Aris Asks

Comic Capsule Review 5/27/2009

2009-05-30T14:08:00.001-07:00

Before I start..Kudos to DC for use of the Red Circle heroes. Nice placements. Who's ever idea that was. Gold star.

Trinity #52: A nice send off to an enjoyable story. I think Busiek and Nicieza tied up all the loose ends nicely and left a plentiful toy box of threads for creators to use in the future. bravo. I liked much of the dialogue between the characters. Particularly the discussion between Carter, Alan Scott and Jay Garrick. And I loved The trinity (Batman, Supes and Wonder Woman) discussing how they felt as gods to those closest to them and of course them doing what they do best running off to save the day in a big splash leading DC's heroes to the next challenge. The one thing I found odd was Enigma and Sphere(Steph(his daughter), They want to give Earth-3 (the opposite DC Earth and home of the Crime Syndicate) Hope...not looking like that. They need some serious new duds...they look like villains. I am not sure what's next for Krona, but he has always been an interesting character, hopefully he will show up again someday. The art was very nice, not the greatest. Bagley is great and his pages are always dynamic, but as throughout the series the companion artists haven't been consistent. And you can see it on these pages as well. Again wonderful colors by Pantazis. have fun on your well deserved vacation Kurt. Can't wait for Wednesday Comics. 8.5 out of 10

Amazing Spiderman #595: That was a great Spiderman issue. No two ways about it. Joe Kelly really did a great job with every character in the book. Especially portraying Peter's rising frustration with Osborne and wanting to protect his best friend Harry (to no avail) from Norman. Great roof top conversation by Spidey and Wolverine, just a really excellent scene. Great use of a cameo. And the After the dinner that didn't happen at Gracie Mansion, we are presented with a powerful, dramatic beat down of Osborne by Spidey...that is really to no avail again. Much to Spidey's frustration Norman Osborne always wins. In the end he gets the call from his son. Norman uses any one and any thing to get what he wants. tense powerful superhero drama. I love Norman's threat to Spidey. More then just the word it's illustrated beautifully by Phil Jimenez. And every page is beautiful. unique and expressive characters, wonderful backgrounds, detail off the scale, and intense action. the beat down scene of Spidey man-handling Norman was intense and powerful. This issue rocked. BND nay-sayers better get on board. Your missing some great stuff. 9.5 out of 10

Wonder Woman #32: Certainly the best issue since the Queen of Fables two-parter. A great massive superfight. And I must admit a pretty damn well done one to boot. Visceral, powerful, big. What the issues should have felt like all along since Genocide showed up. Nice touches, like throwing buses and missiles. Great. I even liked some of the narration by Diana. The one element of the big fight I did not like was Wonder Woman using her tiara as a melee weapon, dumb is the only thing I can say about that. Other then that, the entire fight, including ripping the lasso out of Genocide's body was amazing. What I didn't like was that although the narration was good you get no emotional resonance from the dialogue or character interaction. The reveal about Wonder Woman's feeling about Nemesis was...well...*lame* and Zeus (still in his space suit) talking at Achilles was weak at best. he needs to tell Achilles, legendary warrior of warriors and leader of the Myrmidons about intensity...I think if any one knows a thing or too about that it's the greatest mythic warrior ever. That being said I am curious about the next chapter and what Ares is up to. The art was excellent. Really nice powerful super hero slug fest pages by Lopresti. Intense. And the colors in this book are great too. A solid read and hopefully a sign of things to come from this book. 7.5 out of 10

New Avengers #53: Bendis brings it big time with this issue. Of course it's filled with great banter. Its fun in that regard. But what really is working is the use of characters, the interactions, and best of all a well executed story. I love the bit with Cap finding it odd no will take a gun. And I really love Damien Hellstorm. Wow. I have always loved him, way back to the bare chested and a cape days. But here, he comes of as an interesting character. I love his parts in the issue and his confrontation with the Hood. I love him asking matter of factly, "who is the demon possessing you?". This Search for the next Sorcerer Supreme has been fun, the Action and story has been great, and as much as I though I would hate having Wolvie and Spidey on the same team...I am thinking they should stay Avengers forever. I am not the biggest fan of Tan. he tends to be a little messy for my tastes but I have to admit he does a fantastic job with the camera and moving it around. and although sometimes the characters are oddly skinny or posed. The action and expression is dynamic. He does a hell of a super fight in the streets of New Orleans. I mean explosive. I cannot wait to see how this ends. The whole scene in Damien's apartment between him and Hood are beautifully handled. This issue was bananas. Can the Hood be saved? If Dormammu makes it to the Earth plane..the NEW Avengers are gonna need some back up. And I am curious who will be the New Sorcerer Supreme? , I was kinda hoping for Wiccan. 9 out of 10

Supergirl #41: It is sad when a great story, especially one that has ran several issues with the original art team is ruined by a fill in artist. Not that Dagnino is horrible. He is homage artist. Heavily influenced by the Davis/Hitch/Reis style. Unfortunately it comes off a ta amateurish. Some of the anatomy is too awkward and the weird panel shapes are distracting. again not horrible. But really not on a level with what Igle has been bringing since he joined the book. And worse the coloring also contributed to muting the art. Page after page instead of enhancing the art the colors are either dark, or have a burnt effect which I believe is supposed to be shading. The action is handled well overall, and there are some good dramatic scenes, like the last page. But I really wish Igle could have finished this off. I love his art. After all the complaining about the art the story ends great. We get a dramatic climactic battle and really I love hating Reactron. He has become an awesome villain. You really get impact and emotion from the script especially in the final pages of the issue. Theres a real sense of loss here. And I am sure general Lane is gonna be out for blood, Great job Gates, i really would love to see yo on the Teen Titans. I recommend this series highly. I was just let down by the issues art, Big time. 6 out of 10

Superman #688: A mixed bag. While good, and definitely sets up some more great plot. The book has been moving slow. But what was here was good. I like the dialogue a lot. And am glad Mon-el has no become a duplicate of Superman. I love Harper. I would love a series with him. Robinson does much to pull us in, but doesn't really give us anything explosive. The Sci-police freeing Tellus from general lane, with a pointless fire fight between guards and the science police as Guardian and Mon do the break out without any resistance of any type although there is a great silent confrontation with Code Name: Assassin in the night sky. So I have high hopes for what is to come. Things I did not like were. Mon-El's hair. That is not his hairstyle and never will be. Please pay attention to detail like that. Mon-el has history with a huge group of fans, Legion nuts like myself. So get it right. Next. Can some one tell Guedes Dr. Like is Japanese. And her costume is horrible. A pointless and badly conceived cosmetic change for no reason. If you are gonna do it..go all in. And lastly...What does' Mon-el know about Hemingway or what would be considered a classic quality of human women in Paris? that was odd. The art was good. I can't complain about Guedes too much. nice backgrounds and great expression. The coloring is a little washed for my taste. So over all. The book is plodding along..something important needs to happen soon. 6 out of 10

Justice Society of America #27: The past it seems comes back to haunt certain members of the Society. I think this arc by Ordway will be a nice fill in as we wait fir Willminghamn to come on board. Forgot how well Ordway knows these characters, he was drawing them way back in All-Star Squadren days. Its a solid read, but not big on action. Basically Obsidian locks out certain members from the JSA Brownstone as he has a feeling certain members are in danger. To the other he requests that they stop whatever is going to happen from getting in. Well they don't bickering in and out leads to the Ghost getting in and kidnapping Green Lantern, Flash, Wildcat, Liberty Belle and Hourman back to Hiroshima, and the heroes are powerless to stop the Atomic blast. meanwhile the issue ends with Spectre appearing before the other members essentially saying, come with me if you want to save your friends. The art by Ordway and Wiacek is perfect for these characters, I always say that when Ordway draws the book. But I can't help it, there is something about his style that captures a certain quality that works especially well on them. Not to mention he is an incredible storyteller. Simple straight forward panel arrangements, he doesn't mess around with busy scenes and hyerstylization or flash. 7.5 out of 10

Hercules #129: More fun of mythic proportions by Pak and Van Lente. This book continues to be one of my favorite monthly reads. And what has been best is how the writers in a witty way have inserted the last two major events into the title. The God Squad was fun and the last arc with the Dark Avengers was great as well..Herc being one of my favorite characters tossing around Sentry will always put a smile on my face. This issue continues Herc's mission against the evil God's plans on Earth, Athena sends Herc and Cho in to Hades to save Zeus. Unfortunately it's by way of an Atlantic City Casino. Silly? Sure. But well executed and fun. Nice little cameos of characters like Wasp and Jack-of-hearts, amusing scenes with the boatman Charon, and a great cliffhanger of Zeus in chains at Hades feet. The art is also really nice by Stegman. Clean, great character and expression and gesture. Good storytelling and he really handles the brief moments of excitement and action like a pro. Some really nice splash pages. I like the coloring, but it tends to be a little dark in places. Overall a good read, but definitely a slower pace to get to the big action that seems to be waiting n the next issue. This is a book I always recommend people pick up. You will be pleasantly surprised. 8 out of 10

Wolverine: Old Man Logan #72: If this isn't the best Wolverine story in the last 10-15 years you really have to prove it to me. This is high octane, Mad Max comics with superheroes with the added bonus of two of the best creators in the business right now, Millar writing and McNiven drawing doing everything perfectly. I don't care if it's in continuity or not, I don't care about anything other then it's a fun visceral ride executed by the best in the biz. And really i can't imagine this arc done by any one else. It will stand the test of time mark my words. The writing and pace is excellent, Millar has you on the edge of your seat from the moment you get a history lesson from the Red-Skull. It all comes together. The background and character quirks make this wonderful if a somewhat fast read. But it doesn't matter, because you get a great fight between Logan and Skrull. Sure the ending is somewhat predictable, but you know that's how it has to be. Logan returns home after his personal Pilgrim's Progress to find his family is killed. The Hulk Clan are in for it big time. Vengeance. And I am sure it will be just as fun and visceral as the rest of the series. From an art perspective it is perfect. McNiven's tone and style, use of detail is amazing. All the elements come together to tell a great story. It's almost like it isn't a Marvel comic. Like Marvel characters are on loan to Heavy Metal. The violence is strangely appropriate to the title. And the expression is perfect, page after page there great facial expressions...the last few of Logan are amazing...and McNiven may do the best Red Skull ever. The book is full of memorable scenes. Especially obviously the last page of Wolverine claws extended. Brilliant. But my personal favorite image is the homage to the Zeck Captain America Cap Vs Wolverine cover with roles reversed. Nice touch. I wonder who's idea that was. This book is great. There is no excuse in the world not to buy this. 10 out of 10

Green Lantern #41: Another book that is great but suffers some due to fill in art. The story is great don't get me wrong. I love Agent Orange actually, although I don't like that his Corps are orange energy constructs he creates. I understand the power is his. And he shouldn't have to generate what essentially amount to slaves to do his bidding. He is Greed incarnate everything is his and done for his pleasure. Johns adds another layer of tapestry to the Lantern mythology with Agent Oranges origin. Very nice interesting stuff. My only quip is whats going on with Hal and the Green and Blue rings. I am kinda glad he gets his arm lopped off so agent Orange can claim it. And it was interesting how Hope is tied to Greed in the story. Where the art fails is in Tan's art. he isn't bad, but it certainly needs to be reigned in and tightened up his pages are chaotic, and at times lack focus. I am not sure having a strong inker would help. It seems to be his style. That being said he does well with alien design and landscapes. The origin of Agent Orange and the history lesson is drawn by some one I think has big things in store for him. Eddy Barrows, the guy is amazing. But for some reason he falls victim to the chaos as well. But I think it is far superior storytelling to Tan's pages. The coloring tends to be dark. And maybe it works with the story, I think with all the ambient light from the rings especially when Lanterns of different colors or the Guardians are unleashing their power it should be deliberately brighter. 8 out of 10

Hey did Animal Man come out this week? I missed it. Need to get that. Gerry Conway and Chris Batista..gotta have it.

Retro-review: Silver Surfer Annual #1 (1988)

2009-05-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

Before doing this review I would have sworn this comic came out in the 90's. I guess after having read so many books over the years many series and periods seem to mesh together for me.

But it was the late 80's(1988). I was loving this Silver Surfer relaunch.
Englehart, the late great Marshall Rogers and Rubenstein had really done an amazing job revitalizing and weaving a great tale in the first 12 issues. Essentially using the Elders to great effect in a ploy to use the Infinity Gem to restart the universe as the only survivors each become a Galactus. It doesn't work obviously, but it is executed perfectly by the creative team, who go on to continue the tale and expand into a war between the Kree and the Skrulls.

That being said the annual came out and was part of Marvel's Evolutionary War event that ran through all the Marvel annuals.

The gist of the story is the High Evolutionary wants to perfect humanity and requires some essential DNA information from Surfer to do so. So he pops up in Olympia and appeals to the Eternals to collect it for him. Since they benefitted from similar genetic tampering millenia ago at the hands of the Celestials they think it's a good idea to force Surfer to volunteer his DNA for humanities greater good. Science spawned gods they are...ethics can be ignored.

In the mean time, Sufer is returning to Earth and witnesses the reconstruction of the Super-skrull who had been scattered into the atmosphere as radiation. They fight, and Surfer wonders if he should tell Super-skrull that is race is again at war with the Kree..and have lost their natural shape-shifting abilities.. The fight is interrupted and the unlikely allies are captured by Ikaris and the other Eternals. Brought to Olympia for testing, the Surfer finally has enough and he and Super-skrull escape and battle anew with the Eternals.

Eventually Super-Skrull ties to escape, and as the Eternals go to chase, Surfer prevents them and tells Super-skrull to go and that he will hold off the Eternals, his people need him, as his genetic code may hold the key to revitalizing the Skrull race. The Skrull thanks him and the Eternals finally have a change of heart as forcing a living being to do something like succumb to unwanted testing isn't right. Nice tidy ending no fuss no muss.

It may sound silly, but even upon re-reading all these years later Steve Englehart's plot and scripting makes for great classic comics. the best of intentions lead to confrontation and realization that I was the wrong thing to do.

The execution is great. Englehart's script is to the point, and enjoyable. The characters are handled well and play their parts in the big scheme of things. Its also nice how Englehart seeds plots for the future that will last 25 issues or so and end up making Super-skrull one of my favorite characters while still making the story relevant to the larger event Marvel's Evolutionary War.

The art chores are handled well by Joe Staton. Its very cartoony as always, manages to work well for superheroes. He does a great job on the story-telling and action. There is nice action and great expression. Rubenstein inks and like always really adds nice finishing touches to the pencils. I don't think Staton's work is as dynamic as Marshall's or Lim's(who tales over Surfer soon after), but it is certainly strong enough to carry this story.

The great thing about the annuals of this time was additional content, and in this particular annual its all good. A great story drawn by Lim, and I think this was the first time I saw his art, that provided a prelude of sort to the next chapter of the story with the Eternals, and widened to eventually include a great war between the In-betweener and Galactus. And another story with the rebirth of Mantis, who also becomes an important secondary character in the book.

Finally you have some awesome pin-ups by Ron Lim and Joe Rubenstein.

All in all a great read, I really recommend every one who love cosmic comic book super heroes to pick this issue up, and to also check of the series. Englehart, Rogers, Staton, Lim, Rubenstein..they really did an amazing re-envisioning of Surfer and really told some fun, epic stories.

Grade: 9 out of 10

Aris Asks Cully Hamner

2009-05-27T11:56:00.001-07:00

Cully Hamner is currently working on The Question which will will appear monthly as a co-feature in Detective comics beginning with issue #854 from DC. Recently he finished up Black Lightning: Year One and a run on Blue Beetle and is also known for his creator owned project RED. He is one of my favorite artists ever, and really thankful he took the time to answer some questions.

1. Why do you think people think you are Black?

I've been trying to figure that out for almost 20 years now. The only thing I can think of is that when people first started to notice me, I was the artist on GREEN LANTERN: MOSAIC. That was the one that featured the JohnStewart GL, who is black. I guess add to that a name that isn't Mike or Jim or Steve, and people's own benign prejudices or preconceived notions do the rest. I don't care, really, what color people think I am, as long they spell my name right.

2. Besides the guys in your studio who is the biggest influence on your art?

Oh, let's see. I grew up in the 70's and 80's, so I could list anywhere from DC greats like Schaffenberger, Swan, Oksner, and Giordano to Marvel ones like Byrne, Miller, Simonson, Paul Smith, and like a hundred inbetween.

When I hit my late teens, I discovered Mike Mignola and the late,great Will Eisner. And around that time I discovered that writers could influence an artist as a storyteller, as well-- probably because Byrne,Miller, and Simonson all wrote their own stuff-so it became important for met o learn what makes a story work.

I noticed a lot of television writers,because I felt that they had to work in a way that was compact and episodic,and get a lot of information across with very little. I guess instinctively felt a relation between TV and comics. So, I'd add Rod Serling very prominently to the list, along with Harlan Ellison for both his TV and short fiction.

3. How did you get into comics?

As a reader or as an artist?

As a reader, I don't remember. I read everything as a kid, and comics were around. I liked to do that and to draw, so the math is pretty evident, I guess.

As an artist, I just figuredout pretty early that it was something I wanted to do. So, I always drew,and wrote, and begged my Mom to buy me books on it all-- which, by the way,she and my Dad were actually pretty great about. I was the only kid I knew of in my area that had a makeshift drafting table set-up in my pre-teens. I had a pretty functional little studio, complete with supplies, in my room.And for me to have that in a family of six, sharing a room with my older brother, you have to hand it to my parents.

4. Are you sure you're the same guy that drew Green Lantern: Mosaic?

Yup. Like I said, my first substantial work in comics-eleven issues, I think.

5. How did you get involved with Gaijin?

I had met a writer by the name of Chuck Moore at the Atlanta Spring Comics Fair while I was showing samples around. I want to say that I was maybe twenty. Chuck knew Brian Stelfreeze, and took me over to his studio one day. It was the first time I'd ever seen a real working comic book artist's studio, and I think both Karl Story and Adam Hughes were there visiting,though I may be mixing up visits. But I basically just melted into the group. At the time, there were those guys, plus Craig Hamilton, Joe Phillips, Tony Harris, Wade Von Grawbadger were also hanging around. Dave Johnson and Jason Pearson came into that orbit right around the same time as me, I think, but there was no Gaijin yet.

I do remember on one visit that Brian pulled me aside and said that the plan was for a bunch of the guys to congregate in Atlanta and lease a warehouse space together, to form astudio, and he wanted me in it. The thinking was that the one criteria was that you had to have a regular paying gig, and I didn't have Mosaic yet.Once I did, I saved some money for a few months, and made the move in June or July of 1992. I was kind of the last puzzle piece of that initial group to move in; Brian, Adam, Joe, Jason, Dave, Tony, and Stine Walsh (a veryfine oil painter) were already there. Karl had been there during that firstyear, but left temporarily when his wife at the time had to move for her job. He did come back to stay, though, eventually.

6. Have you ever been intimidated by another artists work?

From day one and every day since! And thanks for rubbing it in.

7. What are you working on right now?

I'm working with Greg Rucka on DETECTIVE COMICS, doing The Question,starting with issue # 854, and having the best time. I really love working on it. I like the character, I like who I'm working with, I like thes tories (which are of a very manageable length for me to do on a schedule).Just no downside so far, the whole situation has me whistling while I work.

8. Blue Beetle, Black Lightning: Year One, and now the Question.your arguablythe whitest guy in comics, what's with the ethnic characters?

You got me, pal. It's another thing I've been trying to figure out. May bebecause I try to be fair and honest in my portrayal of ethnic characters? I don't know. The bottom line is that I try to approach characters from the inside out, rather than the reverse. Whether that has ever had something to do with me being assigned a disproportionate number of characters who aren't whitey, I have no clue.

9. Do you have any other projects on the horizon after the Question?

Hmm. I do, but nothing I feel I can talk about. For the foreseeable future,it's The Question.

10. What is going on with Red?

A bit, actually. Summit Entertainment-the studio behind TWILIGHT, KNOWING,and PUSH-bought an option from Warren Ellis and me last year, and it's being produced by Lorenzo DiBonaventura, former WB studio chief and producer of TRANSFORMERS, and Mark Vahradian. Last I heard, they were talking with Bruce Willis to star and a few people, among them Richard Donner, to direct.It seems to me that they're moving with a fair head of steam, so I'm hopeful that it actually gets made.

Also, DC/Wildstorm will be publishing abrand-new edition of the original work in June. It has a new cover by me,and features all three original issues, along with Warren's first-issue script and my first-issue layouts, side-by-side. All that, plus my character sketches and the like.

11. What did you think of Kirkman's creator owned argument a while back?

I think it's a nice idea, but probably not real feasible if you're not considered to be in the top five percent of pros in this business. I'm too busy making a living and paying my bills most of the time, and I have to be very strategic about when I do creator-owned work. I'll do more, for sure,but it can only be when my own circumstances allow it. Still, I think what Robert said needed saying.

12. What is your relationship to 12 Gauge Comics?

Minimal, for now, due to my DC exclusivity, but I guess I'm part of a braintrust for 12 Gauge. I was one of the folks that was on the ground floor of it, and later accepted a "Creative Consultant" title to offer whatever experience I could without cutting too much into my main projects. Keven Gardner, Doug Wagner, Brian Stelfreeze, and Jason Pearson are all my buds,and I help whenever I'm asked and wherever I can.

13. You're on the internet a lot, how do you get any work done?

Before I can give you an answer, Aris, you have to tell me, down to the minute, how much time I do actually spend on the internet. Get back to me with that, would you?

14. Any advice for aspiring comic artists?

It's not just about drawing, in and of itself. Develop the writer within you along with the artist, take control of your craft, and always try to foster a dialogue with your writer. Be a partner, listen, but don't be afraid to contribute on a story level, as long as you do no harm to the idea. You are not there simply to take dictation. Your job is to service the story.

15. Does it make your day knowing your one of my top three favorite artists?

It not only makes my day, it makes me regular, my friend. You're my own personal laxative.

16. How long does it take you to do a finished page?

It depends on how much work the page itself calls for, but I average something like three or four pages a week, pencils and inks, give or take.

17. If you weren't drawing comics you would be?

Probably still something creative, maybe in film, TV, or animation, I guess.I never considered the possibility that I wouldn't be doing comics when I was trying to break in. How arrogant is THAT?

18. You're driving on a windy rainy night. You spot a car broke down on the sideof the road, you stop, roll down the window and its George W. Bush, what do you do?

First, I look around for cameras. Then I ask him if he slipped his SecretService detail. Again.

19. Is Dave Johnson an ordained minister?

He is, as are Karl Story and myself. When Dave was in the studio, we all sent away for certification in the Universal Life Church of Modesto,California. Far as I can tell, it's legal, and any of us can actually perform marriage ceremonies and such.

20. Gaijin Studios is an amazing concentration of talent, has been for years,are you guys actually in a studio together?

Thanks. We're together just about every day, actually, and the core of us has been since 1991. It's not one of those virtual "studios," where people live in different states, work home, and only appear together at cons. We come in every day and work.

21.Who are the other members?

Currently, Brian Stelfreeze, Doug Wagner, Karl Story, Laura Martin, and myself.

21. Who would win in a Thunder Dome style fight to the death?

Brian, 'cause he'd cheat!

22. What is the best thing about being a comic artist?

Being essentially your own boss, being creative, having fans... I could goon. I mean, sure, there are negatives, but who wants to hear that, and why on earth would I ever complain? I'm really lucky.

23. You seem like a politically savvy guy, who would you describe your politicalviews?

On my Facebook, I describe myself as a "pragmatic lefty." I consider myself a liberal, and all that that implies, but I get tired of being told that that means I don't love my country, I don't respect people in uniform, and that people like me are elitist and weak. Nothing could be further from the truth. I understand that wars are necessary at times; I just want it to be a last resort and for good reason. I understand that a strong economy depends upon favorable conditions for business; I just don't want it to be at the expense of the little guy. I understand that the majority rules, but I feel that the voice of the minority should be respected and protected. I think we should respect intelligence, not demonize it. I have no wish to live in a theocracy. I think we should take care of the planet as best we can. And I think that people should be in charge of their own bodies, and should be able to marry the person they love-period.

24. People say the days of paper comics are numbered, what do you think?

It's certainly possible, and even probable, but I don't think it'll happen with any permanence until someone comes up with a light, hand-held notebook computer that looks, acts, and feels like paper. When computers match that,that's when the change over will happen. Until then, printing on paper and reading books is still the best option.

25. Your exclusive with DC now, but looking across the pond at the otherc ompanies, is there a character and creator who you haven't worked with thatyou have been dying to get at?

Sure, a number of them. I like Spider-Man, Captain America. I'd love a real shot at Daredevil sometime. Or to work with Mike Mignola on Abe Sapien, or Lobster Johnson, or something. There are tons of writers I'd like to work with, too many to name here.

26. How is Obama doing so far?

Well enough so far, given the mess he inherited. I'm reading that this recession has perhaps bottomed out, and I think it would've taken longer to do that had he not acted when he did. Am I happy about this bailout? Of course not, but given a situation like this, deficit spending and bailing out banks is the really the only thing to do. One of the reasons the Great Depression lasted so long is that the Hoover Administration let so many banks fail without stepping in right away.And it's nice to have a President that seems dignified, intelligent, and so genuinely good. We haven't had that in many, many years.

27. Does it bother you that he bowed before the Saudi King?

Not in and of itself, no. I have no problem with the President of theUnited States showing respect to a foreign ally who is royalty. Would anybody complain if he bowed to Queen Elizabeth? He's making an effort to change the image we've had to deal with for the last eight years, and to show the world that we can be respectful of other cultures. Our great Presidential tradition should be one of humility and calling, not acting-like Chief Executive who sits at the top of the world pyramid,demanding respect and showing none. We've had enough of that, in my opinion.

But it does bother me that Robert Gibbs, President Obama's Press Secretary,didn't defend it in any way other than to lie about it. He maintained that it wasn't a bow, that the President was stooping to shake his hand. Look, I saw the video-it was certainly and obviously a bow. I think most people would totally respect it if the Obama Administration just went ahead and owned it.Ultimately, though, it was just one of those non-issues that the media loves to exploit. It has nothing to do with anything.

