Go Team Venture!

June 1st brings the 3rd season of The Venture Bros. blundering back to Adult Swim with new episodes. Doctor Venture along with his sons Hank and Dean, have all ready spent two hilarious seasons stumbling their way into failure and disaster while only occasionally stumbling out of it with the help of their bodyguard, Brock Samson. If the above trailer is any indication, the newest season should rise up to meet the high comedic bar previously set by Team Venture’s misadventures.

If you haven’t check out The Venture Bros. before, you are missing out on some of the best superhero and cartoon pastiche to ever be created. The animation is some of the sharpest on Adult Swim and voice acting rarely fails to capture the shows many characters perfectly. The show provides some great jokes for those familiar with shows like Johnny Quest or comics like the Fantastic Four, but the less geeky among us should not fear. If you know how to laugh at the failure of others, this cartoon will keep you in stitches.

Whether you are a newcomer or a long time fan of the show, you should make a point of catching the 1st episode of the new season @ 10:30 PM CST on Sunday, June 1st.

-Nick

Here Comes Sickness

As I've said before, Robert Kirkman's Walking Dead is unlike any other comic every published, simply because absolutely no one is sacred in his zombie apocalypse. The series is about to reach its landmark 50th issue, and if my prediction is correct, Kirkman is gearing up to kill off leading man Rick Grimes. The majority of the supporting cast members are dead or zombified, and the direction is definitely refocusing on Rick's son Carl. Regardless of if Rick lives or dies, Kirkman's new direction is going to seriously reshape the series. Having explored the ironic metaphor of living comfortable in a prison for quite some time, it will be intriguing to see where the remaining Grimes go next.

Carl's set up as the new lead character opens up tons of narrative possibilities for the Walking Dead. What I would like to see is the series take a significant leap forward in time, introducing Carl as an adult and using flashbacks to reveal how he survived. I don't want to see the series become reliant on flashbacks, but I do believe it would work as an interesting narrative device for this chapter of the Walking Dead. However, Michonne's role is still important and I'm not sure how she is going to continue playing a role in the series with the focus on young Carl.

Press has been heavy for this milestone issue, with interviews from Kirkman, artist Charlie Adlard, and Image Executive Director Eric Stephenson all revealing tidbits of what's to come. So, if you are not already a Walking Dead devotee, pick up issue 50 shipping in June and get caught up in the sickness.

-Jon

Night Fisher by R. Kikuo Johnson.

In this visually mesmerizing story you follow the senior prep school student Loren Foster. His story takes place in Hawaii what we might consider paradise, but for Loren it is quite a different story. It is probably the last place on earth he wants to be. His story contains many things I am sure we have all experienced at one time or another. Night Fisher tells the story of friend’s growing apart, loss of innocence, and deciding one’s next steps in life. I think this is what they call “a mature depiction of immature lives”.

Night Fisher is Johnson’s only solo release, but you can check his website for news on any future releases.

This is an older release, but it always reminds me of summer. Since summer is just about here I thought I would put this one out there in case you forgot about it. If you haven’t read it yet, even better you should defiantly pick up a copy.

-Erika

The Haunting Return of Danny Ketch

Ghost Rider fans lets all give a hoot and a holler to writer Jason Aaron. If it wasn't for his grind-house reinvention of Ghost Rider, the book would be completely worthless right now. Yet, Aaron's current story arch is everything the macabre series should be, a hell-bound assault on heaven with all the camp, kitsch and kills of Ghosty's 70s heyday. Since the beginning of his run on issue 20, Aaron has given us a cross-country motorcycle trip that culminates on a mysterious highway cursed by the living dead. If that's not enough, poor-old' Johnny Blaze is being tailed by a murderous group of nuns with guns that aim to sabotage his quest to confront renegade angel Zadkiel. However, in current issue 23 Aaron gives us the biggest shocker yet, with the stunning return of 90s Ghost Rider Danny Ketch.

Cypress Hills' very own flame head was a marvel mainstay throughout the 90s, and for many, Danny Ketch is the Ghost Rider they're most familiar with. Yet, declining sales and a horrendous re-visioning of the character in the later half of the decade ended Danny Ketch's career with a open-ended cliffhanger. Ketch's recent return is something fans have been asking for since the relaunch of the series in 2006, and what a return it has been. It's already been revealed that Ketch is not only giving orders to the militant nurses, but also talked Lucas, a young boy Johnny Blaze was protecting for information about Zadkiel, into committing suicide. This is a major turning of the tables for the two ghost riders, as many fans might remember Blaze's return in the 90s was to hunt down Danny Ketch.

A lot more is in store for Ghost Rider in the coming months, with the debut of new artist Tan Eng Huat, as well as an introduction of an all-new Caretaker, a first look at Zadkiel, and lots more with Danny Ketch. For more on what Jason Aaron is doing with the series check out this in depth interview.

As a bonus for reading the blog, I'm going to clue you in that a certain Jason Aaron is returning to Star Clipper this summer to meet and greet his fans. Keep watching the blog for more details to come.

