Reviews And A Lot Of Other Mental Detritus

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on September 29, 2008

Categories: Reviews

I know, I know. I’ve been gone for far too long again. What can I say? I’ve been busy. But just as my last appearance here was to tell you 50 things I love about comics, I’m giving you another list this time: 25 Entirely Random Thoughts About Comics From My Past Week. Feel free to rip apart any of these in the comments; that’s what they’re there for. 1. The Minx closure is just depressing, for reasons that Chris Butcher puts his finger on, in part, here. I’m nowhere near the target market for this line, but I enjoyed almost all of the books to varying degrees (including Clubbing, which seems to get beaten up in almost all write-ups…  Read More…

Arriving 10/1/2008

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on

Categories: Shipping Lists

I’ve been having my ass beaten by everything going on — Kindergarten (I honestly think that we totally over-schedule kids these days), massive shipping weeks, planning for Ben’s birthday (next weekend he’s five, sheesh), finishing the order form and so on. I am totally crushed, and I guess my fellow Critics are too, since everyone has been on Radio Silence this week. Assuming I get the order form done in a reasonable amount of time tomorrow (I’m past the brokered pubs, so it’s looking alright), I’ll be back tomorrow with a review or three, but for now it’s just a shipping list. Unlike last week, where we got crushed beneath the heel of TOO MANY FRICKIN’ COMICS, here is a…  Read More…

Arriving 9/22/2008

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on September 22, 2008

Categories: Shipping Lists

Big week! A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #89 (A) ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #10AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE #3 (OF 6)ANGEL REVELATIONS #5 (OF 5)ARCHIE #589ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #192AVENGERS INITIATIVE #17 SIBACK TO BROOKLYN #1 (OF 5) BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #14BARTHOLOMEW OF THE SCISSORS #1BATMAN GOTHAM AFTER MIDNIGHT #5 (OF 12)BLACK PANTHER #41 SIBLUE BEETLE #31CAPTAIN AMERICA #42CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #49CHUCK #4 (OF 6)CTHULHU TALES #5 CVR ADAREDEVIL #111DEAD AHEAD #1 (OF 3)DEADPOOL #2 SIFABLES #76 FANTASTIC FOUR #560FANTASTIC FOUR TRUE STORY #3 (OF 4)GOLLY #2 HELLBOY THE CROOKED MAN #3 (OF 3)HULK #6I KILL GIANTS #3 (OF 7)IMMORTAL IRON FIST ORSON RANDALL DEATH QUEENJACK OF FABLES #26 JUGHEAD #191LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #46MADAME…  Read More…

God’s in his Heaven – All’s right with the world!

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on September 18, 2008

Categories: Reviews

All Star Superman #12 This is the last issue of this series, barring future specials or two-issue story bursts from writer Grant Morrison and various unknown possible artists – regardless, it surely is an ending. A GOOD one, as a single issue, if sapped of immediacy by Morrison’s rigorous prior explorations of his themes, in more interesting single issues (I’m thinking #10). Frank Quitely & Jamie Grant do keep the pace nicely — which means some fine physical poise and a few helpfully low-detail clouds of dust in various backgrounds — although this isn’t so much a grand finale as a concluding step off the ledge into inevitability. But then, the issue is titled Superman in Excelsis, so maybe a…  Read More…

Hibbs’ thought for the day

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on

Categories: Uncategorized

It’s said that this week’s ACTION and DCU: DECISIONS were also pulped because of some sort of other problem — ACTION for showing Clark drinking beer on the cover. His bottle is now very glaringly labeled “SODA POP”. You just know that Pa Kent has a moonshine still… But DCU: DECISIONS is even weirder for me — apparently it was to “de-Condi” one of the candidates, but between solicitation and publication, the cover suddenly now has a piece of graffiti on a wall that says “Heroes don’t vote!” which, to me, is like 10,000 times worse than Clark drinking a brew, or Condi in the DCU. To me, I read it as “Hey kids, be a hero: Don’t vote!” *brrr*…  Read More…

Arriving 9/17/2008

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on September 15, 2008

Categories: Shipping Lists

Here’s what we’re getting this week… ACTION COMICS #869AGE OF SENTRY #1 (OF 6)AIR #2 ALL STAR SUPERMAN #12AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #572 NWDASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #8ATOMIC ROBO DOGS OF WAR #2 (OF 5)BATGIRL #3 (OF 6)BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #11 RIPBETTY & VERONICA SPECTACULAR #85BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #2BIRDS OF PREY #122BOYS CLUB #1 BRAVE AND THE BOLD #17BROKEN TRINITY #2 KEOWN CVR BCAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #5CASEY BLUE BEYOND TOMORROW #5 (OF 6)CASTLE WAITING VOL II #12CHECKMATE #30CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #3DC SPECIAL CYBORG #5 (OF 6)DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #1 (OF 4)DC WILDSTORM DREAMWAR #6 (OF 6)DEAD SPACE #6 (OF 6)FALL OF CTHULHU GODWAR #2 (OF 4) CVR AFAMILY DYNAMIC #2 (OF 3)FLASH #244FOOLKILLER WHITE ANGELS #3 (OF…  Read More…

Retailing: You Fucking Asshole Cunts!

