|
ComicBookNetworkEmag Archives Index
|
|
| << January07, 2006 - [ComicBooknet E-Mag] CBEM 557.08 |
January07, 2006 - [ComicBooknet E-Mag] CBEM 557.10 >> |
|
----------------------------------------------------------------- [10] Multiverse Observer and Explorer Reviews Paul Dale Roberts Silhouet98@cs.com http://www.jazmaonline.com [Paul promotes amateur and professional comic book artwork, scripts, storylines, and unpublished comic books with a newsletter called the Peoples' Comic Book Newsletter. Its website is at Jazma Comic Book Newsletter Productions at http://www.jazmaonline.com/ He is also a prominent letter hack, as anyone who reads comic letter pages would know. He is in production of his own self-published comic book called The Legendary Dark Silhouette and has copyrighted over 600 characters for his Jazma Universe.] SPOILER WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COLUMN MAY REVEAL SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF THE PLOTS OF SOME COMIC BOOKS, OR THE ENTIRE STORY. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Name: Flare #31 Feb 2006 Publisher: Heroic Publishing Website: www.heroicpub.com Price: $2.99 Creative Force: Gordon Purcell, Mike Estlick, Wilson Hill, Terry Pallot, John Heebink, Dennis Mallonee, Jeff Tompkins, Nathan Santistevean, Jeff Brennan, Tim Burgard, etc. Contact information: licensing@heroicpub.com // flaremail@heroicpub.com // champions@heroicpub.com Comments: I really enjoyed the Rockwell inspired cover on Flare #31 Feb 2006 issue. This is good ol' Americana represented on an outstanding comic book. I would love to see the Saturday Evening Post that featured this drawing. Grandmother Madison did everything in her power to make sure that everything is 'in place' for Terri Feran and little Jessie doesn't like it. This scene almost reminded me of Sidney Poitier's "Guess Who is Coming to Dinner?" Instead, we have a Caucasion woman that is introduced to an all African American family. Lucas and Terri Feran are truly in love. Lucas respects Feran for her heroics and Feran respects Lucas for his SFPD heroics and she still thinks of the time, that they fought together against some monster and how Lucas doesn't have superpowers, but he does what he has to do. His job is to save lives and he does exactly that. I had a laugh as the kids were thinking that Feran's German dish 'stinks'. Terri is impressive to this family, as she runs down Lucas' fathers' heroics as receiving a bronze star in Vietnam and having 25 years in the SFPD, then she salutes him. Yes, the family accepts her and she is even breaking the ice with little Jessie. The 2nd story Cat-Fight was fun to read, a bunch of girls who love to read comics and enjoy talking about the characters. Then seeing 2 female fans become their favorite characters Flare and Tigress! I haven't been this excited since the time Sam Beckett of Quantum Leap made a leap into Thompson Magnum PI's (Hawaiian detective) body and had to solve a diamond murder on the big island, before he was able to leap out again. This was a very intense crossover story, involving the Hawaiian Mob, Magnum getting himself incarcerated and implemented in the diamond murder of a Hawaiian mobster. Luckily Magnum receives a phone call from no other than McGarrett of Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum and is spared years in prison. 5-0 sheds light on the fact that Magnum was not involved in the mobster's death allowing Sam Beckett to leap out of Magnum's body safely. In this story, the fan girls leap into the characters they so much love, as Sam Beckett leaped into Thompson Magnum's body, well, you get my drift. With the last story, enjoyed the way Flare pulled out her bible and told a great Christmas story! This was superb entertainment for this evening! Name: Tales of the Champions - Tigress #3 Feb 2006 Publisher: Heroic Publishing Website: www.heroicpub.com Price: $2.99 Creative Force: Mike Estlick, Wilson Hill, Doerick Gross, John Heebink, Dennis Mallonee, etc. Contact information: licensing@heroicpub.com // flaremail@heroicpub.com // champions@heroicpub.com Comments: Tales of the Champions - Tigress #3 was definitely a fun read! Kassidy aka Kass is having a blast in Ensenada, Mexico. This makes the tale even more fun, since most readers are familiar with Ensenada, I know I am, I have taken a cruise to Ensenada and this is a fun vacation spot. Ensenada will hold some dark secrets, Kassidy Farrell could lose her life in Ensenada. I love the way the story starts off with Kassidy and her girlfriends and Kassidy has a plan. Kassidy has a lot of history, she