INTERVIEW: JUSTIN JORDAN ON JOHN flood FROM BOOM! STUDIOS

This publish is Filed Under:

Home page Highlights,
Interviews as well as Columns

John flood #1

Justin Jordan is the writer of such comics as Luther Strode, Deep State, Spread, eco-friendly Lantern: new Guardians, as well as more. His new series, John Flood, debuts in August from BOOM! Studios as well as stars a personal detective who doesn’t requirement to sleep. Westfield’s Roger Ash got in touch with Jordan to discover a lot more about this upcoming comic.

Westfield: What can you tell us about the genesis of John Flood?

Justin Jordan: Well, I was reading about armed forces experiments to keep soldiers awake longer, as well as things that would enable you to stay awake longer. Which really exist, now. There are medications like Provigil that enable you to prevent a few of the impacts of sleep debt.

So, as these things do, it got my brain working on what life would be like if you never slept, as well as what would have to occur for you to be able to survive. Basically, what we seem to truly requirement is the REM stage of sleep.

What ended up coming out was the concept of a guy who never slept, however was never truly awake either. He existed in this hallucinatory dream specify all the time which, major downside, prevented him from being completely sure what was genuine as well as what wasn’t.

The upshot was that he might likewise utilize dream logic to make these intuitive jumps, so he was uniquely great at solving problems.

The other part of it was the concept of the competent criminal. The people in prison as well as with criminal records are the people who got caught. It’s possible, although not likely, that there’s some number available who are just so great the authorities never truly understand they exist.

So I took that concept as well as used to a killer. somebody who killed without any specific pattern or signature might have crisscrossed the country for years, as there are tons as well as tons of unsolved murders as well as missing persons cases.

These concepts collided when I believed Flood’s believed processes might discover this person by inferring him from the lack of evidence. No pattern was in itself a pattern. At least if you’re John Flood.

Character styles by Jorge Coelho

Westfield: You’re working with artist Jorge Coelho on the series. What can you state about your partnership with him?

Jordan: He’s awesome, as well as it’s going truly well? Jorge as well as I have understood each other, at least online, for a couple of years now anyway, as well as we really satisfied a few years ago. Likewise, Tamra Bonvillain, who is doing the colors, as well as I have been trying to work her for years.

So when I saw them on Sleepy Hollow, I desired them as my team. Which for a book like John Flood, which has a hallucinogenic dream like quality, has worked out excellent for me. They make me look extremely good, which is always great as a writer.

John flood #1 ten Years Variant Cover by Rob Guillory

Westfield: who is John flood as well as who are a few of the other characters we’ll meet?

Jordan: flood when we very first satisfy him is making a living as…..I assumption personal detective is most likely the closest description. He solves issues for people, as well as in return they provide him stuff. Money, mansions, etc.

So he’s got a life, of sorts. however while he’s extremely gifted at one thing, he’s kind of useless for whatever else, so he has to have a helper/minder/assistant. In this series, that’s Alexander Berry, who gets the task in the very first issue.

Berry is a young ex police officer who lost his task after he did something…..debatably bad, extremely publically. We’ll discover out what he did over the program of the series, however he’s trying to find redemption. He’s likewise Flood’s de facto muscle, which he isn’t genuine delighted about.

The other primary character is the killer, who flood regrettably does prosper in goading into coming after him. This guy has killed countless people over the last twenty five years as well as he really, truly doesn’t appreciate flood making his existence public.

John flood #1 Nick Pitarra Variant Cover

Westfield: What can visitors look ahead to in the story?

Jordan: Fun!

Well, I hope. I’m having a damn great time composing the connection between the directly laced Berry as well as the deeply, deeply odd Flood, as well as ideally that comes with in the reading.

Beyond that, there’s some great action as well as mayhem as well as a respectable secret at the core of the book, so I hope people will dig it. If you’ve liked my other books, I believe you will most likely such as this one.

Westfield: The solicitation states that John flood can’t always tell what is genuine as well as what isn’t. will the visitors understand the difference or will we be wondering that together with him?

Jordan: often yes, often no. part of the fun is decoding what is as well as isn’t happening. however that’s part of the reason we have Berry in there. For the reader, he is the difficult anchor to reality, just as he is in story for Flood.

Purchase

John flood #1

INTERVIEW: JEFF ROUGVIE ON IMAGE’S GUNNING FOR HITS

This publish is Filed Under:

Home page Highlights,
Interviews as well as Columns

Gunning For Hits #1

Jeff Rougvie has been in the music business for decades as well as has worked in diverse capabilities for artists including David Bowie, huge Star, Elvis Costello, Devo, Bob Mould as well as Sugar, The Replacements, They may Be Giants, as well as many others. He brings his know-how in the world of music to comics with Gunning For Hits, a new series from picture with artist Moritat. Rougvie tells Westfield’s Roger Ash more about this interesting new series.

Westfield: exactly how did Gunning For Hits come about?

Jeff Rougvie: I’ve been in the music business all my life, as well as I still run a label. The concept for the story we’re telling in the very first six problems came about when I started working with David Bowie. He was a brilliant artist as well as I got to understand him as a wonderful person, however he was at a low-point, career-wise as well as artistically. I started thinking; what will occur if he doesn’t turn his career around? When you have an artist of his magnitude in that situation, exactly how would he as well as the record business offer with it?

Gunning For Hits #1 preview page 1

Westfield: exactly how much did you draw on your own experiences for the book?

