Thanks, Steve

A lot of what we make is done on devices from the computer company he started.
A lot of what inspires us comes from the movie studio he founded.
A lot of how we think, act, and feel... comes from the way he lived his life.

DC, The New 52 Week 4

Here's a quick run-down of the fourth week's books.
*Warning* Spoilers make it better!
*Disclaimer* This was the week where I started giving up on books midway. When the New 52 started, I pledged to read all the titles, but after 4 weeks of forcibly reading a few too many mediocre books, I couldn't do it any longer. Let's face it, after a few pages you can tell if you like a book or not. If things were getting too slow or boring, I merely skimmed through the rest of the book. So, take these reviews with a grain of salt. But, c'mon, why do you care what I have to think, anyway?

• All Star Western - Fan-Freakin-Tastic! I won't wast your time. Wonderful art. Gripping Story. Buy. PICK OF THE WEEK!
• Aquaman - Did he do it? Is Aquaman cool? Well, if you ask Geoff Johns he'd probably say that Aquaman was always cool. Still, for decades Aquaman has been the butt of many jokes, and this book deals with exactly that. We get Aquaman being a bad-ass with the crooks, and getting pretty frustrated with the citizens. Beautiful art from Ivan Ries. Buy!
• Batman: The Dark Knight - David Finch's art is hit or miss for me. Unfortunately, on this book, it's more miss. His Batman and villains scenes aren't nearly as inspired as last week's offering from Capullo on Batman #1. Finch's Bruce Wayne also leaves a lot to be desired. The clunky dialouge and tired story does this title no favors. This book is so pedestrian, it's actually bad. Skip. 
• Blackhawks - GI Joe in the DC universe. Art and story weren't anything to write home about but the premise will bring me back for another issue. Flip through.
• Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men - Nothing new here. I must admit, some of the graturitous violence in these books is starting to get to me. Skip.
• Green Lantern: New Guardians - And on the fourth week there shall arrive a Green Lantern book worth reading. Maybe it's because of all the Lanterns, I have the least experience with Kyle, but this book was so refreshing. Fast-paced action, decent writing and art go a long way to making this title my favorite of the Lantern family. Buy, for now.
• I, Vampire - If I said this book was Twilight meets DC, I would be doing it a disservices; it's more than that. It's very well-drawn and nicely dialogued, albeit a bit light. At the end of the day, however. vampires aren't really my thing. Flip through.
• Justice League Dark - Wonderful pacing (we meet all the characters), fantastic art, brilliant concepts. This book had it all. Also, our first glimpse into what the regular Justice League look like. Buy.
• Superman - Admittedly, I didn't make it through this book. Too. Many. Words. Art was decent. Skip.
• Teen Titans - Couldn't care less. Never was a Titans guy. This did nothing to change that. Skip for me, maybe more for you.
• The Flash - Manapul's art may be getting a little too loose. I'm not sure if I care where this story is going. Flip through. 
• The Savage Hawkman - Hawkman is one of those characters that no one gets but no one really asks for. I can do without. Mediocre. Flip through.
• Voodoo - The book that boys are going to hide from their mothers. The whole thing takes place in a strip club and the art serves the purpose. Really hot stuff. Not sure if I care about the character, though. Flip through, but not in public ;)

That's it folks! 52 books in 5 weeks. Things got kinda rough there at the end, huh?

Don't have any idea what I'm talking about. Check out the New 52.

DC, The New 52 Week 3

Here's a quick run-down of the third week's books.
*Warning* Spoilers! Duh!

