Shaolin Sucker Punch

Well not exactly but tomorrow marks the last day of the old DC Universe and also the beginning of the new look DC Universe. Flashpoint #5 the last issue in DC’s summer event story is released and continuing from that book will be Justice League #1 by written by Geoff Johns and and pencils by Jim Lee. Justice League and Flashpoint will be the only 2 floppy comic books that DC has on the shelf tomorrow. All the other 51 books will be released weekly over the month of September. Justice League will basically be readers introduction to the new DCU. I guess between Flashpoint #5 and Justice League #1 it will be explained just how things have gotten the way they are. I’m incredibly excited to get these new books. It’s been a long wait and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.

Also it’s important to note that if you’ve been wanting to get into DC comics but wary before, tomorrow is your chance and Justice League can be your fresh first step into the DC Universe. It’s the first issue to a brand new story with no past research or knowledge needed. I like to say enter comics like you enter a pool. Just jump in! Justice League #1 is your diving board….or is it your floaty inner tube thing?..eh whatever! You get the idea.

Cover to Justice Leauge #1

I’m experimenting with some themed posts and this one popped into my head. Basically I wanted to share what I would ask a certain person within the comics industry. It could be an artist, editor, writer, EIC, or what ever. So these are questions I’d ask Judd Winick. He’s going to be writing the new Catwoman and Batwing comics next month. Obviously I’m not expecting an answer but these are things that I find interesting or wondering about the person’s thoughts. It would be nice to one day be in a position to actually ask these questions and get some responses.

• How does it feel to tackle the first African Batman related character? He’s not the first black super hero, but he is wearing a very popular and storied symbol.
• Did you find it hard to write a comic placed in Africa? I’d imagine the research could be both fun and depressing given the type of stories that usually come out of the bat titles.
• Will Batwing venture outside of Africa? What countries will the stories mainly focus in?
• Africa is such a historically/culturally/geologically diverse continent. I see the potential for some amazing ideas to tap into. How big are you planning to take this book?
• Will Batwing have a James Gordon type of character? A Rogue’s Gallery?
• Will readers see real life problems within Africa addressed in the comic? (famine, war, genocide)

Batwing is the book I’m probably most excited for and I can’t wait to see the back story on Batwing character, especially who he is outside of the costume.

Well this blog post is about something I’ve noticed on the web for quite some time, but never really paid it much attention until recently reading some comments on DC’s reboot/relaunch. I’ve noticed that a lot of the older comic book readers are really up in arms about the changes DC has made and also the changes Marvel often makes to their stories and characters. When I say older readers I mean guys that 30-40 plus years old that have been reading comics for decades.

Obviously people reading comics for that long have put quite an investment into their characters and books and I think it’s fair to say they’ve grown comfortable with books and characters they can identify and relate too. Now they’ve seen the good years of comics as well as the bad. I read a comment recently from an older fan that basically said he won’t check out any of the DC books and continued with “if isn’t broke don’t fix it.” I guess he was under the impression that DC Comics wasn’t broken and the changes weren’t needed. Other comments reflected the idea that new or potential fans were being favored over the older long time readers.

First it should be noted that DC has been coming in 2^nd place behind Marvel with market share for a while now. I think even at some points Marvel had more than half. Both companies are also looking to pull in new readers. I think it’s clear if DC has to make such drastic changes that something is broken and something has to be done to be better. They could easily remain on the same path and hope for the best or they could be proactive and try an aggressive relaunch. Cheers to DC for going ahead with the new changes. Of course you can’t please everyone.

So has this older generation felt like they have been slighted one too many times or are they just being stubborn about accepting the ever changing landscape of comics. It’s frustrating to see when fans would rather not read any of the new comics. From my standpoint it seems like they would rather have the old status quo that clearly wasn’t good enough. Yes DC is making some major changes but I think at the core the characters will still be the same and the stories are going to be good. I was upset with the changes for a few days, but realized it was necessary to keep DC competitive and ultimately it could be good for the industry as a whole.

I really believe DC has put together 52 books that probably can be appealing to a lot of people. Would you rather see DC fail completely or give these books a shot? More importantly who knows what they have planned in 2012 and beyond. I think if you’ve been reading comics for a long time you should at least check out the new books. More than likely they’ve already seen plenty of retcons, reboots, and relaunches. To think there wouldn’t be more and potentially bigger ones is probably silly.

I think DC needed these new changes and I also think they need new readers and longtime readers as well. Not that those longtime readers owe the DC brass anything, but would you rather see them fail or continue down a road of underperformance? I think in the end everyone wants awesome books from the comic book companies.

