By now you have all read the spate of negative reviews on Green Lantern. Over the past several days I have also heard a lot of comic fans chiming in their disappointment. As with all things reviewable one opinion is as valid as the next. So for all of those who disliked the film, I am here to present the loyal opposition!

For me Green Lantern was a classic Saturday afternoon pop-corn eater. While it certainly was not the Godfather, or even Iron Man, GL was a healthy dose of Sci-Fi Superhero fun. The action was well paced and the cast was likeable.

Most of all, the movie stayed true to the basic character of both Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps.

When DC first revived their Golden Age Superheroes (GL, Flash, Hawkman, Atom etc.) they made a decision to modernize . To revamp the character origins and motivations from a more magic based mythology to something more akin to Science Fiction. Thus The Flash got his speed from a lab accident, The Atom was a scientist who invented a shrink ray, and Hal got his powers from a highly advanced form of technology.

Jordan in particular was modeled after the Mercury Astronauts like John Glenn, Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom as well as the legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager, who was the first man to break the sound barrier. His adventures were hell bent for leather space operas. Along with Mystery In Space, Green Lantern was DC’s most space spanning title.
In this area the film is absolutely faithful to the GL mythology. It’s big…with aliens…and space ships…galaxy spanning fights…and lots of green construct goodness.

Right in the middle of all this is Ryan Reynolds, all thumbs up and envelope pushing in the truest 1960’s NASA tradition. He has that sort of “what the hell” quality that when leavened with the humility and post 80’s angst that we expect in our Superheroes, makes his Hal Jordan accessible to the audience.

Who can complain about any movie that has Kiliwog and Tomar Re, OA and the Guardians, a VERY creepy Hector Hammond and an equally leggy Carol Ferris?

PLUS can anyone say they DIDN’T get just a SMALL lump in their throat when Reynolds says the Oath?!

My only complaint is that we did not get nearly enough Mark strong as Sinestro. He dominated every second he was on the screen. And here is the big weakness of the film. Sinestro is Hal’s arch nemesis, not Parallax. Parallax, quite frankly always struck me as a bit “second tier” in the bad guy department. However, since this was an origin flick, Sinestro is still a Green Lantern and NOT a bad guy.

One can only hope he goes to the “Yellow Side” for any sequel.
Green Lantern may not be The Godfather, or even The Dark Knight, but is sure is a lot of fun and well worth a viewing!

Oh and by the way, make sure to check out the GL ANIMATED SERIES this fall!!



That’s 30!

Mitch

The New DCU Line Up!

Well here it is boys and girls! The complete launch list of 52 titles for the coming DC Comics Reboot. It looks like DC will be running up some horror titles in their main line. For the most part horror titles have been regulated to the Vertigo line. This is hardly surprising given the fact that horror and Vampires in particular are enjoying widespread popularity at the moment. I am kind of bummed that Powergirl is noticeably absent. Also no Justice Society, but on the other hand who wouldn’t be excited about Frankenstein Agent Of Shade. I don’t even know what that one is about ! But it SOUNDS cool!!!

While I am going to miss Stephanie Brown as Batgirl and I would have been happier had Superman kept his under ware, I AM going to give this reboot a fair shot and I HOPE that I am blown away by the all new DC comics line.

Action Comics
All-Star Western
Animal Man
Aquaman
Batgirl
Batman
Batman and Robin
Batman: The Dark Knight
Batwing
Batwoman
Birds of Prey
Blackhawks
Blue Beetle
Captain Atom
Catwoman
DC Universe Presents
Deathstroke
Demon Knights
Detective Comics
Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE
Green Arrow
Green Lantern
Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern: The New Guardians
Grifter
Hawk & Dove
I, Vampire
Justice League
Justice League Dark
Justice League International
Legion Lost
Legion of Superheroes
Mister Terrific
Nightwing
OMAC
Red Hood and the Outlaws
Red Lanterns
Resurrection Man
Sgt. Rock and the Men of War
Static Shock
Stormwatch
Suicide Squad
Superboy
Supergirl
Superman
Swamp Thing
Teen Titans
The Flash
The Fury of Firestorm
The Savage Hawkman
Voodoo
Wonder Woman

And for those who have never seen it. This is the opening cinematic from DCU Online. What a movie THIS would make!




