Showing posts with label Mile High Comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mile High Comics. Show all posts

Sunday, April 30, 2023

I Reads You Juniors: April 2023 - Update #48

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon.

NEWS:

DC STUDIOS - From YouTube:  The Flash - Official Trailer #2. The film is due June 16th.

EN MEMORIAM - From TheDailyCartoonist:  American cartoonist Ted Richards has died at the age of 76, Friday, April 21, 2023.  Richards was best known for his work in Underground Comix.  He was a member of the "Air Pirates" collective, whose "Air Pirates Funnies" comic book got them sued by Walt Disney Productions.  Richards produced such titles as "Dopin' Dan," "E.Z. Wolf," and "The Forty Year Old Hippie." Richards would later move into computer software designing.

IDW - From ComicsBeat:  IDW Media Holdings, Inc., parent of IDW Publishing, has been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), although I didn't know they were listed.  39 percent of the staff have been laid off, including the entire PR and marketing department and also publisher Nachie Marsham.

From BleedingCool:  IDW CEO Davidi Jonas says "today we hit reset," as the company undergoes layoffs.

IMAGE - From ScreenRant:  Todd McFarlane's "Spawn" will crash Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's "Killadelphia," beginning with the next story arc that begins in Killadelphia #31.

DC ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Amazon's "Prime Video" Warner Bros. Batman animated series, including Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams, and Matt Reeves' "Batman: Caped Crusader."

EN MEMORIAM - From TCJ:  Author Andrew Farago offers an obituary of comics historian, author, editor and curator, Maurice C. Horn, passed away on December 30, 2022, at the age of 91.  According to Farago, Horn wrote some of the first reference books about comics ever written and he was among the very first people to take comics seriously.  His books include "A History of the Comic Strip" (1968), written with Pierre Couperie, "The World History of Comics" (1976), and "Sex in the Comics" (1985), to name a few.

MILESTONE - From DimesDaggers:  Writer Andrew Farago looks back at the 30th anniversary of Milestone Comics in "How 'Hardware' Made Me WOKE."

SONY MARVEL U - From Variety:  At CinemaCon 2023, actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson introduced footage for Sony Pictures' Marvel Comic film, "Kraven the Hunter."  The footage, which featured some bloody images, was reportedly well-received.  The film, which will debut later this year, will also be rated "R."

DC COMICS - From DCBlog:  Author Rachel Allan talks to "DC Blog" about her new original graphic novel, "Harley Quinn: Ravenous."

DC STUDIOS - From YouTube:  The studio has provided an "in-production teaser" and first-look at the upcoming series, "The Penguin," starring Colin Farrell.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:  After his "Gambit" and "X-Treme X-Men" mini-series, Chris Claremont is already working on his next X-Men comic book.

SONY MARVEL U - From Deadline:  Actress Juno Temple (of Apple's "Ted Lasso" series) has landed the lead in Sony/Marvel's "Venom 3."

IDW - From BleedingCool:  Here is the checklist for IDW Publishing's "Star Trek" crossover event, "Day of Blood," which runs through Star Trek titles from July to Sept. 2023.

MARVEL COMICS - From Marvel:  Writer J.M. DeMatteis and artist Todd Nauck will return to X-Men villain Magneto's days as headmaster of The New Mutants in the four-issue miniseries, "Magneto."  The first issue is due Aug. 2nd.

MARVEL STUDIOS - From CBR:  Hot rumor says that Oscar-nominated actor Adam Driver is in final negotiations to play "Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic" in Marvel Studios' planned "Fantastic Four" film.

From Newsarama:  According to "Deadpool" star, Ryan Reynolds, the "Wolverine" that Hugh Jackman will play in "Deadpool 3" is "something completely new."

DC COMICS TO SERIES - From GamesRadar:  Jim Mickle, the showrunner for Netflix's "Sweet Tooth," which is based on Jeff Lemire's comic book series, will have a more ambitious second season.

DC COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Here is a look at the new character designs for DC Comics' "Knight Terrors" event, which takes over the publishing line this July and August.

MANGA TO LIVE-ACTION - From CBR:  The site is reporting that Netflix held a private screening of its live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda's legendary shonen manga, "One Piece."  The preview apparently flopped with that test audience.

MARVEL - From Newsarama:  Canadian super-team, Alpha Flight, returns to Canada and into their own comic book series, "Alpha Flight," written by Ed Brisson and artist Scott Godlewski.  The first issue this "Fall of X" X-Men spinoff is due August 16th.

