Fanboy Comments! - The Fanboy Comics Newsletter

We Fest is an All-Ages Festival!

Check out the WE Fest website at www.wefestival.com for a Schedule of Events!

ROCKING OUT

Featuring Samples of Work by Attending Creators

Brandon Blanks, Bill Cofflin, Chris Wolf, and Distinguished Caveman

And With a Performance at Fanboy by Second Dan

FIRST DAN UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT

Rockin newcomers from down under, Second Dan launched with irreverent determination a year ago in New York City. These lads write songs that combine the pop sensibilities of Foo Fighters and Jane's Addiction with the passion and world-view of super group U2 and their fellow countrymen Midnight Oil.

It was only a while back that the band gained national visibility in Australia when heir debut EP "Running Out of Feelings," achieved award-winning airplay on Triple J's "Unearthed" - a known rocket boom for a number of Australian acts such as the Grates, Silverchair and Jet. "Running Out of Feelings," along with the follow up single, "Everything is Good" were both in heavy rotation for over two months with regular National Net 50 charting and received national airplay on several commercial stations such as Triple M, Austereo and NOVA.

The band has spent the past year plotting their next steps. They returned to the studio to record their first full-length album with Andy Baldwin (Cat Empire, Powderfinger, Waikiki) and have been building a passionate following around the tri-state area. The live stage is Second Dan's first home. They regularly play headlining shows at Mercury Lounge, Arlene's Grocery and Crash Mansion along with supporting gigs at Irving Plaza. The band has toured Australia on festival bills with the bands like The White Stripes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and The Vines.

Second Dan features Dan Rosen on vocals and guitars, Adam Lerner on lead guitar, Danny Reisbick on bass and Sonny Ratcliffe on drums. Their debut album, Bringing Down Goliath, will be released via Rola Pola Records/Organic Entertainment in late-summer 2007.

Come join our shindig this week. WE Festival features more than seventy DIY small label bands plus indie films, visual art, 'zines and, yes, indie self-published comics. The festival takes place at the Soapbox laundro-lounge in downtown Wilmington May 24-28. (That's this week.) Also, come by and see us at Fanboy Comics at 3901-A Wrightsville Ave. this Saturday, May 26 from 1:00-4:00 PM. Meet self-published comic creators, buy their wares and get free samples of their work. Also, check out the back hall art show where we will display and sell work by lots of local artists. If this wasn't enough, we're having a huge indie backissue, trade paperback, and t-shirt sale. I really want you guys to come check this out so the indie classification will include ALL NON-MARVEL OR DC COMICS. That's right, you read it right; all non-Marvel or DC Comic backissues will be reduced to $1.00. (Image, Dark Horse, IDW, Oni, etc.--does not include variant, incentive, or special edition comics.) All non-Marvel or DC trade paperbacks will be 30% off.

One last thing: my favorite WE Fest band Second Dan will perform at Fanboy Comics at 3:00 PM. These guys are fantastic; you will love them. Please, I'm begging you, come out support all these great artists. You will have a good time and it's only $1.00 to get into the Soapbox all weekend. For more details visit www.wefestival.com.

Thanks,
Thomas Gilbert
Owner, Fanboy Comics

More information is coming next week! Get some awesome roleplaying games! Hooray!

www.freerpgday.com

We will still be open on Memorial Day, though.

That is all.

quite possibly my favorite image in the world. when they invent animated tattoos, I will get this

That's right, May is Manga month! That's because, as AMERICANS, we pronounce it MAY-nga, which makes the whole play on words work. What does this mean? Well, it means several things.

First, all manga backissues in our back issue boxes are reduced to $1.00!

Second, all manga trade paperbacks are 30% off!

Finally, Yu-Gi-Oh structure decks are 50% off!

All these specials exclude new releases, because that would just be kerrrazy, much like that maid up there with that spinning plate! They're only in effect on Tuesday, too! My bad about not mentioning that earlier!

Don't forget our regular Tuesday Specials, either!

THESE TUESDAYS ARE SPECIAL I SAY

HA HA, NOW THAT CAPTAIN AMERICA IS DEAD THIS COMIC IS NOW THE ARNIM ZOLA SHOW STARRING ME, ARNIM ZOLA! TADAA!! Captain America #26

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

If a tree falls in the woods, and nobody is around, does it make a sound?

How do you write a comic book when the title character is dead?

