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Thread: Comic Book Talk!

  1. #31
    Member SteelSD's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor
    WOO HOO!

    Dan Slott's SHE HULK series is back in a couple of weeks.

    Preview is up

    http://comics.ign.com/articles/654/654166p1.html
    I've heard great things about the last She Hulk run but, alas, I've never been interested enough in the character to pick it up. In fact, the last She Hulk book I purchased was the She Hulk Marvel Graphic Novel (#18) by Byrne. I'm a huge fan of Byrne's classic stuff (y'know, before his head swelled to the size of McFarlane's and his art got sloppy). The only time I've seen a She Hulk drawn that well was during Art Adams "Longshot" miniseries.

    Speaking of Arthur Adams, is there any artist in the game you wish could get his pages done in a timely fashion more than Adams? The guy is a true genius but he ended up being limited as a "special project" artist because he just couldn't get his pages done.

    Funny thing is that Art Adams first published drawing was in a letters section of Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew (he sent in a drawing of Farrah Foxett and they actually published it).

    Little known and completely irrelevant (but fascinating) trivia factoid #2:

    The first time Dave Cockrum's name appeared in comic book print was the Silver Age Hawkman #13 (also the letters page). Here's what Cockrum wrote to the Editor of Hawkman in 1966:

    Dear Editor: Hawkman 11, featuring "The Shrike Strikes at Night", was the latest triumph of art and adventure from a magazine which is noted for outstanding stories. If not your best mag, Hawkman is at least one of the top three (the other two being Atom and Green Lantern), and I firmly believe that Murphy Anderson's art is the top, no ifs, ands or buts.

    The Shrike was an outstanding character- both as a villian and later as a hero. I preferred him as a hero and I, for one, would certainly like to see him again sometime. He's too good a character to let relapse into complete oblivion. Being of a star-traveling race himelf, perhaps he and the Winged Wonder could meet on Thangar for an adventure sometime.

    I must admit, however, that another reason for my liking the Shrike is the sneaking suspicion that I was in part responsible for the creation of the character. Some months ago I sent you a sketch of a proposed Hawkman foe called the Black Shrike. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's fun anyway, seeing that one's efforts inspire outstanding work like "The Shrike Strikes at Night!"

    -Dave Cockrum, NAS, Miramar, Cal.


    The Editor's response:

    (As you surmised, the Shrike was inspired by your sketch- and in appreciation, we have sent you Murphy Anderson's original cover! The same deal applies for any other accepted cover ideas or characters contributed by our readers.)

    --Editor


    (end quotes- and yes, the reason I have the above communication is because I own the book)

    Less than a decade later, Dave Cockrum would create characters that were just a titch more important than the Shrike. Their names are Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm, and Thunderbird. Ironically, Cockrum partnered on the cover to Giant Size X-Men #1 with the very same artist who drew the Green Lantern he loved- Gil Kane- two years after beginning his professional comic career as a penciller with DC (Legion of Superheroes). Later in his career, Cockrum also created Mystique of X-Men fame.

    But the letter above and the acknowlegement that Cockrum did, in fact, assist in the creation of the Shrike predates Cockrum's first published work in Fantastic Fanzine (while stationed in Guam with the US Navy) by two years and his first attributed professional work by even more. Shortly after his work was published in Fantastic Fanzine, Cockrum returned to the States, stopped in at DC headquarters and was given the tour by a DC legend- the late Julie Schwartz, then DC's Editor in Chief. He was introduced to Neal Adams at that time (still one of Cockrum's best friends).

    There was no work at DC or Marvel, so Adams sent Cockrum over to Warren Publishing and began pencilling Vampirella in 1971 and asked Adams to critique his work and noted that Adams "...showed me what to fix." before Cockrum submitted it.

    Later in 1971, Schwartz found out that there was a penciller who needed a background inker to work on his book. That book was Superman. That penciller was...Murphy Anderson. Yes, the same Murphy Anderson whose Hawkman #11 cover Cockrum now owned due to his help in creating a character that Anderson drew five years earlier.

    Talk about coming full circle!

    But wait...there's more...

    Dave Cockrum got rid of Nightcrawler's Image Inducer (see Uncanny X-Men #107 for an example of how it worked) because Nightcrawler was Cockrum's favorite character and he felt that the Image Inducer was making the X-Men more like "Nightcrawler and the X-Men". But if not for DC's stupidity, Nightcrawler would have never graced the pages of that title. Cockrum had offered the character to DC years earlier while penciling Legion of Superheroes and DC didn't want him. So while Cockrum created the Shi'ar Royal Guard as an homage to the Legion in Uncanny #107, Nightcrawler was playing for the home team.

    To me, that's incredible stuff.
    "The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer

    "The single most important thing for a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit. A good hitter can hit a pitch that’s over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a ball in a tough spot.”
    --Ted Williams


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  3. #32
    Smooth WMR's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    I like the new Robocop. Pretty hardcore. I like the New Punisher stuff too. Very cool.

