Halloween Party on Sunday!

This will quite possibly be one of the most ridiculous events we've ever held. Right off the heels of our Walking Dead Party we'll be showcasing the baddest cover band around playing Spinal Tap songs. Yes, Spinal Tap. We can't wait! The Spinal Tap cover band will be joined by Morning Starlett. The festivities kick off on Halloween, Sunday, October 31st at 9pm. There will be food, drinks, a special sale and a costume contest so come in your best costume! As a quick note, if you've never seen Spinal Tap you really have no excuse at this point - watch the movie before you come.

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/27/10

Insane week at the store! Tons of new stuff and two incredible events!

Oh man, we are incredibly excited about the week to come. If you haven't noticed there are tons of new books coming out this week. Plenty of fan favorite titles including Avengers, Fantastic Four, Action Comics, Green Arrow, and many, many more will all be released this coming Wednesday. If that wasn't enough we are having our Zombie Prom / Walking Dead Party on Friday, October 29th and our Halloween Party featuring Spinal Tap on Sunday, October 31st. Both events will feature some food and drinks (feel free to bring some extra if you like!), special sales and other surprises so make sure you stop by. For more information on each event look no further, just keep reading!

There's still time to get involved in Picture Books Anonymous if you're still interested. Our first book is 100% by Paul Pope, we have some copies available and book club members will receive 25% off. Let us know if you're interested and for more information keep reading.

As always if you have any questions or comments on anything at all shoot us an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com or give us a call at the store - 718-448-1234. See you at the shop!

OUR TOP 5 PICKS FOR THIS WEEK:




PICTURE BOOKS ANONYMOUS
STARTING ON MONDAY!

It's finally arrived, come and join our new graphic novel club entitled Picture Books Anonymous! We'll be meeting once a month (one book per month) and our next meeting will be held on November 1st at 7:00pm. The first book is 100% by Paul Pope. Come down to see what the next book will be and join in on some great conversation. Any books that are chosen for that month will be discounted for book club attendees and we will also be offering a blanket special for book club members - buy any three trades, hardcovers and/or graphic novels and get the fourth one free. SO, with that said, if you are interested in being involved in the book club, send me an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com with your name and information.

ZOMBIE PROM NIGHT / WALKING DEAD
RELEASE PARTY



We are totally geared up and stoked for the premiere of Walking Dead on AMC this Halloween. The comic series is a store favorite (employees & customers alike) and we can't think of a comic that would make for better episodic television. If you haven't been reading it, then you've really been missing out! Anyway, in honor of the release and with Halloween right there alongside it we thought what better time then Friday, October 29th to throw the baddest Halloween Party around. Come down around 9pm for some extended hours eating and drinking, a special sale and a dance contest hosted by a certain DJ Socko Jones. Dress as a zombie, bring a date, bring a friend, bring whoever you like. We'll be having a contest for best looking zombie and all zombies will receive extra discounts on anything bought that night. DO NOT MISS THIS!

SPECIAL HALLOWEEN SHOW
FEATURING SPINAL TAP!



This will quite possibly be one of the most ridiculous events we've ever held. Right off the heels of our Walking Dead Party we'll be showcasing the baddest cover band around playing Spinal Tap songs. Yes, Spinal Tap. We can't wait! The Spinal Tap cover band will be joined by Morning Starlett. The festivities kick off on Halloween, Sunday, October 31st at 9pm. There will be food, drinks, a special sale and a costume contest so come in your best costume! As a quick note, if you've never seen Spinal Tap you really have no excuse at this point - watch the movie before you come.

CBJ SUNDAY SWAP MEET

Many of you always ask us if we buy old comics and as you probably already know, we don't. But, we decided that we would give you an opportunity to try and sell some of your stuff at the store in a once a month thing we are calling the CBJ Sunday Swap Meet. Ideally, we would like this to take place one Sunday a month. For those interested in selling there would be a $50 fee which gets you a table and some space to display all your stuff. Obviously we would promote the day and you are welcome to handle the rest in any way you see fit. This could be a great opportunity to unload some books you've been sitting on or if you're a buyer find some key back issues or other stuff at a friendly and familiar location! If you're interested in either buying or selling, send us an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com and sound off!

