Saturday, October 31, 2009

Halloween in full effect at CBJ!

Lots of fun down at the store today. We had a giant bowl of candy and a bunch of cool little mini comics to give away, both of which are completely gone. I can't think of many better things than comics and candy, can you?

The costume contest was also in full swing and it was great to see all the hard work that was put into a lot of these. Good job to all who came to the store dressed up! Luckily for you I was able to grab some photos to share. One of these could win a $75 gift certificate to the store!




Friday, October 30, 2009

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 11/4/09

Hello once again everybody!

We've got a great new rental program we're in the midst of setting up so make sure you read about it below to get the ball rolling on what could turn out to be a very popular feature at the store. We're also co-hosting a grand opening party at the Cargo Cafe on Friday, November 13th with our buddies from Bound For Glory Tattoo so make sure you come! More info also can be found below.

TRADE AND GRAPHIC NOVEL RENTAL PROGRAM

We are in the midst of setting up a rental program for trades and graphic novels but we need your help to do it! If you are interested, start bringing your old graphic novels and other trade paperbacks into the store for credit towards rentals. They can be in any condition as long as they are READABLE. We will give you more details on this as we go but we are pretty much offering you the ability to take books home with you for a couple of days to try and see if you like it. This is going to be huge and we're really looking forward to implement it so start bringing your old books in!

ORIGINS OF BATGIRL FRAMED LITHOGRAPH RAFFLE

Another week, another raffle! This time we are raffling off a "Origins of Batgirl" framed lithograph signed and numbered by artist Carmine Infantino. This is a limited and rare piece that retails for around $250. As always, tickets are only $1 per raffle. Make sure you don't miss the chance to win this awesome piece of art! This raffle ends on Wednesday, November 11th.

JOINT GRAND OPENING PARTY FOR COMIC BOOK JONES AND BOUND FOR GLORY TATTOO SHOP!

Yes, I know we've been open for almost two years now but we actually never had a grand opening party! So, we're gonna finally get it done and do it right alongside our buddies at Bound For Glory Tattoo. We'll have tattooed go-go dancers, sideshow freaks and other assorted wackiness and it all takes place down at Cargo Cafe on Bay Street on Friday, November 13th starting at 10:00 PM. We better see all you crazies there! If you need directions or any additional info be sure to shoot us an e-mail or call us at the store.

BIRTHDAY COUPON!

E-mail us your full name and birthday and receive a special gift from us when your special day arrives! Send your e-mail to comicbookjones@gmail.com with the subject line "Birthday."

SHIPPING UPDATES

Amazing Spider-Man Pres. Anti-Venom #3 - 11/25/09 (Old Date 11/18/09)
Astonishing X-Men #33 - 12/16/09 (Old Date 12/9/09)
Batman and Robin #6 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Blackest Night Series 2 AF - 11/25/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Daredevil #502 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Dark Reign Hawkeye #5 - 1/27/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Marvels Eye of the Camera #6 - 1/13/09 (Old Date 11/11/09)
Punisher Noir #4 - 12/9/09 (Old Date 11/25/09)

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Cleaning out the attic that is my brain!


Some random thoughts!


· Beasts Of Burden #2 was GREAT! Buy copies for the whole family! Can Dark Horse PLEASE make this an ongoing series? How about a Beasts Of Burden/Buffy The Vampire Slayer crossover??!!! I smell an Eisner in THAT!


· Superman Secret origins is shaping up to be a terrific series! Issue #2 featured Superboy (the REAL one) and the original Legion Of Super Heroes! It was a particular pleasure to see Phantom Girl and Triplicate Girl who were always just supporting players! And you HAVE to love what they did with Lightning Lad! They actually gave him a personality! Kudos to Geoff Johns for taking the best of the Silver Age and bringing it into the modern era!


· I am a great admirer of the Overstreet price Guide and the job they do each and every year in compiling what I consider to be THE great Comic Book Reference book. The book is an invaluable reference for every major (and minor) mainstream title published, since…well forever. While you won’t find a reference to Cherry Poptart within it’s pages, the guide does identify each and every issue, along with KEYS of just about any comic you are likely to collect. In addition the book always contains some of the very best articles on the history of comics that you can find anywhere. This year’s edition had some great articles on the history of DC’s Batman! It’s value as a PRICE GUIDE , however is not what it once was. It is rare to find any reseller asking full guide price for their back issues and online venues like Ebay give you the opportunity to purchase back issues at WELL below guide price. The good people at Overstreet should really start to take online sources when they determine the prices for back issues.


· I am not a big “variant cover” guy. They almost never hold any value over the long haul but those IDW Virgin Covers they do for Angel are really great looking! Dark Horse also does a great job on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer covers! My advice is to collect variant covers because you like the art!


· Am I the only one who thinks that Wolverine is in too many books?


· DC has done a great job of turning Gotham City into a fully realized universe that is NOT dependant on Batman for great stories. Check out Streets Of Gotham, Batgirl, Gotham City Sirens, etc to see what I am talking about!


· Marvel’s next big event, “Siege” is coming in December and it looks like it is going to be the perfect bookend for the events that started in the Marvel Universe way back with Civil War. Get ready for some serious action!


· What ever happened to The Merry Marvel Marching Society?


· Star Trek, the hit summer blockbuster, is being released to DVD and Bluray on November 17th. RUN, don’t walk to get it! BUT another gem is coming out that week for us Trekkers! The great Star Trek spoof/homage Galaxy Quest is ALSO being released on BluRay. Now THAT is a must have!


· While I am thinking about Star Trek, who would ever have guessed that in 2009 the Trek franchise would be more vital, creative and just plain FUN than the Star Wars franchise. Note to George Lucas : Take a lesson from the Star trek and Battlestar teams. Great movies are NOT just long commercials for merchandising tie ins.


· Could “Fringe” get ANY better? AND with Leonard Nimoy back on TV, all is right with the world!


· Only two months until 24 is back! When last we saw Jack Bauer he was suffering from a fatal disease, which did not keep him from saving the free world yet again!


· All you PS3 owners make note that Sony has partnered with Netflix to stream nearly 12,000 movies and TV shows free of charge from your game system, directly to your TV. All you need is a Netflix subscription. This has been available on the Xbox 360 for about a year, BUT you have to buy an Xbox Live Gold membership to enjoy it. The PS3 version will not require any additional fees. How else are you gonna watch the first five seasons of Kojak for free??!!


· The PS3/Xbox game Batman: Arkham Asylum CRIES out for a sequel!


· Has anyone noticed that Norman Osborne is a serious looney tune? Hey there Mr. Psychopathic Former Goblin Iron Patriot Man Who Hires Bullseye to Be a Superhero Man! This Bud’s for you!


· Who would have ever believed that Tony Stark would be far more compelling as a drooling idiot than he ever was as a genius?


· Speaking of drooling idiots (nice segue!) if I have to read ONE MORE Final Crisis tie-in they are going to have to fit me for a rubber Fortress of Solitude! DC…ENOUGH. Stop the insanity and show some mercy! Final Crisis…we get it…move on!


· And while you’re at it, DC, Bruce Wayne has been gone long enough.


· The Disney acquisition of Marvel is now several months old and the world has NOT come to an end. You can come off the ledge now!


· IMHO the proliferation of Hard Covered and Trade paperback collections of classic comics and mini -series over the last several years has been a great thing for the hobby. On the one hand you can go back and read early issues of Fantastic Four and Spiderman without risking damage to your originals AND you can actually SAVE money by waiting for more recent series to be collected! There is no downside here. I especially like the “Absolute” Editions of series like New Frontier (DC). BUT the best bang for your buck HAS to be the Omnibus series from Marvel. You get 50 or more comics collected in a great package for around $100! Not bad at all! Of course I won’t rest until I see the Absolute Adventures of Jerry Lewis and the Not Brand Echh! Omnibus!


· After all these years “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” remains the best thing about Halloween.


· I have to say that one of the highlights of my week is bagging and boarding my new comics on Wednesday night!


· And finally remember the famous words of Voluminous Volstagg who when Odin threw him in the dungeon cried out “Throw me another maiden my lord!”

Keep those cards and letters coming everyone, and I want to thank the little old lady from Pasadena who knitted me a fully functional Batmobile!

Next…back to my 1950’s Sci-Fi movie retrospectives.

And THAT’S 30!

Mitch

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Welcome to Altair IV Gentlemen!



Forbidden Planet (MGM – 1956) makes a powerful case for being not only the greatest Science Fiction film to come out of the 1950’s but, along with 2001, the greatest Sci-Fi movie EVER.