You can find out more about Cully @ http://www.gaijinstudios.com/, they have a great message board there. Make sure to check it out and pick up Detective Comics #854...Batwoman and the Question? It's gonna be awesome.

Comic Capsule Reviews 5/20/2009

2009-05-23T04:43:00.000-07:00

Trinity #51: Spectacular. A wonderful engaging story about Krona's mad search for secret knowledge at all costs, personal motivations of Morgana and Despero for absolute power. Enigma yo save his world from the Crime Syndicate, And the very nature of the DCU due to the primacy of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman as the Trinity got even better as we hit the last several issues. In this issue The Earth is brought back together and the Trinity sacrifice the last of their power to deal with Krona, and also defeat Despero and Morgana who were contemplating a last dash for power and kill Enigma or have they. And it ends with a wonderful cliff hanger....Super, Bats and WW weakend turn to face their counterparts in the syndicate. great stuff. Busiek and Nicieza pull it all together very well with some nice scripting throughout. Bagley really does a stand out job with dynamism and energy..and I think he really does a great Batman. Pete Pantazis does wonderful colors over him. They should stay a team. unfortunately the portion of the book done be Derenick looked very rushed. Completely forced anatomy, even for his extreme style was way over the top. Morgana looked broken and twig like in many panels and some of the foreshortening was just to far and off. Still it reads well. And I can't wait to see what the climax holds. Great stuff. (Aquaman is back? Doesn't DC know they are supposed to hire me to write that story?) 8.5 out of 10

FC aftermath:DANCE #1: Mmmm..this is a tough one. admittedly I wasn't going to by any of the FC Aftermath stuff..but I love Chriscross' art. So I decided to buy it. And after reading it I still don't care about the characters, but I do like the developments. Basically Super Young Team gets sponsored by some Japanese consortium and even given a lot so super cool space station and throw a the appropriately marketed release party for their brand. What I liked was the script and Most Excellent Superbat and his internal exploration presented via "twtteratti" and his questioning through out the book. I like the part with Ultimon-Alpha a lot. Other then that nothing in it did any thing to make the characters interresting, which I hope will change as the story goes on. although the story itself is. I am curious about the ending and if MOSEXBAT finds what he is looking for and they become the next generation of heroes he sees himself as. Th art is great. Eventhough there isn't much in terms of superhero action, Chriscross really shows his chops with great character and expression, and wonderful work on the sets and back grounds. Its like super fusion comic manga-Kirby, especially the first two page splash interior of the Space Station. Impressive stuff. and he manages to bring a level of dynamism of that is usually absent in an issue that is mostly standing around talking. There is a bit of action thrown in there..and its fun, but not really essential. Not fan of the colors really, but it's not so bad as to distract from the art and story(Snakebite?). The saving grace for me is Casey's great scripting and Chrisscross' art. And that will keep me buying this series. 7 out of 10

Invincible #62: This comic is like a non-stop roller=coaster of super-fights to the max. Invincible can't get a break..coming out of the Invincible War he gets a Viltrumite powerhouse dropped on him, and he makes no pretense about it he likes to kill and destroy. Its an awesome superfight. And i love the end..the Global Defense Agency has a plan, an eerie sick plan, but unfortunately not the time to get it off the ground things don't bode well for the home town hero Invincible....if the next issues cover is any indication. The art is second to none. Almost no one can do what Ottley does every month. Cartoony, bold, dynamic, graphic...its one of the best illustrated books on the stands. and really I think out side of Mahnke no one can touch Ottley when it comes to visceral violence and power. This is a super fight you have to see. Power unleashed on a scale you would expect when two Superman level power houses face off. Punch into space? Yeo, City blocks destroyed? yep...all illustrated perfectly. and to add to Ottley's bold open art is Plascena's perfect colors. Awesome. 9 out of 10 for balls out action. There is no good reason not to read this book.

HULK #12: say what you want about Loeb, but as long as he has the space to tell his own stories and not muck with the continuous story telling in an ongoing his pretty much gonna give you an explosive fun rockarolla comic like no other. That what the Defenders/Offenders story has been. Sure we all hate Rulk, and this issue does nothing to change it...but the use of characters, cliche bolded dialogue and character antics coupled with McGuiness' power and style it's a home run hit full of fun. Listen I can't remember these versions of the characters where used this well, and really pays homage to all the comics I loved growing up and turning it on it's ear with some bizarre zaniness that blows the mind. Come on..how silly is it that Rulk kills Hulk, surfer and Terrax uses their combined power flies through Dormammu's head and then gets in Galactus' face all indignant like...it's as awesome as it is preposterous, it's a super hero cartoon...like Loeb took marvel and went Bugs Bunny Warner brothers with it. And again, blend those absurd comic sensibilities with McGuinness' style and mind blowing ability to tell stories and there is no way not to like this. Even if Rulk beats Grandmaster to death...who cares..its a fun ride, and you know what...I know it's not in my continuity, you don't have to bring it into yours either just love it for what it is. Great comic fun, with the best art you can imagine. I am dropping the book now, but am glad i picked up this arc. 9 out of 10

Amazing Spiderman #594: Another great issue. Not the stuff with the new Vulture, which is horribly designed like a cross bewteen some bad American anime and the thing from JeepersCreepers. I am completely uninterrested in him, but he serves a purpose. A menace to bring Spidey's nagging feelings about Osborne to a head. And the other elements in the story...Aunt May and J.J. Sr..did she really say YES?, JJJ, Pete's new roomate yelling at him as he walks around naked, the piece with the REAl Vulture, and finally Pete's decision at the end were all handled very well by Waid. I am also excited about the upcoming American Son storyline. The art was good but unbalanced. The inking helped Kitson's pages, which made him much stronger then I usually think he is and then you had great pages by McKone, who I think should have handled the whole issue, the last 3 pages were beautiful. A good issue in the BND era...but not as good as others. 7 out of 10

Fantastic Four #566: Fantastic is just about right. A great build up, as Doom's Master finally shows up and is somewhat disappointed in his pupil..and it seems he's come sideways across dimensions destroying Earth's and killing Watchers along the way. Yeah..The FF better get real ready real quick. I like how Millar is building this, Reed's autopsy of the other-dimensional Uatu was nicely done. I also liked Doom in Latervaria. The stuff with Ben caught me by surprise..that story line might be bigger then I thought. Great job by Millar, he has done a great job carving out his slice of FF history. A lot of things have been added and really added a sense of wonder, and creepiness to Marve;'s first family. Hitch is amazing throughout. Nice big panels and his signature detail. I really love how spooky he makes the Master's of Doom. I am certain the next issue will be blow the door off the house crazy as the FF face off against the Marquis of Death. 8.5 out of 10

Captain America #50: Wonderful tale of Bucky's non-birthday's since his early days as a 16 year old army base brat. I really enjoyed the little vignettes Really nice portrait interspersed between some great action and roof jumping. and I love how Bru brought it all together with Bucky understanding what Steve(cap) really gave him. A family. Nicely done. opening the book I thought I was going to grumble through my review..without Epting on art chores. But wow, Ross handled things beautifully. Talk about action..wow, great movement. And even better nice art during historical pieces exploring Bucky's birthdays over the years. I also enjoyed the origin and history lesson masterfully presented in full page illustrations by Marcus Martin. Beautiful. And you can never go wrong with Hembeck. I great anniversary issue. Well done Bru and co. 9 out of 10

Best Comics Ever: the Micronauts (Marvel)

2009-05-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

Micronauts are one of my oldest comic book memories.

This comic almost out Star Wars'ed Star Wars.

Hard to believe I know. But there was something magical about the Micronauts from the giddy up. Balls out Sci-Fi fantasy action, amazing characterizations, wonderfully designs that took from the toy line and some that departed from them completely, and you had Baron Karza.

I don’t know a lot of people that read Micronauts. But it came out in the late 70’s, a time when the toys were selling hotcakes(I had them all and still have a lot of them boxed up in storage), and Marvel was doing a great job with other toy properties like Shogun Warriors and Godzilla (and ROM too!). It was Written by Bill Mantlo and drawn by a virtual who’s who of Marvel artists, but to me the most memorable stories and covers were drawn by the legendary Michael Golden, Pat Broderick and Butch Guice.

The book followed Marionette, Acturus Ran(Space Glider), Bug, Microtron, Biotron, Acroyer and eventually expanded to Huntarr and Devil as they Rebel against the power hungry Tyrant Baron Karza who’s lust for control of the Enigma Force (a version of the Uni-power that exists in the Marvel Universe and is employed by Captain Universe.) and the rest of the universe is all consuming it leads them through many perils and adventures that play out through the series.

What was amazing about the book was that the subject matter was really taken seriously and the universe and the stories were brilliant. The book also intersected with the Marvel Universe cast of characters in interesting ways when the characters break through the Microverse in the Marvel world were they have great adventures. The meta plot of freeing the homeworld and disposing Karza is peppered with great side stories like Bug getting mutated into some sort of monster insectoid by Plantman. Coming up against Molecule man, getting involved with SHIELD and HYDRA. It was brilliant stuff. Acroyer was an inch tall and could flip a truck. And I can’t think of a character anywhere that looked cooler then he does.

But the absolute best part of Micronauts was the epic scale of it. In possibly the best issue ever Acroyer uses the power of the Worldmind, where he can absorb the power of the Acroyer homeworld to defeat the Karza and his fleet. In the process he destroys the Planet he rules. He is so grief stricken that he brands himself and his people are left homeless and his evil brother Shaitan calls him a traitor. The stuff is EPIC I tell you. And Force Commander(Prince Argon(?)) sacrificing his humanity for the power to lead his people battle against Karza(The bastard never stays down long). In the end there huge losses as the team finally defeats Karza.

I also loved the relationships and interactions between the characters. Bug and Acroyers friendship, Huntarr turning from assassin to hero, Devil struggling with his bestial nature, Ran and Karza’s philosophical battles and discussions of the Enigma Force. Karza is a great villain and certainly up there with Darkseid and Thanos. Believe that.

It’s funny the characters were popular enough to warrant a mini in which they teamed up with the X-men, and Bug managed to make his way to the Marvel Universe as member of Guardians of the Galaxy.

If you haven’t read these books before, please go find them, This was a great series. (The Marvel one.) and tons of fun for the comic and Sci-fi fan. I have so many great memories of this book and the toys. To this day the complete series is the gem of my collection. :)

If you never heard of or ever read these comics, chances are you can find them on the cheap, in dollar bins at your LCS(Local Comic Shop). Read them and join the cult of Micronauts.

Comic Capsule Reviews 5/5 and 5/12/2009

2009-05-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry didn't make it to the comic shop last week, so I am going to double up on the last two weeks with this instalment. Thanks for giving the blog a chance.

and without further procrastination here come the reviews...

Trinity #49 and 50: Two best issues yet. strong dialogue as what looks like a defeat of Krona turns into the end of the World literally. Although Batman's plan works Le Fey sacrifices herself to free Krona and then he rips the Earth asunder. Which leads to great cosmic conversation between Krona and the soul of the Earth. Great cosmic stuff DC usually doesn't engage in. Excellent dialogue and exploration and great art by the entire trinity creative team. In the end The Trinity, Earth Soul and Krona combmine and reconstruct the Earth? Maybe? We will have to wait and see. Have to take a sex to really give a thumbs up to the great colors and efx provided Pantazis. Nice. 8.5 out of 10

Powergirl #1: Powergirl caused a bit of a Facebook stir...I guess her costume is too risque for sum...and yet no one seems concerned about the rampant whoring of pre-teen girls by what passes for pop-culture these days. But Powergirl ads on Facebook morality needs to take a stand there! Whatevah! I got the one with the Hughes cover, it was the last one...Not sure I like the style..I know Hughes is an art god, bit something was different. Nice boobage..but it didnt pop and wasn't as clever as I thought it was supposed to be. Amanda Conner can do no wrong, her interior is fantastic. Clean, open and expressive. She draws a powerful lead, and really does a great job with the action. Nice big scale action too. her style is perfect for Powergirl. She looks strong yet remains womanly, and the cartoony aspects of the style help capture great characterization and expression. the coloring is nice, but like in many comics today, the color hold on line work, especially on the faces are distracting. I don't think it enhances the art at all. But everything else was perfect. Paul mounts has always been amazing, he does a wonderful job sperating the main characters and action from the backgrounds and doesn't over do it with effects and blurs and burns. The story is interresting, although like Kara I don't get what the villain is doing even though he explains it..why life the whole island and send out an army of robots, when kidnapping few people would have gotten you the same result? Still, it made for some great action and good dialogue. I do think Kara's secret identity and interviews were kinda silly..even for a comic. Completely wrong for Kara, she needs something more mundane if you ask me, running a corporation doesn't seem right with her character. And the interview at the end with Bevlin was...well an example of the silliness to the max. I have mixxed feelings about the issue. Great art, action, nice story elements and interesting villain, I love Powergirl...but the Karen Starr stuff was completely uninteresting. Definitely going to stick around and see how it plays out. 7 out of 10

Action Comics #877: Unfortunately losing Barrows has sunk this book for me. Teles is ok at best, he may grow into a great artist, but here his dynamism, structure and layouts are a shadow of Barrow's. many of the pages with panels on top of each other are messy and do not lead the eye well, especially when bad decisions to crop or break panel boarders are made. It is like the wind was taken out of the sails of this book, because the previous issues were nothing short of stunning. And since I have no investment with these characters it's an easy book for me to drop because of the art. The story is still a decent one, and although the part with Lois lacks emotional impact, Christopher's care for Thara and confrontation with Ursa were well done. What was not well done was the ending...which was silly to the point of being down right stupid. Two Kryptonian criminals from the Phantom zone on Earth as agents for Zod..robbing a bank with Ski masks and shot guns....only to pull them off and reveal their powers because the cops showed up? And then after killing a few people still holding their shotguns kiss each other like its some big Bonnie and Clyde moment. oh, the cover don't make sense either. That was bad. It;s funny i would like Christopher to be the new Superboy actually...oh well. 4 out of 10

R.E.B.E.L.S. #4: Tell me you are reading this book. Bedard is doing an amazing job. Great characterization and developments. I love the characters. Vril is great and what is being done with STARRO(were those super-powered Starros?(WOW!)), well i don't know exactly what it is yet, but it 's great. I love the use of DC's aliens and empires and the disparate groups who are obviously going to come together some how in a big trans-galactic throw down. It's really fun, and clever and really well paced. Hat;s off to Bedard. The art is inferior to the last 3 issues. Almost like they just threw in an artist who kinda like the other guy...but you can see it's not as well defined, and weaker then it should be. What really bothered me was page in page out having art bleed to the edges of the page. very distracting. But not enough to kill the joy of a really well written space story. The art isn't horrible mind you, the story is easy to follow and the artist does a decent job, it's just not as good as it has been. Really, give this book a shot, you don't need to know anything about Legion of Super-heroes or even L'E.G.I.O.N....Bedard is weaving something new and wonderful here. Don't let anything keep you from supporting this book. 8 out 10 (woulda been a 9 if not for the art)

the Flash: Rebirth #2: Great cover. And the interior is really nice too. Van Scriver managers to throw in great detail, push the anatomy to the breaking point, tell a great story and really give the book and the Flash(es) the great energy the book needs. awesome job throughout. And I have to add terrific coloring by Alex Sinclair. Bravo. story wise Johns does his thing, but I think the book is a little too long. Too many wasted panels and pages giving Barry some history and trying to give him personality with Iris. Other then that the story is genuinely interesting, i want to know what's going on and how this is going to play out, maybe not how we all thought...Black Flash? Really? I like what johns is laying out, not sure the issue was paced right, still had good dialogue, developments...what was with the Gorillas? aren't they like super advanced? why are they drawing pics of humans on caves? 7.5 out of 10.

Secret Six #9: this book gets better every issue. i cannot praise Simone high enough for her ability to nail great dialogue, create an off beat sort of horrible fun with her use of violence and the perverse. And still manage to make a respectful nod to the Batman by her trio of sorta-good-guys-maybe then any thing the Bat-books are doing in their Battle for the cowl event. Kudos. I hated Bane..now he is an interesting character. Ragdoll's Robin is awesome. And Catman..heh...you know he wants to be the Bat. and finally amid the carnage of goodness and violence of saving babies, Nightwing. Wow that was a great moment between him and the Secret Six. Nicely done Simone. the art is tremendous. Nicola is a goddess with the pencil. Wow. Terrific balls to the wall action and just great moments of eerie violence. It is captured and presented perfectly. great backgrounds, story telling and expression. I could go on and on. And I really love the walking up the side of the building nod to the old Batman show. Brilliant. this book is amazing. I recommend it highly . A very nice interlude into the Batverse for these characters. Great job. 9 out of 10.

Superman:World of Krypton #3: Rucka and Robinson are delivering big time on this title. I love all the characters and the use of the Kryptonians here. I like That Kal outsmarts Gor's bad decision to shot after the hostage crisis and how the inevitable confrontation between he and Kal come to a head. Best Part, Kal smiling with a bloody lip, fighting Gor...he was trained by Batman..that was a nice touch. This is developing nicely. Especially with the GLs showing up. Gonna be a throw down next issue for sure. Pete Woods art is simply beautiful. Clean and precise. Elegant. I love his ability to show facial expression and gesture. and he really does a wonderful job with the layouts and panels. But most of all...the kryptonian architecture and fashion is amazing. This is great work, I really believe not only in this Pete Woods best work...but I need to rethink my top 5 artists. That's how good he is. Brad Anderson also needs an award for his coloring. Very subtle and clean. great job. great comic. 8.5 out of 10

Captain Britain and MI:13 #13: Paul Cornell is incredible. The pacing on this book is really incredible and it's full on great little moments and dialogue. I really like this team And Dracula's Vampire Invasion is brilliant. It is full of great comic book things like impenetrable force fields keeping help from getting in or escape out, guests sowing up for a moment, the heroes facing a team member turned to the dark side...all handled wonderfully. The cast of characters and villains are great. and I really love the scene with "Baron" Blood and Spitfire, and i am certain Faiza isn't dead. Nice touch of narration at the end leading to Dracula triumphant in the Parliament. The art was very nice as well. Kirk shared penciling duties but it wasn't a distraction. Nice action and characters and really great mood. Whenever they draw Dracula I love it. This is a great comic book, and as I say month after month deserves your support. For those of us who remember Claremont's classic X-men run, it has all that in it. Characterization, big events, development over time, and nice twists. a great fun comic. 8.5 out of 10.

War of Kings #3: Everything you are hearing about this book is true. It's great. Abnett and Lanning have pulled in elements from the various Marvel galacticverse and really made a wonderful tale conquest, personal exploration, and war. This issue is a great turning point for the heroes Gladiator, perhaps the single most powerful space character has decided to change sides and support Lilandra. After taking out the combined force of the Starjamming X-men and Guardians of the Galaxy. And I really enjoy this characterization of Ronan, Crystal and the odd place I am finding the Inhumans. Are they that callous and prideful to put the Kree at risk for their own needs? And then there's Vulcan, still hate him, but I am sure h is going to get his in a big way. All the elements are handled wonderfully, I can't wait for Ronan to back on his feet and Black Bolt unleashed. But will they be fighting side by side or each other? The art is masterfully handled by Pelletier. really engaging stuff. Great storytelling and powerful action. This is the stuff great, memorable comics are made off. Great job to everyone involved. I have one crit and that's Gladiator. When did he get so massive? I know its been years now..but somewhere along the way he became a muscle head, if I remember originally he was much more understated. It was his power not his size that was impressive. Any way, its a tiny minor personal crit. This book is awesome. 9 out of 10

Green Lantern Corps #36: Tomasi and Gleason give us another month of super-heroic-space action to the fullest. I love the developments with Sinestro and his daughter, should prove interesting, I especially like the fact the he is going to reclaim his corps....it's been fun Mongul. The jail break on Oa keeping the Lanterns occupied as Sodam takes the fight to Mongul for the freedom and soul of his homeworld. Wonderfully written and paced. Tomasi is really showing his chops on this book. I am guessing Sodam flying into the star is going to burn the lead out of his blood and allow him to access the Ion power for his on one with Mongul. man this book rocks. Gleason brings the A+ game to the art chores. great expression and drama...and then turns the dial to 11 with so much visceral bone gnashing action its almost mind numbing. You feel all the power unleashed on sinew and flesh as bodies and light constructs mash and fury is unleashed on Daxam and Oa. This book is consistently a great read. 9 out of 10

Finaly the pick of the week..in a week (or two) of great reads. Drumroll please...

Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #1: This is a fun comic. I love that it's about Lockjaw stumbling across an Infinity Gem and then collecting a bunch of super-powered animals to go collect the rest. Throg or Thor Frog is hilarious. I love his initial telepathic conversation with Lockjaw and then the move from borough to borough to collect Redwing, Lockheed(I did know he was such an emo), Furball and MS. Lion (is a dude!). Chris Eliopoulos does a wonderful job with throwing the group together and giving them personalities. Redwing is a pompous bird, Hairball a wisecracker, and Ms. Lion..well...he;s just not with it. He's the Kramer or Dom delouise of the bunch. It's really fun and funny. The art is off the chain. The cover is great . But the interiors are simply beautiful. It looks like the art is pencils only, but with Sotomyers great washed color selections it's perfection. And I hate not having inks so that's saying a lot. The animals have great personalities and expressions, without being forced or too cartoony. It almost has an illustrative quality to it. perfection. with great storytelling, beautiful art, and wonderful fun Idea this book is a great fun read. I am certainly glad this book shot way beyond expectations, and that marvel took a chance with this. Definitely highly recommended. Can't wait to see what the next issue brings..a battle with a T-Rex!!! 9 out of 10

Aris Asks Jefferson l.o.b. Sergeant

2009-05-13T06:07:00.000-07:00

Jefferson is a fan of comics particularly the Legion of Super-heroes and Captain Marvel (Shazam) and minister of what is fair and cannon on all things comics.

1. Where are you from and what do you do?

I'm from Brooklyn NY and I am a teacher as well as a noted authority on comicbook canon.

2. Earliest comic book memories?

My earliest memory would be driving with my Father to Sheepshead Bay from Flatbush to Silver Star Collectibles to have my first LCS experience at about 6. It was incredible being surrounded by so many comics and it was the early 80's so comics from the Silver and Golden Age were relatively cheap and I was lucky enough to get several of them.

3. What were the books or characters that initially got you into comics?

Batman, Captain Marvel and Superman. This is the true Trinity for me as you have human perfection in the form of Batman, the ultimate wish fulfillment character in Captain Marvel and the archetype for all Superheroes in Superman.

4. In those early days what were some of the other things that may have been shaping your love of comics(cartoons?, movies? books?)?

Nostalgia gets the better of us all but the eighties were truly the golden age for Geekdom.There was Kung-Fu theater every Saturday and those Shaw Bros. movies inspired my interest into Shang-Chi and Iron Fist. Robotech, Voltron and Battle Of The Planets were my gateway drug into anime and you had all of the great sci-fi epics coming out in film.

Yeah, if you are not a child of the eighties you are truly a victim.

5. What were your favorite comics growing up?

There were so many.

Avengers, Thor, Teen Titans, Captain America, JLA, I will make this easier.Basically you can take the Marvel and DC Checklist from the 80's and drop Dazzler from the roster and I pretty much enjoyed all of it.

The creativity and diversity of the period with Moore, Miller, Simonson, Wolfman, Stern, Starlin etc. all putting out masterpieces month after month was an absolute dream.

6. Do any creators stand out during the early days of reading comics that you think cemented your love for the genre?

While it becomes increasingly hard to appreciate his greatness given the Bad Byrne stories, John Byrne cemented my love for comics.

Byrne is the consummate professional, you go back and look at his work on UNCANNY, AVENGERS, FANTASTIC FOUR, SUPERMAN etc. and he never dropped an inch in quality month after month. As a fan you felt assured that you would go to the LCS or newstand and Byrne's work would be there.

When I think of the quality of work being put out by people like Simonson, Starlin, Layton, Chaykin, Miller and Moore during that period and compare it to guys today who can't even get a mini-series out on a time, I have a whole new appreciation of their talents.

7. When did you fall in love with Legion of Super-heroes?

I bought a digest sized best of the LSH stories in 84 I think and that was it. The great thing about the LSH is the canon. When I read the digest I immediately started going backwards and there was just great stories everywhere from Shooter who was a kid himself writing those clasics and of course Levitz and Giffen who put their stamp on the title.

8. What do you think is the best LoSH story ever?

That is tough. So in the spirit of certain members of the SFL I will CHEAT!!!!

Death of Karate Kid- This is a perfect comic. Ther artwork was striking, the storytelling was visceral and it holds up every time I read it. It is one of the best deaths in comics ever.

Great Darkness Saga- The Time Trapper is the arch-nemesis of the LSH but Darkseid pushed them into a whole different zone. This is where we get the creators at their best as they have the characters down cold and everything feels right.

Legion of Three Worlds- Johns+Perez+LSH = classic. While I like the complexity of people like Morrison, John's take on the LSH is the straight action blockbuster that works.

9. Are you enjoying Legion of 3 Worlds?

I am enjoying it immensely! Its the book that the new LSH series should be modeled after.

10. What is it with you and Thunder?

Thunder is a Marvel and because of that she is part of the family.

11. You also love DC's Captain Marvel, why?

Its magic, myth and wish fulfillment all in one. With one magic word a boy becomes one of the most powerful beings in the universe. The origin is one of the best in fiction and with Black Adam you have the wizard trying to gain redemption before his death in the form of Billy.

The Captain Marvel franchise should still be one of the biggest things in comics. I hope the movie and Gaiman can finally elevate the Captain of The Thunder and lightning into a top ten mainstay.

12. Can Captain Marvel beat Superman?

OF COURSE HE CAN!!!!!
I am starting to doubt if you have the most comics in Florida after a question like that!

13. What do you think of the current state of the Marvels?

I think it is a glaring failure on the part of DC to allow a goldmine to languish at the helm of incompetence and indifference.

