Five Lists of Fives, Like That Website!

Five Not-Very-Good Superhero Comics I Like

1. The first Contest of Champions.
2. The second Superman/Spider-Man crossover by Jim Shooter and John Buscema.
3. The Superman/Aliens crossover by Jurgens and Nowlan.
4. Legends
5. The original Punisher mini-series.

Five Records I Listen To While Reading Comics

1. Brian Eno, Apollo Atmospheres and Soundtracks
2. Biosphere, Dropsonde
3. Monolake, Cinemascope
4. The Calm: Inspired 20th Century Classics
5. The second CD of Tosca’s Dehli9

Five Graphic Novels / Trade Collections I’ve Read Recently And Enjoyed, Despite Not Posting About Them Here Yet

1. Laika by Nick Abadzis (:01 First Second)
2. The Immortal Iron Fist: The Last Iron Fist Story by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja (Marvel)
3. Sordid City Blues Volume 1 by Charles Snow (Self-Published.)
4. Daredevil: Fall Of The Kingpin by DG Chichester and Lee Weeks. (Marvel, stupidly out of print.)
5. Walk-In by Dave Stewart, Jeff Parker, and Ashish Padlekar (Virgin)

Five Favorite Comics Letterers (Pre-Computer)

1. John Constanza
2. Todd Klein
3. Bob Lappan
4. Ben Oda
5. Irv Watanabe

Five X-Men Characters I Can Name Without Needing To Grab An Issue For Reference

1. Wolverine
2. Wolverine
3. Wolverine
4. Wolverine
5. Wolverine

Comics News Post: July 30, 2007

Image has announced they’re reviving the “Kirbyverse,” a series of comics based on concepts by Jack Kirby. After the publisher reprints the entirety of Kirby’s Captain Victory series, Image will produce new series based on that series as well as Silver Star. Also in the offing is a collection of completed-but-unpublished Silver Star mini-series by Kurt Busiek, along with the Busiek-written Teen Agents series.

“We thought it’d be easier to miss the point of Jack Kirby’s legacy entirely rather than try to do anything new,” Erik Larsen stated at the panel.

He then recommended Joe Matt’s The Poor Bastard, wherein the autobiocomix creator discusses his porn addiction, strange masturbation procedures, and poor choice in women.

I think Beauman’s trying to tell the readers something here…I can’t quite put my finger on it…hmm.

We’ll have to get back to you on that.

The Stunning Brilliance of Hulk in The Defenders (Addendum.)

Relentless Self-Promotion: The Rack – Birdie Wanted A Day Off

After last week’s strip-a-day marathon, Birdie needed a day off to rest, recuperate, and focus on his kung-fu skills. If you’d like, you can reread the strip from the beginning and look for continuity errors or, perhaps you’d rather just read the Comic-Con storyline.

The Stunning Brilliance of Hulk in The Defenders

Comics Phrases That Can Be Retired. #1 In A Series.

“Underwear Perverts.”

Thank you.

Kirby Saturday: Devil Dinosaur? Eff Yeah.

Comics News Post: July 27, 2007 (Another Single-Link Edition)

In an unexpected announcement during San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel revealed that Warren Ellis will be taking over writing duties on the hyper-popular Astonishing X-Men title started by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday. Joining Ellis on the title will be Simone Bianchi, the 7 Soldiers artist whose work on characters like Wolverine has made him a Marvel mainstay very quickly.

In related news, Wolverine will soon have a new cell phone, Emma Frost will visit her local Piercing Pagoda, and Warren Ellis will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Comics News Post: July 27, 2007 Single-Link Edition

Today at San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that Terry Moore and Humberto Ramos are taking over Runaways. This is the second title that Terry Moore will be writing in an exclusive contract with the publisher.

…

…

Hey, want to win some free comics?

Katherine at Heavy Ink sent me an email that said, in essence, “Hey, we’re starting a new online comic shop soon. Would you mind putting a link to a survey on your site? We’re offering the winner 5 graphic novels valued at around $100.”