United Planets Cruiser C-57D is sent to the planet Altair IV, a year’s travel from Earth, to investigate the disappearance of a colony expedition sent 20 years earlier. Before landing, the ship is contacted by Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), who warns them to stay away.

Upon landing, the ship is met by Robby The Robot who takes Cmdr. John J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen), Lt. Jerry Farman ( Jack Kelly ), and Lieutenant "Doc" Ostrow (Warren Stevens) to Morbius' home. Morbius explains to them that an unknown force killed all of the other members of his crew and destroyed their spaceship. Only Morbius, his wife (who died later of natural causes), and his daughter Altaira (Anne Francis), now 19 years old, survived. He fears that the crew of the C-57D will suffer the same fate. Altaira has never met a man besides her father, and is interested in getting to know the new arrivals and learn about human relations.


Morbius explains that he has been studying the Krell, the natives of Altair IV who, despite being far more advanced than humanity, had all mysteriously died in a single night 200,000 years before just as they were about to unveil a great machine that would free them from the need of all instrumentality. He shows them a device that he calls a "plastic educator". Morbius notes that the captain of the Bellerophon tried it, and was killed instantly. When Morbius used it though, he barely survived, and doubled his intellect in the process. His enhanced intellect enabled him to build Robby and to help him translate the knowledge of The Krell.


One night, a valuable piece of equipment in the ship is damaged, though the sentries report they saw no intruders. In response, Adams sets up a force field fence to protect the ship . However, the invisible monster returns, and kills Chief Engineer Quinn. Dr Ostrow examines footprints left after the attack and is confused, saying that the creature appears to violate all known evolutionary laws.


"Anywhere in the universe this thing's a nightmare" - Doc Ostrow

The intruder returns the following night, and is discovered to be invisible - its appearance only revealed by its outline in the force-field beams. Several crew members are killed in a massive firefight with the monster. At his home, Morbius is in the Krell lab and subconciously knows that the attack is underway but cannot stop it. His trance is broken by Altaira's scream. At that moment, the creature vanishes.


Later while Adams confronts Morbius at the house, Ostrow sneaks away to use the educator, with fatal results. Just before he dies though, he manages to tell Adams that the underground installation was created to materialize anything the Krell thought of, but they had forgotten "Monsters from the ID!" Morbius objects, pointing out that there are no Krell left. Adams implies that it is Morbius’ ID that is responsible for the destruction of both his people and the crew o0f the Bellerophon. Morbius refuses to believe Adams' theory.


When Altaira declares her love for Adams in defiance of her father, the monster comes for them. The creature breaks into the house and melts through the nearly-indestructible door of the Krell vault where Adams, Altaira and Morbius have taken refuge. Morbius finally accepts the truth and tries to renounce his creation. Battling with his own darkside proves to be fatal for Morbius. With his last breath, Morbius tells Adams to press a lever which sets the Krell machine to self-destruct. Adams, Altaira, Robby, and the surviving crew take off and witness the destruction of the planet from a safe distance in space.


Sounds a lot like Star Trek you say? In fact you would be right! Gene Roddenberry borrowed heavily from Forbidden Planet when he developed Star Trek and in fact the episode “Requiem For Methuselah” was an adaptation of the film.


Forbidden Planet was the first attempt by a major studio (MGM) to make a Sci-Fi “A” picture. At that time Science Fiction was regulated to Drive in Theaters and other such “B” movie treatment. MGM lavished big stars, money and “The MGM Gloss” to make Forbidden Planet a major release. From Robby the Robot to the magnificent Matte Paintings to special effects realized by Disney Artists, this film is one of the most visually stunning films ever made. The MGM team created a completely immersive universe that rivals that of Star Wars. Sparing no effort, MGM actually committed to the first completely electronic musical score. In fact, since no musicians were involved in composing the score, it could not be listed as a musical score or win consideration for an Academy Award. Instead the score was credited as “Musical Tonalities”.
The cast of the film are all A-List stars and supporting actors. Heading the bill are Leslie Neilsen of Police Squad/Airplane fame, the STILL ravishing Anne Francis (Honey West) and the legendary Walter Pigeon. Star Trek Alum Warren Stevens plays the Proto-Bones Doc Astrow with The Six Million Dollar Man’s Richard Anderson and Earl Holliman in featured roles. This was a powerhouse cast to throw at a sci-fi film in the 1950’s.


Certainly THE star of the movie is the incredible Robby The Robot. He was SO popular in the film that the robot later starred in his own film and would appear on television shows such as The Twilight Zone and Lost In Space for years to come. The urbane Robot was one of the inspirations for C3PO decades later in Star Wars.


Forbidden Planet, while certainly containing many elements of “space opera”, dealt with some thought provoking ideas such as the dark side of human nature, the dangers of technology, what constitutes “sentient life”, and of course ….sex.


Forbidden Planet was recently released to High Def and it absolutely pops off the screen! Up until the release of 2001 in 1968 there was not even a debate that this was the greatest Sci-fi film ever made. But even with the advent of films like Star Wars, Alien and the like, Forbidden Planet comfortably rests in (at least) the top five. If you see only ONE sci-fi movie from the 1950’s this has to be the one!


And remember…beware the Monsters Of The Id!


GO YANKEES!!!

That’s 30!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Previews and Reviews with Gore Jones...

What up World!!!
What's cracklin...less than a week away til Halloween! YeS! It's always a good time on All Halloweens Eve. Last year I sewed my lips together. FOR REAL! What am I going to do this year to top that?? Only time will tell and I'll post a picture here next week. Anyone get the new game Brutal Legend?? Awesome! It's every metal heads dream come true. F Rock band and F Guitar Hero.. It's all about Brutal Legend and the head bang! Hahaha...A word to the wise, if it's like your bands first show or whatever, don't bring your mom and her MILF friends to the show if they're a bunch of drunken lushes and get wasted faster than a roll of toilet paper at a chili eating contest.."know what I am saying" it just doesn't look good for you or your band. With that little piece of advice lets get into it...


Hector Plasm Totentanz One - Shot

Ok so I'm a horror fan who doesn't read enough Horror comics?? Is that humanly possible? Yes it is. I read so many "super hero books" that I tend to forget my roots. I was the kid at one time that said "Hey Socko, put me on some good Horror Comics" and proceeded to walk around with him and buy basically everything he recommended, that was 2003 and I had just got back into comics but that's another story in itself. This weeks first book is "Hector Plasm". I had heard about the last one-shot that came out and never got around to really giving it a good once through. This past week the new one shot came out "Totentanz". Hector is a Benandanti, which means he can see spirits good and evil via they're aura's. Hector helps those ghosts and such in need and kicks the ish outta the bad ones. The story is very simple, His mother gave him up so he could learn to use his skills. He was born with a fetal flap of skin over his face during birth that's what alerted everyone to his "abilities". He is followed by two spirits, one good and one evil and they both make for good cannon fodder. The book is all reprints of short stories that were printed in early issues of Invincible with a few new pin ups for Halloween. The artwork is mostly done by Nate Bellegarde (artist for the now defunct Robert Kirkman Brit series)but at times I swore it was Ryan Ottley. If your all about short horror stories and a good laugh then this is your book. Author Benito Cereno does a bang up job of keeping it simple and to the point. I wish this was a monthly series but I think if enough of us read the book and let them know how much we love it and would love to buy it every month, we might get our wish.

5 out of 5!


The Anchor #1

This is probably my new favorite book! Everything about this book is awesome. The concept is "Clem" as he's dubbed by the one human being he meets that actually talks to him is in two places at once. His soul is in hell constantly fighting back the hordes of hell and his body is on earth battling demons and monsters alike. This is a creator owned project by fan favorite writer/artist Phil Hester along with artist Brian Churilla. I had to hunt this book down because it sold out at CBJ the Wednesday it came out. It was really worth the hunt. It's got elements of Hellboy along with a taste of The Goon. Anyone looking for a new series that has tons of potential to become something great should really go and check this book out as soon as possible.