I don't know about the first two koans there, but Ed Brubaker has figured out the answer to the third one. The answer, it turns out, is "damn well." If you hadn't read a Captain America book until issue 25, keep reading. Ed Brubaker is one of the best writers in comics and you are doing yourself a disservice if you are not reading all of the books he writes.

ARNIM ZOLA REFUSES TO CEDE HIS OWNERSHIP OF THE ALT TEXT! HA HA HA Gutsville #1

Who the heck knows what's up with this comic. I think it has something to do with a whale. Also, Jackson reads it. So who the heck knows what's up? My guess: giant whales form a society based on traded organic matter or "guts." Then, they have to fight Doctor Doom. Seriously, I didn't think this too far through, but it sounds vaguely interesting.

ARNIM ZOLA HAS TRANSCENDED HTML ITSELF TO BECOME ALT TEXT PERSONIFIED Fantastic Four #546

This issue is pretty damn good. It also ties in heavily with the Beyond! miniseries, and resolves all the stuff going on with Gravity. It also has magic frogs, which is always a plus for a Fantastic Four comic in my book.

ARNIM ZOLA IS REALLY AN OBSCURE VILLAIN AND I AM NOT SURE IF I AM SUPPOSED TO TALK IN THE THIRD PERSON. NONETHELESS, I AM A ROBOT WITH A TV IN ITS STOMACH THAT IS ALSO A DUDE She-Hulk #18

Those of you who read She-Hulk (all three of you) may recall that, in the last issue, she slept with Tony Stark. Now, you will find what could drive a woman to punch a man she had a one-night-stand with! Truly, Dan Slott is a master of characterization. Also, two issues ago, She-Hulk hit on Wolverine and he said he didn't want "Juggernaught's sloppy seconds." If that doesn't get you to read this book, I don't know what will.

mustaches are a universal symbol of irrelevance

Here are the scheduled board games for the next four weeks:

from the creators of, well, pretty much just lunch money I guess May 28th - Lunch Money

wow, I actually don't know anything about board games June 4th - Killer Bunnies

thrill as you build roads or some such nonsense June 11th - Settlers of Catan

this game is tons of fun June 18th - Zombies!

thanks to the four other people who get this joke

It's easy to learn to play games! Just stop by Fanboy Comics on Tuesday or Friday from 5:00 to 9:00 PM and find Atwood "The Rib" Boyd, our newly hired Game Counselor! He'll be available to teach you any game you want, or just to play games! That's right, we've got someone on staff whos job is to play games! As a fellow employee who has to spend hours photoshopping together obscure video game magazine references, I can confindently say that I'm not bitter at all. Oh, wait, I was mistaken, I'm incredibly bitter. That's not really a change from the status quo, though, since I am pretty much a barely contained fountain of rage.

The Rib will also be around to help people paint and build their armies, and he'll have a ton of free stuff to give away to people who show up for demos. You can also sign up in our game directory, a way for people to connect with gamers they don't even know yet!

A QUESTION THAT HAS PLAGUED MANKIND FOR AEONS

It would seem that my favorite miniatures game is finally catching on in the area, and thankfully Fanboy Comics is going to be supporting it! Every Thursday Night from 6-10:30 PM we'll be hosting free play for Warmachine, and every new player who shows up this month gets two free movie tickets! That's radical, to steal a line from the year 1993! Warmachine is an awesome game with awesome models and awesome rules, so you should definitely play it. Heck, we can even help you learn to play the game. I've got some extra minis. It's a ton of fun.

Also check out these other events:

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS? YOU DON'T SAY

man you will not believe how much legal documentation I had to read about photocopying money before I decided to scan this dollar coin in hopes I would not get arrested

Feel free to print out this flyer/order form/etc. and bring it by the store to place your special order for any of these products! We'll also have a bunch of them at the store for you to fill out if you want to pre-order anything else.

TRULY A BOUNTIFUL SEASON

HOORAY FOR VIOLENCE

Limited Edition White Dwarf Miniature

$25.00

As part of the huge White Dwarf Birthday Celebration taking place Memorial Day Weekend (May 26-27) Games Workshop will be selling this limited edition White Dwarf miniature. The miniature was sculpted by Aly Morrison and depicts Grombrindal, the White Dwarf, on a shield held aloft by Gotrek and Joseph Bugman. There are even over-the-top rules for the miniature in White Dwarf 329.