• Batman - WOWZA! This is one of the best single issues of a comic I've ever read. Yup, I'm going there. This was outstanding. Scott Snyder can do wrong, right now. Greg Capullo is a best. I don't want to talk about it anymore because  you'll stop believing me. Buy. Buy for everyone on your Christmas list.
• Birds of Prey - Interesting... Art, was stylistically nice, but not well executed. Story was sparse. We don't meet the whole team. Iffy. Flip through.
• Blue Beetle - Maybe it's because I'm Hispanic, but I can't stand Spanglish in mainstream art; it never sounds natural. I don't really care about Blue Beetle and this issue didn't help. Horrible coloring, to boot. Skip.
• Captain Atom - Another comic where I don't really care for the character, but this was well done. Decent art, but the story didn't grab me. Flip through.
• Catwoman - It's somewhat embarrassing to admit how much fun I had with this comic. I know it's cheesecake and a bit exploitative... but... damn.... Catwoman is sexy! I know a lot of people are upset with how this issue unfolded, but I think that's a double standard. How many Bond movies have we seen where the guy gets the girl at the end? Flip the script. Buy.
• DC Universe Presents - This was disappointing. I wanted to like a Deadman book, but this was too wordy and self-important. Boring. Skip.
• Green Lantern Corps - I guess I just don't care about this part of the universe, anymore. Flip through, only if you're a Lantern fan.
• Legion of Super Heroes - Craptastic. Nothing says first issue like a barrage of weird characters with strange abilities and goofy names. Too much to deal with here. Skip.
• Nightwing - Damn. They gone and messed up Grayson. Dick lives up to his name and acts like a jerk in this issue. Scenario: He's hanging out at a bus terminal in a seedy part of town when two guys tell him to give up his designer shades. How does he deal with the situation? By beating the crap outta them. Even after one guy is begging for mercy, Dick puts his boot in his face! What the what? Skip.
• Red Hood and the Outlaws - Great art. Confusing plot. Odd characterization. Über sexy, but not enough to make me care. Flip through.
• Supergirl - A really terrific first encounter issue. The origin of heroes get real tired real fast, but this was done masterfully. A bit of a quick read, but masterfully told. Fantastic art and neat concepts.
• Wonder Woman - Finally, a Wonder Woman story I can get behind. Decent art by Cliff Chiang, but not his best. Heavy writing from Azarello, the man won't slow down for you to catch up. Great action and coloring. I definitely think the book benefitted from not being set in Wonder Woman's home land... which... the name escapes me now, but you know what I'm talking about.

That's it for this weeks. Kinda crappy, except for a few gems. Only one more week of new books to go!

Don't have any idea what I'm talking about. Check out the New 52.

See ya next Wednesday 

DC, The New 52 Week 2

Here's a quick run-down of the second week's books.
*Warning* Of coarse there's gonna be spoilers!