5 out of 5


Mighty Avengers #30

Being a huge Avengers fan, I had to tell everyone about this issue.
First off, Stature (from the young avengers and now a member of the Mighty Avengers) calls in all Avengers to battle The Unspoken; an exiled Inhuman king who has awoke in China and is about to unless havoc upon the earth.
Secondly, Hank Pym goes to explore the world past The Macroverse (a subatomic universe) to a place he and Reed Richards call the Overspace where he meets Eternity.
For those of you who don't know, Eternity is the living embodiment of everything in the universe.
Eternity kicks the crap out of Pym and tells him to stop blaming "life" (which means Eternity) for everything sucking. He then goes on to explain how Pym is his Scientist Supreme. He explains how Reed Richards is the Explorer, he uses science for pure discovery. Tony Stark is the Engineer and he uses science to shape his world and his destiny. Pym is the Mage because he uses science in such a way that it's closest to magic. He then proceeds to tell Pym that he will be the one to usher in a new age of super heroes and to get it together now!
Thirdly and this is my favorite, while all this is going on with The Unspoken kicking ass in China and Pym getting schooled on life, The Avengers all meet up at the new Infinite Avengers Mansion before heading out to fight The Unspoken. Jarvis is bringing in drinks and crying, Hercules turns around and asks him what's wrong and he says "I'm fine master Hercules, it's just been so long." Simple and maybe dumb but for someone like me this scene is AWESOME!!! We haven't had a get together of multiple Avengers since Kurt Busiek's run. This is your classic Avengers atmosphere. Everyone meets up at the Mansion and then goes and kicks ass. AWESOME! Thank you Dan Slott and Christos Gage!

5 out of 5


Blackest Night Superman #3 (of 3)

This weeks helping of Blackest Night brings us the final issue to the Superman portion. Another book that I thought should have been a little longer because things seemed rushed. In this issue we find out two more facts that will come into play during the main story I'm sure. To stop the Black Lanterns, Superboy takes Psycho Pirate's mask (which doles out different emotions) and uses it on Psycho Pirate and Earth 2 Superman, re-killing them both and ending their reign of terror. The Second is that to stop the lanterns from killing everyone on New Krypton, they put up a shield that locks everything out but locks everyone in. Good and Bad but altogether not a bad little miniseries. I think they could have fleshed the story out and made the series a six issue but I'm not in charge.

3 out of 5


Thunderbolts #137
Rick Remender, check.
Power Man and Iron Fist one shot reunion in Thunderbolts, check.
One giant issue of awesome and just another reason Marvel needs to bring back Power man and Iron Fist as a series, OOOOH CHECK!

My brother and I have been waiting for this issue ever since we saw it solicited in Previews. We're both big Luke Cage and Iron Fist fans and even bigger Rick Remender fans. Norman Osborn kidnaps Danny Rand (Iron Fist) and runs him through a virtual reality simulation of killing his fellow Avengers but he just can't kill Luke Cage. What does Norman do? Kidnaps Luke and tries to brainwash him too so that they can both kill their fellow team mates and add two more members to The Thunderbolts. It's classic Power Man and Iron Fist humor, banter and fighting between each other as Luke (as always) tries to stop Danny from killing him. The brainwashing wears off when Luke talks about how their children are going to play together just like they've always planned. I want a Power Man and Iron Fist book again!!
If you don't know anything about what I'm talking about do yourself a favor, go pick up the Marvel Essentials Power Man and Iron Fist Vol. 1 & 2. You'll thank me when you're done reading it.

5 out of 5

Now What I'm Jonesin' for this week in Comics!
TRICK R TREAT TPB
ARKHAM REBORN #1
BLACKEST NIGHT #4
GREEN LANTERN #47
NECROSHA one shot

Friday, October 23, 2009

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/28/09

GIGANTIC WEEK up ahead! To top it off we've got some cool Halloween happenings next weekend which includes a related sale, free mini comics and a costume contest. Make sure you swing by the store to take part! See ya at the shop!

HALLOWEEN SALE! COSTUME CONTEST! GIVEAWAYS!

Halloween is just around the corner! In celebration, all throughout Halloween weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) we will be offering 30% off all Halloween and horror related merchandise (books, figures, anything). In addition, we've got a nice pile of mini Halloween comics to give away to anyone who comes in, starting on Saturday, October 31st until we run out!

We'll also be hosting a Halloween costume contest - just come into the store in full costume between Friday and Saturday and register for the contest by leaving your phone number and having a picture of your costume taken by a staff member. By the end of Saturday we will convene and decide on a winner who will then receive a $75 gift certificate to the store in addition to other Halloween related goodies!

$100 GIFT CERTIFICATE RAFFLE

Back by popular demand we'll be raffling off another gift certificate, this time for $100! Yes, its true! Buy as many raffle tickets as you like and as always tickets are only one dollar a pop. This raffle will end on Wednesday, October 28th.

BIRTHDAY COUPON!

E-mail us your full name and birthday and receive a special gift from us when your special day arrives! Send your e-mail to comicbookjones@gmail.com with the subject line "Birthday."

SHIPPING UPDATES

Amazing Spider-Man #610 - 11/4/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Amazing Spider-Man #611 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Batman Widening Gyre #3 - 11/4/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Captain America Reborn #4 - 11/4/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Dark Tower Fall of Gilead #6 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Destroyer Prem HC - 11/18/09 (Old Date 11/11/09)
Flash Rebirth #5 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 1/11/10)
Immortal Weapons #4 - 11/4/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Kick Ass #8 - 11/18/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Marvels Project #4 - 11/18/09 (Old Date 11/11/09)
Marvel Zombies Evil Evolution - 11/4/09 (Old Date 11/1/09)

Monday, October 19, 2009

Klatuu...barada...nikto


In a previous blog I listed what I believe are the most influential Science Fiction Films of the 1950’s . The first of those films that we looked at was Destination Moon, the first major Sci-Fi film to go into production in 1950. Next up is the 1951 classic The Day The Earth Stood Still, starring Michael Renee, Patricia Neal and Sam Jaffe, and directed by Star Trek the Motion Picture’s Robert Wise. This wonderful film should not be confused with the 2008 remake starring Keanu Reeves. (That film only made the audience stand still!)


The day the Earth Stood Still tells the story of Klatuu, an alien visitor who comes to Earth with a warning that should mankind take his aggressive ways into space, our planet will be reduced to a burned out cinder. It seems that where Klatuu comes from there is an alliance of planets who have eliminated war and enforce the peace with a race of unstoppable robots. Of course no sooner does Klatuu land and offer his hand in friendship than he is shot by a jumpy soldier. At this point Gort (the previously mentioned unstoppable robot) reduces several tanks and guns to …well nothing.


Klatuu is taken to Walter Reed Hospital to have his wound treated and at this time requests a meeting with all of Earth’s leaders. He is told that this would be impossible due to the planetary xenophobia that exists among the nations. Of course Klatuu has a hard time understanding such obvious stupidity and strikes out on his own to learn more about humanity. He eventually befriends a young widow and her son as well as a prominent scientist. Through a series of chases and his own resurrection Klattuu eventually delivers his message before returning to space. Live together in peace, or die.


Klaatu addresses scientists assembled outside his spaceship, explaining that humanity's penchant for violence and first steps into space have caused concern among the other space-going races, who have created a race of robot enforcers including Gort and given them absolute power to stifle any aggression. He warns that if the people of Earth threaten to extend their violence into space, then the robots will destroy Earth, adding that "The decision rests with you." He then enters the spaceship and departs.


Given the times that this film was made (the very height of the Cold War), and anti-war film is nothing short of astounding. Producer Julian Blaustein set out to make a film that illustrated the fear and suspicion that characterized the early Atomic Age. He reviewed over 200 science fiction short stories and novels in search of a storyline that could be used, as the genre was well suited for a metaphorical discussion of such grave issues.


The Day the Earth Stood Still is a perfect example of what makes great science fiction cinema. It is not special effects, monsters or production values. It is thought provoking writing. Science Fiction has been described as the theater of ideas. And this film uses a sci-fi setting to discuss xenophobia, politics, science and even the death and resurrection of Christ. The Day The Earth Stood Still is Science Fiction as allegory, which is a formula that Gene Roddenberry would often employ in such Star Trek Episodes as Balance Of Terror, A Private Little War and If This Be Your Last Battlefield. Great science fiction provokes thought and reflection. By using Klatuu as an outsider who can observe humanity in a dispassionate manner the film holds up a mirror to the audience that shows the collective paranoia of the early Cold War era.


Great Science Fiction films are also entertaining and exciting. The Day the Earth Stood Still is all of that and more. The film has a brisk pace and is extremely well acted. Robert Wise made a point of using actual Washington DC locations and even real life reporters of the day to play themselves to give the movie an overall sense of reality. The viewer it instantly transported to a world that FEELS consistent and quite real. There is no need for extravagant special effects to sell the “sci-fi” of the movie. This is a lesson that was obviously lost on the makers of the 2008 version of the film that really only kept ht title and the image of the robot Gort.


