Creator-Owned Comics

Marvel / Disney Legal Assault

2012-02-10T16:22:00.001-06:00

For those that may not know, Gary Friedrich has been involved in legal battles with Marvel / Disney in regards to the character of Ghost Rider (which Mr. Friedrich created).

A run-down of the facts can be found over HERE.

The immediate issue is that Marvel / Disney has counter-sued Mr. Friedrich; demanding $17,000 in damages and legal fees, and is also demanding he cease using the creation of Ghost Rider as a credit from which he may be able to benefit from at conventions appearances. Well Marvel may bite the hands that raised them over and over again, but this is a time for anyone who cares about the defending of creator rights to help out. Steve Niles and Monica Richards have set up a PayPal Donate button over on Steve's website to let us help Gary out right now.

And he needs it.

Please head over to Steve's website HERE and do some reading and help out if you are able.

The Creator-Owned Comics Blog stands by you, Gary. Much respect and support to you in this fight, sir.

Keeping Alan Moore In Check

2012-02-02T20:02:00.000-06:00

It was never in question that when DC announced their Before Watchmen line of books that opinions would be coming quickly from all sides of the comic community. It wasn't a risky wager at all to bet that there would be excitement from some and anger from others. This was a no-brainer and I'm sure that everyone involved in this project knew what they were on board for, so there's no reason to talk about any shock value that this announcement created.But lines quickly formed (again, without shock) and many opinions went right where you could of predicted they would.

"How dare they tread on such hallowed ground!"

"Is nothing sacred?!"

"Those look awesome!"

"I'm definitely checking these out!"

The responses against the idea went straight for where I think we all knew they would. These opinions are nothing new and are easily found any place that gives any sort of comic book coverage at all. So, yeah...no surprises there. In following that same line of predicted logic: imagine my actual surprise in seeing a complete role-reversal as to where the real heat was coming from...

The people that were for it.

Since DC made their announcement, I have seen all sorts of Alan Moore bashing in quantities previously unseen. Not only has there been a forceful effort concentrated on calling bullshit on the man himself, but even every kind of dig you can think of to belittle the source material.

"Watchmen was a take on the Charlton characters!"

Kinda. So?

"Well I'm sure Baum and Carroll wouldn't have approved of what he did with their characters in Lost Girls!"

And?

"Alan Moore is a fucking hypocrite!"

Then I guess you want to buy these books to what, spite him?!

Let me remind us all of one simple, undeniable fact: Alan Moore wrote Watchmen and we didn't.

If you'll indulge my line of thinking here, and you've read along this far, please let me just acknowledge a few other points that seem to be happily forgotten at the moment. For any of you that are of the age to have read Watchmen when it was originally released, I say "Have you really forgotten what those books did to the industry and the fans at large?" I'm not asking if you liked it or not, I'm asking you if you can honestly dispute the changes that Watchmen made in the industry. You don't have to agree why the bomb was dropped, but if you sincerely try to tell me that there's no crater at the point of impact...well then you kind of remove yourself from the discussion.

To the folks that read it years after it came out; I ask that you please keep the proper perspective towards it. There are many things that I'm sure could read like "What's the big deal?". I'm equally sure that you've read a million books with that adult tone and perspective since, right? Yeah, Watchmen helped set up a lot of those million things up. Do they seem like clichés? They are now, they weren't then.Watchmen is Alan Moore's accomplishment. Whether you think it's legitimately deserved is another topic, but he and Dave Gibbons shook the world. Because they did, and you didn't, is no reason to lash out with such vitriol. It makes me wonder if some of it stems from a need people are having to defend their feelings towards wanting the new books? Is there some kind of underlying guilt? I'm really curious how many people wrestled with the idea of feeling pressured to feel bad about it, but didn't? Were some worried about being judged by the friends who were standing on their soapboxes looking down at them? I've got to think that a similar thing happened to the creative teams that agreed to take on the job of these new books. It's human nature and no one wants to be judged, so let's not do that here either.If you don't want anything to do with Before Watchmen then don't. There's also no need for self-righteousness to come out of your decision, because it serves no purpose. Make your statement by not spending your money on it and sleep well at night.

If you're a creator that signed on to write or draw one of these books? Do the best job you can do and don't sweat the rest. Don't get defensive if someone tries to give you grief over it and please don't try to poke holes in Moore's behavior for the sake of justifying your involvement. I consider myself lucky to be able to call a couple of you my friends, so I realize that I'm on dicey ground here, but let's have a little tough love. You are well aware of what this project represents in the comic field and if you weren't ready to take the consequences of your decision then you never should have signed that contract. Having said that, I also say get all the satisfaction you'll ever need by making these books as amazing as you can. Let the work speak for itself, let the chips fall where they may, and sleep well at night.

Lastly, to the people that are getting some sort of self-empowerment over ripping Alan Moore's attitude apart: (with all due respect) Check Yourself. Any legal issues are between him, Dave Gibbons, and DC. These issues are none of our business except in the matter of any lessons that can be learned from them. Moore's behavior doesn't have to sit well with us in these regards. He dropped that bomb, he changed the industry, and his is the name on the book. Any feelings of well being or back stabbing are his to have and he earned the right. Don't agree? Well then you go write your book that changes everything and we'll pick up the discussion there. If you want to buy Before Watchmen because it looks cool to you then do it. Buy them, read them unapologetically, and see if you like them. Hell, you might even love them, who knows?! Before Watchmen may end up kicking all sorts of ass, but please have some understanding as to where the other faction is coming from. Buy some books, read some books, enjoy what you like, and sleep well at night.Alan Moore did an amazing thing with Watchmen. Don't let a press release cause us to rewrite history to belittle this amazing accomplishment.

All of the other stances on this argument, whether they be about ethics or legal obligations, are not the point I want to make. We have very few legends of the comic book world that are still with us right now. I'm talking about the men and women that have upended this medium that we all love and support. Alan Moore is one of those people, and if we start trying to rip his accomplishments to shreds then we're really jumping the proverbial shark. In an industry that is so reliant on heroes, I'm just not seeing a reason to kick one of our real life comic pioneers in the teeth. Let's not let the argument of the moment cloud our thoughts to where we start crucifying the creators that we owe so much to.

C'mon...say it with me. You know you want to...!

Fuck yeah, Alan Moore! Fuck yeah, Watchmen!

Spotlight: Monocyte

2011-12-27T23:38:00.002-06:00

Many creators envision the promise of presenting their comics in a way

that breaks from convention. Monocyte is a book that not only delivers

on this promise in many ways, it also puts responsibility squarely on the shoulders of readers as to whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

The collaboration of Kasra Ghanbari and menton3; Monocyte takes

advantage of excessive amounts of four syllable words with political and social themes backed by fully painted artwork. Though billed as a horror comic, Monocyte goes farther than that label by presenting a social revolution of sorts where the promise is death. The monstrous figures of

the book give way to commentary that I suspect has been relevant to all

times; in this case through the warring factions of the Olignostics and the

Antedeluvians.

The artwork of menton3 gives life to bleakness, and it has to. This is a depressing place wherein even the upper echelon look tortured. He and Ghanbari have crafted the language of the book in a very Old-Testament kind of manner. It's verbally poetic but not necessarily fluid: you have to not only pay attention to what's being said but truly analyze it's meaning. Words like "Olignostic" and "Antedeluvian" don't exactly roll off the palette (and they shouldn't). Monocyte isn't a casual endeavor and it's going to provoke a reaction from the reader.

Never having been one to spell everything out about a book, I'm not

even sure I could if I wanted to here; readers are going to have to figure everything out for themselves. Some will like it and some won't, but it's the simple act of being so non-traditional that is going to invoke reactions ranging from having your ass kicked to that of scratching your head.

Hopefully it'll do a lot of both to people.

And that's where the responsibility factor I mentioned comes in to play. Are we as ready to break from tradition like we, as collective readers, claim to be? Are we prepared to go outside of our comfort zone and try something that we know isn't going to read like that book we've been reading for years?

These are the thoughts that two issues of Monocyte have brought me to, and I like that.

Ghanbari and menton3 set out to break from the norm with this book. That fact is apparent by it's presentation, it's subject matter and it's unwillingness to give. The story is shrouded with a societal doomsday that sludges it's inhabitants through a hopeless landscape. Power achieves power and this is the way of things in Monocyte. Those who don't have enough want more and those that have the most will do anything to keep it.

Then readers are given one that comes along wishing to destroy it. A figure that not only has the desire to break what is seemingly unbreakable, but to do so without remorse or hesitation. The endless phase of permanence that's been established by Monocyte's inhabitants are suddenly faced with what they least expected: Change.

I'd say there's a bit of life imitating art right there, and the book that Kasra Ghanbari, menton3 and IDW Publishing have delivered has taken a decent swing at the comic world's jawline.

One person is going to love this and one person is going to hate it; but it would be a shame if both people didn't even know about it. Two issues in and I can't predict what's going to happen or how it's going to get there, but I think the very existence of this comic is to be applauded.

Wed Re-Cap: Criminal Macabre: No Peace For Dead Men

2011-09-14T15:01:00.004-05:00

Criminal Macabre: No Peace For Dead Men

Steve Niles' character Cal McDonald just took a fantastic left turn. In this week's one-shot Criminal Macabre: No Peace For Dead Men, he and artist Christopher Mitten not only bring a wrap-up of sorts to everything that the character has seen in his history, but they ramp things up with a new twist for Cal's future tales to come.

