This is Entry 23: Comics!

It's a new month, so it's time for a new posting. I've been meaning to do this for sometime since I've got a ton of comics to gush about. That's part because one of the comic stores I frequent had a few $.50 an issue boxes. My love of free/cheap stuff & comics made me look thought all the boxes.

First up, it's



X-Men First Class #8, in this issue the Team meets up with The Man-Thing. Since you can't have Man-Thing without the Nexus of Realities far behind. The team travels to what might be possible futures for the team. The series is written by Jeff Parker.

He also wrote the next book, it's the last book in this year's What If series. It stars Spider-Man & Wolverine. It's based off of a story from the 1980's. Spidey gets a new costume over the issue:



And it reminded me of the design Alex Ross did for the first Spider-Man movie.

Speaking of Ross designed costumes (hows that for a transistion?), we get the first issue of the *new* Captain America in, yep you guessed it Captain America #34:



And I'll spoil who's under the mask, It's James Buchanan Barnes/Bucky/The Winter Soldier. I don't think anyone who had been reading the book didn't see that coming. As for he first outing in the Red, White, Blue & Black: he did ok. As for the suit: I don't have a firm opinion either way. It makes since he didn't want to wear the original. The twist at the end should be an interesting read to see how they resolve this one.

Mighty Avenger #8, the Symboite fight seemed at little pointless & never truly got going. The issue seemed like a setup for the "Secret Invasion" event that upcoming. Next issue the team facing off against good ol' Doctor Doom.

I picked up the latest issue of The Fantastic Four, something I hadn't done in awhile. My readership of the book fades in & out. Issue #554 is the first issue of Mark Millar & Bryan Hitch. I thought the redesign for the cover was interesting:



The opening scene was a great way to open the book & look forward to seeing where Mr. Millar takes the book.

Spider-Man Family #7, the cover story was tribute to the late Mike Wieringo. It was a fun story & that's what 'Ringo's stories were: Fun. For more on my feeling about Wieringo: see Entry # 3. One small problem about the SMF book, it's a 104 (not sure if that includes ad's) but most of the book is reprints & a manga version of Spider-Man. I don't mind the manga but the reprints I do mind. I wouldn't mind seeing all new content for the book. I pick up more if it did.


Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special This 1991 "80 Page Block-Buster" as the cover proclaims is the first appearance of a character. She not on the cover & was used again for at least a decade but this book marks the first appearance of Squirrel Girl! Yes. She teams up with ol' Shellhead (Iron Man, in case you didn't know that nickname) & fight Doctor Doom. The story's plot, pencils & inks are by Steve Ditko! yeah, the same guy who was there for the start of Marvel!

My last Marvel book was for the geek in me, it's Marvel Teals #276, which reprints Amazing Spider-Man #263 & is the first (maybe only) appearance of spectacular Spider-Kid!



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Next are...



I'm going to quick hit most books so I can get to what makes up the bulk of my DC pile.

- Booster Gold is still one of the most fun books on the stand. Go pick it up!
- The Justice Society of America is getting some new members!
- Legends of The DC Universe #1 is a "lost story" from the story that redid the the enfire DCU, Crisis on Infinite Earths & features the only story appearance of Earth D.
- Superboy #8 has 2 for the price of one. Pre-Crisis Superboy & Kon-El meet up due to the effects of Zero Hour. They of course fight.
- Adventures of Superman #646: in this issue Mr. Mxyzptlk Dies! Now I didn't know this before I picked up this back issue but it had cool cover:



In the $.50 bins I mentioned earlier, most of the books I picked up related to one team: The Legion of Super- Heroes. But before I talk about the older books featuring them, I'll talk about their current appearance in Action Comics. We are in to the fourth part of the story & It kicks butt! I'll be sad to when it's over.

We now go back to the Legion's first appearance: Adventure #247, which was reprinted in the book I picked up, it was DC Archive sampler of Silver Age stories.



One thing that has always been a bit weird to me: why does Cosmic Boy wear Pink? it just doesn't seem like a very super heroey color.

After reading this story I found something intresting, the only team the group is only refered to as "The Legion of Super-Heroes" is in the title of the story, every where else they are a "Super Hero Club", they even have patches that say that:



Also for some reason Cosmic Boy is the only one to wear the patch, Lightning Lad & Saturn Girl don't wear it. This might be the only time he does wear it because I had never seen it before this. I also found it odd that they had their names spelt out on their shirts, I found it a bit distracting (I'm glad they dropped that).