Fell Vol. 1: Feral City

THE STORY OF A BOOK WRITTEN BY WARREN ELLIS

$14.99 (Softcover)
$24.99 (Hardcover)

Detective Richard Fell is transferred over the bridge from the big city to Snowtown, a feral district whose police investigations department numbers three and a half people (one detective has no legs). Dumped in this collapsing urban trashzone, Richard Fell is starting all over again. In a place where nothing seems to make any sense, Fell clings to the one thing he knows to be true: Everybody's hiding something.

Zombies 6: Six Feet Under

$14.99

You have always thought.. There has got to be an easier way to get around town! Well, now you found one... Or did you? There can’t be zombies underground, right? ZOMBIES!!! 6: 6 FEET UNDER adds a whole new level of excitement to the Zombies!!! game. With this expansion players are now free to explore the underground subways and sewers beneath the city.

Infinite Crisis Series 2 Action Figures

INSANE MUSCLE BATMAN WILL SAVE YOU, DONNA TROY

$19.99 Each

Each figure features multiple points of articulation and a base. Advance-solicited; on sale May 16, 2007 Action Figures PI BATMAN (6.75") SUPERMAN (6.75") FIRESTORM (6.5") WONDER WOMAN (6.75") DONNA TROY (6.5") DONNA TROY as WONDER GIRL (6.75")

Silver Surfer Omnibus

$74.99

Born by the hand of the world-devourer, Galactus, Norrin Radd sacrificed himself to save his home planet and his true love, Shalla-Bal, but the price of their lives was servitude to the mighty Galactus - as his herald, the Silver Surfer! Now, exiled upon Earth, he struggles to understand the beauty and humanity of mortal men, and nobly seeks to heal the rifts that separate man from his brothers. Created by the titanic team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR, the Silver Surfer went on to become one of the most-beloved characters in all comicdom. Embodying the mind-blowing concepts of Kirby and Stan's socially conscious writing craft, the Surfer's stories expressed their creative vision in staggering and unique tales. Another talent would touch the character, however, granting him a soul-wrenching humanity that helped define him to this very day: the one and only John Buscema! A master of the craft, Buscema's Silver Surfer is considered by many to be the peak of comic-book art. Now, the original adventures of the Silver Surfer are presented in one complete volume! Containing every story and letters page, restored and recolored to match the original issues, plus behind-the-scenes bonuses and critical essays, this book is the guaranteed way to get in on the character in the upcoming Fantastic Four film!

Star Wars Miniatures: Alliance vs. Empire

CELEBRATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF YOU SLOWLY LOSING YOUR CHILDLIKE WONDER AND BECOMING BITTER AND JADED WITH EVERY PASSING DAY

Boosters: $14.99 Each

For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire...

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Star Wars saga with this collection of miniatures inspired by the original Star Wars film. From the landmark films to the computer games and the novels, this set pits the Rebellion against the Empire in battles to decide the fate of the galaxy.

Casanova Vol. 1: Luxuria HC

it's completely insane and completely awesome

$24.99

Meet Casanova Quinn: prodigal son of a law-and-order family hell-bent on keeping the world safe and sound, now blackmailed into betraying his father and the international law enforcement organization he controls. LUXURIA collects the first volume of CASANOVA as its titular star transforms from devil-may-care thrill-seeker into the most dangerous man in the world. What happens when the ultimate player gets played? Find out in this genre-bending sci-spy epic.

Exalted Vol. 1 TP

I think we have a special order for this that is over a year old $19.99

From the pages of White Wolf's hit role-playing game comes a new fantasy comic that will shake creation! When a young boy named Kidale is anointed with the power of a reincarnated Solar Exalted, he becomes the catalyst for conflict and heroism in the glittering city of Chiaroscuro. In a world where incredibly powerful Exalts stride forth to remake Creation in their image, legends will be forged and sacrifices will be made. Exalted combines action fantasy and a manga flare for a new series that comic fans and gamers will love!

i'm glad to know that on august 21st it will be legal for me to totally have the hots for the chick who plays claire (which I do not now, because it is against the law)

Did you know that there are comic books that are also a whole lot like a TV show about superheroes? It's hard to believe, I know, but it's actually true! As someone who has just recently gotten into the whole "Heroes" experience, I feel eminently qualified to talk about this list that Thomas gave to me and told me to talk about. However, instead of talking, I am writing words...on INTERNET. So, fans of Heroes, venture with me through a sonic soundscape into the fourth dimension of suggestive sales!

