© C Harris Lynn, 2011
A rambling melange of pop-culture.
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Popped
Okay, so I took the vacation and a little after to focus on catching-up with everything I've let get behind me the last year or so, which included a lot of TV and comic books. I'm still working my way through The Flash Brightest Day series, but I already read the opening for the new one. I was so not into Brightest Day, or really any of that. Green Arrow and some of them played such tangential parts that it wasn't even worth trying to tie into the rest, and yet they did.
And right after the whole thing is over, Green Arrow just shifts direction without so much as an attempt at an explanation. Just BAM! - no more forest, no more Galahad, now Ollie's somewhere else. It was really weak in that sense. It's done all the time - I remember Daredevil doing it pretty jarringly a time or two - but it was no less alarming.
I was so put-off in fact that I'm thinking of letting my subscription lapse. I got into Green Arrow following its stunning Year One, but the ongoing series have failed to live-up to that vision. Aquaman is the best of the new DC reboots that I've read so far. I'll keep up with The Flash because of the artwork, but GA is starting to rub my wallet the wrong way.
Breaking Bad and Mad Men are both okay, but I'm not as crazy over them as most people seem to be. They're good and I enjoy them, but that's as far as it goes. I haven't gotten into the very latest seasons, just the ones available on Netflix. I also got caught-up on all the current sit-coms through Hulu. So I'm pop-cultured out for a minute.
I have to regroup.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
And right after the whole thing is over, Green Arrow just shifts direction without so much as an attempt at an explanation. Just BAM! - no more forest, no more Galahad, now Ollie's somewhere else. It was really weak in that sense. It's done all the time - I remember Daredevil doing it pretty jarringly a time or two - but it was no less alarming.
I was so put-off in fact that I'm thinking of letting my subscription lapse. I got into Green Arrow following its stunning Year One, but the ongoing series have failed to live-up to that vision. Aquaman is the best of the new DC reboots that I've read so far. I'll keep up with The Flash because of the artwork, but GA is starting to rub my wallet the wrong way.
Breaking Bad and Mad Men are both okay, but I'm not as crazy over them as most people seem to be. They're good and I enjoy them, but that's as far as it goes. I haven't gotten into the very latest seasons, just the ones available on Netflix. I also got caught-up on all the current sit-coms through Hulu. So I'm pop-cultured out for a minute.
I have to regroup.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
Madman Monster
This is THE BIG ONE! This December, 20 years after Michael Allred's independent comics icon was introduced to the world, a celebration of all things Madman will take the form of a gigantic 11 x 17 hardcover! The MADMAN 20TH ANNIVERSARY MONSTER HC will include an all-new MADMAN story from Allred, as well as contributions from an impressive list of industry giants such as Darwyn Cooke, Frank Quitely, Jeff Smith, and Erik Larsen.The jam-packed 264 pages of this epic coffee table book will weigh in as the perfect selection for those looking for the most ginchy of gifts this holiday season. The MADMAN 20TH ANNIVERSARY MONSTER HC will appeal to any fan of the heartfelt, retro-pop heroics of MADMAN and Allred's other critically acclaimed work like X-Statix and iZombie.
Twenty years on, Madman still holds the same appeal with fans, and with his creator, more than ever. "In my new story I was inspired to take Frank "Madman" Einstein on an adventure that took him on retrospective time trip, an inter-dimentional detour, a jungle excursion, and a kind of faux-family therapy exchange. I pulled out all stops," Allred said. "We're making sure that everyone will be getting some serious bang for their buck!"
Nearly every great artist to ever work in comics is in this book! That means more new Madman strips from Peter Bagge, Kyle Baker, Philip Bond & Peter Milligan, Darwyn Cooke, Dave Cooper, Dean Haspiel, Los Bros Hernandez, Erik Larsen, David Mack, Pat McKeown, Bernie Mireault, Michael Avon Oeming, Paul Pope, Eric Powell, Frank Quitely, Steven T. Seagle & Teddy Kristiansen, Jeff Smith, Jay Stephens, Craig Thompson, Matt Wagner, Joe Quinones & Maris Wicks. Plus, almost every Madman illustration collected over the past 20 years from all the greats will be included, including images by the likes of Frank Frazetta, Jack Kirby, Alex Toth, Moebius, Frank Miller, and Dave Stevens.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Queen Crab
In February, Jimmy Palmiotti (Jonah Hex, THE PRO, and upcoming CAPTAIN BROOKLYN) presents a distinctly off-kilter story of one woman's life as it transforms from hopeless monotony... to crustacean nightmare!QUEEN CRAB is an original hardcover graphic novel full of revenge, lust, violence, and insanity, with themes reminiscent of Kafka's The Metamorphosis. Told in the tradition of such masters of surreal, suspenseful storytelling as David Lynch and Stephen King, QUEEN CRAB is about a young woman dealing with the insanity of the world around her, and trying to keep her head above water!