-Jon

Starman Returns

The end of May brings us the release of DC Comics’ first omnibus collection of Starman. This series, created by James Robinson and Tony Harris, was a life changing series for me and a rare must read from comics 1990s dark ages. Starman gives us the tale of antique dealer Jack Knight, son of Golden Age hero Ted Knight, and reluctant heir to the Starman mantle. As Robinson and Harris (along with the rest of an excellent creative team) chronicle Jack’s journey as a hero, the tale is woven from stories of Jack Knight’s present and those of the DC universes’ past. The flashbacks provide insight into the events unfolding in Jack’s story all while showcasing Robinson’s affection for the DC Universe.

In both the flashbacks and in the main narrative, Robinson repeatedly digs up characters from the obscure depths of the DCU to create some real gems. Characters like 1970s Starman Mikaal Tomas and Charity (the narrator of the long forgotten DC horror series Forbidden Tales of the Dark Mansion) are fleshed out into a cast of some of the most vivid supporting players in comics. A real standout character is the Shade, who is transformed with the series from one-dimensional super-criminal to amoral resident Opal City (Starman’s city of residence) and friend of series star Jack Knight.

This rich cast of characters is used to craft a superhero tale filled with very human personalities that move through a story were real changes occur to the world and its residents. If it wasn’t for its close ties to the DC Universe, Starman could have easily been in the 1990's Vertigo catalog along with series like Preacher and Sandman Mystery Theater. The series displayed the rich genre narratives and moody artwork classically found in that imprints books at the time. The art, by Ex Machina’s Tony Harris, is just as fantastic as the stories. As the pages pass, Harris quickly grows into a sharp illustrator with a strong design sense. The host of other artists that draw the early issues found in the omnibus present some great talents like Ultimate Spider-Man’s Struart Immonen and Tom Strong's Chris Sprouse.

While the omnibus series kicks off in May, this summer sees the return of Starman author James Robinson to comics. While he has written the odd comic here and there since the end of Starman, he returns to comics full force with Superman and a new Justice League series later this summer. You can get the scope on these series in his two part interview on Comic Book Resources.

-Nick

The Invincible Iron Man 1 = Awesome

Guess who has become a big Iron Man fan? I have. I just saw the movie the other evening, loved it, and spent a good portion of the night researching this hero. But where to jump in?

Wisely, Marvel has just released a new series for newcomers to Iron Man like myself: The Invincible Iron Man. I really enjoyed the first issue, "The Five Nightmares" by Fraction and Larroca. As a hero, Tony Stark has all the traditional ingredients... a double identity, a big brain, more money than he knows what to do with, a past fraught with guilt and vice, an unrealized potential relationship with a whip-smart and sexy woman. Yes, despite the creepy maitre d' mustache, Stark is a good hero so far.

The plot is average but engaging... we enter at a burgeoning confrontation between Iron Man and Ezekiel Stane, a man with all of Stark's intelligence and none of his moral conviction, is selling hi-tech weapons to the highest bad-guy bidder. The weaponry is of course the same kind that Stark uses to stop the bad guys, adding a personal touch to the situation. Equally matched, who will prevail- Stark or Stane? That's what we're waiting to find out. This particular villain presupposes a prior knowledge of the creation of Iron Man and the clash between Iron Man and Obadiah Stane, a.k.a. Iron Monger, which new fans may find confusing. Luckily it's nothing a little wikipedia-ing won't fix.

So how about the artwork. Well, there isn't a unifying or thematic color palette, and most of the skin tones are made muddy by the addition of bluish highlights. That part is fairly distracting. But the action sequences are pretty freaking zesty, particularly the board-room meeting and subsequent escape of Ezekiel Stane (start with the panel shot from below and lit from above of Stane revealing his tricked-out hand weapon). I hope you enjoy this comic as much as I did!

WarMachineishly,
Emily

Domo

Though we might be in the midst of a secret invasion, Star Clipper is also going through an invasion of cuddliness. Domo, Japan's favorite television mascot, is lurking the store and waiting to hug you the next time your in. The Domo might have a monster appearance, but on the inside he is all fluff, literally. However, once you take one home, it will want to watch an alarming amount of TV, and if you stop it the Domo is known to start up a whole helping of mischief.

The Domo comes in three adorable sizes, small, medium, and large, but all are equally loving. Stop by and get some friendly Japanese affection while supplies last.

-Jon

Takorasu World

The magnificent art of Takorasu is captured in all it's sharp brilliance in the new book Takorasu World. His detailed line work depicts a world of imagination, filled with steam engine giraffes and mechanical moving clock towers, that defines a fantastical vision of the future. The book is the winner of multiple awards including the Aoymama Design Award, the 2006 Grand Prix Award, and the Toyko Content Market 2006 Award. With the intricate details of every image it is certainly deserving of such praise.

The imagery of Takosaru World resembles Little Nemo, Steam Boy, and Howl's Moving Castle, yet it still is entirely original and distiquished. Here are a few examples:




The book also comes with and animated DVD of Takorasu's work. However, the book and film are in Japanese text.

