Manga)
I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).
Monday, August 8, 2011
Ikigami: Electric Boogaloo
I read Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, Vol. 7Manga)
I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).
Manga)I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).
Sunday, August 7, 2011
I Reads You Review: THE STRANGE CASE OF MR. HYDE #1
DARK HORSE COMICS
WRITER: Cole Haddon
ART: M.S. Corley
COLORS: Jim Campbell
LETTERS: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
32pp, Color, $3.50
The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde is a recent four-issue comic book published by Dark Horse Comics. The film weaves together the Jack the Ripper legend with characters from the novella, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, by author Robert Louis Stevenson. Ultimately, the series pits Hyde against Jack the Ripper.
The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde #1 focuses on Thomas Adye, an inspector with the Metropolitan Police Department. It is 1888, and London is in a state of fear because of the murder of several prostitutes. Ayde, who uses the most modern methods and science of police work, has been brought in to more or less save Scotland Yard.
During his investigation, Ayde uncovers evidence that suggests these murders are similar to the Edward Hyde murders from 5 years earlier, but Hyde is dead. Or is he? Ayde takes a trip deep into the bowels of Scotland Yard to meet with Hyde’s creator, Dr. Henry Jekyll, where he may have to make a deal with the devil.
To put it simply, The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde is a great read. Two things stand out. First, is the stunning art by M.S. Corley, which stylistically combines Kevin O’Neill’s work on League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and woodcut engraving. With Jim Campbell’s colors, Corley’s work seems perfect for a comic book offering a Victorian murder mystery.
The second powerful element here is the writing by Cole Haddon, especially the character writing. In terms of personality and dialogue, the characters are well drawn and propel this intense, but evenly paced story. Ayde is perplexing, but ultimately intriguing, and Haddon’s Dr. Jekyll easily surpasses Alan Moore’s Jekyll in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. If the rest of this series lives up to this first issue, The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde will be fantastic.
A
Friday, August 5, 2011
Diego Chi on THE SIXTH GUN VOL. 1 - Cold Dead Fingers
The Sixth Gun, Vol. 1
– COLD DEAD FINGERSONI PRESS
Review by Diego Chi
WRITER: Cullen Bunn
ARTIST: Brian Hurtt
ISBN: 978-1934964606; paperback
160pp, B&W, $19.99 U.S.
Who doesn’t like a good, old-fashioned Western? The freedom of the open range, the sound of hooves at a full gallop, mystical guns, spirits and zombies– hold on, what? At least, that’s the type of Western Cullen Bunn (The Damned, Fear Itself: The Deep) and Brian Hurtt (Queen & Country, The Damned) envisioned in their creator-owned series, The Sixth Gun. Fresh off the heels of an Eisner nomination for Best New Series, Best Writer, and Best Artist (not to mention a recent deal to become a SyFy series), the Sixth Gun series is worth a closer look.
Plot:
Described as a Western horror story, Bunn creates an engrossing world of mysticism and legend surrounding six magical revolvers. These guns are sought after by former Confederate General Hume, who leads a band of vicious scoundrels (including his wife), and by Drake Sinclair, whose motivation for getting involved remains a mystery. Caught in the middle is Becky Montcrief, daughter of a preacher who possesses one of the six guns. The story sets off at a fast pace and continues all the way through the climactic final battle at the end of the volume.
Writing:
Cullen Bunn’s revitalization of the Western genre is engrossing and thoroughly enjoyable. The plot is thick with mystery and riddled with subtle revelations that keep the reader engaged. Though Becky is the catalyst that begins the course of events, her character felt underdeveloped, at least in this arc. This is in stark contrast to Drake Sinclair, who plays the role of anti-hero. His interesting character revelations seem to demand your attention. General Hume is a cruel and sinister adversary, really centralizing the evil and terror in the story. The goose bumps caused by Hume are only second to his extremely creepy wife (for the mettle of a man is truly revealed in his choice of woman). However, the secondary villains in this arc seem to come and go fairly quickly, which is somewhat disappointing as many held promise of being great long-term foes. While the plot events sometimes overshadow the character development, Bunn clearly proves he knows how to take an old fashioned genre and revamp it into a great story-telling platform.