I picked a DC Special featuring the Legion of Substitute-Heroes, it's from '85. I know that because of this ad:



I also picked up issues 5 & 8 of "Legion of Super-Hero" from 1990 (5 is the cool one & 8 retells the team's origin). I also picked up Issue 100 from '98. I picked up Issue 1,000,000 of Legionaires (it was part of the DC 1 Million event). Picked up Legionaires #66 for the cover:



The other 3 issues dealt with Time Travel. Where Legionaires #66 & Legion of Super-Heroes #105 dealt with the Legion's past. Legionaires #54 dealt with the Golden Age of Comics:



It was really well done how the merged the era with the legion. They found ways to use Proty, the Legion's classic Headquarters & R.J. Brande. But the best way was how the flight rings were used:



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Ok, we are almost done. I also picked up the latest issues of Oni Press' Maintenance, IDW's Doctor Who Classics & Platinum Studios Comics' Hero by Night.

That's it for now.

Stay Jazzy!

-Brian.

This is Entry 22: This Day in History 2008

Events:
98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva.
1142 - Wrongful execution of noted Song Dynasty General Yue Fei.
1186 - Henry VI, the son and heir of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, weds Constance of Sicily.
1416 - Republic of Dubrovnik, as a first state in Europe, outlaw slavery
1606 - Gunpowder Plot: The trial of Guy Fawkes and other conspirators begins, and ending in their execution on January 31.
1678 - The first fire engine company in the United States went into service.
1785 - The University of Georgia is founded, the first public university in the United States.
1870 - The first college sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, is formed at DePauw University.
1880 - Thomas Edison files a patent for his electric incandescent lamp.
1888 - In Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Society is founded.
1900 - Boxer Rebellion: Foreign diplomats in Peking, China demand that the Boxer rebels be disciplined
1926 - John Logie Baird makes the first television broadcast.
1939 - First flight of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.
1967 - Apollo program: Apollo 1 - Astronauts Gus Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee are killed in a fire during a test of the spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center.
1967 - More than sixty nations sign the Outer Space Treaty banning nuclear weapons in space.
1973 - Paris Peace Accords officially end the Vietnam War, Colonel William Nolde falls, becoming the conflict's last recorded American combat casualty.
1977 - Record company EMI sacks the controversial United Kingdom punk rock group the Sex Pistols.
1983 - Pilot shaft of World's longest subaqueous tunnel (53.85 km) between the Japanese islands of Honshū and Hokkaidō breaks through.
1983 - I was born in Seattle, Washington, USA.
1984 - Carl Lewis beats his own indoor world long jump record by 9¼ inches (23.5 centimeters) with a 28-foot, 10¼-inch (8.795-meter) jump.
1997 - It is revealed that French museums have nearly 2,000 pieces of art that were stolen by Nazis.
1998 - American First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton appears on the Today Show calling the attacks against her husband part of a vast right-wing conspiracy.

Births:
1443 - Albert, Duke of Saxony (d. 1500)
1687 - Balthasar Neumann, German architect (d. 1753)
1701 - Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim, German historian (d. 1790)
1756 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer (d. 1791)
1805 - Maria Anna of Bavaria, queen consort of Saxony (d. 1877)
1832 - Lewis Carroll, English author (d. 1898)
1848 - Togo Heihachiro, Japanese admiral (d. 1934)
1908 - William Randolph Hearst, Jr., American newspaper magnate (d. 1993)
1921 - Donna Reed, American actress (d. 1986)
1924 - Sabu Dastagir, Indian actor (d. 1963)
1928 - Michael Craig, British actor
1940 - James Cromwell, American actor
1944 - Nick Mason, English drummer (Pink Floyd)
1951 - Brian Downey, Irish musician (Thin Lizzy)
1952 - Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, American football player
1954 - Peter Laird, American comic-book artist
1955 - John Roberts, 17th Chief Justice of the United States
1956 - Mimi Rogers, American actress
1957 - Janick Gers, British guitarist (Iron Maiden)
1957 - Frank Miller, American comic book artist and writer and film director
1959 - Keith Olbermann, American news presenter
1961 - Margo Timmins, Canadian singer (Cowboy Junkies)
1961 - Gillian Gilbert, British musician (New Order)
1964 - Bridget Fonda, American actress
1965 - Alan Cumming, Scottish actor
1969 - Patton Oswalt, American actor and writer
1972 - Guillermo, Mexican-born American TV personality
1983 - Me!
1987 - Katy Rose, American pop singer