is from a rich and powerful family, her father ran the Boston Herald and the Boston Herald did an expose on Seth Adams and his weird serpent club. Then Kassidy's mother is famous in her own right, since she was a famous Egyptian movie star and is now deceased. Kassidy's father definitely worries about her, as he hires good looking Jack Thompson, PI to watch out over her and make sure there is no serpent members in and around Kassidy. Jack is made by Kassidy and Kassidy is very upset over the matter. Kassidy had a crush on Jack and only to find out that Jack is working for her powerful father. Now Kassidy has an option, to remain mortal and die by serpent's venomen embrace or accept her destiny and become a champion of life, become a living avatar of the cat! Wow! Tigress origin is fascinating! Then the 2nd story 'Rebirth!' is a great story of Melissa and the Giant. Giant will have a lot to endure, since he has to go to the fields of Elysius to test against the power of vanished gods. Giant has plenty of family history, as his powers have been passed down from grandfather to father to him. Like all Heroic Publishing comic books, the artwork is amazing! Some of the best artists in the comic book industry work for Heroic Publishing! I just came back from vacation, in which I visited Madrid - Sevilla, Spain; Gibraltar; Vilar Formoso - Portugal; Tangier - Morocco/North Africa; Newark - New Jersey. I had two long layovers in New Jersey and fortunately I had some Heroic Publishing comic books to read, to make the time go by faster during my two long layovers in Jersey! Thank you! MOE Sidenote: Went to A1 Comics and stepped into the A1 Comics Stargate and these are some of the realities I encountered: Armor Quest #3 by Alias; Berlin by Jason Lutes; Malinky Robot 02: Bicycle by SLG; Six Gun Samuerai 03 by Alias; Keith Giffen's 10 by Boom! Studios; XIII #04 by Alias; Loveless #3 by Vertigo; Silent Dragon #6 by Wildstorm; The Thousand Deaths of Baron Von Donut; Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time - New Spring #4; The Night Club #2 by Image; Emily the Strange #1 by Dark Horse Comics; Bojeffrie's Terror Tome #1 by Atomeka. This time only picked up 3 comics, here's what I found: BPRD #5 - The Black Flame by Dark Horse Comics With BPRD #5, this comic book is no exception to the other BPRD comic books out there. You never know what to expect or what you might see. This is the weirdest creature I have ever seen. The size of this creature would give the mighty King Kong a run for his money. Johann & the crew are worried about Abe. Johann has a 'no man left behind' attitude. The government also is gaining momentum on their own attitude. An attitude that is based in delivering a couple of options, a nuclear option to slow down this powerful creature. The story was thrilling from one page to the next. I also enjoyed Todd & Craig's The Perhapanauts! Like always DHC is off-the-hook! Revelations #5 of 6 by Dark Horse Comics After reading Revelations #5 of 6, I am still amazed at Humberto Ramo's artwork, his artwork looks computer generated, but it's not, how in the heck does he do that? The whole world is falling apart, cholera in Kenya, cattle mutilations in Lima - Peru. The secretive world of the Vatican is merely hinted upon, there are so many other secrets. This story is better than Dan Brown's DaVinci Code. Revelations has potential of being made into a movie. I recently went on vacation to: Madrid - Sevilla, Spain; Gibraltar; Vilar Formoso - Portugal; Tangier - Morocco/North Africa; Newark - New Jersey. In Spain the comic books are mudane and boring, it was nice to get back home and find an intriguing comic book like yours! Revolution on the Planet of the Apes #1 by Mr. Comics $3.98 I highly enjoyed Revolution on the Planet of the Apes #1. The Planet of the Apes saga lives on in your comic books! There is even some sidebar humor, maybe I was the only one that found humor with Ape Management, as they were told that they dropped the ball. I wonder how Trump with his bad hair would run Ape Management? With riots going on in Newark, St. Paul and Bakersfield, I couldn't wonder how riots could have originated in Bakersfield?? There is nothing in Bakersfield! The apes are demanding and they know what they want. They want law and they have vowed that no ape shall kill another ape. That's a good thing! This was a fantastic story and I am glad that the legacy of the Planet of the Apes lives on through your comic books! Keep up the good work! MOE Sidenote: At one time Topps Comics which was producing The Lone Ranger and Zorro comic books was working on a