BC Refugees Blog

  If you have ever wondered what the person who runs this blog is like, you have an opportunity today to meet me in person.  I will be trying to downsize my comics collection by selling some classic sets and single issues at bargain prices.  You can find me at the Memorial Day Collectibles Sale at Captain Blue Hen’s parking lot.  Details are below . . . . Please stop by and chat - - I’d love to meet you . . . . . !!

  STEAMPUNK GOLDILOCKS #1 (ANTARCTIC PRESS) Story and Art by Rod Espinosa (reprint from October 2014) www.antarctic-press.com STEAMPUNK GOLDILOCKS is a clever and engaging re-imagining of the Goldilocks and the Three Bears fairy tale complete with archaic gadgets and other trappings of the steampunk mythos. In this version, Goldilocks partners with Miss Muffett to undertake secretive missions for the Dark Queen. They are expert thieves and are assigned to retrieve a “golden bear” artifact from a secure bunker guarded by a family of ursiforms (armored bears that resemble a cross between Iron Man and Predator). Traveling in a huge tank that resembles a Civil War era Ironclad, the two young schemers penetrate the security system. Goldilocks gets inside, and following the plot outline of the fairy tale, she also discovers the porridge, drinks, chairs and beds and tries them out. This version has an ending that won’t disturb any younger readers. COVER APPEAL : As much as I like this...

  NEIL GAIMAN’S LADY JUSTICE FCBD (Super Genius Comics) Based on a concept by Neil Gaiman. C. J. Henderson, writer. Michael Netzer, penciler. Rick Magyar, inker. Alex Wald, color. Ken Bruzenak, letterer. Painted cover art by Daniel Brereton  www.supergeniuscomics.com           I can imagine several FCBD attendees saw the Gaiman name on the cover and snatched this one up, only to groan and be discouraged upon opening up the book and discovering that he did not write the story. Hopefully, they continued on, read the story, and were pleasantly surprised at the quality of both script and art. In fact, this book is so good that I’m going to recommend it right now, before I finish this first paragraph!           Super Genius Comics is a new imprint, a new venture from Papercutz (great graphic novels for young readers), aimed at an older audience. For their debut titles they have chosen to r...

  GRONK / HERO CATS FCBD 2015 (Action Lab Comics) Gronk = Art & Story by Katie Cook, Colors by Heather Breckel. Hero Cats of Stellar City = Kyle Puttkammer, Writer/Creator. Marcus Williams, Pencils/Colors. Gronk is a cute, lime green, young and small female monster with a nice tuft of sandy California hair on top. She left monster society because she didn’t fit in well and was very curious about the human world. She meets up with a single female in British Columbia who lives in a home with a large Newfoundland dog and a fuzzy kitten. Gronk is welcomed into their family and does her best to fit in. In “A Cake Walk In The Woods, “ Gronk tells a story of when she tried to make friends with the bigger monsters by baking for them. The untitled Hero Cats story does not give a lot of background information but gets right into the action. Things have changed in peaceful Stellar City since the introduction of Galaxy Man (who the Hero Cats are spying on.) Not sure if he is good or ev...

       Thanks to the good folks at Under The Radar Magazine (which I highly recommend) I was able to watch an extended (seven minutes!) preview of the new SUPERGIRL series coming this fall to CBS TV.     Based on this one preview, (which has some spoilers, so avoid watching if that bothers you) Supergirl shows a lot of potential. Appealing actors and actresses. Teenage angst.  Coming to grips with changes.  Learning to handle responsibility and powers.  Secret identify, or shared with a select few or shared with all?  Humor.  Drama.  Sappy emo background music (well, that I can do without. I’ll tolerate it if everything else is good.)   I’m looking forward to watching this. The only conflict is it will air on Monday nights in the same time frame opposite Gotham on Fox TV.  Time to set the DVR to record. http://www.undertheradarmag.com/news/watch_first_trailer_for_new_supergirl_tv_show_to_air_on_cbs_th...