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on September 12, 2008

Categories: Retailing/Industry

As everyone probably knows by now, the latest issue of ALL-STAR BATMAN had a unfortunate printing error where the black bars over numerous swear words printed too light, letting you see the swears underneath. DC caught this only after the books were printed, in hand at Diamond, and already in the process of being distributed. They attempted to get the distribution ceased, but because of the mechanics of distribution, some copies (largely, but not exclusively, to those who get “early” delivery) made it to stores on the East Coast and Midwest and South. No one on the West Coast got any copies whatsoever. Some percentage of stores who received these copies decided that, rather than destroy the copies, as DC…  Read More…

Abhay’s Sixth Review Of SKRULLS VERSUS NEW YORK Isn’t Very Cheerful For Some Reason.

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Posted by: Abhay Khosla on

Categories: Reviews

BEFORE WE JUMP: Are fans excited about the SECRET INVASION? Can I watch them be excited? Through binoculars? Part of the pleasure I hoped to have from SECRET INVASION was voyeuristic. My emotional investment in the “Marvel Universe” is greater than an average person, true, but my suspicion is that it’s far, far, far behind that of the dedicated fans. The guys who love that company. The guys who have a favorite superhero they’ve been reading about for years. The guys who own costumes, and try to talk girls into attending Comic-Cum 2008. The Marvel Zombie. The True Believer. The Huddled Masses. The guys who get blamed for every single thing that’s gone wrong with comics. Part of what I…  Read More…

Spoken like a spoke: Douglas catches up on periodicals, quick-hit style

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Posted by: Douglas Wolk on September 9, 2008

Categories: Reviews

I got to read two weeks’ worth of individual issues at once. Behind the times! Oh no! Under the cut: AMBUSH BUG, ROGUES’ REVENGE, JONAH HEX, AVENGERS both MIGHTY and NEW, SECRET SIX and some spoilers. AMBUSH BUG: YEAR NONE #2: The premise of this mini, as I understand it, is that each issue is Keith Giffen and Robert Loren Fleming riffing on some project in recent DC history; the first one was a reasonably pointed take on Identity Crisis. This one seems to be about the run-up to Infinite Crisis, but there’s not much to say about that–a death-of-Ted-Kord scene, a couple of near-miss OMAC gags–so Giffen and Fleming spend most of the issue riffing without a theme, and…  Read More…

Arriving 9/10/2008

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on September 8, 2008

Categories: Shipping Lists

Hm, I wonder why ALL-STAR BATMAN is getting pulped? They didn’t distribute it to the west coast at all, so I may never find out…! 100 BULLETS #95 1001 ARABIAN NIGHTS ADVENTURES OF SINBAD #3A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #88 (A) AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #24AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #571 NWDARCHIE & FRIENDS #123BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #21BATTLESTAR GALACTICA ORIGINS #9BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #164BIG HERO 6 #1 (OF 5)BLOOD BOWL #3 (OF 5) KILLER CONTRACT CVR ABLOWJOB #23 (A) BOOSTER GOLD #12BPRD THE WARNING #3 (OF 5)CABLE KING SIZE SPECTACULAR #1CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #29CIVIL WAR HOUSE OF M #1 (OF 5)CRIMINAL 2 #5 CRIMINAL MACABRE CELL BLOCK 666 #1 (OF 4)DAMNED PRODIGAL SONS #3 (OF 3)DARK TOWER TREACHERY #1 (OF 6)DARKNESS #5 KEOWN…  Read More…

#1 is the loneliest number of all

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on September 5, 2008

Categories: Reviews

So, about that retailing thing… Ah! No, just kidding! How about some reviews, this time of some of the new #1′s from this week… ADAM STRANGE SPECIAL #1: Much like the HAWKMAN SPECIAL #1 from a few weeks ago, this tries to set up a new status quo projecting Adam as one of the “Aberrant Six” with a lot of yadda yadda yadda set up about Synnar and some cosmic problem, and blech, I don’t find any of this compelling whatsoever. Adam starts jumping through time, rather than space, which you know, could actually maybe be a somewhat interesting twist on his basic set up… but absolutely nothing of consequence is done with this concept, other than maybe showing a…  Read More…

Before you go: Jeff Finally Gets Around to Love & Rockets New Stories #1

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Posted by: Jeff Lester on

Categories: Reviews

My timing, as is typical, is atrocious: I’ve been meaning to write a review of this book ever since I bought a copy at SDCC. Since it just hit stores this week, I all but exhort you to dash out and buy a copy: not just because it’s Love & Rockets and it’s the Hernandez Bros., and not even because it’s the Hernandez Bros. at what may be at the start of (yet another) period of sustained excellence, but because both Jaime and Gilbert give you, in their own way, their versions of Final Crisis and Secret Invasion and the comparison and contrast may soothe and intrigue you. [More exhorting and coercing and hopefully avuncular rib-poking behind the cut.] Although…  Read More…