If you're already a fan of the Criminal Macabre books then there's no point in me preaching to the choir. I'm guessing that even the passing fan is going to read No Peace and come away more excited about the property after finishing today's tale. The best thing I found about it though, is the fact that this issue is a surprisingly great jump-on point for any that have never read these comics. Steve Niles weaves a perfect balance of telling a new tale that continues where (and who) his substance abusing Detective is, yet still turns the page towards the new to come.

Even if you've never read a single page of Criminal Macabre, it's world is established clearly here. And though you'll read things that you know are an obvious reference to past stories; you'll find it doesn't matter. All the tools you need as an intro are here for you AND you still get a good story to read.

Some folks complain constantly about whichever monsters they feel are "played out". Whether it's vampires, zombies, or other creepy crawlies; Criminal Macabre is for those of us that love our monster stories regardless of the trend of the moment. Everyone that grew up playing in that sand-box had their favorites: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf-Man... it always lead to the unbridled joy of "MONSTER FIGHT"!
Criminal Macabre taps in to the excitement that, I have to admit, has never left me since my childhood. Cal and his ghoul friends mixing it up against the vampires, werewolves and other bumps-in-the-night; told for an adult audience by a guy that has obviously kept that sand-box in his back yard all these years.

Adding artist Christopher Mitten to this world is also really adding fun to Niles' creations. Under Mitten's skill these characters have a grittiness in their demeanor that fits their bloody world wonderfully, and colorist Michelle Madsen brings a balance to everything else.

There's no question to me that this creative team should stick together and run with this. Yeah, Dark Horse, I was talkin' to you.

Criminal Macabre: No Peace For Dead Men is $3.99 and I think you monster lovers should give it a try and see how it sits with you.

A Glimpse of Crime and Terror on a Sunday Morning

2011-08-07T15:43:00.002-05:00

A Glimpse of Crime and Terror copyright Steve Niles & Scott Morse

With a cover and a title like that, I suspected there would be some fun to be had within this wonderfully produced hardcover. 32 pages printed as a board book with rounded corners, A Glimpse of Crime and Terror feels like a children's book in your hands; giving the reader a strange, nostalgic feeling, which strangely goes well with the tommy-gun wielding characters in the first tale.

The title of the book can be taken quite literally: the first of two stories within is a story of the love between a couple of gun-toting outlaws, while the second is a numbers game of survival against the dead.

In "The Bees Knees" creators Steve Niles and Scott Morse place the reader in the middle of a fast, no time to catch your breath, heist story. A noir style for this one; the dialogue is straight from how we hope the bad-asses actually talked in the 1930's. Narrated by tough-guy Chester, he tells us how he couldn't have found a better match for him than Loretta. Her ability to match his intensity, fearlessness, and natural skills with a gun, make the testimony of Chester's love for her passionate and dangerous. Morse's stylized art technique presents things just as explosive and full of spirit as the characters involved. "The Bees Knees" put a grin on my face and reassured me that buying this book was a win.

The second story "Touch" provides the "Terror" flavor from the book's title. With horror stories I tend to give the least amount of details I can get away with; wanting to keep the full impact there for everyone when they read it. I will say that it's a survival tale set amongst the dead and that it moves at a break-neck pace as well. The artwork's color scheme lends the perfect accompaniment with an earthy, military green garnishing the heavy inks. "Touch" taps into the basic formula of how fast the reality of any given situation can change in an instant.

Successfully running with one of my favorite elements from the EC Comics: Niles and Morse get in, hit the reader upside the head, and then they get the hell out. It's fun when it's done well and that's exactly why it works perfectly here. A Glimpse of Crime and Terror is the first tease for the "Big ol' 80-Page Hardcover Volumes" that are on the way. You can still purchase copies of this one HERE and I think we should all be getting ready for some serious fun when Crime and Terror gets going full swing.

Scott Morse or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying About SDCC and Love the TR!CKSTER

2011-08-04T15:11:00.002-05:00

SDCC 2011 is over, though it doesn't quite feel like it for me since I haven't made my way back to Chicago yet. Making the trip to San Diego was a very last minute thing, and I was so busy getting plans together that I didn't get the chance to get really excited until I began making my way to California. Sure, I was thinking about the friends I'd see out there and wondering about the friends I might make, but the one thing that grabbed hold of my brain (and ended up monopolizing it) was TR!CKSTER.

For those that don't know what TR!CKSTER was about: see my last post here or their website over here.

I rolled into town, bags in tow, hooked up with the Tiny Titans crew, and then my hotel-mates, and started thinking about plans for preview night. Yeah, it was SDCC, but all I kept talking about was wanting to hit up this "thing that's supposed to be across the street from the convention center". As I was wandering around town, bags still in tow, thankfully not stinking up the joint because my Scary Godmother came to my rescue (thanks Jill!), I kept blabbing about having to find TR!CKSTER.

It was only my first night in town and my record was already beginning to skip.

Now I don't mean to belittle preview night. I had a great time walking around the floor with my friend Shawn (who I hadn't seen since SDCC several years ago), and had a wonderful fanboy moment with Walt and Louise Simonson. I had a few drinks in me by that point and was on cloud 9 over how awesome they were. But when the floor closed for the night, Shawn was talking about where to head to next and I knew it was time to go find this place.

I fell in love at first sight.

I shot this video, and it's a crappy phone video, but it gives you an idea of the layout of the space, the variety of things that were displayed, but it doesn't even show you the patio area which became the place to relax and have a drink through the week.

With music that actually had a beat playing in the background, the gallery layout/presentation was inviting and stylish. Without pretense, the fact that it was set-up by artists was apparent and comforting at the same time. It was really surprising to see how much actual product TR!CKSTER had to offer; loads of books, prints, t-shirts, and even original artwork by the likes of Mike Mignola (among others). The small floor space was dense with product but wasn't cluttered, had a good walking flow to it, and the casual vibe allowed you to slow down, take a look at whatever you wanted to see, talk to your friend (or maybe make a new one) and then purchase something whenever you were ready. I'm taking a guess and saying that most folks, myself included, didn't feel like leaving after they had bought their books. Luckily for us, you didn't have to go anywhere, and were actually encouraged to stay for a drink and conversation all week long.

Comic books, the people that make them, the people that read them, perfect weather, perfect company, and drinks. Oh, sweet Jeebus, I had died and gone to heaven but was getting better stories.

So, throughout my time spent in San Diego for the con, TR!CKSTER became my travel shampoo: I washed, rinsed, and then repeated. Justice can not be done to how incredible it was to have such a haven across the street from the convention center. Anytime I had an inkling of con fatigue or (more likely) a frustrating build up of rage, the realization that I could just walk over there was amazing.

So I did. Often. Every day.

As for the Symposiums they offered; I attended Invisible Ink: The Understructure of Story with Brian McDonald. It was held on Friday afternoon and I went in without any goals or expectations. Not only do I have to say that McDonald impressed me completely, but the entire experience was actually quite inspirational. Though you could tell that he had probably given variations of this presentation many times, it was obvious why he had been asked to give it again. He has an ability to point out aspects of storytelling that we all inherently respond to, yet might never have known where that response came from. I'm not going to do him the disservice of paraphrasing his talk, so I'll just leave it at "The man was awesome".

As if all of this wasn't enough, then came the live music...

I was told (though I missed it) that Tom Morello from Rage Against The Machine did a set. Andy Kuhn performed as did Mike Allred's band The Gear. Jill Thompson apparently fell in love with a ukulele and, basically, it turned in to the best block party ever thrown for those of us that love this medium.

Scott? Can we do this again and again? Pleeeaaassse?

I would be rude if I didn't close this by giving out the following shouts:

To Steve and Monica: it was beyond a pleasure. Steve, I'll see you in Detroit and I think Monica should let me do a remix as soon as she's done with the record!

To the Chicago crew (Two Mikes, a Jenny and a Steve): So glad to have shared that vibe with such good people. Norton? You're my new definition of "This is how you relax on vacation". You are awesome, sir.

To the always fantastic and super-awesome Jill: it ain't a real party until you show up! You're just the greatest, each and every time.

And finally...with utmost sincerity and respect...

To Mr. Scott Morse: What you have accomplished with TR!CKSTER is something admirable, incredible, heartfelt, and unequivocally amazing. You should be proud and know that your efforts are not only appreciated, but celebrated. I can not give you enough thanks in all these regards and know that you've got my support in any way shape or form with whatever future plans you have after this. Yeah, I can get your logo on those monitors anytime, anywhere, but I'd even help you move at this point (and lifting couches sucks).

THANK YOU!

-Chris

*Note: I started writing this before I had left California. Lest anyone be confused or scared for my safety, I am back in Chicago and doing well.

Wednesday Re-Cap!

2011-08-03T18:36:00.000-05:00

Irredeemable #28

Hey everyone! Thought I'd do a brief re-cap of some of the books that came out today. I'm finishing up some pieces about San Diego and needed to get back in the swing of writing.

Irredeemable #28

I'm not sure who slipped what into Mark Waid's drinking water but I hope they keep the supply going. Catching a new wind after several issues of set-up, this issue is an explosion. I was just starting to get complacent with this title and it's almost like Waid intuitively called me on it as if to say "No you don't...watch this!"

I have been reading Irredeemable from the start; recommending it heavily over the course of these 28 issues, and I have to say that I'm digging it with renewed energy right now.

The Boys #57

This book is at 57 issues already?! In some ways that blows my mind, yet anybody that's on board will tell you Garth Ennis has crafted an extremely entertaining title with The Boys. Though it may be an acquired taste; the crudeness, vulgarity and depravity that the cast is mixed up in is neither gimmicky nor useless. The skewed moral compasses that so many of the super-powered figures have in this book is the driving factor with what The Boys were assembled for in the first place. It's nasty and hilariously dark at times, but this issue (much like Irredeemable just did) made me reconnect with how good this book has been since it's first issue. Definitely adult-only fun, and definitely with a tasteless sense of humor and brutal violence, but I dig it.