script for these two Western icons to meet. It never came through and Topps Comics became obsolete. Of course, being a fan of Zorro and The Lone Ranger, I was very disappointed that this crossover never took place. Let's see if I can put these two icons together. The Lone Ranger meets Zorro by Paul Dale Roberts. Place: Wild West - Area San Diego, California. Black Bart and Three Finger Jack were terrorizing San Joaquin Valley with various stagecoach hijackings. A large amount of gold has been stolen from several stagecoaches. On one of the stagecoaches, an Indian woman by the name of Singing Chickadee was robbed by Black Bart and Three Finger Jack of her jewlery. Singing Chickadee was once the lover of Tonto, the Lone Ranger's sidekick. When Singing Chickadee reached the town of Sonoma, she located Tonto at some local tavern. Tonto notified The Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger traveled throughout San Joaquin Valley in search of these notorious bandits and when word went out that a man in white that wore a mask was searching for the bandits, it fell upon the ears of Zorro as he was temporarilly staying in San Diego. Zorro, a man in black who wore a mask confronted The Lone Ranger and said: "let's hunt these bandits together". Zorro and The Lone Ranger went through every brush trail in search of the stagecoach bandits and even joined the Pinkerton Detective posse for a spell. The Pinkerton Detectives were hired by Well's Fargo. Finally the confrontation of the bandits took place in Sutter's Creek. With much gunfire, the Lone Ranger and Zorro were able to take Three Finger Jack and Black Bart into custody. Zorro looked upon The Lone Ranger and said..."it was nice riding with you hombre, perhaps we will meet again". The Lone Ranger says to Zorro: "Whenever there is evil, good shall come together...hi yo Silver away!" The Lone Ranger rode into the horizon as Zorro disappears within the dust of this steed. MOE Sidenote: Comments I made to CBG #1614: I love Beau Smith's column and he seems like a wonderful guy. But, I would be scared to go to The Flying Fist Ranch. What I imagine is a group of friends hanging out at Beau's ranch and after a few beers, an all out brawl takes place. Dottin' the Eyes brings on visions of black eyes, in Beaus' column it depicts 2 men in a drawing, doing what is natural "brawling". Is Beau Smith a natural brawler and that is why everything is referenced towards brawling? I bet The Thing from The Fantastic Four and Beau Smith would get along naturally, especially after having a few beers and The Thing makes a bellowing comment...'its' clobberin' time!' I can see myself now, knocking on the front door of The Flying Fist Ranch and Beau greets me by decking me in the forehead! Then to show me a good time, Beau takes me down the street to The #ss Whuppin' Bar for a beer! Then for dinner, Beau cooks up a can of whup #ss, with a side plate of chili! Oh ya, I can't wait! Now to other things, as for your article in CBG #1614 called "Forever Changed. 'Decimation' Changes Mutant and Marvel History. The House of M is going to have some radical changes that equal to Crisis on Infinite Earths by the DC Universe. Major mutant players like Magneto, Iceman actually lose their powers? What? Come across again? Magneto losing his powers?? No way! After having powers such as this, Magneto would never be able to survive. Then Professor X is missing? Perhaps he is on another world, trying to figure out how mutants can get their powers back again. Finding an exotic mutant formula on another world. It should be interesting to see Wolverine being able to recall his entire life, this will leave much fodder for future stories, I agree. I don't care if the House of M wants to agree with me or not, but Daredevil and Spider-Man are also mutants. Is the House of M going to take their mutant powers away? Sure, Spider-Man was bitten by a radioactive spider, but it mutated his DNA in such a way, he took on the abilities of a spider. As for DD, his DNA mutated with enhanced senses due to his blindness, he is still a mutant. Whenever the DNA is changed, you are a mutant, plain and simple. Multiverse Observer and Explorer signing off until next time.... _________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------- COMICS OBSCURA Mike Curtis shandafa@cyberback.com [COMICS OBSCURA are facts Mike Curtis has dug out during his 30 years of collecting Superman and writing about comics. His website for his comic imprint is www.shandafantasyarts.net ] MIGHTY MOUSE HAD THE SAME TAILOR One of the "Lost Arks" of superhero films are the five