There is no way something like BEN 10 can be a runaway hit and the Marvels can't maintain a monthly.

I'll give Didio this for free.

Go to the DC archives and pull out WORLD'S FINEST with Bridwell and Newton's Captain Marvel. Copy those stories and you will have a hit.

14. Your thoughts on Final Crisis?

Final Crisis was a masterpiece.

Morrison took all the cynicism, angst and crass-commercialism that characterized so many of the other DC event books and replaced it with hope, optimism, meta-physics and the power of Kirby.

When people dismiss Superhero comics as people in "Gimp suits" or spandex clad idiocy they should pick up FINAL CRISIS. It shows the potential that only the superhero genre can achieve in this medium.

Can SCOTT PILGRIM outrace a god-killing bullet? HELL NO HE CAN'T!!!!! +1 FINAL CRISIS

15. What books are you currently reading that stand out above the rest?

Thor- This verges on blasphemy but JMS is entering Simonson territory with his THOR stories.

L03W- Johns and Perez just have the mythos locked down and the exploration of the moral code guiding the LSH is a great foundation for the story.

16. You seem to follow certain creators forums, who are some of your favorites?

Hudlin Entertainment Forum- Reginald Hudlin's forum is a great place for diverse conversation and Reggie is always there to talk about the storylines.

Comicbloc- While its a bit stiff, I enjoy the interaction with the fellow fans and Johns enthusiasm is readily apparent in everything he writes.

17. Who wins Steve Rogers Cap or Black Panther?

Black Panther is stronger, faster and smarter.

T'Challa wins 7 out of 10. YEAH I SAID IT!!!!!

18. What the heck is L.O.B.?

NEXT QUESTION!!!!!

19. Your a pretty vocal team owner in the Millar World Super-hero Fantasy League(Kinda like a Foot ball fantasy league only with SUPERHEROES!!!), do you think the voting is fair?

FAIR, DID YOU SAY FAIR ?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Let me say this first, Nathan has created a great game that I enjoy immensely.
The SFL works best when its kind of a free for all where biased can be called out and MOCKED viciously but alays in LOVE. The votes are not fair but thats part of the fun, at least when you can call the voters out.The greatness of the game is the strategy used by the players and the twists Nathan adds. Only in the SFL can you have the Magus taking on the Mighty Bruce. You can't beat that.

20. What is "Black-Thought-Police"?

Black-Thought-Police is a blog where I write about politics and current events. I have been slacking but given the antics of Steele, the RNC and Limbaugh I will be back with a king-size edition very soon.

21. Do you think $3.99 comics will hasten the demise of the floppy and local comic shop(LCS)?

I think tradwaiters, and I am not saying any names here COUGH MO, will hasten the demise of the LCS faster than the 3.99 pricepoint.

If the product is improved people will pay 3.99 the issue now is that the material hasn't improved and there seems to be a blatant disregard for the loyal fanbase by raising prices in this manner.

What I would like to see is for fans to boycott these titles and pick up at least 2 books that need the support instead.

22. Will you follow comics digitally if you have to?

I love comics so if it comes down to that I will. Although, I don't want digital comics as the sole means of getting my fix. I think the LCS ritual is important and can be used as a means of expanding the fanbase.

23. Do you read much creator owned stuff?

Not really.

I find myself getting into people like Morrison who essentially tear everything down and essentially make WFH their creator owned work.

24. Who plays Black Adam in a Captain Marvel movie?

Batista is my first choice and then The Rock.

25. All time favorite comic issue or story line?

WATCHMEN.

No one has come even close.

26. Do you think you can take Jim O'hara in a fight?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA.Please,

O'Hara has a better chance winning against sunlight than he does against me!

Jefferson has a blog, check it out. http://www.black-thoughtpolice.blogspot.com/.

Aris Asks Brian Knippenberg

2009-05-13T05:26:00.000-07:00

Brian Knippenberg is a long time comic reader and regular poster on comic book message boards and on Facebook.

1. Your last name is about as difficult as mine, any good stories about teachers or people trying to pronounce or spell it right?

My fourth-grade teacher would call me "Kniffenberg" for the entire year. He also always wrote it down that way too. Needless to say I would get into it with him over it countless times which would always lead me down to the principal’s office. Personally, I think the man was just trying to drive me crazy. Then again, there were only three male teachers in my elementary school and they were all a bit off their rockers. Over the years I’ve heard and seen some crazy iterations (Nipplebert was a fun one), but for the curious the ‘K’ is silent and it sounds out like Nip-En-Berg. It’s a name of German descent.
Lately I’ve been thinking of changing it to En Sabah Nur because it has a rather nice ring to it.

2. Can you tell us your earliest comic book memories?

Back in 1978 (I was three years old) my parents would shuffle us from Long Island into Queens often to visit my grandparents and uncle at the 2-story apartment building they owned. My uncle was always a guy who liked to be ahead of the times and bought one of the first VCR’s (not Beta, thankfully) and, later on, a consumer video camera (which fostered my love for filmmaking). Anyway, this VCR was HUGE. It looked like a giant tape recorder that could be sitting on a rooftop in a 50’s Batman comic! My uncle had surprised my brother and I with recorded episodes of the Adam West Batman series, which was the first I had ever seen of such a character. We loved them so much we watched them twice in a row! Our father picked up on our interest and went out and brought back a giant Batman coloring book. What was cool about this coloring book was that it was done in a comic book format. I still have that book today! We were so into the show and the book that my dad took it to the next level and one evening surprised us with a Spider-Man comic book (which I can’t remember) and Detective Comics #477 which featured a reprint of an earlier ‘Tec story, "The House That Haunted Batman".
The cover showed a battle worn Caped Crusader at an open doorway, bats flying right at him from the darkness, and a green-gloved hand
(Robin’s) pointing a loaded gun towards him. From that point on, I was hooked! I would get comics every week from wherever I could find them…spinner racks at newsstands, my first direct market store "Heroes World", then moving onto many other stores and more for 30+ years now.

3. What else where you into as a kid in Queens?

I mainly lived in Hicksville, Long Island but since I visited my grandparents in Queens so often as a child and then went every weekend after my parents divorced and my dad took over the building with my uncle, I had the best of both worlds…two homes. I was always playing stickball in the streets and street hockey and involved in other sports and then drawing for endless hours on an untold number of drawing tablets or yellow legal pads. And once my uncle had that video camera up and running in mid eighties, it was all about making movies! That was a passion I developed ever since seeing the makings of Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Superman at a very young age.

4. What were your favorite comics growing up that really cemented collecting for you?

At a really young age (late 70’s/early 80’s), the standards were Superman, Action Comics, Batman, Detective Comics, Justice League of America, Adventure Comics, Flash, Green Lantern, The New Teen Titans (which blew my little mind away), Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, Captain America, Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four, Avengers, ROM: Spaceknight, and Micronauts. I was also a huge fan of the team-up titles…DC Comics Presents, Brave & the Bold, Marvel Team-Up and Marvel Two-In-One. Of course, a bit later were greats like G.I. Joe and Transformers (to a degree).

5. What creators from those days to you remember really being impressed or excited by?

I do remember certain writers’ names and knew that those particular guys (Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, Bill Mantlo, etc.) wrote great stories then but I was always drawn to the art. The first artist whose style I recognized was George Perez. Even back then he was amazing with every page drawn. Then there was Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, John Byrne, Bernie Wrightson, Neal Adams, John Romita, and Jim Aparo. I was always drawn to them. Other greats like Jack Kirby, Curt Swan, Dick Dillon, Gil Kane, John and Sal Buscema, I wouldn’t appreciate until a little bit later.

6. I know you are into cartoons, what was better back in the day Super Friends or the re-runs on WPIX of the Marvel Superheroes (the ones with cut out comic animation)?

As much as I loved the old Marvel toons, I’d have to go with Super Friends, which were more vibrant by comparison. However, today I still enjoy the old Captain America episodes as they hold up better somehow for me when compared to the other Marvel toons.

7. Did you like any of the Hannah/Barbera super hero stuff(Space Ghost, Bird Man, Herculoids, Galaxy Trio, etc..)?

Absolutely! All of those old 60’s-70’s Hanna/Barbera toons were just fantastic stuff! Corny by today’s standards, but still fun! Those guys were and are the ultimate cartoon pimps and I was suckling at their proverbial animated teat for most of my childhood and was it sweet, sweet milk!

8. Star Wars or Star Trek?

May The Force Be With You…so long as there are no midi-chlorians to speak of!

9. Are you annoyed yet by the constant fawning over the new Trek movie?

Not really. I have yet to see the new movie, but I did enjoy the original series growing up and "Wrath of Khan" because who didn’t want to run around bare-chested like Ricardo Montalban! It’s kind of cool to see something like that "connect" with so many people on a large-scale, even those who were never fans before, and I’m sure it is especially a great feeling for the fans who were told that their beloved franchise was D.O.A. So, I can dig it!

10. Who are your all time favorite comic characters?

Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Dick Grayson (Robin/Nightwing), Barry Allen (Flash), Hal Jordan (Green Lantern), Thing, Captain America, Ultra Boy, Timber Wolf and Jack Knight (Starman). Oh, and Vibe! He gave me the confidence to rock it B-Boy style!!!

11. Marvel or DC?

I have always been a lifelong fan of both. However in recent years, depending on the output and my interest, I might tend to favor one company over the other. A year ago I would have definitely said Marvel, but I think I’m back to being about equal with favoring the Big Two.

12. Do you read any thing from Image, Dark Horse, or any other independent publishers?

I used to grab just about a little of everything back in my free-wheelin’ comics spending days, because I love all types of comics, but sadly I’ve had to reduce my comics’ spending. That said, I still trade-wait on books like Invincible, Hellboy, Walking Dead and Phonogram.

13. What are you favorite books right now?

From DC….Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps, The Bat-Books and Superman-Books (which have really strengthened of late), Secret Six, R.E.B.E.L.S., Flash: Rebirth and Jonah Hex. From Marvel…Amazing Spider-Man, Captain America, Hulk, Incredible Hercules, Invincible Iron Man, Wolverine: Weapon X & Origins, FF, Daredevil, Secret Warriors, Ghost Rider and Captain Britain and MI-13 (which has sadly just been cancelled). For the independents, it’s currently just the aforementioned titles, plus Incognito & Kick-Ass (since they’re from Marvel’s Icon).

14. Do you follow artists or writers?

I tend to follow writers across their various projects. Back in my art-days it was a little bit more of the opposite.

15. What did you think of Final Crisis?

I loved it in all of it’s Silver-Age acid trip, channel-zapping glory.

16. What does the term "event fatigue" mean to you?

Once upon a time it meant that I was going to rip my hair out over collecting all of the tie-ins for said event, but now the term "event fatigue" means to me that the constant status quo changing events that pop up tend to take away from the natural course of evolution and story growth within the titles themselves. I sometimes feel like I can’t fully enjoy a book because I know that the next "event" will most likely change and dictate the terms of what I’m reading anyway.

17. You are a big Legion of Super-heroes fan, what do you think of Legion of 3 Worlds?

I’m really enjoying the series. Granted, the Legion have been getting a little bit overshadowed by the two big "returns" they’ve had in the last two issues, but overall I really appreciate that Geoff Johns can weave story of this magnitude while still honoring, not one, but three Legions from DC’s long history. And I’ve never seen the Legion look so good in such a long time with George Perez’s pencils. I can’t wait to see where they go next with the team within the pages of Adventure Comics. Overall, it’s been really great seeing the original Pre-Crisis in action again! Since their return I’ve been able to stop drinking in the dark while wearing my Matter-Eater Lad costume.

18. I just checked the Marvel Month to Month Sales. Not a book over 100k, what do you think is the main reason comics aren't really enjoying the kind of sales they have in previous decades?

I think it could be due to a variety of reasons. As comic readers, who have been sticking with it for awhile, get older they may become more selective with what they purchase. The economy and rise in cover prices I’m sure has an effect. Also I think that a lot of the younger generation, potential new readers, are not getting into comics because they don’t have access to comics as say you or I did back in the day (plus competing forms of entertainment) and not a lot of parents even think to go to a comic shop or take the time to determine what’s appropriate for their age.

19. Are you looking forward to digital comics?

I think that comic book evolution should always occur and I hope to see it reach a level in format that transcends it’s current digital beginnings, but I prefer being able to hold a comic in my hand and not read off of a screen. I’d also rather own my collection and not rent one each year. Having said that, I did enjoy the Marvel DVD-ROM collections that GIT, Inc. had put out before Marvel launched their digital initiative. They’ve also released some Archie sets which are quite nice.

20. Did the increase of some books by Marvel to $3.99 cause you to drop any titles?

Before that I had dropped down severely in my collecting due to lifestyle changes, but the $3.99 cover charge is a blow I can’t take these days. Pretty much anything that’s $3.99 will have to be trade-waited. I’m picking up a couple of more Hulk issues and Weapon X, but they too will most likely be trade-waited.

21. What do you think the companies should do to increase sales?

As much as I love FCBD, is it smart to mainly hold them in comic shops and advertise on comic-based websites when the people who don’t read or collect them are unaware? What about supermarkets, malls, or movie theaters? I think there needs to be more accessibility and advertising of comics to the general public again. Marvel ran their "Embrace Change" Secret Invasion ad on TV, but it was on ESPN 2 during a Minor League Baseball game! What about creating brief commercials (which they had for their G.I. Joe comics in the 80's) that could be played during their own Marvel cartoons?

22. Does continuity matter?

Once upon a time I thought it did, and it does to a degree, but as these decades old characters continue to be published it can become harder to keep track of it all and applying it at all times I feel restricts future story potential and character growth for these characters. I view it on a case by case basis, but overall a comic that shows a kind of neglect in paying attention to continuity details from time-to-time doesn’t affect me all that much.

23. Do you have any aspirations to write or draw comics?

Absolutely! When I was younger I wanted to enter into the art-side of things, but that fell through the wayside after the death of my father.
I’ve been writing various things for years now, nothing you’ve seen or read, mostly stories and screenplays for filmmaker friends. I would very much like to be writing my own comic as well as for the Big Two.
Right now, I’d like to pair up with the right kind of artist online and see if we can get something accomplished. Seeing that’s how it’s the best way to be viewed as a writer by the comic publishing companies.
Artists, writers…use the internet to your advantage! There are so many ways to research and utilize resources to increase your chances for making the comics that you want to make and/or break into something bigger. Don’t be afraid to take a chance!

24. All time favorite single issue?

If I have to pick one (and that’s very hard) but I’d have to go with New Teen Tiatns #38, "Who Is Donna Troy?" Marv Wolfman & George Perez brilliantly tell a tale that doesn’t involve costumed characters and epic battles, but a smaller story about the lengths one person would go to to help give back his closest friend’s past and identity. A very heartfelt and touching story which taught me at a young age that comics are one of the greatest forms of storytelling because you can do so much in these little panels to make people feel, make them care.

25. When some on asks "Brian why do you read comics?" you answer?

Where else can you go to that married the written word to dynamic visuals in such a way that unleashes your imagination? There are so many wonderful comics, in so many wonderful genres, and it’s just as valid as anything else consumed by a society that craves storytelling.

Best Comics Ever: Justice League of America #200

2009-05-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

This is one of my single favorite comics. I had been reading JLA on and off for some time already, but not steady. Only what I could find on the stands as a kid. I liked them. Loved the expansive team back in the late 70's and early 80's. I mean Green Lantern, Flash, the Atom, Zantana(in the blue and white even!)and Red Tornado just looked cool and that's only about a third of the team!

But it didn't really all come together perfectly for me until issue #200.

I found it at a comic shop. The cover was stunning. In those days wrap-arounds were rare. But this was a beauty executed by legendary George Perez. The classic JLA vs the newer JLA! With colored tiles of the various places the battles take place in the interior. The cover just screamed "greatest superhero comic".

It was a "Super-sized, Star-studded" anniversary issue. Heavy in your hand, and only a $1.50!. And you know what the cover with Superman hoisting Hawkman over his head and Flash whacking elongated man wasn't gonna let you down and it doesn't. To this day it may be may absolute favorite single issue ever!

So what's the big deal?
This comic has it all.
Recaps the origin of the team, has the original threat that united the Justice League rear its ugly head as a real threat and tell a kick ass convincing emotional story, heroes fighting heroes! And artists galore!

Some of the highlights for me are the way Gerry Conway handles all the characters, uses the history, and gives you the greatest capes action ever. I mean serious where else have you seen Green Arrow tricked by a decoy get handcuffed by Batman? And complain about it? Hawkman drawn by Joe Kubert taking out Superman Robots unit his mace finally meats with the man of steel? Jim Aparo Aquaman vs Red Tornado? Gil Kane GL vs the Atom? Wonder Woman vs Zantana? Firestorm vs Martian Manhunter and all the main stories by Perez? You haven't and you certainly haven't seen it done flawlessly like this.

And in the end the heroes all get together and stop the alien warlord powerhouses from taking over the Earth.

I mentioned flawless and it was. And right now, if you like comics and never gave DC a chance because its too complicated. Go find this comic. Read it. Everything you need to know about the JLA and the main DC characters is right there in one issue for you.

Best comic ever? Hell yeah.

Teaser: Aris Asks interview with Gerry Conway coming soon, so stay tuned!!! (he wrote JLA #200 by the way...so he may just be the BEST COMIC WRITER EVER!!!!)

Aris Asks Adrian Barrios

2009-05-05T05:36:00.000-07:00

Adrian Barrios is a talented illustrator and animator currently working on the Chaotic Trading Card Game and TMNT 4Kids Entertainment.

1. You are a pretty amazing artist. When did you start drawing?

Thanks Aris! But I don’t know about the “amazing” part, I started having an interest with art since I was very little, I always used to copy my dad’s illustrations, drawings and paintings and pretend that I was him, I used to always get in trouble for using his art supplies and selling his art in school , but when I was around 12 I completely stopped my art and started getting into music when one of my cousin told me that I will get more girls if I was in the band, I listened to him but didn’t really get me anywhere so I started drawing again when I was around 18

2. What are some of the influences on your work?

Hmmm…It’s funny because there are so many amazing artists I admire and get inspiration from, I try so hard to get influenced by them but they are just so amazing that I can’t even see it in my art, I’m mostly into European artists like Juano Guarnido, Claire Wendling, Messimiliano Frezzato, Alfonzo Aspiri, Milo Minara, Moebius, just to name a few, and of course, Frank Frazetta, Ottomo Katsuhiro, Mashume Shirow, Glenn Keane, Rudy Nebres, Alex Nino, Syd Mead, Hal Santiago and my dad Francis Von Barrios

3. Have you had any formal art training?

I didn’t got to college for art, but I do think that I had a formal training, I had a mentor when I was in the Philippines, Hal Santiago, same as my father’s mentor, then I also had my father trained me in the field of animation/storyboards/layout

4. Do you think formal art training is important in animating or comics?

Absolutely, it’s definitely a big help to have formal training on anything, but there are people out there are just born kicking ass! Like you Aris!

5. Do you read comics?

I used to. I still buy them just to look at the art now.

6. Any comic artists who stand out as mind blowing to you?

There are lots of them out there, Alex Ross, Joe Madureira, Mike Mignola, Eric Canete, James Jean, Adam Hughes…

7. You are interested in doing some comic work, are there any characters who you want to chance to draw?

Hell yeah! Wolverine!!!

8. How did you get you first job in animation?

Referral from my dad

9. Why do you think so many comic artists moonlight as animators?

I guess it’s all in their style, there are some comic book illustrators out there that has that animation style, minimal lines, no black shadows, simple silhouettes, very animation friendly, the best example I can think of is Cheeks amazing work.

10. You work with some very talented people (Not Jason!). What is the vibe like in the studio?

Yeah, I’m surrounded with amazing artists here in the studio, the vibe is awesome and intense for me, keeping up with these bastards are pain in the ass! – I try my best but they are just beasts!

11. You have a band called Diablo Royale. Tell us about it?

Front man of NYC based Heavy Rock band, I thought I’d give it another try, so far so good and what my cousin said is true. ;) You can check our site out here www.diabloroyale.net or our myspace www.myspace.com/diabloroyalerock

12. So you really want to be a rockstar right, you have that rockstar vibe?

Why not and I guess so

13. You do a lot of digital work, do you think it will ever replace pen and paper?

In my case, it already did, I haven’t done any art on paper, I kind of regret it in a way but they have their own differences. But I’d love to get back on paper, replacing pen and paper completely? I don’t think so, people/fans/collectors are always gonna want originals

14. Do you think today's crop of artists are too dependent on digital tools?

Yes, but if the product comes out better and faster, why not?

15. You are pretty fast drawing wise, how long do you think it takes for you to do a finished comic page?

It depends on the page and style, I guess, I’ve never really timed my self. A page a day, I guess.

16. Are you jealous of my power(Keith and Jason are!)?

Everyone is jealous of your power; you’re the all mighty Aris! But I still think that I can out bench you!

Aris replies: (Big Deal I know for a fact you can't out bench Doug Mahnke!)

17. What advise to you have to some one who wants to be an artist?

Don’t be lazy, draw, draw, draw and always be a student. Learn from anyone (I keep telling this to my self too)

18. Do you think social networking sites are good places to promote your art and find work?

Yes! – Networking is the key to meet the right people! Befriend all the cool artists you know, there will be a time you’ll ran into them and they may be able to hook you up with some gigs or anything, but also be genuine with them.

19. If you weren't drawing for a living and rocking out at night what would you be doing?

Join the X-MEN probably.

20. Who is the BEST artist you know?

GOD.Oh you meant BEST human artist?Hard to say really, umm…I would go for Frank Frazetta

21. Explain what you do in animation?

I do Character Design, I get character descriptions from the script and I design the concept and if the director approves it then I go to “clean up” (ink), then sometimes I have to do the “turn around” (5 different views, front, back, side, ¾ front, ¾ back), then action poses, then facial expressions, mouth chart. And I did some storyboards for a while too.

22. Do you have any parting words for people reading this?

Why you wasting your time reading this?!?! Get back to the drawing board! PEACE!

DC, Marvel...Adrian would love to draw for you. Every one go check the guys work at http://www.adrianbarrios.blogspot.com/, he is available for commission work. And Again...Marvel or DC, Image...this guy is looking for something to do! Scoop him up!

Comic Capsule Reviews 4/29/2009

2009-05-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

Trinity #48: The Trinity take it to Krona, and Batman puts a plan together to defeat him. Nice action and drama. Even if I feel a little lost, I really enjoy the grandeur of it and how everything has come together. And more then that I'm wondering how this series is going to leave all the characters? What's to become of Warhound? Of Despero? Have we seen the last of Ro? Is Krona beat? What of John Stewart? Busiek and Bagley are really doing an excellent job. I also liked the secondary story and the focus on the GodBat plan and the three integral parts. Nice. 7.5 out of 10.
The Cabal #1: I was really hoping for the magic of the Illuminati in this one shot. Unfortunately it was a waste of money. The character vignettes were a mixed bag. I enjoyed the Doom exploration in the first one(he isn't a nice man), the Namor story which was beautifully illustrated and the Loki/Doom short. The other didn't move me. What bothered me about this wasn't the quality, although to be honest it seems like a hastily thrown together anthology for a few extra Dark Reign bucks...what bothered me was that it was completely unessential to Dark Reign. There are no essential insights to the characters that we didn't already know about them or seemed immediately part of the Dark Reign story. 5 out of 10.

Wonder Woman #31: by far the best issue so far. Ares? No surprise there..but bearing gifts for an Amazon? And the Manazons take over the UN. Not sure I could ever see Achilles riding elephants..not very Greek. And I was hoping he would be more then an annoyance to Wonder Woman, she defeated him rather easily. Not being from this time shouldn't really matter in hand to hand combat. But we got some kick ass Wonder Woman moments. And a great revelation about Genocide..although that character has yet to live up to any promise. The art is great..to be honest I think Bernard Chang is better for the book then Lopresti. Chang somehow manages to capture something intangible that works on Wonder Woman stylistically while Lopresti seems to lack impact and dynamism. Chang does some nice big action, and some great dramatic scenes. I love his storytelling, and action..the scene with the missile was perfection. Certainly a better Wonder Woman then the previous issues. 7.5 out of 10.

Justice Society of America #26: Eaglesham is REEEEEAAALLLY going to be missed on this title. Beautiful art throughout. The opening splash of Courtney(Stargirl) getting off the school bus is beautifully rendered, as is the rest of the issue. Its almost mind boggling how Eaglesham crams so many characters in and manages to highlight the appropriate members, tell a great story and keep everything easy to read. Great expression, and character. Johns gives us a great send off, Courtney's birthday at home, with wonderful character insights, and drilling in that this book has not just been about heroes, but family. An ever growing family of characters, growing and contributing to the whole. Fantastic resonance and characterization. I'm sorry to see this team go, its been one of my fave books since the relaunch, but I'm curious to see what's next. 9 out of 10.

Superman #687: A solid read by Robinson, but largely a another set up issue. And unfortunately this is the weakest of the super-titles. It needs to move a little quicker because I am genuinely interested in all the elements. Zatara, Parasite wandering around, Guardian and the Sci-police, Tellus, Project 7734, Mon-el, Atlas and Irons...lots of meat, except its getting cold. Guedes is a wonderful, yet quirky artists. Nice expression and action. And I really love his back grounds..especially the sewers of Metropolis. But he is a victim of washed out colors..Mon-el's red isn't red enough. All in all not as good as I hoped. 7 of 10.

Green Lantern #40: Unfortunately this chapter in the race towards Blackest Night suffers from fill in art. Tan is an interesting study..alternately brilliant stylistically and inappropriately chaotic and unpolished.The art work looks unfinished and rushed which doesn't help Tan. And the storytelling is weak and unfocused. The inking is way too loose and page upon page looks tragically messy for a story so vitally important to the ongoing event. That being said there are flashes of brilliance like the last page image. The story is great, savage and brutal, but really more of the same as we are introduced to more Orange Lanterns and I am trying to figure out which one is "Agent Orange". Still its a solid read..and adds to the architecture of the Lantern mythos, which is always very cool. I did love the story and art in the Tales of Orange Lanterns, Albuquerque is amazing. That guy should be placed on Teen Titans pronto.7.5 out of 10.