-Jon

Jason's Living and the Dead... Zombie Romance

Jason's The Living and the Dead is Jason at his doing what he does best... that is cats, dogs, birds, and rabbits, working on their interpersonal relationships. The Living and the Dead tells a short and sweet tale of two people (or are they dogs?) wishing for companionship while working dead-end night jobs. In the midst of this, a strange meteor causes a zombie takeover, forcing the new friends to run for their lives. There is no dialogue... in fact, everything happens with the characteristic quiet resignation of Jason's work. The meteor noiselessly falls to earth, zombies silently murder anyone in their path, and the two protagonists are wordless as they hold each others hands and run. This is a zombie story that has no concern for gore, screaming, or tears, and instead chooses to focus on the central fear in question... in a world full of people, how is it possible to feel alone? Or, more precisely, how do you respond when it feels the world is turning against you? Suppose your entire society chooses to pursue a morally reprehensible course... do you fall in line, or accept isolation and possible persecution? Jason manages to present these questions sweetly and without unnecessary drama and torment. The Living and the Dead, as a title, has much more to do with the quality of life his characters experience, and the post-apocalyptic feeling of walking an empty city street at night. It's a quick read in which the setting, characters, rendering, and narrative all cooperatively realize its unique mood and charm.

Emily

When is Casanova?

Casanova #14’s release on May 14 marked the end of the latest storyline of the outlandish super spy serial. Gula, the second Casanova album, sees super agent from the future and self-proclaimed future loves interest of title character Casanova Quinn Sasa Lisi arrive to ask, “When is Casanova Quinn?” What follows is a 7-issue story-arc starring the series supporting cast searching for the titles protagonist, who is missing from space/time, all the while battling some new and old foes.

The creative team of Matt Fraction and Fabio Moon seemed to hit pay dirt with this non-traditional genre comic. The comic series only seems to earn positive comments on the internet on both blogs and more traditional comic news sites. The buzz is all well deserved, as Gula delivered plenty of great twists and turns as the creative team presented a tale equal parts introspection and expulsion. Artist Fabio Moon proved more than a worthy successor to his brother Gabriel Ba
(of Umbrella Academy). His art style of expressive brush strokes served to deliver the emotion and action that his brother’s more angular pen and ink work made mandatory for the series. On the brothers’ blog, Fabio discusses the process of working on Casanova from time to time as well as posts art like the developmental drawing shown above.

Gula, as well as it’s all ready collected predecessor Luxuria, decidedly provide some of the most exciting and playful comics on the market. I have to say that I am sad that the series has come to another hiatus. Like Sala Lisi looking for Casanova, I am wondering about the when-abouts of Casanova volume 3.

-Nick

Rest In Peace, Rory Root

I woke up this morning to some downright shocking and incredibly depressing news: Rory Root, owner of Comic Relief in Berkeley, CA passed away yesterday, shortly after falling into a coma Saturday. Condolences to his family and employees have flooded in from across the industry. Paul Levitz, editor and publisher of DC comics had this to say on Newsarama.

I have known Rory fairly well for about five years through our interaction on some industry message boards like the CBIA and ComicsPRO but had only come to know him more closely in the last two or three years. I would always make it a point to spend time with him at industry meetings because he universally was willing to share his vast knowledge of our industry and had excellent suggestions for, well, everything. Many other people knew Rory a lot better than me, and seeing the outpouring of feeling has had a deep emotional impact on me.

Rory was too young to die. He was a major figure in this business and his departure leaves an emptiness that will not soon be filled. I miss him already.

Rest in Peace, Rory, we all miss you.

-Ben

Sky Doll: Sexy, slick, and slightly screwed up

Full of juicy candy-colored sexy goodness, Sky Doll marks a wide departure from the traditional Marvel portfolio. I was particularly excited to read this because not only is it Marvel's first reprint of a European comic through a European publisher, it also features a female writer and colorist (Barbara Canepa).

So let's lay it out. Set in a distant future, the protagonist, a quirky and clueless sex-droid named Noa, ploys her trade at a spaceship-wash on the planet Papathea. As we are introduced to the sad and slavish nature of her lifestyle, a second plot comes into play. Papathea's high priestess, the Papess Ludovica, is revealed to us to be a manipulative and power hungry entrepreneur who keeps the masses enthralled through special effects displays of "miracles." We also learn that Ludovico, the papess of carnal love, previously ruled alongside the Papess Agape, who championed romantic love. After a destabilization of power, Agape was banished by Ludovico, and her followers were persecuted. A mystical connection between the mysterious Agape and Noa soon becomes apparent.

But enough of plot... what can we take away from this comic. First, despite being a comic written by a women, which clearly references the struggles of women to earn rights and find identities outside of sexual objectification in the face of patriarchy and religious oppression, Sky Doll is basically a breast fest. Seriously, this comic has more nipples than a Joel Schumacher Batman flick. It's difficult to feel anything but pity for our heroine Noa when she's constantly having crotch-exposing accidents and exclaiming "Oooh!" like something out of an Art Frahm painting. I suppose the real question is, are Sky Dolls closer to women or robots? It's not difficult to create empathy for a robot with just a small amount of self awareness... take for example the Ghost in the Shell animated films, Transformers, Short Circuit, etc. However, when a robot begins to more closely resemble a human being, the situation becomes more complex and requires a more serious handling (i.e. Blade Runner). The robots of Sky Doll are completely sentient, human-shaped, possessed of their own personalities, and able to express many emotions, including dismay at their sexual slavery. They are, in essence, humans. Thus it is difficult to understand why our goofy and charming protagonist Noa doesn't simply wise up, rise up, and lead all of her sister robots to freedom. I can only conclude that Sky Doll, though lusciously rendered and sexy, is basically an immature sexual fantasy about power dynamics. Aside from the gorgeous colors, figures, architectural constructions, etc., there isn't much that separates Sky Doll from smut like Bondage Fairies.

