NYCBMP 2012
Comic Nation
The Caption Box 24: Kevin Smith men and Alien Turtles
Rob Base talks with Alternative Mindz’s very own Comic Reviewer Bill Liston about Comic Book men and Kevin Smith’s new book, Tough Sh*t. The guys also end up talking a little about Bay Turtles from Space!
[podcast]http://media.alternativemindz.com/mp3/CaptionBox/24_caption_box_podcast_Kevin_Smith_Men_03302012.mp3[/podcast]
Rex, Zombie Killer Review
by Charles Suffel
Writer Rob Anderson
Artist/Cover Artist Dafu Yu
From the full page ad in February’s Diamond Previews:
In the wake of a zombie apocalypse, a Golden Retriever and a small pack of animals, accompanied by a bat-wielding gorilla, attempt to cross the country to find safety. But they’ll face many dangers, including a group of outlaw bikers! Homeward Bound meets The Walking Dead in this double-sized one-shot!
We’ve seen animal teams before We3 and Beasts of Burden are great examples. What drew me in immediately in this book was the team dynamic or the lack thereof. The animals aren’t written simply, they all have very distinct personalities and the dialogue seems very natural. This a rocky group, the pack mentality hasn’t kicked in yet. Watching Rex be a leader, the voice of reason, the big brother, the peacemaker, and the tactician all while trying to get where he wants to go really works. Kenji’s naivety, Brutus’ bravado, Buttercup’s optimism, and Snowball’s snotty aloofness make for an interesting combination. This book definitely doesn’t skimp on the zombie action. Rotters are all over the place and our heroes have to learn to think quickly and work together to keep themselves steps ahead from the shambling hoards. Throw in a group of nut-job bikers with a really sick idea of fun and you’ve got a book that keeps you turning pages and leaves you wanting more.
Post apocalyptic books are always an interesting playground, a great backdrop to showcase the human condition. I think by giving us a bunch of non-humans to follow Rob Anderson shows us a different and refreshing view of the usual zombie apocalypse. If all this sounds as good to you as it does to me get to your local comic shop order this book. The release date is April 25th. Stop by the website www.rexzombiekiller.com, it’s a great website with a lot of preview material and background stuff.
Format: ONE-SHOT
Price: $3.50
For more on Rex, Zombie Killer, check out Charles Suffel’s interview with creator Rob Anderson!
Follow Chuck on Twitter @Chuck_Suffel
BOOM! STUDIOS LAUNCHES SAM HUMPHRIES’ HIGHER EARTH
BOOM! STUDIOS LAUNCHES
SAM HUMPHRIES’
HIGHER EARTH
THIS MAY
ALL-NEW ORIGINAL ONGOING SERIES
FULL FIRST ISSUE
ONLY $1
Space is dead. Why conquer other planets when there’s a perfectly good Earth in the universe next door? HIGHER EARTH, the epic new sci-fi thriller from BOOM! Studios this May created and written by indie sensation Sam Humphries (OUR LOVE IS REAL, ULTIMATE COMICS: ULTIMATES) and drawn by Francesco Biagini (ELRIC: THE BALANCE LOST), offers the first full 22-page issue of this ongoing series for only $1!
Title ships in May with main covers by Joe Benitez, Phil Noto, Frazer Irving, and Ben Oliver in a 30/30/30/10 split, a retailer incentive variant by David Aja (1:15), a “You Are Illegal On This Earth” variant (1:25), and a sketch variant by Joe Benitez (1:50).
There will also be a special CGC certified 9.8 Near Mint variant by legendary artist Michael Golden (THE MICRONAUTS) (1:100).
“Higher Earth is a sci-fi revenge story set in an empire that has conquered over a hundred earths across alternate time-lines,” says writer Sam Humphries. “We follow Rex and Heidi as they slash a bloody path through an empire where going from one time-line to the next is as natural as taking a flight from New York to London. It’s a massive cognitive leap that is now a day-to-day reality for a civilization of a thousand billion citizens.” “This is the sci-fi thriller Sam has been waiting to tell after his huge success with OUR LOVE IS REAL,” says BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon.