The Day the Earth Stood Still is as striking today as well as it was in 1951. It is considered among film historians to be one of the three or four greatest films of the genre and remains very influential. The film was attacked from some quarters, due to actor Sam Jaffe's politics. Jaffe, a liberal, was listed as a performer sympathetic to communism. The film's explicit message of peace, in combination with its dark outlook regarding human society, struck a chord with audiences, earning it lasting acclaim. The movie is ranked seventh in Arthur C. Clarke's List of the best Science-Fiction films of all time. In 1995, The Day the Earth Stood Still was selected for preservation as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." In 2008, it was voted as the fifth best science-fiction film ever made as part of the AFI’s Top Ten list.


Next – Forbidden Planet


That’s 30!


Mitch

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Previews and Reviews with Gore Jones

Whaddup World,
"Welcome once again to the show that never ends, grab your drinks and find your places". Like that? I robbed it from a song my Dad wrote. This week was a smaller week than weeks past, some sweet stuff hit shelves and lets get to the smack talkin...


The Zombie Survival Guide; Recorded Attacks.

Max Brooks, author of "The Zombie Survival Guide" and "World War Z" brings to us this week a graphic novel of recorded events of Zombie attacks throughout time. I'll be honest, I was really looking forward to this book because I'm a fan of Brooks and I think his take on the realistic side of the Zombie outbreak / infection is a breath of fresh air to the already beaten to death genre but sadly I feel that this "graphic novel" was a little too short and was more a chance for him to give Ibraim Roberson time to shine. His illustrations really make the book pop, plain and simple. Brooks does a nice job of giving history the zombie twist but I feel it falls short of his mastery of creating fictional events in time like he does so well in World War Z. It's a cool book and worth the read and worth owning for your Zombie collection but in my opinion it could have been longer and a little more detailed. Sad to say but i was disappointed that I finished the book in 15 minutes and I took my time to look over the pictures and everything.

3 out of 5


Deadpool #900

i had to review this book. I loved every story in this book. I wish it was a prestige format book because I would just carry it in my book bag and read it all the time on trips or whenever I needed a good laugh. The book / issue is a handful of stories based around our favorite "Merc with a mouth" and goddamn do the writers know how to make you laugh. Fred Van Lente's story about D.P fighting three mimes and having that device that makes thought into reality...GENIUS! There's no dialogue and you still have to laugh at how they fight. That's writing at it's best, when you don't have any words but are still able to convey the message. My favorite part of the book was the cover gallery at the end where they show the "900" covers to Deadpool's books. Anyone try and look at them? They put in the 2nd and 3rd printing covers they've done for the 3 new series as well as thrown in issues of Spider-Man and the Avengers...hahaha..Oh Deadpool.

5 out of 5


Clive Barker's Seduth 3-D #1

Not only did his new movie come out this week; "Book of Blood" which by the way is amazing and any fan of his or ghost stories should definitely go and watch NOW! but he put out this creepy one shot this week in 3-D!! The book is really weird and I myself had to read it twice to really understand what the hell was going on. The basic premise is Harold Engle a wealthy man finds a diamond at one of the sites he's building a casino on. He becomes obsessed with it and spirals down into the most basic of human emotions GREED. The story becomes very skewed and almost loses the reader during the course of explaining what the hell is going on, hence why I had to read it twice. The artwork is beautiful, Gabriel Rodriguez (artist on Locke and Key) makes the trip to hell and beyond frightening and engrossing all at the same time. The 3-D just adds to the mystery and fear the book brings to the reader, I myself was waiting for something to jump out and get my while reading the book. It's a pricey book (5.99) but it's only a one shot and it's CLIVE BARKER IN 3-D!

4 out of 5


Blackest Night Batman #3




Green Lantern Corps #41

Skipping last week we've got two books this week dealing with "Blackest Night". First up is "Blackest Night Batman #3", In this final issue of the three issue miniseries, Batman, Robin, Red Robin and Deadman deal with The Black Lanterns in Gotham. Resurrected last issue The Graysons and The Drakes are looking for their children to feed on. We learn of a soon to become important fact, Hiding your emotions makes you almost invisible to The Black Lanterns and Fire is one way to deal with them, not for long but long enough to make a quick escape. I feel that this was a good mini series but another book that was too short for it's own good. I think it should have been a six issue and spread the story out a little further because this last issue solely deals with Dick and Tim dealing with their undead parents and fails to explain what happened to the everyone else that got killed and turned or came back. Jason Blood and Etrigan make a decent cameo and save the day in the end but really should've been given more insight into the story as a whole and how their magic can turn the tide of battle. I understand that it's not the Flagship book in the story and it's just a snack style story to involve Gotham, Batman and company into things but it just falls short of being overly significant in my eyes.

3 out of 5

Green Lantern Corps #41 is the second book this week in the still unfolding events of "Blackest Night". This issue is in the midst of battle on Oa with the remaining Green Lanterns battling for their lives, literally. We get more background on Arisia and her lineage in the Green Lantern Corps, Kilowog fights and proves his worth to taunting undead lanterns as Nantu fights to save the dead and wounded Lanterns from the coming onslaught. Not really a significant issue but a very well written and illustrated one at that. The Corps get thinned out even more and The Black Lanterns multiply making them a virtual army of the dead.

5 out of 5


That's all folks..
Now what I'm Jonesin for this week in Comics!

BLACKEST NIGHT SUPERMAN #3
DCU HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2009 #1
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #38
DARK AVENGERS #10
SPIDER-WOMAN #2

Friday, October 16, 2009

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/21/09

OK, if any of you chuckle heads are going to Big Apple Con this weekend, have fun! And if you see any of us there make sure you say hello. We've got a great week in comics coming up as well as some fun little developments and surprises in store for all of you unfolding over the next few months so stay with us and we're sure you'll be pleased.

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you keep on checking the website for daily blog updates featuring some reviews, great factoids and other cool stuff. On that same note FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! We do daily sales and they are really good, I promise you!

$100 GIFT CERTIFICATE RAFFLE


Back by popular demand we'll be raffling off another gift certificate, this time for $100! Yes, its true! Buy as many raffle tickets as you like and as always tickets are only one dollar a pop. This raffle will end on Wednesday, October 28th.

BIRTHDAY COUPON!


E-mail us your full name and birthday and receive a special gift from us when your special day arrives! Send your e-mail to comicbookjones@gmail.com with the subject line "Birthday."

SHIPPING UPDATES


Amazing Spider-Man Pres. Anti-Venom #2 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
Captain America Death of Omnibus HC - 11/25/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Captain America Reborn #4 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
Dark Reign Hawkeye #5 - 11/4/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
Dark Tower Fall of Gilead #6 - 11/4/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Hulk: Green Hulk/Red Hulk HC - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Marvel Divas #4 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
Tomb of Dracula Omnibus Vol 2 HC - 12/9/09 (Old Date 10/7/09)
Ultimate Comics Armor Wars #2 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
Vengeance of Moon Knight #3 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/18/09)
X-Factor #50 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
X-Men Wolverine Gambit HC - 11/11/09 (Old Date 10/7/09)

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Destination Moon!



There is no doubt that this is the golden Age of Science Fiction cinema. From the opening of Star Wars to films like I Am Legend sci-fi has enjoyed a three decade renaissance. In many ways the Science Fiction film has replaced the Western as a dominant genre. Certainly the two genres focus on many of the same themes.


1) The Rugged Individualist – Clint Eastwood’s “man with no name” from films like the good, The Bad and The Ugly would fit right in with Vin Diesel’s Riddick of Pitch Black fame. John Wayne and James Kirk are no so distant cousins.


2) High Noon – Ripley’s smack down with the Queen in Aliens could have been taken right from the script of High Noon.


3) New Frontiers – Star Trek is a rough cross between Wagon Train and Bonanza. Colonization of the “Wild West” and the “Final Frontier” evoke the same iconography.


However, Sci-Fi cinema had another (albeit shorter) Golden Age in the 1950s. From 1950 through 1957 Hollywood cranked out a huge number of Sci-Fi movies. Unlike their modern day counterparts, however, the 50’s genre film was more likely to be a political allegory. The Cold War was just heating up in 1950 and films like Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Invaders From Mars and The Thing From Another World fed into the growing xenophobia and paranoia that was sweeping the country. Over the course of the next few weeks I will be taking a look at what I believe are the ten most influential Science Fiction films of the period. Those films are:


Forbidden Planet - 1956


Day the Earth Stood Still - 1951


Invasion Of The Body Snatchers - 1956


The Thing From Another World - 1951


War Of The Worlds - 1953


When Worlds Collide - 1951


Them! - 1954


The Incredible Shrinking Man - 1957


Rocketship X-M - 1950


Destination Moon – 1950


Let’s start with the first major Science Fiction film…Destination Moon.


