Two of CBJ's Biggest Events Back to Back!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY - SATURDAY, MAY 1ST!

The most fun day of the year is only a week away! Join us at the store on Saturday, May 1st for FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! For those of you unfamiliar with FCBD, let me put it into perspective for you. Every major publisher releases a book or two for free, absolutely no cost to you! Just come down to the store and pick out what you want. There will be a limited amount of books per customer and only until supplies last. First come, first served. In addition we will have a few creators down at the store to sign books (including some done for Free Comic Book Day) and do some sketches for you! Included are some of the guys from Zuda Comics, DC's awesome web comic hub! Click on the link below to check it out in the meantime here's the lineup:

• Evan Dorkin (Dork, Milk & Cheese, Simpsons)
• Steve Ellis (High Moon, Zuda Comics)
• David Gallaher (High Moon, Zuda Comics)
• Lauren Monardo (Det. Ham & Eggs, Chip & Ding Dong)
• The Timony Twins (Night Owls, Zuda Comics)

What? Free comics and tons of creators aren't good enough for you? Fine, on top of all this there will be a 10% discount on everything in the store throughout the entire day! I can't tell you how many people ask me when FCBD and are disappointed when I tell them it's only once a year, DO NOT MISS IT!



IRON MAN 2 TAILGATE PARTY!!!



You've all been asking about this almost since the first Iron Man Tailgate Party came and went so it should be no surprise that this will probably be our biggest tailgate party yet. We kicked off this year's parties a couple of weeks ago with the Kick Ass Tailgate Party (where everything in the store was 60% off) and now you have your chance to redeem yourself if you missed the last one this Thursday, May 6th!

If you aren't familiar, here's the deal: Pick up your ticket to the midnight showing of Iron Man 2 (for Thursday night, technically Friday morning) and come down to the store starting at 9pm for some free food, drinks and a special sale where we pick a number out of a hat and everything in the store will be between 10%-70% off! I promise you you won't get this anywhere else!

You should get here early to guarantee yourself some food and drinks and, of course, any contributions are welcome. Also, you MUST have a ticket to the midnight showing - NO EXCEPTIONS!

OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD!!

HAPPY BELATED FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!! Pretty awesome to get free stuff. This week was a huge week. Was it all worth it....lets find out.

So many books in such a small space so here we go..



FRAGGLE ROCK #1

From Archaia, the company that brought us Mouseguard comes Fraggle Rock!
Everyone who grew up in the 80's, grew up with The Muppets, Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock as icons in their childhood. This first issue of three gives us three cool short stories taking us back to that hidden little place called Fraggle Rock.

First is a story about how Red feels that everyone pays so much attention to Gobo just because his Uncle Traveling Matt is a great explorer and everyone thinks that Gobo is just as brave and cool as Uncle Traveling Matt. The two fraggles get trapped out in the Gorg garden. They both soon come to realize that they're both very brave and competition doesn't have to be so dangerous for them to prove their bravery.

The second story is a funny story about how Junior Gorg drops his watch down the well and it lands in Fraggle Rock, where Red gets the idea to create a game for everyone to play within a certain amount of "tik toks".

The third story is about Red getting bonked on the head and coming up with a bunch of crazy ideas.
It's a short but cool little book bringing back all the memories of being a kid and planting myself in front of the t.v as a kid. What I really find interesting is that Archaia decided to go with the same format of comic that they use for "Mouse Guard".

3 out of 5



FALL OF THE HULKS: RED HULK #4

So we've all wondered what the Intelligencia's main goal of everything they've been trying to accomplish is...Is it world domination? riches? power? No it's actually to make the world a better place by finally disposing of The Hulk and his kind and to use their combined intelligence and resources to make a Utopia, all united under the banner of The Intelligencia.
This is where the Red Hulk really falls into place. His role as a counterpart to Bruce Banner is obvious but what we find out here is his other role as a constant reminder that no matter what, The Hulk will overcome and somehow thwart their plans.
Jeff Parker does a great job of showing this other side to The Red Hulk with his witty remarks towards M.O.D.O.K forcing him to overexert himself and showing him that again no matter what, The Hulk will always find a way to win.
A good issue and great insight into what can and may happen if The Intelligencia get their way.

4 out of 5



MIGHTY AVENGERS #36

Sadly, this is the last issue of Mighty Avengers.
Knee deep in Ultron controlled Jocasta robots, trapped in The Infinite Mansion and cut off from the rest of the world, Pym, Jocasta, Ace and Black Jack fight to survive in this final issue of the series.
Writer Dan Slott goes out with a bang as we come to find out that Hank has been trying to save Janet's body from dissipating with the unwitting help of Jocasta. All the while, Ultron Pym is slowly closing in on the group as they scramble to come up with a last ditch plan to survive.
Jocasta finally gives herself to Ultron as his bride in return for the safety of Hank. My favorite part of the issue was Hank Pym "marrying" Ultron and Jocasta.
With Ultron's mind off the real issue at hand, Hank banishes Ultron and Jocasta off into space where hopefully, Ultron won't come back.
From that point it's straight to Asgard to help the rest of the team as they fight against Osborn and his forces.
I'm really sad to see this series get canceled but all good things come to an end. What does Marvel have in store for earth's mightiest heroes, we'll soon find out.
My wish is that Dan Slott gets put on another Avengers title because he has such a love and passion for these characters. The man is a walking Marvel encyclopedia.

5 out of 5




NEW AVENGERS #64

Another Avengers title that saw it's last issue drop this week. In all honesty, I wish this issue came out the same week as issue four of SIEGE. It basically gives away the ending to the story before we're really supposed to find out. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone so I won't mention what happens.
What I can say is this series shouldn't be getting canceled. They're re-starting the series with a new number one issue of NEW AVENGERS. Why? why doesn't Marvel just continue this series and keep the same numbering? I don't understand this and I'm sure there are plenty of other loyal fans who feel the same. Didn't Marvel just retool Daredevil, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man and Captain America all to fit their proper numbering?

5 out of 5


THOR #609

Another reason why I wish SIEGE #4 came out this week along with these books, These tie-ins this week all give a small piece to the larger puzzle that is the end of the story.
Balder and the rest of his Asgardian brethren rally to get back into the fight and bring back order to the chaos that is now their former home Asgard.
Loki comes clean in an attempt to try and save some form of face by revealing to Balder that he's been the one pulling Norman Osborn's strings and no matter what even if it's for profit or pleasure he is the God of mischief and what he does is the nature of the beast. Loki is then exiled and then....read the issue, I'm not going to ruin it.
Big things are in store for Thor and company.

5 OUT OF 5



THUNDERBOLTS #143

Another last issue of sorts, Thunderbolts is being reworked next issue when Luke Cage comes in and takes over the T-Bolts.
I enjoyed this issue because it tied into Mighty Avengers. It was cool to see the Thunderbolts side and the Avengers as well. As far as SIEGE goes, well this issue like the other two that tied into SIEGE, really wasn't anything special. It was a way to deconstruct the current T-Bolts lineup and construct the next story arc. Everyone except Paladin and Ant-Man make it out alive and escape out into the world. I hope Marvel doesn't forget about Ant-Man and he makes it onto an Avengers team. All in all this issue was alright for the most part but just like the other two before it, it wasn't what it could have or should have been.

3 out of 5





Ultimate Avengers 2 #1

Nick Fury and his black-ops Avengers need a Captain America for the team and they found that man in none other than Frank Castle aka The Punisher.
cool idea but seriously, come on giving him the stupid "Captain Punisher" costume is stupid. I'm sure Mark Millar has some great ideas for it as far as it giving Frank some power but still. It's the Punisher, what makes him cool is he's an average guy, not some jacked up super hero.
That aside, the issue was pretty good, fairly gorey and has potential to turn out to be an awesome story.

4 out of 5



All I'm going to say is I told you so. If you go back and re-read my reviews, you'll see I said I had a feeling this someone wasn't going to make it. This issue was awesome. Everything about it was cool. I really like how all of the writers are now digging into the story and going for the gut. Hope is such an awesome character and the way Kyle and Yost are writing her as a child in a soldier's body is phenominal. The fight between Bastion, Hope, Rogue and Nightcrawler was tremendous. I can't wait to see what happens next. If you disagree then something is wrong with you.