And did I mention that every character has a little animal nose, dog ears, and a tail? What the heck is that about? Furries, eat your heart out.

-Emily

Death Note Movie Screening May 20th and 21st

For St. Louis fans of the uber-popular murder mystery manga Death Note, you should be excited to hear that the live-action adaptation will have two exclusive screenings in the St. Louis area on May 20th and 21st. This two night only event will take place at the St. Louis Mills 18 Theater and AMC Chesterfield 14 Theater at 7:30 pm of both nights. The film will screen with a 20 minute featurette on how the film was adapted from comic to screen, and includes a video for "Dani California" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which for some reason is the movie's theme song??? Also of note, this will be an English dubbing of the film, not the Subtitled version.

I've already seen the film and recommend you check it out. Though its not terrific, it is an interesting adaptation and a must see for fans of the series. The biggest problems are the poor CG on shinigami Ryuk and the addition of Light's girlfriend. Its arguably if her character ruins or strengthens other lead female character Naomi Misora's story. I'll let you decided, but what I will say is the editing on the death sequences is well done and the actor portraying Light is perfect. The adaptation goes to
about volume 4 of the manga and sets up for a sequel, which is already released in Japan.

If your reading this and not in the St. Louis area, the Death Note screening will be nationwide on both the dates so check out the screening website for a location near you.

-Jon

The Gary Panter Hard Cover

Gary Panter has often been referred to as "the father of punk art" because of his DIY sensibility, scratchy line work and iconic character Jimbo that first appeared in the 70's LA hardcore paper Slash. Yet, his masterful work, which overflows into the fields of paintings, scluptures, posters, comics and drawings, illustrates a surreal whimsy that has even won him multiple Emmys for has set design on Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Collecting nearly 30 years of Panter's work, PictureBox just released the awesome Gary Panter Hard-Cover collection embodying a large portion of his never before published art.

The collection is separated into two full-color volumes that total 686 pages of work. The first volume is a comprehensive overview of his multiple talents, including 1000 images with accompanying text for his paintings, sculptures, and comics. It also features and extensive and informative interview with Panter himself. The second volume is a selection from Panter's ever-expanding sketchbook, giving his fans an inside look at how he creates. The Gary Panter collection is presented in a fanciful slipcase that looks great on any bookshelf.

Also, make sure to check out Panter's website for a full biography, news and blog.

-Jon

Fraction and Larroca's Invincible Iron Man

With the hype around the blockbuster success of the new Iron Man movie, which if you haven't already noticed by all the blog coverage that Nick and I both loved it, Marvel is releasing everything Iron Man. Aside from the regular ongoing Iron Man series, and the release of the awesome new Iron Man Omnibus, collecting the shell head's first appearance and subsequent adventures in Tales of Suspense 39-83, Marvel is launching the new ongoing Invincible Iron Man written by Matt Fraction and art by Salvador Larroca.

The Invincible Iron Man is gearing up to be a pretty good Iron Man series, and in my opinion is better than the regular ongoing series. The stand out aspect is Larroca's art, which as always is impressive. Fraction, on the other hand, is a bit chopping in his writing style; an unusual trait for Marvel's hottest new writer. He hits all the right elements to introduce new readers who gained interest from the movie to give them an adequate launching pad for Iron Man, but the journey is a bit clunky. However, his motif on expired technology should work as an interesting obstacle for Tony Stark to overcome, and is a good metaphor for the challenges of Iron man in general.

Overall the issue wasn't prefect, but it is a fun starting point and has a lot of potential to be the better of the Iron Man series to read. It was released last Wednesday, pick it up.

-Jon

Chippendale Ninja

Those who follow noise-rock will be delighted with Brian Chippendale’s super-sized graphic novel for the same reasons they enjoy Chippendale’s band, Lightning Bolt. His drawings, like his drumming, seen to come from the same wellspring of dissonance and unpredictability. Ninja, released in 2006, is a giant mark-making
spree of a book whose few recurring characters are simple and secondary to the artwork in importance.

Chippendale points us to the origin of his fascination with ninjas by including a great many “missions,” or ninja action sequences that he drew as a child and as an adult. These inclusions show uninspired rendering, leaving the reader to assume that the marrow of the material lies in the character relationships and dialogue. But instead of answers, only questions arise from the interactions. A ninja named “Ninja” is a fairly archetypical hero, but what about his nemesis, the Plastic Menace? Where is the background story? Why is he a foil? Why is he plastic?!? When it becomes apparent that no further inspection on these questions is forthcoming, they decrease in importance, leaving the reader with not much more than a slurry of anecdotes drawn with a hasty hand. And this is my entire problem with Ninja; it challenges the reader to spend a disproportionate amount of time simply ingesting it. Some readers will approach this task in the same way some people approach looking at cubist painting or eating broccoli- it’s not easy or fun, but it’s good for you! For someone like myself, however, the payoff is lacking. As the storyline ceases to progress in any purposeful way, I become more and more distracted.

