BC Refugees Blog

I will be exactly where I was one year ago on Free Comic Book Day - - at CAPTAIN BLUE HEN COMICS 280 E. Main Street, Newark, DELAWARE. From planning, promoting, to organization, the guest artists and writers, childrens activities, and their people-handling / traffic coordinating skills (they get a big crowd all day)they cover it thoroughly. I've never seen a store handle FCBD the way it's done here. So impressed was I that I'm coming back for more in 2010. FREE COMIC BOOK DAY will be held at Captain Blue Hen this Saturday, May 1 from Noon until 5 p.m. Everyone attending gets a free comic, with over 25 titles to choose from. If you bring a library card and /or a canned food item to donate to the Newark Food Bank you can get another free comic for each. Special Guest Artists include Rich Faber and John Gallagher (Buzzboy, Nascar Heroes, Roboy Red); Neil Vokes (Superman, Tarzan, Spider-Man); Scott Neely (Scooby-Doo, Cartoon Network); J...

Woah.  When did the site layout change?  I have everything on my RSS feed, so I don't actually visit here unless I need to write something or check an old post--it's all brown now. Anyway.  I've been pretty vocal about my love for  Final Crisis .  Others didn't like it so much--they felt that it was too complicated, that it wasn't a suitable story for a big event, that it didn't have a traditional narrative.  I guess I can understand those, to a degree.  It  was a complicated story--but really, by now readers know what to expect from Grant Morrison, this shouldn't have been a surprise.  And since when is complication bad?  It  wasn't your typical crossover event--but it wasn't actually a crossover, either.  It was a single story, with a few selected tie-ins, meant to conclude both the story of the Multiverse, as it had been portrayed thus far, and the plot points and themes that Grant Morrison had developed over the past twenty years working at DC....

DIE HARD: YEAR ONE VOLUME 1 hardcover DIE HARD: YEAR ONE Issue #1 – 4  (2009, BOOM Studios) Written by Howard Chaykin with art by Stephen Thompson. A SHORTCUT FOR IMPATIENT READERS:   If you enjoyed the DIE HARD film series beyond the explosions and action and also appreciated the comedic moments as well as the character development of hero John McClane, then you will want to investigate the comic series. FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY READING MORE IN-DEPTH REVIEWS OF COMICS:   Keep going . . . . .           The hard and sometimes difficult reality is that having good friends to share your hobby with can seriously inflate your comics budget.           Good friends share their findings (or “gems”).  I appreciate their generosity and try to reciprocate by sharing some of my “finds”.  The upside is that I get to read some great works that I wouldn’t have sought out on my o...

Green Arrow 32: From the “they said it better than me” file, Savage Critic's Brian Hibbs (spoilers ahoy): There’s a few conventions of comics that don’t really withstand scrutiny — like “Secret Identities”, but that’s because seldom do comics underline just how…stupid they are. But, it is double-underlined here, then highlighted with an orange highlighter pen. “Gasp, you mean Green Arrow is ex-Mayor Oliver Queen? Wha-?!?”…Then there is the whole trial/verdict thing which was just unbelievably bad — “I’m tempted to overrule the jury, but, ah, what the hell, let’s just banish you.” How is that even remotely plausible anywhere anyhow?…“I saw part of me in Mia’s eyes”? Really, through the non-eye-showing mask? Really?…And the ending with Hal standing in for the JLA and saying, in essence, “we don’t care that you’re a murderer, since a biased jury let you off.”  Me again: I can't recommend this book, but the ending of "Brightest Day" #0 will make a little more sense if y...

  LOGAN’S RUN: LAST DAY #2  (Bluewater Productions, April 2010)  Paul Salamoff writer; Daniel Gete, artist             Everything that made Issue #1 such a great read and visual treat is back again in Issue #2.  Writer Paul Salamoff continues to move the story along, uncovering more details and background as the plot gains momentum.  Still, he’s not about to tip his hand entirely.  It’s going to require returning for future issues of this title to see the entire hand he has in play.  Artist Daniel Gete gets a little more comfortable with the style he’ll be utilizing in this title and validates our reason to spotlight him as an upcoming creator to watch.            Issue #2 opens with a bang,  a devastating  explosion with radioactive consequences at the end of 2095 that leads to a “nuclear winterland” as the atmosphere becomes pol...

Batman: Streets of Gotham 8-10: I guess they had some kind of deadline problem with #8-9, because guest writer Mike Benson’s story has clearly been on the shelf for a while. Even though the name isn’t used, Batman’s behavior and internal monologue are clearly Bruce Wayne and not Dick Grayson. (He’s drawn with longer hair when he’s out of costume, but he’s also in disguise then.) Furthermore, I didn’t really get why this was a Batman story at all. I do like straight crime stories with Batman (as opposed to costumed villains) but there isn’t anything he does in this story that a competent crime scene tech and an undercover police detective couldn’t have accomplished. We know there are cops that Gordon can trust – see “Gotham Central” for instance – so he didn’t need Batman for this case at all. (Other than that there wouldn’t have been a story, of course.) Fortunately, the return to Paul Dini’s ongoing story in #10 is a terrific chapter featuring Damian and a kid vigilante. Artist Dustin...