SHIPPING UPDATES

Avengers #7 - 11/17/10 (Old Date 11/10/10)
Avengers Prime #4 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 11/3/10)
Batman and Robin #17 - 11/24/10 (Old Date 11/17/10)
Batman Return Bruce Wayne #6 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 10/27/10)
Green Lantern #59 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 11/3/10)
Namor First Mutant #3 - 11/3/10 (Old Date 10/27/10)
Superior #2 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 11/3/10)
Uncanny X-Force #2 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 11/3/10)

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/13/10

Insane week at the store! Tons of new stuff and two incredible events!

Oh man, we are incredibly excited about the week to come. If you haven't noticed there are tons of new books coming out this week. Plenty of fan favorite titles including Avengers, Fantastic Four, Action Comics, Green Arrow, and many, many more will all be released this coming Wednesday. If that wasn't enough we are having our Zombie Prom / Walking Dead Party on Friday, October 29th and our Halloween Party featuring Spinal Tap on Sunday, October 31st. Both events will feature some food and drinks (feel free to bring some extra if you like!), special sales and other surprises so make sure you stop by. For more information on each event look no further, just keep reading!

There's still time to get involved in Picture Books Anonymous if you're still interested. Our first book is 100% by Paul Pope, we have some copies available and book club members will receive 25% off. Let us know if you're interested and for more information keep reading.

As always if you have any questions or comments on anything at all shoot us an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com or give us a call at the store - 718-448-1234. See you at the shop!

OUR TOP 5 PICKS FOR THIS WEEK:




PICTURE BOOKS ANONYMOUS
STARTING ON MONDAY!

It's finally arrived, come and join our new graphic novel club entitled Picture Books Anonymous! We'll be meeting once a month (one book per month) and our next meeting will be held on November 1st at 7:00pm. The first book is 100% by Paul Pope. Come down to see what the next book will be and join in on some great conversation. Any books that are chosen for that month will be discounted for book club attendees and we will also be offering a blanket special for book club members - buy any three trades, hardcovers and/or graphic novels and get the fourth one free. SO, with that said, if you are interested in being involved in the book club, send me an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com with your name and information.

ZOMBIE PROM NIGHT / WALKING DEAD
RELEASE PARTY



We are totally geared up and stoked for the premiere of Walking Dead on AMC this Halloween. The comic series is a store favorite (employees & customers alike) and we can't think of a comic that would make for better episodic television. If you haven't been reading it, then you've really been missing out! Anyway, in honor of the release and with Halloween right there alongside it we thought what better time then Friday, October 29th to throw the baddest Halloween Party around. Come down around 9pm for some extended hours eating and drinking, a special sale and a dance contest hosted by a certain DJ Socko Jones. Dress as a zombie, bring a date, bring a friend, bring whoever you like. We'll be having a contest for best looking zombie and all zombies will receive extra discounts on anything bought that night. DO NOT MISS THIS!

SPECIAL HALLOWEEN SHOW
FEATURING SPINAL TAP!



This will quite possibly be one of the most ridiculous events we've ever held. Right off the heels of our Walking Dead Party we'll be showcasing the baddest cover band around playing Spinal Tap songs. Yes, Spinal Tap. We can't wait! The Spinal Tap cover band will be joined by Morning Starlett. The festivities kick off on Halloween, Sunday, October 31st at 9pm. There will be food, drinks, a special sale and a costume contest so come in your best costume! As a quick note, if you've never seen Spinal Tap you really have no excuse at this point - watch the movie before you come.

CBJ SUNDAY SWAP MEET

Many of you always ask us if we buy old comics and as you probably already know, we don't. But, we decided that we would give you an opportunity to try and sell some of your stuff at the store in a once a month thing we are calling the CBJ Sunday Swap Meet. Ideally, we would like this to take place one Sunday a month. For those interested in selling there would be a $50 fee which gets you a table and some space to display all your stuff. Obviously we would promote the day and you are welcome to handle the rest in any way you see fit. This could be a great opportunity to unload some books you've been sitting on or if you're a buyer find some key back issues or other stuff at a friendly and familiar location! If you're interested in either buying or selling, send us an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com and sound off!