From Newsarama:  Another "Fall of X" spinoff from the "X-Men" is the miniseries, "Children of the Vault."

RETAIL - From TCJ:  Venerable and maybe even legendary comic book and collectibles retailer, Chuck Rozanski of "Mile High Comics," tells his side of the story to "The Comics Journal."

EN MEMORIAM - From Deadline:  "MAD Magazine" cartoonist Al Jaffee has died at the age of 102, Monday, April 10, 2023.  Jaffee was a Mad contributor for 65 years.  His career as a cartoonist, running from 1942 to 2020, holds the "Guinness World Record" for the longest.  Jaffee was high school classmate of future comic book and cartooning legends, Will Elder, Al Feldstein, Harvey Kurtzman, and John Severin, at the High School for Music & Arts in New York City.

EN MEMORIAM - From BleedingCool:  Science fiction and fantasy author, comic book writer, and tarot card expert, Rachel Pollack, has died at the age of 75, Friday, April 7, 2023.  Her novel, "Godmother Night," won the 1997 "World Fantasy Award for Best Novel."  In comic books, she is best known for her 1996-95 run on DC Comics' "Doom Patrol" series (issues #64-#87).  Her "78 Degrees of Wisdom" is reference for Tarot readers.

DC STUDIOS/TRAILERS - From YouTube:  Here is the first trailer for DC Studios' "Blue Beetle" film, which is due in theaters, August 18, 2023.

From DCBlog:  A list of the Easter eggs found in the "Blue Beetle" trailer.

DC STUDIOS - From THR:  "Joker: Folie a Deux" has wrapped up filming.  Director Todd Phillips shares new images of its stars, Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.  The film is due Oct. 4th, 2024.

COMICS TO TV - From DeadlineSony Pictures Television is developing the Black Mask graphic novel, "Destiny, NY," by Pat Shand and Manuel Preitano, for television.

BOOM STUDIOS - From Variety:  Actress Amy Jo Johnson and her partner, Matt Hotson, will write a "Power Rangers" comic book that will debut next year.  Johnson played "Kimberly Hart," the original "Pink Power Ranger" in the 1993-95 original "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" TV series and in two films.

COMICS TO ANIME - From Variety:  Netflix is producing an anime series version of the "Scott Pilgrim" graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley.  Multiple cast members from 2010 live-action film, "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" will be voice performers for the anime.

MANGA TO FILM - From GamesRadarFangoria Studios is set to adapt some of manga master, Junji Ito's horror manga short stories into movies, including the vampire tale, "Bloodsucking Darkness."

AMAZON - From THR:  Former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief and Marvel Entertainment CCO, Joe Quesaada, has signed a first-look deal with Amazon.  He will develop established and new comic book properties for film and television.

DC COMICS - From DCBlog:  Acclaimed writer G. Willow Wilson talks about her "Poison Ivy" comic book series and about the new miniseries, "Lazarus Planet: Revenge of the Gods."

EN MEMORIAM - From CBR:  The American comic book writer, Steve Skeates, has died at the age of 80, Thursday, March 30, 2023.  Skeates was best known for co-creating the DC Comics characters, "Hawk and Dove" with the late artist, Steve Ditko.  Skeates also produced a noted run on "Aquaman" (1968-71) with artist Jim Aparo.

MARVEL - From CBR:  There will be a new ongoing comic books series starring Marvel Comics' ultimate vampire hunter, "Blade."  The new series is written by Bryan Edward Hill and drawn by Elena Casagrande and is due July 2023.

---------------------

MARCH 2023 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From BleedingCool:  AfterShock Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Ahoy Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Ablaze for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Asylum Press for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Band of Bards for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Blood Moon Comics LLC for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  BOOM Studios for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  CEX Publishing for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Frank Miller Presents LLC for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Keenspot Entertainment for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Opus Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Rebellion / 2000 AD for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Scout Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Source Point Press for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Sumerian Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Udon Entertainment for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for March 2023
From BleedingCool:  Whatnot Publishing for March 2023

APRIL 2023 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From BleedingCool:  Ablaze for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  AfterShock Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Ahoy Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Frank Miller Presents for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel's "Captain America: Cold War event solicitations for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel's "Sins of Sinister" solicitations and checklist for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Opus Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Rebellion Publishing for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Scout Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Source Point Press for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  TOKYOPOP for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Udon Entertainment LLC for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  VIZ Media for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Whatnot Publishing for April 2023
From BleedingCool:  Yen Press for April 2023