Legion of Three Worlds #4: An event...that looks and feels like an event. I love it. But I have to get this out of the way. Conner and Bart are cool characters, nice to have them back, but they really are nothing but annoyances to Prime. I'm not sure why they are given primacy over other powerhouses on 3 teams of Legionaries? Ok, got that out. This an amazing action packed emotional roller coaster. The Legion loses Kinetix and Elementlad..but Sunboy is back. And the Timetrapper enters the fray personally as the Legion bring back Conner to add another emotionally relevant layer to the war with Prime. Great dialogue by Johns as he brings a host of great character moments, like the three Legion Founders and Supes talking to Time Trapper and Wildfire and Dawny. The "Substitute Legionnaire" taking a stand against Prime. And a great, unexpected reveal at the end. The art is amazing, I can't say it enough Perez is the master of these types of event comics. Dazzling amounts of characters in jaw dropping action. All brought in an amazingly well constructed, dramatic and coherent fashion. Guns blazing or standing around talking Perez nails every scene. 9 out of 10.

New Mutants #1 Preview (Newsarama)

2009-05-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=27685

I am very excited about this! The art looks very nice. Wells and Neves..some of my favorite characters. Out next week. Go get it!!!

Aris Asks Gerry Conway

2009-05-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

Gerry Conway is currently writing The Last Days of Animal Man due out form DC in May with Chris Batista. Gerry also co-created the Punisher and Firestorm the Nuclear Man and has written just about every title over his career including the best team book ever written (my opinion) Justice League of America #200!

1. You have written so many comics I love..just wanted to get that out of the way. Did you always want to work in comics?

I started writing and drawing my own comics when I was ten or eleven years old, soon after reading Fantastic Four No. 4, so I guess, yes, I always wanted to write comics.

2. Who were some creators who inspired you to write?

Stan Lee and Gardner Fox were my earliest inspirations in comics; Robert Heinlein was a science fiction writer I admired from an early age.

3. You scripted one of the best known Spider-man stories, the Death of Gwen Stacy, what are you thoughts on that now looking back?

Oh, gosh. I've talked about this so much elsewhere. At the time, it was just a story, and I tried to write it as well as I could. Looking back, it's pretty clear to me it was a turning point in comics, a demarcation line of sorts. But it wasn't intended to be that way.

4. How do you feel about the recent Brand New Day event that reset Spidey continuity and "Mephisted" his marriage away?

Well, it sounds like they wrote themselves into a corner, by marrying Peter and Mary Jane, and had to get themselves out of it somehow. I expect one day we'll see the same thing happen with Superman. These things are bad ideas, generally. Robin never marries Marion; Tristan doesn't get Isolode; Romeo and Juliet don't live happily ever after. Romances in serial fiction should never reach the natural climax; when they do, they cease to be romances and become something else that may or may not be useful for a character.

5. Continuity seemed pretty important growing up reading comics, has that changed? or am I just imagining it?

Comics are a niche market in print, but a major cultural touchstone in other ways. The actual comic book has less and less relevance as such, but the creations the comics produce are more and more important, outside the actual publications.

6. How did you come up with the Punisher?

I needed a secondary villain for a continuing storyline I was developing with the Jackal. I honestly thought he'd be a one-shot, throwaway character, patterned after some popular vigilante-style anti-heroes that were around at the time. In the writing, though, he became something more.

7. When you and Ross Andru came up with him...did you imagine he would be as popular as he has become?

Nope.

8. Did you see Punisher: War Zone? (I liked it by the way)

I haven't seen any of the Punisher films. Don't want to salt the wound.

9. You wrote the first official DC/Marvel crossover Superman vs the Amazing Spiderman, which I still own and love, how did you get involved with that?

When I went over to DC after several years at Marvel, DC's publisher, Carmine Infantino, saw me as a "catch" and wanted to use me on a high profile project. He and Stan Lee had just agreed to the first cross-company project, and under the terms of their agreement, DC got to pick the writer and Marvel got to pick the artist. I was jazzed to get the assignment, as a fan and as a writer.

10. You created Firestorm too!! Wow, another long time fave of mine. How did you come up with the Nuclear man?

I wanted to create a superhero who was just an "ordinary" kid -- not a brain like Peter Parker, just a regular teen. I'd played around with flaming characters before ("Firelord" in Thor comes to mind) and wanted to do something similar. I also liked the idea of updating the Captain Marvel "Shazam" shtick -- and then there was the notion of giving Firestorm a secondary personality in Professor Stein, who'd comment on what Ronnie was trying to do, etc. Just wanted to have fun.

11. You have done a lot of writing work, how does writing for the small screen, novels, or big screen compare to your love of comics?

Well, I seem to have far more freedom to do what I want in comics than I ever had writing in film or television. Writing novels is also liberating, but it requires far more concentration and commitment than I seem capable of producing these days.

12. Fire and Ice too!, I loved that, I was a rabid Dungeons and Dragons nut, that's a cult hit, do you think it stands up today?

Haven't seen it in twenty years, so I have no idea. I wasn't that happy with the final product at the time, though.

13. What about Conan the destroyer?

Same.

14. Looking back at your work in comics what would you say is the work you are the most proud of?

My run on Spider-Man, my run on Batman and Detective, and my run on JLA.

15. You have the Last Days of Animal Man coming out this May, how did you get involved with the project?

I pitched an idea to Joey Cavalieri about a hero reaching the end of his time as a super-powered being, and coming to terms with that. Joey suggested Animal Man as the hero, and we set the story in the future so it wouldn't interfere with regular DC continuity.

16. Can you tell us a little about the story?

It'll be out this month, buy it and see for yourself! Hehe.

17. Will there be any thing in it from the Vertigo Animal Man series?

I touch on some elements from that series, but this is intended as a straight-forward story, not a story about a story.

18. Are you providing fully scripted Animal Man plots for Chris to draw?

Yes.

19. Brian Bolland is doing beautiful cover work (as he did on the Vertigo series), do you provide input for the cover designs?

I do.

20. Will $3.99 comics be the end of the monthly floppy?

Beats me; I thought 25 cents was more than kids should pay, and we passed that marker lonnnnnng ago.

21. Will the digital format be comics savior?

Your guess is as good as mine.

22. Any advice you for aspiring comic creators?

Don't take no for an answer.

23. What is next for Gerry Conway?

I'll let you know when I know!

24. This isn't a question but you have also worked on some of my favorite show..I heart you!!!

Back at you!

Make sure to pick up the Final Day for Animal Man from DC due out on May 27th. And thanks Gerry you really have written some of the comics that have kept me a fan of capes all these years.

Kieran Asks Aris!

2009-05-01T05:15:00.001-07:00

Aris Asks will now do a special guest interview with the creator of the blog that is the hottest property in the world of comics right now. Aristides Iliopolous. (thanks but I am not sure anyone knows this blog exists!)
Special guest interview by Kieran Beech

1. Aris lets start with the all important questions, Where did the idea for this blog come from? Also can you give the new readers and the current fans an insight to what they can expect this blog to bring in the coming months?

I was thinking about the whole 20 question meme on Facebook and thought fans like me might be interested in seeing creators answer questions about comics, art, and other stuff in the format.

More interviews, more reviews, hopefully more content if I can sucker a few people to do some columns.

2. Right, when did you first pick up a comic?

Mid 70's. I remember riding around with my mom in Queens in her Lincoln mark V with the whitewalls and stopping in shops and just picking up comics off a spinning rack. It was awesome back then, they had the huge treasury sized stuff, comic records and of course the great Famous Monsters magazine. I used to eat the stuff up. I was lucky to have a mom who indulged me so much.

3. What is your favourite comic?

Of all time? Probably Micronauts...or ROM(Marvel get to stepping on that relaunch!). But if you are asking specific issues....it's either the anniversary Justice League of America #200, the best Superheroes ever, it has it all or Silver Surfer #4..Thor vs Silver Surfer.

4. What comics are you currently reading?

I am really enjoying a lot of books right now. Captain Britain, Secret Six, GLC, Hercules and the Superman books are really exciting. Any one not buying these books are missing some great comic fun.

5. Name three comics you would recommend to new readers of comics?

Captain Britain and MI:13, Dynamo 5 and Hercules.

6. Who are your current top 5 writers?

Millar is doing amazing work on FF and Old Man Logan may be the best Wolverine story in the last 10 years. Paul Cornell is just perfect. Christos Gage gets it(he is a name every one needs to get familiar with). Why these two guys aren't saving the X-franchise I have no idea(wake up Marvel). Tomasi, is really kicking a$$ on GLC, and finally Bendis who does the best dialogue ever. I really Like Johns, Busiek and Van Lente as well.

And Layman. You all need to get CHEW when it comes out.

7. Now artists?

Doug Mahnke is for me the top dog right now. He is just stylistically dynamic and powerful. Any thing he does I will buy, you should too. Plus he could probably pick me up and throw me like a ragdoll. The guy power lifts! Cully Hamner. Guy is so smooth and slick. And really, if you read Mosiac it's hard to believe it;s the same artist. But he is amazing. Coipel. Just beautiful, guy is energetic. Ed McGuinness, thick and bold. He is a modern stylistic master, effortless blending anime and comics into a powerful superdeform fun fest. Patrick Gleason. The guys is amazing. He never ceases to amaze me how handles violence and action.

8. Out in the comic book world now, which up and comer, current professional, or legend would you most like to collaborate with?

Up and comer..probably 2 people you haven't heard of. Keith Conroy. He is probably the BEST artist no one has ever heard of. Works in animation. He is my THAT GIRL artist. Eventually we will get to it. And if you haven't his art your really missing out. We have been friends since college. Christopher Copeland. I discovered this guys blog and I have never seen another artist meld comics, anime and graf. It's beautiful to behold. If I could get him to draw Jurassic it would sell gangbusters. Seek these guys out. They are both amazing.

I'll add Adrian Barrios. Another animator. The guy is amazing.

Pro...Doug Mahnke or Cully Hamner. Inks by Mark Morales and colors by Kanilla Tripp.

9. You have previously asked about Colourists and inkers, do you have any favourites?

Inker..right now...Mark Morales. Another guy I knew in college..he was born to ink. he slick lines he uses are second to none. Back in the day Karl Kesel and Joe Rubenstein.

Colorists. Kanilla Tripp and Crabtree. Both are so amazing with nice clean shades and pure perfect selections. I hate guys that are too digital and look like they went bananas with the burn tool.

11. Now I know you have a particular thing for Rom, but which other characters do you like the most?

I am a big fan of Hercules. And his book is awesome. I also love Namor, who is underrated and rarely put to good use. At DC it's all about Black Adam and Aquaman.

12. For those of the readers who don't know what the SFL is explain to them why Guy Gardner would beat the living daylights out of the Hulk?

He's Guy Gardner. What's the Hulk, a big strong guy in dirty purple pants?

13. Moving along... I myself have talked to you, about my own love for the penciled page of sequential art from THAT GIRL, that was posted on http://www.blogger.com/www.arisverse.blogspot.com, can you tell everyone else whats happening with this project?

Not much. Keith Conroy my partner is busy at work in animation. I am sure when his time frees up he will get to the pages. I tried to find an artist before, but it was a bad idea. This is Keith's book.

14. Are there any other projects you are willing to discuss that are in development?

I wish I had more to say. Jurassic, That Girl and Trio are on hiatus until I can get some one to handle art duties.

15. Which company out of these for would you most like to work with or for, Wildstorm, Image, DC or Marvel?

DC or Marvel. One of the big teams. JLA or Avengers. Big stories, the universe hanging in the balance every time, with a lot of character and relationship building along the way.

I have a Super-adaptoid/Cosmic Cube story I have been dying to do with the Avengers. And for the JLA I have always wanted to do a story with Despero really unleashing him and making him a force of nature rather then a intergalactic megalomaniac which is mostly what he is now.

Of course those that know me and see my rantings know I am dying to do Aquaman and do a mini staring Argonaut, that character has untapped potential to be everything a Mythic Superman should be. Picture Herc mixxed with Supes battling giant monsters and mystical creatures on behalf of the gods and your close.

16. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Pining away on my blog and ranting about comics on the internets. But you never know I may surprise you. :)

17. Do the kids like comics as much as there dad?

Not a chance. My kids are too busy with High School Musical and video games. No time for comics. Believe me I try. I don't know who is gonna end up with my collection? Have any space in your attic?

18. Apart from internet ranting, working, writing, drawing and spending time with the kids, what else do you like to do?

I have 5 kids...it's hard to find time for anything else. :)

Cook and eat. Mostly eat. A lot. :) I exercise but not like I used to, but do some push-ups and sit-ups every day.

19. Which comics are hot on your demand list?

Thor, Cap, Superman books, Herc, Gl titles, JSA, New Avengers, Invincible.

20. Whats your favourite film?

If it's one. it's the Original Star Wars(a New Hope). Then Halloween. Then Meatballs. Then the Godfather. :) And from there Conan the Barbarian, Superman 1 and 2, and Bachelor Party.

21. Whats your favourite game of now, and your favourite classic game?

Pitfall. Endless side-scrolling fun and mindless game chirps. Watch out for the alligators!!!

22. You asked Sarah Horrocks whether she was a geek, she answered that she that's she is more a not so overtly nerd. What about you Geek or Nerd?

Geek. I am not smart enough to be a Nerd.

23. Anything else you would like to say to the readers?

Come to the blog. Be nice to people. Eat your veggies. :...oh...BUY MORE COMICS!!!

Please come back and check http://www.arisasks.blogspot.com/ for more interviews, reviews and updates. Tell a friend!!!

And a special thatnks to Kieran for doing the interview!!!

Chew production art up at CBR!

2009-04-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

Great stuff to whet your appetite as we wait for Chew to be released in Jun.

Take a look, it is tremendous. I am looking forward to this book big time.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=21021

Retro Review: PITT #1 (Image comics 1993)

2009-04-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

Pitt wow. I forgot how much I loved this comic. I loved Dale Keown, who is probably the best Hulk artist of the late 80's and 90's. I fell in love with his art the first Hulk he was on, and it blew me away month after month. He just expressed Hulk's strength in and power in every panel.

And when Pitt was announced I was genuinely excited. And when I got it, I loved it. in 1993 it had that image magic, combined with Dale's Heavy Metal art style and dynamism. It was raw and powerful stuff.

That was then.

Upon re-reading. Not so much. The story is pretty simple. An alien creature arrives on Earth to save us, naked, and is attacked by bikers. he kills them something awful by the way. But as savage as he is, he has a bigger role to play as our saviour. So that is the set up as the secondary characters are introduced. Cops sent to investigate Pitts appearance and bloody attack on the subway. And the boy who is having visions, who will eventually join Pitt on his savage journey to protect the world from the Creed. Who's agents show up and kill some people at the end of the issue.

The dialogue and plot are very simplistic, and really are only there to serve as an excuse to have Pitt kill and fight. Its even silly at times. But to be honest, no one picked this up for the writing. No way. What people did want they got in spades. Raw, dynamic, visceral action by Dale Keown. It powerful stuff. Pitt is scary. if not a little bit of a cliche, but scary and powerful.

I think this isn't Dale's best work. he embraced the Image style of lines and cross hatching that was super popular at the time. it was messy compared to his work on Hulk, which if I remember correctly was inked by Rubenstein(?). Messy, but full of energy. The figure work and expressions pushed to the cartoony stylistic limit. Pitt himself is awesome to behold, pretty much a simple unremarkable design..but drawn, rendered beautifully. Dale Keown is really heavy Metal in comic form. The action is intense and brutal. The layouts are simple, mostly frontal shots, and the background are more suggestions and often nonexistent. Again, this was a sign of the times. Brutal violent snarling and jumping. Ultra-huge characters with guns and pointless cybernetics or claws..basically roaring through panels for really no other reason then it looked damn cool.

all in all the re-read for the review was satisfying but very dated. Fun yet...well...unfullfilling.

I definately recommend every one who reads comics pick up his Hulk run with Peter David. It was excellent.

6 out of 10.

Mondo Marvel by Paul Brain McCoy @ comicsbulletin.com

2009-04-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

Any one who loves comics should really give this column a read. Basically Paul is going back to the begins of the House that Stan and Kirby built and basically giving us a tour of the history of the Marvel Universe. He plans on reading and offering commentary being with 1961's Fantastic Four #1 up through December 1969.

It's a labor of love..really good stuff for fans of comic history in general.
http://www.comicsbulletin.com/soapbox/124034662387693.htm

Good job Paul. Awesome idea and execution.

Aris Asks Todd Gross

2009-04-26T14:09:00.000-07:00

Todd Gross is a regular at the Millaworld forums, and all around nice guy. He is known for finding pictures of comic fans on the internet and using them to great comic effect...and he is also an all around good guy.

1. When did you start reading comics?

I think my parents bought me comics when I was maybe around 4 (1972). Growing up, I read Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Captain America and Thor. I had a few DC comics but one of my favorite books was Batman: 30s – 70s. I think I wore that book out. Another was Jules Pfeiffer's The Great Comic Book Heroes.

2. Who are your favorite characters?

My favorite character is the Punisher. I own almost every comic book appearance he has ever made. Spider-Man is also a favorite. I have a special place in my heart for Batman.

3. are you a DC guy or Marvel Zombie?

Make Mine Marvel! :D

Seriously, I prefer Marvel because that is what I grew up with but I will read books from any company if project interests me.

4. any aspirations about being a comic creator?

Nah. I prefer reading comics

5. And who are your favorite creators?

My all-time favorite artist is John Romita, Sr. I also like Skottie Young, Sean Phillips, Esad Ribic and Steve McNiven. Carmine Di Giandomenico did some absolutlely brilliant work on Daredevil: Battlin’ Jack Murdock and Magneto: Testament. A very underrated artist.

When it comes to writers, I like Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Millar, Jason Aaron, Jonathan Hickman and Greg Pak. And of course, John Steele Layman.

6. Are the $3.99 comics signaling the end of the floppy?

It is signaling the end of me buying the floppy. I have been cutting back on books because of the higher price and only purchasing select $3.99 titles. As to the future, I think we are reaching a ceiling of what the majority of comic buyers will pay for 32 pages per month.

Given the current economic times and the near future, I can see people dropping floppies due to the high price. Now is the time for the companies to begin transitioning readers to a digital format.

7. Do you think it's inevitable that digital comics replace the floppy?

I think at some point in the not so distant future that digital comics will be the standard form. I think floppies will be used as promotional pieces, marketing giveaways and special prestige projects. Companies can still collect their online issues into trades. That said, I think digital comics still have to get some kinks out before they truly take over.

I think comics will evolve when they go online. Hyperlinks to back issues and character/plot information and animation. In 10+ years, digital comics will be very different beasts from their print ancestors.

8. What are the best comics your reading now?

Scalped, Criminal, Air, Incognito, Northlanders, Glamourpuss and a bunch of Marvel books

9. what do you think about the term "event fatigue"?

I’m tired of it! ;)

I understand why the Big 2 do events regularly but I would like to see a two year gap from the last issue of one event to the first issue of the next. I think it would give books plenty of time to explore changes and lay groundwork for the next one that doesn’t feel rushed.

10. Who would win in a fight John Layman or Archonis?

The viewing public.

11. Your predictions about Chew?

It will be discovered to be the cause of the swine flu outbreak and make cannibalism fashionable again. Everything balances out.

12. You pretty much start off all the new comic threads with a theme or gimmick at Millarworld, always very funny, how do you come up with those?

Sometimes I will see a picture that sets that just screams a particular idea. Other times, a last minute inspiration hits me. It gets harder and harder each week though some weeks, it all comes together in my head days before I post it.

13. Your votes in the MW-SFL (Super hero fantasy league) are horrible and obviously biased against DC characters why is that?

I go with who I think would win the fight. I look at each fight on its own merits. Some are very close and it doesn’t always go the Marvel way. Besides, all the other teams are better than yours! :P

14. Do you think at this point you can justify me ever sharing my home made Eggrolls with you?

I have been horribly abused by Layman. Pity me!

15. Do you frequent other comicbook related forums?

I have accounts at some other boards but I rarely go to them. I like Millarworld because it is not limited to just comics. There are times I think I post more in Current Affairs and the Pub than the Comic forum.

16. Do you use any comic related news sites like Comic Book Resources or Newsarama?

I used to go to Newsarama daily but when they changed their site, it put me off though I still visit it occasionally. I go Comic Book Resources daily.

17. Are you on Facebook just to find compromising pictures of comic fans to use for your comedic pleasure?

No, but I do take advantage of that. At Millarworld, we used to have threads of pictures where we would post pictures of ourselves and I mined the hell out of them. As I friended more Millarworlders on Facebook, the riper the fields became. And for the record, I have only a literal handful of pictures saved of Millarworlders. I get 99% of them from Facebook and Millarworld itself.

18. Barry is back as the Flash(one of many) what are your thoughts on that?

Barry was the Flash I knew growing up. When I got back into comics in the late 80s, Wally was the Flash. While I did pick up some stories with Wally and enjoyed them, he never really clicked with me. He wasn’t my Flash.

That said, I am still not convinced bringing back was the best idea though with Geof Johns behind it, I think it will turn out pretty good.

19. Do you care that the last part of Old Man Logan by Millar and McNiven are coming out after the issue of Wolverine it is supposed to be in front of number wise?

While a bit silly on Marvel’s part, it really doesn’t matter that much to me.

20. Do you think John Voulieris really gets all those girls?

I think when Johnny Vee to the modern Fonzie. All he has to do is walk into a room and the hot ladies run to him to inhale his musk.

21. Do you think Continuity matters any more, or are self contained Start, middle, finish comics are better?

I am not as obsessed about continuity as I used to unless it is something glaringly done with no explanation. As long as the story is good, that is all that should matter.

22. Do you think that American comics could survive mimicking the Manga model?

If Marvel were to make a paradigm shift with their entire line, it might be successful. To me though, it would delay the inevitable move to digital.

23. DC is trying something called Wednesday Comics, kind of like a Sunday comics format, have you heard of it? are you willing to give it a try?

I have heard about it but it doesn’t grab me. I will say I really admire DC for trying this and hope it is successful. I think the companies need to experiment with formats because they could open up great new avenues of storytelling. That is something that may help them to survive in print form as prestige projects once digital comics become the norm.

24. Who do you think has a better chance of becoming a mod at Millarworld forums, you or me?

Me, of course! I’m the better speller.

Todd is all over Facebook and chances are he is pilfering your photos to use when you least expect it.

Comics Capsule Reviews 4/22/2009

2009-04-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

Trinity #47: A wild ride as the Trinity face off against Krona and his cronies (Morgana and Despero). It's a huge mega fight, with allies coming from adjacent Earth's to help defeat the Dark Trinity. Good dialogue and progression by Busiek and great art by Bagely. The secondary story is interesting. Luthor has the plan that can help the trinity gain the upper hand and actually set things right. Nice Dialogue and narration. Not a big fan of Derenick, the figures are awfully bug and hyper muscled and some what awkward. But the story is very interesting. We are closing on the end game and there are plenty of players in place. Great job by all involved. 7.5 out of 10.

Supergirl #40: someone give Gates and Igle a gold star. Excellent issue. Balls out action and intrigue. Reactron is a mailto:d!@. Great fight between the two as Supergirl unravels the mystery of Superwoman. Twists, turns and drama galore. Next issue is gonna really be tremendous. I hope Supergirl stops Superwoman from running around killing people. The art is great. Igle is really a master of the craft of comic art. Great action and super powered fisticuffs in Metropolis. Great character work. And really nice backgrounds and layouts. Really fantastic storytelling. The coloring not so much. It is amateurish and a digital mess of highlights and fades. The book should be brighter. Its an unnecessary distraction from the great art Igle is presenting. Still the book is a great read every month and the certainly the best Supergirl I have ever read. 8 out of 10

Hulk #11: FUN. Balls out fun. I just decided to go for the ride. The classic Defenders line up snatched out of time by the Elders to take on their opposite the Offenders. And it is awesome fun indeed. Kudos to Loeb for the Coney Island Cyclone comic thrill ride. Great faces offs and turns as Galactus, Dommamu, and the Psycho-Man add a twist to the main event. Great art by the modern master McGinness. Thick, stylized lines and great expression and action. inked perfectly by Vines and colored beautifully by Guru EFX(that's a studio I guess?). Its a beautiful fun flurry of action and big time cartoon drama. A+. 9 out of 10

Amazing Spiderman #592: Wow. McKone is an amazing Spider-artist. I just love it. He was always good but since he joined the Spidey cabal after BND he has been at another level. he nails the costume and movement perfectly. Nice detailed backgrounds, fluid transitions and layouts. Great characterization and expression..which he nails throughout this issue...especially the naughty last page. Shame on you Mark Waid. Waid delivers a tremendous issue full for rich characters and dialogue. I love it. a great issue, kick yourself for staying away from the best Spidey in 15 years. 8.5 out of 10.

Mighty Avengers #25: Way too silly. The writing is down right silly. I think outside of a few moments most of the characters I have been reading for close to 30 years sound nothing like they are supposed to. Pietro like a high school hot head? Pym was completely off. The dialogue was terrible, especially the childish nature of the CABAL's interaction. These are the Earth's power elite of villains? And the thing with Loki/Wanda? Orchestrating things is horrible. It has never been in her nature to lead or plot. Its a complete departure from her characters. Other then that the issue managed to be fun and full of action. The art was definitely an improvement. I actually like Sandoval's version of the Pym "Wasp" outfit, and he really brought some serious dynamic energy to the action. Even the static talking heads stuff was great. I think there are a few tweaks needed. One that's a horrible design for Quicksilver. It sucks. What's with the "darker" green half moon and the awkward silver bolt? Someone needs to fix that ASAP as well as remember what his hair is supposed to look like. Second...the inking. The lines where very week and sometimes incomplete. Thinker outlines would have really made Sandoval's figures pop off the page. The major problem i have with the book...it doesn't feel Mighty any more. 6 out of 10.