it uses some literary technique like in medias rae or flashback or dramatic irony or something One of the comics most commonly compared to Heroes is actually by a former TV writer: Babylon 5 Creator J. Michael Straczynski's Rising Stars. Rising Stars tells the tale of 113 children mysteriously gifted with special powers after a mysterious object crashed-landed in their small town while they were in utero. The series starts as a murder mystery, but quickly evolves into much, much more as new characters are introduced into the main storyline while frequent flashbacks elaborate on the unique group's childhood experiences growing up in the care of the government. It's sort of like if all the heroes in Heroes came from the same place and the government knew about them. It's damn good, and certainly reminiscent of Heroes.

this is a desecration of the american flag--who knows what that damn baby will do to it Heck, while we're on the subject of stuff written by J. Michael Straczynski, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Supreme Power, currently being published in issues as Squadron Supreme. The original Squadron Supreme was published by Marvel back in the day as pretty much a blatant Justice League rip-off. Well, this revamp by JMS is just as blatant, but reads less like a rip-off and more like a really awesome elseworlds story. It also feels a lot like Heroes between the sudden emergence of several super-powered individuals and the somewhat sinister but possibly benevolent organization dedicated to finding and controlling them. Of course, the sinister but possibly benevolent organization is, in this case, the United States government, and Straczynski even uses real-life presidents like Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton as part of the story. It's pretty awesome.

jim shooter is spinning in his career's grave There's a pretty good opportunity for a segue here, since, like Supreme Power, NewUniversal is a revamp of a Marvel project generally considered failed and abandoned--in this case, Marvel's New Universe. And guess what? It's also quite good. NewUniversal hasn't come out in a trade paperback yet, but it's definitely worth checking out the issues to get in on the ground level of this story about the sudden emergence of super-powered individuals and how the government deals with them. In a contrast with the other titles I've mentioned, though, the government's actions are definitively antagonistic--they want all superhumans wiped from the face of the Earth. So far, the story by acclaimed writer Warren Ellis has been gripping, and it doesn't seem like there's any reason for that to change.

it's a tim sale SALE This suggestion comes a little bit out of left field. Do you like the art by everyone's favorite heroin-addicted artist, Isaac Mendez, in Heroes? Well, the actual art isn't done by that actor, but rather by noted comic artist Tim Sale! If you're interested in Tim Sale's art, then I can suggest no better example of it than in Batman: The Long Halloween. There's a nice Absolute Edition out, and that would definitely be the best way to take in Sale's gorgeous pencils, but I don't know if the coupon below will apply for it. Let's assume it won't, but you might be able to talk Thomas into it! Either way, you can definitely pick up the Batman: The Long Halloween trade paperback on the cheap with the awesome coupon below.

DO NOT ASSUME THIS COUPON WILL WORK WITH THE ABSOLUTE EDITION OR I WILL CUT YOU

WELCOME TO AN INFINITE WORLD OF POSSIBILITES for killing dudes and taking their stuff

We have just acquired a collection of over 100 old, hard-to-find roleplaying games! The vast maority is first and second edition Dungeons and Dragons, but we also reduced a lot of older used RPGs even lower in price to make room for this collection. Here's some of the stuff we've gotten:

Dungeons and Dragons Box Sets
Council of Wyrms (Complete)
Dark Sun: Road to Urik (Unopened)
Planescape: Planes of Conflict (Complete) Planescape: Planes of Chaos (Complete)
Planescape: Planes of Law (Complete)
Planescape Campaign Setting (Missing DM Screen)
Dragon Mountain 2nd Edition (Complete)
Dungeons and Dragons Expert Box Set (Complete)
Al-Qadim: Cities of Bone (Complete)
Forgotten Realms: Ruins of Zhentil Keep (Complete)
Forgotten Realms: City of Splendors (Complete)
Forgotten Realms: Netheril - Empire of Magic (Complete)

First Edition D&D Hardcovers
Dungeon Master's Guide
Monster Manual I
Deities and Demigods
Player's Handbook
Fiend Folio

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Hardcovers
Unearthed Arcana
Monster Manual I
Monster Manual II
Manual of the Planes
Oriental Adventures
Dragonlance Adventures