Art:
Brian Hurtt fills the pages of the Sixth Gun with enough action to match a Clint Eastwood movie. His drawings feel well paced and fluid to couple character expression alongside massive gunfights. The coloring is vivid and really brings Bunn’s vision to life. His character designs are a bit cartoony, but perhaps that is to emphasize the horror elements. Hurtt creates some pretty disturbing panels throughout (keep an eye out for some gruesome deaths and resurrections), though the art does not evoke terror so much as mystery and suspense, especially for a self-proclaimed “Horror-Western.” Still, there is clearly synergy between Bunn and Hurtt in their storytelling– which should be no surprise since they worked together before on another Oni Press title, The Damned.
Verdict:
The Sixth Gun is a very pleasurable read from start to finish. It’s a lot of fun, filled with action, and the supernatural elements feel surprisingly at home in the Wild West. Bunn and Hurtt present a strong launch to their series, leaving high expectations for what is to come. Definitely put these guys in your pull list.
Diego Chi is a guest writer.
Tegami Bachi: The Lighthouse in the Wasteland
I read Tegami Bachi, Vol. 6: Letter Bee (Tegami Bachi, Letter Bee)
I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).
I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tickets for 2011 Harvey Awards Dinner Available
Harvey Awards Dinner Tickets Now on Sale!
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - August 4, 2011 - On Saturday night, August 20th, the comic book industry, including professionals, retailers, and fans, will gather at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore to honor the 2011 Harvey Award Nominees for 2010 comic work and present the Harveys to their recipients. This is an exciting evening, highlighted by our host Scott Kurtz and a special appearance by Stan Lee!
Harvey Awards tickets are on sale NOW! Tickets to the event, which includes full cocktail hour (cash bar), full service dinner (featuring a Baltimore Crabcake!), awards ceremony, and a gift bag, are now available for $125. Tickets are available at our website via credit card or Paypal at baltimorecomiccon.com/harvey-awards.
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. The Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards both nominated by and selected by the full body of comic book professionals.
Additionally, the Hero Initiative will present 2 awards to outstanding members of the comics community!
The Hero Initiative was established to aid comic creators with a financial safety net when in need of emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. In the years since its inception, the board has created an award to recognize those individuals in the industry that have dedicated their talent over the lifetime of their careers to the comic book community at-large, achieving the status of Hero. Previous recipients include John Romita, Joe Kubert, Nick Cardy, Neal Adams, and George Perez. Who will be this year's lifetime Hero?
The Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award will also be presented at the Harvey Awards Banquet. Giordano, who passed away in early 2010, was part of Hero Initiative's Board of Directors. He was also a legendary artist, a guiding force at Charlton Comics and DC Comics for many years, a mentor to his colleagues, and a friend to all who knew him. His legacy epitomizes the caring and commitment Hero Initiative strives to achieve. In his honor, the Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award will recognize one person in comics each year who has demonstrated the generosity and integrity Dick brought to the charity, and to the comic book community at large.
In the coming week, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found at our website (http://www.baltimorecomiccon.com/), Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/baltimorecomics), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baltimore-Comic-Con/165007083536280), and MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/baltimorecomics) pages.
This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2011. Convention hours are Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, August 20th.
Contact Information
Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com - for communications regarding the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com - for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries
About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 12th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2010. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.
About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 6 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - August 4, 2011 - On Saturday night, August 20th, the comic book industry, including professionals, retailers, and fans, will gather at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore to honor the 2011 Harvey Award Nominees for 2010 comic work and present the Harveys to their recipients. This is an exciting evening, highlighted by our host Scott Kurtz and a special appearance by Stan Lee!
Harvey Awards tickets are on sale NOW! Tickets to the event, which includes full cocktail hour (cash bar), full service dinner (featuring a Baltimore Crabcake!), awards ceremony, and a gift bag, are now available for $125. Tickets are available at our website via credit card or Paypal at baltimorecomiccon.com/harvey-awards.
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. The Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards both nominated by and selected by the full body of comic book professionals.
Additionally, the Hero Initiative will present 2 awards to outstanding members of the comics community!
The Hero Initiative was established to aid comic creators with a financial safety net when in need of emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. In the years since its inception, the board has created an award to recognize those individuals in the industry that have dedicated their talent over the lifetime of their careers to the comic book community at-large, achieving the status of Hero. Previous recipients include John Romita, Joe Kubert, Nick Cardy, Neal Adams, and George Perez. Who will be this year's lifetime Hero?
The Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award will also be presented at the Harvey Awards Banquet. Giordano, who passed away in early 2010, was part of Hero Initiative's Board of Directors. He was also a legendary artist, a guiding force at Charlton Comics and DC Comics for many years, a mentor to his colleagues, and a friend to all who knew him. His legacy epitomizes the caring and commitment Hero Initiative strives to achieve. In his honor, the Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award will recognize one person in comics each year who has demonstrated the generosity and integrity Dick brought to the charity, and to the comic book community at large.
In the coming week, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found at our website (http://www.baltimorecomiccon.com/), Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/baltimorecomics), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baltimore-Comic-Con/165007083536280), and MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/baltimorecomics) pages.
This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2011. Convention hours are Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, August 20th.
Contact Information
Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com - for communications regarding the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com - for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries
About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 12th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2010. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.
About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 6 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Leroy Douresseaux on THE PURPLE SMURFS
PAPERCUTZ/NBM
CREATOR: Peyo
WRITERS: Peyo, Ivan Delporte
ARTISTS: Peyo, Peyo Studio
TRANSLATION: Joe Johnson
LETTERS: Janice Chiang
ISBN: 978-1-59707-207-6
56pp, Color, $10.99 U.S., $12.50 CAN
The recently released summer film, The Smurfs, from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation, has made those blue elves, the Smurfs, hot again. People who know the Smurfs likely know them from the animated Saturday morning television series, The Smurfs, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and aired on NBC from 1981 to 1989. Since its cancellation, the series has appeared on various cable networks and currently airs on Boomerang.
However, the Smurfs began life in comics, created by the late Belgian comics artist, Peyo (the pen name of Pierre Culliford). The Smurfs debuted in 1958 in Peyo’s Johan and Peewit comics series, in the storyline, The Flute with Six Holes (now entitled, The Smurfs and the Magic Flute). The Smurfs were immediately popular and started appearing in their own comics series in 1959.
Eventually, those Smurf comics were reprinted in graphic albums (novels), and the first was Les Schtroumpfs noirs (The Black Smurfs). Although the Smurfs graphic albums were eventually published in English in the United States, they had long been out of print. In 2010, Papercutz, the all-ages graphic novel wing of NBM, brought the Smurfs back to American comics.
The first release is The Smurfs Graphic Novel No. 1: The Purple Smurfs. This is an English edition of The Black Smurfs, but with the black Smurfs re-colored purple. The Purple Smurfs contains three stories: “The Purple Smurfs,” “The Flying Smurf,” and “The Smurf and His Neighbors.” There is also a preview of The Smurfs Graphic Novel No. 2: The Smurfs and the Magic Flute, as well as an after word by Papercutz Editor-in-Chief, Jim Salicrup.
I’ve wanted to read the original Smurf comics for over two decades, and even after that long wait, I am not at all disappointed. These are delightful children’s comics, but there is an oddness and an eccentricity about The Smurfs comics that will make them enjoyable for older readers.
The Smurfs are at once tribal and social, but are also fiercely independent. Most of the time, they refer to one another as Smurf (as in “Hey, Smurf” or “Find that Smurf”), but they also clearly recognize each other’s individualism and unique personalities.
The Smurfs are little problems solvers, but they often make their own problems. The lengths to which the Smurf who wants to fly is willing to go to fly yields comedy gold. The title story (“The Purple Smurfs”) is surprisingly a thriller dressed as slapstick comedy. “The Smurf and His Neighbors,” an ode to the yearning to escape the noise of civilization for the quite and solitude of the wild, is like a little morality tale. I can’t pick a favorite of these three stories; each is fantastic in its own right.
This little hardcover, the size of a standard comic book, is the kind of comic book to pass on to new, young readers. The stories within, however, will inform readers why the Smurfs have such staying power. Longtime comics readers who are looking for a reminder of why comics are fun to read will want The Purple Smurf.