New Avengers #52: Ok. Aside from that NOT being the Son-of-Satan...Bendis delivered another kick-ass issue of New avengers. I have to admit the dialogue is wonderful. Fun, character driven..clever. The bit with Clint and Bucky getting Spidey on the Quinjet was brilliant comic banter. You get all that fun and a really solid bit of action as Strange tells of his encounter with the Hood in smalltown New Jersey. Great stuff...and I loved the few pages of the Hood with Madame Masque (she has got to be super hot! LOL). This story is really building for me, a face of with Dormammu...these guys are gonna need some serious fire power. The art was very good, great transition from the powerfully stylized Bachalo to the loose line work of Tan. Both do an amazing job here...although I will say Tan much have been rushed. He can be a little messy, but some of his work here is more messy then usual. Even with that that...the entire issue is dynamic. great job guys. 8.5 out of 10

Incredible Hercules #128: Oh i so enjoy this comic. I will start with the art. Clean, open lined brilliance. This Dietrich Smith is new to me, but he can draw a comic. Great action and expression. Incredible layouts and dynamism. Good detail. This was a wonderful super fight handled like a true pro. Kudos to Marvel for adding this guy to the Herc line up. He is amazing. Pak and Van Lente deliver big. the Olympus group vs the (dark) Avengers vs Herc and friends. Fun and clever. Great dialogue and a hell of a last page. Heh. Very funny. But what i loved is Herc. Tossing around the big yellow pretty boy Sentry like a ragdoll. Awesome. This comic remains one of the pieces of joy in my comic stack every week. I really recommend it. Clever, fun and action packed, I hope it never ends. 9 out of 10

Thor #601: as much as I love it. It lacks something without Coipel on art chores. This is his book. Not that Djurdjevic is bad, his previous issues were excellent...but this is a rough, maybe rushed for him. Things look awkward and off.Still he delivers good storytelling and drama. I certainly like his Doom. JMS brings us another powerful chapter in this mythic version of the Thor series. Its funny Hercules is pure comics with myth thrown in for flavor, and this is mythic storytelling using comic. there is a difference, not sure I am explaining it. But both are great. but different. I love the dialogue between Doom, Baldur and Loki. And Loki going to Blake. the best part...I believe the Executioner will be back. 8 out of 10.

Aris Asks Chris Eliopoulos

2009-04-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

Chris Eliopoulos is creator of his own web strip Misery Loves Herman, long time professional letter extraordinaire and writer of the the up coming Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers (how awesome is that!) from Marvel in May 2009.

1. Where would the world be without the Greeks?

Without democracy amongst a million other things. :)

2. My last name is Iliopoulos, similar, are we related?

Could be.

3. Lets start out with Pet Avengers (because it's awesome!), how did you come up with the concept?

My editor at Marvel said he wanted me to come up with a book about Lockjaw and a bunch of other animals. I picked out which animals I wanted to use and got to work.

4. When you pitched it, did any one look at you strange?

I think there were a few up at Marvel who wondered if I lost my mind, but enough thought it was fun and an interesting take of the Marvel U.

5. How did you pick your team? Is Lockjaw actually the leader?

Lockjaw sets this book in motion and he and Frog Thor co-lead. I really went through the list of all the Marvel animals and picked out which ones I thought were cool or might play well off each other.

6. Can you tell us anything about the series that haven't been addressed in the solicits?

I can't say too much, but I will say that a character may die.

7. Anything else out there from Marvel that has you doing writing duty?

I just finished writing the framing sequences for the Marvel Assistant Editor's book and I still write and draw Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius 4 times a year.

8. When did you start reading comics?

I mostly read comic strips, never really read comic books except Richie Rich, Casper, etc. as a kid. Never got into the super hero books much.

9. Right now what are some titles you are really enjoying?

Honestly, I have so little time, I don't really keep up on anything.
Usually I'll find stuff at the bookstores and buy collections. Also really enjoying webcomics now.

10. Now that you are writing are there any artists or projects you are dying to get your hands on?

I tend to lean toward non-mainstrean (superhero) books. I like doing these fringe books, so I just keep trying to come up with new things in the Marvel U to play with.

11. How did you get into Lettering?

I got an internship at Marvel in college, was hired when I graduated and one of my friends taught me how to letter. I had studied type and graphic design, so it seemed a natural fit. I moved into the lettering department and a few years later I went freelance and have been ever since.

12. You created the fonts Marvel uses digitally now, can you explain what that means?

All the fonts anyone uses on a computer were created using a font-creation program like Fontographer. I've made a large amount that look like hand lettering and sound effects. Me and the people who work for me use them to letter the Marvel comics you know and love.

13. For a split second, when you were doing that, were you worried you would be out of work?

Well, I created the fonts for myself and my team. Marvel has licensed a few of them, but I've had a very good relation with Marvel and they have always done well by me. So, I don't think I was worried much.

14. With the increased use of digital media for lettering, inking, coloring and effects do you think any of the craft or artistry is being lost in comics?

Nope. I just think they are new tools. It's the people who use them and how they use them that make the difference. Just like computer animation is only as good as the people making the films, some people can do great work in comics on the computer and others can just be bad. It's the people, not the tools.

15. Why do you think Larsen wanted you to letter Dragon so long the traditional way?

He loves the traditional way. It's his right as a creator to do what he wants on his book. Just like on my webcomic, I letter it by hand, draw in brush and ink and do my Marvel work on the computer. On my work, I can do what makes me happy and so does Erik. I think he just happens to really like the organic feel of hand lettering and, personally, I think it goes better with his art.

16. People should really check out Misery Loves Sherman, can you tell us how this strip came about?

I've always wanted to do a daily strip and I've come close to syndication, but I felt that the opportunities in the newspaper market were drying up and I saw a lot of successful creators doing webcomics and felt that this may be the future of cartoons. So, I work on the idea, wrote it, drew it, got a webpage and started posting a strip every weekday. It's great in that the web cuts out the middleman--no syndicate, no editor, no distributor. Just you and your audience. Seems real pure.

17. Greatest comics strip of all time?

Krazy Kat, Barnaby, Pogo, Peanuts, Bloom County and Calvin and Hobbs.

18. With the decline of newspaper circulation, what do you think strip creators like yourself can do to get your projects out there?

Move to the web. I have plans to do my own kids book and instead of going to publishers right away, I'm going to post to the web and when it's done, offer it to publishers. Web strips seems to be growing and improving. The cream is rising to the top and the really professional creators are gathering audiences. It's like being a part of the original astronaut corp. This is the ground floor.

19. You have been doing stories about Franklin Richards for some time now, how did you get that going?

A number of years ago, I pitched the idea to Marvel's publisher and it was rejected. I mentioned it to C.B. Cebulski a year later and they loved it and we got started on it. At first Franklin was a back up feature, but people seemed to like it enough to warrant a full comic and we've been going strong since.

20. Do you think comic strip sensibilities are appreciated by the "capes" comic book audience?

Not really, but the goal of Franklin is not to go after the people who already read comics, but those who don't. It's designed to get children reading and parents having something they can read with them. We, as an industry, have to reach out to new markets to keep growing.

21. What are the greatest influences on your work over all?

Charles Schulz, Walt Kelly, Berkley Breathed, Bill Watterson, Erik Larsen.

22. What are the chances of an all Greek creator comic coming out from DC(Wonder Woman) or Marvel(Hercules)? Don't you think that would be crack the internets in half huge?

It could happen--wait I write, draw and letter Franklin. Does that count?

23. Back to Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers(because it is AWESOME!), is it set in continuity?

Yup.

24. Chances of a series of events starring the Pet Avengers like Marvel has been doing with their Galactic characters since Annihilation?

Anything is possible. If Marvel feels it's something they want to publish, it will be done.

25. Any parting advice for the guys and girls out there who dream of being a being a comic creator?

Stop trying to break into Marvel or DC and create your own work. Use the web--it's much cheaper than paying for printing. When you're good enough, the Marvel's and DCs will be grabbing you.

Please check out more of Chris' strip at http://www.miserylovessherman.com/ it is constantly hilarious and make sure to pick up Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers9because it's AWESOME! :) out in May from Marvel Comic.

Retro-review Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-man #52 (March 1981)

2009-04-19T14:36:00.001-07:00

"the Day of the Hero Killers!'. that was a quite a title. Written by Roger Stern, it's a dense emotional story and the end of the original White Tiger.

Basically a para-military organization run by Gideon Mace (who has a mace for a hand!, really) has declared war on superheroes, and the first casualty left for dead on the steps of the Daily Bugle is amulet enhanced karate powerhouse White Tiger.

Fortunately for White Tiger he is disposed of at the feet of his pal Peter Parker. And after a brief moment on the street and an appearance by J. Jonah Jameson and Robbie, is heralded to the hospital where Peter begins to agonize over the potential loss of his friend, as he reflects on the continuous losses in his life, Gwen, Uncle Ben, etc...

After a brief conversation with gruff insightful Harlem PI Nathanial Alexander Blackbyrd, Pete decides to go hunt down Mace. And he takes down the Mace handed culprit and his military thugs lickity-splitz. It's no contest, except in a fury of gunfire the thugs gun down their own leader.

Spidey can't take it any more and smacks them silly. He gets back to his friend for some more emotional insights about some of the choices and problems with being a hero, and in Tiger's case, the almost drug like addiction to the amulets, which he gives to Blackbyrd to return to the Sons of the Tiger to safe keep. Hector Ayala moves on boards a bus, to a new normal life.

It's a fun story overall and less about the action, seriously, this Gideon Mace can't even be imagined to be a threat to Spidey, who easily disposes of him. But you get some good old school emotional exploration in a very dense script.

The art was handled by Rick Leonardi, and although I read the issue long ago, hadn't realized he was drawing comics way back to the early 80's. But here he is. It's not the trademark Leonardi, who's distinctive style is easily recognizable to long time comic fans. It's a little raw and awkward, some of the poses and choices of PoV are a little odd. And the inks are pretty much a sign of the times, heavy lines and thick dark brush strokes that was common in the 70's and early Eighties. Still you get the story in classic comic book form, but all together really unremarkable.

The cover is a nice graphic by Frank Miller and Wiacek...even here, you can see Miller was drawing in traditional comic style of the time.

All in all it's a good read, and glad I got see the only White Tiger worth mentioning in comics again, I miss him. 7 out of 10.

Aris Asks Jamal Igle

2009-04-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

Jamal Igle has been drawing comics for 15 years and is currently artist on Supergirl for DC, he also teaches and lectures on comic art at the Art Students League in NYC.

1. Most people don't realise how long you have been a professional comic artist, when did you start drawing comics professionally?

About 1993, I guess. That's when I got my first regular assignment for a small publisher called Majestic entertainment

2. You graduated from New York's Art and Design High School and teach at the Art Students League, how important is formal art education to drawing comics?

I recommend it actually. I was always told that you have to know the rules first in order to break them and i think that's true. With superhero comics especially, there is such a reliance on knowing anatomy, perspective, and observation. You can learn to draw comics on your own, which is what happened to me. However, learning how to draw properly first was the best thing I could do for myself as an artist.

3. What were the first book you read that really made you a comics fan?

It was an issue of Captain America, I couldn't tell you the number but It was drawn by Paul Neary.

4. Creator's who's work influence your love of comics and art?

Steve Rude and Dave Stevens.

5. The work you are doing on Supergirl is awesome, how long do you see your self continuing on drawing duty?

I'll be on the book for a bit longer, there are some things being discussed but it's too early to discuss.

6. Would you say this is the best work you have put out so far?

Artistically i think Supergirl is the best work I've done so far.

7. On the average how long does it take to do one page?

Depending on the detail anywhere between 4 and 12 hours

8. You have a wonderful family, do you have your studio in your house? What are the challenges of working from home?

Yeah, i actually sectioned of a corner in the living room. With a 1 year old it's better for me to work at home so we have a babysitter during the day until 5 pm, I take over, feed the baby, give her a bath and put her to bed. I cook dinner for my wife and we relax for a bit. when Karine goes to bed I sometimes work during the night for a few hours. I try to spend as much time as possible with Karine and Catherine.

9. What character or title are you dying to get a shot drawing at DC?

You know, until recently I hadn't considered him, but I wove to try and do an Aquaman book.

10. As a professional artist are you ever intimidated by other artists?

I'm in awe of some artists, but never intimidated.

11. Can you give us any idea what's next for Jamal Igle at DC?

Something big but I can't discuss it right now.

12. You have drawn a variety of characters over the last 10 to 15 years, which title has been the most challenging?

G.I.Joe. I realized that sometimes you can be a fan of something as a kid , and not wanting anything to do with it as an adult. It was two of the most painfully awful issues I've ever drawn.

13. When you come on a title, do you actively try to tweak the character design or leave your own creative stamp on the character?

It depends, With Firestorm the changes were already in place when Stuart Moore took over the book, so I was allowed to change the costume. With Nightwing I tried to stick very closely to what was already established for the look of the character.With Supergirl I actively tweaked what I thought didn't work for the character design wise, again with DC's approval and encouragement.

14. Who would win in a fight....Supergirl, Mary Marvel or Powergirl?

Oh that's a tough one, but I'd give the edge to Supergirl.
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15. What do you think can really be done editorially to reduce late comics? Can it be helped?

Not really, and I don't think that's the answer most people want to hear. Things happen, people get sick, people quit, some artists just aren't as fast as others.People Jim Lee or John Cassaday are late because they have other things going on outside of comics. It's just the way it is.

16. Do you think digital comics will ever completely replace floppies?

Eventually but not in the time frame some people think they will.In order for it to happen, it would have to be an across the board change to all of the publishing industry. Everyone, magazines, newspapers, prose books would all have to go paperless at the same time and you'd have to have an inexpensive E-reader that people would be satisfied with.

17. Are there any characters at Marvel, that given the chance you would love to draw?

Captain America and Daredevil.

18. Will Blackest Night crossover into Supergirl?

I don't know yet.

19. I have read a recent interview regarding some of your thoughts on creator owned projects, cost aside, you have to some ideas, any chance you will get to those eventually?

I'd like to think so. In some form or another, and It's just about the money.If I had the capital, You'd only see my once a year promoting whatever novel I was working on and then I'd disappeared into the woods like Big Foot

20. Is Supergirl an all ages book?

It's as much of an all ages book as Byrne and Claremont's X-men. it's violent in spots and there is some blood, although I try to keep it to a minimum.

21. If your daughter wanted to be a comic artist you would say?

I'd encourage her but I'd also let her know much work it is and how difficult it is to get into the business. It's doubly hard if you're a "Junior" like John Romita jr., Adam and Andy Kubert, or Leah Moore. She'd be unfairly compared to me or accused of being a recipient of nepotism.

22. Do you have any words of advice for some one reading this that has aspirations of being a comic artist?

Be patient, be open to suggestions and be a professional. Keep your commitments and your promises.

23. If you weren't drawing comics you would be....?

A Chef, maybe open my own restaurant.

24. By your estimation, greatest comic artist of all time?

Alex Raymond was the best, hands down.

Find out more about Jamal at his website and blog

http://www.jamaligle.com/

And Make sure to pick up Supergirl..fun, good, action packed comics.

Aris Asks Oliver Selby

2009-04-19T06:45:00.001-07:00

Oliver Selby is a rabid fan of the legendary Walt Simonson and all things Thor. And is actually living his dream running the Walt Simonson Appreciation Society on Facebook.

1. Let's get it out of the way...What is it about Walt Simonson you love so much?

1983, walk into Comic Showcase with my brother, see Thor #337, hair stands on end, read entire run over the next 45 issues, decide Walt is God.

2. At this rate do you think Walt, or his wife might think your a little bit....fanatical?

I only got back into comics as I was banned from riding (and crashing) motobikes, had retired from Kung Fu competitions and was spending all my time looking after my daughter. So far the great Walt and Weezie have yet to tell me to bugger off, so I'm happy.

3. How has been interacting with you favorite creator and have you ever met him?

Met the pair of them in Bristol in May 2008. I decided to go the con the night before after a few beers, and wrote up one of my favourite peices of dialogue, the last 2 pages of Thor #379. Printed it out and got Walt to sign it and have a photo done. Went home a very happy chap.

4. Whats with the picture with the Thor Helmet and Mjolnir?

My brother bought me the helmet (bloody awful re-design job that it is) and a year later I picked up a ridiculously expensive Mjolnir replica. Before my better half could laugh at me, I plonked the hat on, hefted the hammer in one hand and the camera in the other and got a shot. Later I realised I was in front of my daughters pink bedroom, which makes me look like the Norse God of Interior Decorating

5. Is Thor your favorite character?

Have Charlton just been relegated?*

*yes

6. When did you start reading comics?

About 9 or ten. Either Asterix or The Beano

7. What books are you reading now?

Crikey, monthly only Thor since the Crunch, but Incredible Hercules in trade, Yotsuba, The Boys.

8. What creators work do you really enjoy?

Matt Fraction deserves a knighthood for his initial Thor trilogy, such was it's utter fun, pomp and headbanging sillyness. Fred Van Lente for both Action Philosophers and Incredible Hercules, Simone Lia for Fluffy (one of the greatest books in history) Millar and Hitch in every thing they do, Garth Ennis, Bendis, Ellis, Joe Sacco, Gaiman and the mad mage of Northampton

9. How did you get involved with the Walt Simonson Appreciation Society?

After I met Walt, I created a Facebook group and a few stalwarts (Youri, Gar Jones, the Peytons, Mr Dodsworth) joined. Less than a year later we have nearly 500 members, including Mr Simonson himself, Fred Van Lente, Dougie Braithwaite, Dan Brereton and so many other creators its like Disneyland for geeks.

10. How much time to you take gathering information and administering that corner of fandom on Facebook?

20 minutes each workday. It's not a big job.

11. Obviously you love Thor. What are some of your favorite Thor stories?

1) Volstagg and Agnar of Vanaheim have a chat (around issue 340) 2) Thor gets the living crap kicked out of him by everybody after Hela curses him with the bones of an old lady (373-378) 3) Thor gives his Henry V type speech, end of #379. IT IS THE SINGLE GREATEST "F&$K YEAH!" MOMENT IN HISTORY 4) Issue 380. Best. Comic. Ever.

12. Have you read any Thor prior to Walt's legendary debut on issue #337?

Yep, and man it was disappointing.

13. JMS and Coipel are having explosive and signature run on Thor, how do you think that stacks up against Walt's incarnation of the character?

I truly love it. Coipel is a giant now after this. And JMS can have a beer any time he wants after the way he humbled Iron Man in issue 3 :)

14. Do you think social networking sites like Facebook , message boards and Myspace has been good for fans, and interacting with creators?

Good grief, of course. In 1984, Art Adams sent a letter to Marvel complaining that Walt drew a skateboarder at a ridiculous angle in issue 337. Now I can read what he does day to day. I am conversing with Gods of the industry and life is good.

15. Do you think the price of comics matters, won't the remaining fans collecting monthly pick the comics anyway?

$3.99 spelt the end of 90% of my pull list. Sorry Marvel.

16. Do you think monthly comics will survive going digital?

I still find it hard to enjoy digital comics. I've got the entire runs of FF, Iron Man, Daredevil, X-Men and Thor on my hard drive but almost never look at them, whereas printed matter is always to hand.

17. Out side of Thor, who is your favorite supporting character from Thor comics?

Thanos, Spider-Man and Piotr Rasputin

18. How do you feel about female Loki?

A bit like watching Laurel and Hardy doing a porn film. It’s wrong but I can’t help watching anyway.

19. Do you own Star Slammers?

No – to my eternal regret and shame.

20. Do you have any aspirations to write or draw comics?

Good lord man, I can barely draw stick figures. In fact, my 5 year old is better than me.Nope, I’m a fan. As John Cleese said, I may not know much about art, but I know what I like.

21. This has been a Thor-centric interview, but lets talk THOR: the Motion Picture anyway....what will it have to be about for people to get it?

Answer from brain:Lord of the Rings duplicate with tender moments between Thor and Sif.

Answer from heart:I don’t care about anybody else. I want to see Thor and Balder fleeing Hel, Skurge knocking out the blonde bombshell with a right hander, nicking 2 M-16’s, telling the lads to have a beer for him later and holding the bridge at Gjallerbru. At that point I will have exploded with joy so will not care a jot about whether Branagh chose the right key grip or whatever.

22. Who would win in a fight Thor or Superman?

Superman would win. The world would stop turning if he didn’t. I am only saying this in case Sarah Horrocks reads this as she knows DC inside out. If I chose Thor she’d crucify me.

23. What games are you playing on the Wii(and you better not be exercising using the Wii fit)?

Wii Sports, Kung Fu Panda and Excite Truck

24. Take a moment to tell us about your blog(http://olavthehairy.blogspot.com/ (actually a great fun blog))?

Don’t read it, it’s at least 6 months out of date. Give me a few weeks and I’ll get it shipshape.

25. It's been a joy the last few years getting to know you, but I have to break this to you any way, Hercules can kick Thor's a$$. ;)

Hey, if you read Thor: Blood Oath, the Nordic one himself agrees that Hercules would win in a fist fight. “After all, he IS Hercules”. I love Herc and his new series is a perfect blend of Greek mythology and Marvel mythology.

Check out Olver's Blog

http://olavthehairy.blogspot.com/

And if you roam Facebook check out the Walt Simonson Appreciation Society it's a great fun place full of information and oliver's own Thorific sense of humor.

Comics Capsule Reviews 4/15/2009

2009-04-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

Teen Titans #69: was in the store, checked it out, looked like a new start type issue and I decided to give it a shot. unfortunately I won't be back next month. It really isn't even the writing or the art. I just do not care about the characters. Not one bit. There is plenty of dialogue and interaction but some how it was pretty hollow...and the humor was...well not really funny or clever. With all the great things DC seems to be doing I think it's time to start cleaning up the Titansverse. i am not beating up the creative team, it's just plain not interesting. The stuff with the FACE was just plain terrible, as was how they exited candidates from the issue and finally walked away with the new line up. i think there should have been more action..less silliness. the art is good, with pretty utilitarian storytelling. but fell victim to digital coloring. This book needed to be brighter and more vibrant. i would not say it was bad, just nothing that grabbed me enough to pick up the next issue or be interested in following these characters. 5 out of 10.

Amazing Spiderman #591: much more satisfying then I thought. Clever storytelling by Slott to move plot points into position and explanation of the time distortion of the Macroverse. I really enjoyed the discussion and revelation Peter and the FF have. And I found myself enjoying Slott's Thing and definitely the last few pages were a surprise, gonna be very interesting in NYC for Spidey now for certain. The art was very nice, a different cleaner style from Kitson. Which I really liked. And Eaglesham did a terrific job on his portion. I love his Harry Osborne. all in all an Enjoyable story. 7 out of 10.

Trinity #46: another solid piece by Busiek who move the good guy side of the board together in this control for the metaphysical soul of the Earth. I loved the one page sequence in the Batcave, nice touch Busiek. Bagley's art seems a little rushed and raw but still brimming with great storytelling. I also liked pulling together the events on Earth-3 and Dreambound collecting Warhound from frozen wastes. good stuff. 7.5 out of 10.

Secret Six #8: a very nice character driven interlude. Simone is magic all day on this book. I love the exploration of the burgeoning relationships. "wonderfully wicked and hilariously twisted" is an understatement. and the added bonus of Ragdoll's dream from the locked trunk of Deadshot's ride was a nice little addition. Wonderful. I love me some Jeanette. Her toe to toe with Wonder Woman? i think I saw that in Origins and omens...can't wait. The art by Jose Rodrguez is a nice fill in for Nicola Scott. His style is similar yet less refined and nuanced. He does a very nice job conveying the script with gesture and facial expression and even handles the bits of violence very nicely. Kudos for another a plus installment of the Secret six. 8 out of 10.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #3: Bedard is awesome. Vril is pulling his group together and its a joy to read. love the characterization of Vril and finding Strata and Bounder. Great characterization, fun dialogue and developments. Nice moments of acction and explanations and finally a revelation...as the Omega men come face to face with Starro? well it looks like Starro is in the body of a female Lobo..which means some dead Omega men!! The art is beautiful, clean crisp easy to follow, nice unique designs. Tremendous work by Clarke through out. The coloring also very nice and clean and makes the entire book shine. This is a great new addition to my monthly read list, I highly recommend it. 8 out of 10.

Captain America #49: Wow. What a wonderful exploration of Sharon...what is she dreaming about? I know this isn't a casual fill in...the images in her dream will be revealed. Nice touch with Falcon looking for the 50's era Cap...and where "Steve" winds up. Where is this going? The art is very nice. Luke Ross is an excellent fill in here, and with the color it continues seamlessly fro Epting's established work on the series. And here we are...next up issue #50...can't wait. 7.5 out of 10.

Action Comics #876: Barrow's comes out of nowhere and blows the doors off action in the latest installment of Action comics. intense is an understatement really. I am literally at a loss for words here. Ever panel of this bursting with intensity the fight seen in the Fortress of Solitude is illustrated with intense dynamic power. You get a feeling crisp clear in every panel of whats at stake and power levels here. not to mention it's well rendered, easy to follow and wonderfully illustrated. the emotions are there..gesture..perfect comic art. A definite stylistic melody of the best of Reis and Pacheco. DC do what ever you can to keep this kid. He draws it, I'll buy it. Rucka does just as powerful a job with the narration and dialogue. Emotive and powerful. We hardly know these characters, but the intensity of the interaction and language brings it all together wonderfully. I love what they have done with Christopher, which is crazy, because i hated the idea of the character. Now I love him. Great job, nice ending. The Superman family of books are very strong. Your really missing a good thing if you aren't picking this book up. 9 out of 10.

Green Lantern Corps #35: Month after month Tomasi and Gleason deliver the most visceral, nuanced, character driven stories around. The Jail break on Oa, with Guy LEADING the GL's to stop all hell from breaking loose. and Yat and Arisa descending on Daxam and taking out some sinestro's and trying to inspire and educate the Xenophobic fundamentalists!!! I love Arkillo. and Finally..Sinestro on Korugar...to have a chat with his Daughter. Man this comic has it all. Action, adventure, surprise, fun....and outstanding art by Patrick Gleason. It's just beautiful stuff. Nice thick lines and organic figure work. Varied and interesting aliens. balls out action and raw displays of gore and violence. I love this comic. Another book by DC everyone should be reading. 9 out of 10

The preview of Conway and Batista's Last Days of Animal man in the back of this weeks DC titles look very good. I am definately going to give it a shot.