Rougvie: music fiction has a tendency to autumn into the exact same old clichés. It’s one of the reasons I set the book in the ‘80s – most writers run to the ‘60s or ‘70s, however the ‘80s was when things truly got crazy in the business. This book isn’t going to be yuppies hoovering up vast quantities of nose candy or taking advantage of groupies. We’re trying to turn tiring conventions sideways. There’s rather a bit of my experience in there, as well as stories I heard from others, however those are springboards for totally fictional scenarios. So while my character Brian Slade may seem Bowie-esque, he’s evil, as well as David was not. That’s what makes it fun!

Gunning For Hits #1 preview page 2

Westfield: What can you tell us about Martin Mills?

Rougvie: He’s a skill scout (A&R person) in the ‘80s nyc music business with a string of hits as well as a  mysterious background. He’s a narcissist, however in service of music. He believes in the power of the perfect pop song, as well as bit else – with great reason. When I started to compose the book, I plotted out Martin’s entire life – even his death – as well as I have about a hundred Martin Mills stories to tell. We join his story a couple of years into his music business career, however there are hints throughout about his past as well as visitors can comply with a twitter account of Martin’s Journal excerpts @MartinMillsHits to fill in more blanks. He’s the primary character, as well as perhaps the guy you’re rooting for, however Martin’s no hero.

Gunning For Hits #1 preview page 3

Westfield: who are a few of the other characters visitors will meet?

Rougvie: Brian Slade, Martin’s preferred traditional rock artist, who is thought about washed-up. Martin is persuaded he can make Brian a big star again. then there’s Billy, the primary innovative force of Stunted Growth, a band Martin is aggressively trying to indication in the very first issue, as well as Billy’s manager / sweetheart Diane, who both get entangled with Slade. And, of course, Melch who is one of my favorites to write. He’s Martin’s only friend, as well as cuts off a co-worker’s finger.

Westfield: will there be any type of genuine venues as well as people in the comic or is it strictly fiction?

Rougvie: We’ll refer to lots of genuine people, locations as well as events in the story. For instance, we talk about Iggy Pop in the very first issue, however he’s not doing a walk-on! There’s likewise a Gunning For Hits Spotify playlist that of program features genuine musicians, all of whom exist in Martin’s world. I look at the world of the comic the exact same method Tarantino sees his films; every story he tells occurs in his world, however a few of them are genuine events as well as others are really movies shown in the Tarantino-verse.

Westfield: What can visitors look ahead to in the story?

Rougvie: I pitched the book as a revenge fantasy for each tune that should’ve been number one. It’s called Gunning For Hits for a reason, so in the very first problem visitors will discover a great deal about exactly how the music business works, which I believe we’ve dealt with in an entertaining way. We likewise see exactly how Martin uniquely beats the odds. later on, you’ll satisfy Brian Slade, who ensnares many characters in his web, producing all kind of issues for quite much everybody – except Melch, who is happy if the bar is well-stocked. as well as it is.

Gunning For Hits #1 preview page 4

Westfield: You’re working with the artist Moritat on Gunning For Hits. What can you state about your collaboration?

Rougvie: I’m truly lucky tohave him on the book – we’ve been having a blast! His art as well as designs are ingenious, as well as he’s truly caught the character of 1980s new York. Comics have been an obsession all my life, however I’m a very first time comic writer, so Moritat’s been super-helpful in navigating the world of comics. I was a fan of his before Eric Stephenson introduced us – his work at DC on The Spirit as well as Jonah Hex blew me away, as well as he’s truly pushing himself right here – people who’ve seen the book are loving his art. as well as Casey Silver is important too, coloring as well as doing letters.

Gunning For Hits #1 preview page 5

Westfield: any type of closing comments?

Rougvie: TV shows like Madmen, The Sopranos, The cable as well as The Newsroom have taken deep dives into the inner workings of different markets (yes, I think about criminal offense an industry), so it’s surprising to me that comics haven’t complied with suit, since people are clearly interested. a few of the most prominent TV shows ever are about music, as well as Bohemian Rhapsody was just the number one movie, so clearly music as well as the music market stay a source of fascination. I believe comic visitors have been underserved in this arena as well as I hope they discover new as well as compelling comic / music stories in Gunning For Hits. I have to say thanks to picture for their interest for Gunning For Hits. It’s a testament to their commitment to trying new things, which is why they’re the most fascinating publisher in comics.

Investing In Comic books – Is It better Than real Estate?

everyone is always looking for a good investment. For some, retail businesses ownership can be lucrative. The problem is, that can be time consuming. For others, real estate is a profitable investment sector. Unfortunately, that can mean a lot of money has to be brought to the table. One terrific source of investment that many look past are comic books. Comic books survive year after year as a popular form of media. Additionally, they grow in popularity now more than ever thanks to big budget movies for marvel and DC. If investing in comic books seems like something you’re interested in, this guide will help get things started.

Types of Comic book Investing

There are a few ways to approach investing in comics. new comics come out every month worth investing in. keeping up with every issue of a popular character is hard to do. Some attempt to make the dive into this deep form of collecting and investing, but others take it a bit easier. here are the main ways many choose to invest in comics.