Second Edition D&D Hardcovers
Monster Manual I
Player's Handbook

Third Edition D&D Hardcovers
Monster Manual I
Player's Handbook
Forgotten Realms Sourcebook

Second Edition D&D Softcovers
Encyclopedia Magica Vol. 1
Priest Spell Compendium Vol. 1, 2, 3
The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings
The Complete Book of Elves
The Complete Book of Humanoids
The Complete Book of Necromancers
The Complete Druid's Handbook
The Complete Bard's Handbook
The Complete Barbarian's Handbook
The Complete Wizard's Handbook
The Complete Thief's Handbook
The Complete Fighter's Handbook
Temple of Elemental Evil
Castle Guide
Arms and Equipment Guide
Den of Thieves
Forgotten Realms: Faiths and Avatars
Lankhmar: Thieves of Lankhmar
Lankhmar: City of Adventure
Lankhmar: Tales of Lankhmar
Lankhmar: Wonders of Lankhmar
Warriors of Heaven
Planescape: Guide to the Ethereal Plane
Greyhawk: The Scarlet Brotherhood
Al-Qadim: The Adventurer's Guide to Zakhara
Al-Qadim: Arabian Adventures
Forgotten Realms: Giantcraft
Forgotten Realms: Player's Guide to the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms: Calimport
Forgotten Realms: Pages for Mages
Forgotten Realms: Drow of the Underdark
Forgotten Realms: Demihuman Deities
Forgotten Realms: Skullpoint

First Edition D&D Modules
A1: Slave Pits of the Undercity
B1: In Search of the Unknown
B2: Keep on the Borderlands
C1: Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan
C2: Ghost Town of Inverness
D1: Descent Into the Depths of the Earth
D3: Vault of the Drow
G1-2-3: Against the Giants
M1: Blizzard Pass
M2: Maze of the Riddling Minotaur
QI: Queen of the Demonweb
S1: Tomb of Horrors
S2: White Plume Mountain
S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks
T1: Village of Hammlet
U3: Final Enemy
X2: Castle Amber
X3: Curse of Xanathon
X4: Master of the Desert Nomads
X5: Temple of Death
EX1: Dungeonland
DL1: Dragonlance - Dragons of Despair

Star Wars RPG
Hero's Guide (Wizards of the Coast)
Core Book (Wizards of the Coast)
Black Ice (West End Games Adventure)
Crisis on Cloud City (West End Games Adventure)

Shadowrun First Edition
State of Art 2064
Dreamchipper
Image
Queen Euphoria
Virtual Realities
Prime Runners
DNA/DOA
DMZ Box Set (Complete)
Cybertechnology
Bug City

Miscellaneous Crap
Robotech RPG Core Book
Robotech Art Book Vol. 1-3
Call of Cthulhu Core Book 3rd Edition
Warcraft Core Book 3rd Edition
Everquest Player's Handbook
Everquest: Realms of Norrath
Traveller 2300 Player's Manual
Traveller 2300 Referee's Manual
Traveller 2300: Beanstalk
Traveller 2300: Energy Curve
Earthdawn: Denizens of Earthdawn Vol. 1

Here are just a few of the many great items we have available on E-bay! We start new auctions every Monday at 6:00 PM that last through Saturday at 6:00 PM. Local customers can bid and pick up their purchase at the store to save on shipping! We also add new items to our E-bay Store every Wednesday and Thursday. We currently have over 1000 items, including pulps, vintage paperbacks, handbills, comics, and more!

Someday the Rabbi Will Leave Book on Tape

This auction contains the vintage audio book on cassette Someday the Rabbi will Leave by Harry Kemelman. These 2 cassettes were produced by Warner Audio Publishing Inc. The packaging and tapes are in nice shape. Playing time is 120 min.

Lin Carter 5 Book Lot

This auction contains the rare vintage paperback 5 Book Lot by Lin Carter:

Sky Pirates of Callisto, published by Dell in 1973, 1st printing. (VG+)
The Man Who Loved Mars, published by Fawcett Gold Medal in 1973. (VG+)
The Magic of Atlantis edited by Carter, published by Lancer in 1970. (VG+) Contains stories by: Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, Henry Kuttner, Edmond Hamilton, and others.
Jandar of Callisto, published by Dell in 1972, 1st printing. (VG+)
Ylana of Callisto, published by Dell in 1977, 1st printing. (VG+)

Overall, a book with high eye appeal. Don't miss out on this rare unique item.