SHIPPING UPDATES

Avengers #7 - 11/17/10 (Old Date 11/10/10)
Avengers Prime #4 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 11/3/10)
Batman and Robin #17 - 11/24/10 (Old Date 11/17/10)
Batman Return Bruce Wayne #6 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 10/27/10)
Green Lantern #59 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 11/3/10)
Namor First Mutant #3 - 11/3/10 (Old Date 10/27/10)
Superior #2 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 11/3/10)
Uncanny X-Force #2 - 11/10/10 (Old Date 11/3/10)

OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD!

Another week goes by and another GIANT stack of comics hits the shelves. A lot of really great stuff came out this week. I really have no complaints. There's so much to talk about in such a small space I really don't even know where to begin. I'll just take a stab at it and see how it goes...



SHADOWLAND #4 (OF 5)

With this mini series almost over and the fate of NYC and Daredevil coming to a climax, our favorite Man without fear is now completely consumed by the entity known as "The Beast". He's already called martial law on the streets with a curfew for the citizens of the city and has lifted his law of "no killing". Things are really out of control and with everything in dismay, now is the time for our heroes to make their move and see what the final outcome will be. The Punisher, Luke Cage, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Master Izo, Shang-Chi and Elektra make a last ditch effort to either save Daredevil and defeat "The Beast" or to kill Daredevil and damn his soul. All while this is going on The Kingpin and Lady Bullseye are making moves of their own. Kingpin has diligently been waiting for everything to basically fall apart so that he can walk in a reclaim his place atop NYC.
The cover throws you off because you think that Bullseye is going to resurrected but Elektra and company thwart the ceremony and stop him from coming back..Thank God, I was excited to see Bullseye come back but with the amount of characters returning from the dead I'm glad he HASN'T come back YET.
This series has been nothing but stellar from start to near finish up until this point. My only gripe is that Marvel leaked that Daredevil is going to die and that The Black Panther is going to be taking over his book as the new "Man Without Fear". I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that but we'll see in due time.

5 out of 5


SUPERIOR #1

Simon Pooni was a normal kid until he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which is a very horrible and debilitating disease. He lives an average life and makes the best of his situation. His favorite superhero is Superior. One night Simon wakes up to find a strange monkey in his room who grants him one wish..his one wish is to be Superior.
Another Mark Millar masterpiece all set to be turned into a film just like the rest of his creator owned projects. This story is very simple and to the point, as a first issue it nailed everything on the head from the get go. There's nothing to complain about at all. The mystery of the monkey and his "one wish" powers is/was great. I can't wait to see what happens next and of course I strongly suggest that everyone goes out and cops a copy of this book now before it disappears and becomes worth some serious dough to get a hold of.
Leinil Yu's artwork is awesome as always. His tones and facial expression really make the book that much more interesting to read.
Overall I really have high hopes for these characters and this story.

5 out of 5


UNTOLD TALES OF BLACKEST NIGHT

I must say, when I first heard about this book I wasn't too impressed, I just kinda felt like DC was milking Blackest Night for one more story and it would have some outrageous secret to Brightest Day. WRONG! This comic was Awesome! It gives the background stories behind what happened to Ragman during Blackest Night, it tells us what really went on after Donna Troy was bitten by her "zombie" son, it tells us how Scarecrow got his yellow ring and last but certainly not least, it tells us what went on with Animal Man during the whole event.
Every story was really fun and enlightening. It picked up at a point where we the reader had no knowledge as to what was going on in the these particular characters lives during Blackest Night and just filled in the blanks up until they showed up in the Blackest Night series itself.
I personally loves the Scarecrows story not only because the story itself was beefy and really gave you a sense of just how much he longs to be afraid and that in his twisted mind, he's not really doing what he does to scare or kill people but to really put fear back into himself. The best thing about this story though was Brett Booth's amazing artwork. I've been a fan of his for years and seeing him rock the crap out of The Scarecrow was really a treat and thrill. I hope he gets more work for one of the big two and gets put on a monthly already.