Looking towards the artwork for answers, I find the same problem. Color seems to be important, because color is deliberately applied. The matt paper surfaces allow for colors that are bold and bright but without saturation, mimicking the effect of art markers. Pretty. But to what end? Maybe the focus lies in the methodic ordering of compositional elements, which certainly shows skill. The seemingly haphazard ratio of black and white is actually carefully balanced through size and intensity of mark making. But by this balancing act, no one image is given more weight than another, and the drawing cancels itself out. In the frenetic struggle between black and white marks on the page, neutrality is achieved.

This may be the intention of the artist, but to impatient readers it will be a burden. Anyone who has read a comic knows that even a busy composition will “work” if the eye is given a path to follow. Ninja, however, relies on inundating and overwhelming the reader with elements.

Though the time required to create these scenes is a credit to the author, I simply do not want to take the same amount of time scanning a page unless I feel there is a point. While it can be appreciated for its hysteric density, it fails to have depth. It may seek to appear subtle and irreverent, but I find its message irrelevant.

I can say that readers who enjoy a Where's Waldo?-style challenge will get lots of mileage out of Ninja.

-Emily

Ray Gun

The 1930s through the 1950s was the "classic age" of the American toy ray gun. Countless manufacturers produce toy ray guns as successful merchandising for popular radio space programs Buck Rodgers and Flash Gordon in the 30s, to television sensations Captain Video and Commando Cody, Sky Marshall of the Universe in the 50s. However, ray guns were so much move than mere merchandising. The ray gun was one of the defining toys to define space-age escapism, and explore American's privileged youth culture and our subsequent fear of the unknown. Eugene Metcalf and Frank Maresca's new book Ray Gun documents the history of the pop culture artifact, exploring everything from their camping tin awesomeness to the significant cultural events during the space race that effected their widespread popularity.

Filled with gorgeous images of hundreds of toy ray guns, their art deco packages and movie poster promoting many of America's earliest sci-fi stars, Ray Gun burst with everything one could want to know a la ray gun. Plus, if ever faced with the treat of those intergalactic little green men, Ray Gun will have you well prepared. As a Ray Gun enthusiast I heartily endorse this book for all you space cadets of the future.

-Jon

Comic Artists Tackle Lit!

Famous literary figures’ work and their characters have a long history of being adapted into comics. From the timeless Classics Illustrated adaptations of novels like Huckleberry Finn to lesser known adaptations like the Orchid collection of Victorian short stories, comic have provided some first-rate portrayals of some of literatures best. The blog “Hey Oscar Wilde! It’s Clobberin’ Time!!!” showcases a plethora of comics greats drawing literary greats, keeping the marriage of comics and literature alive and kicking. The contributors range from mainstream comics favorites like Adam Hughes and Alex Toth to indie comics standbys like Peter Bagge and Jason. The catalogue of fantastic contributors would be too long to list here, but it’s so extensive that even classic comics writers like Paul Dini and Neil Gaiman drawing their favorites!

The list of literary figures and characters cover is pretty diverse as well. You can find cannon authors like Mark Twain and Herman Melville mixing it up with characters like Harry Potter or Conan. With such a execellent collection of illustrations, some may find it difficult to find a favorite. While it may be difficult, I do find myself particularly partial to Steve Weissman’s Raymond Chandler and the pictured below Gene Ha Little Prince drawing.



If you find yourself with a few extra minutes to kill on the internet, you could do worse that popping by the website and checking out these great drawings of even greater literary greats!

-Nick

Porcellino's Perfect Example... read it! Now read it again!

Guys! This book is the bomb diggity. Like many people I have met, my first reading of John Porcellino's Perfect Example was a disappointment, and let me tell you why. The novel is a collection of personal stories mainly concerned with time and place, being the Chicago suburbs in the nineties. I happen to have grown up in stupendously mild and homogenous north suburban town of Geneva, Illinois, and so I was excited to read this book in the hopes that Porcellino might reveal something to me about myself.
My mental process while first reading this novel went something like this.

1. This artwork is crappy.
2. These little anecdotes are cute and funny.
3. This is deeply sad, but hopeful.
4. Maybe I should make a sandwich while I read this.
5. Wait, it's over? What the hell?

After completing Perfect Example, I sifted back through it, looking to see if I had missed something. A moral, a story arc, a bildungsroman, a climax...nothing jumped out at me. I dismissed Porcellino as a diary writer (interesting that one of his later books is titled Diary of A Mosquito Abatement Man) and a poor impersonation of Jeffrey Brown.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Let me tell you, folks, John Porcellino is possessed of a guileless, dare I say zen, brilliance. The familiarity of the story creeps up slowly. The more I thought about the book, I was reminded of the way I felt after my first reading of the Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, which seems to meander pointlessly and end carelessly. The key to that book is of course the title. Life is indeed a series of short and boring anecdotes, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing, because
although the sun can set on a perfect story, inevitably it just rises again.