Palmiotti has until now always had a co-writer on his books, but QUEEN CRAB will be his first foray into writing solo. Palmiotti has brought some talented artists on board, including award winning illustrator Sas Christian providing shockingly beautiful cover art and interior artist Artiz Eiguren. With Amanda Conner, Paul Mounts, and many more providing pin-ups, QUEEN CRAB will at once be the most beautiful and most dreadful to behold!
"For me, getting someone with the right skills for the job was mission number one and when I was introduced to Artiz’s work," said Palmiotti. "I felt it was the perfect style to capture the emotional beats, the storytelling I was looking for, and a style of drawing that we don’t see very often in American comics."
"When Jimmy pitched this to me in San Diego, I was pretty blown away," said Image Publisher Eric Stephenson. "He had the whole book there, printed out, and I just couldn't stop reading. In the past, Jimmy has always collaborated with other writers, but my strongest reaction was along the lines - 'What took you so long to start writing on your own? This is brilliant!' It's one of the most intriguingly twisted stories I've read in a long time, and I love it!"
QUEEN CRAB is all about Ginger, a twenty-something office worker in Brooklyn who has been living her life one boring day at a time. Unsatisfied with her lot in life, she has decided to settle down, and finally marry a guy that is clearly head over heels for her. On her ill-fated wedding night aboard a cruise ship, her new husband reveals his true nature... when he attempts to murder her! But that's only the beginning of Ginger's troubles as she wakes up the next morning naked on the beaches of Coney Island…altered, to say the least.
QUEEN CRAB HC (DEC110483, ISBN: 978-1-60706-505-0), a 64-page full-color hardcover graphic novel for $12.99, will be on sale in stores and on digital platforms on February 1st, and will be available for order in the December issue of Previews.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
The Walking Dead - Rise of the Governor
Are you looking to impress THE WALKING DEAD fan in your life this holiday season with the perfect gift? Well, you're in luck! That's right, holiday shoppers need look no further than their favorite comic book retailer to purchase the deluxe, leather bound, slipcased hardcover edition of the New York Times bestseller, THE WALKING DEAD – RISE OF THE GOVERNOR NOVEL by series creator Robert Kirkman and co-writer Jay Bonansinga."Many have asked me whether I will ever write a prequel about the lives the character lead before," said Kirkman. "Well, that's basically what we're doing with these novels. And we wanted to offer the fans a special edition before the holidays."
To make the gift even more impressive, this deluxe edition will feature spot illustrations by series artist Charlie Adlard. Comic book readers may wonder if there's any better way to improve upon a novel than by adding pictures. Well, there is! There is also an even rarer, super deluxe edition that will also be signed and numbered by Kirkman!
THE WALKING DEAD – RISE OF THE GOVERNOR NOVEL is the first in a planned trilogy of novels based on the characters introduced in THE WALKING DEAD comic book series. RISE OF THE GOVERNOR sheds light on the true origins of The Governor, the most vile and deadly villain yet to appear in THE WALKING DEAD comic book series. Now fans of the comic book and AMC's record breaking TV adaptation can discover the transformation of one man into a monster with this special deluxe edition!
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
Monday, December 05, 2011
Grimm Gets Full Season Order
NBC picked-up a full season of Grimm, about a detective who polices fairytale demons. From producers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Grimm is pretty good fare. I have only seen the first few episodes, and the show is on hiatus until next week, but it is definitely worth a view.