    I like the new Ninja Turtles (I'm a TMNT Fan from wayyyy back BIGGG FANN OF THE TURTLES!!)

    Donatello, you mah boy.



    That's me with the crew. COWABUNGA DUDE!!!

  4. #33
    RaisorZone Raisor's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Quote Originally Posted by SteelSD

    Which Starman issues did he write, Scrap? I may have to pick up the TPB if his stuff is anywhere near as good as it was on TGA.

    Robinson wrote the entire 1990's Starman run (80 issues) (Not sure if there were any fill-in issues though).

    I've read the first trade, which was great.

  5. #34
    Goober GAC's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Footstool
    That's why you hide your comic book collection until *after* the wedding.
    Then on the wedding night..... TA-DAAA!

    "Hey honey! Wanna see my webslinger?"

    "In my day you had musicians who experimented with drugs. Now it's druggies experimenting with music" - Alfred G Clark (circa 1972)

  6. #35
    Churlish Johnny Footstool's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    "Hey honey! Wanna see my webslinger?"
    Damn! I thought I destroyed those photos.

    I'm going to have to discuss that with my wife. Those were for our own personal use.
    "I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful

  7. #36
    Pitter Patter TRF's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    You know, I never really followed the names of the artists or writers. Dunno why. If the art got bad, or the writing (Anything with the word Secret Wars applies). I think perhaps I'll pay a little more attention to it.

    Back to X-Men for a sec. I was dissappointed in the concept of the Danger Room coming alive as we had already been through it with Cerebro. However it was written much better, and I do like the art alot. Not digging the kitty cat Beast look at all though.

    Probably my favorite character in the marvel universe has to be Thanos. At list since Infinitey Gauntlet (which i loved). Completely ruthless and almost amoral. Leans on being the bad guy. A great character.
    Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.

  8. #37
    RaisorZone Raisor's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Quote Originally Posted by TRF
    You know, I never really followed the names of the artists or writers. Dunno why. If the art got bad, or the writing (Anything with the word Secret Wars applies). I think perhaps I'll pay a little more attention to it.


    .

    I look for the writer first then the art which is why I thought most of the 1990's sucked for comic fans. The "Image"-ification of the industry came close to killing it.

    We're now in a new golden age for writers, which just a huge corp a really great writers: Mark Waid, Kurt Busick, Geoff Johns, BENDIS, Grant Morrison, Greg Ruka, Mark Millar, Brad Meltzer, JOSS WHEADON~!, and on and on and on....

  9. #38
    Member ochre's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor
    I look for the writer first then the art which is why I thought most of the 1990's sucked for comic fans. The "Image"-ification of the industry came close to killing it.
    I blame it all on McFarlane's Spidey run. Rob Liefeld embodied that deterioration however. Liefeld of the 90s was the 80s astro-turf, low OBP, slap hitter of the comic book industry.


    **edit after reading what I said. I liked McFarlane's Spidey run, but I think its what started the art first movement.
    Last edited by ochre; 09-28-2005 at 08:14 PM.
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  10. #39
    RaisorZone Raisor's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Quote Originally Posted by ochre
    I blame it all on McFarlane's Spidey run. Rob Liefeld embodied that deterioration however. Liefeld of the 90s was the 80s astro-turf, low OBP, slap hitter of the comic book industry.


    **edit after reading what I said. I liked McFarlane's Spidey run, but I think its what started the art first movement.

    Rob is currently doing a two issue fill in run on Teen Titans, and it's beyond horrible.

  11. #40
    Member SteelSD's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Quote Originally Posted by ochre
    I blame it all on McFarlane's Spidey run. Rob Liefeld embodied that deterioration however. Liefeld of the 90s was the 80s astro-turf, low OBP, slap hitter of the comic book industry.


    **edit after reading what I said. I liked McFarlane's Spidey run, but I think its what started the art first movement.
    McFarlane's art on the Amazing Spiderman title was great. In fact, when they created Spidermen to give McFarlane his own book, the art was still great.

    But they let him write the book. Ugh x Infinity.

    And yes, Liefeld stunk (and still does). Every time I see Prince Fielder, I think of Rob Liefeld's version of Cable. Big hulking body. Wee little head.

    But in my eyes, the ultimate in bad was Jim Valentino. How he got hooked up with the big guns to start up Image is beyond me. Shadowhawk stunk. The story was bad. The art twice bad. At least Image spawned The Authority and opened up the industry to allow Valiant an audience (until massive overproduction killed them). Heck, Dark Horse has published infinitely more readable stuff than Image ever has.
    "The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer

    "The single most important thing for a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit. A good hitter can hit a pitch that’s over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a ball in a tough spot.”
    --Ted Williams

  12. #41
    Pitter Patter TRF's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Every isuue of Image was the same to me. Brigade, Gen 13, Cyberforce (blech), I liked the idea and a few issues of Stormwatch. I liked Grifter as a character, And I liked Spawn, and the original version of the Exiles with Juggernaught.