That's when I began rereading Perfect Example over and over. The way Porcellino depicts youth in the Midwest... long rides in the car, the faux counter culture of thrift clothes and mix tapes which vibrant urban life has already moved beyond, mowing the lawn while contemplating happiness... there was something perfect about it. It's all in the title. Each story of suburban midwestern living is an ephemeral and unimportant one, and yet it is the essentialization, the crystallization, of our total experience. The stories can come in any order, without discernible beginning, climax, or end, because each one is a perfect example. Not only is any story a perfect example, but there is
something humble and life-affirming to Porcellino about leading an ordinary life, about finding perfection in the routine and mundane.

So read this book, for really reals. I encourage multiple readings... unlike other ultra-sensitive memoir style graphic novels, I think you will find that it stays fresh and meaningful no matter how many times you read it. Which is why I will say, in conclusion, Porcellino kicks Jeffrey Brown's ass.

Later Gators.

-Emily

“Who Do You Mistrust?” Round 2

**This Blog has a Spoiler or Two**

It has all ready been a month since Secret Invasion dropped its first issue. That means that it is time for the second issue and for me to check up on our “Who Do You Mistrust?” contest. Last month, Bruce Wulff took first place leaving us with two more winners to announce. This had me sorting through our contest entries while both of Marvel’s Avengers teams battled Skrull imposters in the Savage Land. What I unearthed was that we had a three-way tie for our two remaining prizes!

I had decided long ago when I thought up this contest that if we received more than one entry selecting the same character; we would select winners based on the order they were received. Not wanting to leave any one of our correct contestants out in the cold, I have added a 4th place prize. For just such an occasion, I set aside a Secret Invasion promo poster that we received at the store. Without any further delay, here are our winners:

2nd Place- Josh Rodriguez (who wins a $5 Star Clipper Gift Certificate)
3rd Place- Joet Feldman (who wins a copy of Secret Invasion #1)
4th Place- Steve Meyers (who wins the Secret Invasion poster)

Congratulations guys! I hope you enjoy you prizes! We had some really good guess for this contest (some of which I’m still convinced will still turn out to be Skrulls). Jon and I thought that former Star Clipper employee Nick Main’s guess of Spider-Ham was the funniest guess of the whole contest. Thank you to all that participated.

For those that morn their lack of prize winning, maybe this Secret Invasion #2 commentary from author Brian Michael Bendis will cheer you up. If you where wondering whom the three tying contestants picked for a Skrull, I’ll let this picture do all the talking.



(Revealed in New Avnengers #40)

-Nick

Celluloid Super Heroes

During the summer of last year, I declared 2007 to be "the year of the comic book movie." However, with seven comic adaptations hitting this summer, including Iron Man, Speed Racer, The Incredible Hulk, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, The Dark Knight, Punisher: War Zone, and Wanted, I think that declaration was a bit preemptive. From now on, I won't be making such grandiose statements, as 2008 is just as unlikely to be "the year of the comic book move" due to the onslaught of comic flicks prepped for 2009, including Watchmen, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Sin City 2.

It can be a tedious task when it comes to picking out the good comic book movies from the bad. Thankfully, Entertainment Weekly recently posted their 19 best comic-book movies ever made:

1. Iron Man (note: since this article spawned out of a link from Iron Man, I think this completes their list. Otherwise, it is only 18 films)
2. Batman Begins
3. Batman Returns
4. X2: X-Men United
5. Akira
6. From Hell
7. American Splendor
8. V For Vendetta
9. Spider-Man
10. Spider-Man II
11. Superman II
12. Oldboy
13. Blade II
14. A History of Violence
15. Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance
16. Hellboy
17. Ghost World
18. Persepolis
19. Ghost In The Shell

They also posted their 20 worst comic-book movies ever, however there are 21 films on the list???:

1. Ghost Rider
2. The Shadow
3. Barb Wire
4. Catwoman
5. Brenda Starr
6. The Phantom
7. Daredevil
8. Elektra
9. Tank Girl
10. Fantastic Four
11. Sheena
12. The Punisher
13. Supergirl
14. Barbarella
15. Howard the Duck
16. Steel
17. Swamp Thing
18. Batman & Robin
19. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
20. Superman IV: Quest For Peace
21. Judge Dread

Their list for bad movies is pretty spot on, but I think they missed some pretty killer comic flicks. So, here is Jon's top 10 overlooked comic-book movies:

1. Sin City
2. 300
3. The Crow
4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie
5. 30 Days of Night
6. Road to Perdition
7. Crumb
8. DC: The New Frontier
9. Transformers: The Animated Movie
10. Superman Returns

Plus, let us not forget Jon's additional 5 awful comic movies:

1. Captain America
2. Spawn
3. Blade Trinity
4. The Hulk
5. Batman: The Movie (1966) - with the exception that the Bat Shark Repellant was pretty cool!

If you have any other comic movies that you feel are so good or bad that they need to be mention, make sure to post, or send a top 10 of your own for fun.

-Jon

I’ll Be Damned!

Comic creators Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt’s were here in the store on Free Comic Book Day promoting their new Damned miniseries, Prodigal Sons. They were on site to chat with fans, show off Brian’s boss original art, and sign books. They’re new book is just one of several big releases for St. Louis-based comic creators in the last month.