Retailing: Cory’s right

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on September 4, 2008

Categories: Retailing/Industry

Cory Doctorow makes a really sensible suggestion right here, that I think every comics publisher should immediately implement. This would have instant great benefits for me. I don’t know about any other POS system, but MOBY has a space on the Individual Item display page (that shows me the sources I can buy a book from, ordering information, price, every transaction I’ve ever made on the item and so on and so forth) that displays the covers. Currently, that image defaults to the item code on the Diamond website, though it can be edited to show another source. The problems are three there: 1) Diamond, of course, has to carry it, 2) You have to log on to Diamond’s retailer…  Read More…

Diana’s 50 Favorite Moments In Comics

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Uncategorized

Because all the cool kids are doing it! In no particular order, my 50 favorite moments in comics: 1. SWAMP THING #56, “My Blue Heaven”: Stranded on a distant planet, the Swamp Thing recreates his hometown and is content to live an empty fantasy until a replica of John Constantine starts voicing some inconvenient truths. It’s even creepier when you realize that every character on the Blue Planet is really just Swamp Thing throwing his voice. 2. BOX OFFICE POISON: Towards the end of the book, Hildy tells Ed about her little sister Marlys. It turns out the reader has already met Marlys in an earlier, seemingly-unrelated part of the story… a part that becomes incredibly tragic once the missing…  Read More…

More of that retailing stuff…! Ahhhhh!

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on September 3, 2008

Categories: Retailing/Industry

I was a little hesitant to post something else retailing related so soon, but we’ve had two reviews up in the last 2 days (and I’ll be writing something tomorrow or Friday, I promise!), so I feel OK about mentioning this nice article by Richard Bruton of Forbidden Planet’s blog where he discusses my last two TILTINGs. He has some kind words, and I always appreciate other retailers discussing the topics I bring up. But there’s a little bit of grousing behind the cut…. buuuuut… Dirk Deppey, dependably, uses the opportunity to misunderstand the Direct Market YET AGAIN. Dirk starts by dismissing the idea of a “book glut” (which retailers are using in a specific way — much like the…  Read More…

Obsolescence & Model Kits: Jeff Looks at FC: Superman Beyond #1 and G-Mo in the DCU

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Posted by: Jeff Lester on

Categories: Reviews

I remember when I was a kid being entranced with model kits. It was a different time then, back before semi-autistic engineers could make themselves rich with their penchant for elegant complexity: instead of writing computer code, they wrote tactical charts for historical wargames, assembled model kits of cars, ships, jets, and rockets (and, occasionally, monsters and robots), and crafted massive model train sets in garages and basements. Painstakingly, they assembled private landscapes–usually based on an actual historic train route–stipling mounds of carved foam to create textured boulders; studying photographs to create detail accurate train yards; rigging lighting; recreating timetables. Until finally, the engineer was done: he’d remade a corner of the world to scale. It looked perfect, ran smoothly,…  Read More…

An added day before the new comics means another day with which to file my review from 8/27: Jog Enjoyed His Holiday

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on September 1, 2008

Categories: Reviews

Kick-Ass #4 (of 8) Say, did any of you hear about that one comic book writer and the video he put out? I did too, and I’ve thought of absolutely nothing this week other than creator-owned comics by popular Marvel/DC writers. No wonder I lost all that money at the casino – I need to concentrate to get those random number generators on my side. I was obsessed, readers, and it soon became plain that the only way out was to conduct an investigation into an actual, real-live creator-owned funnybook by a top superhero scribe. And this very week had not only one of those, but no less than the current best-selling creator-owned pamphlet-format series in the Direct Market: I’ve…  Read More…

Arriving THURSDAY 9/4/2008

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on

Categories: Shipping Lists

Here is what Comix Experience is receiving this week. REMEMBER: Due to the Labor Day holiday, comics in the US will be 24 HOURS LATE, and will not be for sale until THURSDAY, 9/4. If you go in on Wednesday, you’re LCS will probably laugh at you behind your back! If you live in Canada, where they don’t have a Labor Day, comics ship as normal for Wednesday. It’s a small week, but with a couple of decent books… ADAM STRANGE SPECIAL #1ARMY @ LOVE THE ART OF WAR #2 (OF 6) AUTHORITY #2BATMAN STRIKES #49DETECTIVE COMICS #848 RIPEL DIABLO #1 (OF 6)FABLES #75 (NOTE PRICE)FRINGE #1 (OF 6)GREEN LANTERN #34HELLBLAZER PRESENTS CHAS THE KNOWLEDGE #3 (OF 5) HOUSE OF…  Read More…