Severed #1

Without question, Severed #1 is the discovery of the week. Writer Scott Snyder of American Vampire and Detective Comics (two of the best books on shelves today) has hooked me in again on yet another of his twisted tales. Alongside story partner Scott Tuft and artist Attila Futaki, Severed has begun a foreboding tale of the horrific that goes back to 1916. I can't honestly tell you what it's sub-genre might be, but this reads as straight-up horror in the best possible sense. I'm very excited to see where this one's going and it's a pleasant new addition to my monthly subscriptions. There is a new wave of quality horror going around at the moment, and Severed is a perfect fit for it.

That's all I've got for the moment, friends. Anybody read anything else that they thought was interesting? Anybody pick up Petrograd? I'd love to hear about it in the comment section! Hit me up!

Let There Be TR!CKSTER

2011-07-15T23:19:00.001-05:00

TR!CKSTER by Scott Morse

By this time next week I'll be neck-deep in the wonderful chaos/madness that is the San Diego Comic Con. It's been 4 years since I was there and a lot has happened as far as opinions and expectations towards the show between then and now.
Movies or comics? Comics or movies? Big Press versus Small Press and where does everyone fall on these divided lines? I'm assuming that (since you're reading this blog) you dig the hell outta some of these there comic book things.

Me too.

At times I've totally been the naysayer over what some of us feel has happened with the representation of the medium at the show. "Where the hell are the comic books?" "I hate all of this Hollywood bullshit!" "Excuse me for actually wanting comic books as the focus of the San Diego COMIC Con!" I've said all of these recurring gripes and quite a few more. Frankly, I would totally wear a "Hall H Can Suck My..." t-shirt, but that is neither here nor there.

I'm going to let all of us naysayers in on the fact that comics are abundant at that show if you decide that's what you want. But as far as raising their profile back up in the middle of such well backed Hollywood glamor? I am definitely all about it.

Now imagine my surprise and utter joy when the rumblings began about something called...

TR!CKSTER

Did you give that link a click? Do it now and then come back to me. Seriously, it's not rude at all. I promise I won't be offended if you stop reading this right now to go over and check it out.

Ok. All done? Let's continue...

So, umm... a focus on Creator-Owned work with events coinciding with SDCC?! Are you telling me that wonderful folks like Jill Thompson, Mike Mignola, Scott Morse, Steve Niles and Fabio Moon are participating in a series of Symposiums? If that doesn't clue you in that something genuinely special is being tried out here; throw in Matt Wagner, Skottie Young, Mike Allred and Greg Rucka among many others. This looks to be the focus on the craft of the art that so many people have claimed they've wanted. Not just for writers and artists, but where fans can display their love just by the simple act of showing up. Need a break from walking around that massive floor and putting miles on your feet having to walk around a pirate ship (or some other recreation that stems from the latest film or television show that's being pushed)? TR!CKSTER is across the street from the convention center and I get the feeling that your love of comics, and the people that make them, are more than welcome. I could name-drop the participants all day long (Mike Norton, Jimmy Palmiotti, Bernie Wrightson) and some of you might still say "Yeah, sounds great...if I were actually gonna be there (which I'm not)!"

I've got three words for you, Negative Nancy: It Doesn't Matter

Revolutions begin with an idea. If you support that idea then it doesn't matter where you're at and who you get to shmooze up to; it just matters that you choose to care about that idea. Sure, those that make it out there can show their support by attending the events, but everyone can build the idea behind it simply by choosing to.

As their website says:

TR!CKSTER is being conceived as a travelling series of pop-up stores. Where it lands, nobody knows.

So you, Negative Nancy, might end up with a shot at going to a similar event at a later date. What non-attendees (for this show) can do until then is talk it up even though you're not going to be there. Bring the topic up with your friends and the people at your local comic shop: Bring up the idea behind the creation of this.

I am extremely excited by the very existence of this event and it was a major factor in my decision to make the trip out there from Chicago. I may be overly-optimistic, but I feel that this is historic in nature before the doors have even opened for the first time, and I am proud that I'm going to get to be there while it all goes down.

But I was inspired by it long before I even knew I was going.

You should be too.

Blast Furnace Launches!

2011-06-27T12:40:00.000-05:00

Luckily for all of us, creator Ryan Browne is at it again with his new project Blast Furnace. Ryan successfully made me (and a lot of others) proclaim his other comic God Hates Astronauts to be one of the greatest comics being made right now. His style of wit combines perfectly with his skills as an artist, and Browne is now experimenting with this new launch.

Copied from the website:

"So here’s the skinny.
Blast Furnace is an exercise in comical sweetness from Ryan Browne (me) that embraces the fun of improv comic making. It is created a page at a time, with an hour spent on each page (or there abouts), with little to no preplanning. The plan is to update the web-comic every Monday through Friday for an entire year, no breaks and no delays. It might be the worst idea I’ve ever had, or maybe the best… only time will tell.
In the meantime, I invite you to check out my other web-comic, God Hates Astronauts and check out my portfolio site at www.ryanbrowne.net
Thanks everyone for your support and for reading this terribly bad idea of an endurance exercise. This is gonna rule!
-Ryan"

So there you have it: each page only gets an hour and little pre-planning. It's a brave thing to take on and I absolutely can't wait to see how it plays out.

I will now reiterate for the gazillionth time how much I think you should be reading this guy's work: It's DIY, it's off of the mainstream's radar and this is his stuff.

This is exactly the kind of thing I made this site for.

Read Blast Furnace and spread it around. It's free and it's harmless to your day outside of the 30 seconds it takes to do it.

Ryan printed up a mini-comic of this and it's available at my co-conspirator's amazing store Challengers Comics + Conversation here in Chicago.

Hey Kids, Mini Comics!

2011-06-19T17:03:00.000-05:00

Michael Dowers has sent out the call, now it's up to you creators out there to respond! He sent out the following email and now I'm passing it along to you...so go for it, you magnificent bastards!

Call for Mini Comics and mini comix submissions

I am looking for mini comic submissions for a new two-volume set of hardbound books to be published by Fantagraphics. This series will cover mini comics from the dawn of time (early 70's) to the present. Since Newave (1980’s) has already been covered, the main focus will be on the 1990's to the present although earlier minis will be covered too. The books will be the same size as the original Newave book (only more like 700 pages each) and will only reproduce whole mini comics that are 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 or smaller just like in the Newave book. (If you are concerned about the size of your submission contact me and we can talk about it). No digest sized comics or bigger will be accepted.

The two volumes are to be simply titled "Treasury of Mini Comics" Volumes one & two.

I am looking for contributors. I am looking for the best of the best. Any creator can send me their mini comics, disks, or photocopies to be considered for publication for this project. Or email me and send low-res jpegs to:brownfieldpress@hotmail.com.

Please send titles to: Michael Dowers 361 E. Birnie Slough Rd., Cathlamet , WA 98612.

If you want your material returned it is important to enclose return postage. Any mini comics that are kept will be placed in the Fantagraphics collection after the books are published. Also anybody sending actual mini comics will receive comics in trade from Brownfield press.

New Books For May 25, 2011

2011-05-24T17:25:00.001-05:00

Wow... it's hard to believe that American Vampire is on issue 15 already. Not only that, but the second collected volume is on shelves this week too! Congrats to Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque and everyone involved on their success and here's looking forward to many, many more issues. This Wednesday is also showing releases from two admirable gentlemen: Steve Niles and Jimmy Palmiotti. Niles is getting the hard cover treatment for his creation (alongside one of my favorite artists of all time: Bernie Wrightson) Doc Macabre from IDW, and Palmiotti has a one-shot coming out from Image called The Tattered Man with artist Norberto Fernandez.

As always, boys and girls, the links can be found in the titles of the books, so get some busy clickings happening, see what tickles your fancy, and then stop by your local comic shop and pick one or two of these books up!

Comics

American Vampire #15

Butcher Baker: The Righteous Maker #3

Carbon Grey #3

Hack/Slash #4

Hack/Slash/Eva: Monster's Ball #1

Incorruptible #18

Kill Shakespeare #11

The Mission #4

Skull Kickers #7

Super Dinosaur #2

The Tattered Man

The Walking Dead #85

Walking Dead Weekly

Collections / Graphic Novels

American Vampire Vol 2 HC

Clonk

Deep Sleeper HC

Doc Macabre HC

Quarantined

Blab, Blather & Rant

2011-04-28T00:36:00.000-05:00

Us VS Them?! Them's fighting words!

Or are they?

I was just joking on Twitter and Facebook about the fact that once you take Wolverine and Batman out of the equation that the online argument factor drops 3000%. Actually, from my standpoint, there hasn't been any arguing around here. When I used to write reviews for the comic book section of a website, it amazed me how much mindless spite there was when I wrote something that fans of that particular superhero took umbrage with. Sure, when my reviews first started going up, I would engage in the comment section below my article as (what I saw) a common courtesy to those that had read my piece. I would constantly be on the phone with a fellow reviewer from the site; both of us exclaiming "Can you believe what so-and-so said?!" which quickly turned into abbreviated text messages: "So-and-so read your review" and replies of "Greeeaaaat..."

But the one thing I never made fun of, or copped an attitude about, was the simple fact that every remark I thought was stupid still came from a passion for comic books. A severe passion for sure, but there's still a lot to be taken from that: like the fact that all that passion constantly needs to be channeled into something. Sometimes it comes out as online rage with exclamations that the X-Men don't suck rotted zombie-mule balls, you do, and sometimes it comes out as someone deciding they might want to start their own book.