    One thing Image did do was open the eyes of casual comic fans to something other than the Big 2. And taht at least is a good thing.
    Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.

  13. #42
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    IMO, Ultimates 2 is the best thing going right now. Seriously, Thor in prison, Hawk killed, and Cap set up? I will check out other issues reported in this thread.
    Last edited by Sham; 10-01-2005 at 10:09 PM.

  14. #43
    Member Sabo Fan's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Interesting article I found on IGN while reading about the next Batman movie. I'm not much of a comic book reader myself so some of what's in the article is way over my head. If anyone would care to explain some of what's currently going on, particuarly the DC-related stuff (always been more of a Batman and Superman guy than X-Men and Spiderman), I'd be much obliged.

    http://comics.ign.com/articles/658/658377p1.html

    A House of Infinite Crisis
    Marvel and DC drop bombshells that will change their respective universes forever. What's it mean and why should you care?
    October 13, 2005
    WARNING: Spoilers Ahead! Don't read unless you want to know what happened in House of M #7 and Infinite Crisis #1

    It seemed like a dream, or perhaps a nightmare to those without a thick wallet, that both Marvel and DC would come out with major universe-defining events right around the same time. As fans shelled out the bucks for the four Infinite Crisis prelude minis and their seemingly infinite number of spin-offs, they were also mortgaging their parents basements to pick up Marvel's House of M. Two incredibly important events from the top creators at each publisher. How could it get any better or more expensive?
    How about two crucial issues -- packed with unbelievable surprises -- shipping the same day? These are the stories that finally broke the Internet's back.

    House of M #7 featured the revelation that it was Quicksilver and not Magneto who was ultimately responsible for creating a brave new world for mutantkind. The ending proved incredible. With three words the Scarlet Witch dramatically changed the face of the Marvel Universe: "No more mutants."

    Infinite Crisis #1 kicked off one hell of a bad day for the DCU. First, we learned in Villains United #6 that there were actually two Lex Luthors running around and that Pariah, the harbinger of dying universes, was on Earth. Then in Crisis #1 we saw the return of several characters from Earth-2 and Earth-Prime. Apparently these cats escaped the end of all things in Crisis On Infinite Earths 20 years back.

    To have both DC and Marvel's events deliver so completely on the same day is a pretty incredible feat. It's a good time to be a comic-book fan.

    Heroes are used to bad days, but for Marvel and DC these moments will resonate for years to come.

    To its credit, Marvel's House of M has remained true to the promise that you could read the HOM miniseries alone and understand all that was going on. This is very true. In fact, all the spinoffs seem a little unnecessary, because House of M is so well-contained. While Marvel stilled milked us of money with a few miniseries and some connected issues, poorer fans could focus just on the main series and still enjoy the jaw-dropper that issues 7 provided.
    On the other hand, House of M has dragged, with filler stories in supporting series and a typically-delayed schedule. As awesome as issue 7 may be, it didn't earn that moment over the course of the first six issues. Hell yes, Bendis delivered, but the past few issues have not been equal to the first and penultimate chapters.

    Contrasting HoM's conciseness, Crisis is a lot like the Blob. The longer it lives, the more series it consumes, the bigger it grows. Though long-promised to be as self-contained as possible, no one can really hop into Crisis #1 blind and know what the hell is going on. Why are Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman so pissed off at each other? What the heck is an OMAC? Why's there another Superman with grey hair? You need to have some understanding of the preceding events to fully enjoy Crisis #1 and you really need to know a bit about the two-decades-old Crisis On Infinite Earths.

    While long-time DC fans such as myself are jumping up and down with joy over the payoff for a year's worth of eager speculation, many others may be scratching their head wondering who flipped the world upside down. The payoff, so far, has been great, but it seems that the best moments of Crisis #1 are a handshake in a gentleman's club that most newer readers haven't been invited to. Doesn't DC understand that Infinite Earths is a classic, but not particularly accessible to newer DC fans? Apparently not.

    DC has done an overall solid job of building to this moment, but hasn't made these mega-event particularly attractive to outsiders.

    Marvel and DC combined put out 35-50 issues a week. Over the years, moments, lines and story arcs can fade from memory. However, House of M #7 and Crisis #1 will probably be remembered for a long time.
    Who will soon forget Wanda deconstructing Hawkeye or Magneto showing his expert parenting skills with Pietro? How long will those final three pages resonate with Marvel fans? For quite some time, I'd guess.

