Brian Traipses Around 2/17

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 23, 2010

Categories: Reviews

According to the advertisements all over the side over there (—->) Stan is, apparently, back. Wouldn’t it be cool if it was some sort of zombie-related thing with Stan feasting on the hearts of the wicked? “Face Front, True Believer…. so I can reach your braaaaaaaain!” No? Maybe it is just me… Well, I thank them for the ad dollars, anyway! So, some quick reviews (yeah yeah, I missed the goal of one-a-week-for-the-quarter — I had a hectic fortnight!) JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #42: Yeah, liking this. This is really how I want a JLA comic to be — taking place in, and mining the DC Universe. I also quite liked the (Earth-3? Well or whatever they’re calling it today)…  Read More…

Arriving 2/24/2010

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 22, 2010

Categories: Shipping Lists

It must be the last week of the month… (I’ll have reviews tomorrow) 28 DAYS LATER #7AIRFIGHTERS #1 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #622 GNTLTARCHIE #606AVENGERS INITIATIVE #33 SIEGEAVP THREE WORLD WAR #2 (OF 6)BART SIMPSON COMICS #52BATMAN AND ROBIN #9BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #13BLACK LANTERN GREEN ARROW #30 (BLACKEST NIGHT)BLACK TERROR #8BLACKEST NIGHT #7 (OF 8)BLACKEST NIGHT JSA #3 (OF 3)BUCK ROGERS #9CAPTAIN SWING #1 (OF 4) CHOKER #1 CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD LAST BATTLE #3 (OF 6) COWBOY NINJA VIKING #4 (OF 4) DARK TOWER BATTLE OF JERICHO HILL #4 (OF 5)DARK WOLVERINE #83 SIEGEDEADPOOL #20DEADWORLD FROZEN OVER #4 (OF 4) DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #351 ENDERS GAME MAZER IN PRISON SPECIALFALL OF HULKS RED HULK #2 (OF 4)…  Read More…

Some initial thoughts on DC’s new Publisher(s)

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 19, 2010

Categories: Retailing/Industry

My very very first thought was “Well, wait, where does that leave Karen and Vertigo?” My second thought was “Just knowing the little I know about Life and Power, a five-headed power-sharing structure doesn’t seem like it has much practical chance to work.” My third thought was “Well, good for Jim and Geoff” as this expands on what they were pretty much already doing, and gives them some Portfolio, and, we would hope, a pay raise to keep doing it. My fourth thought was, and this was my uncharitable one, “Uh… Dan? Really?” I haven’t made any particular secret that I don’t like many of Dan’s editorial policies and instincts, but that’s all Armchair Quarterbacking on my part. *I* don’t…  Read More…

Tucker Manages To Read Some Comics

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Posted by: Tucker Stone on February 17, 2010

Categories: Reviews

Been away from the Savage longer than I expected to be, and that’s how it goes when you can’t see your keyboard through a veil of tears. I’m not the political type, so don’t expect any side-taking in the whole Communist America controversy, but I will remind you of this one fact, learnt from my pappy’s knee: any sort of testicular manipulation (including “teabagging”) is a 100% fantastic way to spend one’s time, and a little summer fun with the Lord’s satchel never hurt a soul. Stealing the term for usage in the latest re-re-remix of party over here/party over there may not be an actual crime, but no matter which side you take on the Bookscan debate, we’ve all…  Read More…

Comix Experience 21st anniversary party: April 3rd

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 16, 2010

Categories: Retailing/Industry

Comix Experience is extremely proud to celebrate its 21st anniversary, on Saturday, April 3rd, starting at 8 PM, with a “Coming of Age” party, and you’re invited! CE:21 is a benefit for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund – a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community – and happens during WonderCon weekend in San Francisco. Featuring an El Toyanese Taco Truck, sponsored by Image Comics, and delicious beer courtesy of 21st Amendment Brewery, this is the comics event of the year! Comix Experience is the oldest comic book store in San Francisco with the same owner and location. All attendees making a donation to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund…  Read More…

Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 15, 2010

Categories: Retailing/Industry

I mean, if I had just waited 20 minutes to post, I could have done this in the first post, but then Tom has to go and post something from Eric Reynolds… First off, seriously, “Bookscan Analysis as Direct Market Public Service Announcement”? Really? I feel like I’ve been told to get off Tom’s lawn for playing too much… Eric’s comments are wonderful, but I don’t really see that they have much (if anything) to do with anything that I actually WROTE, as opposed, possibly, what people might want to think that I wrote. If someone can point me to anyplace where I’ve represented the BookScan numbers to be anything other than what I say they are — that they…  Read More…

Only Nixon Can Go To China?

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on

Categories: Retailing/Industry

Tom Spurgeon has some excellent comments up about my BookScan Analysis, and I feel compelled to engage his commentary. This is not a Blog War, but I’m hiding most of this behind the jump for those of you who Don’t Like To See The Parents Fight… Let’s start with motivations, which works nicely as a “response” to numbered point #1 (“I know I’m grateful…It’s fun to see how certain books did on the chart“). First and foremost, I’m getting the Top 750 out there, and if you don’t like my analysis, in the words of the great “Scoop” Nisker, “If You Don’t Like The News, Go Out And Make Some of Your Own” The entire reason I bother to write…  Read More…

Arriving 2/17/2010

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on

Categories: Shipping Lists

Please note that the Monday holiday this week is NOT one of those that delays comics — everything should be on sale on Wednesday, as usual (barring snow problems on the East Coast?) AIR #18 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #621 GNTLTANGEL #30ANYWHERE #2 (OF 6) ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #206ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #21 (RES)ATOMIC ROBO REVENGE O/T VAMPIRE DIMENSION #1 (OF 4)AUTHORITY THE LOST YEAR #6 (OF 12)AVENGERS VS ATLAS #2 (OF 4)AZRAEL #5BATMAN #696BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #9BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #14BETTY & VERONICA #246BLACK WIDOW DEADLY ORIGIN #4 (OF 4)BLACKEST NIGHT THE FLASH #3 (OF 3)CAPTAIN AMERICA #603CARS #1 CHASE VARIANT ONE SHOT IS ALL I NEED (ONE SHOT)DAREDEVIL #505DARK AVENGERS #14 SIEGEDEADPOOL #19DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #8DEATHLOK #4…  Read More…

Comics!

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on February 14, 2010

Categories: Reviews

(both from Viz, both $12.99) *** Biomega Vol. 1 (of 6): It’s the 31st century and a virus from Mars is transforming everyone into mutant zombies; a synthetic human dressed in a black uniform and a black helmet rides his talking motorcycle at 666 km/h into a walled city on a mission to find a teenage girl, whom he almost immediately runs over as she crosses his path, tearing her leg most of the way off, only to have it heal herself in a manner perhaps expected of an Accommodator of the virus from Mars – the dazed girl, however, is also the ward of a talking bear with a rifle who shows up and whisks her away to a…  Read More…

Tilting v3 #22 is up! BookScan 2009

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 12, 2010

Categories: Retailing/Industry

Ah! It is the longest thing I write every year. WITNESS: 6 weeks of my life in the look at BookScan in 2009, in TILTING AT WINDMILLS #189 http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24818 -B

Arriving 2/10/10

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 9, 2010

Categories: Shipping Lists

This is up late because Diamond was completely shut down yesterday, though West Coast books are shipping on time. Still, puts me a day behind on everything else I do, too… Another tiny week. Which I suppose is good for people caught in Snowpocalypse ’10, but not so good for the rest of us. Publishers are breaking the weekly habit. 2000 AD PACK JAN 2010 ACTION COMICS #886ADVENTURE COMICS WITH BLACK LANTERN SUPERBOY #7AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #620 GNTLTAMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS JACKPOT #2 (OF 3)ANCHOR #5ANGELUS #2 (OF 6)ANITA BLAKE LC EXECUTIONER #4 (OF 5) ARCHIE & FRIENDS #140BATGIRL #7BATMAN AND ROBIN #8BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #178BLACKBEARD LEGEND OF THE PYRATE KING #3BOOSTER GOLD #29BPRD KING OF FEAR #2 (OF 5)COLT…  Read More…