Wide range of outcome there, right?

All of this leads me to a point that I keep getting stuck on:

It would be awesome if Creator-Owned books could tap in to even half of the energy people throw behind the licensed stuff.

Well, I don't know what to tell you. All I've been able to come up with is to just keep talking to people. Show any and all interested parties the work that you think they'll dig just as much as Batman. Positive dialog amongst fans is something that can't be forced, but I think it's the most powerful thing there is in getting people to read outside their safety zone. The press isn't going to do it, the celebrity creator endorsement isn't going to do it, someone's friend that says "Hey, this book is awesome!" is where the long term change is going to come from.

So blab. Blab and blather and rant. Run your mouth about what books you're reading until someone tells you to shut the eff up and then turn around and run it to someone else.

Stir mix then repeat. Sounds like I'm stating the obvious, doesn't it? I don't feel that I am. One of my constant complaints about all of the comic folk I interact with on Twitter and Facebook is the lack of posts about what they're reading! Every Wednesday I can't believe the silence in that regard. I'm not talking about plugging, I'm talking about that stack of comics that I know you just came home with to read. Anyone that has had this conversation with me knows that I'm not bitching at them, I'm saying that I honestly want to know what they think! Talk about that stuff and talk about it without shame every chance you get. That goes just as much for creators as it does for fans. Never underestimate the impact that one post about one book can have on one person, and never underestimate the power of that one person creating one sale. Anyone who thinks they're above making a mark at the meager level of one really needs to wake up on that subject.

So let's keep not arguing about things because I'm really digging it. If you still think I suck rotted zombie-mule balls (which is perfectly understandable) then just do everyone the solid of talking about something you think doesn't. Someone might find what you thought to be great worth checking out for themselves and you'll get no argument from me.

New Books For April 27, 2011

2011-04-26T16:38:00.000-05:00

Any Wednesday with a new issue of American Vampire is a guarantee that we're getting at least one great book on the shelf this week! When people talk about a book "picking up steam"; American Vampire is what they're talking about. There's also another new issue of Mark Waid's fantastic book Incorruptible, not to mention some Gilbert Hernandez in Hard Cover form courtesy of Fantagraphics. Do some snooping, follow some links (which are in the title text of each book) and then make sure you check some of these out at your local comic shop tomorrow!

Once again, you can 'like' this site on Facebook (if you're so inclined) by clicking HERE, and I'm always running my mouth over on twitter as well. Hit me up @Superfist

Comics

American Vampire #14

Echoes #5

Haunt #15

Incorruptible #17

Knights of the Dinner Table #173

The Mission #3

Morning Glories #9

The New York Five #4

RASL #10

Scalped #48

The Walking Dead #84

The Walking Dead Weekly #17

Collections / Graphic Novels

The Bulletproof Coffin

I Will Bite You!

The Last Zombie

Love From The Shadows

Y The Last Man Vol 5 HC

Spotlight: Bob Howard: Plumber of the Unknown

2011-04-21T21:16:00.000-05:00

Copyright Rafael Nieves & Dan Dougherty

A world filled with creepy crawlies, beasts from beyond the realm of man and all sorts of lurking terrors had better have at least one thing going for it:

it'd better have a damn good plumber.

In writer Rafael Nieves' ode to all things that scare us in the pulp goodness of Lovecraft or the eloquent nightmares of Poe; Bob Howard: Plumber of the Unknown delivers a vehicle in which fans of those tales can smirk in unison at the references. Making house calls with his trusty wrench "Big Daddy", Bob rids homes of their supernatural difficulties. A silent man, you have to admire his work ethic as he rolls up his sleeves and gets straight to the business of things that go "shlurp" in the night. Joined by artist Dan Dougherty, Bob Howard is an anthology comic in black and white from the true 'do it yourself' school of publishing.

Nieves and Dougherty have released two issues of this series but have collaborated previously on their book The Apocalypse Plan. Working the convention circuit and plugging away for their creations, anyone who stops at their table becomes aware of the stressful fun they're both having. Always with a kind word and an easy pitch for their book, Raf and Dan are exactly what you like to see when walking around the tables at a convention.

Copyright Rafael Nieves & Dan Dougherty

Having gone so far as to have made a Wizard World Chicago exclusive, and allowing fans to help out with a donation in return for getting a cameo in an issue, it's hard not to admire this as a great example of what making something Creator-Owned really means at it's core level. In other words: these guys are working it.

There's a Bob Howard: Plumber of the Unknown blog set up HERE, where you can purchase copies via PayPal, and there's also a Facebook page HERE. The Facebook page actually has a lot more artwork than I'm putting up and Rafael is easy to reach if you'd like more info on these (or any other projects he's working on).

But, just so i'm clear: Bob Howard is filled with yicky things and yicky things are fun.

Copyrite Rafael Nieves & Dan Dougherty

Copyright Rafael Nieves & Dan Dougherty

Wednesday Re-Cap

2011-04-21T00:33:00.000-05:00

Well, today's pile of books has been read, processed and ready to be talked about! Lets get to it...

The Sixth Gun #11

The Sixth Gun #11
I've been saying it since the launch of this blog: The Sixth Gun, from writer Cullen Bunn and artist Brian Hurtt, is nothing short of one of the most entertaining and satisfying reads on the shelves right now. A western tale thrown against the supernatural; it's well written, well drawn, and Oni Press should be very pleased as this series just keeps picking up steam. Gathering accolades from readers and pros alike, The Sixth Gun is the perfect example of why Creator-Owned projects are worth your attention. This issue doesn't disappoint; wrapping up the immediate storyline and beginning the transition to the next arc. This title is easily amongst the books I look most forward to every month.

'68 #1

'68 #1
Sure, zombies are kind of everywhere right now, but '68 from Image marks their new book by having it take place in the Viet-Nam War.
Writer Mark Kidwell has taken a squad of American soldiers and flipped things around in what kind of war they thought they were fighting. Peppered with all of the slang we've come to associate with the Viet-Nam War, the dialog pulls no punches and is pretty racist by today's temperament. What Kidwell does, though, is make a statement about such things through the eyes of an Asian American soldier that is brow-beaten and insulted by his fellow soldiers because of his resemblance to their enemy. And then the zombies happen...
Definitely not one for the kids, but '68 may be going someplace interesting and warrants a look.

Super Dinosaur #1

Super Dinosaur #1
You know which book is for the kids this week? Yup, that would have to be Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard's Super Dinosaur #1! This one's pretty straight forward and it totally works. I wasn't sure I was liking it as I was reading the first few pages, but by the end of the book I thought it was a fantastic example of an all-ages comic. Genius son of a genius professor teamed up with a talking T-Rex that wears mech; there's lots of action with a cast of characters assembled for what I'm sure is going to be a lot more adventure to come. As an adult, it's not bad at all, and I enjoyed it. I think, more importantly, that Super Dinosaur is a much needed quality book for the younger readers in a time when there are a lot of complaints about the lack of such things.

Fables #104

Fables #104
What can be said about Bill Willingham's fantastic book that hasn't already been said a million times by a million people? If you're already a fan then there's no need to give you the hard sell: you're just as hooked as I am for this ongoing tale of fairy tales made real. Business is picking up as the Super Team storyline brings our heroes closer to (what may or may not be) their final battle against the impending doom of Mister Dark. Just as Beast may have found a way to help defend the community after having lost his powers, Bigby has a larger problem to deal with from his father; the fate of his child being determined by the outcome. This book still does it for me, and if you haven't read it yet, I recommend you go pick up the first trade collection (or three) and get started.

So there's a few that I've read this week, and I have to say that it was a good week for Creator-Owned books. Anybody pick up one that I didn't? Sound off, you cowards! I know people are stopping by here but you're all so damn silent about it!

Hopefully some of you dig this post, as it's something new that I'm trying out. If this gets a little positivity from you folks then I'll add it to the regular schedule.

As always, you can find me on Twitter @Superfist and on Facebook

You ladies and gentlemen rock. Let's keep these books moving!

Spotlight: Incredible Change-Bots

2011-04-20T22:29:00.001-05:00

I'll admit that when the first Incredible Change-Bots book was published by Top Shelf in 2007; I completely missed the boat. This month saw the release of book two, and I can happily say that I have not missed my chance this time, and I'm now very fond of writer/artist Jeffrey Brown's wonderful riff on The Transformers.

Artwork Copyright Jeffrey Brown

The Incredible Change-Bots begins by chronicling the war between what would normally be the "heroic" Awesomebots and the "evil" Fantasticons. I describe good and evil that way only because your mind is conditioned to go there if you have any knowledge of Transformers lore. What the reader learns very quickly though, is that Brown's idea is much more lighthearted than that, and that both sides are equally stupid. If you haven't already done this, imagine watching (just about any) cartoons from the Transformer era and asking aloud "Why would they do that?! Why don't they just...?" and you're getting closer to what the commentary is here.
But it's not in a judgmental or pretentious manner; it's done with a wink and a nod, and quite a bit of grinning.

Jeffrey Brown reads from Incredible Change-Bots Book Two at Challengers Comics in Chicago. Video of the reading can be found HERE.

Artwork Copyright Jeffrey Brown

Incredible Change-Bots hits more high spots with Book Two. As several plot-lines carry over, Brown begins building his characters beyond the original riffs; giving them their own depth and thereby making the situations even more endearing. Shootertron steals the show a bit by book two, but the entire cast really are wonderful.