• Batman & Robin - Really enjoyable. Bruce and Damian have some entertaining banter. [Wait a sec. Isn't this Bruce supposed to be in his mid to late twenties? And his son is 10 years old?! Yikes!] This issue started with some tired Batman tropes but quickly kicked into high gear with some decent action and neat ideas. Buy
• Batwoman - Perhaps the most highly anticipated of this week's books. J.H. Williams III is truly a comic master and this issue is a visual treat. No-one does lay outs like he does, nor should they try. The art isn't all flash either, it lends itself to some nice character moments. Buy 3.
• Deathstroke - This was a lot of fun. DC seems to do a good job at making you care about villains, and even root for them from time to time. Slick, dynamic art with great inks and colors. Cool tech and snappy dialogue. The action flick of this week's stack. Buy.
• Demon Knights - This book is Lord of the Rings fantasy with Game of Thrones sensibilities. Demons, dragons, magic... it's all here. Rich dialogue and story-telling, not for the lazy. The smartest book of the week. Buy
• Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. - Jeff Lemire wins comics. Last week, he creeped us out with Animal Man. This week, he gives us big, fun monsters. Big science ideas coupled with classic monsters all adds up to great comics. The art, by Alberto Ponticelli, is gorgeous. Lively, cartoony, and packed with visual interest, reminiscent of Paul Pope. Great colors and textures, as well. DC now has it's Hellboy. Buy.
• Green Lantern - What a difference a couple of years makes. Green Lantern went from being DC's flagship book to being just another tired series. This is probably where Geoff Johns should have gotten off. Hal Jordan is desperate need of some revitalization. Boring. Skip.
• Grifter - I wanted to like this book. Grifter has always looked like a cool character, Wildstorm's answer to Gambit. I knew nothing of Grifter going in, and after reading it, know even less. Nothing happened. Skip.
• Legion Lost - What? Who? Huh? Not a good first issue. I have a vague sense of who the Legion are but this book did nothing to help bring me into the world. Art was kinda interesting. Skip.
• Mister Terrific - Damn. This sucked. Boring story, campy dialogue, questionable art (characters seem to turn away from each other mid-converstation, faces change, bodies lack skeletons). Skip.
• Red Lanterns - Who cares? Red Lanterns? Really? Skip
• Resurrection Man - Yes! This is exactly what a first issue should be. I had no idea who this character was going in, and now I'm hooked. Great concepts, action, dialogue, art. Plenty of content with a cliff-hanger ending. Buy, big time. In fact... PICK OF THE WEEK!!!
• Suicide Squad - The surprise awesome of the week! I know fans are put off by Harley Quinn's redesign, but I'm starting to come around to it. The old costume really only makes sense in the cartoons. This book had a killer setup and was suspenseful right up to the end. Fantastic, slick art. Great mood. Cool characters. Buy. Really. I'm serious. Buy.
• Superboy - Don't let the cover put you off, this was a great book! Nothing earth-shattering, you kinda can tell where the story is going, but it was still fun. Great, expressive, cartoony art, reminiscent of Amanda Conner. Buy.

There ya have it. We're halfway through DC's relaunch, and the results are somewhat mixed. The good stuff feels really good, while the bad stuff feels really bad. Maybe they could have launched the New 26.

Oh well...

Don't have any idea what I'm talking about. Check out the New 52.

See ya next Wednesday 

DC, The New 52 Week 1

Here's a quick run-down of the first week's books.
*Warning* There be spoilers ahead!

• Justice League (from last week): Wonky dialogue aside, a fun read with dynamic art. You kinda, gotta stick with this book because it feels like the rest of the universe will hang on it. Buy.
• Action Comics: Old school (1930s) Superman who fights for the little guy. Not a perfect issue but a good start. Buy.
• Animal Man: The comic aficionado's darling from the first week. The art is not for everyone, which I think is a bit of a shame because the story is chilling and provocative. Buy.
• Batgirl: Just okay. Barbara's return is a little cloudy, but the action was kinda neat. I'm a sucker for girl detective books. Buy, for now.
• Batwing: Batman in Africa, I'm there. Painted, stiff art kept this from being enjoyable. Oddly gruesome. Flip though in the shop.
• Detective Comics: Surprisingly enjoyable, but not for everyone. The dialogue is corny and the action a little confusing, but great art and a creepy Joker were enough to get past that. The summer popcorn flick of the bunch. Buy from me, flip through for you.
• Green Arrow: Awful. Awful dialogue. Awful plot. Awful art. Awful. Oliver's redesign  is actually kinda neat, but the whole thing is a waste. Hopefully someone can come in and save this character before he becomes the Aquaman of this universe. Skip.
• Hawk and Dove: Even worse. Worse dialogue. Worse plot. Worse art. Worse. I'm a little upset because even though I'm not a fan of Liefeld's art, I was as a kid in the early 90s. His enthusiasm is contagious but he doesn't deliver on this book. Sterling Gates' boring story doesn't help, either. Skip, and don't look back.
• Justice League International: Another nice surprise! This feels like the same book everybody dug in the late 80s. The art is somewhat antiquated, but in a way I like. There's a lot of dialogue and exposition here, but not every book needs to be a 5 minute read. Great banter between a lot of characters, enjoyable even though I wasn't familiar with most of them. Buy, if team books are your thing.
• Men of War: A big disappointment. One of the most exciting aspects of the new 52 was the inclusion of different genre books. When war comics are done right, they can be really fantastic; as good as any movie. Unfortunately, and idiotically, DC decided not to reprise Srgt. Rock, a fantastic character, and instead are using his grandson. He's a whiny b***h. The book is padded with a backup story to try to justify the $3.99 price point, but $2.99 still wouldn't be worth it. Skip, sadly.
• OMAC: Wholly Crap! This was awesome. Two pages in, and I was like, "What the what?" A love letter to Kirby and fun comics. The whole thing moves like a speeding train. Make sure you stop and drool over the art. Buy 2!
• Static Shock: Uhh.... I don't have any history with this character, so any reveals fell flat on me. However, it was on the creators to make me care. He reads like DC's answer to Spider-Man, which is cool. He seems to be the only character in New York, which is neat and weird. Seemed like a solid comic, but nothing special. Skip for me, buy for fans of the show.
• Stormwatch: This book is going to be the sci-fi comic for smart people. Art was week, but concepts are interesting. Martian the Manhunter should fit in nicely. Buy, for now.
• Swamp Thing: Nothing happened! Not the strongest start but the pedigree of talent on this book means you have to stick with it. Buy.