That’s 30!
Mitch

Some Stuff!

It was with some trepidation that I went to see X-men First Class this past weekend. After the very successful and GOOD X-Men the franchise steadily declined into mediocrity. I’m pleased to say that this movie returns the series to it’s former top flight status.

I realize that purists will have some issues with the way the origin stories and timelines were shuffled around a bit. I won’t deny that the film makers played loose with cannon. But as a MOVIE I thought First Class was entertaining and accessible to audience members that may not be comic book fans. And what can be wrong with that.

In particular I got a big kick out of the not so subtle homage to such early James Bond films as Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger! The film being set mostly in 1962 made it a natural for this type of film style. About the only thing missing was opening “Bond credits” with a hit song and an Aston Martin for Professor X to drive. I was not surprised to see that the film was shot at Pinewood, the home of Bond. In fact I would be delighted to see Michael Fassberger take up the mantle of 007 after Daniel Craig is through with it! Not only did he do a great job as Magneto, Fassberger is a legit action/adventure type in the mold of Matt Damon. James McAvoy was spot on as Charles and Jennifer Laurence was surprisingly touching as Raven.

Kevin Bacon was an interesting choice for Sebastian Shaw and I thought he carried it off quite well. Bacon is a tremendously talented actor and added a lot of nuance to what could have been just another two dimensional villain.

There were some great cameos for long time fans but I won’t spoil that for those who have not seen it yet.

So DC is rebooting their entire line. I am never opposed to a reboot! Cleaning cannon every now and then allows new readers to come in and not have to pick up on a decade or more of back story. It doesn’t render previous stories invalid. It just allows for a fresh take on familiar characters.

Having said that I AM a bit concerned over Barbara Gordon taking up the Batgirl mantle again. Not because I did not enjoy her in that role. It is just that ORACLE is such an important character on so many levels that I have to wonder if we won’t ultimately lose more than we gain by this. Watching Barbara overcome her paralysis to become such an integral figure in the DCU has allowed her to grow into, perhaps, THE preeminent hero in comics. Batgirl has, after all, always been a secondary character. Sort of the utility infielder of the Batman family. I just wonder if she isn’t being demoted here. PLUS I think Spethanie Brown is just great as Batgirl!
Well…as with all things new, I’ll wait to see how they execute this change before passing judgment.

James Arness, known to generations of fans as Matt Dillon from the classic TV series Gunsmoke, passed away at age 88 of natural causes. Arness was well known to Sci-Fi fans as the creature in the Howard Hawks Classic “The Thing From Another World” and also from the post atomic “Them!”.
Arness portrayal of Matt Dillon cemented the iconic square jawed Western hero in the American TV audience consciousness just as John Wayne had done for movie goers. In fact the opening of the very first episode of Gunsmoke was introduced by “the Duke” in which he predicted that Arness and the show would be a success.
How right he was. Gunsmoke ran from 1955 through 1975 and an incredible 635 episodes and James Arness was recently voted #6 in the top 100 all time TV heroes.

That’s 30!

Mitch

Since I Haven't Done A Gellery For A While....

Since I haven't posted a gallery in a bit I thought I'd share some new Tomb Of Dracula Slabs including a #1! And also a really nice VF copy of Archie #45! Golden Age Archies in higher grades are VERY hard to come by so if you have ANY high grade Archies from the 1940's, 50's or 60's HOLD ON TO THEM! (And also shoot a scan to CBJ or sholmes202@gmail.com) and we'll include them in future galleries!

Oh and here is an unsollicited plug...RUN! Don't walk!!! Go See X Men First Class NOW!!! STAT!!! IMMEDIATELY IF NOT SOONER!

