank, Reed study what shedding his skin means for Peter.

Spiders aren't architects? You try building a web with nothing but webbing coming out of your backside!

A new teacher interview and it's : Flash Thompson! Puny Parker? I haven't seen him since high school!

Mary Jane hugs Logan (Wolverine)...
Logan. I owe you something. Peter was dead. You made a pass at me, and I smacked you. You knew I needed to get angry. I realized you would have never really have hit on me.. I'd rather cut off my head than ever go out with you. Thanks again.

Peter carries MJ down the hall, and Cage asks: 'Where are you off to?'
Some fun. Peter said he was going to give me a ride!
'Yeah, I bet he is... '

The depth of the story comes from a common problem of many women, who become wives, and throw themselves so deep into the married life, they lose themselves.
I had a house, friends, all of that. Now we are living in Avengers HQ and all my friends are superguys. I've no identity of my own anymore.

The "aw" moment : The bottom line is: I love you. I'm never leaving you. I'm proud to be your friendly neighborhood spider-wife.

And yet it all ends with a stinging spider creation made from Spidey's corpse! Love and insects.

Legos and chocolate guitars

Check the vinyl I bought the other night. Bin browsing is so much more fun with vinyl. And, my chocolate guitar-- even has strings and a tremolo bar!


A Lego car from the Philly auto show!
Got a huge batch of comics last night, so more comic posts next.

Holy terror, Batman

Thanks Brent, part of the lovely Brachel couple, and creator of the 150mg of happiness blog for this link about Frank Miller's new Batman vs. Al Qaeda series. But how will Frankie fit in the thong and boob shots in this one?

After more than six decades fighting the Joker and Two Face, Batman is getting ready to take on perhaps his most complicated foe yet: terrorism.
Frank Miller, who changed the way people looked at comics with his noirish 1980s Batman graphic novel "The Dark Knight Returns" and his "Sin City" series, says he's started work on a book where the caped crusader will "kick a lot of al Qaeda butt."
"Not to put too fine a point on it -- it's a piece of propaganda," Miller told a group of about a thousand fans this weekend at the WonderCon comic book convention in San Francisco. "Batman kicks al Qaeda's ass."
Miller says the book will be called Holy Terror, Batman

silly kerfuffles on the internet

Sexy Chix - the posts that compelled our favorite redhead comic writer Gail Simone to respond! I think of Gail actually having her own Birds of Prey den, like the Oracle does, but it's in Oregon so there are dark green trees and strong coffees.

My red hair sense got fired up, so I had to post to 1. disagree with the original post (how can someone, despite revealing it, review and dislike an anthology so much based only on the cover pictures? Not even the internal art, or writing? The DC and newsarama wingnuts would flame anyone who said, man, I hate Infinite Crisis because I looked at the cover...)

And, blessed, beautiful Ms. Simone inspired me to post, because whenever I pick up her work, I know it will be funny, smart, and maybe pull the heart strings. And Miz Gail actually posted this in response to lil ol fangirl me..

I automatically think anyone with red hair is a genius, but also, I enjoy your blog. Thank you also for being sane and all. ;)

Gail

Restraining orders are for other girls

20 plus inches of snow to dig out. It was fluffy and white the first 6 inches or so, but then icy and heavy underneath. The tree branches are straining with snow on them. When you open your door and the snow is flush with the bottom, you know you are in for it! Thankfully, I got an early call that the library was closed, and promptly went back to sleep.

Watched Broken Flowers with Bill Murray tonight. I liked his road trip to ex-girlfriends, although I am a bit over the flat affect Rushmore/Life Aquatic acting.

The last Comic Store News peaked my interest with these items:
The I(heart) Marvel romance one-shots. Fabian Nicieza, a local Jersey artist known for Thunderbolts, Cable and Deadpool and Xmen...doesn't seem like the champion for the past of romantic funny books, but there it is. Will get my Web of Romance soon!

Dan Slott's new series, Big Max.

Spider-Girl will end in April with it's 100th issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #529 the "Iron Spider" design. Iron-to send it back.

A limited varient cover for Green Lantern #9, by Ethan Van Sciver

Life isn't the same for Hawkgirl now that Hawkman isn't around. Walter Simonson and Howard Chaykin (yes!) Hawkgirl #51 in April

Busiek, Johns and Pete Woods continue the 8 part Superman #651 and Action Comics #838 with guest stars galore.

and...Man-Bat! a 5 issue mini.

Vertigo: Bite Club: Vampire Crime Unit
Cover artist Quitely begins a gritty vampire procedural

and my favorite title of late---
Marvel Romance Readers: Restraining Orders are for Other Girls (silly rewritings by Baker, Giffen other of classic illustrated romance stories. Sounds like what bloggers have been doing for quite a while.