5 out of 5



The first Marvel comic to adorn the new "Heroic Age" banner. The issue has been built up since issue number one. Matt Fraction has done an awesome job of writing Tony Stark like no one else. In my opinion this has been one of the best Iron Man runs ever.
Back from the dead and dealing with the fact that he's lost a big chunk of memory because the last time Tony uploaded his brain was so long ago, he doesn't remember anything about Civil War and beyond. Stark's empire is gone and Pepper Potts is the sole shareholder in Stark Industries.
Tony finally decides that instead of dealing in war, he's going to deal in technology and helping people in their everyday lives. He decides to give up the secret to Repulsor Tech.
This is a drastic change for the character because ever since Civil War, Stark has played a big role in providing military weapons and technology.
And the big one, we get a new suit, which is...AMAZING!!
Great issue and a great jumping on point for new Iron Man fans.

5 out of 5


SIEGE: SECRET WARRIORS #1

Another strange story dealing with SIEGE. Alex aka Phobos the god of fear is Ares son. He watches on television as his father is ripped in half by The Sentry. He then decides to use Nick Fury's secret White House base to sneak in and tell the President that what Norman Osborn did better not happen ever again or he'll be back to take care of the President. It was a good issue, don't get my wrong but at the same time I think they could've done something a lot better with Alex reacting to his father's death. Ares was a really big part in the kids life and I would've liked to see him attempt to go toe to toe with The Sentry.
not bad but nothing great.

3 out of 5

and that's all for me folks!

Chip & Ding Dong # 2

Good day all, just a quick note to let everyone know the next page of Chip & Ding Dong is up!
check it out at www.chipanddingdong.com :)



-Talent Jones

Collector’s Corner

Let’s do a little math. Suppose you purchase ten comics a week at an average price of slightly over $2.99 each. Add your local discount (which is a nice fat 15% at CBJ each and every Wednesday…yet another unabashed plug!!!), allow for the occasional Trade Paperback or special Issue and you can easily invest over $200 per year on your comic fix. And THAT is if you only average TEN books a week. I average close to twenty and I know a lot of collectors who buy far more than that! Obviously we make a pretty hefty investment, on an annual basis , in our hobby! So why would ANYONE not want to take proper care of their collection when it costs you LESS than 10% to properly care for your precious books???

Believe it or not, many if not MOST, collectors fail to do at least one of the big three.

The BIG THREE are

1) Bag and Board
2) Box
3) Inventory

Bagging and boarding your books is the single most basic and important step in maintaining your collection in top condition. Over time even modern books on high grade paper will degrade for any number of reasons. They become creased, water damage, tears, color fade etc. By putting your books in bags with acid free backing boards you can protect your comics from most, though not all, forms of degradation. There are many options for bagging and boarding your comics that can run you between 10 and 25 cents a comic. LESS than 10%! I prefer to put all of my books from Silver Age through Modern Age into SILVER AGE resealable bags with Silver Age Acid Free boards.

Why use the larger Silver Age Bag for smaller modern comics? Well it is an individual choice but I find that Modern Age bags are a bit tight and with my fumble thumbs I am more likely to damage the book during the process of bagging and boarding. Using a Silver Age bag in conjunction with Silver Age boards gives me a nice tight fit BUT allows some wiggle room in bagging and then removing the comic for reading. I use resealable bags because I don’t like to fuss with the scotch tape but resealable are not better or worse than normal bags. I also tend to use the lighter gauge bags because I think the books LOOK better in them but again that is a personal choice and many collectors favor the heavier bag.

Of course I am describing bagging and boarding with standard bags and acid free boards. You can also opt to use Mylar or Mylite bags but they are more expensive and typically will push your cost to 25 cents a book, still a great deal. Mylar/Mylites have several advantages. Mylar is the heavier, less flexible of the two choices for archival storage.

Mylites2 are made from 2-mil thick Mylar® D. The 2 mil sleeves are twice the thickness and 4 times the protection of 1 mil thick bags, and offer hundreds of times the archival storage protection of non-archival polypropylene and polyethylene bags. This means that you won’t have to rebag your comics every five years or so. I use this option for my more valuable and older books. Both Mylite and Mylar make your books look fantastic!

BIG NOTE HERE ON MYLAR AND MYLITE! When you go to shows bear in mind that the books you are looking at up on the wall all benefit in appearance from Mylar storage. They tend to look HIGHER in grade than they really are. Any reputable dealer will let you see the book OUTSIDE the bag if you are considering a purchase. If the dealer refuses to do so I always wonder what he/she is hiding and move on to the next table. Of course the etiquette goes both ways, never ask a dealer to remove a boom from the Mylar unless you ARE seriously considering making a purchase.

The bottom line is that bagging and boarding your comics is a must for any serious collector. You never know, you MAY want to sell your books one day and they will always fetch a better price if they are in high grade.

Now let’s talk about boxes.

You COULD use any old box for your comics. Anything made of sturdy cardboard will do. However I use standard long and short comic boxes, specifically designed for my books.
The Comic Long Box is the highest quality, most competitively priced cardboard storage box on the market today. They are constructed of white corrugated paper and have a 200 lb. test strength. Use this box to store and protect all your valuable collectible comics.

The major advantage to using comic boxes designed to HOLD comics is that you can store your books standing up which makes them much easier to arrange and organize. In addition the heavy gauge boxes are somewhat stackable. I typically have no problem going three high myself. Another advantage is that you can get about 250 bagged and boarded comics into a single long box. As your collection grows storage DOES become a very real issue. I currently have over 30 long boxes filled with my “active” collection and at least that many more that I have archived away. If I tried to do that with non standard boxes, it would be a complete mess!

A note on boxing. If you box your comics UNBAGGED and UNBOARDED they tend to bend and suffer damage over time. Boxing your books in that state IS better than not boxing them at all but I highly recommend doing the two in conjunction.

ANOTHER NOTE ON BOXING. I keep different “flavors” of box.

1) First are my “Active boxes” these seven or eight boxes are for my current ongoing purchases of ongoing titles. (Superman, FF, Iron Man, current mini series etc)
2) Completed runs. In these boxes I store recent completed mini-series and cancelled books. I can get at them easily but it leaves my Active Boxes free for filing new books.
3) Archive boxes – These are boxes that I use for multiples, books I want to sell, older books I am not going to read any time soon etc.
4) Current “Read me” box. This is a short box that I keep for my brand new, unread books. When I fill it after reading them, those books move down to my Active Boxes for filing.
Now to, what I consider the most overlooked aspect of maintaining a comic collection.

INVENTORY.

“Why should I inventory my comics? I know what I have.” Tell me that when you own 1,000 comics, or 5,000 comics. They add up SO fast. Just go back to our original premise of 10 books a week and you add 520 comics to your collection EVERY year! There is no way anyone can know every single book they own unless they record them in an inventory. There are MANY advantages to maintaining an up to date and accurate inventory of your books.

1) On that day you consider selling your comics it will help to know what you own!
2) A good inventory also tells you what you NEED. Want to fill in that run of Amazing Spiderman? Keep an inventory and you can create a “want list” anytime.
3) I ALREADY buy doubles accidentally because I am chronically absent minded. If I did not keep an inventory I would probably buy two of everything!!
4) A good inventory allows you to properly organize your books so you can actually FIND a title when you want it. All you need to do is NUMBER your boxes and make a note of which box your inventoried book is in. You are not compelled to keep them in alphabetical order which is a pain to maintain.
5) A good inventory helps you in knowing when to archive a title or put it into a “non-active” box. For instance I have all of my Secret Invasion and Final Crisis runs in a single box. As they are completed runs I don’t need to keep them in my active boxes.
“OK, so HOW do I inventory my books?” you ask. Good question grasshopper! There are several ways depending on the size of your collection and how much detail you want to go in to.

At one time or another I have used all of the following methods.