Deaths
98 - Nerva, Roman Emperor (b. 35)
1629 - Hieronymus Praetorius, German composer (b. 1560)
1688 - Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, grandmother of the Kangxi Emperor in Qing Dynasty China
1731 - Bartolomeo Cristofori, Italian maker of musical instruments (b. 1655)
1740 - Louis Henri, Duc de Bourbon, Prime Minister of France (b. 1692)
1814 - Johann Gottlieb Fichte, German philosopher (b. 1762)
1851 - John James Audubon, French-American naturalist, ornithologist, and painter (b. 1789)
1901 - Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer (b. 1813)
1910 - Thomas Crapper, English inventor (b. 1836)
1967 - Crew of Apollo 1: Roger Chaffee (b. 1935), Virgil "Gus" Grissom (b. 1926), Edward White (b. 1930)
1972 - Mahalia Jackson, American singer (b. 1911)
1973 - William Nolde, last American combat casualty of Vietnam War (b. 1929)
1993 - André the Giant, professional wrestler and actor (b. 1946)
2004 - Jack Paar, American television show host (b. 1918)
2004 - Salvador Laurel, 9th Vice President of the Philippines (b. 1928)
2006 - Johannes Rau, 8th Bundespräsident (President of Germany) (b. 1931)
2006 - Gene McFadden, American singer and songwriter (b. 1949)
2007 - Marcheline Bertrand, actress and mother of Angelina Jolie (b. 1950)

Holidays and observances
- UN: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
- United Kingdom: Holocaust Memorial Day.
- Germany: Gedenktag für die Opfer des Nationalsozialismus (Commemoration Day for the Victims of National Socialism).
- Poland: Dzień Pamięci Ofiar Nazizmu (Memorial Day for the Victims of Nazism).
- Italy: Giorno della Memoria (Memorial Day).
- Serbia: St. Sava Day.
- Denmark: Auschwitzdag (Auschwitz Day; commemoration day for the victims of the Holocaust and other genocide).
- Monaco: Day of Saint Devota, patron saint
- Catholicism: Catholic Schools Week.
- January 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- My Birthday.

This is Entry 21: Comics!

This makes, what, 3 entries this month? Man, I'm doing good! Not as good as August (9 entries in 1 month) but in general 3 entries in a month is good. This might turn into a 4 entry month but I'm not sure.

One to why I'm posting. Can you guess why? It's Comic Books! This time is mostly Marvel with 2 DC books & 2 others.

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Penance: Relentless #4): The mini series is almost over (only 1 to go!), it's still a good story. We find out what the numbers means (If you haven't been reading the series, that means nothing to you. But if you have been I won't spoil it for you). I've got 2 pic's to show you:

1. Norman Osborn is a perv & Ben Grimm knows it!



2. I think I might of found a mistake. Let's see if you can spot it before I tell you what it might be:



Can't find it? It's right there. It's the Flag! Down on Entry #17 of this very Blog, I ramble on about the the first half of the Marvel Atlas & it shows you the Latverian Flag:



Now the flag shown above there is not that flag. Now this might just be the flag of the Latverian Prison of which is where is his location. But, it might be & then that's a goof on the Artist's part.

Captain America #33: 8 issues later & Steve Rogers is still dead. Next issue we see the new Captain America. Now why they didn't wait until Issue 35, which would make 10 issue between Death & the new Guy: I don't know. Maybe Ed Brubaker has a thing for odd numbers? I don't know. SIDENOTE: I'm not sure I like the new suit, but I'm willing let it be for awhile.

New Warriors: They did it with Heroes for Hire & now they've do it with NW: They start off with art I like & then they change to art I don't like. An *added* bonus with NW is now everyone looks generic! Apparently the artist can only draw 1 type of face for Men & another type for Women. *sigh* Another book I like made less cool with not so great art.

Mighty Avengers #7: With issue the new story arc start off. With it comes an new artist (Mark Bagley) & he doesn't suck! Example:



That panel definitely does not suck!

Exiles has ended with Issue #100. Before it starts up/continues on as New Exiles, a book to bridge the gap was put out, Exiles: Days of Then and Now. Here's the cover which shows every member of the main team since Issue 1:



Stuff I noticed: Psylocke (Bottom row, second from the left) looks either dead or asleep & they just propped her up somehow. We also have Rogue (First on the second row from the left) looking down on Psylocke with disapproval. The next 2 on the row (Morph & Sage) also have interesting looks on their respected faces.

But My favorite part of it is this:



Magnus, you dog! You might not know this but Namora would most likely fillet you like a fish if she saw you checking out her dirty clam shells.

I did pick up New Exiles #1 & it was pretyt good. I'm still not all that sure about Chris Claremont on the book. But I'll give them a story arc to change my mind.

After some search I found the Civil War installment of this year's What If? installment (Well, they started last year but they are still coming out so I consider it to be a "This" year thing). It's pretty good, some odd art in places but nothing all that distracting.