(OK I liked it!)

That's 30!

Mitch

Simply The Best

When you go to the Comic Book Jones Website you might notice the small blurb that says the store was voted #1 by Dark Horse fans. You may also be aware that the store is up for ANOTHER very prestigious award, the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award. Heady stuff indeed!

So what does this all mean? Well these awards are driven by customer nominations and THAT means people are taking time to communicate to the comics community that CBJ is a pretty special place!

Now I will admit that I just MIGHT be a bit biased…(I can tell you’re shocked!) but I concur, Comic Book Jones IS a pretty special place.

Now before I expound further let me point out to those who don’t know. Even though I have been penning this column for some time I am not employed by CBJ, I related to any of the staff, nor has anyone from CBJ bailed me out of jail…recently. I’m a customer just like most of you reading this. I just happen to be a customer who likes to shoot off his (virtual) mouth on any number of subjects, so my opinions are my own! Add to that my basically misanthropic nature and getting compliments out of me is sort of like pulling adamantium from a stone!! I mean I’m the guy who said of Sinatra “nice voice but needs some seasoning!”.

Now that my disclaimer is finished...

What makes a comic store a special place to visit? I mean aside from the fact that most, if not all comic stores are stuffed with all sorts of fascinating items. These days you can buy just about anything you want with a mouse click and there are thousands of specialty shops to choose from, (Staten Island has at least three that I know of) that all have more or less the same items. So unless you happen to live within walking distance of a particular store, why pick one over another? Only one reason that I can think of…

The people.

Comic Book Jones has some pretty amazing people. The people who work there…the people who shop there…the wonderful gifted creators who visit there on a very regular basis…all of them (you) are the reason why people come to CBJ and why the store is so widely regarded as special.

It must have been only a few months after Comic Book Jones first opened that I decided to give it a try. I live in Tottenville and had been shopping at a store elsewhere on Staten island, about the same distance from my house as CBJ. On a whim I decided to give this new place a try. I figured if I didn’t like the place I could always go back to the other joint!

On my first visit I was hooked. Not by the merchandise but by the atmosphere. From day one I was met by people who actually SMILED, who took the time to chat, to know MY name…in short where I was treated more as a FRIEND than as a customer. Nor was I any exception. I quickly saw that the staff treated EVERYONE that way. In fact the FIRST thing Socko asked me after getting my name was if I wanted a cup of coffee! You see there is always a pot of fresh hot Joe for the asking. There are also chairs and couches where customers are ENCOURAGED to sit down and BROWSE. I talked comics and the hobby with the staff and some of the customers in the store for over an hour before I even began shopping! By the end of that first visit I felt as if I had been there for years. Now here is the thing that really sets CBJ aside…when I returned a week later no one had to ask my name or what I might be interested in reading. Socko, Tiger, Waffle…ALL of the staff remembered. The reason they remembered was that they all took the time to actually listen the week before. I can’t tell you how rare that is. And how welcoming. One week in and I was part of the “family”.
Over time I became more interwoven in the community of CBJ and Socko and Tiger asked me if I might like to write an occasional column for the site. They know a HAM when they see one but I think they got more than they bargained for! I think I’ve written over a hundred of these now! (can’t get me to shut up!) And never once was I asked to modify an opinion or change a word. That’s pretty special treatment let me tell you.

Now there was anything wrong with the other joint. It is a nice store and the people are polite. But that’s about it. No reason NOT to shop there, but no reason to go to VISIT. CBJ gives you a reason to visit. It’s not the events (though they are GREAT), not the books or statues or toys…

It’s a cup of coffee on a Saturday when you aren’t even shopping…it’s a long conversation with people who you never met but just happen to be in the store…it’s Gore taking the time to suggest a book you MIGHT like…it’s Waffle putting a variant on the side because he knows you will like it…it’s Tiger who is the may just be a bigger Yankee fan than I am…it’s Socko who absolutely MELTS when he gets around small children…and everyone who I failed to mention but who make coming into CBJ one of the best parts of my week.