features 20th Century Fox made with George Reeves as Superman. These films were compilations of the TV series, and released under the titles SUPERMAN AND THE JUNGLE DEVIL, SUPERMAN'S PERIL, SUPERMAN FLIES AGAIN, SUPERMAN AND SCOTLAND YARD and SUPERMAN IN EXILE. These 1954 films are considered lost, although extensive publicity material exists for them. In most of the lobby cards, Superman's tights are colored yellow rather than blue, making him look like Mighty Mouse. _________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------- [11] My View David LeBlanc ComicBkNet@aol.com http://members.aol.com/comicbknet David LeBlanc is the Editor of the Comic Book Network Electronic Magazine; which won the prestigious Eagle Award for Favorite Comic Book Ezine in 2001. He is a long-time fan of comics and the electronic media; having been the moderator of BBS comics forums on WME, FIDONET and the Comic Book Network. He and his wife live in a suburb of Worcester, MA and David works part-time at That's Entertainment, the Eisner-winning Comics and Collectibles store. David's favorite motivational phrase is: BEHOLD THE TURTLE, HE ONLY MAKES PROGRESS WHEN HE STICKS HIS NECK OUT! IMAGE Top Cow Productions www.TopCow.com fanmail@topcow.com THE DARKNESS #24 28 pages, full color, $2.99/$4.60CAN "All in the Family" part 3 of 3 Writer: David Wohl Pencils: Martin Montel Inks: Jay Leisten & Roland Paris Colors: Sonia Oback Lettering: Troy Peteri This wraps up the story that involves the Angelus in her quest to get Estacado and The Darkness. She is in the body of the widow of the mob boss Franchetti, the guy jackie killed to take over the mob. But the mind is all Angelus, who needs to wipe out The Darkness. Fortunately for Jackie the Magdalena will be his reluctant ally, if she doesn't kill him herself. One other player is the mobster's daughter who will play an important part before the end. At first glance you might be put off by these characters. They are after all supernatural beings with an agenda that gives little thought of collateral damage. After a few issues you learn the tragedy of Jackie Estacado who wields a powerful force but that force has its grip on him as well. The larger picture is the struggle of good versus evil wherein the usual convention of black and white, light and dark does not really distinguish good from evil. As always there is great art throughout. The women are attractive and the creatures the Darkness unleashes are suitable creepy. I think of them as Gremlins on crack, real nasty. The only question to be answered is can anyone really win such a battle? If the Magdelena can inhabit a human body can she even be destroyed? WITCHBLADE #90 & #91 "Fugitive - Part 2 & 3" 28 pages, full color, $2.99/$4.60CAN Written by Ron Marz Pencils by Michael Choi Inks by Sal Regla Colored by Brian Buccellato and Terry Wengler Lettered by Troy Peteri This is the end of a three part arc that serves to develop the relation between Gleason and Sara. They have confronted a rather odd looking and strong man and to her surprise he can withstand a major wound from the Witchblade and heal instantly. Gleason's arm is broken in the melee but he refuses Sara's offer to heal it with the Witchblade. This is a defining moment that keeps them wondering if there association is a good thing. Meanwhile the plot thickens as the Feds on the case are a little too interested in what happened. Sara suspects they have an agenda and convinces Gleason to come with her to the place where she thinks the creature went. What they find is a man who has been changed from a loyal patriot to a super soldier and then to something they can't control. As his features became more inhuman he became even stronger and finally escaped rather than be experimented on any more. He also tells Sara that those in charge had been able to control him mentally and they soon find out that Sara has led them right to their prey. The last part is the inevitable fight among the players. Some appear to have powers previously unseen. The creature is indeed controlled for part of it and the power of the Witchblade may not be enough to stop his rampage. But as I said, this arc defines the relation between sara and her partner. That plot intertwines with the struggle and both end in satisfactory manner. Marz is a good writer that can uses the character development to advance the relation and bring things to a head. Partners need to trust that other will be there, will have their back. They also need to trust the other will do the right thing. The tragic soldier that was turned into something beyond human also finds a