We're taking you back to the good ol' days, when all women (apparently) did was cook and think about boys, clean and think about boys and do laundry while thinking about boys!

Spiderwoman, Pirate Thing, Capuchins

"I was waiting for the sun..."

Snow currently falling fast but not sticking yet. Somewhere between 5 and 13 inches to fall by tomorrow here. I think an extra day off for Sunday at the library would let me catch up on DVDs, reading, guitar playing and comics! Let it snow.

Spiderwoman 2 Origin "The richest people control the power, food, media, all of it, and the innocent people don't even know how they are screwed. We fight back." Jessical falls for Jared, the nice blonde guy at her training facility. She wants to go off on her own mission, and as he leaves Jared kisses her "I'll be back soon" Of course, Jared goes missing, so Jessica gets her first mission to "rescue him and kill Nick Fury." Last page ends with a Spiderwoman split kick "I'm gonna kill you for what you've done!"

The Luna brothers continue to do a very good, if not great job, with this series. I'm intrigued to see where Jessica ends up.

Thing 3- Dan Slott Arcade's Murderland Imagine a crazy upside down theme park, with superhero robots attacking each other and the real Thing. A pirate Thing fights a Clown Hulk! Like one review said, you can't talk about Dan Slott without the word "fun". Mechano is the Strongest! Hulk is the strongest! Puny Banner is the Stongest! Why does Bird Nose hit Hulk? In Murderland Studios favorite horror icons abound-- Freddy, Chucky, Jason all attack Tony Stark. Alicia and Daredevil help arrange a rescue mission, as The Thing fights his way through.

Y The Last Man 42 1000 typewriters "Where are the monkeys?" "Lock damaged in flight, one let the other out..""Are you high? They can't organize fucking prison breaks!" Yorick looks really clean cut and young in the flashback panels to getting his monkey Ampersand. Once the plague hits, he travels to see his science lab buddy...who is dead and decomposing on his couch. Yorick held on to this string of hope, but realizes "I'm alone...I'm all alone"
Dr. Mann discusses her dog with Yorick "But I never mistook his 'loyalty' as anything other than old pack instincts"

BKV continues to weave the Y story towards its conclusion-- in 18 short issues! The cover shows an angry capuchin Ampersand and typewriter keys flying, including the 'Y' key and the 'A" key. Maybe I'll hear more at the NYC comicon from the writer himself.

All you zombies hide your faces

The upcoming Marvel Zombies 5 - written by Robert Kirkman. It spoofs the wedding of Spidey and Mary Jane from the 80s. You know at the time Marvel consulted with actual fashion designers on MJ's gown. It looks like the 80s to me-- Is she wearing fingerless lace gloves and jelly shoes? I wore pink fingerless lace gloves to my middle school prom!

Unashamedly girly

"Not your average collection of impossibly proportioned vixens in spandex"

My plan was to write a thoughtful review of the Sexy Chix anthology, but last night I saw Chris at Crisis/Boring change stole my thunder here. Take a look at a thoughtful dude's take on the anthology. He also provides links to the lengthy list of contributors!

While Chris seems somewhat disappointed in the premise, intention and execution of it, I am not. While it does says "yes, women belong in comics, and not just in a bustier" I think it gives some unknown or little known women a chance to have some attention. Everyone has to start somewhere, ya know? If some of these artists and writers had to produce a monthly series for Marvel or DC, there work would get much more honed. Or they would burn out.

The "chix" telling these stories are 8 years old to over 50.
"These particular women are all creative, interesting human beings with some very real female concerns- and that's what's really sexy. "

I really liked...
Colleen Doran's Yellow Fever about a friend with an obsession of Japanese pop culture. I've been buying her art in The Book of Lost Souls recently. ...I have never mistaken attention for admiration...

Gail Simone's True Tales from the Shampoo Bowl
"Never underestimate the awesome transformative power of a great hairstyle"

Banana Sunday was one of my fav's from last year. Colleen Coover's The Boogeyman is a much darker story of the inner torment one woman faces.

An Admission , by Meghan Kinder-- of the guy who stomps her heart. "I have feelings for you but...I like being alone..I like the way my life is now." I can't believe the nerve, is he serious?
"So, friends?"

Cartoon crisis continues

Cartoon crisis
"A wave of Muslim fury spread across the Middle East and Asia over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad on Tuesday as leaders struggled to contain a deepening diplomatic crisis between Europe and the Muslim world.
The cartoons have appeared in papers in Australia, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Fiji, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United States, Ukraine and Yemen."

Of course little of the commotion has to do with cartoons per se, but the fury over the Mohammad continues. Who ever gets mad at the Danes or the Norwegians? They do have a very liberal countries that believe strongly in freedom of speech and the press.