Collect to Invest

A lot of investors love comic books as fans. The practice of purchasing and selling comic books is an extension of an already passionate hobby. many of those types of investors collect to invest. As a whole, this practice allows collectors to buy as much of a character or series as they like, then sell them as they gain in value. many investors who fall in this category do not even know they are investors.

x

Mario Kart DLC Gold Rush.mp4

0 seconds of 12 minutes, 40 seconds

Live
00:00
12:40
12:40

 

If a comic book purchased 10 years ago suddenly becomes profitable, a lifelong collector may find themselves in an investor position. It’s a nice surprise, but some also collect simply to invest the money into something that may yield a profit later. Either way, this involves purchasing a lot of comics, which is hard to do if money is tight. It also occurs more typically with new comics, but can also involve purchasing older issues as well.

Image Credit: buy Shares In

Invest to Invest

No, that is not a typo. many comic book investors simply invest a lot of money at the hopes that they will get more back later. These comic book investors purchase already popular and typically expensive comics at the hopes that the price will go even higher. It’s hard to predict the value of comics that come out in the present day. For this reason, many investors of this type stick to only buying older, highly sought after comics.

Because of this, the investors in this category spend a lot of money to make a lot of money. It is easier to buy cheaper, new comics than to keep up with the expensive editions. If you have the money, however, the payoff is much greater.

Pick to Invest

This category is similar to the collect to invest group. The major difference is that picking a few characters to purchase issues of is much easier than collecting large quantities. instead of collecting DC comics for example, you may pick to invest in Aquaman comics. The thought process is sometimes strategic. certain characters yield better returns, especially if they are well known or featured in a movie. Others choose to pick to invest in their favorite character. Whatever the approach, picking a character or two to invest in is much easier and less expensive than trying to keep up with every single issue from a major publisher.

Is investing in Comic books better than real Estate?

The question of what to invest in comes up a lot. real estate is typically seen as the smartest, most lucrative way to invest. There are some downsides to this popular method.

Real Estate is Expensive
It is hard to pull together the money to buy a building and rent out the rooms. consider the ease someone has in buying a comic book and simply taking care of it until it grows in value. A few dollars for a comic book could yield money down the road, but then again, real estate can bring in money nearly right away. The only issue is that it is quite expensive to own property, and there’s no free real estate day, but free comic book day is coming up!

Real Estate is hard to Buy
The hoops one jumps through to buy real estate are tough to manage. If you are under 18, you can begin investing in comics, but would have to wait until reaching 18 to buy real estate.

Verdict

Investing in comic books can be a terrific profit down the road. It is easy to do, and with these approaches, everyone has a way to get into the practice. start today to make money tomorrow!

The Flash season 7 Premiere Tries To Do A little too Much, but A good start

After the CW crossover event crisis On infinite Earths, most of the Arrowverse (or CWVerse) shows had a tough time going onward. Essentially, they had an Avengers: Endgame-level story and then tried to tell their individual stories that couldn’t help but feel “less epic.” Then, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down their seasons early, cutting off those stories just as they ascended to their climax. With the season 7 premiere of The Flash, this is the first time we truly get to see one of those stories continue. However, through no fault of anyone’s, this episode feels disjointed, frantically paced, and ultimately unsatisfying. This episode also features the end of a character that has been around since the first season of the show (kind of).

Team Flash has a lot of problems to address: Barry losing his speed, Iris trapped in the Mirrorverse, the new Mirror Master raising hell, the villainous terrorist organization Black Hole, the whole sue Dearborn side-plot, Cisco and Caitlin being gone, and the “new” members of the team stepping up. It’s a lot.

There were some things that “helped.” For example, since Hartley Sawyer was fired from the flash for insensitive tweets, Ralph and sue went into hiding and we may not hear from them again. The Mirror Master and Black hole plots were always meant to intertwine. Still, it feels like The Flash season 7 premiere is trying to do the work of three or four episodes in one. Thus, this meant that the sheer volume of different stories worked against connecting to any one of them. This show is still one of the best in the CW/DC arsenal, but this premiere couldn’t overcome the odds stacked against it.

x

Mario Kart DLC Gold Rush.mp4

0 seconds of 12 minutes, 40 seconds

Live
00:00
12:40
12:40

 

Spoilers to follow.

Where The Flash season 7 Premiere missed the Mark

image via Warner Bros. TV

In the context of the realities of the pandemic, it feels nit-picky to harp on the failings I found in this episode. As I mentioned above, it definitely feels like A-, B-, and C-stories from about three different episodes were all shoved into this one. This caused some to feel extraneous. For example, it’s always a delight to see Jesse L. Martin’s Joe West and his wife Cecile Horton, played by Danielle Nicolet. However, the story about Cecile expanding her empathic powers felt superfluous. Yes, it did get a crucial plot-point to the heroes, but both that and her personal discovery felt rushed.

Similarly, my least-favorite plotline from last season persisted without much advancement. Candice Patton’s Iris West is still stuck in the mirrorverse, running in circles trying to escape. separating Barry and Iris is a great tension point, as these two make each other better. Yet, other than sidelining her, it’s unclear what the point of all this mirror-stuff is. perhaps I am being unfair because of my personal distaste for the story, but it’s time for Iris to get back to the real world.

Lastly, the integration of Brandon McKnight’s Chester P. Runk and Kayla Compton’s Allegra Garcia into team Flash also didn’t get the space it deserved. Barry is left alone with only these two and Tom Cavanaugh’s latest iteration of Harrison Wells, Nash. (More on him later.) grant Gustin did a fantastic job playing up the emotional tension of being a Flash without speed, leading a team he’s not familiar with. Yet, since a lot of their initial bonding in this dynamic happens off-screen (while Barry is in cryo-stasis?) happens off-screen. Hopefully, subsequent episodes will give the new team Flash the space they need to tell these characters’ stories in a more complete way.