5 out of 5


Edge Of Doom #1

This issue reminded me of the movie "The Pit". It's a story about a man who gets attacked by little demons who creep up out a whole in his yard. The story is simple and to the point yet enjoyable and pretty laughable. Steve Nile and Kelley Jones really rock together and I'm glad to finally see them working together again on something good..(Batman: Gotham after midnight..2 thumbs down!)
Any fan of horror and a good story should really check this out.

4 out of 5



X-MEN #4

I'll be honest, I lied when I said I didn't have anything to complain about..I do. This storyline sucks and I'm not just saying that because it's a Vampire story. This story so far has been boring and really uneventful. "The Death Of Dracula" one shot was really good and very well composed..this "tie in" I guess you would call it, stinks. Wolverine and Jubilee have both been turned into Vampires and now Xanus is trying to compare Mutants to Vampires. Yes, they are both on the verge of extinction and yes, people hate and fear them but those are the only similarities that they share. Overall, I really feel like Marvel is trying to cash in on another pop culture fad with this storyline. I'm sorry..how do you go from Messiah War to this nonsense and still attempt to keep readers.
Overall I suggest you either tough it out and see what happens or wait for the trade or even better just skip this storyline altogether.

1 out of 5

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/20/10

Carnage & Kick Ass are back, details on Halloween weekend extravaganza!

Another week chock full of comics is upon us. We hope you all had a great time at NYCC which seems like it's quickly rivaling San Diego for biggest con in the country. It was packed! Hopefully you picked up some good stuff and are pumped about comics from your favorite comic shop! Pretty good week of comics coming up including Carnage #1, the newest Batman & Robin and the return of Kick Ass! For those who are fans of Kick Ass be sure to check out both Nemesis and Superior (both are just as awesome).

Comics aside we have two incredible events happening at the end of the month so make sure you attend! First is the Zombie Prom Night & Walking Dead Release Party happening on Friday, October 29th quickly followed by a very special Halloween show featuring a Spinal Tap cover band (with two original members of Blue Oyster Cult)!

Finally, if you're still interested in joining Picture Books Anonymous (our new graphic novel club) then come by the store and pick up our first book 100% by Paul Pope at 25% off and come to the next meeting on Monday, November 1st. And as always if you have any questions or comments on anything shoot us an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com or give us a call at the store - 718-448-1234. See you at the shop!

OUR TOP 5 PICKS FOR THIS WEEK:




PICTURE BOOKS ANONYMOUS
STARTING ON MONDAY!

It's finally arrived, come and join our new graphic novel club entitled Picture Books Anonymous! We'll be meeting once a month (one book per month) and our next meeting will be held on November 1st at 7:00pm. The first book is 100% by Paul Pope. Come down to see what the next book will be and join in on some great conversation. Any books that are chosen for that month will be discounted for book club attendees and we will also be offering a blanket special for book club members - buy any three trades, hardcovers and/or graphic novels and get the fourth one free. SO, with that said, if you are interested in being involved in the book club, send me an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com with your name and information.

ZOMBIE PROM NIGHT / WALKING DEAD
RELEASE PARTY

We are totally geared up and stoked for the premiere of Walking Dead on AMC this Halloween. The comic series is a store favorite (employees & customers alike) and we can't think of a comic that would make for better episodic television. If you haven't been reading it, then you've really been missing out! Anyway, in honor of the release and with Halloween right there alongside it we thought what better time then Friday, October 29th to throw the baddest Halloween Party around. Come down around 9pm for some extended hours eating and drinking, a special sale and a dance contest hosted by a certain DJ Socko Jones. Dress as a zombie, bring a date, bring a friend, bring whoever you like. We'll be having a contest for best looking zombie and all zombies will receive extra discounts on anything bought that night. DO NOT MISS THIS!

SPECIAL HALLOWEEN SHOW
FEATURING SPINAL TAP!