Now, for all I know, that may be five copies of How To Make Money Like A Porn Star, but I like the way these people think: they want input from you, the potential customer, before throwing open their virtual doors. (For the record: having me like the way you think gets you a lot further with me than any number of offers for review copies of junk I don’t want.)

Anyway, you should go take the Heavy Ink survey. They’ll get to figure out what sort of operation they want to run, you’ll get a chance at winning some free stuff. Hooray! Free stuff!

Relentless Self-Promotion: The Rack Reaches The End of the SDCC storyline.

So, yeah. Here’s the conclusion. Enjoy!

Comics News Post: July 26, 2007 (SDCC Day 01)

DC Comics will soon be publishing a comic based on the hit NBC show Heroes.

There’s been no word on whether or not Alan Moore or Chris Claremont will receive royalties from the tie-in.

So, you know, if you ever wanted to lick the Hulk…oh, right…stickers now.

Never mind.

Didio then compared apples to oranges, gorillas to spaceships, and a golf game to the Holocaust.

In related news, a funeral was held today in San Diego’s Mount Hope cemetary, where the idea of higher-quality corporate comics was laid to rest as hundreds of fans looked on.

Huh.

Huh.

(ICV2 says November. And no, I don’t know why it says it’s Cover Girl 2 outside of a possible titling issue.)

Here’s What I Bought This Week, With Brief Comments

24Seven Volume 2 – Apparently, I didn’t order this. I will have to remedy that.

All Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder #6 – Oh, glorious gloriousness. How I love thee, All-Star Batgirl as written by Cranky Old Man Miller.

Angry Youth Comix #13 – Johnny Ryan mocks himself with a Loady McGee receiving a badly-drawn parody, then goes after art cartoonists with equal glee. What he did to Chris Ware will haunt me.

Aranzi Machine Gun Volume 2 – Pocket-sized joy. Mr. Sprite’s visit to Mt. Fuji is so, so charming.

Batman #666 – Morrison, y’know, he’s Morrison. It’s Future Batman. There’s a global threat that needs kicking and punching. It works out nicely.

Black Summer #1 – Yeah, more of this, less NewUniversal. Thanks, Ellis.

Blue Beetle #17 – Rogers, you know I love you, but I may have to murder you for having such a nicely thought-out solution to Jaime’s problem.

Crecy – Surprising, funny, smart, educational, violent, and easy on the eyes. “Serious” history comics could learn a lot from this.

Comics Introspective Volume 1: Peter Bagge – Left it at the shop. I’ll pick it up this weekend, along with the new Back Issue and Write Now. (The latter features an interview with Todd McFarlane on writing. That’s like interviewing me on freestyle rapping, isn’t it?)

Doktor Sleepless #1 – The Ellis love ends with shouty science fiction that beats you to death with its points. We get it: the future sucks and Doktor Sleepless is going to try to make it suck less. Some funny bits, but lots of this felt heavily recycled. Disappointing, and the art left me cold.

Immortal Iron Fist Volume 1: The Last Iron Fist Story – Haven’t read it yet.

Multiple Warheads #1 – Oh, so that’s what’s happened with the girl that gave her boyfriend an extra penis from Escalator.

Pulphope: The Art Of Paul Pope – Diamond decided I didn’t want this.

Queen & Country #32 – Rucka apologizes in the back for the title’s lateness and says we’ll see more in two years. I understand and appreciate Checkmate and the like is a guaranteed paycheck, but I’m disappointed that it’ll be a few years before I get to hang out with Tara Chace in comics form again. (I read the first novel and liked it; I should pick up the second.) Samnee’s art is so, so perfect for this, too. I hope he’s around for Volume 2.

Showcase Presents Martian Manhunter Volume 1 – I read the first few stories and they didn’t kill me with The Stupid. I must have built up an immunity.

Speak of the Devil – I completely did not see this on the shipping list (or I presumed it was a manga title,) but I am very glad I pre-ordered Gilbert Hernandez’s new series. I buy Love and Rockets in trades, but the oddball stuff like this, I support in singles. I’m a fair-weather fan! Here’s some adjectives: gorgeous, Cormanesque, creepy, funny. Graeme rated it Awful, but I think that “uncomfortable” is the desired reaction. Maybe I’m thinking too much.