A full season order should mean between 13 and 22 episodes, but it is not known at this time. Grimm is on Thursday nights.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
A full season order should mean between 13 and 22 episodes, but it is not known at this time. Grimm is on Thursday nights.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
Haunt Gets New Team, New Direction
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| Haunt #19 |
"It's time to scare the **** out of people," said Casey. "That's our mandate on HAUNT, and Nathan and I are taking full advantage. Trust me on this... when you read this book, have clean underwear on hand."
Casey's uniquely twisted storytelling voice and Fox's dark, gritty, and gestural brushwork are taking hold of the characters and world that Kirkman and McFarlane initially populated and fleshed out, and transforming them. The arrival of HAUNT #19 was pushed back a few weeks to give time for the preceding issues' release, but now the new team's debut issue is set to arrive in stores on November 30th, and their over-the-top new direction promises to be well worth the wait!
As the final release date for HAUNT #19 creeps closer, McFarlane, who is still involved in this unique multiple genre series in an editorial role, expects the response from comics and horror fans to be overwhelmingly positive.
"HAUNT is getting darker, more down and dirty," McFarlane explained. "If you've read some of Joe's previous work, I think you know just how far this guy will go. And I think people are in for a real treat with Nathan's art. It's very different from my own style, much looser, but it displays a great confidence in brush stroke that evokes just the right dark mood and emotions."
"We're doing some pretty insane **** and redefining a whole new direction in the series," added Fox. "I'm having a blast with Joe's scripts as we toss Daniel and Kurt off a cliff with no real life support, new foes, and new characters. No one can be trusted, and HAUNT has no idea what he's in for. The evolution of this thing is going to be pretty insane on a monthly basis. So stay tuned for the nightmare! It's well under way."
HAUNT began with a story of two brothers, one a priest and one a dangerous secret agent. When one brother is murdered, his spirit becomes bound to Earth. He continues to hover around his brother, speaking to him... haunting him. A sudden trauma leads the surviving brother to discover that he can temporarily join with his deceased brother's spirit to become something else... HAUNT.
There are two previously collected volumes of HAUNT, with more issues available monthly. HAUNT #19 (JUL110423), a 32-page full-color horror comic book for $2.99, will be on sale in stores on November 30th.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
Saturday, December 03, 2011
Friday, December 02, 2011
Peter Panzerfaust
This February, Image Comics and Shadowline will proudly present a new ongoing series from Kurtis Wiebe, the writer of the critically acclaimed GREEN WAKE and THE INTREPIDS, and artist Tyler Jenkins. PETER PANZERFAUST is a high energy action story with heart, blending the unlikely combination of the wartime camaraderie in films like Red Dawn with themes from the beloved classic children's story Peter Pan.To get a sneak peek of the first five pages of this exciting new series, readers need look no further than in the back of Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma's MORNING GLORIES #14, which goes on sale in stores today.
"Peter Panzerfaust is a story Tyler and I have been wanting to tell for years," explained Wiebe. " It's an action series set during World War II that blends in a fresh take on the Peter Pan mythology. There's a real rich setting we've developed in this series and I'm thrilled to share it with everyone."
"We are basically creating a book here that is a 200 proof concoction of our interests and loves," added Jenkins. "World War II, brave heroes, mystery, romance...ADVENTURE in the old-school, old-fashioned, turn of the century, sense of the word."
PETER PANZERFAUST is set in the city of Calais, the first city in France to fall to the Germans in the spring of 1940. A mysterious American boy named Peter rallies a handful of plucky French orphans, and they must work together to survive Europe’s darkest hour!
PETER PANZERFAUST #1, a 32-page full-color action and adventure comic book for $3.50, will be on sale in stores and on digital platforms on February 15th, and will be available for order now in the December issue of Previews.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
Pre-Mickey Mouse Disney Cartoon Found
A copy of "Hungry Hobos" was found in one of Britain's largest collections of independent films, the Huntley Film Archives. The short features Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, thought to be the prototype to Mickey Mouse. The film will be auctioned on the 14th and is expected to fetch between $30,000 and $40,000.