Like Bunn and Hurtt, cartoonists Ted May and Kevin Huizenga put out new books recently. Ted May continues his brand of ridiculousness with Injury Comics #2. His co-conspirators Jeff Wilson (Sap) and Jason Robards (Sucker Punch) are back as are Manleau and the results of the Hercules Pump It or Dump It poll. Meanwhile, Huizenga’s Ganges #2 continues his Ignatz line tales of everyman Glenn Ganges. This issue gives a glimpse into Glenn’s dot com years as well as his and his fellow workers obsession with a video game.

Like the previous two offerings, the Damned marks the return to a familiar series and cast of characters. The story deals with one of the demon families trying to end Eddie, the undying star of the last series, while Eddie drags his square-jawed brother Morgan into his world of demons and mobsters. The new Damned series is receiving a lot of great press like this commentary at Comic Book Resources with the series creators.

It is great to see all the guys around town making comics and getting good press. They’re all awesome books that deserve the attention. If you stop by the store, you should check out one of their books and see what kind of comics are being made right here in St. Louis.

-Nick

The Troublesome Hulk

Marvel has a lot riding on the new Incredible Hulk film. It, as well as the upcoming Iron Man film, will be the first from Marvel's new production company Marvel Universal. Since they're reviving a failed franchised that greatly disappointed fans with the 2003 Ang Lee flop The Hulk, Marvel needs a hit with the new Hulk adaptation. Unfortunately, buzz about the film has it that lead actor Ed Norton, who also helped with the screenplay and editing, is unhappy with Marvel's action packed cut of the film and is refusing to do publicity. The feud between Norton and Marvel had gotten so blown out of proportion the Norton e-mailed a 257 word statement to Entertainment Weekly to dispel his alleged negative thoughts of the film. Here is the full text of Norton's Statement:

"Like so many people I've loved the story of The Hulk since I was a kid, so it was thrilling when Marvel asked me to write and help produce an altogether new screen incarnation, as well as play Bruce Banner. I grew up reading Marvel Comics and always loved the mythic dimension and contemporary themes in the stories, and I’m proud of the script I wrote. In every phase of production, including the editing, working with Louis Leterrier has been wonderful...I've never had a better partner, and the collaboration with all the rest of the creative team has been terrific. Every good movie gets forged through collaboration, and different ideas among people who are all committed and respect the validity of each other's opinions is the heart of filmmaking. Regrettably, our healthy process, which is and should be a private matter, was misrepresented publicly as a 'dispute,' seized on by people looking for a good story, and has been distorted to such a degree that it risks distracting from the film itself, which Marvel, Universal and I refuse to let happen. It has always been my firm conviction that films should speak for themselves and that knowing too much about how they are made diminishes the magic of watching them. All of us believe The Incredible Hulk will excite old fans and create new ones and be a huge hit...our focus has always been to deliver the Hulk that people have been waiting for and keep the worldwide love affair with the big green guy going strong.''

Whether or not Norton promotes the movie, I have a feeling the new Hulk will be much better than the first. Simply having a clear villain with The Abomination will make for a more engaging film. Check out the trailer:



Here's hoping Hulk is a Smashing Hit!

-Jon

Movie Review- Iron Man

Chances are, if you been by the shop lately, I’ve already told you to check out the new Iron Man movie. For those of you who I haven’t had a chance to tell, I’m telling you now,. Go see the new Iron Man movie! I got to see a preview of Iron Man on Tuesday and it was fantastic.

It has been a long time since I’ve seen a superhero movie as good as this one. Everything that you could ask for in an Iron Man movie is right there on the screen from a Tony Stark kept alive only by technology to devastating repulsor beam attacks to a suit of armor straight out of the comic book. Terence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jeff Bridges all deliver great performances as classic members of Iron Man’s supporting cast, but it can be easily argued that Downey Jr. steals the show with his portrayal of billionaire superhero Tony Stark. Downey seamlessly combines both Stark’s playboy attitude and his single-minded scientific genius into one great portrayal. Downey’s Stark is funny, charming brilliant, and driven. While Iron Man is definitely one of Marvel’s most complex characters, the movie does a fantastic job showing all the complexities in a straight forward and easy to follow way.

The plot of the movie does a good job of combining different elements from the Iron Man comic as well. The story combines parts of Iron Man’s origin with elements of a later landmark storyline that ran through issues #163-200. The result is fun and action packed story that is never leaves you lost and is filled with all the character moments found in classic Iron Man tales. While the film slows down a bit when Stark develops newer models of the Iron Man armor, it was great to see Stark constantly working on the armor. In the comics, Tony Stark is always creating new variations on his armor and the film did a good job of capturing the element of the character. In fact, the movie has lots of little nods to the comic that are dropped in without slowing the movie down. One of my favorites was director Jon Favreau’s cameo as classic Iron Man supporting cast member Happy Hogan.

While the film did a good job of adapting the source material, it did make a few changes to the Iron Man mythos. Some of the alterations served to update the ol’ Shell Head’s Vietnam era original while others worked to reinforce themes in the story. There is only one really big change that stood out as a choice of taste, but I think it didn’t harm the movie. Would tell you what change that was, but I don’t want to spoil anything.

The only real disappoint I had with the movie was the absence of the much rumored Samuel L. Jackson cameo. I stayed throughout the credits and didn’t see one though word on the street has it that it just wasn’t played with the previews of the film. If you scope out the movie, you should catch Jackson star in a teaser of Marvel movies to come. While I will be jealous of all of you that get to see it, I hope that you enjoy the movie as much as I did.