1) Writing the titles on the outside of the box. This is the MOST basic way to inventory your books. However the minute you consolidate your books the information is no longer correct. I gave this up almost as soon as I started the practice. NOT a good method at all.
2) The next method I used was to record my books into a notebook. I established 10-20 pages per title and entered the issue #, qty, condition, value and which box they were in. This IS a very accurate way to keep an inventory but it also has some drawbacks. Not the least of which is that you have to WRITE an awful lot and that you have to RE-write when you change the storage box, or the value changes. It is a nice ANALOG method though if you are computerphobic!
3) Computer Spreadsheet – Excel, Lotus, it makes no difference. Any spreadsheet program will work. You can easily update and edit your inventory and create reports and charts. I used this method for several years until I migrated to an Access database.
4) If you are a computer geek like me and know how to use Access, you can build a custom inventory program. This has advantages over a spreadsheet because data entry is easier, you have many more reporting options and your data can be imported/exported to a number of different formats. The disadvantage to this method is that, like the other methods, updates happen manually across the board and you must create a new record for every entry. There are a lot of keystrokes involved!
5) Third Party database – This is the method I use today. There are many over the counter programs designed for maintaining your inventory. I currently use ComicBase. (http://www.comicbase.com/) This program automatically updates current values, adds new issues through weekly updates, and gives me an option to post books for sale at NO COST. The program has a robust reporting function and entry only requires me to enter the quantity and location. I no longer have to waste time entering title or story line information. AND ComicBAse actually supports bar code scanning so all I have to do is scan the barcode on the cover! There are several good programs out there and most of them have a stripped down FREE version for you to try out to see what works best for you.

A note on inventorying your books. While it is a ton of work at the beginning, once you have caught up with your back stock, keeping your inventory up to date is just a matter of entering your new purchases so don’t be discouraged by the size of the task facing you. It really does pay off in the end!

So there you have it. Using these three steps, I have been able to keep my books in good shape, organized and accessible. I know what I have, what condition it is in, the current value and where all of my books are.

Is this for you? Well only YOU can answer that. Regardless of the methods you use to maintain your collection, the MOST important thing is to read and enjoy your comics!

That’s 30!

Mitch

OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD!
Another exciting week in comics. I'm not going to ramble on like I usually do.. This is what I had to say about this weeks books.

SIEGE: SPIDER-MAN #1

I really liked this issue. The whole point in a nutshell was Spidey and Ms. Marvel fighting Mac Gargan / Venom as he rampages through Asgard and Broxton. Not only does Ms. Marvel get taken over by the alien symbiote and taken for a ride in her own body but the symbiote reveals to Spider-man that Ms. Marvel has feelings for him. This stems from the short high schoolish courting they had in the pages of Ms. Marvel. Brian Reed wrote this issue and he also wrote the Ms. Marvel series.
As far as this issue really having anything to do with "Siege", that's where the issue falters, having only the background location and Venom eating a few Asgardians, that was the only real tie-in to anything involving SIEGE.
Honestly, this should have been a Ms. Marvel SIEGE book because in my opinion, she was the main attraction, not Spider-man.
Brian Reed did a nice job of tying up the loose ends between Ms. Marvel and Spider-man in this one shot stemming from Ms. Marvel's series. He also tied in the "DARK REIGN: Spider-Man" mini, where Venom posing as Spider-man harassed JJJ and even ate squirrels.
In short it was a way for Brian Reed to tie up all his loose ends but as far as Siege goes, this really didn't do anything for the overall story.

3 out of 5



DV8 Gods and Monsters #1

I was really looking forward to this book when I heard it was being done by Brian Wood. I'm a really big fan of the original series from the 90's. Although I'm upset that it's not being done by the original team of Warren Ellis and Humberto Ramos, Wood would be my next best choice for these characters.
However, I've read this issue three times and I still don't understand what's going on. The original story was about a group of teens who had the Gen Factor and had powers. They were taken in and originally intended for the government to use and abuse when Bliss and Threshold took them and used the team for their own twisted needs as mercenaries. The book was pretty much sex, drugs and powers.
This story so far drops the team in a "Northlanderish" world where the teens are worshiped as gods while Gem aka Copycat is debriefed about what happened to the team in this world by some unknown person or persons.
I understand that since being brought over to DC when Jim Lee sold his WILDSTORM characters that nothing from the previous series would carry over or be the same. I understand that most people may not even remember these characters and it's easier to give them a fresh start and fresh faces but I don't get why they couldn't just keep the characters in the same vein. This team was a team of misfits and killers hence the name DV8 or Deviants. These kids are supposed to be straight up crazy killers who were supposed to be polar opposites of the other teen team GEN 13.
This is only the first issue and I'm curious to see what Brian Wood has in store. If you've never read the Warren Ellis / Humberto Ramos run on the book, the trade paper back is available and I highly recommend it.

3 out of 5



X-Men Legacy #235

Part Four of the Thirteen part saga "Second Coming" and things are really making some serious headway in the story. In Cameron Hodge's manufacturing plant, The New Mutants are literally fighting for their lives. Karma's leg has been cut off by Hodge and he's really kicking the crap out of the rest of the team. Cyclops gave the kill order and Cannonball realizes that it really is do or die.
While that is going on, Cable and Hope are still on the run from The Purifiers and can't figure out how they keep tracking them down. Little do they know that Bastion with the help of the Techno-Organic Virus can pinpoint Cable anywhere, anytime.
The X-Men realize this after Bastion shuts down Cerebra with a psychic shockwave and the teams are now basically blind.
They finally catch up to Cable and explain what's going on. He has one option and that's to put Hope in the care of Rogue who absorbed Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Archangel and Psylocke's powers.
Back at the weapons plant, Cypher realizes how to stop Cameron Hodge once and for all and he needs Warlock to do something he never thought he'd ask his friend.. He needs Warlock to infect Hodge and kill him otherwise they're all going to die at his hands.
With Hodge out of the way and Cerebra down, this story just gets better and better as it goes.
I'm really glad that Marvel is taking the necessary steps as far as the X-Men go to really out do any other storyline with this one. The fact that even now The New Mutants realize that in times of war death is a necessity just goes to show that "Second Coming" is totally revamping the entire scope of just how far Mutants, no matter hero or villain are willing to go to survive as a species. The X-Men have been getting their asses handed to them for so long and not willing to cross that line of willingly killing the enemy finally being blurred is outstanding. They understand that if they hope to survive and continue as a species and as a team they are going to have to go to measures they never dreamed they would. Wolverine and X-Force aren't the only killers anymore.

5 out of 5



FALL OF THE HULKS: SAVAGE SHE HULKS #2

Where has Jennifer Walters been since "Incredible Hulk #600" you ask, well, she's been in the captivity of The Leader and M.O.D.O.K aboard the decommissioned S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier The Red Hulk brought down in "Hulk #2".
Lyra, Titana and Hulk's daughter from a possible future reveals that she became part of The Frightful Four so that she could locate and save her friend She-Hulk.
Bruce Banner however, persuades her not to jump the gun and let his plan play out before she makes her move.
For the most part, this issue is all about Lyra explaining to Jen how she was kidnapped, what happened while she's been The Intelligencia's prisoner and why she's been doing what she's doing.
Just as you thought things were safe, who shows up but none other than The Red She-Hulk. The last time Jen fought her (in a simulation), she killed her so next issue should be a great fight.
Not a bad issue, not a great issue but it's nice to finally have the REAL She-Hulk join the fight.

3 out of 5



GREEN LANTERN #53

Picking up the pieces and cleaning up the devastation in the aftermath of "Blackest Night", Hal Jordan and The New Guardians deal with life after everything that's happened.
In the lost sector on the planet Ryut, some mysterious figure has Parallax chained to some kind of statue with the Yellow Lantern symbol on it, around him are other statues with the rest of the different Corps insignia's on them. What does this mean and what is going to happen?
Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris are in a bar talking about the events that just past. They hop in their jets and fly around when they are "attacked" by Sinestro, who explains a White Lantern has shown up and they need to figure out why and for what.
Lex Luthor is attacked in his lab as he's studying some remains of a Black Lantern by Larfleeze who wants more of everything Earth has to offer. At first, Lex says that power is what Larfleeze seeks, then he suggests Larfleeze needs land.
Saint Walker and The Flash are helping clean up a cemetary, where Saint Walker is praying for the dead and their desecrated graves.
Meanwhile on Ysmault, Atrocitus is talking to Ganthet and Guy Gardner about something having to do with Earth and something about betraying Hal Jordan and destroying the Green Lantern Corps once and for all.
Geoff Johns continues the best book in comics today. You have to know at this point that Blackest Night didn't answer everything and that there's still so much more to be revealed. I can't wait and I know you can't either.

5 out of 5

and with that said, That's all folks.

On a side note, I recently celebrated my 1 year anniversary with my fiance. I commissioned my awesome friend Ms. Lauren Monardo to do a picture of me and the Mrs. as our nicknames. I thought I'd share it with you all because it's so awesome. If you like it, feel free to hit up Lauren on Facebook or in the forums. She will hook you up with some AMAZING WORK!!


MINNIE AND THE MUNSTER!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY - SATURDAY, MAY 1ST!