MAY 2023 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From BleedingCool:  Ablaze Publishing for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Aardvark-Vanaheim for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  CEX Publishing for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Dead Good Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Fairsquare Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Fantagraphics Books for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Frank Miller Presents for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  IDW for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Keenspot Entertainment for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Opus Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  TOKYOPOP for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Rebellion/2000 AD for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Scout Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Sumerian Comics for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Udon Entertainment Inc. for May 2023
From BleedingCool:  Valiant Entertainment for May 2023

JUNE 2023 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From BleedingCool:  Ablaze Publishing for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  Ahoy Comics for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  CEX Comics for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Captain America" for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Star Wars" for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  Source Point Press for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  Sumerian Comics for June 2023
From BleedingCool:  Uncivilized Books for June 2023

JULY 2023 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From BleedingCool:  Ablaze Publishing for July 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for July 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Extreme Venomverse" for July 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Summer of Symbiotes" for July 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "X-Men" for July 2023
From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for July 2023

AUGUST 2023 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics X-Men's "Fall of X" for August 2023
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Summer of Symbiotes" for August 2023

-------------------


Sunday, January 26, 2014

I Reads You Review: THE INCREDIBLE HULK AND WOLVERINE #1

THE INCREDIBLE HULK AND WOLVERINE #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITERS: Len Wein, Mary Jo Duffy
PENCILS: Herb Trimpe, Ken Landgraf
INKS: Jack Abel, George Perez
COLORS: Christie Scheele
LETTERS: Artie Simek, Michael Higgins
EDITOR: Roy Thomas, Jim Shooter
EIC: Jim Shooter
COVER: John Byrne and Jack Abel with George Roussos
48pp, Color, $2.00 (October 1986)

In the summer of 1986, Marvel Comics published The Incredible Hulk and Wolverine #1.  This was a one-shot, single-issue comic book that reprinted The Incredible Hulk #180 and #181 (cover-dated November 1974).  Issue #180 (cover-dated October 1974) contained the first appearance of Wolverine, as a cameo in the final panel of the last page.  Issue #181 features the first full appearance of Wolverine.  Of course, Wolverine is a member of the X-Men and one of Marvel Comics’ most popular characters.

The Incredible Hulk and Wolverine #1 also includes the short story, “Wolverine and Hercules,” which originally appeared in Marvel Treasury Edition #26 (1980).  “Wolverine: The Evolution of a Character” is an essay at the back of this comic book.  It is written by former Marvel writer and editor, Peter Sanderson, and details the creation of Wolverine and also provides a fictional biography of the character.  This text piece includes spot illustrations and other art drawn by John Romita, Paul Smith and Joe Rubinstein; John Byrne and Terry Austin; John Romita, Jr. and Dan Green; and Frank Miller and Joe Rubinstein.

The Incredible Hulk #180 finds the Hulk returning to Canada.  There, deep in the Canadian woods, the emerald behemoth finds himself caught in a conspiracy involving Marie Cartier and Georges Baptiste.  Marie’s brother, Paul Cartier, bears the curse that transforms him into “the hideous cannibal beast,” known as the Wendigo.

Marie has devised a plan to transfer the Wendigo’s form to the Hulk.  Events don’t follow her planning once Hulk and Wendigo engage in an epic battle.  Meanwhile, at a top secret Royal Canadian Air Force Tracking Installation, military authorities are not about to allow the Hulk to rampage through Canada again.  They’re sending something called “Weapon X” to take care of the green giant.

The Incredible Hulk #181 begins with Wolverine revealing himself to the Hulk and the Wendigo and launching himself into their battle.  This three-way fight devolves into a death match between the Hulk and the Wolverine.  Meanwhile, Georges Baptiste makes a fateful decision about him and Marie Cartier’s plan to save her brother from the curse of the Wendigo.

When The Incredible Hulk and Wolverine #1 arrived on newsstands and in comic book shops, it gave me a chance to read the story in which Wolverine made his first appearance, and I was ecstatic about that opportunity.  I would read the story again in a single-issue facsimile reprint of The Incredible Hulk #181.

I long ago lost or sold my original copy of The Incredible Hulk and Wolverine #1, but a recent at sale at super comics retailer Mile High Comics’ website allowed me to get another copy.  I had forgotten that even with a $2.00 cover price, The Incredible Hulk and Wolverine #1 was just a cheapie reprint.  At a time when comic book publishers, large and small, were moving to heavier and whiter paper stocks, Marvel Comics printed The Incredible Hulk and Wolverine #1 on newsprint.  The print quality ranges from mediocre to tolerable, and the colors don’t “pop” off the page the way they do today.  With newsprint, things like details, borders, and lettering can fade or even not fully print.

