Law and Order SVU's Christopher Meloni at New York Comic-Con

Law & Order SVU Star To Sign At Ape Entertainment Booth

Christopher Meloni on hand at NY Comic Con to support upcoming comic

October 7th, 2010: Christopher Meloni, star of Law & Order: SVU, OZ, and the Harold and Kumar movies, will be signing limited edition posters of his upcoming comic book, AvaTom, at the Ape Entertainment booth (#2105) on Saturday October 9th from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Writer Jason M. Burns will also be on hand.

Due in 2011, AvaTom is a dark and edgy thriller about a young software developer who creates a lifelike avatar system, only to realize that the avatar he created has made the conscious (and deadly) decision to take over the developer’s life. The series is written by Burns and drawn by Ramon Espinoza.

For more information on Ape Entertainment, visit http://www.ape-entertainment.com/.

20th Century Boys List of Ingredients

I read Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Vol. 11

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has smart phone apps).

I Reads You Review: Ryder on the Storm #0

RYDER ON THE STORM No. 0

RADICAL PUBLISHING

WRITER: David Hine
ARTIST: Wayne Nichols
COLORS: Feigan Chong and Sansan Saw of Sixth Creation
LETTERS: Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
COVER: Francesco “Matt” Mattina
16pp, Color, $1.00 U.S.

Ryder on the Storm is a supernatural-detective comic book from Radical Publishing. Written by David Hine and drawn by Wayne Nichols, the story focuses on Ryder. He is a private eye hired by mysterious beauty Katrina Petruska to investigate the horrifically bizarre suicide of her lover, Michael Hudson.

According to information provided by Radical, the case will lead Ryder to discovering that daemons walk among humanity. He will have to team up with the last daemon hunter, Charles Monk, to end the reign of ancient evil that rules over the city, while discovering terrifying truths about himself.

Ryder on the Storm #0 is a 16-page preview of the upcoming series, and there is just enough to remind the reader that the occult detective has been done to death. In fact, I can’t find anything in this preview to make me want to read more except…

I am a believer in David Hine, so I’m willing to read more before I get all judgmental. I do like the art by Wayne Nichols with colors by Feigan Chong and Sansan Saw of Sixth Creation. The art has a visual mode that is perfect for this occult detective tale and that would probably be perfect for DC Comics’ Hellblazer.

I Reads You Review: The Rising #0

RADICAL PUBLISHING

CREATOR/WRITER: E. Max Frye

ARTIST: J.P. Targete
LETTERS: John J. Hill
28pp, Color, $1.00 U.S.

The Rising is an upcoming science fiction miniseries from Radical Publishing. It is created and written by screenwriter E. Max Frye (who wrote an episode of HBO’s Band of Brothers) and artist J.P. Targete (who is apparently an illustrator and concept artist for Pixar’s John Carter of Mars film adaptation)

The Rising #0 is a $1.00-priced, 24-page introduction and launch of the upcoming miniseries. Based on how Radical has described the series, the story takes place in an indeterminate future, but that future takes place after years of war and economic chaos. When mankind was teetering on the verge of thermonuclear extinction, a militaristic alien force, the Drac, invades the planet. The release of a deadly virus apparently causes the Drac to destroy Earth’s defense forces and to massacre most of the human population. The Drac stabilize the planet, and some humans begin to see them as saviors, but those humans who do not rebel. One of them is Jarrett Jakes.

The Rising reminds me of the 1980s television science fiction franchise, V (which was revived by ABC in 2009). In a way, The Rising is standard alien armada invades Earth science fiction (think Independence Day), but its war on terror allusions give it relevance to current affairs. Perhaps, this series will be some metaphor or parable about imperialist ambitions, importing democracy on a gun barrel, and/or authoritarian and totalitarian governments. There is also a scene in this preview that reminds me of a scene in the Oscar-nominated film, Joyeux Noel, in which an Anglican bishop implores British soldiers to kill all Germans. The Rising has some good action scenes, so Frye may plan on it being as smart as it intends to be kick-ass.

As much as I like Frye’s concept and story, I am smitten with artist J.P. Targete’s lovely painted comic book art. First, his storytelling is as good as his composition, and as a painter creating comic book art, he is more in line with the artist I consider to be the gold standard in painting comic book art, Daniel Brereton, than he is with Alex Ross, whose work is beautiful, but is not really comic book art.

I look forward to the regular series, and I think readers who like science fiction comics would do well to look for this.

A-

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 6 2010

DC COMICS

AUG100225 AUTHORITY #27 $2.99

MAR100329 BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE MAN BAT STATUE $80.00