I picked up some back issue on the faith because I like the story they are inspired by, those books are Wolverine: Days of Future Past. It's from the late 90's (like 1998). My response is What the Heck?!? I'm not sure when it's happening because if it runs concurrent to the classic story then they changed some story points that I just couldn't story thinking about. The only way I could reconcile those story points in my mind is this a "prequel" to the story. Now it's not a bad story, it's got one cool character (Midnight is her code name) & the art is fine, so is the writting. But, it's just not what I expected when I picked it up.

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Here are the 2 DC Books:
1. Booster Gold #6, one of the most fun mainstream Super Hero book out there. 'Nuff Said.
2. The Teen Titans Lost Annual, it done in the style of the Titans of the 1960's with a story befitting the era (that or a conspiracy lovers comic book): Beatles looking Aliens (Yes, the music group) kidnap President Kennedy & to help them stop a war on their home planet. They leave a shape shifter in his place. The Titans travel to the planet to save the president. While they are gone, fake Kennedy travels to Dallas & we all know what happens next. After being rescued the real Kennedy goes back to the place as to not upset the Country & I guess not let them know Aliens really do exist.

The last 2 Books:
1. The Umbrella Academy: It still do really understand what's going on but I don't mind. I'm a little sad that the mini series is almost over. Hopefully they'll make a sequel.
2. The 2nd issue of Doctor Who Classics with one of the funniest panels I've read in awhile:



Until next we meet, I bid thy a Stay Jazzy!

-Brian.

This is Entry 20: Con Review!

It's a New Year so Let's talk about the Past! :)

Yes, Yes. This is the much talked about entry about the back issues I bought in October. It's mostly DC comics but there are some Marvel Comics in there. You've seen them from the side...



... Now let's see them from the front! And since they comprise most of the stack, let's start with:



But none of these comics bare this logo. Some of the DC comics I'll be talking about don't even call themselves DC Comics (What? More on that later..)

We start our journey to DC's past with a Subscription ad:



Wow! 16 issues for $1.60. Boy, what that must of been like.

I'll be talking about the 4th book you can buy from the top: Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen. The Issue #70. The first story (which is not the cover story) is a cavalcade of tried & true elements of Jimmy Olsen stories from the era: a jerk load of a Superman, bizarre transformations by Olsen, Olsen screws up, etc. There is one thing that I didn't understand from the story: why did Jimmy just except that there would be a group of men who would form a Jimmy Olsen fan club. Are they really they depressed that they wouldn't just idolize Superman & not one of his friends? Was Perry White to old for them? But, by the time the story is over you find out that they weren't actually fans of Jimmy, just sons of a "Super-Revenge Squad". Not just Regular-Revenge but Super-Revenge.

The second story is your typical "Bad people trick Jimmy to get to Superman" story. This time Jimmy thinks he's been turned into a robot from the neck down!

Now on to the cover story where...



Yes! There are many types of the rock, not just Green. But what does Silver do? Give Superman Lobster claws? Make Superman into a Superwoman? Make him crave Fried Chicken & Waffles? Well, I hate to break it you: it doesn't do anything. Jimmy starts asking around about this type, no one knows about it (maybe because it doesn't exist). He asks one time girlfriend to Superman & Mermaid: Lori Lemaris. She asks "her friends of the ocean depths": they don't about it. Supergirl doesn't know about it. Clark hears about it & starts to suspect something is up. Jimmy collects silver items from his fellow coworkers (He steals a silver dollar off Clark's desk). He gets some silver items from Lori & one from Lana Lang. He uses the lab of perennial guest star from the era, Professor Potter's lab to melt down the items & uses people from the bottled City of Kandor who also happen to look like Superman & his friends. Jimmy pour molten silver over them (but it's ok, they're invulnerable).

So, what does Silver Kryptonite do if it doesn't exist? Well, The story is to mark Superman's silver anniversary (He made his first story appearance 25 years earlier). What did Jimmy do with the Silver? He made busts of Superman's friend & stored them in an over size case made to look like a large, lumpy rock.

I also picked up 2 other issues of the comic. Issue #74 has Mister Mxyzptlk (can you pronounce that?) making Jimmy his puppet.

