Comics vodcast: Action Comics, All-Star Superman 12, Secret Invasion: Thor 2, Uncanny X-Men 502
Happy 75th Birthday, Alley Oop!
I went to the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley on Saturday to celebrate the 75th birthday of “Alley Oop” with Jack and Carole Bender, who are the creative team for the comic strip. Congratulations to them on their success! “Alley Oop” was created in 1933 by V.T. Hamlin. Jack Bender became an assistant on”Alley Oop” in 1990, and the full-time artist in 1991. Carole Bender has written the strip since 2001.
The Oklahoma-based Benders also work with the Oklahoma Cartoonists’ Collection, housed at the museum.
– Matt Price
Vollmar plays blues, talks “Bluesman”
Press release:
Writer Rob Vollmar begins a series of concerts/booksignings to promote his latest graphic novel, Bluesman at the Borders Books and Music at 3209 NW Expressway in Oklahoma City this Saturday (today). Bluesman is a taut period thriller that pushes the boundaries of the graphic novel form in its celebration of blues music as an artform while addressing crucial issues of race, class, and faith that continue to define American life today. The tour, dubbed the Bluesman Experience, features Vollmar playing a collection of country blues and gospel songs from the early part of the 20th century and discussing his graphic novel.
“My goal,” Vollmar notes, “is to rescue this fantastic music from the dry historical context in which it is usually consumed and present it to a new audience with fresh ears. Bluesman is about that crossroads between the secular and the divine and so, it is only fitting that we pay tribute to it by enjoying a potent mixture of gospel and country blues.”
Simultaneously published in three languages, Bluesman has already shipped well over 10,000 volumes worldwide and has received critical praise from venerable institutions like Publishers’ Weekly, NPR and the Boston Globe. The Bluesman Experience is slated to travel all over Oklahoma with limited engagements in Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas through the fall. The show this Saturday begins at 2 PM and will feature a question and answer session as well as a book signing afterwards. Interested parties should call (405) 848-2667 or visit http://www.bluesmanproject.com for more information.
Other Bluesman Experience dates in September- September 25th, 2008-
Full Circle Bookstore
1900 NW Expressway (inside 50 Penn Place)
Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 842-2900
September 27th-
Borders Books and Music
300 Norman Center Ct
Norman, OK
(405) 573-4907
Mike Baron talks Nexus, Badger and more
The following is an extended Q&A with Mike Baron, writer of “Nexus.” We cover the revival of his 1980s properties “Nexus” and “Badger,” his original graphic novel inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, “The Architect,” his ongoing Web comic “Black Ice” at ComicMix, and touch on First Comics and Baron’s work on “The Punisher.”
Matt Price: What was it like returning to “Nexus”?
Mike Baron: It’s just like slipping into a warm bath, meeting an old friend. We had a couple of false starts, a couple of stories that I pitched that Dude wouldn’t draw. I had to go to Phoenix to thrash the Dude soundly.
We tossed it back and forth, and came back with a very dynamic storyline.
I regret that they’re coming out in such an attenuated way. There’s nothing I can do about that. I just got the latest pages from issue 101 and they look fabulous.
It definitely hurts your momentum, (but) I’ve been reading some of the mail that Dude gets and it’s been uniformly positive.
And tell me about Badger, which has a new series from IDW.
It’s a big series. It’s about everything. It’s about saving the world, really. Also about string theory and deep-fried cheese curds. Important issues. IDW’s been releasing the collected “Badger” too, in some trade paperback editions. … That would be phenomenal if they get all 80 issues out. I’m very pleased with the two volumes they’ve put out so far. It’s a paper project of course, it’s not like those hardbound volumes that Nexus is doing.
I think they should come in both versions, so they can have an affordable version and something for the collectors.
Click past the cut for the rest of the interview.
Baron returns to ‘old friend’ with Nexus
By Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
One might think Mike Baron would be busy enough filling the head of a cosmic avenger with dreams of mass murder. But the writer of “Nexus” is also sending a teenager through a wormhole, cursing a vigilante with multiple-personality disorder, and empowering an architect to open dimensional portals.
Baron’s recent projects include the revival of the science-fiction tale “Nexus,” the science-fantasy adventure “Black Ice,” the multiple-personality superhero “Badger” and the original graphic novel “The Architect.”