In point of fact Rocketship XM beat Destination Moon to the theaters but the latter was in production first. RXM was rushed into production in a deliberate attempt to ride the coat tails of Destination Moon’s pre release publicity campaign.


The film was largely inspired by Chesley Bonestell’s artwork depicting the future of manned space flight which appeared in Collier’s magazine. Featuring sleek single stage rockets with fin tails and imagined extra terrestrial landscapes, Bonestell’s visuals captured the popular imagination. Bonestell actually created the matte paintings used in the film and Sci-Fi legend Robert Heinlein was heavily involved in the story process. All of this fell under the aegis of George Pal who was the George Lucas of his day. Pal would produce such genre classics as When Worlds Collide, and War Of The Worlds.


The plot of the film is very simple. Four American astronauts blast off from the New Mexico desert and fly to the Moon. They land after difficulties that cause more fuel to be used than anticipated. Consequently, the crew must race against time to lighten the ship for a successful return to Moon.


There are no “bad guys” or “monsters” to fight and no romantic sub plots. This film could have been a NASA recruiting tool except for the fact that NASA had not yet come into existence at the time of the film’s release. Pal saturated the film with state of the art science as we understood it at the time to make the film look absolutely authentic to a 1950’s audience. The political overtones were in the promoting of atomic power and the necessity of establishing a foothold in space before the Russians.


Although the details of a trip to the moon turned out to be significantly different from those enacted in Destination Moon, the basic science WAS sound. The film clearly predicted space walks, lunar landing maneuvers, and weightlessness. More importantly the film predicted the impact of man seeing the Earth from space which would become the single most iconic image of the 20th century.


Visually the film is stunning, shot in bright Technicolor with the George Pal gloss evident in every frame. Destination Moon was obviously a labor of love.


If the film disappoints in any area it is in the story itself. There simply is no real conflict in the movie other than man against the unknown. Emergencies are dealt with in a matter of fact manner which is also a foretelling of how NASA astronauts would deal with problems less than a decade later.


Destination Moon won the Academy Award for Visual effects, Lee Zavitz. The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction.


While Destination Moon is not the perfect popcorn eater it is an essential Science Fiction film and very much worth your time.

That’s 30!
Mitch




Monday, October 12, 2009

Happy Horrordays!

Since 1938, Superheroes have been the dominant genre in comic books. When superman hit the scene the industry changed almost overnight from adventure and comedy to men in tights leaping tall buildings. Superheroes took a struggling new medium and changed it into an industry that thrives to this day.

However, if there is a second most influential genre in comics it would have to be Horror. Vampires, werewolves, demons and creatures of the night have appeared in comics since the very beginning but it was with the emergence of EC comics that the horror genre in comics found it’s voice.

Entertaining Comics, also known as EC Comics, specialized in Horror, crime, science fictiona nd satire from the 1940s through the mid-1950s. The most notable title was Tales From the Crypt, until censorship pressures, driven by Frederick Wertham’s campaign and book Seduction Of the innocent, prompted it to concentrate on the seminal humor magazine, MAD which adopted a magazine format and avoided the Comics Code Authority. The publishing company was privately owned by Maxwell Gaines and later, during its period of notoriety in the early-mid 1950s, by his son, William Gaines.

The elder Gaines was originally an editor with all American Comics. When All American merged with DC, Max Gaines retained the rights to one comic; Picture Stories from the Bible. With this title he set out to establish a comic company that would focus on history, science and religion which would be marketed through churches around the country. Maxwell Gaines had been one of the earliest comics publishers and his Famous Funnies is considered to be the first true comic book.

In 1947, the elder Gaines was killed in a boating accident and his son William Gaines took over the business. Not being interested in an educational comic books Gaines took a decidedly different track.

He introduced series focusing on Horror, Science Fiction, War, Crime and Suspense. His editors, Al Feldstein and Harvey Kurtzman, gathered highly accomplished freelance artists. Among them were Joe Orlando and Wally Wood. Kurtzman and Feldstein themselves also drew stories, which generally were written by them and Craig, with assistance from Gaines. Other writers including and Otto Binder who would later co create Brainiac and Supergirl for DC were later brought on board.

EC had success with its fresh approach and pioneered in forming relationships with its readers through its letters to the editor and its fan organization, the National EC Fan-Addict Club. This was a practice that Stan Lee Would later adopt with the Marvel “Bullpen” to great success.
EC’s horror line focused on adult story lines, often with twist “O’Henry” style endings and high quality, often gory, art. As the popularity of , Tales From the Crypt, Vault of Horror and The Haunt Of Fear continued to grow, the stories and in particular the covers kept pushing the envelope of both censorship and taste. These were comics aimed at a teenage rather than a pre-teen audience and each new excess in storytelling and art was met with resounding approval. It also helped that these were very well crafted stories, that could compete in quality with the likes of Television’s Twilight Zone. Gaines was, in fact a pioneer in showing that comics could be a legitimate form of literature.

Gaines could not, however foresee that his company would become the prime target of a real life withc hunt.

In the late 1940s, the comic book industry became the target of mounting public criticism for the content of comic books and their potentially harmful effects on children. In 1954, the publication of Frederick’s Wertham's Seduction Of The Innocent and a highly publicized Congressional hearing put comic books under increasing criticism. At the same time, a federal investigation led to a shakeup in the distribution companies that delivered comic books and across America. Sales plummeted, and several companies went out of business.

The result of this backlash was the establishment of The Comics Code Authority. The CCA code expanded on the ACMP's restrictions. Unlike its predecessor, the CCA code was rigorously enforced, with all comics requiring code approval prior to their publication. Among the Code's new rules were that no comic book title could use the words "horror" or "terror" or "weird" on its cover. The Comics Code had little impact on DC, Dell or the other comics companies as they had all more or less adopted self censorship that was similar to that of the CCA. In fact it seemed as if the CCA was aimed specifically at driving EC Comics out of business.

When distributors refused to handle many of his comics, Gaines ended publication of his three horror and the two Suspense Story titles. EC shifted its focus to a line of more realistic comic book titles, including M.D. and Psychoanalysis (known as the New Direction line). It also renamed its remaining science-fiction comic. Since the initial issues did not carry the Comics Code seal, the wholesalers refused to carry them. After consulting with his staff, Gaines reluctantly started submitting his comics to the Comics Code; all the New Direction titles carried the seal starting with the second issue. This attempted revamp failed commercially and after the fifth issues, all the New Direction titles were canceled. Eventually Gaines would move MAD over to a magazine only format where it would become tremendously successful and influential, abandoning the comic book format altogether.

With the demise of EC, horror would literally disappear from comics until the early 1970’s. At that time the CCA began to lose influence because of Marvel and DC publishing stories that focused on drug abuse (Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Spiderman). This opened the door for Marvel to introduce a line of horror based comics that would enjoy great creative and popular success. Titles such as Tomb Of Dracula, Werewolf By Night and Ghost Rider drove marvel sales through much of the decade. Tomb Of Dracula in particular raised the creative bar at marvel both in the writing by Marv Wolfman and art by Gene Colan. This was the forerunner of the adult comic for an adult audience.

Since it’s revival in the 1970’s horror has remained a staple in comic books with titles like Army of Darkness, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Hellboy leading the way. While things that go bump in the night have not displaced superheroes as the most popular genre in comics, horror (happily) is here to stay.

Both the EC Classic horror comics and Tomb Of Dracula have been collected in both hard bound and soft bound editions over the years. I highly recommend them as must have additions to any serious comic collection!

That’s 30!

Mitch

Previews and Reviews with Gore Jones

Whaddup World,
Monday afternoon here in good ole Staten Island, after a long ass weekend. My girlfriend and I headed down to Baltimore for the Comic Con and man was it awesome. This convention is amazing, not only are you hanging with the top names in the comics and the coolest up and comers without 9 billion people in front of you but you get to talk and hang with everyone like they were your best friends. If you get the chance next year take the trip down there and go. It's so worth the drive.
I was filming for a friend, who has a web show coming out soon called "The Comic Show" and all the footage should be on youtube this week so look up "The Comic Show" and see who I interviewed and what Baltimore Con really looked like.
Big Ups to our friends and family that we got to see and hang with, Sucks I couldn't stay longer but next time its on!