AUG100153 BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #49 $2.99

AUG100150 BATMAN HIDDEN TREASURES #1 $4.99

AUG100148 BATMAN ODYSSEY #4 (OF 13) $3.99

JUL100193 BATMAN UNSEEN TP $14.99

AUG100111 BRIGHTEST DAY #11 $2.99

JUL100220 CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #52 $2.99

AUG100196 DC COMICS PRESENTS GREEN LANTERN #1 $7.99

AUG100193 DC COMICS PRESENTS JACK CROSS #1 $7.99

AUG100173 DOOM PATROL #15 $2.99

AUG100171 FREEDOM FIGHTERS #2 $2.99

AUG100180 JSA ALL STARS #11 $3.99

AUG100223 LOONEY TUNES #191 $2.99

JUL100199 POWER GIRL ALIENS AND APES TP $17.99

AUG100181 REBELS #21 $2.99

AUG100155 RED HOOD LOST DAYS #5 (OF 6) $2.99

AUG100222 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #2 $2.99

AUG100184 SECRET SIX #26 $2.99

JUL100200 SECRET SIX DANSE MACABRE TP $14.99

JUN100209 STARMAN OMNIBUS HC VOL 05 $49.99

JUN100213 SUPERMAN NIGHTWING AND FLAMEBIRD HC VOL 02 $24.99

AUG100161 SUPERMAN THE LAST FAMILY OF KRYPTON #3 (OF 3) $4.99

AUG100232 TOM STRONG AND THE ROBOTS OF DOOM #5 (OF 6) $3.99

DEC090338 WOW PREMIUM SER 2 GNOME WARLOCK AF (RES) PI

DEC090339 WOW PREMIUM SER 2 ORC WARCHIEF AF (RES) PI

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 6 2010

MARVEL COMICS

JUL108170 AVENGERS #4 2ND PTG JRJR VAR (PP #936) $3.99

AUG100569 AVENGERS ACADEMY #5 $2.99

JUL108171 AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE #2 (OF 9) 2ND PTG CHEUNG VAR $3.99

AUG100573 AVENGERS THOR CAPTAIN AMERICA OFF INDEX MU #6 $3.99

JUL100708 BLACK WIDOW DEADLY ORIGIN TP $14.99

JUL100699 CABLE TP VOL 04 HOMECOMING $15.99

AUG100579 CAPTAIN AMERICA FOREVER ALLIES #3 (OF 4) $3.99

AUG100581 CHAOS WAR #1 (OF 5) $3.99

APR100646 CIVIL WAR FANTASTIC FOUR HC $39.99

JUL100511 DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME TP $19.99

AUG100545 DEADPOOL PULP #2 (OF 4) $3.99

AUG100718 ESSENTIAL AVENGERS TP VOL 02 NEW ED $19.99

APR100573 FANTASTIC FOUR IN ATAQUE DEL MODOK #1 $3.99

APR100574 FANTASTIC FOUR IN ATAQUE DEL MODOK #1 SPANISH VAR $3.99

APR100640 GHOST RIDER BY JASON AARON OMNIBUS HC $49.99

AUG100596 HAWKEYE & MOCKINGBIRD #5 $2.99

AUG100609 IRON MAN LEGACY #7 $2.99

AUG100611 KLAWS OF PANTHER #1 (OF 4) $3.99

AUG100533 MARVELMAN FAMILYS FINEST #4 (OF 6) $3.99

APR100641 MMW AMAZING SPIDER-MAN HC VOL 12 $54.99

APR100642 MMW AMAZING SPIDER-MAN HC VOL 12 DM ED VAR 145 $54.99

JUL108172 NAMOR FIRST MUTANT #1 2ND PTG JAE LEE SKETCH VAR (PP #936) $3.99

AUG100652 NEW MUTANTS FOREVER #3 (OF 5) $3.99

JUL108173 SECRET AVENGERS #3 2ND PTG DEODATO VAR (PP #936) $3.99

JUL108174 SECRET AVENGERS #4 2ND PTG DEODATO VAR (PP #936) $3.99

JUL108175 SHADOWLAND #3 (OF 5) 2ND PTG TAN VAR (PP #936) $3.99

AUG100588 SHADOWLAND SPIDER-MAN #1 SL $3.99

AUG100616 SHIELD #4 $2.99

JUL100541 SPIDER-MAN BACK IN QUACK #1 $3.99

JUL100512 STEPHEN KINGS N PREM HC $24.99

AUG100620 TASKMASTER #2 (OF 4) $3.99

AUG100698 THOR AND WARRIORS FOUR TP DIGEST $9.99

AUG100630 THOR FOR ASGARD #3 (OF 6) $3.99

AUG100523 TRON BETRAYAL #1 (OF 2) $4.99

AUG100550 ULTIMATE COMICS THOR #1 (OF 4) $3.99

AUG100524 UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 $3.99

AUG100634 WOLVERINE #2 $3.99

AUG100632 YOUNG ALLIES #5 $2.99

IDW from Diamond Distributors for October 6 2010

IDW PUBLISHING

JUL100359 BLONDIE HC VOL 01 $49.99

AUG100374 BLOOM COUNTY COMPLETE LIBRARY VOL 02 LTD SGN ED $50.00

AUG100361 DOCTOR WHO ONGOING TP VOL 02 TESSARACT $19.99

AUG100309 GI JOE #23 $3.99

AUG100347 LOCKE & KEY TP VOL 02 HEAD GAMES $19.99

JUL100357 LONE JUSTICE TP VOL 01 $19.99

AUG100301 RICHARD STARKS PARKER THE OUTFIT HC $24.99

AUG100342 STAR TREK MOVIE ADAPTATION TP $19.99

AUG100364 STRANGE SCIENCE FANTASY #4 $3.99

AUG100322 TRANSFORMERS DRIFT #3 (OF 4) $3.99

JUL100297 TRANSFORMERS IDW COLLECTION HC VOL 02 $49.99