The most fun day of the year is only a week away! Join us at the store on Saturday, May 1st for FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! For those of you unfamiliar with FCBD, let me put it into perspective for you. Every major publisher releases a book or two for free, absolutely no cost to you! Just come down to the store and pick out what you want. There will be a limited amount of books per customer and only until supplies last. First come, first served. In addition we will have a few creators down at the store to sign books (including some done for Free Comic Book Day) and do some sketches for you! Included are some of the guys from Zuda Comics, DC's awesome web comic hub! Here's the lineup:

• Evan Dorkin (Dork, Milk & Cheese, Simpsons)
• Steve Ellis (High Moon, Zuda Comics)
• David Gallaher (High Moon, Zuda Comics)
• Lauren Monardo (Det. Ham & Eggs, Chip & Ding Dong)
• The Timony Twins (Night Owls, Zuda Comics)

What? Free comics and tons of creators aren't good enough for you? Fine, on top of all this there will be a 10% discount on everything in the store throughout the entire day! Be sure not to miss this once a year event that everyone will be talking about.

Wolverine As A Cultural Icon

There are literally hundreds of popular comic book characters today in a hobby that is going through a true BOOM. From Iron Man to Green Lantern …Witchblade…Buffy….Archie …Doc Savage…comics are rippling with great and popular characters. But far more rare are characters that fall into the category of ICONIC.

An iconic character is more than just popular. For a character to be iconic, it must become a part of the cultural consciousness. In the real world, people like Charles Chaplin, Muhammad Ali, and Frank Sinatra are all considered iconic because they have become so intertwined in our collective culture that what they actually accomplished is beside the point. Say SINATRA to anyone…well nearly anyone and they will know you mean FRANK.

For Television…say Beam me up Scotty and people who NEVER saw Star Trek will know what you mean. THAT is iconic.

For a comic character the , the definition is about the same. Mickey Mouse and Superman are known by people who never ever picked up a comic, or saw a movie about them. They are iconic in the same way that Babe Ruth is iconic. You did not need to be there to know who they were.
In the world of comics we have Superman, Batman, Captain America, Wonder Woman, Charlie Brown/Snoopy, Mickey Mouse, and Spiderman and that is about it. Spidey was the last iconic comic character created and that was back in the very early 1960’s! And then there’s Wolverine…

In my opinion, Wolvie is the last, newest comic character to enter the pantheon of iconic characters.


What makes a character Iconic? I believe that for a character to achieve this status it must do two things:

1) It must speak very strongly to the period in which it was created and
2) Have the capacity to be reinvented for new audiences.

Plus it helps if they LOOK really cool!

In the case of Wolverine he very much spoke to the time he was created (1974) and continues to do so today. Wolverine represents the individual standing up against the status quo. He pursues the same goals as more mainstream characters but does so according to his own rules. Unlike most other Superheroes, Logan WILL kill but not in the capricious way that The Punisher does. In that way, Wolverine is more akin to Captain America in that he is as much a soldier as he is a hero. He is, in fact, and Anti-hero. Where we can see Superman standing tall with the flag waving behind him, the product of a more innocent time, Wolverine fairly drips with post Viet Nam cynicism and disillusionment. Wolverine is a very close relation to cinematic heroes Billy Jack and Buford Pusser (Walking Tall). By the end of the 70’s Logan’s place in the pantheon of iconic characters was well on it’s way to fruition, but it would not be until the events of 9/11 that his place would be cemented.

By the early 80’s marvel had taken much of the edge off of Wolverine as our culture moved into the “Me” generation. It was no longer politically correct to have Wolverine behave in a manner similar to The Punisher while being a key leadership figure in the company’s flagship title. Over the course of the next decade or so Wolverine was either a traditional superhero, Dutch uncle, gaijin , or superfluous guest star used to pump up sales in flagging books. Like Superman and Batman before him, Logan had become a victim of his own success. He was no longer interesting.
However, the post 9/11 culture that produced 24 and the TV version of Wolverine (sans claws) Jack Bauer, gave Wolverine a new energy and something of a return to his roots. In order for Logan to work as a character he HAS to be dangerous. Take a look at his appearances since about 2005 and you will see the dangerous Wolvie in full swing, once again a relevant reflection of his times. And now he is an iconic figure, rated #1 on Wizard’s top 100 list of all time comic book characters.

Still in order for a character to be iconic, it also needs a hook. Something that grabs you. For Superman it was flight, for Cap it was the flag, Chaplin had the derby and cane, and Spock has his ears. Logan has a GREAT hook. Those wonderful claws. They GRAB us and fire our own fantasies. Who wouldn’t like to be able to pop a full set of adamantium claws and slice into …anything? It is very visceral and essential to the iconic image.

Icons, unlike merely popular characters don’t come along too often. Logan has only recently become truly iconic. Wolverine has certainly earned his place alongside Superman, Spider-man et. al. …and stands alone as the ONLY iconic character to come out of the Bronze Age of Comics.
What do you think? Are there other characters who are iconic? Let’s talk about it!

That’s 30!

Mitch

OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD!

Busy week this week in comics and at Comic Book Jones. Wednesday had some pretty serious books hit the shelf and Dennis Calero dropped by and hung out. Sadly, I didn't get the chance to meet him but from what I heard from the guys, he was a really cool guy. Hopefully, he comes back again and I'll get to see him then.
Thursday was the KICK-ASS Tailgate and 12am showing of the movie. Again, something I missed out on and I truly do kick myself in the ass for missing it. I heard it was a smash and everyone had a great time.

So, this weeks books were pretty heavy, Brightest Day, The Flash and Iron Man Legacy all debuted this week. The third chapter in the new X-Event, "Second Coming" came out along with three new one-shots focusing on different characters in Asgard during "SIEGE" and a tie into "World War Hulks".



BRIGHTEST DAY #0

Following on the still cooling heels of "Blackest Night", comes "Brightest Day". After the events of Blackest Night, this issue reintroduces twelve characters who have died and are now being re-acclimated with their former friends, family and lovers. Dead-man now just plain old Boston Brand plays the role of our tour guide as he checks in on the twelve returned heroes and villains and see's the potential roles they may come to play.
Geoff Johns wrote this next chapter in the DC universe and does an excellent job of jumping off Blackest Night and gunning right into Brightest Day.
Overall this issue lights the match for the bon fire that is to come, each character's small story gives way to a greater whole, what that final outcome is, we don't know just yet but the ride is going to be fun.
I really liked the fact that they brought back Maxwell Lord and in his piece of the story, he hooks himself up to make the biggest use of his telepathic powers but to what end? What does Max Lord have up his sleeve that he's going to unleash later down the line? I for one am excited about that.
I'm really excited about this direction John's is taking the DCU and using Dead-Man as the tour guide is definitely a good pick but this almost has the feeling of the first issue of 52. Almost like Dead-Man is mirroring Booster Gold.
We'll see what happens.

5 out of 5



SIEGE : YOUNG AVENGERS #1

I'm all about the Young Avengers and any book with them is automatic gold with me..
IF
Allan Heinberg is writing it.
I really didn't like the "Dark Reign: Young Avengers" mini and I really didn't care for this one shot either. I don't like how they keep writing these characters as unsure and overly teen angsty. Yes, I understand they're just teenagers that have been given special abilities and they've taken on the role of being the next generation of Avengers but with all the chaos and growing up they've had to do as a team and as individuals in such a short time between Civil War and now should really make for better usage of the characters. Patriot and Hawkeye are trapped under rubble trying to find a way out all the while bickering at each other which is really Patriot expressing his love for Hawkeye awkwardly, mean while, Hulkling and Wiccan are on what remains of Asgard looking for survivors and come across The Wrecking Crew looting the place.
I don't think this issue was really necessary other than showing how tied to Asgard Wiccan is with his father telling him stories about the Norse Gods as a kid and also being a magical hero who was supposed to be the Young Avengers version of Thor.
I wish they would integrate these kids into a book already and stop guest starring them in these mini's and one-shots. Get Allan Heinberg back in the writers chair and get to moving with issue #13 of YOUNG AVENGERS!