Issue #93 is:



Now this Earth isn't the one from the Marvel Mini-Series or the Earth from DC's original Multiverse where the Nazis' won but a different one. He's actually called "Steel Man" in the story is much easier to say. How did Jimmy become Steel Man? Well, He was visiting Professor Potter, he had a created a Time Machine. Jimmy checks it out & accidentally touches a button which cause Jimmy to be sent to an alternate Earth. An Earth where Perry White is a Matador. Also on this Earth Jimmy has all the powers of Superman! Jimmy finds more differences, Clark Kent is the head of tours at the World's Fair (also Benedict Arnold was the 2nd President of America). Clark is an fiction writer in his spare time & he created a character called Steel Man, so Jimmy unravels his clothes to make a new suit. One that looks to be an amalgam of Batman & Superman (hence the story's title). More differences, on Earth X Potter is the head of the World Fair (& acts like Perry White). Lucy Lane, Lois's sister, also works at the Fair. The Fair is attacked by the LUTHAR league (LUTHAR standing for League Using Terror, Havoc & Robbery. But then why tack on League on the end if it's in your name?). Jimmy ducks out of sight to change. The LUTHAR try to steal some rare gems but Steel Man stops them. He's thanked by the tux clad Mayor & is given a Parade & a day named after him. Next page we find out the leader of LUTHAR is Earth X's version of the Joker. The LUTHAR attempt to steal art (like the the painting of Actor Mickey Mantle) but Steel Man stops them (They do get away again). Jimmy is meets up with Professor Potter who had a "Dimension Computer" which he used to find Jimmy, he there to take Jimmy but he doesn't want to go back. He's Superman on Earth X! But before much else happens he is off to meet up with Clark but when he arrives the Joker is there. He find out that under the clown mask is Clark, he uses a machine & takes the Steel Man powers for himself. Clark is off to take over the world! Jimmy quickly defeats him by way a mysterious gas he & Lucy made. So, he & Potter goes home only after Jimmy & Lucy share a kiss.

BONUS: A weird ad about the going to the Land Ship... oh, sorry... going to the Library.



Also, does anyone else get some creepy undertones from the sea captain a.k.a. crazy old guy?

The next book is another Superman book, It's Giant Superman Annual #3 which features "an all-star collection of Stories featuring The Strange Lives of Superman!" You get an Old version, a big headed version (which means he's from the future), a masked version (which makes Superman look a lot like Alfred E. Neuman), a Lion Man version, a scared version, an "ugly" wrestler impostor version & a bondage version. Plus, you get the "secrets of Superman's Fortress of Solitude". I didn't know there was more then one.

We mover forward time to the 1980's & a very influential Batman story called The Untold Legend of Batman. Why is this influential? It may just be the first Batman story I ever read. Now I just bought the issues but back when a little kid I read this story in a pocket sized book. It was in black & beige (That's the color of the paper it was printed on). The cover of the third issue is an Bat-image that has been burnt into my mind (Jim Aparo is the artist):



If you find the mini series, pick it up. It's a good read.

BONUS: Here's a cool old ad! It's got my "Stamp of Approval".




The last thing that I bought from DC was the entire second series of it's Tangent Comic five week event. I got most of the 1st series in a half off Comic book bin at a local Book Store. I was only missing two books (which I also picked up with the second series). For those cool people not in the know: The idea behind the series is they take established names & make new characters for them. After reading the entire series, I can say the first attempt was better. The second just seemed to be a little lost. Plus, they tried to change a few things in the second series (Like The Joker, she was fine the way she was!).

Well, that's all I have for DC. Now on to:



Now I don't have as much to say the Marvel books but I did get some cool stuff. A few first appearances:
- Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (1st appearance of Captain Mar-Vel).
- Marvel Team-Up #65 & 66 (1st U.S. appearance of Captain Britain).
- The Avengers King-Size Annual #10 (1st appearance of Rogue). I got this book for well below what I've seen it normally for.

Other books I bought are Avengers #181 (Gyrich decided the Avengers line up), The last issue of Marvel Team-Up (Issue #150), Not Brand Echh #1 (Marvel Satire book from the '60's) & the 200th issue of Incredible Hulk.

Well, that's it for this trip to the past. Next post we will be back in the present. Well, at least books that came out in the present.

Stay Jazzy!

-Brian

This is Entry 19: New Year, New Comics!

Happy New Year, Jim!

I have a nice ol' pile of Comics that I'll be talking about. But I'll be doing them in a quick hit format. So, with out further ado: Let's Go!

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Booster Gold #5: Cryptic comment about Issue #5: Somethings you can't change no matter hard you try. The next few issues should be interesting since they are involve The Blue Beetles: Past, Present & Future?

Captain Carrot and the Final Ark: This miniseries finishes up with a really weird end, it was totally not expecting it. It also makes me wonder what the fate of the Zoo Crew is.

Action Comics #860, this issue is the 3rd part of the Superman & the Legion of Super Heroes storyline & it is kick ass! It takes the Legion & updates them for the future, no pun intended.