Wonder Woman got an updated look awhile back and ever since its been a hot topic whether she will have the new look in DC’s new 52. She’s currently wearing leggings and red top (i’m terrible at describing women’s clothes). DC has been getting a ton of free publicity with the alternate covers to Wonder Woman #1, which shows her wearing both outfits. Honestly I like the new look and the old look. Doesn’t really matter to me which outfit they go with, the comic will be awesome either way. It’s good people have been talking about her for so long though, maybe that will bring a lot of new readers.

I got to thinking about this topic when I read an article over at www.newsarama.com. Patrick Zircher an artist with Marvel suggested he’d like to see Marvel give a relaunch a shot. Zircher suggests (and I agree with him here) that Marvel is watching how this works out for DC and depending on how well it does or doesn’t do it will determine Marvel’s reaction down the road. I think it’s obvious Marvel is watching the DC relaunch closely. I’m not too sure they would consider a relaunch of their own though. Marvel has been doing pretty well lately and has taken much of the market share for awhile now. The stories have been on point for the most part and things are exciting in the Marvel Universe. Why would they want to change a successful game plan?

However, I could see the possible benefits of doing a relaunch. Right now it seems to me Marvel has firmly entrenched their A list characters. Guys like Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wolverine, Hulk, and Thor always seem to be in the forefront and often can be seen in multiple books at a time. I don’t have a problem with this as those are all great characters and obviously it’s what the people want. But I do feel that there are a ton of other characters that could be at that forefront with their own solo ongoing title.

Marvel’s B and C list heroes do have places in the universe. More than likely they appear in team books and guest appearances. The 3 Avengers titles are a good example of where you can find some B listers on the verge of A list. Names that come to mind are Iron Fist, Ms. Marvel, Spider Woman, and Luke Cage. Credit goes to the writers for making these characters interesting enough to bring back to popularity. Those first 3 characters I mentioned all had solo titles that were cancelled and for the most part they were exceptional books. I just don’t understand why they didn’t last. These characters function great in a team capacity and I bet they have a strong following. Could they benefit from some type of relaunch? Possibly.

In DC’s relaunch they have put the focus on the big characters as well as some of the lesser known. They are making an honest attempt at drawing people to books with the lesser known characters. Marvel recently started Heroes for Hire that features street level heroes and often obscure characters. It’s been an up and down book, but it is a solid attempt. I think if this is successful for DC and I hope it is that Marvel develops a formula that can stick for more of their heroes.

There’s always great plans for the top tier characters, so there’s got to be something that can be done. Its frustrating to see multiple Wolverine books on the shelf when I think there is only the need for 1. I’m sure there’s a business/money issue that I don’t understand, but I think they can trim the line of excess titles to make room for others. Addition by subtraction.

It will be interesting to see what DC and Marvel has planned in 2012 and beyond.

So when I created The Short Box I intended it to be a weekly thing. My day job had another thing to say about that so I missed a few weeks. I’m still not sure I’ll be able to make it weekly, but here it is for this week anyway. This time there are lots comic reviews and thoughts on books that were released Wednesday.

I blogged a couple days ago about American Vampire and how great I think it is. So I won’t repeat those thoughts, but I do want to talk about American Vampire #18. Issue 18 wrapped up the Ghost War story arc in style. Scott Snyder left a lot of questions lingering at the conclusion. Pearl and Skinner have a very big moment. Pearl especially becomes a more complex character. Also there may be a new American vampire added to the cast! The next story arc should be very exciting. I can’t wait to see what Snyder has planned. I’m not lying when I say from issue 1 to 18 American Vampire has been great; not one issue has been bad. Give this book a shot.

Next up Wolverine #14 written by Jason Aaron. Jason has been taking Logan one f-ed up journey since he began writing this title. He had Logan locked up in a mental hospital with an absolutely maniacal guy by the name of Dr. Rot running the place. Recently Logan was literally sent to hell (anything goes in comics ya know). The current story arc, which ended Wednesday, spun out of the “hell” story. The jist is a group of people who lost loved ones in various ways because of Logan get together to really give him a royal screw job. Needless to say the big surprise is a shocker. They really get Logan good, probably better than any villain ever has. Bravo to Aaron for creating such an awesome story. There are a lot of Wolverine books available, but this is probably the best one and worth buying.