After talking to Jeffrey on the day of Book Two's release, he said that he did indeed have ideas for continuing the series. Hopefully it won't take several years to get to a Book Three, but I have the feeling that it will be worth the wait if that's the case.

Jeffrey Brown's profile and catalog can be found over at
Top Shelf Productions

And his blog can be found HERE

Incredible Change-Bots is as charming as it is silly.
Jeffrey Brown places such a personal touch in to every page that it's difficult not to get swept up with these clunking malcontents.

New Books For April 20, 2011

2011-04-18T21:03:00.000-05:00

Here we go, ladies and gentlemen! It looks as if Robert Kirkman is going after the "Bendis Proliferation Award" with the release of three titles this week: The Walking Dead Weekly, Invincible and his newest creation Super Dinosaur. Image really has been on fire recently with several first issues selling out and going to second printings. I'd recommend that if you see a #1 from Image on the shelf right now that you flip through it and see if you like it. It does kind of seem like the odds are not stacked in your favor for it being there later if you change your mind about it.

Now click on some links (in the title text under the cover pictures) and get you some comic book goodness this Wednesday!

And remember: I have a page for the blog on Facebook as well. It can be found right HERE! And I'm on Twitter @Superfist as well.

Comics

'68 #1

DMZ #64

Fables #104

Hack / Slash #3

Hellblazer #278

Invincible #79

Kill Shakespeare #10

The Sixth Gun #11

Super Dinosaur #1

The Walking Dead Weekly #16

Collections / Graphic Novels

Astro City Shining Stars HC

Blood Stained Sword

Dan Clowes Mister Wonderful

Empire State A Love Story (Or Not)

Page by Paige

Tank Girl Remastered Vol 1

Incredible Change-Bots

2011-04-12T13:51:00.001-05:00

Just picked up the first book in anticipation of tomorrow's release of the follow-up.

For real...how am I not supposed to love this?

Incredible Change-Bots by Jeffrey Brown

New Books For April 13, 2011

2011-04-11T17:49:00.000-05:00

Okay, folks... after a much needed regrouping and battle-plan session (or five!) it's time to get back in to the wonderful business of Creator-Owned Comics! Before we get to some of this week's books, I'd like to give all of the people that I met with at C2E2 a humongous thank you! I met so many great people who had such a mind blowingly HUGE amount of positivity towards this that I found it to be jaw-dropping. Seriously, anyone who thinks that the comic book community is strictly filled with haters and trolls just needs to get out there and meet some of the ladies and gentlemen that come to this blog.

Especially the Detroit contingent. Holy crap-balls, you folks are beyond scary awesome with love for these here books and the people that make 'em. Makes me smile knowing my home state of Michigan is still breeding the good kind of lunatics!

This week...

Following up on the momentum created by it's first issue, Butcher Baker The Righteous Maker wastes no time at all in the release of issue number 2. I found the first book great to look at, and the story has my interest piqued, so hopefully the quick release of issue two can keep this enthusiasm moving upward and onward. Speaking of momentum caused by a first issue; Wednesday also sees the second issue of Infinite Vacation. I know a lot of people ended up missing out on the launch and had to wait for the second printing, so this may be the time for some early follow-through if you dig it. Friends have been telling me about The Incredible Change Bots and that the second book is even better than the first. I think I'm going to be checking that one out, as I'm lucky enough to not only be by a store that has the first book, but there'll be an in-store signing this Wednesday as well for book two!

For you Chicago peeps, that event is going on at this blog's very own Patrick Brower's store: Challengers

Now go click on some links and do the perusing that fits your reading needs so well! As always, links are in the title text...

Comics

Butcher Baker The Righteous Maker #2

Carbon Grey #2

Casanova: Gula #4

Cinderella: Fables Are Forever #3

Elephantmen: Cover Stories #1

Gold Digger #127

Hellboy: Buster Oakley Gets His Wish

Infinite Vacation #2

Li'l Depressed Boy #3

Spawn #206

Sweets #5

Unwritten #24

The Walking Dead Survivor's Guide

The Walking Dead Weekly #15

Collections / Graphic Novels

Amity Blamity Vol 1

Area 10

Battle Chasers Anthology HC

The Complete Wendel

Ex Machina HC Vol 5

Incredible Change Bots Two

Safe Area Gorazde HC

C2E2 Creator Spotlight: Thomas Zahler

2011-03-16T08:43:00.000-05:00

Thomas Zahler's Love and Capes

Making his way to Chicago this weekend for C2E2, writer/artist Thomas Zahler is bringing his Harvey-nominated book, the superhero romantic comedy Love and Capes, with him. Having been a Free Comic Book Day item several times, Zahler's Love and Capes has also been collected and published by IDW.

His website (which can be found HERE) gives you all the background info you need to know and it also provides more than a generous amount of free stuff to read!

Thomas will be at small press booth SP-06 where he'll have the entire run of his book for sale and will also be taking commissions. For those of you that like to wear your support on your sleeve: he also has a line of shirts available but asks that you pre-order them at

http://www.loveandcapes.com/love-and-capes-shirtssales.html

Thomas can be found on Twitter @loveandcapes

C2E2 Artist Alley Spotlight: Christopher Uminga & Matthew Fletcher

2011-03-14T21:11:00.000-05:00

A couple of years back, DC and Marvel pulled their booths from the Wizard World Chicago show. Some people grumbled and had a lousy time, but I think the best thing to have come from that situation was the fact that I had never seen so many people take a walk through artist alley before. It was during that show that I came across Christopher Uminga and the wonderfully entertaining prints he was selling. They were stylistic versions of characters that we all would recognize and there was just something about them that clicked with me. I bought a print, looked up his website afterwards, and have been a fan ever since. At that point, with Uminga firmly on my radar as someone to look for on the convention circuit, I quickly became an equal fan of his regular table-mate Matthew Fletcher. With as much energy in his work as Christopher's, it was easy to see why these two were friends, and when these two get themselves a table I make it a point to find out where they're at. It's one of the first places I head to at a show and I love watching other people discover their work.

Marvel Comics' Deadpool

Christopher Uminga has always been very laid back when I've seen him at the shows. Constantly drawing commissions, he always takes a moment to talk to everyone that comes up and (in my opinion) is a really good indication of how a show is going. If he's busy, and his sketch list is full, that means the people of Artist Alley are getting attention and (better yet) people are spending their money over there. Aside from the fun of seeing his new prints and what he's drawing at any given moment at his table, he's a nice guy that's probably just as geeked to have met one of his favorite artists at a show in the same way that you did. With a fantastic ability to pull out the visual core of a character, twist it, and then present it in his own way; Uminga's ability to mix something fun with a little bit of a darker edge end up creating something you don't know whether to hug or to run from...

Christopher Uminga can be found at his website HERE and is also on Twitter under the name of @Uminga720. Even more of his drawings are posted at his deviantART page.

DC Comics' Batman

Matthew Fletcher's work is always a great time at a convention. I love to see different takes on characters that we all know and love, and his style provides a lot of smiles in this regard. Energetic and with the graffiti sensibilities that not everyone can actually pull off, Matthew's versions of old favorites take on new life under his talent. He's just as quick to give you an honest greeting for stopping by as he is in thanking you for checking out the table.

Matthew's website can be found HERE and is also on Twitter under the name of @fletcher720

Marvel Comics' Spider-Man

Needless to say, I was already a fan before Matthew sent this artwork to me, but then I saw this Spidey piece and was blown away.

Christopher Uminga and Matthew Fletcher will be at C2E2 this weekend at table C-5 in Artist Alley. They'll both be selling prints and doing sketches.

I just want to add that these guys travel all around the country on their own dime (like many others) and this is why it's important for me to not only do what I can do for them here with the blog, but how big of a deal it is to spend a couple of bucks on the people in Artist Alley. It really does make a difference and can have a huge positive impact on a show overall.

New Books For March 16, 2011

2011-03-14T16:55:00.000-05:00

Tim Seeley's Hack / Slash follows up a solid selling first issue in it's new ongoing series, and his character even double-dips it a bit with the Bomb Queen Versus Hack / Slash special! The beautiful and fantastic Mice Templar sees a new release as well and (speaking of beautiful) iZombie is collected for you to checkout too! The links are in the text titles so let your fingers do the clicking...

Comic Books

Bad Dog #4

Bomb Queen Versus Hack Slash

Casanova: Gula #3

Chew Script Book

The Guild: Tink

Hack Slash Ongoing #2

Mice Templar Vol 3 #3

Morning Glories #8

The Walking Dead Weekly #11

Wolfskin: Hundredth Dream #5

Collections / Graphic Novels

Amory Wars: In Keeping Secrets...3 Vol 1

The Arctic Marauder HC

Chimo

iZombie Vol 1: Dead to the World

New Character Parade

Owly & Wormy: Friends All Aflutter

Possessions Book Two: The Ghost Table

The Vesha Valentine Story

Advance Review: Vertigo Resurrected: Finals

2011-03-08T17:21:00.000-06:00

Vertigo Resurrected:
Finals

Sometimes a book gains new relevance when opened back up years after it's initial publication. Will Pfeifer and Jill Thompson's book Finals is a powerful take on the social and familial pressures that revolve around the concept of college. Originally published as a four issue series in 1999, Finals cranks up the idea of what it takes to make an impression when the baseline is one of ruthlessness and power mixed with a stunning lack of morality.

Collected here as a wonderful "100-page Spectacular", the themes Pfeifer and Thompson established in 1999 are almost prophetic when placed by what has happened in our culture since. Taking place on the campus of Knox State University, the institution's motto is "Strength Through Study" and it's meant to be taken quite literally. Students immerse themselves in acts of violence and lunacy for outlandish senior projects.