Aris Asks Miguel Tegler

2009-04-15T05:47:00.000-07:00

Miguel is administrator of the Millarworld.tv(Mark Millar's lil' corner of the internets) Forum.

1. When did you start reading comics?

Probably around age 5 or 6, those 60s cartoons that Marvel put out were played in the early morning before school along with Adam West's Batman. That's what got me interested in the characters. I was amazed to find them in printed format at the 7-11 near the church we went too. Graciously my parents bought me 3 books. Fantastic Four, Marvel Team-up and The Avengers. I don't remember the exact issues. I do remember that they didn't make much sense to me. Reading comics wasn't really a habit until I was 12.

2. Do you think comics are as good now as they were then?

I might not have said yes 10 years ago, but the quality is up on modern comics with regards to art, writing and production to a degree that can't be argued. However the books from my childhood were a lot more innovative then they appeared at the time. Think about Starlin's Warlock series, there's half an issue where the main character is contemplating his mortality. That's not something we usually remember when we're kids. Mostly remember the first time the Juggernaut appeared in Amazing Spider-man. Sure Spider-man vs the Juggernaut is cool, but the Warlock book was a lot more thoughtful then I remembered comics being.

3. What comics are your reading now?

All of Mark's books obviously, Kick-Ass, Fantastic Four, Wolverine, and War Heroes. Looking forward to Ultimate Avengers. Besides that Thunderbolts, Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, Captain America, and Captain Britain.

4. who are your favorite characters?

Hawkeye, no powers, unlucky with love, his first death was an utter embarrassment (NOT LIKE THIS!!!) and still he pushes on. Gotta admire that. The Thing for his gruff demeanor and tortured soul, Marvel's own Cyrano. Thor, because of his speech, I know some readers and writers hate it, but it's great fun. Doctor Doom, every great villain should have an over-inflated sense of self-importance. I've always seen Doom as a member of the Fantastic Four family. Think of him as a crazy uncle.

5. Who are your favorite creators?

No one beats Alan Moore. It's not even close. I may not like everything Moore does, but I would always say it's brilliant. Next would be Alan Davis who is always fantastic. Roy Thomas, Mark Millar (obviously), Mike Mignola, Steve Rude, Kurt Busiek, Frank Miller.
Probably a many more I'm not thinking of.

6. Do you believe that comics will eventually go digital?

Absolutely, it's inevitable. Printing costs. Paper costs will continue to rise. eBook readers like Amazon's Kindle, will continue to get better and better with quality and faster then anyone expects.
Someone did a study last year and discovered the NYTimes could save millions of dollars, if they sent a Kindle to everyone who subscribed rather then actually print the paper daily. The real challenge here is the political/social issue not technological one as someone might expect. Both of Chicago's major newspapers have filed for bankruptcy, the Christian Science Monitor and a few other major newspapers have gone "web-only", this isn't a bump in the road for print media, it's a very clear trend.
I understand the nostalgia and loyalties, anyone who reads comics does, but we all need to get over this.

7. How did you get involved with the Millarworld forum?

I joined up when it was on Xfan originally. Made friends with Jen Hook, who set the site up originally. I became the tech guy for the site after the original guy went AWOL. Jen moved on about a year later and turned over the reigns to me.

8. I been a regular there for a few years, haven't seen many flame wars, why do you think that is?

We try to shut down cliques or anyone that feels a sense of entitlement. Everyone is welcome as long as they welcome everyone.
That or the state-of-the-art sprinkler system.

9. Millar started the site I guess to promote his work, but the content is generally in the comics area isn't always Millar-centric, is that ever an issue?

No. Worse thing we get are people who simply come on the forum to plug whatever thing they're working on and not participate with the rest of the discussions. Even that is pretty infrequent. As far as I know this is always the way Mark wanted the site to evolve, with a few exceptions

10. How do you choose mods?

The process has changed over the years. It used to be very democratic, but we've just picked people in recent years, for a variety of reasons. I'm very happy with the group we have.
Sounds like horse$h!t doesn't it? Real answer, I ask myself: Who would Rip Torn choose? And the rest is easy.

11. What are some of the perks of being the Admin on Millar's message boards(I know you get previews!)?

Previews are the only tangible perks. Or at least the only ones I'm willing talk about. Actually the previews might be a bluff on Millar's part. We might only say we get them in order to rile up the proletariat.

12. What is "Area-51"?

I think you're referring to Xanadu. It's everything Kublai Khan and Olivia Newton John say it is.

13. Seriously, what's the difference between a Mod and an Admin?

Admins have all our own hair. The mods are members of the Hair Club for Men. You forgot the Moderators Supreme, which is okay because no one knows what their deal is.

14. Is there a VIP area for creators on the site?

Just rumors of one. Rumors are easier to clean and maintain.

15. Back to comics. Do you have any aspirations to be a comic creator?

Not anytime soon. If I do it will probably be something along the lines of what Jay Stephens did in the 90s. I love those books.

16. Do you think comic sales even matter any more?

I'm not sure what that means. Like the number of books or the sales are irrelevant compared to the amount of cash comic companies make from other media, like movies and video games? The personal answer is:
They don't matter to me. I expect most books I like will get canceled, just like most TV shows I like get canceled. I'm a walking niche market.

17. Is continuity in a comics universe a bad or good thing?

A shared universe of continuity for characters? Well for the more dedicated reader it seems to be a must. If you didn't like that sort of thing, you wouldn't read Marvel or DC books.

18. What do you think of late comics?

They don't bug me much. I'd rather wait for a great product, then a sub-standard fill in. Goes back to your continuity question. having a different artist and/or writer, ruins the flow of the story. I imagine though, for retailers, it results in a lot of hair pulling.

19. Have you ever met Mark Millar?

I have. Very nice person and much easier to understand in the flesh.

20. Has Millar changed since he's gone all Hollywood now?

Not really, we might lose him to the NY crowd when musical version of the Ultimates comes out. You should see the lyrics for the "DO YOU THINK THIS LETTER ON MY FOREHEAD STANDS FOR FRANCE?!?" song.

21. Chances of Millar doing one of these interviews?

I will ask.

22. Back to the forum, How much actual admin work does into the site?

Backups, upgrades, database optimization, new account approval. Rinse.
Repeat. The other big task is conflict resolution. Usually sorted by setting someone on fire. Which takes us back to the sprinkler system.
Have I mentioned it's state-of-the-art?

23. Are there many complaints of members and subscribers PMing(Private Messaging) creators?

Nope. Let's hope it remains that way.

24. Why do you think people sign on to the forum "anonymously"?

You mean stealth mode members or lurkers? In any case: Fear. Probably the bloodcurdling type.

25. Aside from the volunteers and personal investment, are there any costs associated with running the forum?

It's a Toyota Corolla-type of site. The server, the forum software, the domain registrations, add up to be a bit expensive, but not over top.

26. Do you and the mod/admin staff at Millarword forums ever kick yourselves in the a$$ for not making Aris a mod?

I don't think Rip Torn knows you well enough. You're number may still come up. Keep those fingers crossed.

27. any final words or plugs?

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful and stop using the word "webinar".

Make sure to visit the Millarworld forums @ http://forums.millarworld.tv/ , it's great community, lots of fun.

Aris Asks Brendan McGinley

2009-04-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

Brendan is a comic writer and founder of Bankshot Comics, and is currently working on Heist, Invisible, INC., And Dose. He also produces a webcomic called Hannibal Goes to Rome, which has been featured on Zuda and is currently on Shadowline Web Comics.

1. When did you start reading comics?

According to my family, comics were the first thing I read; someone left a copy of MAD within reach, and I've been committed to satire and sequentials ever since. But as an enthusiast, I guess when I was 10 or so, a friend took me with him to the comic shop. I'm not sure what I ended up buying. I think it was TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES and SAMURAI CAT, which was actually a pretty good book.

2. What were the first books that blew your mind?

GRIMJACK was the first book I ever collected. That insane grin on the eponymous character's face whenever he'd get into a fight was bone-rattling. I remember thinking, "What kind of sicko smiles at these kinds of odds?" Of course, any psychopath would do, but what made GrimJack work was that he'd brood and cry and fight for folks he loved. I think that's an underrated book. It's like The Shadow and Philip Marlowe had a kid.

INFINITY GAUNTLET blew not only my mind, but even my classmates who didn't read comics. We had no idea who Thanos was, but he appeared to have no eyes and he just turned Wolverine's bones to rubber! I think that's a pretty good yardstick for a Marvel event villain; how brutally can he dispatch Wolverine? If the answer doesn't impress a 10-year-old, you don't get to write the summer crossover.

WILDCATS 3.0 and PLANETARY aren't the formative books of my youth, but they muscle their way on here because you can't keep them out. Has anyone else noticed the only superhero books to really advance the genre this millennium all came out of Wildstorm? The former's "corporation as superhero" angle informed INVISIBLE, INC. a lot.

3. Who are your favorite comic characters?

Just about everyone from LOVE & ROCKETS.

I really like Guy Gardner for his contrariness. That's a character who always loses. He's a jerk, nobody likes him, and being a hero costs him more than it gains. And yet he KEEPS ON TRYING. That's much more heroic and interesting to me than Superman, who's got a major stake in Metropolis and Lois Lane and the world at large. That's just a fellow tending his garden.

Now of course, that's not what Superman originally was; the idea behind it was great -- "Gee, if I had superpowers, I'd make everything fair!" But I've never been interested in Superman as a book because it's always about the world around Superman, and I simply do not care about Bibbo or the Newsboy Legion or Jimmy Olsen's acting career. Superman is a wonderful concept: a man who can overcome any obstacle eschews personal glory to improve the lot of others. That's heroism: "I'm Superman. How can I help?" All-Star Superman is great like that. Yeah, Guy Gardner.

The entire Giffen/DeMatteis era of JUSTICE LEAGUE was like a family to me in junior high. Good, clean fun comics.

A friend browbeat me into reading Joe Kelly's DEADPOOL, which is terrific -- extending the character to cartoon genius. The issue where they invaded an actual Stan Lee/Steve Ditko Spider-Man is the funniest comic I've ever read. I mean essentially, Deadpool is Daffy Duck right at that point where Merrie Melodies became Looney Tunes -- sometimes he's a kid on a sugar buzz; sometimes he's a greedy jerk. I like Slapstick for similar reasons; they'd make a good team-up, wouldn't they?

I like the Punisher, who I think has more depth than most folks are willing to recognize. The problem is those damned movies always try to make the attack that killed his family personal and the subsequent vendetta about revenge. They just don't understand that when for a man able to survive anything, random violence IS personal. His gift becomes his curse because he had a picnic in the park. Why has no one let Garth Ennis have his way with a film script?

I like villains; I like Magneto and Venom and Sinestro -- evil twins always make the best foes, because they're instantaneous foils. Sinestro especially. Geoff Johns has done a terrific job building on what Giffen & Jones started.

4. Who are your favorite creators?

Well, I could say Alan Moore and Grant Morrison, but what MORE could I say? They're absolute titans. Warren Ellis and Garth Ennis will show you how to be a better person through perversion; I'd say those two helped me develop as not just a writer but a human being. I marvel at Geoff Johns' ability to turn in 100 scripts a month with no dip in quality.

On that point, Mark Waid, John Ostrander and Peter David never get enough good words written about them. Both are terrific plotters who know how to pin motive and emotion onto their structural points. I know that sounds highly technical, so here's what I'm getting it: they will never cheat you. They know how to make your jaw drop, they can make you care about a D-list character's supporting cast, and they'll mix some tears and laughter into the story.

Brian Azzarello, he's aces -- bloody knuckles, broken noses and bent morality.

Gerard Jones -- when he's on (MOSAIC, AMERICAN SECRETS), there's absolutely nobody better.

I have no idea what artists are out there anymore. I assume they're all great and I continue to wish I could draw like Adam Hughes or Frank Cho.

Evan Dorkin -- I'm jealous of his humor and his art. Man, I love his stuff. Hold on, I have to go read CIRCLING THE DRAIN.

Winsor McCay's been a huge influence on me. That's most evident in a couple stories not yet seen. His grave's not far from my house, and I've visited it a couple of times.

5. What are you currently reading?

Whatever my roommate brings home and stashes in the bathroom. Most of it's garbage.

6. You think $3.99 comics will kill the floppy?

You're asking the wrong Quixote. I designed a $5 indie comic at 56 pages with no ads and I still couldn't get it on the shelf. If Marvel can sell it, bully for them. Otherwise, I think they're looking at trades. Except aren't trades slowing down in bookstores now? That'll happen when you collect everything, whether or not it deserves it. I really can't believe neither company has begun a big push for original online content yet.

7. What is Bangshot Comics?

Bankshot is whatever I'm working on. "Brendan McGinley" is a lot harder search term to spell correctly. I guess you could call it an imprint or a studio or a very expensive hobby

8. What are some of the comics you are currently producing?

HEIST -- The world's greatest supervillain is so good at his job the heroes have no idea he exists. That is, until he's hired to steal an omnipotent artifact from their headquarters. It starts off a James Bond fantasy and goes to grievous places. Andres Ponce draws this, and Rocio Zucchi colors it to look -- oh! So fine. Josh Elder nods at my plots and shakes his head wearily at my dialogue.

INVISIBLE, INC. -- Ever wonder why supervillains don't try to take over the world anymore? A reporter discovers they pulled it off decades ago. This one is probably my favorite to craft, but the toughest to write, because there's so much conspiracy theory that zips so neatly into comic book cliches -- meaning I get to turn over things accepted as true with sinister implication. Tomas Aira handles all the art.

HANNIBAL GOES TO ROME -- The true story of the Carthaginian general who took elephants over the Alps told from start to epic finish. This is is running over at Shadowline, so if you like it, tell them in the message boards you want to see it in print with a big Image logo on it.

DOSE -- A compendium of humor and wit (maybe), featuring special guests and also a 30-foot-tall Dudley Do-Right battling a manga vixen in mecha armor. How now can you refuse? Seriously -- come for the Molly Crabapple guest pages, stay for the Victorian product advertisements.

And a bunch of projects that want artists of one calling or another: SHE'S FAMOUS NOW; REAPING PROFIT; ICONOGRAPHY; CITIZEN X: THE MISSION; STAR-X and a collaboration with Alex de Campi.

9. Are you building a continuous comic universe, or do all the titles exist in their own world?

Continuity is the enemy at this point. Who needs more of it? Comic fans have plenty of it if that's their thing. It's no longer a cool thrill if Thor appears in the Hulk, it's just part of the soap opera.

I wouldn't even be writing superhero comics if I were trying to establish that kind of open-ended, ongoing stuff. I figure there has to be other readers like me, who still love superpowers, but are just weary of the melodrama. I want a beginning, a middle and an end. I want change and development and characterization.

They just did a Spider-Man story called "Brand New Day" in which Peter Parker sells part of his soul to the Devil to preserve his aging aunt and ditch his supermodel wife. I mean, is there a better metaphor for comics and their continuity? Diving proudly into the sand headfirst to preserve the past at all costs, defying the natural order and common sense! SPIDER-MAN's supposed to be about growing up, and part of growing up is accepting that everyone passes in their time.

So no, I'm not dragging any characters back out if I don't think there's something they need to do. There might be a couple of more HEIST stories in Geist, but I don't want to overuse the character.

Now if it fits and if it were a thrill, I'd guest-star a little bit. You could put the case out there for, say, Iron Will from an upcoming project called ICONOGRAPHY to appear at the end of HEIST, and I tinker with the idea. But neither one of those characters could share a universe with INVISIBLE, INC. because they're just very different worlds. No one's controlling the heroes in HEIST and no one's a bastion of wit and style in INVISIBLE, INC.

But don't worry -- everything's self-contained. I'm not asking the reader to stray.

10. Which is the best?

Ha! Probably HEIST. It's the easiest to write. It's fun and breezy till it's not, and then the trap is sprung.

11. Hannibal? How did you come up with this?

Hannibal is inescapable when you're studying Carthage, which I was doing for CITIZEN X. I wanted a world where Carthage won the Second Punic War, and though I was going to dodge Hannibal, the really aggravating thing with fictional histories is it's MORE work than actual history -- it's not enough to just say "Ok, they didn't have saddles at this point in history," you have to figure out "Do they have guns? It's only 400 years later. Have they already made contact with China? Is that feasible? They have glass, they have naval ability, they're traders...what's that lead to first?" You have to figure out what could reasonably happen next by researching the entire world.

I suppose Hannibal was a bid for sanity amid all that. If I don't have the time period down by the end of that story, I don't deserve to finish CITIZEN X.

Besides, try though you might to dodge him, Hannibal is too impressive to ignore! I figured if I didn't slap that epic down with a talented guy like Mauro Vargas drawing it, someone else would, and they wouldn't use nearly as many awful puns -- so it had to be done.

12. Why didn't you do a comic about a Greek historical figure?

Because Frank Miller already did 300 and let's face it, Hipparchia's better off as a stage play. And your story's still being written, my lad.

13. Do you think there is a market for online comics?

I'm betting on it. HANNIBAL got more reads the first hour of Zuda than I've sold copies of DOSE to date.

14. Do you think digital comics will ever replace the floppy?

Yep. At least as a majority.

15. How do you find artists to work with?

I assume you mean "Where?" rather than "What's it like?" but I'll answer the second to give you the first -- a lot easier now that I'm finding guys via word of mouth in the Argentine comics community. They've never let me down: great talent, lots of enthusiasm, rates both parties can live with, and they all support each other. I spent 2003-2007 getting burned by artists from elsewhere who'd produce a few great pages in a flurry of commitment and then vanish -- sometimes with my deposit. But the boys from B.A. (and lady Rocio, whose art is literally unbelievably gorgeous) have never let me down -- not once.

16. Is it difficult to produce a finished comic?

I'd say it's more difficult than you'd expect to get one finished, but as easy as you'd think to get any of the elements done. It's difficult to make a GOOD comic, which I only say with certitude because I've already made some really mediocre ones. You can proofread it a hundred times and you still won't notice certain typos till you have the first print in hand. The web makes it easier to amend that, which I intend to do with some of the purple prose dragging down the middle of INVISIBLE, INC.'s first issue.

17. Some words of advice for the kid out there who wants to write comics?

Start doing it, give yourself extra space, and don't worry about trying to make it great. Worry about making it GOOD. Greatness is the product of inspiration, but goodness is the result of technical prowess. Everybody gets a few great ideas, but how many people learn to write a concise, slickstream-smooth, organic piece of information engineering that truly delivers on its premise within a few short pages?

Don't take it too seriously; even if you're the next Shakespeare, worrying about living up to Shakespeare will only paralyze you. Just get it done first. Shakespeare isn't great because he writes lofty poetry or even clear poetry; Shakespeare's great because he makes people think and feel.

Trust me, you can always revise; I'm still trying to improve and expunge my awful executions of good ideas from college.

Make some smart friends with enough of a mean streak to tell you what doesn't work.

And bear in mind this advice comes from a man with years in and dollars out on double-niche comics for the discerning conspiracy theorist/superhero fan. You should probably ignore everything I said and churn out heartless airport bricks like Michael "ZOMG Sciencebomb!" Crichton. There's a lot more money in that, and then you can buy me drinks.

18. What did you think of Kirkman's challange to comic creators, is it better to go independent?

I think it's better for Kirkman to go independent. I think it's better for a lot of people to have health insurance.

Neither one is actually better; he's just offering some advice on how to maximize your return and not get sheared of your life work's success. Nothing wrong with that. It helps to be a very good and prolific writer like Robert Kirkman. But if you're not at least one of those, why are you trying to get into a brawl for market share like this one?

19. Do you want to work for Marvel or DC?

I have. They paid me in comic books. That was as an intern, but from what I understand, the salaries are worth almost as much. I'll stick with construction.

But yeah, a little. I want to make money writing, I'd like to have health coverage and readership and somebody else doing all the marketing and print work so I can focus on the stories. I keep a file of story ideas that only work for their characters, but I'm not wasting time plotting them out. I'd rather work on second- or third-tier characters where you can really experiment and do something new. But as far as that kid's dream of working for those companies being the ultimate goal of any career, I'd rather be something besides that guy who had a pretty good run on CAPE-MAN.

20. You are working with Andres Ponce on Heist. How long until he gets snatched up by the Big Two?

I'm worried about that myself. I have a knack for getting collaborators swiped out from under me by bigger publishers. Andres, on loan to Mirage, is well overdue, and I know he'll be pushing his potent penciled pages around San Diego.

Here's a funny story -- you know I met Andres through the Millarworld boards. I really liked his art, hit him up for a collaboration, and the poor devil's been working with me ever since. So that was...2004, I think, and I was at Wizard, where they encourage you to read everything that's coming out so you can write knowledgeably about it. So I grab a handful of books that night, and go home to my freezing home in the wilds of Rockland.

And my house is literally freezing. I'm lying in bed under three covers, wearing a winter jacket, but reading comics because they're the only element in this story that keeps it from becoming a Jack London tale, and I DON'T WANT TO DIE.

So Jay Faerber -- he did the brilliant thing with NOBLE CAUSES of keeping the superhero soap opera, but eliminating the brawl side of it, so all you got was like...DYNASTY with lasers and it sounds crazy, but it was sharp and he made it work -- Jay Faerber has this new title called Firebirds. And I really dig the art, especially the costume design. This is great stuff.

So who's the artist? Oh, it's that fellow I just lured into my keyboard clutches during lunch.

And that's how Andres saved me from freezing to death, so I figure the least I can do is stall his career with junk like STAR-X.

21. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully done with all these beasts I've borne on my back all millennium. It'd be nice to take a vacation at some point between now and then.But as long as I'm eating well and still with this gorgeous, wonderful woman I guess I'm winning.

22. If you weren't doing comics you would be...?

Successful?

23. Are you a better cook or writer?

Sadly, writer. Anyone who's sampled my writing can pat their stomach protectively. What's even sadder is I've been drawing twice as long as I've been writing, and I'm still a better writer than artist.

That said, I made ras-el-hatoun lamb shanks last week and these "Doom / Tuck" inks I can live with, so maybe one day I'll be a good writer.

24. If you make it big in comics, and Hollywood comes calling do you think you would ditch comics completely?

I don't see the need to split it, but I also don't see Hollywood chucking well-deserved scripting opportunities at any of these decades-deep talents even to adapt their own properties.

25. If you were directing Hannibal: the Movie, who would you cast in the lead?

I'd just want to see someone who can capture that ultimate leader, a guy who slugs it out in the trenches then leaps onto a horse, gives a stirring speech, and really could lead men into the mouth of Hell. And then he has to have a thick foundation of intelligence, craftiness and humor to convey humanity underneath the demands of state.

Idris Elba's good at everything he does. Let him have it.

Interrested in seeing more about Brendan's projects follow the links. Great stuff.

http://www.indeliblecomics.com/

www.tinyurl.com/hannibalrome

Aris Asks Nicola Scott

2009-04-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

Nicola Scott is currently drawing Secret Six for DC Comics. And if you ask me kicking all kinds of a$$!

1. Have you always wanted to draw comics?

Nope! Didn't even know they existed until my late teens. I spent my twenties pursuing an acting career, occasionally considering drawing comics, but I didn't decide until I was thirty.

2. Who were early influences?

George Perez, Kevin McGuire and Adam Hughes.

3. Did you actually watch the Linda Carter Wonder Woman show?

It was the first TV show I remember watching. I remember because I was sitting there with my sisters and all my cousins, all girls and older than me, and they all thought it was boring and I thought I'd discovered religion.

4. The first thing I remember you doing was stuff on Drew's Halloween Man. How did you start working with him?

Hanging in the Millarworld Creative Forum. It was going through a pretty sparky phase, loads of really talented people posting often. During that time I contributed to the Halloween Man Christmas mash, like heaps of others did, and it kinda kept going after that with really nice working relationships and friendships between myself, Drew, Russell, inker Mike Furth and colourist Jesse Farrell.

5. You also did some work at Dark horse and Image, what titles did you do there?

A few issues of Star Wars: Empire and their '05 Free Comic Book Day issue that tied in with
Episode III. At Image I worked with Jai Nitz on his original series "Season of the Witch"

6. How did you get the gig on Birds of Prey?

I had met Gail Simone at Paradise Con in Toronto, in '06, and we got along really well right off the bat. She had seen some of my work on-line previously so when I saw her again at San Diego Comicon a few months later, she let me know that there was a fill-in issue of Birds looking for an artist. I met editor Mike Carlin and he said he'd seen my work and heard of me and said "Let see how this goes". It went pretty good.

7. You are currently blowing the doors off Secret Six, are you enjoying it as much as we are?

Are you kidding me! If you're reading the title you know how much fun the series is AND I GET TO DRAW IT!! Every time a script comes in I'm rolling around on the floor, laughing my ass off. It's a blast!

8. Who is your favorite character from Secret Six to draw?

The great thing about The Six is that they are all so different. Different body types, body language, mannerism and attitude. That makes drawing all of them a pleasure but I really dig drawing Ragdoll 'cause I can do anything with him and, by his very nature, is meant to be completely hilarious and horrendous to look at.

9. Any thing you can tease about up coming story lines?

Wonder Woman might be showing up. HOW EXCITED AM I!!!

10. Who would win in a fight Halloween Man or Junior?

Halloween Man I think. He can't die because he's already dead. Major advantage!

11. How long does it take for you on the average to pencil a page?

I try to aim for a page a day but with a team book, often with a number of characters per panel, it tends to work out to five pages every six days.

12. Do you prefer drawing from panel detailed full scripts or very open plots?

Don't mind really. Heaps of detail gives you heaps to work with.

13. Gail Simone writes Secret Six, she also is writing Wonder Woman, I know that's a book you really want to draw, any chance of that happening?

I'm pretty sure Gail will be on Wonder Woman for a while and I'm sure it'll come up at some stage. I'm actually at a point now where I don't feel the rush to get on it. It'll happen.