purpose in the end. It all ties together well and flows smoothly. The art team does a bang up job in every aspect. Witchblade is more than a good looking babe with powers. This title has a lot going for it. And the 10th Anniversary celebration is the next issue. Be sure to check it out. ***** BOOM! Studios www.boom-studios.com ZOMBIE TALES: DEATH VALLEY #1 48 pages, full color, $6.99 Story - Andrew Cosby Written - Johanna Stokes Pencils and Inks - Rhoald Marcellus Colored - Arif Priyanto Lettered - Marshall Dillon You might guess from the title that this is a story about zombies. Part of the story deals with the event that changed everyone into zombies. Well, everyone except these seven high school kids. You see, they are planning this Rave in an old bomb shelter long out of use. They accidentally get locked in when something outside turns everyone else into zombies. A couple of these kids are smarter than the rest and emerge as leaders. In fact it seems they could be starting a relationship, if not for what is going on around them. At first they find no one on the outside. Everyone has vanished and the roads are strewn with cars every which way. They soon find that all communication is out as well - no tv, radio, internet, telephones - nothing. It's the guys crashing through the window and eating one of them that clues them in on the bigger picture. There is a good pace to this story. It begins with some exposition about the main characters. The teenage girl with a military dad is forced to learn how to protect herself at the cost of their relationship. The nice guy tries to warn the professor about something that might happen. The jock is a big bully as is the stereotype. They all interact as we learn a little about them before their lives are thrown into chaos. Carefree school days are over now and they will have to grow up quick if they hope to survive. It may well be that they will be picked off one by one. Or maybe the strong among them will get them to safety and a new start. This is a good script and leads to an ending with not much hope for the good guys. The art is appropriate for the characters, though the zombies are all crispy critters that are not very distinguishable from one another. By the end you are rooting for the kids to survive another day and somehow find a safe haven. It is a very satisfying first chapter. 10 48 pages, full color, Prestige format, $6.99 Written by Keith Giffen Drawn & Lettered by Andy Kuhn Colored by Tim Kane & Kendrick Lim Color Covered by Matt Nelson Actually I am guessing at the price, my copy had none on it. This is an interesting set up and the execution is such that you don't officially find out why things are happening until page fourteen. Since it is the hype for the series I can tell you but I do admire the way Giffen structured the action. 10 is about a contest of sorts. Eleven people are sent a pistol with an ammo clip containing ten bullets. The letter included explains this is the annual HUNTER/SEEKER COMPETITION. Participation is mandatory. They are to seek out and kill ten other contestants using only the pistol or anything at hand except another gun. If they buy or use another gun they will be terminated. If they try to tell or get caught by the police they will be terminated. If no one is killed each 24 hours one will be terminated at random. If they basically do anything but try to kill the others without getting killed, they will be terminated. The game lasts ten days. Since there are only ten bullets they can't waste any but they can use knives, arrows, spears or blunt objects. The last opponent must be killed by the provided pistol. Everybody gets the name of one other contestant except that one contestant gets the list of ten others. This is interesting on many levels and poses many questions, some of which go unanswered. Who is running this contest? How are the contestants monitored? How are they chosen? How will people react when they open this box and read the letter? Why is this being done and is it truly an annual event? Is this truly a game for some sick purpose or is it part of a plan to kill someone and cover it up by having ten people kill each other? What would you do? Perhaps the answer to that last one is answered by Graham Meachum as he arrives home from a trip. A box is waiting for him on the hall table as his neighbor claims no knowledge of it. He reads the letter and talks on the phone to a friend who apparently knows nothing about it. Then the doorbell rings. It is his ex girlfriend who is pointing a pistol at him. She is bloody and ragged. She apparently escaped getting