It’s people

Onward to San Diego!

That’s 30!

Mitch

They are all 10's!

I have always liked strong, independent female characters. Whether in film or TV, OR in comics. I have never cared much for those eye candy, damsel in distress types as they tend to make for stereotyped role models. While Hollywood has sadly gone backward in this area, both TV and comics are replete with powerful, EMPOWERED female characters. From Scully to Buffy…from Starbuck to Nikita, the roster of strong women continues to grow. With that in mind I thought I would offer up a few words each about my personal favorite female comic book characters. In no particular order, here are my top ten.

Power Girl –Not only is she at superman levels with her powers, she is also a natural leader (JSA All-Stars). Karen is gutsy, decisive and smart. She is someone you believe that other very powerful men and women would willingly follow into battle.

On top of saving the world on a regular basis, PG is also the head of her very own company and has friends who DON’T necessarily dress up in spandex. As we all know Karen Starr tends to “stand out” in a crowd and the way she deals with the way the men around her are distracted by her *ahem* assets is funny, charming and surprisingly real in tone. I get a huge kick out of PG because she does come off as a “real” person with all the foibles and pratfalls we are all subject to.

Of all the characters on this list PG would the most fun on talk radio!

Sue Storm – Of all the female characters on this list, I think sue has come the farthest. As originally constructed, the “Invisible Girl” had a pretty wimpy power, spent her time as a) a hostage and b) mooning over Reed. Well Sue of today sure isn’t your daddy’s Invisible Girl. Today she is clearly the most powerful member of the FF AND co-leader along with Reed Richards. Sue has some serious Force Field Mojo that gives pause to all but the most powerful opponents.
On top of THAT Suzie is also wife, mother and mentor to quite the brood. From her two gifted children to DRAGON MAN, Sue Storm is the rock that holds the group together. Reed may be the brains but Sue is the heart and soul of the FF. A remarkable person.

Of all the characters in this list, PG is the one you’d like to go to a comedy club with!

Batwoman – Kate Kane is just plain TOUGH. Physically…mentally. She could give the big bat himself a pretty fair fight. Her personal code of ethics forbade her lying about her sexual orientation even though it effectively ended her military career. She went through some tough times after that but came out on top. She overcame. Together with her dad acting sort like her personal version of Oracle, Batwoman gets the job done efficiently and professionally.

Of all the characters on this list Kate is the one you want to teach you tactics and military theory.

Supergirl – How would you like to slap a big red “S” on your chest and try to live up to the mantle of Superman himself? How hard would THAT be? Now try doing it as a teenaged girl! A teenaged girl from out of town….WAY out of town.

Now I have been a Supergirl fan since the 1960’s so I am not even going to pretend to be unbiased here. But this version of the Girl of Steel shows a wonderful mix of courage and vulnerability. Kara regularly faces challenges that would give her legendary cousin pause. She does this even though she is not sure she will ever live up to Superman’s example. She overcomes even when she’s afraid. Now THAT’S courage.

Of all the characters on this list Kara is probably the most likely to listen attentively to your problems.

Witchblade – Sara Pezzini is Dirty Harry only TOUGHER. Plus HOT. And that’s not even counting her connection to one of the most powerful forces in the universe. She was seriously bad ass BEFORE that. Sara is regarded as one of the best cops on the force, even though her perps more often than not come in various states of disrepair. Pez is completely no nonsense and that INCLUDES her relationship with her (semi?) sentient weapon. As near as anyone can tell Sara is the first keeper of the blade to share even equal control over the relationship. In my opinion her most admirable character trait is her sense of duty. She has often wanted to relinquish the Witchblade and all the weirdness that goes along with it. But she sticks because she knows there is a job to be done and that she is the best person to do it.

Doesn’t matter if she’s happy with it. It’s her job and she does it.

Of all the characters in this list, Pez is probably the one you’d most want to have a beer with.