2 out of 5



SIEGE: CAPTAIN AMERICA #1

Another book we could've done without. Both Bucky and Steve were on Asgard when the Sentry brought it crashing down. This issue not only deals with that but with Bucky feeling like he really doesn't deserve the mantle and the shield and thinks that Steve should take it back since in his mind Steve is and always will be Captain America.
This issue offers up nothing as far as adding anything to the story or breaking new ground with these characters. It's whole purpose was to create and talk about a conflict within a conflict, like I said, Bucky thinks Steve should be Cap and Steve thinks Bucky should be. In the end, they come to the conclusion that Bucky is going to continue being Captain America. Didn't we already establish this in the "Who will wield the shield" one shot?
Christos Gage is normally an awesome writer and usually does a great job but this time around he really didn't keep up his A game.
Anyways, this issue wasn't very good.

2 out of 5




SIEGE: LOKI #1

Now this is what I'm talking about. This issue not only shows what Loki has been doing to Norman Osborn but also shows what he's been doing in the background while Asgard and it's inhabitants are being slaughtered. I don't want to tell you what happens because when you read it you're going to smile ear to ear. Keron Gillen does an awesome job of making this one shot worth buying. With characters like Loki, Dr. Doom, Norman Osborn, Hela and Mephisto involved, you know it's going to be something awesome.
This one shot not only adds to "SIEGE" but it also adds to Gillen's run on Thor before Matt Fraction takes over.
Absolutely Amazing!

5 out of 5



NEW MUTANTS #12

Picking up from last weeks Uncanny X-Men, this third chapter in the new X-over is really starting to take shape. The X-Men show up and save Cable and Hope from the purifiers only for them to make a run for it, while, The New Mutants are tasked with attacking a weapons manufacturing facility run by Cameron Hodge.
The game of cat and mouse is starting to take shape as Bastion and his army have begun to make their moves on Cable, Hope and The X-Men.
What I really find interesting is that characters are beginning to see what Cyclops has been training them for and how quick they're able to cross the line between not killing enemies to killing enemies. Not only do they see that they're not only fighting for themselves, they're fighting for the existence of their species.
The threat of genocide has really brought the X-books in general to a point where it's kill or be killed and I like it.
There are so many elements and moments in this issue that I really like and that stand out to me.
One being, how Nightcrawler is dealing with the fact that the X-Men went from peace keepers to assassins and killers. I don't think Kurt will stick around after everything is done knowing that his friends and team mates are killers and he's not.
I also like that the Purifiers used magic to send Magik to limbo. They're not just using guns and conventional warfare, they're adapting to the situation and the enemy, this really gives way to so many guns and weapons they can unleash on our mutant heroes.

5 out of 5



IRON MAN LEGACY #1

With the second movie less than a month away, Marvel capitalizes on Iron Man's popularity by dropping another monthly book. I really didn't care for this book and I don't think it was really necessary to make another monthly. This book takes place out of continuity somewhere along the line and deals with someone stealing Stark Iron Man tech for terrorist acts. It's along the same lines as "The Armor Wars", "The Armor Wars 2" and most recently Matt Fraction's story with Obadiah Stane's son stealing Stark Tech in "The Invincible Iron Man" monthly.
With all that's going on in the Marvel Universe and the deconstruction and the rebuilding of Iron Man and the Avengers going on, this story seems to get lost by the way side.
Fans of Iron Man will enjoy this book but I wouldn't look for it to really WOW anyone.

3 out of 5



WORLD WAR HULKS: HULKED OUT HEROES #1 (OF 2)

Another book that stars Deadpool. After the Gamma Ray goes off and gives several super heroes "Hulked out powers", Deadpool is one of the recipients and becomes Hulkpool. He grabs his buddy Bob of A.I.M, heads to Thundra's secret hideout where she and RED Hulk hid Dr. Doom's time platform and has Bob send him back in time to kill Deadpool.
Deadpool get's sent back to 1717, where Ben Grimm was sent back by Dr. Doom way back in Fantastic Four and the two become pirates. They gallivant through time picking up Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur all in an attempt for Hulkpool to kill Deadpool.
Yes the book is funny but with so much Deadpool going around, it's overkill and I wish Marvel would get the idea and stop putting this character in every title and story they can squeeze him into.

4 out of 5



THE FLASH #1

Spinning out of "Flash: Rebirth" and "Blackest Night", comes this new ongoing series staring Barry Allen as The Flash.
Barry has been gone a long time and tells everyone that he was in witness protection and get's his job back at the crime lab. Someone posing as Mirror Master was murdered and Barry is tasked with finding out what happened.
Geoff Johns brings back the element of Iris West playing a very crucial role in not only Barry's life as a police crime lab scientist but also as The Flash. Absent from this issue are the rest of the "Flash Family" but I'm sure they'll all show up as the book continues.
If you've never read The Flash before, this is a great jumping on point. For fans of The Flash, I don't think any of us will be unsatisfied.

5 out of 5

Now For Something Completely Pointless.........

Did you ever notice how Mutant abilities or superpowers are always USEFUL? like heat vision or super strength or eye beams etc.? Who says Mutant powers must always be hero or villain friendly? With this in mind I submit the following for your consideration…

Alice Crosley’s mother worked in a Chock Full O’ Nuts factory, near Area 51, during the height of the cold war. Unbeknownst to her the coffee beans she took home from the factory that day had been exposed to high concentration of Delta rays! Now many years later Alice is imbued with the ability to make a perfect cup of coffee from ANY bean at all! She is the scourge of Starbucks…she is JAVA Girl! (with her side kick FRAPPE Boy)

Jeff Larson was an attendant in a Metropolis Men’s Room when Superman and the Parasite smashed through the wall engaged in battle. The resulting mix of yellow sun Super powers and parasite radiation eradicated Larson’s chronic constipation transforming him into…REGULARITY MAN!

Kolchak Carlson was a chronic snorer. In final frustration his wife, Alice Kravitz Carlson attempted to poison him in his sleep. Unbeknownst to her the poison she used had been exposed to a radioactive batch of baked beans. Now whenever he sleeps Kolchak becomes the beacon of blast! The roar of gore…windows shatter…houses shake…he is THE SNORE!

Waffle Jones was off loading the weekly shipment of comics to CBJ. When opening a box he noticed a strange glowing Trade paperback with a character he had never seen. Suddenly a wave of weakness came over him and Waffle passed out for a day and a night. When he woke Waffle found to his delight that he could now recall every comic ever written (whether he had actually read them or not) and now he is the resource of renown for comic historians everywhere…he is WIKI MAN with his trusty sidekick dog, Research Pup!

While sipping on a Martini this writer failed to notice his lifelong nemesis tea Toddler girl, slip a radioactive olive into his drink. Now in times of peril, when terrorists strike and Jack Bauer is going rogue…I fling swizzle sticks with deadly accuracy…and drunkify my enemies into submission with my powerful alcohol breath… for I am THE INIBRATOR!

Mild mannered Golf Champion Tiger Jones (I could get sued saying Woods!) was kidnapped by the evil Stanley Krubrik and exposed to a MILLION hours of old Porn Films. NOW in times of peril or stress Tiger indiscriminately couples with hitherto unknown Adult Film Stars…(you wouldn’t like him when he’s frisky)…he is THE INCREDIBLE WOODSY!!!

Ok enough silliness. 24…the last six episodes! Be there!

That’s 30!

Mitch

The 2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees

Best Short Story
“Because I Love You So Much,” by Nikoline Werdelin, in From Wonderland with Love: Danish Comics in the 3rd Millennium (Fantagraphics/Aben malen)
“Gentleman John,” by Nathan Greno, in What Is Torch Tiger? (Torch Tiger)
“How and Why to Bale Hay,” by Nick Bertozzi, in Syncopated (Villard)
“Hurricane,” interpreted by Gradimir Smudja, in Bob Dylan Revisited (Norton)
“Urgent Request,” by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim, in The Eternal Smile (First Second)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
Brave & the Bold #28: “Blackhawk and the Flash: Firing Line,” by J. Michael Straczynski and Jesus Saiz (DC)
Captain America #601: “Red, White, and Blue-Blood,” by Ed Brubaker and Gene Colan (Marvel)
Ganges #3, by Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics)
The Unwritten #5: “How the Whale Became,” by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)
Usagi Yojimbo #123: “The Death of Lord Hikiji” by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)

Best Continuing Series
Fables, by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Andrew Pepoy et al. (Vertigo/DC)
Irredeemable, by Mark Waid and Peter Krause (BOOM!)
Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)
The Unwritten, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)
The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard (Image)
Best Limited Series or Story Arc
Blackest Night, by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Oclair Albert (DC)
Incognito, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)
Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ Media)
Wolverine #66-72 and Wolverine Giant-Size Special: “Old Man Logan,” by Mark Millar, Steve McNiven, and Dexter Vines (Marvel)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best New Series
Chew, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick, art by Tony Parker (BOOM!)
Ireedeemable, by Mark Waid and Peter Krause (BOOM!)
Sweet Tooth, by Jeff Lemire (Vertigo/DC)
The Unwritten, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)