Where The Flash season 7 Premiere Succeeded

image via Warner Bros. TV

To be clear, my complaint about Allegra and Chester above is one based in the idea that we didn’t get enough with them. Chester especially is a big (pun intended) character from the comics. So, while I also miss Carlos Valdes and Danielle Panabaker, their characters’ absences serve the story better than Iris’s. having Barry slowly losing his powers while separated from his closest friends (and his wife) is good for the story. Gustin’s performance (at least as Barry Allen) is impressive. He stays the Barry we know while also being desperate and lost. It’s a tiny needle to thread, but he does it well.

Similarly, Candice Patton’s performances are excellent as well. While the substance of the Mirroverse storyline doesn’t resonate with me, watching her convey Iris confronting darker past versions of herself is magnetic. If anything, this should have been the storyline throughout this Mirroverse diversion. Also, Victoria Park’s Kamilla Hwang is not in the episode, but apparently, she and Iris are emailing each other in the Mirrorverse. It feels like things are finally coming to a climax. While it does make for great tension, let’s hope The Flash refrains from splitting up Iris and Barry in the future. One need only look at Superman & Lois to see how there can be plenty of tension in a story without falling back on tired romance tropes.

Finally, the sequence where Barry gets his speed back is a great VFX sequence for TV. folks love to compare the CG effects in films to TV. However, DC/CW series do a fantastic job in telling VFX-heavy stories that look good on a TV budget and schedule. even though getting to that point felt a little arduous at times, the sequence was pure comic book fan bait.

All of the Wells Deserved Better

image via Warner Bros. TV

The major headline out of The Flash season 7 premiere is the death of Nash Wells (and, subsequently, all of the Wells-es). After the crisis, the denizens of Earth-Prime believe the multiverse has collapsed. through some sci-fi magic, the “essence” of all past versions of Harrison Wells live on in Nash. The episode builds up to his eventual sacrifice, but again suffers because it all feels so rushed.

A sequence in the middle of the episode, where the Wells’ essences are transferred into Barry, suffered as well. The scene in which Gustin does his imiations of Cavanaugh’s various versions of the character is humorous but fell flat for me. Showrunner Eric Wallace told TVLine.com that this sequence was shortened. So, this likely would have happened over its own episode, a much better fit than sandwiched between heavily emotional arcs. Yet, when Cavanaugh himself cycles through the personalities as the Wells-es sacrifice themselves, it’s a much better fit. Cavanaugh isn’t going anywhere, especially since we know the reverse Flash is returning. Yet, if this is the last time we see a “Harrison Wells” on the show, having that character’s last line being “Run Barry, run” is very fitting.

One good thing about the industry shutdown is that it will allow Panabaker to return to the series earlier than expected. So, she’ll be back soon as will Valdes. This season of The Flash will be great, but the premiere and the next episode will have to wrap up last season’s stories first.

The Flash airs on the CW on Wednesdays and streams on their site the next day.

What did you think of The Flash season 7 premiere? Share your thoughts, reactions, and hopes for what’s next in the comments below.

Featured image via CW.

RED SONJA as well as CUB BY JIM ZUB as well as JONATHAN LAU! COMING THIS APRIL FROM DYNAMITE

This publish is Filed Under:

Home page Highlights,
Press release

Red Sonja as well as Cub

January 20, 2014, Mt. Laurel, NJ:  While Gail Simone’s Red Sonja series is sweltering hot, Dynamite is providing a Red Sonja one-shot done as a manga style book! In April of 2014, Red Sonja as well as Cub will be offered, written by Jim Zub (Pathfinder), drawn by Jonathan Lau, with a cover by Jeffery “Chamba” Cruz!

Red Sonja as well as Cub interior art

In Red Sonja as well as Cub, blood will rain down upon the snowy ground as the She-Devil With A Sword battles her method across the Asiatic lands of Khitai. In a land of complex household loyalties as well as death before dishonor, will sharpened steel as well as the muscle mass to wield it be enough?

Red Sonja as well as Cub interior art

“Getting the possibility to compose a samurai-style story of savage battle as well as sacrifice with Red Sonja, one of the heavyweight characters of fantasy, is a genuine thrill,” states Red Sonja as well as Cub writer Jim Zub. “I’m stoked for people to see the huge action-big emotion trip Jonathan as well as I are putting together for this.”

Red Sonja as well as Cub interior art

For art as well as a lot more information, please visit: .

Red Sonja as well as Cub interior art

MARKLEY’S FEVERED BRAIN: A few OF MY favorite things

This post is Filed Under:

Home page Highlights,
Interviews and Columns,
Product reviews

Wayne Markley

by Wayne Markley

I am going to take a look and review a few books I have read recently and really enjoyed. all of these are collections or graphic novels and not monthly comics. a lot of of these are collections of previously published material except for one book. two of them are collections of Marvel’s black superheroes, which are an interesting contrast in terms of how race is part of the stories and the characters. The stories are to an extent stereotypes from films. also interesting are the writers of the stories, a white woman and an African-American man have different yet at time very similar takes on the characters. Both collections are exceptional in their own way, yet very different ways of telling a story and the stories themselves tend to be very different with similar themes at times. Also, it must be noted the stories are from about a decade apart which also adds to the differences. Overall, all four of these books are great and are well worth seeking out and reading in my opinion.