The Brave and the Bold #9: Now I don't normally read this book but I'm starting to think I should. Issue 9 rocked it with the classic goodness. There were team ups between The Blackhawks & The Boy Commandos; The Metal Men & Robby Reed (Dial H for Hero) & Hawkman with the new Atom. Plus there was an appearance of the Challengers of the Unknown.

Graphic Novel: I got this book for Christmas, it's Batman: Gotham by Gaslight & it's cool. Pick it up.

I think with 2007 was a year where I started to pick up more & more DC books then I had in years past.

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At the end of the 6th issue of New Warriors we find out who's behind Night Trashers' mask. I won't say who it is but if you've been following the book you might have a guess.

With issue 6, The Mighty Avengers finish off there "She-Ultron" story. It's a interesting story with some cool art but the lag time between issues is what killed the excitement (Issue 1 came out in March '07 & Issue just came out in December '07. That's 6 issues in 10 months). Now, the next storyline concerns the Skrull invasion.

Now, Jim as a far as I know I'm not a Skrull, are you?

I picked up Giant-Size Avengers on a whim & most of the book has nothing to do with present day Marvel & I didn't mind. There is a nice story story about housekeeping by Jarvis (it's cooler then it sounds). An odd alien story with Henry Gyrich. Wolverine, Spider-Man & Luke Cage fight some guy named Emperor None & a story from before the Civil War where Cap & Iron Man teach Spidey some resepect with a little help from Doc Strange. There is 2 reprints: Even an Android can Cry (From Avengers 58) & Bully! (from Avengers #201). The last story is a misplaced one (I think) it features characters that have no place in an Avengers book: The Fin Fang Four (a group of Atlas era Monsters played for laughs, one being Fin Fang Foom).

The Fin Fang Four story should have been here in Hulk Vs. Fin Fang Foom, a story that takes places in an undetermined time period (the way Hulk takes & the way the way Hulk is drawn makes me think the 60's). In the back it reprints the first appearance of Foomy in which he was orange. Now how he turned from being orange to green, I don't know.

Exiles ended with Issue #100 & it was sort of lack luster because it was just setting up the relaunch of the book as New Exiles. I've started to dislike the book under the helming by Chris Clairmont, but maybe it will be better soon. I don't know. We'll see.

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Other Books that are non Marvel & DC:

(I need a graphic for this section).

Umbrella Academy is still cool.

IDW is going to be putting out a series based off of the super cool BBC show Doctor Who & to prepare us it's re-releasing the Doctor story from the '70's (It was put out by Marvel & features the Tom Baker version of the Doctor).

The mini series Hero by Night is now an ongoing series. So let's see if it can sustain a series.

Graphic Novel: I've heard some good stuff about The Escapists & picked it up for that reason. Now, I'd like to recommend it to you all. It's not even really about Comics, it's just a good story. Pick it up!

Looking back on 2007 I picked up more non Marvel or DC books then I had in other years.

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Well, that's all I have for now.

NEXT TIME: Entry 20 will be the Big Ol' pile of back issues I've been promising to review since November.



Until then, Stay jazzy!

-Brian

This is Entry 18: Linkage!

Wonder beyond wonders, I'm making my second post for the month! Why? It's a special occasion.

*Confetti goes everywhere while a monotone yet feminine voice announces* We have Linkage!

Yes. We have Linkage, we are one step closer to Stuff By Brian/MyBlog being known to the world at large. We have been linked by a guy I know from another message board I frequent. The guy is Kirk Boxleitner (I think I spelt his last name correctly) but I know him by the posting name of CrazySugarFreakBoy!. He has a Live Journal (http://box-in-the-box.livejournal.com/) & he made a post on the 10th at 4:44 pm & the post reads:

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Stuff by Brian, a mostly comics review-centric site by a fellow poster on the Parodyverse.

Some of his opinions are woefully misguided (Penance cooler than Speedball? I think not!), but he's got a nicely understated writing style, and he and I have some common ground (Jeff Parker's take on the Avengers is more fun than it has a right to be).

So, why not swing by and say hi?

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Now, no one from his Live Journal Blog type thingy has taken him up on his offer (Maybe they have but none have left comments). So, if anyone from The Box in the Box are reading this: Welcome! Maybe you can stop by every so often & we can talk (I do reply!)

Special Note:: If people are linking from her over to Kirk's "Journal" a few words of warning: He does post Art that is of a sexual nature time to time. You have been be warned.

So, I'll be signing off now. So in closing: Thanks Kirk & Everybody Stay Jazzy!

-Brian

This is Entry 17: Comics!