X-Force 22-25: Overall, the “Necrosha” story was a failure for me. Besides having the unfortunate timing to raise the dead during “Blackest Night”, I didn’t feel any of the resurrected characters were used to good emotional effect. (Except for Doug Ramsey in “New Mutants” – those stories were excellent.) And maybe I’m just an old fart, but I didn’t quite follow the ending – I think they defeated Selene on the Native American spirit plane, but I’m not sure – and there are plenty of places, especially in #25, where Clayton Crain’s art is printed so dark that I can’t tell who’s doing what. That said, I do still like the idea of this series, and the fact that the secret is starting to come out in “Uncanny” should be a lot of fun. Edited to add:  Paul O'Brien has a good review of the storyline  here . X-Men Legacy 230-234: The ending to the Emplate story in #230 was fine and the “Necrosha” story with Proteus in #231-233 wasn’t bad either, although I find myself struggling to reme...

                     Winners of the 8th annual RONDO HATTON CLASSIC HORROR AWARDS have been announced. Over 3,000 fans participated in the voting this year.   The public is invited to vote for any of the nominees each year; and this year was a record for turn-out.  It was also the first year for me;  as well as being the first year I became aware of the awards.  I plan to participate again next year.  I’m already planning to investigate some of the winners of  2009.           You can view the entire list by going to the website at www.rondoaward.com .            The winner in the BEST HORROR COMIC BOOK category was BATMAN: GOTHAM AFTER MIDNIGHT by Steve Niles and Kelley Jones.  Runner up was horror anthology series VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS.  Honorable ...

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man 7-8: Before reading these, I reread the first six issues in the new hardcover, and I really admire what Bendis has accomplished here. The series opens six months after “Ultimatum”, when enough of New York has been rebuilt for it to be officially open for business again. At first, it seems like Bendis has used the distance from the tragedy to essentially do the same book, but as the relaunch unfolds there’s an underlying sadness to all the characters (who after all, have all been through a trauma.) I especially like Aunt May’s taking in kids like Johnny Storm and Bobby Drake – instead of being a sitcom gimmick, it fills a deep need in May just like being Spider-Man does for Peter. That said, it also allows Bendis to do the Ultimate version of “Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends”, so the humor is still there too. I miss David Lafuente in these most recent two issues, but otherwise they’re a fun diversion following up on a thread from the “Ultimate Power” minise...

Booster Gold 27-30: The “Blackest Night” crossover in #27 ends well, with Booster getting a chance to make up for Ted Kord’s original funeral by staging his own memorial. I also really liked the Coast City arc in #28-30. Even though the mandate not to change the past has been explored before in the Barbara Gordon arc, I didn’t mind going over similar ground because it’s an entire city and therefore a much bigger moral dilemma. Plus it’s fun to see Dan Jurgens and Jerry Ordway revisit their “Death of Superman” days. Jurgens has one more issue left in his run, but his epilogue this issue seems to almost directly address the concerns about Giffen & DeMatteis taking over. (Old Booster: “…I’m living proof that things will work out fine. When the time is right – I’ll be back.”) Frankly, I do have concerns about their upcoming issues. Johns and Jurgens (not to mention the “52” writers) have worked really hard to change Booster into a deeper, more interesting character and I hope that does...

          The finalists have been announced and voting will take place between now and May 31, 2010 for the CBG Fan Awards 2010.  You can cast your vote for your favorite nominees at the www.cbgxtra.com web site.           For discussion purposes I’m going to list my picks here. I welcome your comments, feedback, etc. I hope some of you will make your picks public as well. This could be fun. FAVORITE EDITOR - - - Joe Quesada FAVORITE WRITER - - - Ed Brubaker FAVORITE PENCILLER - - - J H Williams III FAVORITE INKER - - - Scott Williams FAVORITE COLORIST  - - - Paul Mounts FAVORITE LETTERER - - - Chris Eliopoulas FAVORITE COVER ARTIST - - - John Cassaday FAVORITE STORY - - - Sgt. Rock & The Lost Battalion FAVORITE SERIES  - - - Jonah Hex FAVORITE ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL - - - Asterios Polyp FAVORITE CHARACTER - - - Captain America ...

The official press release can be found here (as long as I did the link thing correctly): http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2010/03/23/chris-evans-marvel-comics-captain-america/?ncid=webmaildl8 I hope he's the right choice - - - I have high hopes for the Captain America movies after seeing what a great job was done with Iron Man. I've only seen the first Fantastic Four film, but nobody in that movie impressed me. Chris Evans was the Human Torch. Let's blame that on the director and keep our fingers crossed.