    Crisis has only just truly begun and it's almost certain that there are bigger surprises up ahead that could well wash away some of the things that stood out most in the first issue. However, no one will soon forget the ultimate Batman line of the past decade: "Let's face it 'Superman'... The last time you really inspired anyone was when you were dead." Not only a brilliant, powerful line, but an acknowledgement from DC that they've allowed Superman to meander over the past decade.

    The impact from House of M #7 will be felt immediately. November kicks of Decimation, a one-shot on the aftermath of Wanda's actions. The X-books all gain new direction in November and the fallout will be felt for at least a few years. Expect a whole lot of tertiary mutants to be no more. And let's face it, this is a house-cleaning Marvel has needed for a very long time.

    Over the years there have been too many mutants thrown into the mix for no good reason. The world is overcrowded with them. So if Marvel wants to clean up, it's a little odd that they aren't cutting down some books and rebuilding slowly. And it's perhaps more troubling that they aren't slotting in whole new creative teams for the long haul. Brubaker should breathe some interesting life into the X-Men with the Deadly Genesis miniseries, but as a whole Marvel has missed a golden opportunity to refresh its creative teams. Instead, all the new blood is coming onto new series.
    There are a number of looming questions to be answered. What's happened to Xavier? What will become of the Avengers who died in "Disassembled"? It seems pretty clear that Quicksilver, star of the upcoming Son of M, will be powerless in this redefined Marvel Universe.

    We know that everyone will remember what has happened. So look for renewed interest in containing the mutant menace, whatever may be left of it. But also expect some changes in how mutants are viewed by other superheroes. The line has blurred over the years and it really has become a wonder why someone loves the Fantastic Four but fears a mutant. The line in the sand has been redrawn. That should provide some excellent fodder for future stories.

    Infinite Crisis suggest that Crisis on Infinite Earths never ended. With the re-emergence of Earth-2, Earth-3 and Earth-Prime characters, that would seem to be the case. What is the end-goal? We can't be certain, but in recent weeks DC's lips have become considerably looser.
    The DCU has become quite dark of late, but only through its darkest days can the heroes come through to a brighter future. That doesn't mean Batman will no longer stalk criminals in the night, but look for DCU's biggest heroes to get nudged back a bit more towards center.

    Much of the focus leading into Crisis has been on secret identities. When villains learned of a hero's secret identity and the identity of their loved ones, Zatanna and the JLA were there to do some mindwiping. That's come back to bite the league in the ass. But the problem of identities, particularly how none seem very secret anymore, is a major theme. Don't be shocked if Geoff Johns pulls a similar trick to the one he did in Flash, where he made the world forget Wally West was the Scarlet Speedster. The heroes have become far too familiar with one another, making those alternate identities almost meaningless. A DCU where Wonder Woman refers to the Dark Knight as "Batman" instead of "Bruce" is a better one in the long run.

    There's been considerable speculation that Bruce Wayne will die. After all, someone has to die, right? This may actually come to pass. Infinite Crisis has been too carefully plotted for there to be any mere coincidence, so the panel showing the Bat-Signal projected over Spectre's chest should not be taken for granted. In August, Judd Winick alluded to the idea that even if Bruce Wayne were to not be Batman for a while, eventually he would come back. It's very possible Wayne could become the new Spectre for a period of time, atoning for his recent mistakes and reclaiming the mantle of the Bat at the end of next year (or at least before the next Batman movie).

    Crisis is a course correction that will likely maintain the history of the past two decades, but fundamentally shift the focus of specific characters. DC has stated several times that Crisis will set DC up for the next generation, so look for some of the younger characters to step forward and take key roles as the Crisis comes full-force.

    This is just the beginning of some big changes for both Marvel and DC. Who knows what surprises are ultimately in store, but both universes should look significantly different a year from now.
    "It's still a long way to the top if we want to rock'n'roll, but at least they dumped the tuba player."
    --M2

  15. #44
    RaisorZone Raisor's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    I haven't seen an issue of Infinity Crisis yet, but I've read the spoilers.

    The last page sound rockin.

  16. #45
    Member SteelSD's Avatar
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    Re: Comic Book Talk!

    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor
    I haven't seen an issue of Infinity Crisis yet, but I've read the spoilers.

    The last page sound rockin.
    Yeah, it's definitely a suprise last page (I'll not explain just in case folks who want to read it haven't). I read the lead-in minis (OMAC Project, Villians United, Day of Vengeance) except for the Rann-Thangar War (that one just didn't interest me). The last issue of Villians United was also particularly interesting (major surprise was revealed).

    And if you get a chance to pick up Alex Ross' "Justice" mini, it's a great new take on some of the vintage DC villians (Riddler actually looks like a bad man). Fun stuff and, as always, great Alex Ross painted art.
    "The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer

    "The single most important thing for a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit. A good hitter can hit a pitch that’s over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a ball in a tough spot.”
    --Ted Williams


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