Batman Incorporated #8 written by Grant Morrison took place in a physical manifestation of the internet called Internet 3.0. Morrison is known for big and complex ideas like this in past stories. Some people either love him or hate him for his weird and sometimes intricate stories. After reading his book Supergods I find it somewhat easier to understand his stories. This comic is an example of those ideas. Morrison has Bruce displaying Internet 3.0 to potential investors when a virus/villain attacks them attempts to ruin the “rich elitists”. Bruce has some help from a likely friend and the story is put together nicely for a one and done story.

At first the art really bothered me. It looks like those early “3D” cartoons back in the late 90s. Then I realized this story is taking place within the internet and the art suits the story just fine. It’s very bold with vivid and brash coloring. I’m interested to see how the comic was put together because it appears to be all digital which makes sense given the plot.

I saved my favorite title this week for last; Punisher #2 written by Greg Rucka. Greg is really bringing his A game with this comic. I have never read many Punisher stories but I was compelled to give this a try because one of the best writers in the business is on it. Greg Rucka on Punisher cannot be denied. Frank is doing what he does best in this issue. Bad guys attack a wedding and leave a bunch of people dead. Frank goes after them and kills them and anyone associated with them. His war on crime continues this time with the help of a cop giving him inside info on cases. Also worth noting is that Frank has not said a word throughout this issue or in the first one.

Surprisingly, this totally works because he doesn’t need to. Everyone knows what he’s there for and what Frank is thinking. Hurt the bad guys. The art is truly magnificent. I was not familiar with Marco Checchetto before this but he is definitely on my radar now. He draws Frank seemingly appearing out of nowhere like a ghost. The iconic skull on his shirt looks like it was done with spray paint. Of course the action is very violent and bloody. Maybe it’s the fact that Frank hasn’t spoken that makes him seem even more intimidating. Imagine the Terminator and how Arnold rarely spoke in that movie. It’s only 2 issues in and plenty of time to get on board. You won’t regret it.

Digital comics are becoming increasingly popular lately and I recognize it will probably be even more popular in a few years. With that said I consider myself a stalwart and not really interested in reading my comics on a screen. I think there’s a certain magic to holding a physical comic book and turning the page to see a surprising reveal or a beautifully drawn action scene. You can’t get that experience holding an tablet pc or laptop. I also enjoy sitting down in a relaxing spot away from technology and reading my weekly stack. Maybe it’s my age, because I could see younger generations who have had ipods, cell phones, and laptops their entire lives getting into digital comics. 

Despite my disinterest I can see the benefits of digital comics. Probably the most important is that it saves paper and lots of it. They can reach people who may not have immediate access to a comic book shop. A wider audience brings more money into the companies. I think it also opens the door for smaller independent or amateur comic writers and artists. They don’t have to worry about getting their book published and on a shelf. New talent and books should always be welcome in the industry. There’s probably a lot of unknown gems out there just waiting for exposure. It’s a big space saver. Long boxes take up a lot less space than a hard drive.

It more than likely is the future, although I think brick and mortar comic shops will remain in some capacity. I actually enjoy the atmosphere of my comic shop and would miss the interactions one can have there. I’ve built a good relationship with my shop owner. I’ve come to appreciate the relationship you get when you frequent a store a lot and become close with the owner. People with regular barbers or hair stylists probably can relate to that statement.

I think the comic industry has been doing some evolving over the past few years. It will probably look drastically different in maybe 5 or 10 years. If I’m forced to read digital because it’s the main format I’ll do it because I love comic books. The future is digital. Nearly every thing can be done by or through a computers. Comics are no different. It’s only a matter of time. For now though I’m sticking with the floppies for as long as possible.

Well the boys are back! Lean green ninja turtle machines! The good folks at IDW Comics have brought back the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic. The book was announced earlier this summer and I instantly knew I was adding this to my pull list. Now the Turtles have been around for a very long time, even before I was born which was in 1984. My first memories were of the cartoon show of course and not the comic books by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird that was created in 1983. Thankfully do to collected volumes I was able to read some these original stories of the TMNT early days. TMNT was a huge and awesome part of my childhood. Toys, shirts, games, movies, cartoon, and anything Turtle related I had to have. To this day I regret giving away all my TMNT action figuresL. I’ll always be fond of these characters.

Everyone knows the Turtles though so I don’t think it’s necessary to cover their background. If you don’t hang your head in shame and go do some reading on these pop culture icons.