Without any tolerance for other religions- or stone cold atheists- there is only stone throwing and fire. Can you see Captain American giving one of his grandiose speeches in the middle of all the anti-American chanting?

JLA help us unclean

JLA 16 is jam packed. Classic JLA illustrations-- city scapes, battles, superheroes, text boxes and text bubbles, a difficult task to make coherent, but Garcia-Lopez art does the job. And Gail Simone is not a few words a page writer-- the text here involves the UN, war criminals, superheroes role, a virus that infects a town and Flash. You get your bang for your buck- well, 2.99.
Flash, hot headed over the dictator General Tuzik- with the gold bathroom fixtures for him and killing fields for his people, feels the JLA should take him out. WW, Superman, Batman all feel that without playing by the UN playbook, it's just a "JLA-led coup".
"My ambassador brokered a deal for clemency and exile...I shall enjoy a retirement of wealth, liquor, very young women, and fine cigars" Even Batman jokes that maybe Wonder Woman might accidentally drop him flying to his new country.
Having a relative who works at the Hague, as a war crimes tribunal prosecutor, this was extra interesting to me. Think I will have to send it to him!

Political wonkette

A trio of politically themed notes from RF:

Finally saw Good Night and Good Luck. Great film, set in a time when the anchor newsmen smoked on the air and there were cigarette ads. Yet, as you've heard, the Murrow vs. McCarthy fight is timely-- civil liberties, unsubstantiated allegations, reputations, fear, guilt without due process-- Oh, that's surely the past.

I just got the book Dog Days, by Ana Marie Cox. Her website is Wonkette,
politics for people with dirty minds. Two of the male reference librarians think I look a bit like her. She is called the "brilliant political satirist". Can I be the "brilliant comic blogger"?

And, I got tickets to see the Daily Show next month! Stewart, Cordery, moment of Zen-- live!

Frenching Dracula

February in NJ, and it's 62 and sunny. Keep waiting for the sucker punch of a blizzard, but so far, we've dodged that for months.

Quotable comics I've recently read...

Birds of Prey 90: Head Shots
"You heard me Oracle. Huntresses operation- Shut it down." -Batman
"Huntress shows why you don't mess with Italian girls"
"I said your first words would be 'This is my town'. He's definitely mellowing."- Huntress and Black Canary
"What it was like [to kiss Batman]? A bit like frenching Dracula, only with less saliva. No, honest, it was..kinda hot." - Canary

Catwoman 51
"I had quite a talk with your co-worker last night. The one in the top hat? She showed me what they did to me." -Selena
"She's a remix. A revision. She's not real. I wish she were. I liked her....But I'm not her."
"Take off the mask and he's like any other guy. He sees a problem and he wants to solve it. Trouble is, that's not what I need right now."

Walking Dead 25
"Get the generator going. Listen to music- man, it's been so long since I heard anything."
"You think Maggie would still respect me if she knew how good I was at sucking gas through a hose?"
"It's a helicopter!"

Desolation Jones 5
"Please, I just want a drink.
Your body has been sold to medical science- while your still alive."
"Taking a shot at killing me over a reel of Hitler's porn. Christ."
"Your the third daughter. You're the bad girl."

Witty and a bit geeky

Thanks Shelly, I am Spider-Man! (With questions like "do you like redheads?" what did I expect!) The Flash and Iron Man are interesting-- I guess it had to do with the extrovert type questions.

Your results:
You are Spider-Man

Spider-Man 85% The Flash 80% Iron Man 75% Supergirl 72% Wonder Woman 72% Robin 62% Superman 60% Green Lantern 50% Batman 45% Catwoman 45% Hulk 40% Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.

I'm indexing as fast as I can

Happy February! Or let's hope it will be.

Only 2 weeks and the Comic Blog Legion is stomping coast to coast! If you have a blog, please join the legion. I'm indexing in alpha and geographic order!

B at Comic Relief suggested Sexy Chix- an anthology of female comic artists and writers. It includes Gail Simone, Colleen Coover, Colleen Doran, more! Haven't read it yet, but love to promote females working in comics!

Tarnation This movie is disturbing, sweet, arty and modern. The buzz was that Jonathan Caouette created it on his Mac for $218. Just like Capturing the Friedmans (Ebert referenced this too), the truth comes from video tapes of Jonthan's life from age 11 on. He videotaped himself doing characters, interviewing his grandparents, and his mother, who is mentally ill, probably from unnecessary shock treatments. Jonathan finds his identity in musical theatre, horror movies, and in gay subculture (in Texas). While I almost bought it myself, my library did get a copy - and the video stores didn't!