  TERRIBLE LIZARD #1 FCBD EDITION  (Oni Press)  Written by Cullen Bunn. Illustrated by Drew Moss.  Twenty-two page story. Terrible Lizard is a light-hearted and amusing tale of a friendship between a teenage girl and a T-Rex dinosaur pulled out of space-time.  This is an all-ages story that really does offer something for everyone. Jessica Anders is a typical teenage girl, part tomboy and mischievous. She’s lonely and bored with her life at Cosmos Labs.  Her single father is a respected scientist dedicating too many hours to a temporal displacement project.  Due to the impatience of the military funding his research, a lab accident brings several dinosaurs and giant monsters from their time-line into the present.  Teenage girl and T-Rex  (nicknamed Wrex) instantly bond. She becomes its’ champion/defender and the favor is returned. COVER APPEAL :  With a tiny girl riding on the back of a huge dinosaur, there is just enough of a car...

  SAVAGE DRAGON LEGACY FCBD #1 (Image Comics) Writer/Artist Erik Larsen           Savage Dragon is one of the longest running titles in super-hero comics. It is one of the original flagship titles from the then-upstart Image Comics back in the 1990’s. Erik Larsen is the sole creator, and has remained scripter and artist on this title since Issue #1 - - an impressive accomplishment.           Larsen is heavily influenced by Jack Kirby, and his art style, which is not a deliberate mimic or copy, shows traces of that influence throughout - - from the way the feet are drawn, over-sized punches that move to the front of the panels, 1970’s sound effects, and Kirbyesque monsters and villains. His story-writing ability also has a 1970’s flavor to it, except when it comes to sexual situations (but none mentioned in the FCBD edition).           The mantle...

Editor’s Note: After posting my initial article on the FCBD books last week, I was preparing to begin posting reviews the very next day. Then, work and other obligations made for some very long days and no time to read and review. I hope to catch up soon. Please keep watching this space. For a guideline on how I am grading/ranking these books, please go to the Archives and read the article from Thursday, May 07, 2015. HIP-HOP FAMILY TREE THREE-IN-ONE: FEATURING COSPLAYERS (Fantagraphics) Hip-Hop Family Tree writer/artist Ed Piskor. Cosplayers writer/artist Dash Shaw           There is a ton of reading in the FCBD offering, a full 58 pages of material. Ed Piskor, a big fan of the hip-hop genre of music, took it upon himself to chronicle the history of this musical variation from roots and beginnings to later trends. He features many of the prominent artists and players in the development of hip-hop and most of his facial renditions are spot-...

       For many years  I have written about the value of Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), and emphasized the opportunity it presents for comic shop owners to promote their business as well as grab the attention of new and younger readers.  For one of the best examples of how to pull this off, go to the BC archives and read my May 2010 detailed report  of FCBD at Captain Blue Hen Comics in Newark, Delaware. photo courtesy free comic book day organization           By the same token, FCBD is an opportunity for comics publishers to draw attention to their products and create interest, hoping to obtain new readers as well.  After reading your 2015 FCBD pick-ups, how well do you think they did?          Thanks to the kind folks at Captain Blue Hen Comics I have a big stack of FCBD titles and will be reviewing and evaluating them.  I’m going to revive a 20 poi...

from the official press release . . . . . Legendary DC Creators Chiang, Fradon, Levitz, and Tomasi Come to Baltimore BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - May 4, 2015 -   Join us in Baltimore's Inner Harbor the weekend of September 25-27, 2015 for the 16th annual Baltimore Comic-Con! Held at the Baltimore Convention Center, we are proud to announce the appearance of legendary DC Comics creators Cliff Chiang , Ramona Fradon , Paul Levitz , and Peter Tomasi . A Harvard graduate with a joint degree in English Literature and Visual Arts, Cliff Chiang began his career as an assistant editor at DC before moving over to the creative side. He has provided art for titles such as Human Target , Beware the Creeper , Green Arrow/Black Canary , and Wonder Woman . You can find his pencils gracing DC Comics covers for Batgirl and Batman Eternal . Beginning her extensive comics career in the 1950s, Parsons School of Design graduate Ramona Fradon is responsible for artwork in many comics, past and present. S...