Power man and Iron Fist epic Collection: Heroes For Hire

First off we have the Power man and Iron Fist epic Collection: Heroes For Hire. This collection picks up ideal were the Iron Fist epic Collection left off. once again Chris Claremont and John Byrne continue their Iron Fist stories with Misty Knight and Colleen Wing and add in Luke Cage, DW Griffith and a variety of other street characters. It collects Power man (formerly Luke Cage, Hero For Hire) issues 48 and 49 and with issue 50 it became Power man and Iron Fist and Mike Zeck took over the art. It continues to reprint issues through #70 so the collection is nearly 450 pages long and you absolutely get your money’s worth. Claremont left the series fairly soon after the title change and Mary Jo Duffy took over writing the book with Mike Zeck at first and later Kerry Gammill on pencils. With Duffy and Gammill they get into a groove and the stories start to come together with a great mix of the urban world of Luke Cage and the affluent elite lifestyle of Danny (Iron Fist) Rand. These conflicts are explored and explained as both characters lives change. I point this out as the earlier Claremont issues tended to be Iron Fist stories with Luke Cage sort of there and Duffy was able to strike a balance between Luke’s world and villains and Danny’s world of villains. Duffy also threw in Bob diamond from the Sons of the Tiger as a supporting character as well as adding a service manager to help the two heroes run their Heroes For hire company, and to add some subplots. The stories range from a lot of urban drug dealers and inner city stories to clashes with the X-Men and the Living Monolith. Of course Sabretooth also returns. What I really liked about these stories is the balance between the two worlds and how the characters interacted. Iron Fist and Power man are very different characters from very different backgrounds, and are nearly opposites of each other, but they work together so smoothly in these stories. It is interesting to see how Duffy moves things so as to create the world of Heroes for hire while taking the groundwork laid by Claremont in the Iron Fist epic Collection and the previous Power man stories. (The first volume of marvel Masterworks: Luke Cage, Hero for hire Vol. 1 comes out this week by the way). overall I found this book to be a very good read, my only problem is the art is a little un-even. After Byrne, the art is up and down depending on the inkers, some of them are great and sometime it leaves a lot to be desired, but the story pulls it through each time.

Black Panther by Christopher Priest: The complete Collection Vol. 1

Black Panther by Christopher Priest: The complete Collection Vol. 1 (collecting the work of Christopher priest and mark Texeira with a fill in or two by Joe Jusko). This was a series that was done under the marvel Knights banner and is one of the most original Black Panther stories in a long time. priest and Texeira are able to take the angry and political Black Panther from Jungle action and re-focus the character as a king, warrior, and a very interesting hero. There is a great mix of the politics of the first run and urban drama as the opening story finds T’Challa exiled from his home and living in new York. This series also sets up what David Liss would later do in his run on Daredevil/Black Panther man Without concern series, which is also an exceptional read. This first volume collects the first 17 issues of the series and it is a great. a lot of of the stories are told from the perspective of a government agent names Ross who is assigned to help the Black Panther with any of his needs and ultimately lands up in a number of undignified situations that the Black Panther has to bail him out of. The stories are original and fast paced that tell a great mix of action and story with neither outweighing the other. There is also a fair amount of humor thrown in here. Of course there are the standard super-villains such as Kraven the hunter and Mephisto thrown in. plus other superheroes guest-star at times, such as the fantastic Four, Avengers and the Hulk all make appearances. My only complaints, and these are minor, is at times the printing is very dark and it is hard to make out what is happening in the art. I am not sure if this is a print issue or the art was just very dark to begin with. Secondly there is very creative panel design that can be tough to figure out at times. It is great and different, but not always clear. I would not let ether of these criticisms though detour you from getting this book as it is excellent.

Veda: Assembly Required

Veda: Assembly required is by the creative team of Samuel Teer, Hyeondo Park and Kelly Fitzpatrick and is part of Dark horse young adult line of books. I can say without question it is one of the most captivating books I have read in a very long time and is one of my favorite books of the year so far. The basic story is about a young girl who lives in a factory (where the whole story takes place) in hiding with her mother who works there. As she is alone during the days while her mother is at work she learns to speak to the machines around her. a lot of are basic machines that do cleaning and manual labor. After her mother is killed in a work accident the machines take over her world as her friends and comrades. The girl and the machines are not alone as there are also gremlins in the factory regularly trying to disrupt the machines and their work. Throughout the story Veda (the little girl) grows up and her allegiances change but with age she sees the light. This is full of charm and a great book for all ages and I cannot praise it highly enough. The art and story are a best mix of kids of all ages. (It would make a terrific animated movie).

Imperial

Imperial is written by one of my favorite writers, Steve Seagle and is beautiful drawn by mark Dos Santos. The book describes itself as a rollicking romantic comedy but it is so much more. It is a mix of superheroes and romance and a lot of humor. The lead character, mark is about to get married when he is chosen to replace the world’s greatest hero. Can he make his relationship work while learning to be a superhero? Can he plan a wedding while in training to be Earth’s new Champion? Does his fiancé still want him after this new occupation path? This trade collects the complete story all in one very great trade with great design (and the monthly book also had great sense of design to it). A terrific read that I would highly recommend. (And while I am at it you must also check out Steve Seagle’s Red Diary, another exceptional book).

That wraps it up this time. These are just a few of the books I have read lately that I really took pleasure in and I am guessing a lot of readers missed out on. all of these books are great, in various degrees and for different reasons. everything I have written here is my opinion and in no way reflects the opinions of Westfield Comics or their employees. have you read any of these books? Why not? If you have please let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you. I can be reached at MFBWAY@AOL.COM. As always,

Thank you.

