Technically, we are still in a post-Onslaught world.

filed under Categories advertising, retailing 6 Comments

Promotional flyer for retailers to copy and distribute, circa late 1996/early 1997:


Had Thunderbolts originated within the last five years, it probably would have been the original Avengers, since, you know, apparently we need as many Avengers titles as possible.

The “original X-Men” idea is pretty much “X-Factor, Part II,” which I’m sure was the intended gag. And having the big reveal be “it’s a dude from the New Warriors, plus a bunch of new guys!” would have been a tad disappointing, I think. But Team America…now we’re talking! Not enough motorcycle-riding superhero teams in comics nowadays, for my tastes. (I was going to say something about using a fairly insular gag about an obscure comic in a flyer intended to attract new readers, but…well, “insular” is pretty much implied whenever you talk about most modern superhero funnybooks, isn’t it?)

By the way:


I bet it does.

Halloweenish links for all you Halloweenies.

filed under Categories halloween, sir-links-a-lot 4 Comments

 

You probably weren’t expecting me to end the post this way.

filed under Categories retailing, this week's comics 16 Comments


Seemed like an appropriate image to post, considering our current travails. It comes from the cover of Miracleman #7 (August 1986), published by Eclipse Comics as it was attempting to recover from a flood that devastated its offices and much of its comic stock.

We’re recovering okay from our own flood, as not a lot of actual store stock was lost…most of the unrecoverable items were personal materials from the back office. The primary issue is needing to move stuff out of the back so that we can clean up the mess, and that’s a lot of stuff. Thankfully, we have a lot of people helping out, so everything should be back to normal relatively soon. Still, it’s a huge pain and a significant disruption to the business, but thankfully our customers have been very understanding, gracious, and sympathetic, for which I am very thankful.

• • •

Let me note a few new comical-type things that came out this week:

  • Some nice archival stuff turned up this week, including Gahan Wilson’s Nuts! from Fantagraphics (a somewhat nostalgic/somewhat terrifying look at childhood), volume five of the Complete Bloom County, a third volume of John Stanley’s Libary: Nancy Vol. 3 (with our favorite ruffian on the cover), and the fourth volume of Prince Valiant from Fantagraphics (beautiful as ever).

  • In the “people in capes punching each other” department, the second issue of Batwoman shows that the art continues to be the star of the show, but thankfully the writing isn’t too bad, either. Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. is still full of monsters fighting monsters and being strange about it, which is okay in my book. And Green Lantern #2…you know, if this just becomes a Hal Jordan/Sinestro buddy-cop series, I’d be okay with that.

  • The Shade #1 is probably best read without trying to think about how it fits into the New DC’s superhero continuity, because…yeah, no way. I mean, it spins out of the James Robinson Starman series, the very premise of which isn’t possible in DC’s “no Golden Age heroes in continuity” thing, if I’m understanding that right. Unless the Starman series now retroactively takes place on DC’s forthcoming Earth-2, where the Golden Age heroes are going back to, but that would mean the Cry for Justice series, referred to in Shade, is also on Earth-2…AAUGH. Mike no like think. Anyway, just enjoy it as a Starman follow-up…which was totally written without any of this new 52 business in mind. Don’t try to figure out how it fits with everything else. DON’T MAKE MY MISTAKE.

  • As an aside, here…speaking of things that didn’t account for the new 52 relaunch…I guess that big ol’ Firestorm cliffhanger from Brightest Day #24 is no longer an issue, given the character’s complete reboot.

  • I’ve been enjoying the new Hellraiser series from Boom!, which treats the whole premise with a little more seriousness and respect than most of the movies have. Clive Barker being involved in the book, even just a little, certainly helps.

• • •

In other, other news…I shaved my beard and dyed my hair. No, not because I’m on the run…the girlfriend and I wanted to see how it’d look, and by that I mean “she made me do it.” Hair is perhaps a shade…too dark, probably from not rinsing it out fast enough. I mean, “teak” is a nice color, right? As a result, I’ve been frightening the populace with my dark brown hair (a color that’s never been on my head, by the way) and my shorn face. I’ve also been called “Aaron” at least once, which I don’t understand since my face at least gets touched by a razor once in a while.

Photos possibly to follow, because if it’s one thing the internet needs, it’s more pictures of my mug.

Employee Aaron leaves, and suddenly everything goes straight to hell.

filed under Categories retailing 10 Comments

So we had a bit of a flood in part of the store’s backroom late Monday night/ early Tuesday morning…not a whole lot was damaged, considering how filled to the brim with stuff the Mystery Area of Lost Souls is back there. But still, we had a long, long day of cleaning, rearranging, pulling up the carpet, and such. I ended up having to take this week’s new comic shipment home since there was no room to process it at the shop, breaking it down in my dining room and pulling comic savers.

Basically, it’s been a long day, so this is going to be it for Wednesday’s entry. …Hopefully, it won’t be locusts at the store next.