from the official press release . . . . . THE LIFE AFTER ARTIST GABO NOMINATED FOR RUSS MANNING PROMISING NEWCOMER AWARD GABO RECOGNIZED FOR HIS WORK ON CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SERIES PORTLAND, OR May 1, 2015 – Oni Press, Portland’s premier independent comic book publisher, today celebrates a Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award nomination for Gabo, artist on The Life After . Gabriel "Gabo" Bautista is an Eisner and Harvey award-winning colorist and illustrator located in Chicago. He has previously worked on titles such as Will Eisner's The Spirit , Elephantmen , and All-Star Western . Gabo's work on the Oni Press comic The Life After , as illustrator and colorist, has earned him this nomination. “I pretty much fainted when I heard the news, and then I saw the other nominees and I fainted again,” says Gabo about the nomination. “I am so incredibly honored and thrilled to be standing next to such brilliant artists. I owe all credit to my editor Ari Yarwood, the re...

EDITOR’S NOTES:  It plays to the strengths of the ONI line that three of their young adult / kids titles earned this special recognition. It is this type of graphic novel, aimed at younger readers without playing down to them, that will grab and hold the attention of prospective and budding comics fans. Libraries, please take notice!  It’s these books that will keep young comics readers coming back and looking for more, much more so than a watered-down, G-rated version of a superhero title.  It may be time for me to dig these three titles out of my pile foe a closer look.                   from the official press release . . . . . . . . . .   NOMINATIONS REFLECT STRENGTH OF ONI PRESS YOUNG ADULT / KIDS TITLES PORTLAND, OR April 27, 2015 – Oni Press, Portland’s premier independent comic book publisher, today celebrates three Will Eisner Comic Industry Award nominations for I Was ...

from the official press release . . . . . . Valiant Entertainment and Sony Pictures today announced a deal to bring two of Valiant's award-winning comic book superhero franchises— BLOODSHOT and HARBINGER—to the big screen over the course of five feature films that will culminate in the shared universe crossover film, HARBINGER WARS. BLOODSHOT, arriving in theaters in 2017, will kick off the five-picture plan leading to HARBINGER WARS and will be directed by David Leitch & Chad Stahelski ( John Wick ) from a script by Jeff Wadlow ( Kick Ass 2 ) and Eric Heisserer ( Story of Your Life ). Neal H. Moritz and Toby Jaffe from Original Film ( The Fast and the Furious franchise) and Dinesh Shamdasani from Valiant Entertainment will produce the film. Matthew Vaughn and Jason Kothari will serve as executive producers. HARBINGER will follow shortly thereafter from a script by Eric Heisserer ( Story of Your Life ). Sony and Valiant remain tight-lipped about potential directors. Neal H. M...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ONI PRESS OPEN SUBMISSION GUIDELINES On May 1st, 2015, Oni Press will be opening submissions to the public. We are on the hunt for new stories from new creators, featuring characters that reflect the diversity of the world around us. Oni Press has always valued content and execution, and we are looking for creators and projects that can support our goal to publish excellent, varied and original work. WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR: PITCHES - Cartoonists and writers, we’re looking for pitches. If you’re a cartoonist who can write and draw we’d love to see what you have. Writers, this is the day you’ve been waiting for—we are looking at story pitches without necessitating an artist attached. If you already have an artist lined up you think is up to snuff, fantastic! But if you’re a writer who needs help finding an artist, if your pitch is THAT good, we will help partner you up. PORTFOLIOS - Illustrators and colorists! If you think your work is up to snuff and you are look...