killed and is taking the game seriously - and the name and address she got was his! What he does not know is that this is day ten of the contest - he went on that trip. Is she the only one left? Will she really try to kill him? Can he avoid it if she does? Lots of questions. This is an excellent story by one of the true masters of the medium. Kuhn's art and lettering really emphasize key moments throughout. It is a great marriage of story and art though I imagine Giffen could have done it all himself and it would be just as good. The plot goes much deeper and there is an ending I did not expect. I can't recommend this one enough! ***** BLUE EYES 2 By Tohru Nishimaki 176 pages, Size 6" x 8.5", $19.95 ADULTS ONLY Icarus Publishing www.icaruscomics.com This is the second volume involving Tatsuyu and his lifelong sweetheart Maria. This is for fans of "Bakunyu" that is big breasts. I mean BIG. Like way beyond anyone I have ever met. These girls are from 40" - 58" on top, J-cups, with regular proportions for their height on the rest. It defies the laws of gravity. Anyway, it is after all manga porn. The hook here is that Tatsuyu also has a girl on the side, Lisa, the girl next door. Now Maria has moved back to town and renewed her relation with him and has even made friends with Lisa. To top that, Maria's mom is despondent about her oft-absent husband and seduces Tatsuyu, who is more than happy to oblige. And, toward the end Tatsuyu comes up with a plan to get a three way going with Maria and Lisa though it seems they may end up more interested in each other than him. The point of the loose plot is to allow for plenty of opportunities for Tatsuyu to make it with all these over-endowed females. Tohru is a very accomplished artist so the visual is astounding. However, my own preference from such a good artist would be for normal proportioned girls, but that's just me. There is plenty of sex, all explicit though nothing overly kinky. It's people enjoying each other all over the place, in private, in public and the tension is fun too. If you are into it, this is one of the better ones. _________________________________________________________________ Thanks for subscribing to the Comic Book Network Electronic Magazine (CBEM) --------------------------->Disclaimer<--------------------------- This is an ANNOUNCE only mailing list, only the Editor can send messages to the list. No one else has access to the subscriber list. Replies to these messages will be received by the Editor ONLY, so you must CC: individual contributors if you want them to get your E-Mail. The E-mail to the E-mag MAY be used in future issues at the Editor's discretion UNLESS you specifically request that they not be. It is our policy to withhold names and/or Addresses, by request only, from letters of comment. All contributors are required to use their real name and have a valid Email address for their columns to be published. Send Email comments to: ComicBkNet@aol.com Material for inclusion in the Emag - press releases, solicitations, column submissions, Letters to the Editor, guesses for the trivia contest should be sent to ComicBkNet@aol.com The EDITOR, not the submitter, has final approval and edit rights on ALL material. Printed comic books and advanced copies for review in the Emag should be sent via US Mail or UPS to David L. LeBlanc 84 Heather Circle Jefferson, MA 01522-1419 TO Subscribe send a message FROM the intended address to: ComicBookNetworkEmag-subscribe@yahoogroups.com TO Unsubscribe send a message FROM the address to be dropped to: ComicBookNetworkEmag-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com You may also unsubscribe from the Egroups Web page at the short cut below. Shortcut URL to the Egroup page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ComicBookNetworkEmag All contents COPYRIGHT 2005 The Comic Book Network. This messages may be reproduced only in its original form, and in its entirety for non-commercial purposes. Contact the original author(s) or the Editor for permission to use individual items. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ComicBookNetworkEmag/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: ComicBookNetworkEmag-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ |
|
| << January07, 2006 - [ComicBooknet E-Mag] CBEM 557.08 |
January07, 2006 - [ComicBooknet E-Mag] CBEM 557.10 >> |
|
ComicBookNetworkEmag Archives Index
|
|
|
Archives powered by Zinester's Mailing List Service
Details on ComicBookNetworkEmag |
Browse for more newsletters at Zinester's Ezine Directory
Managed by Zinester's Mailing List Management |