-Nick

P.S. Jon thinks the movie is “boss!” He also thinks that he could wear the armor from the movie.

Free Comic Book Day is Today!

As many of you know, today is Free Comic Book Day in the United States and around the world. As usual Star Clipper is participating. We're sweetening it even more with a massive sale - everything is on sale today, with savings of up to 50% off ALL DAY! Woot! And if you're not a local reader, find a participating comic shop near you.

Come and get your free comics while you can - supplies are limited, so show up early. There are comics from every publisher you know, and lots of publishers you don't! Today is a perfect day to pick up something new (and hey, it's not even raining!).

There's lots going on today, too. Brian Hurtt will be on hand to sketch and sign pictures of he and Cullen Bunn's exciting new title from Oni Press - The Damned: Prodigal Sons, and you won't want to miss it.

Star Clipper is also excited to present three superheroes live and in person for Free Comic Book Day 2008!
Cheer! To their feats of strength! Gasp!! At their tales of adventure and derring-do!! Boggle!!! At their comprehensive knowledge of comics!!!

These intrepid crusaders will be available for signings and photography from noon to 3 PM. High-quality 8x10 prints will be available from them for a modest fee, or you may bring your own camera. Don't miss this opportunity to meet actual costumed superheroes for a very special Free Comic Book Day!

-b

Monsters Are Among Us!

MONSTERS ARE AMONG US AT THE SAINT LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER THIS SUMMER

 

STAR CLIPPER A PROMOTIONAL PARTNER

 

Monsters! The Art & Technology of Animatronics Exhibition Makes Movie Moguls of Visitors Who Get a Rare Peek Behind the Scales of Feature Creatures

 

MONSTERS! are invading the Saint Louis Science Center! They’re appearing in the Exploradome, where MONSTERS! The Art & Technology of Animatronics is making its U.S. debut this summer, and popping up on the big screen in the OMNIMAX® Theater’s presentation of the new film, Dinosaurs Alive!

 

The U.S. debut of Monsters! The Art & Technology of Animatronics Exhibition opens May 3, at the Saint Louis Science Center. This intriguing exhibition allows visitors “behind the scales” to see how cinematic creatures are made, from the storyboard process to the convincing specimens that actually appear on the big screen.

The brainchild of Academy Award-winning animatronics expert John Cox and his Australian team of craftsmen, the exhibition showcases some of the stars of Cox’s movie career and takes visitors on a journey of the creative techniques used in visual effects and movie animatronics.

“Visitors will see the entire process, from the drawing, modeling and engineering stages right through the final touches for the silver screen,” said Beth Bishop, public relations manager for Saint Louis Science Center. “The exhibition is interactive with sound and movement, and includes elements for all ages.”

Among the classic creatures visitors can expect to see are parts of the giant crocodile from Peter Pan, the gorillas from George of the Jungle 2, the legendary Abominable Snowman, and, for the first time, Selkie the sea lion, Fred the marine iguana, and Chica the sea turtle from the new Nim’s Island, in theaters now. Visitors can play with Inspector Gadget’s gadgets, touch alien guts, become an on-set animatronic puppeteer and look beneath the skin of many mechanical movie creatures.

MONSTERS! aren’t just appearing in the EXPLORADOME at the Saint Louis Science Center, but also on the giant screen in the OMNIMAX® Theater. Real monsters of the past are the stars of the amazing new film Dinosaurs Alive! Scientifically-accurate computer generated animation and exquisitely preserved 1920s footage of fossil expeditions, led by scientist and adventurer Roy Chapman Andrews, believed to be the inspiration for Indiana Jones, bring familiar prehistoric monsters back to life.

Admission to MONSTERS! is $8 for adults and $7 for seniors and children and free for Saint Louis Science Center members. Admission to Dinosaurs Alive! is $8 for adults and  $7 for seniors and children. Visitors can view both the exhibition and film for a special $10 combo price. Discounts are available at certain exhibition sponsor locations. For details visit slsc.org.

Star Clipper is proud to be a Promotional Partner of MONSTERS! The Art & Technology of Animatronics Exhibition. The exhibition runs through September 1.

-AJ

Achewood is Time Magazine's Graphic Novel of 2007

Since my first Star Clipper blog, I've been raving about the brilliance of Achewood, and if my recommendation hasn't been enough to have you at least read a few of the online strips, then maybe the fact that it won Time Magazine's Graphic Novel of 2007 will convince you. Achewood has been developing a growing fan base since its inception in 2001, and creator Chris Onstad has recently made a deal with Dark Horse Comics to release a 96-Page hardcover edition of The Great Outdoor Fight, the series' most popular story arc, in September 2008.

Interestingly, Lev Grossman awarded Achewood the covenant Time Magazine award even thought the strip exist as an online comic and is not a traditional hardcopy graphic novel, though soft-cover copies have been self-published from Onstad for many years. Onstad's publishing deal with Dark Horse is his second attempt at co-publishing Achewood, when he failed to work out a deal with Checker Press in 2004 that he was satisfied with. Click here for an in depth interview with Onstad and make sure to let us know if you would like to pre-order a copy of The Great Outdoor Fight so you can see what all the hype is about.

-Jon