It's been almost a month since the last post, so I think it's time update you on what Comic Books now part of my collection. I will not be talking about all the comics I've bought just the one that I think need talking about.

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I picked the the first of two books of the Marvel Atlas, a book detailing all the countries of the Marvel Universe. Book 1 covers Europe, Asia, Russia & Australia. it give you everything you'd want to know & more. My favorite line from the book are Latveria's major resources: Iron ore, nuclear power, robotics, electronics, time travel & machinery.

BONUS PIC: Here is Latveria's Flag:



It's been 7 issues & Captain America is still dead. It really says something about a writer/a book's supporting cast that it can go on with out it's title character. As for who the "new" Captain America is, I'll go with a safe bet: It's Bucky. But, then I don't know, I'll just wait & see.

Heroes for Hire: *sigh* It use to be a good book. One I was enjoying but then the whole World War Hulk event happened to it & it has gone down the tubes. Now that the WWH is over maybe they can get it back together & become the book I liked in the beginning.

All though I've never had any really feelings either way on Speedball, I am liking him as Penance. The story in his current mini-series (Penance: Relentless) is adding to my liking of him. Issue 3 feature an appearance of Wolverine, like every book has to eventually. It's Marvel Law! In the book, Logan comes off as bit of a wussy.

We return to the Universe of The House of M with the book entitled House of M: Avengers. Now I read the first 2 issues & I like it. The art is good, I wouldn't mind seeing more from Mike Perkins.

One of the 2 post-Civil War Avenger books I read is Avengers: The Initiative (The other is Mighty Avengers) & I have to issues from them. One Issue 7 & their first annual. In both books we learn more about who are the Scarlet Spiders. The annual also goes into the back history of Gauntlet, Hardball, the washed out trainee Armory. We are also introduced to the team from Pennsylvania: The Liberteens! (Isn't there a Band out there with a similar sounding name?). The Annual also ties the A:TI into the whole Skrull invasion that's going on. (I hope it doesn't ruin a good book like WWH did to HfH).

X-Men: Die by the Sword: *sigh* Why do I pick this up? I don't understand it. Well, I guess it is because it features the Exiles, which is a book I do read. But most of the book is about the other costarring team, Excalibur, a book I don't read. The story revolves around characters from the original Excalibur book, a book I didn't read since I was too young. I blame Chris Claremont, the man behind this book. Not sure this mini-series even needed to be done. You could have just done a crossover in the individual books & I would have been fine with it, maybe.

Well, It's that time of the year & I Marvel puts out another set of What Ifs': *sigh*. They don't seem to be as good as the ones in the past. Now some of the Issues of WI were bad, I should know I've read almost the entire series. This year I even past on one of the books, the X-Book (I don't read any X-Books beyond Exiles & that's kind of stretching it). I picked up the Planet Hulk book & now Marvel present us with an alternate take on Annihilation, basically "what if" the stellar war had come to Earth. Annihilation took place during Civil War & Nova get in a few good jabs at the pointlessness of the War.

I want you look at something, in the upper left hand corner:



Does that Alien look to you like an OMAC robot, a character from DC comics?

Here's something new, Marvel is actually advertising a What If & another first: there will 2 covers.



Speaking of Annihilation, the 2nd issue of it's follow up, Annihilation: Conquest came out & it's good. Go out & get it. I also am liking Tom Raney's art.

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Now on to...



A new issue of Justice Society of America came out & it's the next part in the Thy Kingdom Come storyline, I haven't made my mind up about it yet. I'll wait until it's over. Best part of this book, we get a glimpse of Earth 2 (Maybe in a future storyline the JSA visit Earth 2? Maybe? Might be cool? Might not be? I hope, can't I?)

A few words about Alex Ross' art: I'm a moderate fan of his art, I like his pencil sketch more then his fully painted works.

Booster Gold might be the best solo hero book of 2007. Never thought you'd read that, didn't you?

Captain Carrot and the Final Ark appeals to me on a more base level (Talking Animals in Cape: Rock on!). I'm sad that the DC showcase book of the original series was delayed but this can tide me over until it comes out.

2 Books about the future: Teen Titans #53 & Action Comics #859, one a little further in the future then the other. I like idea behind the "Titans of Tomorrow". The "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" storyline is good, it plays homage to the past (excellent use of the old clubhouse) & then bringing it into.. well, the future. :)

A bad book but I just can't help but love it: All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder.

I picked up the Volume Four of 52, the concluding chapters of the missing year & I got to say: the early parts were better. But best parts of this volume are Ralph Dibny in Week 42, The Gang on Oolong Island in Week 46 & Week 52.

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Other Publishers:

Umbrella Academy is still cool. I hardly know what going on & I don't mind.