This will quite possibly be one of the most ridiculous events we've ever held. Right off the heels of our Walking Dead Party we'll be showcasing the baddest cover band around (featuring two original members of Blue Oyster Cult) playing Spinal Tap songs. Yes, Spinal Tap. We can't wait! The Spinal Tap cover band will be joined by Morning Starlett. The festivities kick off on Halloween, Sunday, October 31st at 9pm. There will be food, drinks, a special sale and a costume contest so come in your best costume! As a quick note, if you've never seen Spinal Tap you really have no excuse at this point - watch the movie before you come.

CBJ SUNDAY SWAP MEET

Many of you always ask us if we buy old comics and as you probably already know, we don't. But, we decided that we would give you an opportunity to try and sell some of your stuff at the store in a once a month thing we are calling the CBJ Sunday Swap Meet. Ideally, we would like this to take place one Sunday a month. For those interested in selling there would be a $50 fee which gets you a table and some space to display all your stuff. Obviously we would promote the day and you are welcome to handle the rest in any way you see fit. This could be a great opportunity to unload some books you've been sitting on or if you're a buyer find some key back issues or other stuff at a friendly and familiar location! If you're interested in either buying or selling, send us an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com and sound off!

OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD!!

Damn I have a lot of books to talk about. Some really great number one issues came out and some really terrible ones came out. At this point in my life, a book either grabs me and makes me fiend for more or I just want to rip it into a million pieces and curse like a sailor. Comics truly have the ability to make the reader either love, hate, cry or frustrate with the characters and situations they're put in. This week I'd like to talk about some books that really hit me and made me want to say something about them as opposed to the typical run of the mill books.



1 MONTH 2 LIVE.

What an amazing story told from 4 different writers eyes. The story is about Dennis Sykes who is your typical 9-5 guy who hates his job and fears that he's losing his family because of his overwhelming work schedule. Dennis is also very worried that his time is so short and that he'll never get to do the things he really wants to do instead of the things he's has to. He and his wife are the foster parents to his niece, who rejects their affection at every turn. She's very hardened by the fact that she lost both of her parents in a car crash and is now forced to live with her Aunt and Uncle.
One day, Dennis decides to help out a Radioactive Hazard truck driver who's being robbed by two junkies looking for drugs on the truck. Of course, Dennis is beat up really bad and has some kind of toxic waste splashed in his face and it gets in his mouth..
Dennis is saved by The Thing and taken to The Baxter building where he's told by Reed Richards that he had Cancer and that the waste is somehow speeding up the process and that Dennis only has one month to live.
Dennis hides this fact from his wife and niece and finds out that he now has some kind of powers over molecules and he can rearrange things however he likes.
He decides to use his powers to rob a bank but then gets caught by his wife and niece who entice him to return what he took, in doing so, he's "attacked" by Spider-Man with whom after a quick conversation helps escape the police and they talk about being a hero. This is where Dennis decides that he's going to put his abilities to good use and make even better use of his time left before he dies.
The story takes Dennis on an adventure with the FF to stop Ego, swinging around NYC with Spider-Man and finally to the Savage Land where he saves his niece instead of saving himself.
This story is amazing and I really hope that Marvel somehow sheds some light on it and makes Dennis and his story something bigger than it is. I highly recommend anyone to buy this book when it comes out in trade because it's just a really tear jerking story about a simple man put into a situation and watching him deal with it the best way he can.

5 OUT OF 5!!!


KODIAK

Ugh! I saw that Joe Hill (Locke and Key) and one of the best horror artists out today Nate Jones were doing this one shot book. I missed it when it came out but quickly got it once I found out about this epic team up..Needless to say I wish I had just forgot it. This story is lame and boring. It's sad to see such a great team wasted on a $**T book. Do yourself a huge favor and avoid this book at all costs. If you wanna just read it and check it out cool but as far as buying it..Save your money for something else...like the "1 MONTH 2 LIVE" TPB...

1 out of 5


SKULLKICKERS #1

I'm sure you've seen the promo's for this new book from Image. Of course we've all asked ourselves.."Well, what is it? What's it about?" Simple answer, it's a book set in some kind of Medieval Time and it's about two unnamed goons for hire. It's really weird that the main characters don't have names and that you really don't know what's going on aside from them hunting down a Werewolf in the beginning of the story and getting hired to break someone out of jail. It's very intriguing and actually works in the books benefit because you're drawn into this world and these characters and you really want to find out more about what the hell is going on. I think everyone should check this book out and give it a spin. I'm sure it'll wind up being the next "Chew".