14. You and Amanda Conner are the only two female pencilers I can think of, do you think if you had to fight her in a cage match to draw Wonder Woman, could you take her?

Amanda is little and cute and sweet and I'm a big scary bitch. Do the math.

15. Are there any other characters you would like to draw?

I love the whole Bat Family and I love the whole Super family so anything there would be groovy. I like to bring out the personalities of characters so it's really more interesting being paired with a writer that does the same. I could be happy drawing anyone if they're written well, while drawing a badly written Superman would be depressing.

16. Any chance of doing any Marvel work?

Dunno. Maybe one day. If they ask me.

17. Marvel character you would love to draw most?

Spider-Woman.

18. Any advice you can offer to some one who wants to draw comics for a living?

Get serious about pursuing it as a career. You need to think of it as a job, not a hobby. That means finishing what you start, constantly producing and having a fair idea of where you might fit into the biz or what niche you can carve for yourself.

19. Is there ANY difference you can tell being a female artist in the comic industry?

Nup!

20. Do you have a stalker?

Not at the moment. Offering?

21. Do comic artists need formal training?

Nup! But they do need to be open to learning from others and from their own experiences.

22. If I told you I would kidnap Dan Didio and make him offer you Wonder Woman, you would say?

You're going to need a lot of chloroform.

23. If you weren't drawing comics you would be......?

Drawing superheroes on anything that happened to be in front of me.

24. What are your thoughts on comics shipping late?

Annoying but sometimes unavoidable.

25. Do plan on tackling any creator owned projects?

Eventually. My husband has a OGN coming out later this year. I worked on the teaser for it that he used to shop around for a publisher (this was back before I was working for DC). The teaser will be printed in the final book. It's called "Torn" and it's coming out from Frozen Beach.

If you aren't reading Secret Six, you should really pick it up. Consistently awesome, great characters and scripting and wonderful art by Nicola. There really isn't an excuse not to put it on your pull list.

Aris Asks Rob Guillory

2009-04-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

Rob Guillory is the talented artist currently working on Chew with writer John Layman due from Image Comics in June. He is also working in the field of children's book illustration, and on Teddy Scares for Ape Entertainment and Shortbus Superstars!

1. How are the Chew pages coming along?

They're coming along great, man. I've penciled up to Page 14 of Issue 4 and am currently inking Page 5 of Issue 3, so they're rolling.

2. How did you get involved with Chew?

Well, it was either good karma, divine intervention or dumb luck, really. A few weeks before, I'd just wrapped a short project for Tokyopop (that was never published) with writer Brandon Jerwa. Brandon had apparently enjoyed working with me, so when Layman began looking for artists for CHEW, I was the first guy he thought of. Layman cold-emailed me the day before San Diego Comicon 2008, sent me the premise and first script, and I was blown away. I read everything on the flight over, met John the next day and the rest is history. I feel very fortunate to be the guy bringing this to life. The stars aligned, I guess.

3. Can you tell us a little bit about the project?

Sure. Well, the short version is: An avian flu pandemic has killed several million people. As a result, the US Government, in a post-9/11-like panic, institutes a poultry ban and makes the FDA into the most powerful federal agency there is. Our story is seen from the perspective of Tony Chu, a new FDA agent who is also a psychic who has visions depending on what he eats. So if he eats an apple, he'll see all its history, where it came from, the pesticides and processing it was subjected to. Likewise, if he eats something more grotesque, like human flesh, he'll see aspects of the person's past. He uses this ability to solve cold cases.

4. You are handling all the art chores, except lettering, how long does it take you to do an average finished colored Chew page?

Hmm. Well, it kinda varies depending on complexity, but I can knock out 3-4 pages a week if I have no side-projects.
5. Do you actually like the story?

I absolutely love CHEW. I've got to be Layman's #1 fan, I think. But again, I've had the pleasure of reading the first 5 issues worth of script, so I see what's really there. Let me say this: No one knows what this book REALLY is. Sure, they've read internet blurbs about it and whatnot, but that's just the surface. There's more to this than cannibalism. That's just the hook. This story is about the conspiracy behind the deaths of several million people. Think about that, because at it's core, it's about one question, I think: To what lengths would you go to find the truth?

6. How is working with John Layman?

Well, John has this reputation of being this crazy guy, and that's fine. But I think a lotta times that there's a fine line between insanity and brilliance, and this time I think Layman's crossed over to something really original.Working with him's been the best experience I've had working with another creator. He's a pro and an all-around good dude. I consider him a friend. Another thing that I think makes this book special.

7. Don't you think his cat fetish is weird?

My wife and I have 2 house cats, so...

8. Chew sounds and looks great, I believe John's first arc is 5 issues, What are your plans for Chew after that?

We'd like to go as long as we can with it. John's got around 25-30 issues in mind, and I want to be the guy to draw this story from beginning to end. No fill-ins.

9. Have you always wanted to draw comics?

Well, I grew up with comics, always drew them as a kid, but didn't ever think I could make a living doing them until about my second year of college. I made a run for it, and here I am. I think I was born to tell stories in this medium.

10. What was your first art job?

Umm... Well, the first paying gig I had was a 5-year run doing 2 weekly comic strips for my college's newspaper. Didn't pay much, but it was an excuse to keep pushing my comic work on a regular basis. Plus, I learned how to meet deadlines.

11. Is it important for comic artists to take drawing classes?

I think taking drawing classes can be incredibly important, but I also feel it's invaluable to just be as broad and well-rounded as possible. If you draw, try painting. Or sculpting. Or poetry. Whatever. Creativity is creativity, and you'll be amazed at what will inspire new growth. And on top of classes, taking the time to do individual study is crucial. If you can't motivate yourself, no one can.

12. What is Shortbus Superstars?

Shortbus Superstars is a creator-owned comic project that I created with Image writer Mark Andrew Smith (of Amazing Joybuzzards fame). It's a long story, but it's been in flux for a while because of life, basically. One of the downsides to labors of love like Shortbus Superstars is that they don't pay the rent, sometimes. It's on the shelf for now, but it's something I want to return to eventually.

13. What else are you working on?

I have a couple personal projects that I'm scripting. One is a space blaxploitation, another is a horror story. A private goal is to do a modern-day comic translation of the Bible, believe it or not. Picture Jesus wearing Chuck Taylors. Yeah... I went there.

14. Any work on the horizon from the Big Two (Marvel or DC)?

Who knows? I'm just getting warmed up.

15. Have you actually ever made sweet Monkey love?

Hells yeah. I pity anyone who has not.

16. What comics are you currently reading?

I really don't read a lot of comics these days. Honestly, I just don't have the patience for a lot of the crazy uber-continuity in the Big Two anymore, so I just stick to standalone stuff or trades. I just read Walking Dead Vol. 1 the other day, though

17. You have your pic of the litter, what comic books currently published would you love to be working on?

Hmm. I dunno. Something out of continuity. Like a Luke Cage/Iron Fist 80s throwback special. I just want free reign over whatever I do.

18. Influences on your art?

Too many to list them all. In comics, I grew up with John Buscema and John Romita Sr. and Jr. In animation, I was always a huge Warner Bros. cartoon guy, so I think that has some influence on the expressiveness of my art. Jim Mahfood was a huge influence when I first started moving to break in. Guys like Jim, Dave Crosland and Mike Huddleston where like acid to my young, Marvel-bred mind. They opened my eyes to the wealth of possibilities in the story-telling medium. And of course, Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, Steve Ditko and Dave Gibbons were big inspirations.

19. Do you think digital comics are the way to go?

Maybe. For me, they'll never replace the printed page

20. Besides John Layman, is there another creator you would die to work with?

Warren Ellis is the only guy coming to mind, for some reason. Transmetropolitan and Nextwave are personal faves.

21. If you weren't drawing you would be...?

If I was lucky, writing. But realistically, I'd probably be beating my head against a wall somewhere.

22. Advice for the kid who dreams about becoming a comic artist?

mailto:F@$ critics. Do what you love and what completes you.

23. Facebook or MySpace?

Facebook, I guess. MySpace is like this generation's Tower of Babel, man. If I see one more Miley Cyrus MySpace ad, I'm pulling my own plug.

For more of Rob's art work please visit his blog http://www.robguillory.com/

And make sure to support Chew out in June from Image Comics. Check out the http://www.chewcomic.com/ for updates!!!

Words of advice from Rob Guillory on Breaking in to Comics.

2009-04-13T05:24:00.000-07:00

Great Blog entry by Rob Guillory, artist of Chew from Image in June.

Here's the link
http://robguillory.blogspot.com/2009/04/breaking-in.html

From his blog column...

1) Hit a con.
Walked the alleys, working past my own general awkwardness to
meet, greet and get portfolio reviews from artists, editors and the occasional
writer. Take note of whatever feedback I got in a sketchbook. Be polite and not
too self-deprecating. Ask questions. Trade business cards for instant
connection. Network!
2) Go home and Follow up.
I’d email almost all of the creators that I’d meet, just as a thank-you and as a way of saying “I’m serious about doing this for a living”. Oftentimes, creators would encourage me to send them new work, and they’d respond with invaluable advice. Jim Mahfood was the first creator that did this for me, and it was a huge boost to me when things got hard. And since we’re on the subject of using the Net…
3) Post Work Online.
I posted new work at least twice a week on at least five different message boards.
Sometimes, people would respond. Sometimes, they wouldn’t. Sometimes, they were
flaming assholes, but whatever. This was a priceless way to getting my work
seen, getting feedback, and meeting people. I can’t count the number of
professional contacts I’ve made just because the right person was surfing my
site at the right time. This is how Marvel Talent Coordinator/Writer C.B.
Cebulski found me via MySpace, of all places. I was just minding my own business
when he messaged me one day, saying he dug my work, and asking if I'd be
interested in working with him. Crazy. You’ll be amazed.
4) Work my Ass off.

Apply what I’d learned at the last con and try some new things. Build a new
portfolio and get ready for the next one.
5) Hit another con.
I’d hit two conventions a year. Once every six months, roughly. Being from the south, going to these shows usually required an expensive trek out of state, so this gave me
plenty of time to save the necessary cash, as well as produce a whole new
portfolio of work for each con. Simple enough idea. Added bonus of hitting these
cons regularly was that I became a face to creators. People remembered me and my
work, often to the point that many of those folks are now good friends.

Simple and wise words from an amazing talent.
http://robguillory.blogspot.com/

And True. Face time at cons is a great first step. And the follow-up is essential. Even if I do think the days of approaching editors and getting invited to the offices in NYC are mostly gone, familiarity and name recognition work. Especially if you have something close to professional grade talent, a unique marketable style and are professional.

Aris Asks Andres Ponce

2009-04-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

Andres Ponce is currently working on pages for Tales of the TMNT and Heist(with Brendan McGinley). And has worked on Jay Faerber's Flamebirds from Image Comics.

1. Who is Andres Ponce?

Penciler, sensible human being.

2. How did you get discovered?

Jay Faerber´s fault! I think that I saw a post of Jay on a forum looking for new talent.Jay gave me my first shot with a pin-up on his Noble Causes. Later we did more stuff together in the form of a pair of short stories, completed a NC mini for him when the penciler couldn't do it and a One Shot.

3. What are you working on right now?

Currently I´m doing Tales of the TMNT #61, and, slowly, HEIST #2. Maybe something with Jay in the future.

4. What else have you worked on?

I started like an inker on the Graphic Novel called Diorama, inking my friend Dario Brizuela. Later came all the Noble Causes stuff and the Firebirds one shot. All that from Image. After that, jump to Mirage where I did Tales of TMNT #32 and the April:TMNT movie prequel.Also I did 10 page stories for a TMNT magazine from the UK. Here in Buenos Aires I did story boards, stuff for ads and I wrote for 6 years kiddie comics for a magazine.

5. Do you think the internet has been good for comics?

Yes, I think.

6. Which characters are you dying to draw?

Outsiders, Green Lantern Corps, maybe Superman...and…Aquaman. I´m a DC guy, you see.

7. Are there any creators you think you really want to work with besides me?

Oh, that´s a hard one :)….I love the work of Peter Tomasi and John Arcudi. Arcudi´s Doom Patrol and Aquaman were great to me. Brendan McGinley and me on Guy Gardner.

8. What are your favorite comics right now?

Green Lantern Corps, because has Tomasi and Patrick Gleason, love his art there. Outsiders, because the original team is back. Ender´s Game because I liked the story in the novel and I´m a huge Pascal Ferry fan. Shark-Man because has gorgeus art and is fun. Anything with Doug Manhke in it. Anything with Frank Quitely in it.

9. Words of advice to aspiring comic artists?

Keep drawing! Never stop! What project has been your favorite to work on?I think that Star-Crossed with Brendan McGinley. It`s unfinished :P

10. Who is the toughest Ninja Turtle to draw?

Leonardo, because I always forget to draw his straps.

11. Do you do commissions?

Yeah! I do commissions, is fun and help to pay the bills.

12. Do you like to ink?

I love to ink!...I rather love to ink others pencilers than myself.

13. Who do you think would ink you the best(besides me)?

Another hard one :)…I don´t know, my inking is made mostly with a brush. Any inker with a brush, I guess.

14. If you weren’t drawing comics you would be…?

I´d be working on my last job, I guess. On a Library.

15. How is working with Brendan McGinley on Heist?

Is Great! a lot of fun. Brendan is an excellent writer. He´ll be a star, sooner or later.

16. Are you worried about the value of the dollar?

Of course!

17. How long does it take you to do the average page?

One day.

18. How do you get anything done with all the distractions?

It´s a daily fight. A never ending fight. I always lose.

19. Do you consume energy drinks?

Only coffee, tea and mate cocido.

20. What three things would you want if stranded on a remote desert island?

A Porn Star, a sun-powered I-Pod and a picture of my parents.

21. Do you think you draw sexy women?

I try at least :)

22. Priya Rai is very hot…is she hot enough to make you wife her, quit doing comics and settle down with 3 kids and a job at the factory?

I´m sorry for Priya but I´m useless for manual works. Barely I can use a hammer. A factory is out of question. If Priya allow me another job? Quitting comics? Hmm….

For more of Andres' art check out his blog @ http://andresponce.blogspot.com/

Aris Asks Chris Batista

2009-04-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

Chris Batista has been drawing comics professionally for 15 years. His pencils have been seen in Steel, Spaceknights, Legion, 52, Robin and is currently working on Last Days of Animal Man with Gerry Conway due out in May from DC comics.

1. Do you think that black book full of Star Wars and G-Force drawings will ever resurface?

I will never see that sketchbook again. I wasn't even a professional at the time. Why the hell would you steal a non pro's sketchbook. Bastard...

2. When did you start drawing?

I've been drawing far as long as I can remember.

3. How did you break into comics?

I took a course taught by Klaus Janson at SVA. He got me an interview at Marvel and I got an 8 page X-factor script.

4. Have you ever been intimidated by some one you thought was a better artist?

The list is way too long for those artists that intimidate me.

5. What was it like working on Steel?

Very Scary. My first series. I was still very raw and didn't know a damn thing about how tough it is do a series. You gotta start somewhere.

6. Do you think most fans understand the work it takes to finish a fully penciled comic page?

I think some do realize what it takes but most don't have a clue what it takes. Whatever is needed, the artist must provide. Trips to the library, endless hours on Google.

7. How long does the average page take you?

Every page takes it's own amount of time. Some go very fast while others can be so damn slow. Crowd scenes can be a drag if you're not drawing the same person over and over.

8. What do you think about comics that ship late?

It's a harsh reality. Sometimes it's for a good reason. Look at Bryan Hitch. The amount of effort is clear. Other times, not so much.9. I am big Rom fan, looking back what do you think about the Spaceknights series?

Spaceknights broke my heart. My original pitch was very dense and heavily Sci Fi. I wasn't allowed to write it and they weren't going to give me my choice of writers (DnA). The writer that was chosen just didn't get what I was going for. It came across as very corny and dated. I wanted badass aliens and advanced alien cultures. I wanted to push the envelope. I was crushed every time a script came in.

10. If you weren’t drawing comics you would be?

An actor or a prostitute. Kinda the same thing I guess. There is also a career at Burger King waiting.

11. If I were to tell you, you draw the best G-force, you would say?

I would have to get in line after Alex Ross.

12. Who is your favorite member of G-force?

Toss up between Mark and Jason.

13. Was Keeop retarded?

He was special and would f@#% you up.

14. Who are some influences on your work?

Jerry Ordway, Michael Golden, Alan Davis, Yasuomi Umetsu, Kevin Maguire and many others. These are the main ones.

15. What made you finally ditch the shades?

My work with the government was finally done and I could just be a civilian.
16. You have done some great work over the last 15 years or so. What run or work stands out in your mind as your favorite (For me it’s Legion )?

It would have to be Legion as well.

17. You are working on Animal man, when is that coming out?

First issue hits in may.

18. Can you tell us anything about the project?

It's set 15 years in the future and Buddy is losing his powers. Then denial sets in. Gerry Conway will be writing.

19. How are your pages coming along?

Not as fast As I would like. I've been very nitpicky lately. I need to pick up speed like I've done in the past.

20. What’s next after Animal Man?

Maybe some Booster Gold. The editor and I have been talking over some ideas.

21. Who are some characters you would really love to get your hands on?

Mr Miracle, Shazam, Legion, Adam Strange.

22. Do you want to take a stab at a creator owned project?

I would really love to at some point.

23. Do you remember Digger bringing a machete to School of Visual Arts?

Love that that Digger.
24. Why do you think inkers and colorists are “unsung heroes”?

They are certainly not as recognized as they should be. I've got the amazing Dave Meikis on Animal Man. I've also had the awesome Cam Smith who's now slumming on Bryan Hitch.

25. What about letterers?

I will always remember John Workman during Walt Simonson's run on Thor.Just plain beautiful.

26. Where comics better in the mid to late 80’s?

Yes and no. The standards were certainly higher in terms of what was expected form an artist. Some of those old stories don't age very well. Some are just plain timeless.....Micronauts 1-12 anyone?

27. Any advice for aspiring comic artists?

Do your research. The more real your world is, the better your characters are going to look. It ain't fun but it's very necessary.

Aris Asks Sarah Horrocks

2009-04-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

The first fan interview. Sarah is a blogger and comics fashionista.

1. So, tell me…how do witches taste?

Like goldfish.

2. Are you into magic?

I am. It intermingles with pretty much everything else that I'm into, and definitely influences the perspective I have on most things. Which probably sounds completely creepy or mad, but it's more just incredibly useful. I should probably start keeping it more to myself though, because most of my friends and family give me strange looks when I bring it up

3. What other things besides comics are you into?

I'm very much into fashion, music, and film. I also love history and literature and some sports(really only professional basketball, and soccer(football before any of my European friends start sending me hate mail). I'm really into everything. I'm intensely curious, and tend to obsess over things when I find them. So because of that, I end up with a lot of disperate interests. But it's good, because it gives me a lot to pull from, and it makes it easier to relate to a wider swath of people.

4. How did you get into comics?

Initially probably those old Superfriends cartoons. I used to watch all of those growing up. I thought Superheroes were intensely fascinating. I liked the idea that you could be a person of great power and ability, but that those abilities could be unseen from most. I think like most kids of that era, we used comics, particularly superhero comics, as a kind of coping mechanism for a variety of alienating feelings. What sealed the deal for me was when my mom finally bought me a comic, it was some really violent Flash comic, where the Flash fights Zoom, and I think kills him. It was very graphic. Well I was visiting my dad at my step-grandmas, and he found the comic, and forbid me from reading it, and threw it away. But he threw it away in the bathroom trash can, so I would constantly be going into the bathroom to pull the comic out of the trash and read it, until finally someone took out the bathroom trash. It was both really gross, and really what being a comic fan is all about. And then spinning out of that, I got very into Calvin and Hobbes, and that's probably the book most to blame for my knowledge base. I used to look up all of the references Watterson made in those books, in the school encyclopedias, in like kindergarten and first grade. Which that process got me addicted to research, and knowing things.

5. What comics are you really enjoying right now?

Well I'm a big DC fan girl, so right now is kind of a dull period over there, because they're still recovering from Final Crisis and Batman RIP. But Gail Simone's Secret Six is the best superhero comic out there. I also am enjoying any book that contains both the words Avatar and Ellis on the cover. I love everything that he's doing over there. Doktor Sleepless being my favorite. The first trade of Doktor Sleepless is what pulled me through the rabbit hole on magic, from reading a lot about magic, to actually DOING a lot of magic. Phonogram the Singles Club when it comes out. I really wish people would read this. The talent on that book blows my mind. And Jamie McKelvie is one of my very favorite artists. He and David Lafuente are both outrageously good at drawing very fashionable comics with characters who are so cool you just want to be them. And Kierron is completely brilliant. Those are the books coming out currently that I probably look forward to the most each month. I also enjoy what Geoff Johns does. I read all of his books, but I'm sad he's leaving JSA. I'm excited about Barry Allen being back in the DCU. At DC I'm most excited about the Rucka-JHWilliams III Batwoman book. I'm a big fan of Batwoam, which I know a lot of people hate her, but we've not really had a huge story dedicated to just her, and to have it done by Rucka and JH Williams III(who is one of my favorite artists too) is completely mad. I can't wait. At Marvel I'm waiting for the next thing Lafuente is going to draw. I'm sad Hellcat is over. I'm going to follow that team over to Runaways and Ultimate Spider-man though, so it's all fun.

6. You may not think you are obsessed with Morrison, but reading your defense of Final Crisis it would seem other wise, now that it’s behind us what do you think of Final Crisis?

Hahahahaha, I am not obsessed with Morrison! But so many people were attacking Final Crisis, and still do--when it was a complete masterwork--that I think it sort of made me into a de facto Morrisonite. I just love how chaotic Final Crisis was. It's exploding everywhere with great ideas and conception all of these characters that I love in my favorite Superhero Universe--it's just unrelenting in its amazingness. When Tawny the Tiger took out Kalibak--how are you ever going to get better than that? And then just the overarching narrative about the power and importance of stories--it's such an uplifting story really, and my favorite comics are the ones that are completely weird, and aren't overly dark. I also liked the channel zapping style of the book, it's kind of how I live day to day, so it was nice to read a comic that was written for my pace as a reader. I can't wait to read it all in trade with Superman Beyond and all of that.

7. Who are your favorite characters?

Huntress is my favorite character. God bless Gail Simone for loving her too. Everyone else kind of shuffles depending on what's going on in their books. But currently I love Madame Xanadu, Black Canary, Zantanna, Batman,Rogue, Hellcat--I like pretty much all of the DC/Vertigo magic users. I also like Deadpool and Moon Knight at Marvel. Scott Pilgrim. Scott Pilgrim is god. I still have to read the newest book though, which is terrible. It eats me up with guilt every day.

8. Given the chance to write one of them, which one?, and tell us who you would want on art chores?

I'd be almost too intimidated to write a Huntress book by this point. I thought Ivory Madison did a really great job with her in the Year One story. Still, that's my most beloved character, and I'd love to take a crack at writing her. I'd do it in a completely bonkers way. I'd also play up that she's a teacher more. It's something she kind of had to give up to work with the Birds of Prey, but it was something I liked about her. I like how much she cares about education and spirituality. Her sense of community, I've always felt was much greater than Batman's. And I also think Madison was right in how she wrote Catwoman as an influence in Helena's life. I feel like there's a really great feminist comic book to do with Helena. At any rate, I'd want McKelvie to draw it. When I think of my ideal Huntress book and how it looks, she looks a lot like the girls in Phonogram and Suburban Glamour. I'd also like to do a Zantanna book with Lafuente, just because he could draw so many rabbits every issue, the goal would be to top the Hellcat rabbit total.9. Can you think of a better artist for Hellcat than David Lafuente?

I can't think of a better artist for a lot of books than David Lafuente .He's going to take over Marvel after Ultimate Spider-man. What I love about his art is that his characters are so vital. They seem alive on the page,and the way that they bounce around, it's almost Manga-ish--but it still has kind of European sophistication to it that makes it very hip. I also think he puts a lot of stuff into his art that is sort of extra. There are a lot of Easter eggs sort of floating around in his stuff, which I don't know if people have started to see him in that kind of way yet. But I definately think he's well on his way to being one of the most important Marvel artists going But where do you go from Spider-man and Hellcat? Or Runaways? you go over to DC is what you do. Can you imagine a Lafuente Legion or Teen Titans? Or a Birds of Prey book drawn by him? Yeah but no, he's incredible. And Kathryn Immomen is also going to be important. Marvel has so many talented writers, that I hope they don't forget about her. You look at Hellcat, and there's this wonderful comic timing to that book, and it's coupled with this chaotic magic mysticism pulling through the book- it's really remarkable. Even though I don't like the Avengers, I think she could write a really great Avengers. I hope she does one of the core x-books at some point too. She's kind of a no-brainer for writing Deadpool too.Which, it's strange she's not, given that there's like a billion Deadpool books right now.

10. What do you have against Powergirl?

Her boob window. It bugs me that so many talented writers spend so much time on her. I'd prefer Supergirl get that attention. So it's a combo of not liking her, and being jealous as a Supergirl fan. Did I mention Supergirl is one of my favorite characters? Well there you go. Which, it's funny, like 8 or 9 months ago I remember messaging Geoff Johns pleading with him to save Supergirl, and he was like "just you wait". And sure enough, he and Sterling Gates, have completely turned her around, which is great, and just shows how much Geoff cares about the DCU. Some people think he cares too much. I think not!

11. Top three artists?

JH Williams III, Dave McKean, David Lafuente. Let's pretend you said Top5 artists, and I also said Jamie McKelvie, and Fabio Moon

12. Writers?

Alan Moore, Gertrude Stein, William S. Burroughs, Hunter S. Thompson,Aimee Bender, Emily Bronte, Warren Ellis, Bernard Dolan.

13. Do you ever notice the coloring and inking in comics?

Not really as much as I should. I notice good coloring, but not bad. Like I think John Rauch is good. Though I will say that on the whole, I think Marvel does a much better job than DC at coloring. DC kind of wants all of their core books to sort of look the same, which kind of boring. I like color that makes a book look different and special. I think I also tend to favor lighter colors. But it's not a make or break thing for me.