Motorcycle Boy Graphic Novel #1

So I was interviewing Steve Niles for the show and his sister Janice was there selling her photography. We got into talking about what I was doing and she asked if she could introduce me to someone. I said yes of course and off we went to meet Billy Poe author and star of the comic "MOTORCYCLE BOY". I interviewed Billy for the show and listening to him explain the concept of the book I was very interested to read it. The basic story was built from a poem he had written when a childhood friend of his was murdered. The book grew from the poem and the character of Motorcycle Boy was given life. The book is very unusual for a comic, Intertwined within the pages are the poems which Billy wrote that act as the dialogue and direction for the artwork and story itself. The premise of the story is Billy Nex (Nex being a latin word for death) finds out a friend of his who is a junkie is murdered in D.C and the case is swept under the carpet because they brand it as him just being another junkie dying in a alley. Billy wants to find out who murdered his friend and takes justice into his own hands. The vigilante concept has been done to death in movies and comics but the way Motorcycle Boy is done is really good because Billy Nex has no previous military or police background, it's just an average guy who takes matters into his own hands. This first graphic novel is also really cool because it's not drenched in blood, it's not overly violent for the sake of violence and like I said the dialogue is very far and few between. The poems speak for everything. As of right now Motorcycle Boy isn't available through diamond or comic shops so go online and check out their site Motorcycleboycomics.com and order it direct from them.

5 out of 5


Love in the time of damnation #1 & 2

While standing around talking with Socko and Boomie, I was given 2 issues of a very independent comic. I got home, sat down and finally got a chance to check it out. At first glance it's very simple. Black and white printed out self produced indie style book. This would turn most people off from even reading it but if your a true comic fan this doesn't stop you EVER!. I read issue one and found myself rushing to read the second. The story is plain and simple. Frank and Mitch, two friends, are thrown head first into the Zombie Apocalypse. Unlike most zombie comics, we're not given the drama of "Oh my god what are they and what are we supposed to do" These dudes know right off the bat what's going on and how to deal with the situation. They get supplies and head off to a house in the mountains where they plan to survive in. The artwork is simple as well as the dialogue, like I said these guys aren't questioning anything, they know what's going on and how to deal with it. It's a simple story with simple characters but it's something any horror enthusiast can enjoy. Exaggerated Comics the self published company that puts out this fine book isn't distributed through diamond or comic shops but they have a blogspot and you should check it out and get in touch with them to get yourself copies of the book.

http://exaggeratedcomics.blogspot.com

5 out of 5


DOCTOR VOODOO AVENGER OF SUPERNATURAL #1

New to comics this week we get this amazing book! I've been waiting for this since Brother Voodoo was named Dr. Strange's replacement in the pages of New Avengers. Not only does Marvel give one of it's more underused characters a book but they also give RICK FRICKIN REMENDER the writting duties! This book is probably my new favorite title. This issue gives a a look into what Dr Strange and the newly named Dr. Voodoo have been up to since they disappeared in New Avengers. Dr Voodoo rolls up on Dormammu and banishes him from the earth realm for the time being, then he battles Dr. Doom for the Eye of Amagatto. Dr. Doom see's something in the eye and runs off...what did he see?

5 out of 5!!


HAUNT #1

Todd McFarlane, Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley and Greg Capullo together on a new book!! WoW!! Yes, this fantastic foursome comes together to bring life to the new title from Image Comics; Haunt. Haunt is about a mercenary who is killed and comes back to life or comes back as a ghost who only his brother can see (Spawn-ish?) When his brother's life in put in danger while looking after his dead brother's wife, they "merge" to become Haunt and they shoot weblike symbiote suit stuff..I'm sorry I really wanted to like this comic and I do like it but at first glance this book is riddled with Spawn and almost Spider-Man like qualities. Robert Kirkman may be scripting it but McFarlane is plotting it and I feel like he's really taking elements from himself. The layouts are done by Greg Capullo (famous Spawn artist) and Ryan Ottley puts the finishing touches on everything. It's a well done book and I'm on for the ride because I'm a big fan of everyone involved but I'm skeptical about what may come..

3 out of 5

and that's all folks...

What I'm Jonesin' for this week in comics!

ADVENTURE COMICS #3
DEADPOOL #900
PUNISHER FRANK CASTLE MAX #75
CLIVE BARKERS SEDUTH 3-D #1
ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE RECORDED ATTACKS GN

Friday, October 9, 2009

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/14/09

Hey! If you're heading to the Baltimore Con this weekend make sure you say hello to Socko! He'll be roaming the convention floor so be sure to give him a smack on the head if you see him!

Unfortunately we will not be able to do a tailgate party for Where The Wild Things Are, regardless of whether or not there will be a midnight showing for it (currently there is not one posted). We are sorry for this inconvenience and hope that there will be a movie we can do one for shortly.

Anyway, once again we've got another great week coming up so make sure you take a look over the list of all the brand spanking new stuff we've got coming in on Wednesday as well as the other news and happenings at the store. And follow us on Twitter! We've got some awesome sales going on each and every day that most of you don't even know about! See ya at the shop!

WATCHMEN MOVIE COMEDIAN GUNS RAFFLE


Time for another raffle, you crazies (in case you were wondering, last week's winner chose the JLA Trophy Room Bat Signal). This time we're raffling off the Comedian's Guns and Dog Tags plaque from the Watchmen movie. Many of you have asked about it so here's a good opportunity to take this home for only a dollar or two or however many raffles you choose to put in the mix. The replica retails for $294.99 and, as always, raffle tickets are only $1. Feel free to get as many as you like! The raffle ends on Wednesday, October 14th at 8:30 PM.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER


OK, you're our friend on Facebook. That's all well and good but if you followed us on Twitter you would be privy to all the daily sales we recently started doing. Every single day there is a great and unique sale, so be hip to our tweets and follow ComicBookJones!

BIRTHDAY COUPON!

E-mail us your full name and birthday and receive a special gift from us when your special day arrives! Send your e-mail to comicbookjones@gmail.com with the subject line "Birthday."

SHIPPING UPDATES

Ambush Bug Year None #7 - 10/21/09
Cable #20 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Criminal Sinners #2 - 11/18/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Dark Avengers Ares #1 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
Dark Avengers Ares #2 - 11/25/09 (Old Date 11/18/09)
Dark Reign Hawkeye #5 - 10/21/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)
Deadpool #17 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Flash Rebirth #5 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)
God of War #2 - 12/2/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Incredible Hercules #139 - 12/23/09 (Old Date 12/9/09)
Starcraft #6 - 11/18/09 (Old Date 11/25/09)
Strange #1 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Thor #604 - 11/18/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
Thor Giant Size Finale - 11/11/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Ultimate Comics Avengers #3 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)
Ultimate Comics Avengers #4 - 11/25/09 (Old Date 11/11/09)
Ultimate Comics Avengers #5 - 1/6/10 (Old Date 12/9/09)
Vengeance of Moon Knight #3 - 11/18/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
War Machine #10 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
War Machine #11 - 11/18/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
War Machine #12 - 12/9/09 (Old Date 11/18/09)
X-Babies #2 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/4/09)
X-Force #20 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)
X Necrosha One Shot - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)

Tuesday, October 6, 2009



Superman/Batman Public enemies, the latest DC animated feature, was released last week. As usual Bruce Timm and his team have given us another superior effort. The script efficiently compresses the events from the Superman/Batman comics Public Enemies story arc and the animation is the usual high quality. But this column is not really about this recent release. In watching Superman/Batman Public Enemies I was reminded of the fact that Superman has been appearing as an animated character since 1941!




SIXTY EIGHT years and still going strong.



The interesting thing is that it was those Fleischer Superman cartoons that remain the highest quality of all the Animated Adventures Of Superman. Today animation is a much slicker process, involving the use of artists and powerful computer rendering plus entire CGI sequences. Modern animation techniques allow studios such as Warner to release MANY more features than in the past. Consider that DC Animated gives us two to three features a year. This was not the case in 1941. In those days every single cell had to be hand drawn (24 for ONE second of animation). This process meant that it took far longer to produce a quality short. In the case of the first Superman cartoon, it took nearly 11 months and of $50,000 (equivalent to $1,316,000 today).
The Superman cartoons, were a series of seventeen animated shorts, produced by Fleischer from 1941 to 1942 and Famous from 1942 to 1943. These high quality TECHNICOLOR cartoons were released to theaters through Paramount Studios and met with both critical and commercial success.