Best Publication for Kids
Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute, by Jarrett J. Krosoczeka (Knopf)
The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook, by Eleanor Davis (Bloomsbury)
Tiny Tyrant vol. 1: The Ethelbertosaurus, by Lewis Trondheim and Fabrice Parme (First Second)
The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly (Abrams ComicArts/Toon)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz hc, by L. Frank Baum, Eric Shanower, and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best Publication for Teens
Angora Napkin, by Troy Little (IDW)
Beasts of Burden, by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)
A Family Secret, by Eric Heuvel (Farrar Straus Giroux/Anne Frank House)
Far Arden, by Kevin Cannon (Top Shelf)
I Kill Giants tpb, by Joe Kelly and JM Ken Niimura (Image)

Best Humor Publication
Drinky Crow’s Maakies Treasury, by Tony Millionaire (Fantagraphics)
Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me, And Other Astute Observations, by Peter Bagge (Fantagraphics)
Little Lulu, vols. 19-21, by John Stanley and Irving Tripp (Dark Horse Books)
The Muppet Show Comic Book: Meet the Muppets, by Roger Langridge (BOOM Kids!)
Scott Pilgrim vol. 5: Scott Pilgrm vs. the Universe, by Brian Lee O’Malley (Oni)

Best Anthology
Abstract Comics, edited by Andrei Molotiu (Fantagraphics)
Bob Dylan Revisited, edited by Bob Weill (Norton)
Flight 6, edited by Kazu Kibuishi (Villard)
Popgun vol. 3, edited by Mark Andrew Smith, D. J. Kirkbride, and Joe Keatinge (Image)
Syncopated: An Anthology of Nonfiction Picto-Essays, edited by Brendan Burford (Villard)
What Is Torch Tiger? edited by Paul Briggs (Torch Tiger)

Best Digital Comic
Abominable Charles Christopher, by Karl Kerschl, www.abominable.cc
Bayou, by Jeremy Love, http://zudacomics.com/bayou
The Guns of Shadow Valley, by David Wachter and James Andrew Clark, www.gunsofshadowvalley.com
Power Out, by Nathan Schreiber, www.act-i-vate.com/67.comic
Sin Titulo, by Cameron Stewart, www.sintitulocomic.com/
Best Reality-Based Work
A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
Footnotes in Gaza, by Joe Sacco (Metropolitan/Holt)
The Imposter’s Daughter, by Laurie Sandell (Little, Brown)
Monsters, by Ken Dahl (Secret Acres)
The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)
Stitches, by David Small (Norton)

Best Adaptation from Another Work
The Book of Genesis Illustrated, by R. Crumb (Norton)
Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation, adapted by Michael Keller and Nicolle Rager Fuller (Rodale)
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, adapted by Tim Hamilton (Hill & Wang)
Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
West Coast Blues, by Jean-Patrick Manchette, adapted by Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)
Best Graphic Album-New
Asterios Polyp, by David Mazzuccheilli (Pantheon)
A Distant Neighborhood (2 vols.), by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
The Book of Genesis Illustrated, by R. Crumb (Norton)
My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill, by Jean Regnaud and émile Bravo (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)
Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

Best Graphic Album-Reprint
Absolute Justice, by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithewaite (DC)
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, by Josh Neufeld (Pantheon)
Alec: The Years Have Pants, by Eddie Campbell (Top Shelf)
Essex County Collected, by Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
Map of My Heart: The Best of King-Cat Comics & Stories, 1996-2002, by John Porcellino (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project-Strips
Bloom County: The Complete Library, vol. 1, by Berkeley Breathed, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
Bringing Up Father, vol. 1: From Sea to Shining Sea, by George McManus and Zeke Zekley, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW)
The Brinkley Girls: The Best of Nell Brinkley’s Cartoons 1913-1940, edited by Trina Robbins (Fantagraphics)
Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons, by Gahan Wilson, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
Prince Valiant, vol. 1: 1937-1938, by Hal Foster, edited by Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)
Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, Walt McDougall, and W. W. Denslow (Sunday Press)

Best Archival Collection/Project-Comic Books
The Best of Simon & Kirby, by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, edited by Steve Saffel (Titan Books)
Blazing Combat, by Archie Goodwin et al., edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
Humbug, by Harvey Kurtzman et al., edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures deluxe edition, by Dave Stevens, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly (Abrams ComicArts/Toon)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material
My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill, by Jean Regnaud and Émile Bravo (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)
Tiny Tyrant vol. 1: The Ethelbertosaurus, by Lewis Trondheim and Fabrice Parme (First Second)
West Coast Blues, by Jean-Patrick Manchette, adapted by Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)
Years of the Elephant, by Willy Linthout (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material-Asia
The Color Trilogy, by Kim Dong Haw (First Second)
A Distant Neighborhood (2 vols.), by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
Oishinbo a la Carte, written by Tetsu Kariya and illustrated by Akira Hanasaki (VIZ Media)
Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ Media)
Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)

Best Writer
Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Daredevil, Marvels Project (Marvel) Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon)
Geoff Johns, Adventure Comics, Blackest Night, The Flash: Rebirth, Superman: Secret Origin (DC)
James Robinson, Justice League: Cry for Justice (DC)
Mark Waid, Irredeemable, The Incredibles (BOOM!)
Bill Willingham, Fables (Vertigo/DC)

Best Writer/Artist
Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter (IDW)
R. Crumb, The Book of Genesis Illustrated (Norton)
David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
Terry Moore, Echo (Abstract Books)
Naoki Urasawa, Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka (VIZ Media)

Best Writer/Artist-Nonfiction
Reinhard Kleist, Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness (Abrams ComicArts)
Willy Linthout, Years of the Elephant (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
Joe Sacco, Footnotes in Gaza (Metropolitan/Holt)
David Small, Stitches (Norton)
Carol Tyler, You’ll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man (Fantagraphics)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
Michael Kaluta, Madame Xanadu #11-15: “Exodus Noir” (Vertigo/DC)
Steve McNiven/Dexter Vines, Wolverine: Old Man Logan (Marvel)
Fiona Staples, North 40 (WildStorm)
J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)
Danijel Zezelj, Luna Park (Vertigo/DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
É Bravo, My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
Mauro Cascioli, Justice League: Cry for Justice (DC)
Nicolle Rager Fuller, Charles Darwin on the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation (Rodale Books)
Jill Thompson, Beasts of Burden (Dark Horse); Magic Trixie and the Dragon (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Carol Tyler, You’ll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man (Fantagraphics)

Best Cover Artist
John Cassaday, Irredeemable (BOOM!); Lone Ranger (Dynamite)
Salvador Larocca, Invincible Iron Man (Marvel)
Sean Phillips, Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon); 28 Days Later (BOOM!)
Alex Ross, Astro City: The Dark Age (WildStorm/DC); Project Superpowers (Dynamite)
J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)

Best Coloring
Steve Hamaker, Bone: Crown of Thorns (Scholastic); Little Mouse Gets Ready (Toon)
Laura Martin, The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures (IDW); Thor, The Stand: American Nightmares (Marvel)
David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
Alex Sinclair, Blackest Night, Batman and Robin (DC)
Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien, BPRD, The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, Umbrella Academy, Zero Killer (Dark Horse); Detective Comics (DC); Northlanders, Luna Park (Vertigo)

Best Lettering
Brian Fies, Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? (Abrams ComicArts)
David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
Tom Orzechowski, Savage Dragon (Image); X-Men Forever (Marvel)
Richard Sala, Cat Burglar Black (First Second); Delphine (Fantagraphics)
Adrian Tomine, A Drifting Life (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
ComicsAlliance, edited by Laura Hudson, www.comicsalliance.com
Comics Comics, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel, www.comicscomicsmag.com (PictureBox)
The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth, Michael Dean, and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)
The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon, www.comicsreporter.com

Best Comics-Related Book
Alan Moore: Comics as Performance, Fiction as Scalpel, by Annalisa Di Liddo (University Press of Mississippi)
The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics, by Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle (Abrams ComicArts)
The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga, by Helen McCarthy (Abrams ComicArts)
Manga Kamishibai: The Art of Japanese Paper Theater, by Eric P. Nash (Abrams ComicArts)
Will Eisner and PS Magazine, by Paul E. Fitzgerald (Fitzworld.US)

Best Publication Design
Absolute Justice, designed by Curtis King and Josh Beatman (DC)
The Brinkley Girls, designed by Adam Grano (Fantagraphics)
Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons, designed by Jacob Covey (Fantagraphics)
Life and Times of Martha Washington, designed by David Nestelle (Dark Horse Books)
Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, designed by Philippe Ghielmetti (Sunday Press)
Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? designed by Neil Egan and Brian Fies (Abrams ComicArts)

Here's to all the winners!