14. Are you the only woman you know who reads comics?

No way. I know lots of women that read comics. Both on the internet and personally. One of my friends actually reads comics to her five year old as bedtime time stories. I give her comics all the time to read to him. Right now he's a huge Batman fan. I think it's the coolest thing I've ever heard of.There's also a strong comic book following amongst lesbians, and queer folk in general I think. Which I think again has to do sort of with specifically superhero comics ability to help cope with alienation. But yeah, I know lots of women who read comic books. Go over to Warren Ellis or Gail Simone's message boards. It actually irritates me that people think women don't read comics. Women read a ton. And we will read everything from great literature to trashy romance novels, and somewhere in the middle there are comic books. And of course manga is a whole other beast when it comes to women.

I'd also add of the women I know who read superhero comics, they read petty much DC exclusively. Which makes sense when you look at how well written the female superheroes are over there. Especially in the cartoons.Most women I know that read marvel, pretty much stick to the X-books. For the same reasons they read so much DC.

15. What is Ophelia?

It's my web comic. I did both the art and the writing for it. It was kind of my first real comic project. I'd written scripts before, but for various reasons been unable to get them drawn. So I finally got fed up of hinging my dreams on the shoulders of others, and decided I would do everything on my own. It ended up being a really great experience, and I learned a lot,especially about the artistic side of things. It's funny, I deinately don't consider myself a great and talented artist, but now I have people coming up to me from that project that want to talk to me exclusively about the art. I've had some people discuss me doing album artwork for them in the near future, which blows my mind, but is really neat. But yeah, Ophelia was a weekly 6 page comic where each week is built around a tarot card reading, which continues the story, and gives it all of these weird twists and turns. You sort of follow this girl through this horrific surreal magical landscape, and if I explained too much more, I'd spoil a huge twist in the middle of the book. What's most interesting about it though, is watching me sort of learn comic art as I go. The opening chapters of the book, look so radically different from the later parts, which look pretty different from what I'm doing now. So you can really see me experimenting artistically and learning a lot of things in the process. It's also got a very raw DIY lo-fi look to it. Someone compared it to Dave McKean, but that's overly generous. You can get at that and all of the other comics projects I do through my workblog at: http://sarahhorrocks.wordpress.com/,and if you follow me on Twitter, I update that a lot too. Right now I'm doing a lot of writing, but at the end of this year, I should have about three really incredible books out. Two I'll publish somewhere, and then the third will be another web comic.

16. Why do you take pictures of dogs?

Because Maria and I were talking about dogs, and I wanted to show her the dogs I was talking about. A lot of my friends love animals, so it's fun to share. Plus I think pets can be indispensable friends. My dogs are better then people at knowing when I'm sad, and they always come over and hang outwith me until I feel better. I think it maybe comes from their pack mentality, and desire to look after everyone. They are also good security systems. At least my dogs are.
17. Do you really like Lil Wayne?

I do. His music always makes me happy. Sometimes I think over him, but then I hear his music again, and I always fall back in love. Plus he represents New Orleans for me. I lived in New Orleans for four years before Katrina hit, and listening to Lil Wayne rap, it always takes me back there.In my opinion, he is THE rock star of the moment. There is no one misically with more of the world in his palm than Lil Wayne. He's also beautiful on so many levels. My musical tastes are pretty varied. I also like the Stooges, Taylor Swift, Burial, Project Pat, Jim Croce, Bob Dylan, Joy Division, The Knife, Sage Francis, and B. Dolan. The last of which is one of my very favorite artists, and a good friend. He does sort of horrifyingly brilliant hip-hop/spoken word stuff. Go over tohttp://strangefamousrecords.com/ and check him out. The piece about Evel Knieval is one of my favorite things in the history of ever. It gives me chills every time I listen to it.

18. What do you think of $3.99 comics?

I think that I'm exceptionally poor. I used to spend upwards of like two hundred dollars a month on comics back when I was doing my comic book review blog. But now the only comics I buy are by artists I really believe in, or books that I feel are truly special. If I believe a lot in what someone is doing, I'll find a way to support them. I'd buy more comics if they were available digitally though. If only because it's easier to talk me out of my money on the internet than it is at a bookstore or comic book shop. I think DC's Wednesday comics is an intriguing notion that might actually justify the paper format though. We'll see how that goes, and how ex[ensive it is.

19. Do you think floppy monthly comics will ever completely be replaced by digital comics?

Yeah I do. I read a lot of comics that I buy on my computer. I prefer it to reading a floppy, just because I can do it, while I'm doing other things,and I can organize and database the books a lot easier, than say with a long box, which I find entirely too uncool to actually use. Can you imagine if DC made available its entire archives online through an iTunes like thing,to buy? That would be insane. That kind of thing is the future. Marvel sort of feinted in that direction, but I think they kind of missed the point of digital comics. It will all get sorted out eventually though. I think floppies should be online, and then trades should be sold offline. That way you can read the monthly stuff quickly on your computer, but if you want to sit down for a long read, you can get a big physical book for like ten bucks.

20. Do consider yourself a geek?

I always forget what the difference is between a geek and a nerd. I think I'm probably a nerd. But not like overtly.

21. What kinds of stuff do you blog about at Mercurialfuturist(http://mercurialfuturist.blogspot.com)?

Sort of everything. But primarily history, magic, futurism and fashion.I was using it to put my comic book stuff on there, but I've moved that overto my workblog: http://sarahhorrocks.wordpress.com/. So now it's more purely various topics that sort of spring to my mind to write about. It tends to change to whatever my obsessions are really.

22. What’s so great about the Vertigo Tarot Deck?

The Dave McKean art and linking magic with Superheroes. I know most ofthese characters pretty well, so when a superhero turns up on a card, it has an expanded meaning for the tarot card, to me. I think that makes the cards more powerful for me. The unfortunate thing is that the deck is prettylight on the superheroes. I think there's maybe 10-13 actual vertigo characters on the major arcana, and that's it. I would like to see someonedo a deck using the whole of the DCU in a thoughtful and intelligent way.Perhaps someone can put a call into Grant Morrison and JH Williams III. Or Kurt Busiek, who is apparently also very into the tarot, going by Trinity.

23. If some one asked you what you did for a living?, you would say?

Comic books and magic. I pay for those things by working at a hotelduring the graveyard shift and trying to avoid getting serial murdered bycreepy farmers. I've never been career oriented. All I've ever cared aboutis art and expanding my mind. So I'll probably die poor and crazy, buthopefully I leave a trail of destruction in my wake.

24. What would you rather be doing?

I'd rather JUST be doing the comics and magic. My goal is to eventuallyearn my food money with the comics, and then moonlight as a tarot card reader to keep things interesting. I'd also like to eventually live somewhere outside of the US for a time. I like to move around.

25. In 5 years will you be reading comics?

For sure. It's the best medium there is right now.

26. So what's next?

Like I said, this year I've got about three major things on my agenda. Right now I'm just doing the writing, and then from June until December,I'll be locking myself in somewhere and doing the art for said books. Oneof them is a book about Western-Bondage. Another is about Ghosts, Zombies,and a boy with a Lampshade on his head in the future. Both of those aregoing to be between 3-5 issues that I'll put out somewhere, some way. Sothey are quite long all things considered. I'm also doing another webcomicthis year which will be much shorter than Ophelia, the idea right now is todo it in a series of pods that are small and self-contained, but combine atthe beginning and end, like how Morrison did Seven Soldiers. But muchsmaller. Probably 30 pages total for the whole thing. And much moreconducive to being read in short bites on the web. Those are the things I'mdoing for sure. I also have some projects with other artists that couldtrickle out here or there, I'm not for sure. I do plan to get a comicI'vebeen sitting on for about a year now about James and Dolly Madison--I planto get that out there in some form. But yeah, it's going to be another busyyear.

27. Last minute plugs?

Of course! One of the places I actually donate money to, and spend timewith--that's actually beyond my general state of selfishness ishttp://knowmore.org/. This is a site run by my friend Bernard Dolan. Itis this amazing corporate watchdog site, where you can type in pretty muchany company you want to know about, and find out how they rate across humanrights, workers rights, environment--those type of things. So you can getinformation on the companies that you are putting money to. Money is thebiggest voting block in America right now, and you can't really beparticipating fully if you're not in possession of information. This sitegives you that. Plus, I'd ask anyone if they have the time or inclinationto see if they can help with some of the wikis for various companies. Ifyou're a research nerd and like looking things like this up--it's the sitefor you. Its good people, who work really hard, and an extremely importantproject from my vantage point. Check it out! Oh also. Buy Phonogram theSingles Club! I'm not really affiliated with Keiron or Jamie. I'm justsaying as a lover of comic books, support this book. I say it almostselfishly because I want them to continue to make these books and I wantJamie McKelvie to become fat and rich. Plus it's an extremely great book.And in a time when so many books aren't giving you value for your buck, thisbook does it in spades. There's no ads in it. It's just chockfull offantastic stories and talent. If floppies have a big future, it's becauseof books like this. Plus, the concept is super cool, and the extras are forthe floppies only.

Aris Asks Pete Hernandez

2009-04-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

Pete Hernandez is a freelance graphic designer, illustrator, comic artist, artistic jack-of-all trades and internet rambler. You can find his art @ http://www.goofeesnax.com/.

1. Who got you on Facebook?

A buddy of mine; Stephen Pantoja, an independent comic writer. He commissioned some pages from me and mentioned he had an FB page. I had a page myself, since 2006, but never used it. I had you (Aris) and one other friend and that’s it. I went into the page to dress it up and add Stephen to keep in touch during the project and one thing led to another. I started adding comic pros and found old college friends and high school friends found me and now I’m one of the Hive.

2. Pete Hernandez in a sentence?

An honest, creative, moody, sarcastically funny, driven artist who still loves cartoons, comics, video games, his family, and his new found love for Buddhism.

3. What do you do for a living?

Freelance graphic artist and illustration whore.

4. Who are your 3 favorite comic creators?

Frank Miller, Joss Whedon, Robert Kirkman.

5. Favorite comic?

Right now, Invincible. At one; time Daredevil (during the Miller days). More recently; 100 Bullets, Walking Dead, Ultimate Spider-Man.

6. Which character would you do any thing to write?

Well it ain’t Wolverine. What the fuck else can you do with him at this point aside form launching him into the sun? I think Sandman.

7. What do you think of the price of comics?

Ridiculous. I stopped buying a lot of titles and will only spend money on stuff that really holds my attention. The price hike has stopped me from experimenting with certain titles and companies. I love comics but am not gonna choose buying them over food.

8. Do you think digital comics will ever catch on?

I think so as the cost of handheld devices drops and screens and computers become lighter and more flexible, digital comics will catch on. It’s inevitable as change always is. I’m not a purist when it comes to the “paper in my hands” argument. I just want to read and enjoy them any way I can and if they all go digital because of printing costs being so high then so be it. Fuck the wannabe net elitists and their nonsense about “keeping it real and on paper.” How pure can you be if you’re bitching online via digital means about how much you love and prefer the printed product? Get over yourself and STFU.

9. Do you think the internet has been good for comics?

Yes. I think its given fans a way to reach across oceans and interact, for good and ill. It allows us to be in touch with creators and get advance notice on what’s being created and I think helps creators keep their finger on the pulse of what people want. Then there’s the other side where obese, smelly cyber trolls, and skinny, emo, pretentious talent-less, Wanna Be-British Super Queens bitch endlessly about products not even completed or launched. So you get the good and bad but I think it’s been more of a benefit than not.

10. When you were young did you want to work for Marvel or DC?

Marvel.

11. Why do you love Frank Miller so much?

LOL. He just wrote and drew the types of comic stories I love to read. Dark, brooding, tortured characters who, regardless of their many flaws, always manage to find a way to rise to the occasion and find within them what it means to truly be a hero. His stories are pulpy, iconic, romantic, violent, funny, and poignant. Most of them. Every now and then he’s entitled to crank out a clunker like Dark Knight 2 but the same goes for any creator really trying to push comics to the limit.

12. Would you marry him?

Only in Massachusetts.

13. What is Black Neon?

Black Neon Memoirs is a comic series I’ve been working on for years about a world class assassin and the head of a mega-corporation on a collision course and the device that “connects” them, called Black Neon. It’s a deconstruction of an assassin character named Vendetta I created over 20 years ago.

14. Is Vendetta you?

He started out as the worst aspects of me. I looked into myself during my mid-20’s and wrote down what I didn’t like about myself in an effort to change and used most of the list to re-vamp Vendetta from the ground up. Originally he was a vigilante, not unlike the Punisher, but much like Frank Castle he started to bore me rather quickly and needed more depth. So I used some of my old self.

15. What is Paladin?

Paladin is a comic series written by Stephen Pantoja (see my friend list) about a supernatural hero, something like the character Elric, who is fighting an eternal battle against supernatural forces like vampires and werewolves and the like. The Paladin’s face is never seen and he appears as a man in white carrying a massive enchanted sword which he uses to lop the heads off baddies. Each issue introduces the reader to another aspect of the supernatural through the eyes of a human caught up in things he / she has no business getting caught up in. Vampiric power struggles, warring werewolf tribes, shadowy doppelgangers trying to pierce the veil between worlds and enters ours. The usual.

16. Are you working on any other art or creative projects right now?

I’m writing a few things on the side between freelance gigs. Some superhero stuff in the vein of Invincible with a little Firefly, Buffy tongue n cheek stuff mixed in.

17. Word of advice for fledgling artists out there dreaming to work in comics?

You better want it bad enough to do it for next to know money, otherwise get a 9 to 5 and call it a day. This game ain’t for pussies.

18. What does the term “cold as Ice” mean to you?

Inside joke. But for those not with you and I outside of the Complete Strategist that day it refers to the intense cold shoulder I gave someone I used to be friends with back in the days of Art and Design high school.

19. Do you have a website?

Doesn’t everyone?
Mine is http://www.goofeesnax.com/

20. What ever happened to Golm: Universal Darkness?

Jason McAlpin and I are still working on wrapping up the last friggin chapter, The Game Master section. Other than that, the role-playing game’s done. Good game too. I still believe in it.

21. Why do you love BSG?

Too many reasons to mention but its one of the best science fiction shows ever made along with Babylon 5. It was science fiction that knew from the start the show had to be about people or it wouldn’t work. All the best science fiction ever made has been about people from 2001 to Star Wars to Blade Runner to BSG.

22. Are you a geek?

Ghetto geek one hundred percent. In fact, ghetto all the way except during business hours. I love me some comics, video games, and cartoons, but I know when to tone it down and just chill as well. I’m not a self hating geek like Warren Ellis.

23. Favorite video game?

The Metal Gear and Resident Evil series.

24. Political question....who would win in a fight Obama or George W. Bush?

Really? Obama. He’s a lean mean fighting machine. Bush is an old decrepit failure who ruined this country from its toes to the top of its red, white, and blue head.

Check out more of Pete's art @ http://www.goofeesnax.com/

Aris Reviews Tales of the TMNT #56

2009-04-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to read a great comic today.

To be honest I do not normally read Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. For the most part I am a capes guy. By “capes” I mean superheroes. And by “superheroes” I mean the classic Marvel and DC line ups of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, JLA, Spidey, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Avengers, etc…but every so often along my 30+ years of reading and collecting I have ventured across comic genres.

In the case of Tales of the TMNT #56 I am glad I did.

First of all the cover is great. A powerful graphic image that manages to encapsulate what goes on in this comic. And then we get a forward introduction by Dan Berger and history lesson of the character Hun who makes his debut in the TMNT comic universe from the outstanding 4kids Entertainment animated series. It’s a great lead in to a wonderfully dramatic story.

“Hun” (title of the story) starts out with flashback and establishes very well the history between Hun and Casey Jones. In a few pages Tristan Jones (writer) gives you all you need to know about Hun. He is a vicious brute and bully. And leaves Casey near death.

Flash forward. Hun is released from prison into the hands of Scarface. And gets back to business taking the streets back and exacting brutal (there goes that word again, but that’s what it is!) vengeance on those that wrong him. Hun is written very well. Sadistic, he takes pleasure in the violence he commits. He knows he’s the alpha dog and lets every one else know it too.

At the same time we see Casey and April’s relationship as she uncovers the events in Casey’s past with Hun. This leads to some nice dramatic elements as Casey realizes he is heading into a confrontation with Hun. So he decides to confront him.

It doesn’t turn out too well. Casey is beaten. Hun is a hulkish unstoppable powerhouse. Hardcore is an understatement. Casey manages to escape. Unfortunately he leaves a trail of breadcrumbs for Hun to track him down to his family.

Which he does. It’s powerful stuff. You get some really nice dialogue and pacing. You get pulled in by the richness of it. I haven’t read TMNT since it first came out all those years ago, but I instantly knew these characters and their relationships. Casey and April are having conversations that reflect the reality of the world they live in and the problems a street vigilante may face. Casey Jones wants to keep his family safe.

Unfortunately Hun comes calling. Fortunately the Turtles are there to help out and you see how tough Hun actually is. But not before Casey gets brutalized again by Hun.

They escape, Casey Jones is hospitalized and April is at his side. A very nice ending.
Hun is still out there. And you know a dramatic confrontation is coming. A big one.

I never heard of Tristan Jones before but he really did impress me here.

The art was also powerful. I’ll get it out of the way, it’s black and white. But don’t let that distract you from the fact that Paul Harmon is a powerful story-teller. It’s raw and gritty. But fluid and dramatic. He does amazing work with expression and characters. Pulling the camera around, and although he uses many panels on some pages makes the layouts very easy to follow. When he gives you the action, it’s very dramatic and brutal…but not vulgar. Harmon establishes Hun as a visceral bestial force of nature, bigger and broader then every one else…unstoppable. But at the same time draw April and the child and other elements believably human. He also does a very nice job adding shades of grey in washes; it is used to great effect throughout the issue.

All in all this is a tremendous comic. Full of great characterization, drama and brutal action.

Highly recommended. You see it on the racks you should give it a shot.

9 out of 10

Capsule Reviews 4/8/2009

2009-04-11T06:49:00.000-07:00

Trinity #45: Morgiane Le Fay's unholy Trinity descends into chaos as they strike a deal with Krona. Enigma and Warhound get banished and Krona makes a pact with Morgaine and Despero. We also got to see the Crime Syndicate beaten by the godly Trinity and some nice developments and action when the unholy alliance falls apart. The art is tremendous, although I am not a fan of McDaniel, its a nice transition from Bagley's pages to his. And certainly, and I haven't said it enough...the coloring by Pantazis(another Greek?) are great. Bright and energetic. They do not overpower the pages with pointless textures and highlights. Another solid issue. 7.5 out of 10.

Captain Britain and MI:13# 12: Dracula on the Moon invading Britain to become ruler of the magics on Earth. I can hardly imagine any thing cooler. Cornell continues doing a great job building his story, drawing us in and throwing in some action. I really enjoyed the parts on the moon with Spitfire and Dracula. Dracula's dialogue and PoV is great. The plot rocks and I love the idea of the short lived anti vampire-invasion skull. Its Brilliant stuff. The art is also brilliant. I think Kirk delivers on every level. Great choreography and storytelling, wonderful back grounds and wide shots. The right amount of detail, and a serious knack for expression and gesture. All wrapped up in a clean, straight forward style. I really love his Dracula and the splash of the "Serpent's Crown" was very impressive as was the last page. A static splash page but still blazing with energy. I can't get over how this book stirs up all the reasons I love comics. Fun, great characterization and plot, and high energy. 8.5 out of 10.

Superman: World of Krypton #2: Wow..if this isn't a beautifully illustrated comic I don't know what is. It's off the charts amazing. I always liked Pete Woods but this is next level. Every aspect is beautiful. The designs for New Krypton, the expression, all the nuances of the Kryptonian technology and citizens. I had no idea I was going to be blown away like this. I also love the movement of the camera..tight and long shots...the two page splash. The coloring clean and pure is a great compliment to the clean open line work. Rucka and Robinson do amazing work too this issue. Really pulling you in to the Kryptonian culture, introducing characters, setting up friction within the established Kryptonian order and setting up very interesting developments. Kal-el stopped one slaughter, can he stop another? And GL showing up? How awesome will next issue be? 8 out of 10.

New Avengers #51: Bendis is possibly the best dialogue writer in comics and also at setting up interesting situations. This Sorcerer Supreme thing and Hood plot has been brewing for some time and it plays out nicely here. Strange is looking for his replacement, and Dormammu has his own under study on the Earth plane locked and loaded to take him out. The Dialogue with Wiccan in the diner is great. That character has tremendous potential. And the team meeting around the dinner table is great. I love it. And to top it off we get a great ending..that we know is really a beginning. The art chores are shared by Bachalo and Tan. Bachalo really does a wonderfully stunning graphic job with the opening and confrontation in the streets between Hood and Strange. Hood looks evil and menacing. Tan handles his part nicely as well. Nice movement and expression around the table between the Avengers. It's an issue that all talking, but still wonderfully dynamic and entertaining. I love the relationships, characterization and banter. 8 out of 10.

Green Lantern #39 :I really liked how Johns opens this up. The Controllers seeking out their own light in the Vegan System only to be ripped to shreds by the Orange of greed. And starts a chain of events that leads the Orange and Green on a direct path for a head on colission. There is a great amount of plot in this issue and we get closer and closer to Blackest Night. It also seems like Hal has the Blue ring stuck on him until he can pass it on to some one worthy. At first I was put off by Tan's art, but upon actually reading the issue I was really pulled in by it, particularly the beginning scene with Controllers nice dramatic angles and style. The problem at times are when you get large full figures. They end up stiff and awkward. But everything else was wonderful. Another outstanding chapter in the War of light. Things are really heating up...the Guardians are going to take action themselves, hopefully they will get knocked on their haughty a$$es. 9 out of 10.

Aris Asks John Layman

2009-04-10T16:18:00.000-07:00

And I kick off the interviews with John Layman. As you may know he has started pimping his upcoming book from Image called Chew. And it really sounds and looks fantastic. He also recently launched the website http://www.chewcomic.com/ make sure to visit as him and Rob Guillory will be updating and the art is really too delicious(I made a funny…delicious…Chew…get it?) to miss.

And in case you didn't know he was trained by the late great Bruce Lee himself(not really).

1. What's up with the Lego?

They are the single greatest thing in creation, and I have a collection that will blow your mind, and make you weep with envy.

2. John Layman in a sentence?

Layman!!!

3. What's Chew?

An upcoming image comic about a federal agent who gets psychic impressions from the things he eats, and consequently, he eats a lot of terrible things in order to solve crimes.

4. Are you sticking with that Logo?

More or less. Artist Rob Guillory has made some minor tweaks to it, but I’m pretty happy with it. It was designed by Tom B. Long of Tombgraphics, an ex-WildStormer and IDW employee who does coloring and design work. Whassamatter? Don’t you like the logo?

5. How far into Chew are you now?

Writing issue #6, Rob is penciling issue #4. Issue #1 comes out June 3rd, so we’re in pretty good shape.

6. When are you going to send out some preview pages?

Soon. In the meantime, check out http://www.chewcomic.com/

7. Why Rob Guillory?

Coz he is awesome, fast, a great storyteller, a phenomenal colorist and one smart dude.

8. 3 reasons we should pick Chew are?

1. Great art. 2. Great story. 3. And REALLY great lettering!

9. Chew takes off, what's next?

Keep it going until the end, which is at least 25 issues. Possibly more.

10. What else have you done?

Well, the thing that sold the most of Marvel Zombies Vs. Army of Darkness, but I’ve written Scarface, Xena, Thundercats, Gambit, Sentinel Squad O*N*E, Puffed, Bay City Jive, Armageddon & Son… and some other stuff. Oh, and video games like Metriod Hunters, Marvel Trading Card Game, Soldier of Fortune 3, and, currently, Champions Online.

11. Book at Marvel or DC that could lure you away from creator owned projects?

Eh. Nothing really, at the moment. I’d like to write X-Men, like to write Plastic Man. But enough to pull me away from Chew? Not a damn thing.

12. If you weren't working in comics you would?

Probably write video games, which is my day job. Though I’m also of the opinion I’d be a mighty fine trucker or caged arena fighter.

13. Word on internets is you lost a lot of weight...how did you do it?

Running three and a half miles a day, every evening while I watch a section of a movie, or a bit of TV.

14. Do you think you can keep it off?

Probably not, but I am trying. I am actually blowing off running to answer these stupid questions, so if I blow up, it’s your fault, dick.

15. Did it have anything to do with some comments on Millarworld?

I post there occasionally. I was one of the original members. Mark and I go way back, back to when I was an editor with him on Authority, back before he was a comic book superstar and darling of Hollywood. I enjoy posting on his forum. I kinda play a wizened mentor role to a lot of the mixed-up kids that post there, particularly on the politics forum. A lot of them don't really understand how the world works, so they look to me for guidance.

16. Who do you love more Reggie(cat) or Carter(son)?

Is that really a fair question?

17. With all your hobbies, how do you find time to write?

Most of the hobbies have been sidelined. The Legos have gone into storage, so they don’t get eaten, lost or destroyed by a two year old. I rarely play video games, where I used to routinely finish them— except for an occasional round of World of Warcraft, and I’ve got an enormous stack of comics I’ve been meaning to read, but haven’t yet gotten around to.

18. Married to Tom Peyer. Does Carter call him daddy?

When we visit Vermont he does.

19. Who is your personal hero?

Jim Henson, John Ritter and Phil Hartman

20. Best comic you have ever written?

Whatever is the most recent. In this case, Chew #5.

21. Boxers or briefs?

Freestyle, baby!

22. Creator you are jealous of?

I dunno. Everybody who is more successful than me in comics—and that’s pretty much everybody!

23. Creator you would stop everything to work with?

Maybe Frank Quitely, or John Cassaday.

24. Spongebob Squarepants vs. Bugs Bunny?

Both

25. Do you still have Obamamania?

Who doesn’t?

I look forward to your comments..and remember to check out http://www.chewcomic.com/

Aris Asks Launch...

2009-04-10T16:11:00.000-07:00

I figured I would make it official....so stay tuned for comic reviews and interviews.

-aris