5 out of 5


DEADPOOL MAX #1

OH MY GOD I REALLY HATE MARVEL OVERUSING CHARACTERS AND ESPECIALLY DEADPOOL!! What a crappy book. I figured, maybe because it's a MAX book that someone would write Deadpool serious and make him a badass assassin who cracks random jokes but still has a real seriousness to the book..WRONG! It's the same old Deadpool except this time, everyone else around him curses and does horrible things. I was praying this book would be like "The Punisher MAX" and really kick ass and take names but no, it didn't..it sucks in my opinion.

1 out of 5


UNCANNY X-FORCE #1

What the hell is going on? I'm confused..The last time we saw Apocalypse in the 616 universe, he turned Gambit into Death and got his ass kicked by the X-Men and flew off in his ship to who knows where..Now apparently he's being reborn as a child?? What?
Other than this problem, the book was really good, author Rick Remender really knocks this one out of the park with his usage of the characters. You can almost feel that he's done his homework as far as the relationships between characters go and he's using that to his advantage. The emotions between Psylocke and Archangel almost bleed off the pages and remind me of when they were an item back in the "90's".
I'm excited to see where this is going to go and what ramifications, this will have on the rest of the X-titles at some point in time...

5 out of 5


CHAOS WAR #1 (OF 5)

The next big event has been unleashed and of all the heroes, Hercules the most underrated characters is leading the charge. King Chaos, the blackness of the universe has decided to once again, erase all existence and return to the nothingness. Hercules, who is recently returned from exile in the false dimension that Hera created, he's now the God of Heroes and the King of Gods. Of course, when he comes to assemble everyone and tell them of the coming onslaught, no one believes him because..well it's Hercules, everyone's favorite drunken Olympian.
I really think everyone should jump on this book because Marvel is comparing it to such events like "Infinity Gauntlet" and "Secret Wars".
Plus, who doesn't love Hercules?? I mean really come on.. I'd follow him.

5 out of 5



I've got a couple more books to talk about but I don't want to take up space so, I'll call this part one of this weeks blog..

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/13/10

Huge Week Ahead, Double Tailgate Set For the End of the Month!

Welcome again! What a great week it was. Chaos War is in full swing, and it is Fantastic. What a huge week coming up. This week marks the return of one of our personal favorites, Strange Tales. Also this week, does Bruce finally get back to Gotham? Doubt it. While the NYCC is going strong we have some 'spooky' events to lay out for you. Keep on readin' for the details!

First off - Halloween / Zombie Prom Night / Walking Dead Celebration! This is going to be an insane event. A ridiculous Halloween party topped with zombies, a costume & dance contest, food, drinks, and a one of a kind sale. Insanity!

Secondly - A super special show is in the makings for October 31st, Halloween night! Not much can be said yet, but look on for as much info as I can pass on.

All the information on all these events and more, including the Picture Books Anonymous Graphic Novel Club can be found below. As always if you have any questions or comments on anything shoot us an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com or give us a call at the store - 718-448-1234.

OUR TOP 5 PICKS FOR THIS WEEK:





PICTURE BOOKS ANONYMOUS
STARTING ON MONDAY!

It's finally arrived, come and join our new graphic novel club entitled Picture Books Anonymous! We'll be meeting once a month (one book per month) next on November 1st at 7:00pm. October's book choice was 100% by Paul Pope. Come down to see what the next book will be and join in on some great conversation. Any books that are chosen for that month will be discounted for book club attendees and we will also be offering a blanket special for book club members - buy any three trades, hardcovers and/or graphic novels and get the fourth one free. SO, with that said, if you are interested in being involved in the book club, send me an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com with your name and information.