That's 30!

Mitch

OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD!

Not too much to talk about this week. Books were kinda light and kinda lackluster.

so on with the show we go!



S.H.I.E.L.D #1

"This is not how the world ends." is the tagline to this new series by Fantastic Four scribe Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver. Taking important historical scientists from throughout time and banning them all together as unknown members of the greater organization, SHIELD.

The story is a mix of flash backs into history as The Order Of The Shield is created and we see just how it all begins.
The main character of this first issue and potentially the series is Leonid circa NYC 1953, he is picked up by SHIELD agents and brought to Rome where the underground city that houses SHIELD is. Leonid is a strange character because he seems to be some copy of the Beyonder or possibly a younger version.
Leonid is brought up to speed by the elders and informed about SHIELD, it's creation and it's overall purpose, which in short is to save the world.

The book bounces around during different time periods showing just what SHIELD and it's cast have had to endure during the years, from Imhotep battling back the invasion of the Brood to Leonardo DiVinci fighting off Galactus devouring the planet.

Jonathan Hickman is very well versed in his Marvel history and this book is his literary homage to many years of being a loyal Marvel fan come to fruition. In using great figures in science to battle back the onslaught of death and destruction the earth has fared since the dawning of time, it also links this book to another big book that Hickman writes; The Fantastic Four.
Dustin Weaver does an excellent job bringing Hickman's expansive worlds to life. The splash page of Imhotep fighting atop the Brood horde is amazing.

In short this could potentially be your new favorite book!

5 out of 5



AVENGERS THE ORIGIN #1

I'll be totally honest with you, when I saw this book was coming out I was excited because I thought there was going to be a story inside of a story. I thought that somewhere in the first meeting of the Avengers, that something was lost and never told, some big secret that this book was going to reveal and share to serve some higher purpose....

Sadly that isn't the case at all. This book is a bastardized modernization of the original meeting of the Avengers. Everything is basically the same, Loki uses the Hulk to draw out the Avengers, Rick Jones tries to send a message to the FF for help in dealing with him and Iron Man, Thor, Wasp and Antman all meet up to fight the Hulk. Yes it's a great story but it sucks when this is supposed to be 1963 and Iron Man is telling his armor to download information. I'm sorry I just think certain stories and meetings shouldn't be remade or retold, this being one of them.

Like I said it's 1963 and everyone is using computers, and texting or talking about some technology that didn't exist in this time period. For whatever reason Marvel has for allowing Joe Casey to modernize this story, I for one don't like it.

It's a great jumping on point for new readers sure, but for die hard fans it's almost a slap in the face because does it carry over into the real Marvel U? or is this just another way to grab people's attention towards the Avengers and give new readers a jumping on point? If that's the case then sorry but grab a Masterwork or an Essential and read the stories as they were told by STAN LEE AND JACK KIRBY. I'm sure Jack Kirby is turning over in his grave.

1 out of 5



DEADPOOL CORPS #1

Another book to come out this week with a high hope and potential of what's to come but alas another EPIC FAILURE!
Rob Liefeld did create Deadpool sure, but, he shouldn't be allowed to draw anything ever. This book is marred by bad artwork along with a terrible storyline and sad to say bad characters. The typical funny laugh out loud Deadpool is crushed by the many versions of Deadpool's walking around. Victor Gischler writes Merc With A Mouth and it's really funny and enjoyable to read yet this book is so weighed down by the fact that you have five different Deadpools all dropping the funny at the same time it's almost not funny and made me cringe as I forced myself to read the rest of the book.

The story is almost non-existent. Deadpool and Deadpools are tasked with saving the universe from some unknown threat by the Contemplator.

The artwork and story are enough to keep even the bravest or stupidest reader away but if you're a Deadpool fan, I guess you've got to check it out but don't say I didn't warn you.

1 out of 5



WORLD WAR HULKS #1

Yet another book that had a lot of potential and HUGE hopes drops the ball big time. After everything that's happened up until this point has been amazing. Parker, Loeb, Pak and company have been doing an amazing job of revitalizing the Hulk and his cast of characters. After the last issues of Incredible Hulk and Hulk, with the Intelligencia setting off their Gamma Ray and turning The New Avengers, Deadpool and The Fantastic Four into Hulked out versions of themselves, this issue had some big shoes to fill.
Sadly it fails.
This issue is cut up into six separate stories that are all back stories that aren't very necessary to tell and fall back instead of moving forward in the grand scheme of things.
I was kind of disappointed with this book but there's always the next issue of many Hulk books that grace the shelves right now.

3 out of 5


Uncanny X-Men #523

Picking up from last weeks one-shot, this issue is explosive and fast paced from the get go. Cable and Hope are on the run from the Human League, while Cyclops and the X-Men try to make it to them before something happens.
A lot going on in such a short amount of space. Cyclops makes the big reveal to Nightcrawler about Wolverine and X-Force but in the same sentence tells him to "Stay focused on the mission at hand."
Matt Fraction does an excellent job of keeping the issue moving along at a fast pace but still taking the characters and the story itself slow so nothing gets left out.
It's nice to see a different writer handle Hope in a different light. Duane Swierczynski wrote Hope as a soldier in a child's body, where as Matt Fraction writes her the other way around, a child in a soldier's body. She has no clue as to how important she really is.
This is just the beginning to a real ride I'm sure. Any fan of X-Men has been dying for this story since Messiah Complex. If you've been looking for a good jumping on point, this story is perfect for new readers.

5 out of 5

and that's all for me folks!

DON'T FORGET THIS WEEK SOME REALLY AWESOME EVENTS!!

Some tidbits...and the Queen of Geeks!!!

The release of the new iPad has caused quite a stir among tech heads. (My own feeling is that I can get a low end laptop with more features that can do everything an iPad does but what the hell!) Of course, not to be left behind in the wake of this Trek tech, the comic book industry is poised to break into the new platform.

ComiXology, launched its Comics by comiXology app for Apple’s iPad. Coinciding with the highly anticipated arrival of the iPad, comiXology’s Comics app is the largest and most comprehensive digital comic book reader, store and retail locater to launch on the device.

Based on comiXology’s industry-leading comic book apps, Comics by comiXology for the iPad enables fans to browse, purchase and read their favorite comics directly through the tablet. The Comics by comiXology app comes with over 150 free comics and provides users the opportunity to explore and discover new comics across ComiXology’s library of more than 1,300 comic books from over 30 publishers. Users can search and browse through comics based on titles, creators, publishers, genre and ratings.

Maybe I’m just old fashioned but I like turning pages!

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Word has it that Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8 will be followed by Season 9 and that Joss Wheaton will be involved with the next run. There WILL be a brief hiatus between the end of Season 8 and the beginning of Season 9 but there will be a few Buffyverse one shots to fill the void. I myself get the shakes if I don’t get a regular Buffy fix!

Has ANYONE out there thought of my crossover idea? Beasts Of Burden / Buffy??? It is a natural!

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According to the LA Times Emily Blunt was offered the role of PEGGY Carter in the upcoming Captain America flick. Peggy was Cap’s first love and the aunt of Cap’s current love, SHARON Carter. Gotta love those retcons. Back in the dark ages of the early 70’s Peggy was Sharon’s sister. In any event word has it that Ms. Blunt turned down the offer. Cap got stood up!

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The Official Iron Man 2 website has been launched by Marvel Productions. Ok, but do they have a cool bulletin board like CBJ??! I think not!

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The latest issue of Previews has several Superman VS. Muhammad Ali items coming down the pipe. This was one of those oversized treasury editions that DC did back in the 70’s. it was illustrated, lovingly, by Neal Adams and has always been a very popular collectible. I have a copy myself! Well come this fall, DC will be releasing TWO hard cover reprints AND a great statue! (I already asked Socko to get one for ME!) Check out the picture. You MUST have this bad boy!!