The Magdalena – I am about the current Magdalena (Patience) here. I LOVE this character. Here we have a direct descendant of Christ himself and the latest in a long line of divinely empowered holy warriors who DOES NOT TRUST THE VATICAN! And with good reason. They see her merely as a weapon while Patience wants a life AND a reason for what she does. She is not content to merely take orders from the church. Patience wants to know WHY she is being aimed at her foes. She sees herself as a person and a warrior, NOT a tool. Talk about conflict. I mean she trusts Vampirella more than the Vatican!

Of all the characters on this list patience is the one I want to get my back in a barroom brawl!

Wonder Woman – Diana inspires. She inspires just by the example she sets every day. Like Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman is so much more than just her powers and skills. She’s one of THE BIG THREE. Other heroes want to live up to her example. At her very best Diana is both Warrior and Diplomat. She is an emissary of peace…just sometimes with a sword.

In comic book history and popular culture Wonder Woman is the very embodiment of female empowerment. Just ask Denny O’Neill what happened when he tried to depower Diana!

He took away Wonder Woman's powers, exiled her from the Amazon community, and set her off,sans costume, into international intrigues with her blind mentor, the dubiously-named I Ching. These changes did not sit well with Wonder Woman's older fans, such as Gloria Steinem.

Of all the characters on this list Diana is the one I’d most likely become tongue tied with!

Catwoman – You can never tell whether or not Selina is a hero or a villain. She IS the best thief in the DCU though. What makes her so appealing to me is how free she is. Selina follows no rules but her own. She goes where she will, does what she wants and loves at her own discretion. Catwoman is also extremely loyal to her friends and those she cares about. She is SO loyal that even though she knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman she has never betrayed that secret.

Of all the characters on this list I would most want Catwoman with me in a fox hole.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Funny, sardonic, super powered, independent AND well dressed? Buffy may just be the coolest hero EVER. Now I won’t talk about Buffy the movie or TV character. Just the comic book hero. What a journey she’s been on! Season Nine has seen her at the head of a Slayer Army, experimenting with her sexuality AND crashing through a mountain whilst having sex with a super powered Angel. Oh and her sister was a centaur and also a Giant. Makes me tired just thinking about it! On a more serious note, Buffy is perhaps as nurturing as Sue Storm. The Scubbies are not just her allies and friends. She sees them as family. When Buffy commits to someone, it’s forever. She even love Faith like a sister, though she’d never admit it.

Of all the characters on this list I would be most likely to invite Buffy to Thanksgiving Dinner.

Oracle – Started out as Batgirl. Shotgunned by the Joker and put in a wheelchair for life and THEN became truly dangerous to criminals as Oracle, hacker supreme. Every time Oracle appears on the comic book page she shows us what true courage is. She is an example of the indomitable spirit that all people are capable of. Plus she is also UBER hot! Barbara single handedly held no Man’s Land together in the early days after the big Quake. She also demonstrates that intellect is a far greater weapon than muscle.

Of all the characters on this list Barbara is the one I would want to coach my little league team!

So that’s my personal top ten. I wanted to squeeze Batgirl in here as I find Stephanie brown one of the most delightful characters in comics but she JUST missed the cut. Make her a solid 10A!

And that’s 30!

Mitch

This N' That - Post Smallville Edition!

Now for something totally random....

In 1942, a company called Tim Publications, Inc. used to print small, 6" x 9" booklets in black with a single color as promotions to help sell their line of children’s clothing. These booklets were issued monthly, and the stores created clubs for the kids.

The club you belonged to was age specific with Superman-Tim being dedicated to the younger set.


The first issue of Superman-Tim was published in 1942 and ran through 1950.

The Superman-Tim comic had three purposes: First, to sell items in the Superman-Tim clothing line, second, to build moral character and teach social responsibility, and third, to create hours of fun for grade-school boys.

The Superman-Tim comics didn't feature traditional stories. They were od an activity book along the lines of the widely distributed “highlights” magazine for elementary school students.