HALLOWEEN / ZOMBIE PROM NIGHT /
WALKING DEAD RELEASE PARTY

We are totally geared up and stoked for the premiere of Walking Dead on AMC this Halloween. The comic series is a store favorite (employees & customers alike) and we can't think of a comic that would make for better episodic television. If you haven't been reading it, then you've really been missing out! Anyway, in honor of the release and with Halloween right there alongside it we thought what better time then Friday, October 29th to throw the baddest Halloween Party around. Come down around 9pm for some extended hours eating and drinking, a special sale and a dance contest hosted by a certain DJ Socko Jones. Dress as a zombie, bring a date, bring a friend, bring whoever you like. We'll be having a contest for best looking zombie and all zombies will receive extra discounts on anything bought. DO NOT MISS THIS!

Special Halloween Show!

Like I said above, not much can be shared at this time except this; It will be a tailgate party with a very special band playing for your enjoyment. Like always, free food and drink. It will start at 9 p.m. Halloween night. Stay tuned as we release the full details next week. The only other hint I can give you, though, are two simple words: Spinal Tap.

CASUAL PLAY HEROCLIX ON SUNDAYS!

Taking place this Sunday, October 3rd we will be conducting free open play of Heroclix down at the store starting at 3pm. It will be casual play and will happen every other Sunday. We've been getting a nice group of people and as we gather even more participants we will start conducting tournaments. Come down if you're interested in playing or learning how to play!


CBJ SUNDAY SWAP MEET

Many of you always ask us if we buy old comics and as you probably already know, we don't. But, we decided that we would give you an opportunity to try and sell some of your stuff at the store in a once a month thing we are calling the CBJ Sunday Swap Meet. Ideally, we would like this to take place one Sunday a month. For those interested in selling there would be a $50 fee which gets you a table and some space to display all your stuff. Obviously we would promote the day and you are welcome to handle the rest in any way you see fit. This could be a great opportunity to unload some books you've been sitting on or if you're a buyer find some key back issues or other stuff at a friendly and familiar location! If you're interested in either buying or selling, send us an e-mail at comicbookjones@gmail.com and sound off!

The Fox and The Bat!

As all Batman fans know, young Bruce Wayne was on his way home from the movies with his parents Thomas and Martha when they were set upon by a mugger named Joe Chill. Chill would murder Bruce’s parents, setting in motion the events that would result in the emergence of The Batman. One might say that Chill created Batman…and perhaps there is some truth in this. But Batman had another “father”.

Zorro.

The film that young Bruce saw that night was the classic “Mark Of Zorro”. It was that same film that greatly influenced Batman’s creator Bob Kane. As a young man Kane saw the 1920 version of “The Mark Of Zorro” that starred one of the greatest stars of the silent screen. Douglas Fairbanks.

Fairbanks who also produced the film established virtually all of the devices that Kane would use when he created Batman some eighteen years later. Don Diego, Zorro’s secret identity, is a lay about , somewhat foppish man of wealth. In his alter ego he is a masked avenger striking fear into the hearts of evil doers.

Zorro is described as a “ghost” and “not human” by his foes. Indeed Fairbanks’ Zorro DOES seem to appear out of nowhere. Dressed in black and seemingly everywhere at once, Zorro uses the superstition and ignorance of his enemies just they way Batman does.

Like Batman, Zorro has a secret hideout from which he emerges through a false Grandfather clock. Bruce Wayne had that same entrance to the Batcave throughout the 40’s and 50’s!

Kane would often credit Faribanks and Zorro for being his greatest inspiration. Last week I had the opportunity to see this film at the Lowes in Jersey City. This was an old 1920’s silent movie palace that has been fully restored right down to the great pipe organ. The film was screened as if it were 1920 with live organ music setting the mood throughout. Along with some 1000 other silent film buffs I found myself transported some ninety years into the past, the flickering black and white images of the great Fairbanks swept me up and the film was as fresh and new as it was four generations ago!

After seeing this film as it was meant to be seen, I can well understand how Bob Kane would be so inspired by “The Mark Of Zorro” that he would use the film as the basis for a character whose legend would equal that of “The Fox” himself.

For me it was a great opportunity to rediscover an iconic silent film in it’s natural setting and not just on a DVD.

That’s 30!

Mitch