T’Challa as well as Shuri may deal with physician Doom in Black Panther II

now that Disney has the rights back to amazing four as well as X-Men, it’s only a matter of time before we see these characters join the MCU. however we may be seeing one of them even sooner than we expected. According to one of Charles Murphy’s “credible source,” over at Murphey’s Multiverse, physician Doom will be coming for the Vibranium in Black Panther II.

Doctor Doom went to war With Black Panther numerous Times Before

(Image: marvel Comics)

Throughout their comic legacies, physician Doom as well as Black Panther have fought various times. however in Doomwar, a 2010 event by Jonathan Maberry (w) as well as Scot Eaton (a), they almost killed each other. Doomwar would be a excellent movie; however, just as Captain America: Civil war had to scale down the range of Civil war from the comics, so would Doomwar. The event featured a number of X-Men, including Nightcrawler, Colossus, Storm, as well as Wolverine, Deadpool, as well as the amazing Four. None of these characters have joined the MCU yet, so if physician Doom does go to war in Black Panther II, we certainly won’t see the full cast from the comic. however there is an outstanding chance for one group.

x

Mario Kart DLC Gold Rush.mp4

0 seconds of 12 minutes, 40 seconds

Live
00:00
12:40
12:40

 

Black Panther II might reverse amazing four #52

(Image: marvel Comics)

In July 1966’s amazing four #52, we satisfied T’challa, the Black Panther, for the very first time. He kidnapped as well as outsmarted Reed Richards as well as his family, as well as then ended up being excellent good friends by the end of the issue—the 60’s, amirite? If physician Doom is the villain for Black Panther II, it’s the ideal location to introduce the amazing Four. It would be a excellent nod to the comics. The FF introduced Black Panther almost 60 years before Black Panther II comes out—now Black Panther can introduce them.

Take all of this with a huge pitcher of salt, though. While it would make a excellent film, as well as Murphy’s had some trustworthy scoops, it’s extremely early in the process. We’ll have to wait up until 2022 to discover out.

However, perhaps we can get this scene:

(image: Doomwar, marvel Comics)

(Featured Image: Black Panther, marvel Comics)

Source: Murphey’s Multiverse

NEW IN-STORE RELEASES FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2021!

This post is Filed Under:

Home page Highlights,
New Releases,
Westfield Retail store news

DC’s Future State: Dark Detective #1 (of 4)

DC COMICS100 Bullets Omnibus Vol. 1 HCAmerican Vampire 1976 #4 (Of 9)Batman & Batgirl Unite: book about Teamwork HCBatman The Chalice TPBirds Of Prey: Hero Hunters TPFunko DC holiday Scrooge Batman PlushFuture State: Dark Detective #1 (Of 4)Future State: green lantern #1 (Of 2)Future State: Justice league #1 (Of 2)Future State: Kara Zor-El Superwoman #1 (Of 2)Future State: Robin Eternal #1 (Of 2)Future State: Superman wonder woman #1 (Of 2)Future State: teen Titans #1 (Of 2)Sweet Tooth: The Return #3 (Of 6)We found A Monster TP

MARVEL COMICSAmazing Spider-Man #57Black cat TP Vol. 3: All dressed UpBlack Panther party graphic history SCCaptain America #354 Facsimile EditionChris Claremont anniversary special #1Eternals TP: Dreaming Celestial SagaImmortal Hulk #42King In Black: Gwenom Vs Carnage #1 (Of 3)King In Black: planet Of Symbiotes #1 (Of 3)King In Black: Thunderbolts #1 (Of 3)Marauders #17Marvel Comics tiny book Of Heroes HCMarvel Comics tiny book Of Villains HCMarvel-Verse Captain marvel GN TPMinico figures Stan Lee Orange sweater PxOne-12 collective marvel Inhumans: Black bolt & LockjawPOP! Deluxe marvel Heroes: King Deadpool On Throne Px vinyl FigureStar Wars Darth Vader #9Sword #2The Union #2 (Of 5)Vision & Scarlet Witch TP: Saga of Wanda & Vision

IMAGE COMICSA man among Ye #4Big girls #6Bomb Queen TP Vol. 8Commanders In crisis #4 (Of 12)Crossover #2 2nd PtgDepartment Of truth #1 3rd PtgDepartment Of truth #2 2nd PtgDepartment Of truth #3 2nd PtgHaHa #1 (Of 6)Home sick Pilots #2Kick-Ass Vs Hit-Girl #3 (Of 5)Savage Dragon #256That Texas Blood TP Vol. 1

BOOM!Mighty Morphin #3Origins #3 (Of 6)Red mother #12Seven secrets #6We only find Them When They’re Dead #4 2nd Ptg