DEVIL #1 of 4  (Dark Horse)   story and art by Torajiro Kishi and Madhouse Studios                It wouldn’t be hard to justify labeling this as “horror”, “dark fantasy”, or “science fiction” as this complex and fast-moving story touches upon all three genres.   If you like vampire tales, John Woo crime/action films, and/or horror movies with seemingly indestructible monsters (as seen in ALIENS, etc.) then this book has something to interest you.            Whether DEVIL takes place in a future society or an alternate universe is unclear, and may be explained in future issues.  A new virus with vampire-like symptoms is spreading across the planet. It turns victims into “Devils”  = =  not exactly vampires but super-powerful blood suckers.  The lifespan of an infected Devil is just a few days but the virus is fast-acting. ...

TIME LINCOLN (Antarctic Press, March 17, 2010)  story and art by Fred Perry                     I remember seeing this title solicited in PREVIEWS and passing on it.  However, after seeing it resting on the new releases shelf at my local comics shop  (Captain Blue Hen in Newark, DE)  I was strangely attracted to it.  After being hypnotized by the cover I picked it up - - just another one of those impulsive buys that frequently result in new and pleasing discovery.  (This also serves as a testimonial for why we need to support comic shops - - I have them to thank or blame for this!)           The beautifully depicted steampunk cover by Brian Denham with a head shot of Abraham Lincoln as centerpiece forces you to pick it up and examine the contents.           From that poin...

I do not know if I'd read Siege again. But right now, I acknowledge that it is, without a doubt, the blockbuster conclusion that we have been promised. For the past however-many years, Bendis has had control of the Marvel universe, guiding it through major events and redefining it. Mainstream press was attracted to Spider-Man's unmasking in Civil War , to Captain America's death and eventual return. From Avengers: Disassembled on, Bendis has told a massive story that completely changed how readers viewed the Avengers. For the first time in a very long time, these characters, these icons in the Marvel universe, have topped the charts--and they haven't gone away. I've had my criticisms of these stories. More than a few, actually. I don't think that they hold up on rereads, and I usually feel that they're a connection of big moments loosely linked together by a flimsy narrative. That is not that sort of story I want to read. For many people, however? ...

Vengeance of the Moon Knight 2-5: Pretty good stuff from writer Gregg Hurwitz. I could have lived without the Sentry appearance in #2, but otherwise he does a good job of showing Marc Spector fighting his killer impulses (and winning, for a change) and the use of The Hood to resurrect an old villain is clever. Jerome Opeña gives the art the feel of the original series, which is nice, and there are some nice action moments but his faces are sometimes a little bit sketchy. Overall a good read that doesn’t rise to the level of “must have”. Siege 3: There’s another big act of destruction in this issue, although it’s not nearly as (literally) visceral as the last one. (It makes me wonder how much Matt Fraction has been lying in his “Thor” interviews lately, though.) It’s great fun to see the “real” Avengers again, though we don’t quite get the Cap/Iron Man/Thor together moment I was hoping for. I didn’t feel the “White House” expository captions in the first few pages added much to the st...

I just got through watching Warner Animation’s latest DC Universe movie – unfortunately, I had to be home sick with a fever to have the time – and it’s my favorite so far. Originally conceived by writer Dwayne McDuffie as the bridge between the “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited” animated series, this classic story of the Justice League vs. the Crime Syndicate has been modified to stand alone. (But if you squint, and pretend they used John Stewart instead of Hal Jordan, it still basically fits in the original continuity.) McDuffie tends to think his sci-fi concepts all the way through, and I think his take on the “infinite Earths” concept will please even people who don’t normally like the idea. His take on it makes Owlman into perhaps the most nihilistic character in the history of animation. His Batman is pretty ruthless and scary too, and not afraid to make a surprising sacrifice for the greater good. The fight scenes are terrific too, and there are lots of cameos ...

THE BRONX KILL   (Vertigo Crime Graphic Novel) written by Peter Milligan with art by James Romberger.  Available in hardcover on March 17, 2010.  Black & White with Gray tones.  Suggested for Mature Readers. Peter Milligan earned his spot on my personal list of writers to watch some time ago.  With THE BRONX KILL , a tight little crime/mystery thriller about a family with some troubled history, he moves onto my even shorter list of crime writers to pay attention to.  The quality level falls in between the works of Ed Brubaker and David Lapham.  THE BRONX KILL builds suspense like the master Brubaker while the gritty dark side of human nature he details reminds me of Lapham’s hard-core tales.           For three generations the males of the Keane family have sought careers as policemen.  Each of them wanted to be a “cop” until Martin Keane made a decision to go his own way and pursue hi...

John Kovalic gets the last word on the Amazon.com graphic novel kerfuffle here and here .

The single-disc editions of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and Green Lantern: First Flight are getting marked down from $19.98 to $14.98 on March 16, so if you don’t have them yet this might be the week to get them.