I think that at the time this was originally published Marvel Comics was printing anything that would help with their market share and that could make a lot of money with little investment.  The Hulk stories here were bought and paid for over a decade earlier, and who knows if the creators got any royalty payments from this reprinting.  Like I said, high return on low investment.

That aside, I like these old Hulk comics.  Writer Len Wein’s ability to create a compelling story out of monster comics and supernatural melodrama is a sign of the skill that made him a standout comic book creator and editor in the 1970s and 1980s.  Penciller Herb Trimpe, one of my favorites, mixes the dynamism and fury of Jack Kirby (who was obviously an influence on Trimpe) with the cartoon mysticism of Steve Ditko.  This is classic comic book art and graphical storytelling – monster comics and mystic mumbo-jumbo.

It is also fun to look at this early Wolverine-in-the-raw, which is practically nothing like what the character would become in the decades that followed his first appearance.  So I grade this comic book not on the cheap newsprint reproduction, but on the fun old comics.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.




Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Mile High Comics to Offer Rare Golden Age Comic Books

Press release from Mile High Comics:

Mile High Comics, Inc. President, Chuck Rozanski, announced today that he will be offering one million dollars in rare Golden Age comics from his private collection for sale at this year's San Diego Comic-Con International, to be held in San Diego, California, July 21st - 25th, 2010. His statement is as follows:


"In 1977 I was blessed to discover the Mile High/Edgar Church collection of 18,000 extremely high grade "Golden Age" comics, all of which were published between 1935-1953. This collection has become legendary in the comics world (as well as within the entire spectrum of all collectibles) as being one of the most valuable antique finds of all time, with a current estimated market value exceeding one hundred million dollars. While most of the comics from that one collection were sold by me decades ago when their market prices were but a tiny fraction of today's values, I steadfastly held on to 40+ key issues for the past 34 years in my own private comics collection, including the highest-graded copy remaining in the world of the 1940 RED RAVEN #1, one of the rarest Timely/Marvel first issues ever published, and the entire twenty-two issue run of the THE SPIRIT, released by comics legend Will Eisner between 1944 and 1948.

After having experienced two life-threatening episodes of West Nile Fever-induced encephalitis of the hypothalamus (a severe swelling of the brain) during the past seven years, however, I have been made acutely aware that estate planning now needs to be a priority for me. That realization led me to the painful decision earlier this year that I should finally agree to pass on these incredibly rare and wonderful comics that have brought me so much joy for the majority of my adult life, to another passionate comics collector. To launch the sales process, I will be bringing all of my remaining comics from the Mile High/Edgar Church collection to this year's incredible San Diego Comic-Con International, the largest and most prestigious comics convention in the world, with over 125,000 avid comics fans attending. The combined price that I will be asking for my last remaining Mile High/Edgar Church comics will be in excess of one million dollars. That amount is significantly ab! ove their current Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide estimates, but in a world where lesser condition copies of ACTION #1 (the first Superman appearance) and DETECTIVE #27 (the first Batman comic) have recently sold at auction for over one million dollars each, it does not seem unreasonable for me to be asking a similar price for the last remaining unsold key issues from the most renowned comics collection of all time. If my beloved comics do not sell in San Diego, then they will most probably be sold at auction, later this fall.

Whether these fantastic comics from my private collection end up selling in San Diego, or not, the very fact that I will be bringing these incredibly rare comics for public viewing at the convention will provide tens of thousands of individual comics collectors with what will probably turn out to be their only opportunity to personally see some of the rarest comics still extant in the world. After having had these great comics locked in a bank vault for well over three decades, I am now very much looking forward to sharing them with all of my many thousands of friends in the comics world. No matter what else happens, I believe that my actions will help to make this year's San Diego Comic-Con remain noteworthy in the minds of dedicated comics fans for many years to come."


Mile High Comics, Inc. is a Denver, Colorado based retailer of collector comic books, graphic novels, and trade paperbacks. With four Denver-area retail comics stores, four huge warehouses filled with over eight million back issue comics, and a website that provides service to well over 100,000 comics fans worldwide, Mile High Comics is one of the largest comics retailers in the world. For further information please contact Chuck Rozanski, or Lynne MacAfee, weekdays at 303-455-2659, or write to Lynne@milehighcomics.com

http://www.milehighcomics.com/