Gary has an anthropology project that involves him living in the back yard so he can properly devolve to his animal origins; so he's paid his roomies the next several months worth of rent because his "descent of man" will probably not be conducive for much communication after he's gone that far back on the evolutionary scale.

Nancy is a Comparative Religions major that has shown real initiative and started her own cult. Followed by her fully armed congregation of worshipers, it's actually become quite stressful for her.

The sports team has Eugenics students amping them up with all sorts of enhancements and another student is manipulating tensions in the Middle-East (which has all but assured his senior project is "aced").

Though American culture hasn't declined to the levels that Finals presents, the events contained seem so much closer to reality now than most are probably comfortable with admitting: Pushing oneself to limits so extreme that death may not even be enough of a sacrifice to guarantee you a diploma. A system of reward so skewered that one has to create something particularly ruthless or undeniable in order for the jaded faculty to take notice and allow them the distinction of graduation.

Finals didn't even need the internet, the bail-out, the extreme grab for power by the "haves" (or the desperation of the "have-nots" to do anything to be noticed) to make it's points. That leads me to wonder what insightful predictions Pfeifer and Thompson would have created if this tale would have been written now. Is it a unoriginal of me to say that Finals holds up a mirror for us to look into? Definitely. But it's an impressive read considering where we are socially right now, and how the statements made here are probably deceptively closer to reality then either of them thought we'd ever get.

I'd say "Resurrected" is the key word here and this story is begging for a sequel.

New Books For March 9, 2011

2011-03-08T12:23:00.000-06:00

Apologies for being a day late but here's this week's list for some great books that will be on shelves tomorrow! Plenty of good looking work (yet again) including an offering from Vertigo's "Resurrected" line of books: Finals. The first trade of Skullkickers is also hitting shelves along with work by Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis and Neil Gaiman.

Wait a minute...who the hell is Neil Gaiman?! Never heard of him.

Well, friends, maybe if we keep putting the word out we can all learn who this Gaiman guy is. Please retweet if you're on twitter and recommend our page to your Facebook friends if you're coming from there.

If not for us then do it for poor Neil who is out there wallowing in obscurity and maybe feeling a bit vulnerable.

Comics

27 #4

BPRD Hell on Earth: Gods #3

Captain Swing #3

Cinderella: Fables are Forever #2

Elephantmen #30

Garth Ennis' Jennifer Blood #2

Gold Digger #126

Guarding The Globe #4

IZombie #11

Lady Death #3

The Li'l Depressed Boy #2

Massive Awesome #3

Night Animals

Spawn #204

Stan Lee Starborn

The Stuff of Legend: The Jungle #4

Vertigo Resurrected: Finals

Victorian Undead II: Holmes VS Dracula #5

The Walking Dead #82

The Walking Dead Weekly #10

Collections / Graphic Novels

Freeway

Hope: The Hero Initiative

Neil Gaiman Blueberry Girl

Skullkickers Vol 1

Suddenly Something Happened

Featured Book: Takio

2011-03-03T13:25:00.000-06:00

Taking a detour from their collaborative publishing history of Powers, writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Avon Oeming turn to the side and veer in to family territory with their wonderful new hardcover book Takio. These two have proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they exceed when it comes to harder themed tales for adults, but I don't think I was the only curious one when it came to wondering if their creative charisma would work as well on this all-ages endeavor.

Takio is the story of two sisters who suffer from all of the trappings of the sibling difficulties of youth. Taki is a thirteen year old girl who seems to be saddled with the responsibility of constantly having to look out for her seven year old sister Olivia. Though Taki is at the age where she's considering herself more "adult", not so with Olivia. Full of energy and ideas, Olivia is blatantly enjoying being a kid and doesn't see why Taki shouldn't enjoy it as well. She might think thirteen is a big deal, but Olivia stands to let Taki know she's still got a ways to go towards adulthood.

When her mom tells her that she has to take Olivia with her if she wants to go over to her best friend Kelly Sue's house, Taki begrudgingly pairs up with her for the evening. What Taki doesn't know is that things are not going well for Kelly Sue that night. Her father has lost his job causing her mother to leave them both. He's some kind of scientist/inventor who definitely seems to have an issue or two. When Taki and Olivia show up to find a distraught Kelly Sue, an accident happens with something Kelly Sue's dad was working on, and the unintended side-effect gives the girls some powerful and confusing abilities. While the sisters are still coming to grips with what they are now able to do, Kelly Sue's father decides he wants to capitalize on the situation and makes attempts to capture the girls. Taking advantage of his own daughter, he even uses her in his attempts to get the girls, but Taki and Olivia aren't exactly helpless at this point.

With instantly likable characters, Bendis has written up a tale that rises above the trappings of it's simplified plot. Yes, we've read the stories of kids being mixed up with experiments gone wrong before, but there's nothing wrong with using that plot again if you can make it work. Luckily for everyone, mixing Oeming's artwork into things does more than just make it work; Takio has a life and energy that make turning the pages something really fun. Colorist Nick Filardi ties all of it together and the characters have an extra warmth to them because of his skill. The palette Filardi uses can't be credited enough in the grand scheme of things, as the tones he's created give the book a feel that becomes more inviting than something that just "looks cool".

Because Bendis, Oeming and Filardi compliment each other so well, Takio achieves more than the sum of it's parts. I found it beautiful to look at, fun to read and the whole experience put a smile on my face. This $9.95 Hardcover format is wonderful and it suits Takio perfectly. There definitely needs to be more books published in this format and there definitely needs to be more adventures for Taki and Olivia.

If you're on the fence about whether or not to give this one a look...well, you should probably stop procrastinating and give it a look.

-Chris Smits

New Books For March 2, 2011

2011-02-28T12:53:00.000-06:00

Anyone else noticing the trend of how varied the books that get listed here can be? To me that says that if you like comics then there is no reason one of these books shouldn't be a good purchase for you. So click on some of those links I've placed in the titles and get your internet window-shopping done before Wednesday! Comments are also appreciated below, as are the reposts, retweets and sharpie messages in bathrooms. And don't forget: I put up a Facebook page for all of us Facebookish-types out there: Creator-Owned Comics Blog. More is always better so please feel free to give us that "one-click-like" kinda love and hit me up at Twitter!

Comics

Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth #1

The Boys #52

Carbon Grey #1

Chew #17

Comic Book Comics #5

Herculian #1

The Intrepids #1

Irredeemable #23

John Byrne's Next Men #4

Lenore Vol 2 #2

Memoir #1 (2nd ptg)

Usagi Yojimbo #135

The Walking Dead Weekly #9

Witchfinder: Lost & Gone Forever #2

Collections / Graphic Novels

An Elegy for Amelia Johnson HC

Chi's Sweet Home Vol 5

Hexed SC

Takio HC

Dwayne McDuffie

2011-02-22T16:58:00.000-06:00

As word broke this afternoon over the death of writer/producer Dwayne McDuffie, the internet lit up with sadness, shock and outpourings of admiration from the comic book community. Dwayne's work is obviously very dear to many of us but to see so many comments referring to his good character are impressive at a time like this, and my thoughts and sincerest condolences go to his family and friends.

Anyone who spends even a little time talking to me about comic books (especially superheroes) will realize that I'm what we all call a "DC Guy". The history of the DCU, and the ideals that their characters represent, inspire me on a daily basis. I mean it. I believe in the concept of good triumphing over evil and protecting those who can't protect themselves. Comic book superheroes have helped those concepts take hold in me since I was a boy in the 70's and I still believe in those values today.

So with superheroes being that inspirational to me, and DC's stable being the definitive representation of that (personally), I believed Dwayne McDuffie to have been the caretaker of that legacy in so many ways. There were many episodes of the Justice League cartoon where I thought "These guys 'get it' better than the people working on the books". Yeah, it would be formatted and re-worked to fit the guidelines that the show demanded (as opposed to how these characters would appear in the comics) but the Justice League cartoon consistently cut to the core of what these characters represented and who they were. Like when you see Aquaman in an episode and wonder why he seems to work so well in this setting and yet the comic world just can't seem to pull it off. I've always had no choice but to conclude that it was because the people making those episodes had not only the same love and admiration for the characters that I did, but they had the talent to show it through their work.

And that's where you saw the credited name of Dwayne McDuffie pop up. Without going in to a detailed episode or DVD movie listing, there was an obvious correlation there. His name would show up and I'd say "alright... here we go!". There's no question that he was the go-to guy on that show: a big gun who understood these characters and respected them.

He did his part in adding to the legacy that goes hand in hand with such icons as Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman, and he did it exceptionally well.

I encourage you to peruse the internet and find out about all of the other impressive things Dwayne accomplished in his life because there are a lot of them. Though some things worked out for him and others didn't, you always got the sense that everything he was working on came from a place of trying to make the same difference the characters would aspire to. Whether it was the creation of a whole line of new heroes via Milestone or his doing the best he could when his hands were tied due to the politics of business, Dwayne was the best case scenario to me as a fan... because he was so obviously a fan himself.

I will always be saddened that I never got an opportunity to sit down and just talk about superheroes with him, but I guess a lot of what I imagine he'd tell me can already be found in the wonderful legacy left behind as his work.

With utmost respect, I will always be thankful for that.

-Chris Smits

New Books For Feb 23, 2011

2011-02-21T16:06:00.006-06:00

Whew, quite the list of books this week, but a great list for sure! Between The Sixth Gun, Turf and Who Killed Jake Ellis?...I've got some guaranteed great reads ahead of me on Wednesday. There's also some first issues and first volumes for you to take a look at as well, so this looks to be a good week for creator-owned books. As always: the links are in the titles and please make sure to re-post, re-tweet and pass this on to any and all interested readers!