I noticed I just wrote more about the bad books than I did about the good ones. I'm not trying to be negative, but I don't want to ruin the good stuff. Besides, this is the last time I'll be mentioning the bad ones. 

Don't have any idea what I'm talking about. Check out the New 52.

See ya Wednesday 

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, Thoughts

I write this 2 full days after WWCC has ended, giving myself some time recuperate and gather my thoughts.

First off, I'd like to address the show from a fan's perspective. Bear in mind, I spent only a couple hours on the actual show floor, most of my time was spent manning our table in Artist's Alley. Speaking of which, it was easily the largest Artist Alley I've, or anyone I've spoken to had ever seen. The area seemed to take up nearly half of the show floor. Wizard touted a guest list of over 500 artists (who knows for sure). There were more than a handful of tables that stayed empty all weekend, even though they bore the name of an artist. I have a hard time believing that someone would shell out a few hundred bucks for a table and not bother to show up. This leads me to believe that quite a few tables were given away, perhaps with the hope of filling up the space. I'm well aware that Cons regularly invite high profile artists and offer complimentary tables, but some of these tables seemed to belong to "relatively unknown" artists, with all due respect. Now, why make Artist Alley larger if it is difficult to fill? This leads to another interesting observation: The larger Artist Alley came at the expense of a dwindling retailer area. The amount of comic and collectible dealers on hand were much less than in previous years. Unfortunately, this meant less deals were to be had. Don't get me wrong, with a little determination and luck, you can find some true treasures. Unfortunately, they seemed fewer and further between. Less dealers meant less competition, which is too bat at what is considered a "shopping show". With the ever-increasing popularity of the autograph section, it seemed as if the dealers were getting swallowed between the celebrities and the comics. Weird.

Now, for some thoughts as an exhibitor. I appreciate Wizard giving our company the opportunity to exhibit, I truly do, however, their organization left a lot to be desired. I'm not going to get into the details, mainly because they're boring. What I will say is that they made mistakes and weren't able to rectify them, even with my persistent, but well delivered, complaining. From what I hear, C2E2 has them beat in this department. As for the action our table saw, I was pretty pleased. Thursday and Friday were more than dead, we only sold a few items and things looked bleak. Saturday, however, was an onslaught. The crowd was enormous, and a surprisingly high number of them were willing to take a chance on a comic they've never heard of. The original art we sold kept my sister busy while I pitched our comic to many curious customers. We were so busy, we weren't even able to eat lunch. It was good. Sunday was also well attended and provided some decent business. What can't be calculated is the invaluable relationships made during the show. My sister and I made numerous connections with various industry professionals. All of them were extremely supportive and helpful. This aspect made us even more excited to further pursue this venture.

In closing, Wizard is still a good show, for attendees and exhibitors. Sure, most people aren't there for the comics, but enough of them trickle in to make a difference.