DARK HORSE47 Ronin TPStranger Things: science Camp #4 (Of 4)Xray Robot TP

DYNAMITEGreen Hornet #5Red Sonja: The Superpowers #1

IDWSonic The Hedgehog #36

OTHER PUBLISHERSA Centaurs Life GN Vol. 19American Mythology: Monsters #1Ascencia #1Autumnal #4Betty & Veronica pals forever Winterfest #1Black Clover GN Vol. 24Blade Runner 2029 #2Bleed Them dry #6Bloodshot (2019) #10Brooklyn Gladiator #3 (Of 5)Cimmerian: Frost Giants daughter #2Concrete Jungle #4Creeps #29E Ratic #2G fan #130Harbinger Wars 2 Dlx HcHeavy #4Iron Maiden legacy O/T Beast Vol. 2: night City #5League Of incredibly Feminists HCLonely Receiver #5Mann’s world #1My Hero Academia GN Vol. 26Okay universe GNPenultiman #4 (Of 5)POP! games Vox Machina: Grog Strongjaw vinyl FigureRed Atlantis #3Serial #1 (Teery Moore)Snow White With Red Hair GN Vol. 11Space Bastards #1Star Wars Insider Souvenir edition 2021 Px EdTom & Jerry YR GN: computer MouseTom & Jerry YR GN: Grouchy CatTom & Jerry YR GN: Purr Fect GetawayTom & Jerry YR GN: Ruff LuckYuuna & Haunted hot Springs GN Vol. 12

BEAUOLOGY 101: CONTINUITY IN COMIC BOOKS: “I lost MY PLACE”

This publish is Filed Under:

Home page Highlights,
Interviews as well as Columns

“I’ve got dark eyes. I can frighten people.” beloved Smith

by beloved Smith

I’ve lost my location in the book.

You might state I fell asleep as well as failed to remember to shove my bookmark in so I might pick up where I left off. It happens.

Batman #143. DC Comics. When Continuity Was A Breeze.

In the 1960s during my time from grades one with nine, I was on top of mainstream comic book continuity. I particularly understood every time a superhero sneezed in either the marvel or DC Universe. To be rather honest, I even understood what was going on in the harder to discover books published by Tower Comics, Charlton, as well as even Archie.

In the 1970s, I fell off the rails. I was socially hectic during this decade as well as I’m lucky I still have any type of brain cells left. I didn’t buy or checked out many comic books at all during the ‘70s. Continuity as well as I parted ways.

I Traded 10 Years Of These For Comic Books. What’s wrong With This Picture?

In the 1980s, I came back with a vengeance. I had comic shops in my area to go to, I had a wonderful, short lived utilized book store (Star utilized book Store, Huntington, WV.) that I traded all of my Playboy magazines from the ‘60s as well as ‘70s to for store credit. They offered utilized comic books there for like five cents each. I got every one of them, in addition to any type of that were brought in after that. as well as with what credit history I had left, I got paperback runs of John Benteen’s Fargo as well as tons of excellent Men’s action paperbacks. thanks to Playboy, I was able to almost backtrack the entire run of ‘70s marvel as well as DC Comics. In the early 1980s I was likewise a Westfield Comics subscriber. Oh, what a wonderful discovery that was for me. I longed every month for that well built cardboard box with pristine, recently published comic books as well as comic book associated magazines to find (Comic book Reader, amazing Heroes). I went from a barren wasteland in the ‘70s to full throttle collecting in the ‘80s.

Fargo by John Benteen. I Still Re-Read These Today. So Does Chuck Dixon.

It was likewise during the latter part of the ‘80s that I started working within the comic book market for Eclipse Comics as their VP of advertising as well as promotions. one of the biggest tasks I’ve ever had. during that time, most comic book publishers traded “Comps;” free copies of whatever they published. At Eclipse, we did that. So for the many decades I helped Eclipse Comics, picture Comics, Todd McFarlane Productions, as well as IDW Publishing, I was getting every comic book from Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, as well as the listing goes on as well as on. I have to admit, it was overwhelming. To this day, 30 years later, I still find unread comics in my collection that I never even understood I had. Last month, I discovered two never opened boxes of marvel Comics from 1987. That’s exactly how crazy it was.

Needless to say, keeping that many comic books coming in, keeping up with continuity was almost impossible for me. Take into consideration that I was likewise getting comp copies of all the comics the publisher I was working with produced. At one time, I was getting 100 copies of each book we published at picture Comics, as well as I worked there from 1993 with 2000. Can you envision what that was like? The UPS truck was in front of my home more than my own vehicle. On top that… I was likewise working for McFarlane toys at the exact same time as well as situations of toys would be provided almost on a everyday basis. I keep in mind coming house from tasks as well as seeing a jungle of boxes on my front porch. I truly mean it was filled.

Comic book Continuity It utilized To matter To Me.

I believe it was during those times that my wish to keep up with continuity left me. These days, with things being a bit calmer as well as publishers no longer truly doing comp lists, I discover that I am just now starting to checked out more comic books as well as retain what’s going on within them. Granted, I’m discovering out that’s not always a great thing. A great deal of comics just don’t create the likability as well as storytelling that the ‘60s as well as particularly the ‘80s comics did.

My life working in comics has always seemed like a “Watch out what you desire for” kinda dream. Did I overdose on comics? Naaaw, my enthusiasm for them is stronger than ever. It’s just shifted more to the producing as well as telling of the story than reading EVERY story from EVERY comic book. It’s an fascinating location to be.

Let me add that getting all those comic books as well as toys for charge for so long likewise may have devalued them to me to a degree. You get something for free for so long, when it comes time to pay for them again, you discover that you are a great deal choosieras well as you definitely don’t buy just anything. At $4.00 a pop, nobody should buy blindly anyway. The great thing is that the comic books I do buy are researched as well as well believed out before hand. My impulse buying of comic books has stopped. I save money, however I likewise only checked out what I like.