A
http://www.smurf.com/
http://www.papercutz.com/
--------------------
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 3 2011
DC COMICS
JUN110247 ADVENTURE COMICS #529 $2.99
MAY110207 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY #4 (OF 5) $2.99
JUN110233 BATMAN BEYOND #8 $2.99
JUN110227 BATMAN GATES OF GOTHAM #4 (OF 5) $2.99
DEC100322 BATMAN INCORPORATED BATMAN AF PI
DEC100323 BATMAN INCORPORATED DAMIAN AS ROBIN AF PI
DEC100320 BATMAN INCORPORATED KNIGHT AF PI
DEC100321 BATMAN INCORPORATED MAN OF BATS AF PI
JUN110264 DC COMICS PRESENTS SHAZAM #2 $7.99
JUN110208 DC RETROACTIVE BATMAN THE 80S #1 $4.99
JUN110216 DC RETROACTIVE THE FLASH THE 80S #1 $4.99
JUN110212 DC RETROACTIVE WONDER WOMAN THE 80S #1 $4.99
JUN110200 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #13 $2.99
APR110202 FIRESTORM THE NUCLEAR MAN TP $17.99
JUN110175 FLASHPOINT #4 (OF 5) $3.99
JUN110182 FLASHPOINT BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUN110187 FLASHPOINT DEATHSTROKE THE CURSE OF RAVAGER #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUN110183 FLASHPOINT SECRET SEVEN #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUN110185 FLASHPOINT THE WORLD OF FLASHPOINT #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUN110174 GREEN LANTERN SUPER SPECTACULAR #2 $7.99
MAY110281 HISTORY OF VIOLENCE TP NEW ED (MR) $14.99
JUN110348 HOUSE OF MYSTERY #40 (MR) $2.99
JUN110352 IZOMBIE #16 (MR) $2.99
MAR110355 JACK KIRBY OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 STARRING GREEN ARROW $49.99
JUN110251 JONAH HEX #70 $2.99
JUN110334 LOONEY TUNES #201 $2.99
MAY110298 SCALPED #51 (MR) $2.99
JUN110332 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #12 $2.99
JUN110254 SECRET SIX #36 $2.99
JUN110241 SUPERBOY #10 $2.99
JUN110239 SUPERMAN #714 $2.99
APR110206 SUPERMAN GROUNDED HC VOL 01 $22.99
JUN110359 SWEET TOOTH #24 (MR) $2.99
DEC100328 VIOLET LANTERN 1/4 SCALE POWER BATTERY & RING PROP $35.00
JUN110247 ADVENTURE COMICS #529 $2.99
MAY110207 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY #4 (OF 5) $2.99
JUN110233 BATMAN BEYOND #8 $2.99
JUN110227 BATMAN GATES OF GOTHAM #4 (OF 5) $2.99
DEC100322 BATMAN INCORPORATED BATMAN AF PI
DEC100323 BATMAN INCORPORATED DAMIAN AS ROBIN AF PI
DEC100320 BATMAN INCORPORATED KNIGHT AF PI
DEC100321 BATMAN INCORPORATED MAN OF BATS AF PI
JUN110264 DC COMICS PRESENTS SHAZAM #2 $7.99
JUN110208 DC RETROACTIVE BATMAN THE 80S #1 $4.99
JUN110216 DC RETROACTIVE THE FLASH THE 80S #1 $4.99
JUN110212 DC RETROACTIVE WONDER WOMAN THE 80S #1 $4.99
JUN110200 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #13 $2.99
APR110202 FIRESTORM THE NUCLEAR MAN TP $17.99
JUN110175 FLASHPOINT #4 (OF 5) $3.99
JUN110182 FLASHPOINT BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUN110187 FLASHPOINT DEATHSTROKE THE CURSE OF RAVAGER #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUN110183 FLASHPOINT SECRET SEVEN #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUN110185 FLASHPOINT THE WORLD OF FLASHPOINT #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUN110174 GREEN LANTERN SUPER SPECTACULAR #2 $7.99
MAY110281 HISTORY OF VIOLENCE TP NEW ED (MR) $14.99
JUN110348 HOUSE OF MYSTERY #40 (MR) $2.99
JUN110352 IZOMBIE #16 (MR) $2.99
MAR110355 JACK KIRBY OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 STARRING GREEN ARROW $49.99
JUN110251 JONAH HEX #70 $2.99
JUN110334 LOONEY TUNES #201 $2.99
MAY110298 SCALPED #51 (MR) $2.99
JUN110332 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #12 $2.99
JUN110254 SECRET SIX #36 $2.99
JUN110241 SUPERBOY #10 $2.99
JUN110239 SUPERMAN #714 $2.99
APR110206 SUPERMAN GROUNDED HC VOL 01 $22.99
JUN110359 SWEET TOOTH #24 (MR) $2.99
DEC100328 VIOLET LANTERN 1/4 SCALE POWER BATTERY & RING PROP $35.00
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