“With the full first issue priced at only $1, this is a can’t-miss from a hot creator!” says BOOM! Studios Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ross Richie. “Don’t miss out on HIGHER EARTH!”
HIGHER EARTH launches this MAY with a Diamond Order Code of MAR120853.
Here Comes the Judge
Here Comes the Judge
IDW and 2000 AD join forces to launch an all-new Judge Dredd comic-book series
IDW Publishing has partnered with 2000 AD to launch a line of Judge Dredd comics starting later this year.
Details and creative teams will be announced at a later date, but the partnership includes the creation of all-new Judge Dredd comics as well as deluxe reprints of classic Dredd material.
“Judge Dredd turns 35 this year, and it’s great to help him celebrate his birthday like this,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. “It was great to meet up with the 2000 AD team at the recent London Super Con and cement the partnership on this one. My interest in Judge Dredd far predates my tenure at IDW, so it’s a real drokkin’ pleasure for us to now be the first American publisher in 18 years to create new tales of Dredd.”
Judge Dredd was created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra, along with editor Pat Mills, and made his debut in the second issue of the science fiction anthology 2000 AD. He remains that title’s longest-running character and is one of the best-known British comic-book characters of all time.
“IDW are renowned for their ability to create new comics for existing characters with both respect and imagination,” said Jason Kingsley, CEO of Rebellion, “so we at Rebellion were intrigued when they approached us. Their familiarity with Dredd and passion for the character were vital components in making this partnership happen. With 2000 AD’s longest-serving, and multiple award-winning, editor Matt Smith working with IDW on establishing the new series, we’re delighted to make 2012 an even more spectacular year for Judge Dredd and 2000 AD.”
Dredd is the toughest Judge in Mega-City One, a city-state located on the East Coast of America and surrounded by radioactive wastelands in a dystopian future. With criminals, thugs and mutants swarming the streets, as judge, jury and executioner Judge Joseph Dredd delivers justice with exacting, and sometimes lethal, force.
In the character’s 35 years of existence, many of the biggest and best British comics creators have told his tales. 2012 also sees the release of a big-budget motion picture based on the lawman. Dredd stars Star Trek’s Karl Urban, who will be donning the helmet and wielding Dredd’s “Lawgiver” pistol.
IDW’s first Judge Dredd series will debut this fall. Until then, remember… he IS the law!
Review: King Conan #3
By Alex Vazquez
We’re three quarters of the way into our story, and as expected events are coming to a head, as assassins strike and blood-thirsty beasts are unleashed. All the while, our barbarian King has his back to the wall (just the way he likes it).
Timothy Truman’s bells and whistles have added an extra dimension to this retelling of Robert E. Howard’s original story. He follows the REH tradition of displaying Conan during the different eras in his life. More satisfyingly, it feels organic to the mythos.
Tomas Giorello and Jose Villarubia’s artwork has yet to disappoint, the page depicting a certain snake is especially sublime. Moreover, I find the panels juxtaposing between the different points in Conan’s life beautifully subtle.
The last issue can’t get here any sooner. May Mitra deliver it with swiftness!
Follow Alex on Twitter @Net_Lex
The Caption Box 23: Image Hates You
Rob Base talks with Chuck Suffel as they go over the Image Expo and about a certain “Image Creators” comments about the fans.
[podcast]http://media.alternativemindz.com/mp3/CaptionBox/23_caption_box_podcast_Image_Hates_You_03092012.mp3[/podcast]
Boom teaser poster
Byrne and Wrightson strike again!
John Byrne and Bernie Wrightson both return with new series!