  EDITOR’S NOTES:  For some years now, we have participated in the voting for the Rondo Hatton Awards, a very worthy and fan-based recognition of classic horror creations for a particular year.  Today is your last chance to make your picks for the beset of 2014.  We’ve voted, and will share both our picks and the final winners in a future article. Here’s a link to the ballot.  Read further below to learn more information and details. http://rondoaward.com/rondoaward.com/blog/?p=168/?p=168 from the official web site . . . . . . Since 2002, the Rondo’s have been fandom’s only classic horror awards — decided by fans, for fans. Every nominee below is being recognized for significant work or achievement in the year 2014.  HOW TO VOTE: – All voting is by e-mail only.  Simply copy this ballot and send an e-mail with your picks to me, David Colton, at taraco@aol.com by Sunday night at midnight, April 19 – You can cut-and-paste the ballot and highlight ...

EDITOR’S NOTE:  From time to time, I invest in some worthy projects and contribute to various Kickstarter campaigns.  I really know very little about Eric Adams.  I just received his email request for Kickstarter support, and it was so clever and amusing that I visited the website and made a contribution. Now it’s your turn to be charmed.  Read on . . . . . . FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, OH GOD, PLEASE RELEASE IT GRAPHIC NOVELIST ENJOYS THE ANXIETY OF CROWD-FUNDING, REALLY, IT FEELS GREAT! Cincinnati, OH (April 9, 2015) -- Eric Adams had cold sweats again last night. The chilly dampness woke him and he instinctively checked his phone for new backer alerts. This has been happening nightly since he launched the Kickstarter campaign to fund the printing of his graphic novel, LACKLUSTER WORLD.           To Eric's delight, there had been one new backer since he last checked 90 minutes ago! They had selected the HARDCOVER BOOK ...

from the official press release . . . . . . . . . (New Bedford, MA/USA—April 8, 2014) The Inkwell Awards, a non-profit organization devoted to the art of inking , will be revealing the unique results of its fifth annual Joe Sinnott Inking Challenge in a series of fund-raising online auctions beginning Saturday, April 11.  This is the ‘main event’ to the recently announced Sinnott Spring Celebration of auctions running from March through May contain ing Joe Sinnott donations.   Bob Almond, founder and director of The Inkwell Awards (AKA "The Inkwells"), said, "The fifth time's the charm! This year not only did the word of mouth participation and support increase exponentially, but we have drawn in even more new veteran professionals as well as enthused, fledgling amateurs, all ready to meet the Challenge as never before.  We even have Joe's son Mark and daughter-in-law Belinda involved in all their inking glory." To best exhibit what inkers do, industry...

Editor’s Note:  I recently visited the Free Comic Book Day website and came across this video worth sharing featuring actor Mark Hamill promoting the event.   Hamill makes some good points regarding why comic readers need to patronize local comic shops and the benefits of doing so. Please check it out . . . . . . Video courtesy of the Free Comic Book Day official website. The content below is shared from the official website. What are you doing on May 2nd, 2015?  Mark Hamill has a great idea that you need to hear! Watch now as the actor, famous for being Luke Skywalker in Star Wars and the voice of The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, tells you all about Free Comic Book Day at your local comic shop ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FO9RYAzu7bs Also make sure to catch Mark as he reprises his role as The Trickster in an upcoming episode of The Flash TV series on the CW! Follow Mark Hamill on Twitter @HamillHimself ! Find a comic...

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Fresh news, just released today March 29, 2015!                                                  From the official press release . . . . . . . . . . Announced today at Emerald City Comicon 2015 , Valiant's 25th Anniversary celebration continues with the debut of VALIANT ORIGINS – an all-new web series spotlighting the origins of Valiant's biggest heroes bi-weekly across 10 animated episodes!  Beginning today with release of the first episode, VALIANT ORIGINS: BLOODSHOT , subsequent installments will be made available every other week on Valiant's official YouTube channel .  New to the award-winning world of the Valiant Universe?  Meet the greatest heroes that Valiant has to offer here in VALIANT ORIGINS – ...