Kevin Eastman is back writing the new comic along with Tom Waltz and art by Dan Duncan. Right from the beginning the comic felt like it had that classic feel of the originals. I’m pretty sure that’s Kevin Eastman at work, but it also mixes in some updated origins of familiar faces. The perfect mix of old and new! Issue 1 introduces a lot of characters by the way, as usual no spoilers from me on who they are. They also manage to set up a big mystery involving one of the turtles that looks like it will drive the first story arc. The origin of the Turtles also is getting an update too as this is handled in the flashback scenes. There is a lot more story to tell and the book got off to a good start.

The art fits the book very well, it reminds me a bit of the original comic book art but more modern. Dan Duncan transitions very well between scenes with the turtles which are dark gritty and quite bleak. The flashback scenes he drew are great and the coloring makes them considerably more cheery. Like the classic turtles all 4 in this new comic are wearing the matching red eye masks. I wonder if they’ll make the switch to the color specific gear.

I’m happy to revisit such a big part of being a kid. Life was simpler back then and reading this comic reminds me of those days and why I love them so much. TMNT has seen rebirths and lulls in various forms over the years. I’m convinced this is a brand that can’t die and is just as popular as G.I. Joe, Transformers, Barbie, etc. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles forever!

Favorite Turtle: Donatello!

Favorite Toy: My turtle battle wagon that shot pizzas.

Favorite Video Game: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

Favorite Movie: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-Seeing them on the big screen the first time was magic. This movie had a banging soundtrack by the way.

I couldn’t stay away from them forever. I certainly can’t stay away from DC’s new 52 books that releasing very soon. I can’t tell you how excited I am about the new titles. I can’t wait to get my hands on those books; which reminds me I’m probably going to need another long box to store them. Anyhoo DC released the newly designed logos for all the 52 books. I love this sorta thing when new designs are made for logos and what not. I don’t know why I just think it’s fun to get some fresh energetic designs. Here they are below.

Some haven’t changed much from the original like the “Super” titles and Green Lantern. The Bat family titles with the exception of Batman and Robin all seem to have big but very cool changes. Wonder Woman is a complete redesign and looks a little simplistic to me. Flash is another that has a lot of changes.

At first glance Nightwing, Static Shock, Justice League, Justice League Dark, and Catwoman immediately jump out to me. I think they look great. DC seemed to have some fun with the fonts used in the Bat books as well; with so many they did a good job of making them all unique. Swamp Thing looks like it has a few tweaks from the classic logo.

I think the logos look very modern and fresh. I suspect they’ll draw a lot of eyes to the books when they get on store shelves. More importantly these logos don’t look like they’d go only on a comic book. I can picture some of these logos on toy packaging, games, dvd movies, and all sorts of merchandise. It’s like a new brand identity for these characters. I wouldn’t mind having a few t-shirts with these on them.

Favorite Logo: Batman. I just love that unique font and the colors used

Least Favorite: Aquaman. Seems like more could have been done with it. Maybe play around with some stylized liquid fonts or something.

An overall fantastic job though.

Continuing with the posts about comics that aren’t in the usual superhero genre this entry will be about one of my favorite books from Vertigo. American Vampire had its first issue release in May 2010 and it is written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Rafael Albuquerque. It’s currently published by DC Comics under its Vertigo Imprint. Vertigo comics are different from the DC Comics in that the content is usually more mature and not necessarily based on superheroes. Vertigo titles range from supernatural to fantasy to crime to noir dramas. Vertigo offers some really good books worth checking out.

Back to American Vampire (AV), now before you brush off the book based on the title and recent rise in popularity and sometimes corny use of vampires in pop culture you have to know this book is different from your average vampire story. The basic idea behind AV is that it explores what would happen if there were different species of vampires. Initial images of vampires bring up the pale toned, fanged, super strong, averse to sun light beings we are familiar with from movies and TV. These vampires are present in the comic but the focus is the birth of the American vampire species; an offshoot of the original species.

The American vampire is completely different from the European bloodline. The American vampire is faster, stronger, and their fingers can become incredibly long and sharp like blades used for offense. The most drastic difference is probably the American vampire’s mouth and fangs. The American vampire has a mouth similar to a snake as it can unhinge the lower jaw and reveal long fangs. It’s also worth noting that American vampires are not harmed by sunlight. But they are weakened by moonless nights and gold. I don’t want to give away too much, because half the fun is discovering the universe Snyder has created. There are many other breeds that have been revealed over time and so far each has their differences.