IDW Publishing is ecstatic to announce new projects from legendary creators JOHN BYRNE and BERNIE WRIGHTSON! This May, Byrne will be smashing into stands with a brand-new, creator-owned superhero series, TRIO. TRIO follows the exploits of three super-powered heroes known as Rock, Paper, and Scissors on a series of explosive adventures!
Along the way, beloved inkers who have finished off Byrne’s pencils in the past will be inking variant covers for the series, starting with “Joltin’” Joe Sinnott on issue 1, and Byrne’s Silver Surfer/X-Men: The Hidden Years cohort Tom Palmer on #2.
“Trio really is Byrne’s return to superheroic form,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. Ryall will be editing Trio himself. He added that “fans who’ve loved Byrne at all stages of his career, from his beloved and influential superhero comics to his more recent work with us on Star Trek and Next Men, will love what he’s bringing to bear on this series.”
In FRANKENSTEIN ALIVE, ALIVE! Wrightson teams up with one of his greatest collaborators, STEVE NILES to continue the legacy of one of his greatest works. This sequel to Wrightson’s acclaimed 1983 illustrated version of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein was scripted by Niles and will feature Wrightson’s inimitable brushwork in addition to heaps of engrossing supplemental material like interviews, essays, and a serialization of Shelley’s original work.
And just to show how thrilled we are about these new series, IDW is throwing its full weight behind TRIO and FRANKENSTEIN ALIVE, ALIVE! and making each debut issue fully returnable for retailers.
“Both Byrne and Wrightson are not only legends in the comics field,” Ryall said, “but they’re also doing work here that stacks up nicely alongside their very best comics from the past, and we want retailers to know we stand behind these books in a big way. Hopefully the returnability of the issues really speaks to how strongly we feel about these books being a good bet for comic shops.”
This May, join IDW in welcoming these iconoclasts back to genres they helped define and experience time-tested comics greatness firsthand!
Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books.
Charismagic #5 Review
by Charles Suffel
Aspen Comics – Charismagic Issue 5 – The Witching
Created & Written by: Vince Hernandez
Character Designs & Illustrations by: Khary Randolph
Additional pencil assissts: Lori Hanson
Colors by: Emilio Lopez
Letters by: Josh Reed
Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy
From aspencomics.com:
“Everything you know about magic will…vanish. Hank Medley was at the top of his game. As a Las Vegas magician, or as he preferred to be called– “An Entertainer,” his life was filled with fame, wealth, and excitement. Yet, his fortune and stardom quickly disappeared faster than his world famous vanishing trick. Soon, Hank discovers that magic, something he thought only existed in his fictitious Vegas show, is far more real than he ever could have imagined on stage. And this shocking realization sends him on a deadly quest filled with wizards, sorcerers, druids, witches and mythical creatures of magic– to not only save humanity from a deadly catastrophic form of evil, but also to transform everything he knew about himself in the process.”
Previously (in Charismagic #4): Hank, along with Sudana and Sparkles, has made his way jungles of Costa Rica in search of Kon. What they find are The Guardians, protectors of Kon’s temple, will they be friend or foe? Meanwhile Kon battles Samsun but the battle isn’t going very well. Hector and Alle get captured in the Void Realm, can they survive?
This book is beautiful, Randolph and Hanson’s pencils with Lopez’s colors compliment each other perfectly, This book has an epic sky battle, lush jungles and gorgeous fight scenes. As for the story? It’s always hard to jump into a miniseries several issues in but after reading the book twice I’m definitely ready to say, this series is really well done! This is an intricate well crafted story of magic and other realms. The plot is kind of complicated but I was able to grasp it and I’m no rocket scientist. The characters are relate-able and interesting, the interactions between them read smoothly the dialogue is very well written. I don’t know if I’d say jump in on issue five of a six issue series but if you can find the back issues this ones a definite read!
Aspen has a habit of running in volumes so maybe this ones got a volume two on the horizon?
Follow Chuck on Twitter @Chuck_Suffel