The first short, simply entitled “Superman” garnered an Academy Award nomination for best short subject



The first seven cartoons originated the classic opening line which was later adopted by the Superman radio series and in the live-action television series in 1951.



"Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!" However, for the final two of the first nine Fleischer-produced cartoons and first of the eight Famous Studios-produced cartoons, the opening was changed to "Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to soar higher than any plane!".



The Fleischer cartoons were also responsible for Superman being able to fly. When they started work on the series, Superman could only leap from place to place But they deemed it as "silly looking" after seeing it animated and decided to have him fly instead.



Superman was voiced by Bud Coyler who had been portraying the Man of Steel on the hit radio show for the previous two years. Joan Alexander, radio’s Lois Lane, reprised her role in the shorts as well. As a side note, Jack Mercer, the long time voice of Popeye voiced the Mad Scientist in the first Superman short.



The Fleischer Studio was one of the very first houses to use the technique called rotoscoping. , Rotoscoping is the process of tracing animation drawings from live-action footage, was used extensively to lend realism to the human characters and Superman. However, of Superman's actions, however, could not be rotoscoped (flying, lifting very large objects, and so on). In these sequences the animators hat to rely on the comics and their imaginations for inspiration. In this area they met with great success. The films are simply stunning and remain a standard in animation even today.



The films were SO successful that DC produced a Superman story where Clark and Lois attend a screening of an animated short and Clark must distract her so that lois does not see Clark change to Superman on the screen! Warners produced a spoof of the Superman series called Snafuperman in 1944 and even comissioned the Fliescher theme song!



Fleischer produced the first seven cartoons before it folded and was absorbed by Famous Studios. The drop in quality was immediately apparent, though the cartoons were still of very high quality. The stories also moved from Sci-fi (Mechanical Monsters) to WWII propaganda (Japateurs).



Famous Studios ended the series after a total of seventeen shorts had been produced. The high cost of the series kept it from continuing in the face of budgetary restrictions that were imposed under the new management sans the Flieschers.



Over the years the Superman cartoons moved into the public domain and became widely available on VHS and DVD. However the quality of the prints was generally very poor. Recently, however, yet another release was made, this time a collection of all the cartoons released by Warner Home Video has released the first authorized collection from the original masters, titled Max Fleischer's Superman: 1941-1942. The prints, while not as pristine as advertised, ARE of excellent quality and a joy to behold.



The Fleischer Superman cartoons are wonder six decades after the last was produced. If you enjoy classic animation, it does not get better than this!



That’s 30!



Mitch

Friday, October 2, 2009

Previews and Reviews with Gore Jones

What up world!
Go see Pandorum. I saw it the other day and it's the sleeper movie of the fall. That shit was awesome! Any fan of "Event Horizon" will really dig this flick. I know everyone's waiting for Zombieland, so am I. Anyways, I've got some thangs to say about books this week.,,



Marvel Zombies Return #5

Hold on a second I'm beating a dead horse...Whip..whip..whip...WTF!!!! I can sit here for hours and bitch and complain about how this series could've been cool but I won't waste your time or get myself angry all over again. Simply put, this series was a serious let down and I think Marvel should stop doing anything with this property and quick. Here's what gets me; Zombie Spider-Man comes up with "the cure" which turns out to be a zombie flesh eating nanite infested Sandman who destroys the undead upon contact. GREAT IDEA! Yet, Spidey is accompanied by Zombie Hulk and Zombie Wolverine who are fighting to save the DEAD EARTH THEY FAILED TO SAVE!!!!!! WTF! The Sentry is the head honcho in charge of the new "MARVEL ZOMBIES" and gets sent to another earth by the not-so-dead Watcher. Which is the begining and the end of the entire story. BOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a waste of 5 weeks of reading this garbage. I had high hopes but then the toilet flushed and they went down the drain

-10,000 out of 5!



Dark Reign The Hood

This week offered the last issue to The Hood's second miniseries. We all know he's a member of Norman Osborn's Cabal and that he's got this Super-Villain army backing him and his methods of mob-esque tactics work above and beyond his cohorts expectations. What we also know is that Parker Robbins aka The Hood has a wife and small daughter who he keeps secret from everyone and does a hell of a job hiding it. The series as a whole is about how Parker is dealing with giving up Dormammu's influence and powers because he feels it's consuming him and how The White Fang(a widow who's husband Parker killed) follows him and finds out about his family. Great Concept, well done up until this last issue came out and then everything went out the window. Who the hell challenges someone to a one on one fight on THE STATEN ISLAND DUMPS??? HOW IN NEW AVENGERS IS PARKER WITH MADAM MASQUE AND LOKI LOCATING A NEW POWER SOURCE FOR HIM TO REPLACE THE POWERS HE LOST WHEN HE REVOKED DORMAMMU'S POWERS AND INFLUENCE?? HOW THE HELL AT THE END OF ISSUE FIVE OF THIS MINI DOES PARKER SUDDENLY STILL HAVE DORMAMMU'S POWERS???? WHERES THE CONTINUITY?? WHERE'S THE TIME FRAME BETWEEN THIS BOOK AND NEW AVENGERS??? HELLO IS ANYONE ELSE GETTING FRUSTRATED WITH THIS BULL!!

2 out of 5



Gotham City Sirens #4

If you're not reading this book I feel bad for you. It's a good replacement for Birds Of Prey and it's written by some dude named PAUL DINI! You know him from some cartoon shows like Batman the animated series or Justice League Unlimited. Picking up from last issue, Hush now posing as Bruce Wayne has "kidnapped" Harley Quinn and plans to kick her off this shwank high rise hot spot when MR. J (aka The Joker) see's Harley on the news with Bruce and decides if he can't stand her then no one can have her. Classic Paul Dini in this issue, between Joker's thugs bitching about wearing the stupid outfits to the banter between the Joker and Harley. This issue felt like it was an adaptation of a Batman the animated series episode. Like I said if you're not reading this book I truly feel bad for you.

5 out of 5



Teen Titans #75

I think this is the book that DC uses to kill characters. It should be called Teen Martyrs or something along those lines. Last issue they buried another member of the team, Kid Devil who got blown up helping the team save the day. This issue starts with the remaining team ( a term I use very loosely) sitting down eating, waiting for Beast Boy to show up. Beast Boy arrives and starts stating his case of how he should be the leader of The Teen Titans, for what reason..we'll have to wait and see. Raven is attacked by some other dimensional monster and thats the issue. There is so much going on in the DCU that can and hasn't been addressed in this book. Every time you turn around either they're losing a member, someone dies or they're having a membership drive. In my personal opinion this book needs to go somewhere or just get canceled.

2 out of 5



Spider-Man The Clone Saga #1 (of 6)

Either you loved it, hated it, didn't read it or just don't know about it. The Clone saga was a two year venture by Marvel to reboot Spider-Man that just went on for too long, lost the point and pissed plenty of people off. This is Marvel's and two of the many writers attempt to retell the story the way it was intended to be told. Short and sweet. The first issue reintroduces Ben Reily into Peter's life albeit very quickly but it references the original clone story from back in 1975. I was lucky / unlucky enough to begin collecting comics around the time this all came about so I have a decent knowledge of the ups and downs of the story. I would recommend this to anyone because thus far it's got the potential to make sense out of something that didn't and for new readers who never read all the b.s. can get a cool story in only six issues.

5 out of 5





Green Lantern #46 & Blackest Night Titans #2

This weeks helping of Blackest Night gives us Green Lantern #46. Sinestro goes to Zamaron to get the trapped members of the Sinestro Corps to find the planet under siege by The Black Lanterns. Hal Jordan, Carol Ferris and Indigo-1 show up to recruit Sinestro's help in saving the universe from The Blackest Night from coming to fruition. The uneasy pact is made and they journey to Daxam where Sinestro shows Mongul who the real boss of the "I name my own Corps" is. Why do I get the feeling that Sinestro is going to become the "White Lantern"? He could have killed Mongul but he seals him within the Yellow Lantern Core...exciting cool and yet just what exactly does he have planned for him?

5 out of 5

Blackest Night Titans #2 was the next offering this week and it gives way for new potential with these "zombie" Lanterns. Donna Troy is confronted by her dead husband and child whom are just the most twisted things to come back especially for her. She holds the kid in her arms and he bites her...Later on in the issue, we see her eyes have the "Black Lantern" symbol and her veins start bulging black. Now does this mean that you don't need a ring or to be dead to become a Black Lantern? If so that would be cool as shit. Furthermore, Hawk (the girl) gets turned by Hawk (the man) into a Black Lantern and they both hunt down Dove. The ending is the best part where we see.....I can't spoil everything...