AV starts in 1925 in California and introduces are 2 main characters that the comic follows the most, Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones. Both are American vampires and it follows their lives and their encounters with humans, other vampires, and vampire hunters. Snyder has built a good supporting cast and it has already spawned a spin off mini-series called American Vampire Survival of the Fittest that follows 2 characters that originated in the main AV title. The fact that the story starts in the past leaves room for some great story telling possibilities mainly because Snyder can explore different historical events and time periods and weave vampires into them as the plot progresses to the present. If you’re a fan of vampires and looking for a twist on the average vampire story AV has a story that you’ll probably find fascinating.

As far as the art is concerned Rafael Albuquerque has a somewhat sketchy pencils but he has a high energy style and does excellent action scenes but also captures the quieter moments superbly. His vampires always look fierce in deadly when fighting. Action scenes are usually rendered bloody and violent. He’s a perfect fit for a book like American Vampire. In the mini-series Survival of the Fittest Sean Murphy does the art and also has a sketchy style, but has been doing a dynamite job as well. You can definitely tell the two artists apart though.

Check out some of these images from the book.

Pearl Jones one of the American vampires. She was made into a vampire by Skinner. Cool huh?

Skinner Sweet another American vampire.

Some covers below

More non superhero comics and again this book is from DC’s Vertigo imprint. Scalped is written by Jason Aaron and art duties are handled by R.M. Guera. Scalped is a western/crime comic book set on a fictional Indian Reservation in present day South Dakota. The first issue was put on stands in January 2007. If there was a book begging to make the transition to television Scalped is it. I think it would fit perfectly on a cable channel like HBO or Showtime. I’m sure after you read the first story arc you’ll agree.

The story follows Dashiell Bad Horse as he returns to the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation that he absolutely hates. He’s carrying the secret of being an undercover F.B.I. Agent and tasked with taking down a corrupt casino owner called Chief Lincoln Red Crow. Red Crow also happens to be the boss and shot caller on the reservation. It does not take long before things to go bad for dash. I’m not going to spoil anything but when I say things go bad and get ugly, it gets BAD and UGLY. Drugs, prostitution, violence, gambling, blood, foul language, nudity, alcohol, poverty, and murder are all present in Scalped. Honestly, all of that mixed together makes for an epic crime story that will have you hooked. This book is definitely one adults should enjoy, Aaron has created quite a twisted story with plenty of curveballs. Aaron also seems to have done quite a bit of research on Native American culture as he seems to reference many things that would appear to be authentic.

R.M. Guera has an intense art style and he really handles the mood of the book well. I mean I’ve been reading the trades since number 1 and recently finished number 7 and there have not been many happy moments in this book. There is so much angst and violence that Guera nails throughout the issues. Even the coloring reflects the dismal and depressive atmosphere that the plot portrays. It’s very visceral and moody art. It’s also worth noting that Guera and other artists do a good job of drawing accurate looking Native Americans and items related to Native American culture like jewelry. Other artists have filled in and done great jobs. This book has an extremely strong plot and dynamite art to match. It’s worth looking into.

Couldn’t find any good interior art, but here some random but good pages.

Jason Aaron wrote one hell of an intense scene in the above image.

That’s one bad ass way to start a fight or any activity really.

Decided to blog about another title that isn’t from DC or Marvel. Lady Mechanika is a creator owned comic book by Joe Benitez published by Aspen Comics and it’s based in the steampunk sci-fi genre. Now I’m no steampunk expert but I believe it’s a reimagining of a historic era where mostly everything runs on steam and a lot of complex mechanics. On Benitez website he describes steampunk as, “combining Victorian Era elegance with more advanced science fiction technology”. 

A quick look through an issue of Lady Mechanika will show that Joe really captures both sides of the steampunk genre. His pages and characters can best be described as very ornate and detailed. The clothing and tech incorporated within the story reflects the steampunk look. It all makes for a beautiful book to look at.

The plot is very engaging as well. Lady Mechanika was the survivor of a serial killer’s spree in England. At some point her body was altered to include mechanical limbs and eyes making her some sort of cyborg. Mechanika has no memory of her past and is looking for answers about what happened to her. Also she is sort of a private detective investigating the strange and bizarre.

Mechanika’s current story arc deals with her trying to solve the death of a young girl with mechanical limbs similar to her own. You can see why she would be interested in such a case. She meets a good casts of heroes and enemies along the way as well.

The story is a really solid mystery/sci-fi tale. The gorgeous art is like icing on the cake and was a huge reason I gave the book a shot. I mean it’s hard to deny what a good job he does designing the book. Unfortunately I can’t really detail much else. The book has had some pretty bad delays and is only 3 issues deep. Delays or not I am hooked and planning to stick with it. Here’s hoping it can get back on schedule.

Here’s some art I plucked from the web.