We also buy things! Here's a rundown of the main stuff:

Silver Age Superhero Comics - While recent comics are all pretty enjoyable, we really only want the Silver Age Superhero stuff. The Silver Age is generally going to be comics published on or before 1977. It can sometimes be hard to figure out the date a comic was published, so a good rule of thumb is that the cover price should be $0.35 or less. And while we have nothing against comics not about superheroes, the stuff we can sell is Silver Age Superheroes.
Used Trade Paperbacks - If they're in decent condition, we'll probably pick them up. It's difficult to give any hard and fast guidelines for what we want, because it depends a lot on what we have in stock and what we can order.
Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic Singles - We only buy rares, and I can give you even fewer guidelines about this. Mac is in charge of all of our singles sales, and he works on Thursday through Monday, so those are really the only days we can buy any cards.
Used Roleplaying Games - We'll look at pretty much any roleplaying games. We don't usually buy stuff that is currently in print, but if you've got the time to stop by, it's worth a shot. We're always interested in classic Dungeons and Dragons books.
Used Records - Thomas buys a lot of old jazz and blues records for his personal collection. Records are like CDs, except black and older. Kind of like the blues musicians Thomas likes!
Vintage Paperbacks and Pulps - I don't know anything about these. We might buy them, though!

Be sure to call before you come by to make sure we're not too busy to look at your stuff! We can also set up an appointment. Just call (910) 452-7828 or email fanboycomics@bellsouth.net.

who would have guessed that the best frank miller parody would be written by none other than frank miller

All-Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder #5

Writer: Frank Miller
Penciler: Jim Lee
Inker: Scott Williams
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99

Oh, have I heard a lot of bad-awful-nasty things about this series from the Internet's fanboy haters. Perhaps it's a required backlash against the holy reputations of the book's top-shelf creative team. Maybe it's an unfair comparison to that other All-Star imprint series featuring the Man of Steel-you know, the series that rocks so hard my brain has a joy-aneurysm every other month? Haters will hate. Players will play. Stevie Nicks said that, right? Too bad she didn't read this latest issue of ASBARTBW, because she would've had a swell time.

This series has been plagued by delays and setbacks. Number 1 was released nearly two years ago, and 2006 only saw one issue hit the shelf. I don't want to care about delays or all that jazz; what matters now is the product. And the product is delightful, albeit in a bloody, mean-spirited, narcissistic, and sadistically vicious way.

The nascent JLA is conspiring to take Batman down. Eternal man-hater Wonder Woman wants to knock his block off and kick his cowl down the street. Superman isn't so sure. Green Lantern is ambivalent, and Plastic Man is an undersexed creepizoid. While the heroes figure out what needs to be done about the Bat issue, Bruce Wayne has donned his costume and his cruising about a rain-drenched Gotham with one goal in mind: kicking bad-guy ass. And yes, it's a remarkable display of ass-kickery in the hands of Mr. Lee. The story is surprisingly brutal (in comparison to the relatively genteel and sun-drenched tone set down in All-Star Superman). This is some nasty stuff, and me like very much.

While Batman is out on the town doing what he does best, a super-toned Alfred is rehabilitating from a car accident seen issues (and, humorously enough, years) earlier. Bruce Wayne's young charge, the orphaned Dick Grayson, is discovering some of the finer and deadlier toys available in the Batcave. Frank Miller must've had a Joker-esque grin on his face when he penned this script, because it so firmly delights in the ugly side of crime fighting. It's an unrepentant mainstream book.

DC insists that issue #6 is complete and will arrive on schedule (does that mean we'll be reading it last year? Hop in your time contraptions!). For all the anticipation for this issue #5, it reads very quickly. You just get lost in the story. It's not big for the sake of being epic storytelling, but it's dark, aggressive and dirty. Who doesn't like their Batman with a little grit on his boots?

RATING: 4/5

THIS COVER IS ONLY LIMITED BY YOUR IMAGINATION

Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America - Captain America

Writer: Jeph Loeb
Penciler: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
Colorist: Morry Hollowell
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99

For those of you scoring at home: Captain America? Still dead. Despite his well-documented (thanks, Drudge Report) mortality, Cap still ends up in the pages of the funny books. We've reached the middle of Marvel's five-issue "The Death of Captain America" series, the books that look at response to the bad news by some of the MU's best-known citizenry. This time, we get to see how the death of Captain America looks to...well, Captain America.