5 out of 5..

Now what I'm Jonesin' for this week in comics....

PLANETARY #27
REBELS ANNUAL STARRO THE CONQUEROR #1
DAREDEVIL #501
DOCTOR VOODOO AVENGER OF SUPERNATURAL #1
HAUNT #1

thats all I wrote...Catch you later peoples.

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/7/09

We've got some great things coming up at the store. This week proves to be another eventful one for new books and toys, we've got a brand new raffle up this week and a tentative tailgate for a movie that I'm really looking forward to seeing, hopefully there will be a midnight showing. For all that and a look into what's coming in this week keep reading!

WATCHMEN MOVIE COMEDIAN GUNS RAFFLE


Time for another raffle you crazies (in case you were wondering, last week's winner chose the JLA Trophy Room Bat Signal). This time we're raffling off the Comedian's Guns and Dog Tags plaque from the Watchmen movie. Many of you have asked about it so here's a good opportunity to take this home for only a dollar or two or however many raffles you choose to put in the mix. The replica retails for $294.99 and, as always, raffle tickets are only $1. Feel free to get as many as you like!

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE TAILGATE

If all goes well and there is a midnight showing we will be having a tailgate party for Where The Wild Things Are. The tentative date is Thursday, October 15th starting at 9:00 PM. We will keep you posted and let you know if the UA Theater on Forest Avenue is, in fact, having a midnight showing.

STILL don't know about our tailgate parties? It's simple. Grab your ticket to the midnight showing of the movie and meet us at the store beforehand, starting at 9:00 PM when we close and join us for some free food, drinks and our special tailgate sale where we pull a percentage out of a hat and everything in the store is between 15% - 70%, depending on what's pulled! Be sure to join us!

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

OK, you're our friend on Facebook. That's all well and good but if you followed us on Twitter you would be privy to all the daily sales we recently started doing. We've done some good ones over the past few days including 25% off all hardcovers, 50% off all manga, and buy one t-shirt get one 1/2 off! So be hip to our tweets and follow ComicBookJones!

BIRTHDAY COUPON!


E-mail us your full name and birthday and receive a special gift from us when your special day arrives! Send your e-mail to comicbookjones@gmail.com with the subject line "Birthday."

SHIPPING UPDATES

Dark Reign List: Punisher - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)
Gears of War #10 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 9/30/09)
Gears of War #11 - 12/2/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)
God of War #1 - 11/4/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)
Starcraft #5 - 10/21/09 (Old Date 10/7/09)
Starcraft #6 - 11/25/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Starcraft #7 - 12/23/09 (Old Date 11/25/09)
Wolverine: Dark Wolverine Vol 1 HC - 10/21/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Classics For Halloween!

Here we are on October 1st. Where did the summer go? Oh that’s right, we didn’t actually HAVE one! Oh well, maybe next year. In the meantime the Fall really kicks off, for me, with Halloween. As I do every year, I open the DVD Vault in the Maglio household, brush away the cobwebs and rummage through my library of over 5000 films which include such classics as:
White Apache

Bela Lugosi Meets the Brooklyn Gorilla

Billy the kid Meets Dracula

And of course the deathless

Count Yorga – Vampire (what else would someone named Count Yorga BE?!)…

After much deliberation and mindless staring off into space I have come up with my theme and list of the Horror films that I will make sure to screen during Halloween week. Perhaps YOU dear reader will decide to watch some of these films as well…

I decided that THIS year I would screen Classic Horror (Pre 1960 Only). Last year was MODERN Horror so it seemed only fair. So here we go. TEN deathless horror films from the halcyon days of yore (or even mine)

1) Phantom Of the Opera – The silent Lon Chaney classic can still chill your bones to this day. The scene where Mary Philbin unmasks Chaney and the subsequent quick cut close-ups to the skull like visage of The Phantom set the audience screaming in 1927 and still shocks every time I see it. If you are a horror fan you owe to yourself to see the great Chaney at the very height of his powers. Some recently reissued prints show some scenes shot with early versions of Technicolor.

2) Nosferatu – 1922 – The first full length adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula was made in violation of copyright but is no less marvelous for that fact. F.W. Murnau , Director and Max Schreck, Star give certainly the creepiest version of Dracula ever committed to film. Unlike the urbane, and good looking Lugosi who would make the role his own in 1931, Nosferatu features a rat faced vampire who is a monster both inside and out. The film’s special effects hold up wonderfully even today. This film DRIPS atmosphere. Watch it with the lights out!

3) Frankenstein/Bride Of Frankenstein (1931/1935) – You have to see these Karloff/ James Whale classics as a single piece. This original was released in the same year as Dracula and Lugosi was actually first cast by the studio to play The Monster as early press kits confirm. Thankfully a relatively unknown actor named Boris Karloff was finally cast and the rest is history. Between Karloff’s performance (greatly enhanced by the makeup genius of Jack pierce), Whale’s fluid directing style and a sequel that surpasses the original as one of the great black comedies in cinema history, this is a double feature you can’t pass up.

4) Dracula – 1931 – Bela Lugosi. This was a straight adaptation of the 1927 Broadway stage play. Lugosi had played the role over 1000 times before he ever portrayed the Count on screen! Bringing a combination of terror and sexual allure to the role, Lugosi wrote the book on cinematic vampires that is still followed today. While more static than the Spanish version, which was filmed concurrently, the 1931 Dracula remains vital simply because Lugosi is in it.

5) Mark of the Vampire – Bela (you know who!) – This was a 1935 remake of the lost Lon Chaney film London After Midnight. It is really more of a detective story and I won’t spoil the ending for you. As always, any excuse to see Lugosi in the cape is an evening well spent. Mark of the Vampire was originally 75 minutes, but was cut back to 60 minutes by MGM. Reportedly this was due to incestuous overtones ,then unacceptable by the standards of the production Code, between Count Mora (played by Lugosi) and his daughter.

6) The Wolfman - Even a man who is pure at heart, and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright. What horror fan does not know that rhyme? But did you know that it has no place in werewolf lore? In fact it was written FOR the film but has since become an accepted part of lycanthropic legend. Chaney Jr. ! Jack pierce makeup! SEE IT!

7) Dracula’s Daughter – 1936. – This film was actually the direct sequel to the 1931 Dracula. EASILY the sexiest of the 1930’s horror films. It is atmospheric and languidly paced. More a seductress than murderer, Gloria Holden’s Vampire has a real taste for the ladies. Universal acknowledged the emphasis on lesbian overtones in the film. Quite ahead of it’s time!

8) The Invisible Man – 1933 – Based VERY loosely on the H.G. Wells Novel, The Invisible Man combines bitingly funny black humor in the James Whale style, with genuine terror. The film is fast paced and engaging from start to finish. The film also introduces American cinema to Claude Raines (Casablanca) who we don’t actually see until the final scene of the film where he is revealed in of of the great process shots of all time. Watch for the wonderful Una O’Connor in a hilarious turn as an hysterical housewife who crosses paths with the Invisible man himself!

9) Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman – 1943 – If one monster is good, Universal reasoned, then TWO monsters must be great! Anyway that was the idea. For the most part the universal “team Up” monster movies were not all that good, but Frankenstein meets the Wolfman was the first and (almost) the best. By 1943 Lugosi’s star had fallen far enough that he was willing to play the Frankenstein monster (a role he had turned down in the original). The final clash between The Wolfman and The Monster WAS very exciting. Lon Chaney Jr. has the distinction of being the ONLY actor to portray Lawrence Talbot (The Wolfman) for Universal and as always brought a sense of pathos to the role.

10) Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein – 1948 – Now THIS was the greatest “Monster team Up” movie ever made. Frankenstein! Dracula! The Wolfman! And even a cameo by The Invisible Man! PLUS Abbott And Costello. This may be the greatest horror comedy ever made! It’s pacing and sheer lunacy rivals and in some cases surpasses Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. The scene where Lou inadvertently sits in The Monster’s lap is a classic. Outtakes pf that scene show that Glenn Strange (The Monster) could not get through the scene without being cracked up by the great Lou Costello’s antics. This film is the last appearance Lugosi would make as Dracula and his last film for Universal.

There you have it! My top ten for Halloween 2010! The BEST thing about these films?

They are ALL available on the cheap on DVD! Run…don’t walk…get some of them!...better yet…buy them ALL. You won’t be sorry!

See you at the movies!

That’s 30!

Mitch