“Nexus,” created by Baron with artist Steve “The Dude” Rude in 1981, has been hailed as innovative by scores of industry professionals, including Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada, “Sandman” creator Neil Gaiman and “Kingdom Come” artist Alex Ross.
“All you really need to know is that Nexus is a guy who dreams of mass-murderers, and he has to go out and kill them,” Baron said in a recent interview with The Oklahoman. “The concept is so interesting that it’s going to draw people in immediately, and then they’re going to find the characters interesting.”
Baron said returning to “Nexus” after a break of several years wasn’t too difficult.
“It’s just like slipping into a warm bath, meeting an old friend,” he said. “We had a couple of false starts, a couple of stories that I pitched that Dude wouldn’t draw. I had to go to Phoenix to thrash the Dude soundly. We tossed it back and forth, and came back with a very dynamic storyline.”
“Nexus” No. 100 shipped in February. The next two issues of “Nexus” are on hold until Rude finishes drawing them.
“I regret that they’re coming out in such an attenuated way. There’s nothing I can do about that. I just got the latest pages from issue 101 and they look fabulous,” he said. “It definitely hurts your momentum.”
However, most fans think “Nexus” is worth the wait.
“I’ve been reading some of the mail that Dude gets and it’s been uniformly positive,” Baron said.
“Black Ice” is published online at www.comicmix.com, where artist Lee Oaks has taken over from original artist Nick Runge. The fourth volume of Baron’s “Badger” collections from IDW shipped this month. And “The Architect” is still in print from publisher Big Head Press. “The Architect” was loosely inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, who at one time offered to design Baron’s father’s home.
“Frank Lloyd Wright was a weird duck. I loved his architecture, anyone who sees it feels that immediate connection,” Baron said. “But his life was filled with trauma. And I let it inspire me in a very freewheeling way. … I came up with a horror story loosely inspired by Wright but taking all his worst tendencies.”
Game review – Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
By Matthew Price
THE NEXT LEVEL
Become Darth Vader’s secret apprentice in “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.” “Force Unleashed” is set between Episodes III and IV of the “Star Wars” saga. Vader’s apprentice is Starkiller. Vader keeps his apprentice’s moves secret even to the Emperor. Starkiller follows Vader’s commands in this storyline, officially sanctioned by George Lucas.
Starkiller was orphaned during a battle on the Wookiee planet of Kashyyk. Sensing Starkiller’s strong Force abilities, Darth Vader takes the young boy on as his apprentice. Years later, as the Clone Wars come to an end, Vader sends Starkiller on a mission, to find and destroy the remaining Jedi.
Starkiller’s joined in his quest by the android PROXY and a female pilot, Juno Eclipse.
There’s a lot to like in “Force Unleashed” — the storyline is one of the strongest ever for a “Star Wars” video game. Also, there are plenty of fun gameplay moments, especially in Starkiller’s ability to use the Force. The art design and sound design are both just right, pulling the gamer into the “Star Wars” universe.
There are negatives that take “Force Unleashed” from being a groundbreaking game into just being a solid one.
The targeting of Starkiller’s Force powers is inexact, and often frustrating. And the camera movements can be unhelpful, especially in levels with close quarters. And, unfortunately, there’s no multiplayer.
However, “Star Wars” fans will likely want to tackle “Force Unleashed” more than once, both to search for special items hidden throughout, and to find out both possible endings. The game is available for the Xbox 360, which was played for this review. It is also available on the PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP and Nintendo DS.
For the Wii: Compared to the Xbox 360 version, the graphics are not as good on the Wii. It also seems as if the number of characters to battle has been scaled back. However, the Wii makes up for it in the control department — the motion controls, which allow many of the Force attacks to be controlled by gestures, are a lot of fun. In fact, it could get even more fun — I received an e-mail yesterday from dreamGEAR, who are sending me some lightsaber-style Wii controllers to try out with “Force Unleashed.” Look for more on that once I get a chance to try ‘em out.
DVD review: Desperate Housewives, the Complete Fourth Season
The women of Wisteria Lane return for a fourth season, though some plots feel a bit tired.
The “tornado” episode is meant to be the big shocker episode, like last season’s supermarket hostage episode. But while that episode was taut and scary, “Something’s Coming” goes too far over the top, causing inappropriate laughter rather than concern.