Comic book sales, discount rates as well as 4 For A dollar boxes are even more treasured now. It provides you a possibility to cruise the clearance tables as well as truly lower your risks. A great deal of my money goes to buying collections as well, particularly as I offer off parts of my youth collection as well as replace them with the collections. It saves space right here at the flying Fist Ranch as well. (That method I can bring in more or other stuff. J)

Wynonna Earp: The only Continuity You requirement To keep present With.

So if you see me at a convention, the regional comic shop or breaking in your house, as well as you ask me about what I believe about what’s going on in the latest problem of Batman or The X-Men, I most likely won’t know. however that’s okay, since then YOU can tell ME as well as we’ll more than likely have a quite great conversation.

Keep speaking as well as keep reading,

Beau Smith

The flying Fist Ranch

www.flyingfistranch.com

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: MARVEL’S SIF: journey into mystery – THE complete COLLECTION

This post is Filed Under:

Home page Highlights,
Interviews and Columns

Robert Greenberger

by Robert Greenberger

Among the lots of Norse gods, Sif isn’t particularly a major figure in the surviving tales from the Poetic Edda. She is an earth goddess, the wife of Thor, and features prominently in just one tale. There, Loki has shorn off her golden locks and an angry Thor forces him to replace it, as the Trickster God has the dwarves make new hair from gold, which is taken to represent the golden wheat on Earth. (To see for yourself, go read Neil Gaiman’s retelling in Norse Mythology).

Once Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced Thor back in 1962, they needed to populate Asgard with names familiar to those who knew the myths even if they modified the characters for their own brand of heroic mythmaking. So, we first meet Sif in journey into mystery #102 (March 1964) as a raven-haired warrior companion and eventual love interest.

Over time, very little had been made with her as a character other than show her as Heimdall’s sister and a youthful playmate to Thor and Balder. The hair story is retold although the replacement is black.

Sif: journey into mystery – The complete Collection

Things changed thanks to the marvel Cinematic universe and actress Jaime Alexander making the most of her small role in the first two films plus a guest appearance on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. When marvel turned JIM into a title featuring Loki, it opened the door for other Asgardians to get their due and thankfully, she finally got the spotlight in issues #646-655 and in her own one-shot Sif, Those ten titanic tales are collected in the forthcoming Sif: journey into mystery – The complete Collection.

Sif #1

In 2010, Kelly sue DeConnick made her marvel debut with this one-off, illustrated by Ryan Stegman, Tom Palmer, and Victor Olazaba. It’s a fun space romp as Beta Ray bill asks her to help him with the bio-mechanical virus-infected pirates that have taken over the Skuttlebutt.

Tackling Sif as a solo player was a challenge given how little had been made with her previously, but writing the off-beat comes as second nature to Kathryn Immonen, who made a name for herself in 2007 when she premiered as a writer with a Hellcat story. Partnered with cover artist Jeff Dekal and interior artist Valerio Schiti, the ten issues have a special look and feel.

In an interview at Comic book Resources, Immonen explained, “We talked at length about what this story could be and what her story could be, and it all came down to…one single question: what does she want? I think Sif, above all, wants to be a better warrior. She makes a lot of good decisions and things turn out perfectly!” Okay, that last part was sarcastic but she went on to add, “She wants to be a better warrior and she goes to find that thing that is going to help her do that.”

Sif has been Heimdall’s sister and Thor’s paramour or companion, but she needs to stand on her own and the stories in this collection go a long way towards becoming a better warrior.

Journey into mystery #649

We open with the five part “Stronger than Monsters” where Sif is intentionally infected with an ancient version of the Berzerker which finds her eradicated from Asgard and sent to Midgard where, yes, she encounters some of Thor’s occasional partner the remarkable Spider-Man. The witty story shows Immonen’s turn of character along with deep knowledge of the title’s history as she deals with Rorgg, King of Spider-Men (JIM #64) Gomdulla (#61), Emperor of Mars (#52), Spragg (#68), Gigantus (#63), and Rro (#58).

Still, you know this not your normal yarn when Sif hunts down the corpse-eating dragon Nidhogg. To wake it up, she hurls a human skull directly into his snout and shouts, “Wake up, Corpse Eater! I would talk with you!” That’s how you show character through action.

After all, she has entered the Cave of Aerndis in the hope of becoming a better warrior, one who could secure Asgard and the nine Realms, who could end the misery felt by Odin, Gaea, and Thor among others. Of course, this story shows you need be careful of what you wish for.

Journey into mystery #651

After all the mayhem is over, we have the one-part whimsical “A Child’s garden of Verses” with art by Pepe Lartaz.

We then swing into “Seeds of Destruction”, the four parter that saw the title conclude its run before any other Asgardian could be featured. picking up on the threads DeConnick left, Immonen brings back Beta Ray Bill. Sif has been tending to Gaea so when she and Bill’s girlfriend, Ti Asha Ra, are threatened, they team-up. While there’s action galore, the happiness here is Immonen’s dialogue which niftily balances Sif’s innocence with her warrior’s persona.  Visually, Schiti has grown as an artist and this is a a lot of satisfying tale.

Journey into mystery #652

Neatly, Immonen tells two major arcs, one about death and destruction while the second is at the opposite end and fight for love and life. read in one sitting, this must be tremendously satisfying.

And if you want even a lot more Sif goodness, I recommend you read Keith R.A. DeCandido’s Sif: even Dragons have Their Endings, the middle part of his Tales of Asgard trilogy from Joe books (yes, it can be read as a standalone).

Purchase

Sif: journey into mystery – The complete Collection