Over time Superman-Tim began to feature short stories outside the mainstream Superman universe. These stories generally had a lesson for young children
involving Superman and Tim having adventures together. These 16-page stories were all produced by the Siegel/Shuster Studios.


A combination of low print runs and spotty distribution make these books VERY rare. In addition the book’s contents usually consisted of single-page features intended to be torn out of the comic and either solved or assembled so most copies were actually destroyed.

Superman-Tim comics in VG or better condition are highly-prized collector’s items and go for hundreds, even thousands of dollars.


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Witchblade is FIFTEEN years old! Image Comics and Top Cow Productions are celebrating the 15th anniversary of Witchblade with an oversized stand-alone issue by Witchblade team Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic.
Witchblade #144, is available NOW.

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Get ready for Superman to enter the beyond Universe!
The Man of Steel stars in a spin-off from the Batman Beyond comic. Superman Beyond #0 will bring Kal-El back into action to stop an immensely powerful foe, even as his own Kryptonian powers begin to fade.
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Smallville may be gone but the DVD’s live on. This fall the entire 10 year run of Smallville will be available in one big package! I am all OVER this one!


(Source: Warner Home Video)
After 10 incredible seasons, Smallville: The Complete Series will arrive on DVD this fall. This ultimate collector’s set for the ultimate fan features over 192 hours of content – including all 218 episodes, over five hours of newly added special features such as an unaired, never-before-seen Superboy pilot from 1961, a 90-minute series retrospective with all new interviews, the 2010 final Comic-Con panel and more!

In addition, exclusive printed materials include a Daily Planet newspaper, written by DC Comics, that highlights the important storylines developed during the 10-year run of the show and an episode guide with never-before-seen production art (storyboards/sketches) and behind-the-scenes photos. Smallville: The Complete Series is presented in highly collectable new packaging consisting of two lay-flat picture books that hold 62 discs.

“It’s been an unbelievable 10 season run for Smallville, still one of the most popular series on television and one of our best-selling titles on DVD,” said Rosemary Markson, WHV Vice President, TV and Special Interest Marketing. “The fan base for the franchise is not only huge, but loyal and they’re going to love this ultimate collector’s edition.”

Soaring toward the end of its 10th and final season, this modern retelling of a hero’s legendary origins blends realism, action, heart and humor as Clark Kent completes his epic journey by claiming his birthright as the world’s ultimate hero – Superman.

I wonder if we’ll see a BluRay version!

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Speaking of BluRay here are some details about the forthcoming STAR WARS collection(s). All I can say is WOW!

(Source: Lucasfilm)

Bring home the adventure and share Star Wars with your whole family – when Star Wars: The Complete Saga comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment! To be released beginning on September 12 internationally and on September 16 in North America, the nine-disc collection brings the wonder of the entire Saga direct to your living room, where you can revisit all of your favorite Star Wars moments – in gorgeous high definition and with pristine, 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Dive deeper into the universe with an unprecedented 40+ hours of special features, highlighted by never-before-seen content sourced from the Lucasfilm archives.

The comprehensive collection also features numerous deleted, extended and alternate scenes, new documentaries and a cross-section of the countless Star Wars spoofs that have appeared in pop culture over the past three decades. Marking the first time ever that the full Saga is available in one complete collection, Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-Ray also features a coveted peek into the making of the Saga with vintage documentaries, audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes moments, interviews, prop and costume turnarounds, retrospectives and more.

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Entertainment Weekly reports that NBC has passed on picking up David E. Kelley’s Wonder Woman.
Reasons for their refusal are unknown, although speculation is that it was a combination of mixed reviews of the pilot during the test screenings, the fury online over the new costume, and just general reluctance to give an action-based show with a female lead a chance.

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Which forces me to point out once again that…..

The Tick is STILL $%#@#$% Cancelled!!!! Is there no justice for the greatest (and most clueless) hero ever known???!!!

And…

That’s 30!

Mitch