This season, Katherine (Dana Delany), moves to Wisteria Lane with her younger husband Adam (Nathan Fillion) and a teenage daughter in tow. As expected on “Desperate Housewives,” Katherine is hiding a dark secret.
Meanwhile, Susan (Teri Hatcher) deals with a pregnancy as her new husband Mike (James Denton) deals with an addiction. Bree (Marcia Cross) fakes a pregnancy to protect the reputation of her daughter. Lynette (Felicity Huffman) battles cancer, her mother, and the return of an ex-paramour. And Gabrielle (Eva Longoria Parker), bored with her stuffed-shirt husband, begins an affair with Carlos (Ricardo Chavira).
Excellent guest-stars, including Gary Cole and Justine Bateman, join a talented cast to show “Desperate Housewives” still has appeal, even in a somewhat flawed, strike-shortened fourth season.
— Matthew Price
Sgt. Rock returns in Lost Battalion
In the current Previews, DC hypes a return of Sgt. Rock by “Shi” creator Billy Tucci. I’m always interested in reading more Sgt. Rock, so this came as a positive. I got even more intrigued by it when Amanda Emmert of ComicsPRO told me about Tucci’s impassioned speech about the project at the recent Diamond Summit in Las Vegas.
And now, seeing the art posted to the Sgt. Rock Facebook page, I’m even more optimistic about this comic. Here’s the description:
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DC’s iconic soldier returns for a six issue miniseries “Sgt. Rock – The Lost Battalion” this November with a six issue monthly series written and illustrated by multi-Eisner nominee Billy Tucci. From the bloody beaches of Normandy to the muddy forests of the Vosges mountains, a cut-off Easy Company will be joined by Johnny Cloud and the Haunted Tank as they battle for their lives behind enemy lines against a force ten times their size. Based on actual events that have been meticulously researched by Tucci, who walked the actual battlefields of France and interviewed the veterans of the campaign, “Sgt. Rock – The Lost Battalion” is a story of heroism and humanity where one small band of men defy all odds to survival while their unlikely saviors sacrifice everything and “Go For Broke” to glory in the Vosges Mountains. |
Here’s some more art from the Facebook group:
The first issue of “Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion” is scheduled to ship on Nov. 12.
– Matt Price
Smallville tonight
The “Smallville” season premiere is tonight — after you’ve watched it, check back in here to tell me what you think!
– Matt Price
Review: Marvel Adventure Avengers 28
Hello? Is this thing on? (taps the mike)
A few years ago, you couldn’t pay me to read an Avengers comic. What had once been a team of big guns had become Wasp, Namor, some guy who breakdances with lightning, Fake (but not clone) Thor and Iron Jarvis or something.
Nowadays, I get them all. But while New Avengers and Mighty Avengers are fun (even though it’s been all Secret Invasion backstory for a few months), my favorite is Marvel Adventures Avengers. And you know this, because I tell you all the time.
But maybe I’m not making my argument clearly enough, so let’s turn to Issue 28, Verse 15: Yea, did Jeff Parker and Paul Tobin split up writing duties for this issue with two stories that are interconnected. And it was good. Verily.
This issue introduces the Marvel Adventures version of Luke Cage and also does a bit of universe building. Luke, like his 616-counterpart, likes cleaning up the streets and lecturing fools who be trippin’. So when the Avengers come a-calling, he’s not very interested.
This is Jeff Parker at his best. The story is clean and simple, without too much continuity, but there’s a lot of funny asides and running jokes for those who like to keep up. Luke pretends he’s never heard of the Avengers, but once at the tower, he wonders where Storm is. (Which prompts Giant Girl, towering over all of them, to ask, “Do guys think I’m not approachable for some reason?”)
If Bendis ever gives up on the Avengers proper, I am praying that Jeff Parker is tapped to take over. He’s got good ideas, he can balance the team dynamic and his writing is just plain funny.
Tobin is no slouch, however, as his story involves Captain America, Spider-Man, Storm and a cat from another dimension. There’s one giant leap, storywise, when music attracts a creature from the Negative Zone. It’s not exactly canon, but it moves the story along.
Honestly, when I get my comics, this one is near the top of the pile and, unlike some series that are good for a shocking revelation and that’s it, Marvel Adventures Avengers are the kind of done-in-one stories that you can re-read without getting bored. And I plan on re-reading these for a long time to come.
- Greg Elwell