Comic Book Geek Speak podcast with Hibbs

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 5, 2010

Categories: Podcasts , Retailing/Industry

I should have mentioned this earlier in the week, but I Forgot. The gents at Comic Book Geek Speak have be back yet again, and I get all pontificatey in episode #777, which you can listen to here: http://www.comicgeekspeak.com/episodes/comic_geek_speak-999.php Enjoy! -B

Comic Book Movies in 2009?

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on

Categories: Retailing/Industry

I’m pretty good about doing my own research, most of the time, but as I wander through my BookScan Analysis this year (Sheesh, I’m at 12,000 words, and I still haven’t touched 2 of the 4 categories!) I’m hoping I can depend on YOU to help me a bit. What movies based on comics were released in 2009? Watchmen, obviously. And Wolverine. Astro Boy. But then I start to blank. Name me some titles, would you? Thanks in advance!! -B

Hibbs rushes 1/27

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 2, 2010

Categories: Reviews

I’m drowning in work, so I’ll keep this super-double short this week… JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #6: You know something’s gone wrong with scheduling when a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ARTIST THAN SOLICITED (Scott Clark, rather than Mauro Cascioli) does the interiors. Clark’s work has enough surface similarities that it isn’t jarring (and, in fact, if you didn’t check the credits, it is possible you didn’t notice), but man that’s some tacky shit. There’s not much to this issue, other than “Prometheus kicks roundly everyone’s ass, except for the one guy he doesn’t have a file on” (well, and a sucker punch) — which is pretty much exactly the plot of the LAST “canon” Prometheus appearance. I don’t think there’s a…  Read More…

Arriving 2/3/2010

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on February 1, 2010

Categories: Shipping Lists

Whoops, the new order form is due tomorrow. Guess I better start it? Also? Publishers: We can’t make money if you don’t ship us comics…. 28 DAYS LATER #6ALADDIN LEGACY OF THE LOST #1 (OF 3) A CVR DJURDJEVICANGEL HOLE IN THE WORLD #3AUTHORITY #19BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #41BETTY #184BLACKEST NIGHT WONDER WOMAN #3 (OF 3)BOYS #39 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #32 TWILIGHT PT 1 (OF 5) JO CHEN CVCABLE #23CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #46CINDERELLA FROM FABLETOWN WITH LOVE #4 (OF 6) CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #18CRIMINAL SINNERS #4 DAFFODIL #2 (OF 3) DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #896DEMO VOL 2 #1 (OF 6) DISNEYS HERO SQUAD #1 DOCTOR WHO ONGOING #8DOOM PATROL #7EXISTENCE 3.0 #2 (OF 4) FALL OUT TOY WORKS #3 (OF 5)GHOST RIDERS…  Read More…

My Life is Choked with Comics #20 (Ver. 2.0): Captain Hadacol

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on

Categories: Reviews

This is a song about Louisiana and some of the people in it. Or outside it. Or nearly anywhere in these United States as the 1950s approached, and superheroes declined as charismatic rogues stood tall, proud like they knew we’d miss them once fatedly laid low. It’s a nostalgic record. Let it play. Can I offer you a drink? This is Hadacol. *** Twelve Percent True (Being a second and updated version of a post of January 31, 2010, amended to include exciting superhero art and duly expanded/adjusted text and formatting.) *** Hadacol was a popular ‘patent medicine’ of the late 1940s that transformed into a full-blown national fad as the century’s midpoint arrived. “A Dietary Supplement,” as you can…  Read More…