Tank Girl The Gifting #2 – I laughed and thought the art (laid out by Rufus Dayglo, inked and toned by Ashley Wood versus Wood doing everything) was very nice. A fine showing.

Relentless Self-Promotion: The Rack At SDCC2007

As Pal RJ said “Oh, a twist?” and my response was “Oh, a twist.”

With San Diego Comic-Con in full effect, numbers on The Rack have plummeted. This makes me sad. Please consider donating to the Kevin Church And Benjamin Birdie’s Comic Strip About A Comic Shop Needs Clicks fund by using one of the handy internet website badges we’ve set up. If you can’t donate with a website link, maybe you could point your friends to a strip that you’ve particularly enjoyed? The Rack has already been cited by someone on Wikipedia, so won’t you give today, please?

The greatest comics panel ever, redux.

From Angry Youth Comics #13, wherein Loady McGee
receives a comic book that cruelly satirizes him. Oh, I laughed.

Blame Sugar Bear.

Sterling’s fault. Not mine.

Comics News Post: July 25, 2007

Virgin Comics has announced that Jenna Jameson will be starring in her own comic. The series, Shadow Hunter, is the story of a provocative superheroine who survives a brush with death only to find herself fighting the legions of hell for her very soul. “Jenna Jameson is a cultural force,” said Virgin Comics CEO Sharad Devarajan. “She is an entrepreneur who is taking the taboo to the mainstream and has built an industry around her brand.”

Devarajan added: “And that industry is the manufacturing and distribution of absolutely explosive blowjobs that result in publishing contracts that revolve around paper-thin concepts.”

Relentless Self-Promotion: The Rack Has No Staff Picks.

…but there’s a really good reason for it! That’s right – a super-rare variant edition Wednesday strip! Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell everyone you know!

Here’s my pull list for this week, with brief commentary.

24Seven Volume 2 – The first was a solid collection by a broad swath of creators working in the NYC Mech universe. I’m pretty sure this will be more of the same.

All Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder #6 – I love this comic for many of the reasons this comic pisses off so many.

Angry Youth Comix #13 – Johnny Ryan, you’re my hero.

Aranzi Machine Gun Volume 2 – The first volume was so cute, my teeth ached for days. A mixed-media manga with charm to spare.

Batman #666 – Batman of the future! And it’s not shitty Digital Justice Batman, at that!

Black Summer #1 – I liked the preview of this Ellis superhero series enough to buy this in singles, which is saying something.

Blue Beetle #17 – The only DCU title that ties into anything else that I’m reading. Rogers makes that sort of stuff work by using it as a background instead of the focus.

Crecy – Speaking of Ellis, here’s his graphic novel about his native countrymen murdering the French en masse in 1346.

Comics Introspective Volume 1: Peter Bagge – I’m always up for interviews and retrospectives about cartoonists I like, and by the title, it looks like both will be present. I just hope it’s as good as the Modern Masters series.

Doktor Sleepless #1 – I think Ellis is trying to pay for a boat or something, but I’m getting this sight unseen. I like the brief hints I’ve gotten quite a lot, even if the art looks busy.

Immortal Iron Fist Volume 1: The Last Iron Fist Story – I’m trusting every other comics blogger on the planet with this one. Brubaker and Fractionsounds like a dream team, and Aja’s art is, as the critics would say, mighty purty.

Multiple Warhedz #1 – Brandon Graham’s Oni series, running concurrent to King City.

Pulphope: The Art Of Paul Pope – Really, you put “Paul Pope” and “Art” in the title, it’s guaranteed to end up in my sausagelike fingers.

Queen & Country #32 – What. No, this has to be a misprint.

Showcase Presents Martian Manhunter Volume 1 – Another phonebook for an ever-growing collection. I’m sure I’ll read a third of this and shelve it.

Tank Girl The Gifting #2 – It’s not quite up to the old material, feeling more like a really nicely performed reunion gig than a new album, but that Ashley Wood art is downright glorious.