Hold on, though. It's not as ridiculous as it seems. Tony Stark is searching for a replacement Captain America, and maybe a replacement Steve Rogers. Throughout this process, it seems that Stark is dealing with his guilt by working to get somebody else to don the mantle. This time, it's Hawkeye that Stark wants to groom into the pirate boots. Clint Barton, back from the dead, returns to the demolished Avengers mansion, demanding to know how and why Steve Rogers bit the big one. But first, Iron Man knocks him out, takes him to the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier to confirm his identity, and in short order makes Barton the offer step into the costume and restore Cap's shield and visage to the American people. Arguments erupt, there's some street-level fighting, and Barton ultimately decides to continue on a different path, one that may eventually move him from being a potential Iron Man ally (something Cap definitely wasn't in the end) and into a sworn enemy.

I figured that this mini would be running out of steam by this point, and it sort of is, especially in terms of conflict, pacing and interest level. Jeph Loeb is still writing an engaging series, but the concepts promised in the premise don't exactly pan out. Cap's death isn't dealt with as much as it's manipulated as a catalyst to tell a fun little action story. Don't get me wrong, this is a fine, fun story, but the overall aim of this series gets lost in the process.

John Romita Jr.'s artwork here is incredibly stiff. Iron Man looks like a Transformer with a rigid support pole affixed to his spine. Grins and grimaces appear to be pantomime. The saving grace is Civil War colorist Morry Hollowell's expert and moody palate. The blending of old-school line work with new-school execution ends up not blending well at all. Nice attempt at times, though.

Two more Fallen Sons to go. The wagon wheels haven't fallen off, but they're starting to show some age.

RATING: 3.5/5

is this the one who is a ninja or the one who is a soldier or maybe the one who is a woman

G.I. Joe: Storm Shadow #1

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Mark Robinson
Inker: Mark Robinson
Colorist: Renato Faccini
Publisher: Devil's Due Publishing
Price: $3.50

Let me preface this review by saying that I don't read G.I. Joe comics, and I have no real knowledge of the characters or their backgrounds. Therefore, I can't accurately review this book based on how true they remain to Strom Shadow's character, or how it advances “G.I. Joe canon” (if such a thing even exists). Therefore, this review is strictly from the perspective of a first-time reader, and how entertaining it is to someone who has no previous knowledge of anything G.I. Joe. As it turns out, Storm Shadow is still pretty damn entertaining, even to a newbie.

I don't think of this book as particularly groundbreaking. In fact, there's very little here that doesn't seem like it's been overdone a thousand times. First off, you've got a ninja, and I really don't think there's anything anybody can do to make ninjas original anymore. I mean, a decade ago we had ninjas with the added twist of also being turtles. Currently there's actually a book in which ninjas fight pirates. So, I think it's safe to say that there is nothing anyone can do (short of absurdity) to the ninja genre. Needless to say the “girl gets kidnapped by a group of people with a sinister plan” plot twist isn't that revolutionary either. This paragraph was actually just going to be me rambling on about ninjas, but I guess I just summarized the plot perfectly with that last sentence. I mean, there's not really anything more to it than that. A girl gets kidnapped by said group, and Storm Shadow has to find and rescue her. I can't get much more specific, because the book is intentionally vague about everything else (either that, or it's assumed to be common knowledge among G.I. Joe readers, and I'm just an idiot), such as the evil organization's motives, Tiff's (the kidnapped girl) relationship with Storm Shadow, etc. It's obvious that the writer is trying develop the story slowly over the course of several issues, and I for one can live with that.

Despite its somewhat generic plot, Storm Shadow still manages to be enjoyable even to someone who's not even remotely invested in G.I. Joe characters. There's enough of the “little things” here to please even the most casual reader. Whether it's Mark Robinson's sketchy art style, Storm Shadow's uber-macho dialogue (“Let the kid go, and I'll promise that you'll die with very little pain”), the over-the-top action scenes, the dry humor (“Nat Kipper's Taxidermy and Nail Salon”), or the campy (the good kind) dialogue (“Modern technology doesn't work on old-school ninjas.”), Storm Shadow is bound to please both G.I. Joe fans and casual first-time readers alike.

RATING: 4/5

Newsletter for May 22, 2007

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