Comics

Skull Kickers #6

Atomic Robo: The Deadly Art of Science #4

Chip: Second Crack #3

Crossed: Psychopath #1

Terry Moore's Echo #28

Echoes #3

Godland #34

Kill Shakespeare #9

The Mission #1

Morning Glories #7

Savage Dragon #169

The Sixth Gun #9

Spawn #203

Turf #4

The Walking Dead Weekly #8

Who Is Jake Ellis #2

Collections / Graphic Novels

7 Billion Needles Vol 3

Angelus Vol 1

Binky Vol 1 The Space Cat

Extreme Perspective For Artists

Freak Angels Vol 5

Ghost Projekt HC Vol 1

Outlaw Territory Vol 2

Scalped Vol 7

The Sweeter Side of R. Crumb

Term Life

Wednesday Spotlight: Noche Roja

2011-02-16T17:39:00.107-06:00

Noche Roja

What's to be said about Vertigo's format for their Vertigo Crime series of books? Well, for one, they're gorgeous little hardcover editions; black and white, all kinds of seedy fiction for an adult reader. I have yet to read one that doesn't work perfectly in this format and Noche Roja attains that success as well. Simon Oliver sets the reader up with the trappings of a private-investigator being brought in to help find out who's been viciously murdering local girls at a factory in Mexico. Hired by a woman trying to run a local aid agency, Jack Cohen pulls double duty as his new job brings up nasty skeletons from his past when he was a cop working below the border. Some faces are the same as he remembers them while there are new power players to be found as well. The preying on the weak, the abuse of power in a city where the law is bought, and a local election that has bigger implications than some are willing to risk over the deaths of some impoverished country girls. Noche Roja reads very intensely; turning each page the reader just waits for the bottom to fall out on the cast. Something bad can happen after every panel, making the story like a lit fuse, reading and waiting for any and all plot points to explode in violence, with no concern as to the fallout to the characters involved. This isn't a fairy-tale story. This is the kind of setting that generally scares the hell out of sane, protected people. There is no law, there is no one to protect you, and those in power do what they want and all you can do is hope they don't center their attention towards you.

Oliver paces his story well. His characters are archetypes that do exactly what they need to do to get you hooked in a short span of time. Where he really succeeds is in the way he utilizes the format of a 180 page book. It wraps up well at the end but never sacrifices a thought out journey in getting there. Each cast member plays their role but is fleshed out enough to give them the personality they need for you to become involved. Everything is driven home by the dark, stylistic artwork of Jason Latour. Now when I say dark, I mean it quite literally. The pages carry heavy blacks and intensively used shading as texture. There are times when it's like you want to instinctively turn on another light in the room, but that's kind of the point. The detail is never sacrificed in the panels and the feel of all the darkness just adds to the story. Making you uneasy in the setting is one of the best parts of this book. Noche Roja has a feel to it that grabs the reader by the front of their shirt and pulls them forcefully to the story, leaving no time to put up a fight.

Though a bit pricey at $19.99, it is a hardcover and the quality level with it is very high overall. This was a fun read and (as a bonus) will look good sitting in my bookshelf too.

-Chris Smits

New Comics For Feb 16, 2011

2011-02-14T11:35:00.004-06:00

Some interesting looking choices this week; including some first issues in the comics and some Volume 1's in the collected section. Garth Ennis with a double release and I think Noche Roja is more than catching my eye! So click through the links (which are in the titles) and then head out to the comic shop this Wednesday and give something a try...

COMICS

Abyss: Family Issues #1

The Boys #51

Cavewoman Hunt #2

DMZ #62

Fables #102

Fallen Angel: Return of the Son #1

Infinite Vacation #1 (2nd Print)

Garth Ennis' Jennifer Blood #1

Knights of the Dinner Table #171

Marineman #3

Memoir #2

Proof Endangered #2

Walking Dead Weekly #7

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Finder vol. 1

Human Target Second Chances

Morning Glories vol. 1

Noche Roja HC

Wednesday Spotlight

2011-02-09T17:08:00.000-06:00

Back from the comic shop, all my purchases are read, and here's one that kicked my ass...

Who Is Jake Ellis?

Who Is Jake Ellis?

Thank the comic Gods for a second printing on this because I missed it the first time around. After reading this I thought that here was the perfect example of what I'm hoping to achieve with this blog. I didn't even know about it before Patrick sent me a list of this week's releases, so imagine my smile when I realized a little while ago that my own blog had just affected me in the same way I meant it to work on others. I knew nothing about the premise or the creators, but having remembered listing it on Monday, I picked it up. My only expectation was that I had hoped I would dig it; and Who Is Jake Ellis? certainly reached my expectations. There's a lot of mystery along with the action and espionage leanings of a good spy thriller. The mystery element involves what I'll refer to as a "twist" in the premise that I'd rather not explain, because I think you'll enjoy it more going in cold. Also, half of the enjoyment is the fact that I couldn't fully tell you what it is if I wanted to! That's not to say it's confusing or that the reader is lost; it's the fact that we haven't been told yet exactly what we're witnessing. Needless to say, Nathan Edmondson has an intriguing story with fast action and artist Tonci Zonjic gives it all a cool, stylish look. This is a very solid book and I can't wait to see where this story goes. If you're a fan of the action thriller, and aren't afraid to mix in some elements that deviate a little from what we've come to expect in the genre, I think you'll find this as entertaining as I did.

I Don't See An Underdog

2011-02-07T23:02:00.000-06:00

As the discussions on the topic keep expanding (which is awesome) I'm starting to see some themes of opinion that keep coming up. The one that surprised me today was the reaction of some to my having included Ed Brubaker's Incognito: Bad Influences and Mark Millar's Nemesis in this week's release listing.

Roughly put: do books like these have too high of a profile and are their creative teams too famous to be given equal space amongst books that have a higher hill to climb?

I suppose I can see the point. Many people out there are working hard on their books and it's no easy task to get someone to pay attention to them when they have no idea who you are. You believe in what you're doing and you have to hustle for every bit of recognition you can generate. It's not an enviable task even from an outsider's perspective looking in. I've walked through artist's alley more times than I can possibly remember. The awkwardness of having to decline someone's attempts to snag me over to their table may just be more painful for me than it is for them. That's how I'm built. I have no desire to snub someone that's putting themselves on the chopping block in a public setting like that, but I'm simply not interested in everything that everyone's doing. Yet I've seen the same people set up their tables (at no small monetary cost) year after year without fail. Plugging away, paying their dues and basically refusing to stop believing in what they're doing.

"A Publisher?! Hell, I wish I had a publisher!"

So we label this crew with terms like "Small Press" or "Indie" and we theoretically root for them even when most of us aren't actually buying their books. Yeah, that's a crappy thing to have to call us all out on, but it's true. Keep in mind that there's no rule stating that we have to dig all that stuff just because we like the idea of the "underdog". There's almost a double standard for readers that seems to say if you believe in the medium, and if you are truly trying to do your part, that you're a hypocrite for not buying "indie" books.

And that is exactly why I'm not using the word "indie" anymore. We shouldn't see comic books in these divisive ways any longer. The only divisions amongst books a reader should make are between the ones you like and the ones you don't. Does it matter if a book that totally blew your mind was printed and shipped from someone's basement as opposed to one that had a publisher and distribution? Is it more admirable to have read an amazing story by an unknown talent then that of an already celebrated author and/or artist? I think it's important for everyone to ask themselves if they're making it about supporting a good comic book or if they're making a social judgement at that point. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that a social judgement isn't applicable or important in how you spend your money. I'm just saying that we need to realize what we're all trying to actually support when we take up this discussion. I guess I'm trying to ask if you're really buying that car because it's the better choice or if it's just because you like the color that it's painted?

After asking myself these same questions, I've come to the conclusion that I'm going try to look at every comic book in an equal light. Now obviously this blog is drawing things into categories by the fact of it's existence, but I'm in no way trying to suggest that showing an interest in "Creator-Owned" material means everything else has to be denigrated by default. I also realize that's not exactly in our nature to do. Usually, if we love something (or an idea) with all our heart, then that means we have to hate it's opposite because that's the way it is. I can't even say with a clear conscience that I don't love a good fight, either. When I believe in something strongly enough, I buy in to the concept that it's my responsibility to fight for it. So I propose this for us to think about:

What if we not only change the terminologies in which we speak about the matter, but we also change the targeting system we've been using as well? Instead of making the "argument for indies", what if we just made it "a love for comic books"? Such a simple rephrasing like that kind of switches the point to one that doesn't have to include anything we don't like. It keeps the focus on what we do like, and puts us all in to the exact same category instead of taking sides over what we don't like.

Everyone that's been listening to my rantings so far knows that the only goal I've been trying to push is for readers to give all the books on the rack equal footing when shopping. See it all as the same product and then go from there as to what catches your eye. Comics should be seen as comics, and a publisher is not a genre (even though we've all consistently acted as if they are). We all know there's creator-owned comic books that are the best the medium has ever had to offer, and if we actually muster up the courage to make it about reading good books instead of choosing sides, I think the survival of the fittest will assert itself just fine.

So yeah, I'm going to continue to include books like Incognito, Nemesis, Powers, and everything else as long as it's creator-owned and hitting the shelves. If we start blowing off people because of their success, then what would we be hoping to achieve by pushing any book? What kind of worthwhile goal could there possibly be in promoting a project with the intent of making it successful enough for expulsion from the clubhouse?