The director said that only about half of the collection has been catalogued, and the find was rare and lucky. Proceeds are going to be used to further fund the Huntley Film Archives.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
The director said that only about half of the collection has been catalogued, and the find was rare and lucky. Proceeds are going to be used to further fund the Huntley Film Archives.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
Action Comics #1 Sells for $2.6 million
A copy of Action Comics #1 thought to have been owned by actor Nicolas Cage set the record for comics with a winning bid of $2.6 million. It started out at just $1.00 with a $900,000.00 reserve and the history based that of Cage's book, having been stolen and recently recovered. Only about 100 copies of Action Comics #1 are thought to exist, and only some of those are in good condition.
This particular copy of Action Comics #1 was said to be in Very Good (VG) condition.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
This particular copy of Action Comics #1 was said to be in Very Good (VG) condition.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Witch Doctor: Under the Knife
Brand Seifert and Lukas Ketner's WITCH DOCTOR miniseries was one of the best-received original miniseries of 2011 – but they're not stopping there! In fact, in addition to the upcoming WITCH DOCTOR: THE RESUSCITATION one-shot, the exploits of Seifert and Kettner's Dr. Vincent Morrow is getting the trade paperback treatment courtesy of Image Comics and Robert Kirkman’s Skybound imprint!The WITCH DOCTOR, VOL. 1: UNDER THE KNIFE TP will include the first four issues of the fan-favorite WITCH DOCTOR series, plus zero issue originally publishing as a flip-book with THE WALKING DEAD #85, and an introduction from Robert Kirkman.
"We hoped people would enjoy WITCH DOCTOR — but Lukas and I weren't prepared for just how well it's gone over!" said Seifert. "We've gotten a massive amount of love from readers, and a whole lot of praise from retailers and the press. It's very humbling how much people like our weird little medical horror comic!"
"I'm really excited to have the past year's haul in one volume!" added Ketner. "I'm nothing short of honored to have so many enjoying our series. I hope our readers enjoy this collection as much as I enjoyed drawing it. The response has made it worth the effort a thousand times over."
The WITCH DOCTOR, the sardonic Dr. Morrow, is looking for a vaccine... for the apocalypse! In his quest to understand the biology of the supernatural, he faces vampires, demonic possession, faeries and more!
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
Busy Week
I told you it would be, and I was right, but it wasn't quite as busy as it should have been thanks to a small weather scare which trapped me at home on one of the days I was supposed to be busy. I had to reschedule something because it snowed a little here and they were calling for more, though it didn't come.
I'm almost through the second ongoing of Green Arrow. I've already read the latest two (from the latest reboot). Next I finish-up The Flash, but since I have no idea which is the last issue I read and it's been so long since I read any of them, I'm re-reading the entire thing. Once that is done, I'll basically be caught-up on the DC side of things - at least according to the books I read.
I couldn't begin to tell you where I plan on starting with the Marvel titles. I know the latest Daredevil is in there, as well as a few others, and I've already gotten through the latest Thunderbolts. I'm just going through what I fell off the wagon reading this year, and there's an awful lot of it.
I've also been working on TV. I got through to the second season of Breaking Bad, which is pretty good. A few weeks ago, I got through most of Mad Men. So I'm finally getting caught-up to about a year behind pop-culture. I'd blame my lack of cable/satellite, but the truth is that I missed a few episodes from some of these and wanted to see them all in order. Besides, I'm getting the major touchstones; I'll just have to remain in the dark about some things until I get the opportunity and time to catch-up on them as well.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
I'm almost through the second ongoing of Green Arrow. I've already read the latest two (from the latest reboot). Next I finish-up The Flash, but since I have no idea which is the last issue I read and it's been so long since I read any of them, I'm re-reading the entire thing. Once that is done, I'll basically be caught-up on the DC side of things - at least according to the books I read.
I couldn't begin to tell you where I plan on starting with the Marvel titles. I know the latest Daredevil is in there, as well as a few others, and I've already gotten through the latest Thunderbolts. I'm just going through what I fell off the wagon reading this year, and there's an awful lot of it.
I've also been working on TV. I got through to the second season of Breaking Bad, which is pretty good. A few weeks ago, I got through most of Mad Men. So I'm finally getting caught-up to about a year behind pop-culture. I'd blame my lack of cable/satellite, but the truth is that I missed a few episodes from some of these and wanted to see them all in order. Besides, I'm getting the major touchstones; I'll just have to remain in the dark about some things until I get the opportunity and time to catch-up on them as well.
© C Harris Lynn, 2011
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