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Unless you have been on an extended expedition to the North pole, you know that the ravishing Scarlett Johansson will essay the role of the Black Widow in the forthcoming Iron Man 2. She DOES look like the very embodiment of the Russian Superhero/Spy. All I can say is that MY life is now complete! WOW!

Speaking of Iron Man 2, Geek Queen Olivia Munn, best known for her snappy patter on Attack Of The Show (G4 TV) will ALSO be appearing in the flick! This movie is going to be a complete YUMFEST!

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The multi talented Ms. Munn will also be releasing her first book this fall entitled “Suck It Wonder Woman The Misadventures Of a Hollywood Geek” . The Blurb reads
“ Olivia Munn is an actress, comedian and television host, best known for being the face of the G4 network. She also occasionally likes to get dressed up as Wonder Woman. Suck It Wonder Woman! Is her paean to Geeks everywhere. She uses her trademark humor to skewer what it’s like to live in Hollywood, gets down to the business of getting it on, and offers information on what you do when the robots invade….”

Olivia MAY be the perfect woman. Let me just say we did not have Geeks like HER in my day!
You can order this book through CBJ! I know that *I* will! (Unabashed sale hawking for CBJ!)

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And finally ….sadly…The Tick remains cancelled


And that’s 30!

Mitch

OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD!
I figured since this week was all about beginnings and endings that it would be fitting to wait until today to drop my blog.
Happy Easter!
I hope everyone stuffs their faces and eats enough chocolate bunnies today.

So this past week was amazing. If you didn't get a chance to make it down to the store on Wednesday, you missed two of the coolest dudes on the planet that contribute to our favorite art form. Raven Gregory and Eric "EBAS" Basaldua came out all the way from the West Coast and hung out for the day.
If you missed them shame on you! CBJ has a bunch of writers and artists coming to the store in the near future, so make sure you make it a point to come down and hang out.

So like I said, this week is all about beginnings and endings. "Blackest Night" and "Necrosha" came to their final story points this week but "Second Coming" and "Eternal Descent" made their debuts. I got something to say and here we go!



BLACKEST NIGHT #8 (OF 8)

I've been ranting and raving over this storyline since it first dropped almost nine months ago. I've given Geoff Johns and his Green Lantern cohorts nothing but the highest forms of respect and adoration about everything they've been doing to this story and the DC universe as a whole. This issue was nothing short of spectacular. The White Lantern Corps is finally revealed, not what I'd thought it was going to be like at all but none the less it was pretty stellar. Nekron is defeated, not as big and blockbuster as I'd hoped he would be destroyed. Everything seemed to go back to normal and of course with any storyline, Johns left a door for himself or future writers to come back and reference this last issue and take some point of it and continue on in some way or another.
I was very happy about this issue up until the ending, then I felt the string I'd happily pranced on like a kitten playing with it's prey, get pulled out from under me and waved in my face as if someone said "come on, follow me".
The fact that now I have to follow "Brightest Day" is the perfect marketing scheme by DC. Now you've spent almost a year following a storyline to be pulled right into another one until that's done and so on and so on and so on..
I really enjoy the continuation of story lines, plots and characters but what I don't enjoy is that we as readers don't get a break for just a minute. It's just wham, bam, thank you ma'am on to the next story.
I really do hope that with "Brightest Day", DC takes this into consideration and actually slows down the Armageddon for just a second so everyone can take a collective breath.
Overall "Blackest Night" has been a great roller coaster ride of a comic and nothing short of fun. It's made people have reactions about story lines and characters as opposed to just reading the book and passing judgment on writers, artists and someone's idea of a direction (Grant Morrison, Final Crapsis!)

5 out of 5 "YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO SEE ME"



X-FORCE #25

From the get-go, I thought this storyline was a pathetic excuse to repopulate the Mutant species and bring back so many long dead and missed characters. I was wrong, it was just a way to bring back a handful of characters and make them significant to the next story line in the X-Titles; "Second Coming". In my personal opinion, as far as X-Men stories go, this has been one of the weakest and quite honestly pointless stories ever to grace an X-Men book.
In short, Selene ascends into Godhood only to be smote down by Warpath and his dagger. that's the long and short of it. There really was no other excitement or intrigue into this lack luster story line. In a time now that the Mutant population is at such a low and things are steam rolling to some definitive future, a story such as this really holds no weight.
It's over now so I'm not going to beat it into the ground. I'm just glad it is and "Second Coming" has finally arrived.

3 out of 5


X-MEN SECOND COMING ONE SHOT

Finally after months and months of waiting for Cable and Hope to either kill or lose Bishop somewhere in time, they finally come home. The second coming of the "supposed" mutant messiah has finally arrived. This issue was nothing short of AWESOME! David Finch doing some of his last Marvel interiors along with Craig Kyle and Chris Yost making up for "Necrosha" knock this first chapter out of the park.
Everything that was set up before "Necrosha" is finally comes to fruition. All of the re-programmed, returned villains with power in politics are making their play at Cable and Hope as well as Cyclops and The X-Men, everyone has eagerly awaited their return. There is so much to say about this comic but alas, I'll hold my tongue because it's just so awesome I cannot spoil it for anyone. If you're looking for a good jumping on point for The X-Men, this is your book.

5 out of 5


DARK WOLVERINE #84

Sadly this tie-in to "SIEGE" went from being really cool and having some sweet potential into the greater story to becoming something that you really don't need to read and something you really wouldn't want to read unless you collect "DARK WOLVERINE".
Daken was being used by the fates to bring about Ragnarok. They've shown him that his choices have bearing on different outcomes and some paths lead to Asgards ultimate demise. Since Thor brought back Asgard and The Asgardians to Midgard, things have been out of whack and the cycle of Ragnarok has stopped which is wrong. They are supposed to die and be reborn, it's just their fates.
This issue and the last have been a back and forth between what could happen and what does happen as far as Daken's decisions affecting Asgard. If this was touched upon in the actual story itself, it would've made for a bigger and better story but alas, it didn't and it isn't.
Sadly, this wasn't worth the "SIEGE" banner.

2 out of 5



NEW MUTANTS #11

Any fan of the older New Mutants such as myself loved this issue. The depowered Dani Moonstar, a once and former Valkyrie, once again rode Brightwind into battle.
After asking Hela for her Valkyrie powers to stop Ares during the recent "X-Men / Dark Avengers Crossover", Hela was owned a favor and it was time for her to collect. She needed a person to guide the dead to Hel and Dani was going to be her Valkyrie. This issue was very fun and like I said for anyone who was a fan of the older New Mutants, this throwback to the time these same kids spent in Asgard was nothing short of cool.
As far as this having weight in the overall story of "SIEGE" it doesn't even register on the radar.
As far as I'm concerned many of the books carrying the "SIEGE BANNER" don't even make a dent in the grand scheme of things. I truly hope though, that this isn't the last time we seen Dani sport her Valkyrie garb and that this leads to more New Mutants and Asgardian stories.

5 out of 5 "Hel needs a Valkyrie."

Lastly this week a new book out from ESP, Marshall and IDW.



ETERNAL DESCENT #1

From the first look through of this book, it's very reminiscent of The Crow and Avenglyne. I almost thought it was an Extreme Studios or Top Cow book and I'd somehow gone back in time. Jason Metcalf's artwork is very much in the vein of Rob Liefeld, Marc Silvestri or John Stinsman. With that said, many of you will scowl and make bad Liefeld jokes but the exceptional thing about this book is that ESP and Marshall (guitar and amp companies respectively) both had a hand in shaping this book along with writer Llexi Leon.
The premise of the story is very basic, Angels and Demons with a twist, they wield guitars and the book promises guest stars galore from some of the more known Heavy Metal Guitarists of today and yesterday.
Reading through the book, in an interview Llexi Leon states that this whole concept will have more of a multimedia angle to it, not only will this comic continue (based on sales) but it will be accompanied by toys, t-shirts, digital comics, soundtracks and a whole bunch of collectible guitars and such. This is the way to really market yourself in this medium today. Unless you're doing a major character at Marvel or DC, the only real way to get yourself noticed aside from doing a great job at what your doing is to really market yourself and make your story and it's characters accessable to a larger market.
All business aside this comic was really good and if you skipped it on your way to something you know then you need to take a step back and check it out. I've got a feeling about this one.

5 out of 5 "HEAVY METAL!!"

and that as they say IS ALL FOLKS!