-Chris Smits

New Comics for Feb 9, 2011

2011-02-07T11:08:00.005-06:00

This week's offerings of creator-owned comics looks pretty good. Incognito is a personal favorite while I'm also interested in checking out Tim Seeley's new monthly version of Hack/Slash. The links are in the titles... so give 'em a click, take a look and pick something up this week when you hit the comic shop!

As always: please don't forget to re-post, re-tweet and leave comments to keep this up!

Comics

Twenty-Seven #3

Atomic Robo: Deadly Art of Science #3

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Gods #2

Gold Digger #125

Hack/Slash #1

Haunt #13

Incognito: Bad Influences #3

Jack Hammer Political Science #2

Love and Capes: Ever After #1

Magus #2

John Byrne's Next Men #3

Spawn #202

Uptight #4

Walking Dead #81

Walking Dead Weekly #6

Wasteland #30

Who is Jake Ellis? #1 Second Print

Graphic Novels / Collected

Snowed In? Need a Fix?

2011-02-02T11:29:00.000-06:00

As many of us have a thousand feet of snow to deal with and may not be able to make it down to their local comic shop for today's books, I thought I'd give you directions to a webcomic you can read instead.

Ryan Browne has a little something he's created by the name of God Hates Astronauts.

God Hates Astronauts by Ryan Browne

And it is wonderful.

The quote on his blog about him being the new Mike Allred is close to accurate, but it would be more like if Mike Allred suddenly decided to go R-Rated. God Hates Astronauts is funny, ridiculous and has the right amount of wrongness stirred in to it.

And he's even put it up for you to read for free. At this point it would be rude for you not to go read it.

Comics For Wed Feb 2, 2011

2011-01-31T10:20:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone! Here's some creator-owned books that will be hitting the shelves of your local comic shops this Wednesday. A lot of horror themed books this week but Bone, Mice Templar and Scenes From an Impending Marriage round out the list nicely. So, as always, check these out and don't be afraid to let everyone know in the comments section what you thought about it.

Comics

Crossed: Family Values #7

Doc Macabre #3

Hellboy The Sleeping and the Dead #2

Invincible #77

Mice Templar Vol 3 #2

Witchfinder Lost and Gone Forever #1

Graphic Novels / Collected

Bone: Quest For The Spark

Fall Out Toyworks

Ivy HC

Knights of the Dinner Table Bundle of Trouble Vol 31

Scenes From an Impending Marriage

While Everyone Else Is At It...

2011-01-28T18:54:00.001-06:00

First off, before I speak yet another piece on the subject: two voices I have a lot of respect for shared some opinions towards the matter of creator-owned properties in the comic book world.

Steve Niles is the writer of 30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre and more horror than you can shake a burning stake at. He had this to say:

http://www.steveniles.com/2011/01/creator-owned-comics-not-whining-yields-results.html

Eric Powell is the man, the myth and the legend behind The Goon, Chimichanga and a lot of other incredible made-up stuff. His take can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPk6chRXDDg

Wow, right?

Over the course of the last couple of weeks I've had a lot of conversations with fans and creators alike via Twitter, emails and now Facebook. The common thread between everyone's opinion is that we all seem to really care about the subject, and that's unbelievably encouraging. How to go about helping? Well, that's where a lot of different approaches get brought up.

For me, I just want to point people that like comic books towards more books they might like. Superman, Spider-Man, and the rest of the iconic figures we know (and a lot of us love) don't seem to need the help in "getting the word out" so to speak, and they get plenty of coverage all over the place. But while I'm choosing to spotlight the creator-owned portion of the books on the shelves, I feel absolutely no need to try to beat up the books that aren't. Putting the blame on a company for putting out what they're in the business to put out seems like a waste of the same energy we can use to tell someone "Check this book out, it's awesome". If they don't check that book out, that's not the other companies' fault, is it? If it were, that would kind of be admitting that you can't make a book as riveting as (insert iconic superhero target here).

And you know what? Not everybody can. That's just a cold gut-check moment there and it's still not the other companies' fault.

If there's a blame to be had for readers not buying more creator-owned books, it's on the readers. We're not legitimately brainwashed (though that would explain a lot) and nobody is pointing a gun to our head and saying "You're only allowed to buy books from (insert mega-corporate recipient of your ire here)". Now, before everyone gets defensive because I used the words "blame" and "readers" in the same sentence, let me just say that the only thing I'm saying is that if you love comics, then love comics!

If you're a DC or Marvel reader and someone said to you that you should check out another book by that company because they think you might like it, a lot of you might. And you should, if you like comics, and you shouldn't be put down for it. What's fair game for criticism is that if someone recommends a book outside of the DC and Marvel publishing line, and you shrug it off because it doesn't relate to those lines, then that's pretty lame on the part of someone who claims to be a fan of the medium.

No, a reader can't be made to like a book because of any principled stand or manifesto. It turns people off to be preached at, accused, or to be told that a certain set of books have some kind of artistically moral high-ground. Comics are comics. Yes, we all think some are better than others, and the internet argues that fact constantly all over the place, but the "better" isn't because of who's publishing it. The internet arguing isn't doing anything but enabling people to be pissed off and judgmental when it would be so much cooler to be posting about what books we actually liked. I'm not saying "If you've got nothing good to say then don't say anything at all", but my criteria is to concentrate my attention towards two things:

Giving interested readers a resource to have a list of creator-owned books at their disposal every week.
Showcasing comics (and the people that make them) that I did like instead of any that I didn't.

Why would anyone want to read out of spite? I know I don't. I want my ass kicked by something I've read each and every time I open a comic. Shouldn't that be the goal? If I wasn't hoping for that then there'd be no point to ever do anything for any reason. Luckily, I don't feel that's even close to the case. There is a metric shit-ton of awesome books all over the place, and I'd like to hit as many of them as I can in my lifetime.

And I think the best thing for me to do is to pass any info about something I thought someone else might like along to them. Then hopefully it clicks with them, they do the same, and so on...

Obviously this blog is concentrating on the world outside of (insert mega-corporate recipient of your ire here), but that doesn't mean I think anybody is a bad person for loving SpiderBaterineWoman. I just ask that if SpiderBaterineWoman is what your palette usually consists of, that you give a different book a try after another reader says that they liked it and you might like it too.

Because you probably will.

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm late in posting on the GleeSux message board. I'm moderating tonight.

-Chris Smits

Featured Spotlight: The Sixth Gun #8

2011-01-26T17:30:00.000-06:00

The Sixth Gun from Oni Press

You don't have to look too hard right now to see people really starting to pay attention to what creators Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt have going with their book The Sixth Gun. With the release of a softcover trade collecting the first six issues, this is a perfect comic to be able to get on board with as today sees issue 8 hit the shelves.

The Sixth Gun was initially described to me as a mixture of the HBO series Deadwood crossed with the supernatural; which, though not entirely accurate, was enough to get me to take a look for myself. I bought the trade collection the week before issue 7 came out and couldn't have had more fun discovering it's charm.

The premise revolves around a great collection of characters after the Civil War and a set of six pistols. Each pistol contains a supernatural power within it and whosoever can bring these guns together will unlock the kind of unstoppable power that never bodes well for the world at large. Who can stop this from happening? Can this be stopped at all? The answers to those questions begin to play out over the first 6 issues and it's quite an entertaining trip for the reader.

Writer Cullen Bunn has come up with a western fairytale of sorts. Populating his story with vile maniacs, would-be hero/scoundrels, and a heroine that stands tall when she's thrown in to the horrors that have invaded her life; Bunn first and foremost gets the reader right where they need to be: interested in the characters. He follows that accomplishment up by a well thought out, skillfully worded tale that I'd be hard pressed to find problems with even if I wanted to (which I most certainly do not).

Though well fleshed out in word, artist Brian Hurtt seals the involvement you feel towards the cast with his wonderful ability to make their personalities pop off the page. Everyone looks fantastic here through Hurtt's talent, and his skill at character design is quite wonderful. Having been able to see the first two issues worth of artwork at a gallery recently, I can't say enough about how well the man makes this book work.

The Sixth Gun slowly builds and grabs your attention span with a vice-grip before you're even aware of it's insidious plan to hook you. You may not even be aware of how much you want more until you've read that last page and find yourself wanting the next issue "RIGHT NOW!".

Fun, fun stuff.

I don't want to go into details on the events of today's issue (for fear of spoilers), but everything I've mentioned above still holds true for number 7 as well. This series looks to be showing no signs of slowing down, and that's a perfect problem for readers to have.

2011-01-26T02:43:00.000-06:00

Okay folks, here's our first attempt, so please be understanding. I wasn't going to put anything up until next Monday, but it's Wednesday...and nobody wants to waste a Wednesday! This is just a quick list of some creator-owned books that hit the shelves of your local comic shops today.

Please re-post, retweet and spread the word to check back here regularly (for even more coverage!) and we'll finish with the look and feel of the blog to have a more comprehensive page on Monday.

There will be a spotlighted book feature going up later today (with a lot more to come). So go out, grab some books, then meet us back here later!

Links in the book titles...

COMIC BOOKS
Boys Highland Laddie #6

Glamourpuss #17

Guarding the Globe #3
Knights of Dinner Table #170
Proof Endangered #2
Sixth Gun #8
Walking Dead Weekly #4
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Cowboy Ninja Viking Vol 2
Crusades HC Vol 2
Cursed Pirate Girl TP Vol 1
Ice Haven SC
Killer HC Vol 3
Off Road
Walking Dead Omnibus Vol 3

Again, a monumental thank you to everyone that has shown interest in this idea! Don't quit!
More books, more spotlights, and some web-comic shouts COMING SOON!