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Well, I think that it's a wrap. I'll be back later with more reviews later on. I might even get to pile of Back Issue I got back in October before the new. Who know?

Stay Jazzy!

-Brian

This is Entry 16: Comic Book Round Up!

This seems to be almost like a schedule: every 15 or so days there will a post! So, here are a post about how we should all go "green" to save the planet! NOT! Well, that is all fine & dandy this post is about what this blog is about predominately: Comic Books!



- After four months (I think) we have the first issue of



Now I only picked up 2 (Quasar & Starlord) of the 4 prolgoue books (The other two were Wraith & Nova). This story pulls out all of Marvel's Cosmic characters (Xemu? When was the last time Xemu was in a book, The 1970's?). When I turned to the last page, one word same to mind: DUDE!, it was that awesome. I won't say why, so you should go & see why. SIDENOTE: The book "Quasar" made the not so cool villian (The Super Adaptoid) into a cool & pretty evil villian. Also how Quasar took him done in Issue 4 was pure genius!

- I picked up the forth book in the Mystic Arcana mini-series, each issue focused on a different mystic person in the Marvel Universe. This is was Runaway Sister Grimm a.k.a Nico Minoru. Now, I like the Runaways book & Nico might be one of my more favorite characters but I wasn't really feeling the book. The best part of the book was the cover. So, here it is, enjoy:



- One of the better Mini-Series I've read came to a close this week. It's Super-Villian Team-Up: MODOK'S 11, it's well done consider there are no really big name connected to the book (both in characters & who did the book). I'd say go pick it up if you can find the issues or wait for the trade.

- It's that time of the year again, no it's not Christmas. Well... yes it is but that not what I'm talking about. Marvel rolled out another set of What if? books, normalyl a set of five. Like last year, the books will be alternate takes on their most rescent Mini-Series: Planet Hulk, Annihilation, Civil War & X-Men: Rise and Fall of the Shi'Ar Empire There was to be a What If about Spider-Man/Fantastic Four but due to the untimely death of of Mike Wieringo it became unfinished. So, It is apparently replaced by a Spider-Man Vs. Wolverine book (I don't know, that's just want Wikipedia told me).

The 1st book of this year's series is out, here is What If? Featuring Planet Hulk. Now I didn't read the series or it's follow up (World War Hulk), but I 2 probelms with it. 1. Look at this page:



It's a beaten up Blackbolt & Caiera The Oldstrong (Hulk's extraterrestrial wife). So my problem with it is: Isn't by speaking he's doing the oposite of what he wanted to do? My 2nd problem was that the Fred Hembeck drawn story seemed pointless. (The best of the 3 stories was the one in the middle, entitled: "Peaceful Planet:).



- Action Comic #858, the first part of the Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes, which is following up on some plot threads from the resecent JLA/JSA crossover (JLA #8, 9, 10 & JSA # 5, 6, 7). There a really cool double page spread of the legion together but my scanner isn't big enought to scan the whole thing in or I'd show it to you all. (I might take a picture of it with my digital camera & then post it that way).

- Justice Society of America #10, the first of the "Thy Kingdom Come" storyline. The plot is done by Geoff Johns (The book's writer) & Alex Ross (The man behind the art & original idea of Kingdom Come). The cool thing (at least to me) is when Superman flashes back to his world (now known as Earth 22) the flashback are done by Mr. Ross:



There's even a hidden joke on that page. The panel with the newspaper shown (panel 4?), the man with the camera, glasses & fedora looks alot like Phil Sheldon, the main protagonist from another of Mr. Ross' works: Marvels. I think Sheldon also cameoed in the original KC, too. I'm looking forword to see where this storyline goes.

Well, I think that it's for now, Jim. As always: Stay Jazzy!



COMING SOON:The Back Issues. I got a whole bunch, so they get there own post!

This is Entry 15: Con Prologue

There is a big ol' Comic Book review post that is forth coming. I'm not sure if I want to wait & add in what will be this week's books. I have last weeks (which were 3 books) but there is also the books I picked up at the Seattle Comicard Convention yestarday. I got some wonderfull stuff! Now, I would have reviews for you to read but I just got burnt out from reading (What? I know, I was kind of shocked, too.) So, that post will be forth coming maybe early November (which is later this week).

I've also given some thought to making a post about Me. I know, I know: every post is about me, but this post would give you my Comic Book credentials, in fact that might be what I'll call it. Look for that later.

Well, I don't really have anything else to say. So, check back later this week there should be awesomeness!

-Brian

This is Entry 14: What the Internet says about Me #2

I thought I'd post this here, I thought it seemed so appropriate.