I would totally have read a Justice League Forgotten series if DC had published one as part of the new 52….

filed under Categories superman 15 Comments

…because, c’mon, look at that collection of heroes:


Dude, Space Cabby. Space Cabby. Space Cabby is awesome, to which this internet colleague of mine will gladly attest.

The villains on the right are kinda…yeah, but that might be better than Darkseid yet again. Well, except maybe the Atom Master. I mean, just look at that guy.

BONUS: The last page of the issue leads directly into the Crisis on Infinite Earths, which is probably helped by the fact that Marv Wolfman wrote ’em both:


For more swell Curt Swan art, go check out Swanderful…lots of beautiful pieces presented there.

images from DC Comics Presents #78 (February 1985) by Marv Wolfman, Curt Swan and Dave Hunt

Those creases in my copy of this comic will make it easy to spot these scans when they pop up on other sites.

filed under Categories ambush bug 11 Comments

So every once in a while, I remember that Ambush Bug totally killed a dude during his first appearance in DC Comics Presents #52:


Of course, they started to go in a totally different direction with the character right after this appearance, leaning more towards “lighthearted parodic fourth-wall breaking goofball” rather than “creepy murderous dude.” Though you get a little bit of “creepy murderous dude” in Bug’s next appearance, when he ties a Superman cape to an alien and drops him off a building. The alien doesn’t die, but still, not for lack of trying.

Also featured in this issue, and speaking of “creepy” – a rare appearance of Ambush Bug’s unmasked face:


BONUS: everyone loves a parade, and the parade in this very issue features guest-appearances by Cerebus and Fred Hembeck Superman:


…as well as one of the elves from Elfquest:


I forget the character’s name. It’s “Frodo” or something, right?

images from DC Comics Presents #52 (December 1982) by Paul Kupperberg, Keith Giffen & Sal Trapani

Employee Aaron: The End.

filed under Categories employee aaron 7 Comments


Saturday was the last day of Employee Aaron’s full-time employment at our humble funnybook store, so please join me in wishing him well in his new professional endeavor: SUPER SECRET SPY A GO-GO 3000.

Aaron was a joy to work with, his cheerful demeanor always inspiring, and it’s not going to be the same without him. Well, mostly without him, as his new job as SUPER SECRET SPY A GO-GO 3000 is Monday through Friday, leaving the possibility of getting him into the shop on the occasional weekend. Plus, his lovely wife Kempo is still putting in a few hours at our shop every week, so he’s certain to come by the shop sometime…and then we can recapture him say hello.

We’re going to miss Aaron around here, and we all hope the best for him. Good luck, pal!

Special thanks to pal Kevin for taking the photo and comic-ing it up.

NOTICE: the Joker is a pretty blossom.

filed under Categories scans 4 Comments

…That is all.

from World’s Finest #129 (November 1962) by Dave Wood, Jim Mooney & Sheldon Moldoff
– reprinted in DC Special #8 (July-September 1970)

Progressive Ruin presents…the End of Civilization.

filed under Categories End of Civilization 15 Comments

It’s that time once again, when I flip through the new Diamond Previews and pick out and poke at those new goodies that catch my attention. And if you want to follow along, grab your copy of the October 2011 edition and…um, follow along, I suppose!

p. 131 – Hellblazer Annual #1:


Finally! At long last, a Hellblazer annual! I’ve been waiting so long for the Hellblazer series to be given a chance to shine in a special extra-length adventure! And by “waiting so long” I mean “the twenty years since the last Hellblazer Annual #1.”

p. 138 – Superman Patina Mini Statue:


This just reminds me that, aside from movie tie-in merchandise, we’re probably not going to see a whole lot of licensing with Superman in the new shortsless get-up.

p. 139 – Just-Us-League of Stupid Heroes Series 1 Action Figures:


Huh. These are supposed to be parody figures, but they didn’t change Aquaman at all.

p. 145 – Snake Eyes #8:


With a special photo-cover featuring an exclusive look at a scene from the next G.I. Joe movie! Or pics of G.I. Joe action figures. Same diff.

p. 223 – Evil Spock T-Shirt:


I think they misspelled “Sexy.”

p. 229 – Archie #627 Archie Meets KISS Part 1:


I hope this leads into future storylines where the Archie gang meets other musical acts. “Archie Meets G.G. Allin” is the one I look forward to the most, I think. …Don’t use G.G.’s microphone, Reggie!

p. 266 – Lord of the Jungle #1:

“For the first time in its 100 year history the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs story, Tarzan of the Apes is told UNCENSORED!”

“First time,” eh? AHEM. I beg to differ:

p. 337 – 1000 Ways to Die TPB:


Mostly, I’m just amazed there’s a comic book version of this TV show. I think they missed a bet, though, in not focusing on the many ways comic book characters die. …Would have had the Ted Kord Blue Beetle fans interested, at least.

p. 341 – The DC Superhero Chess Figure Collector Magazine:


The characters from Checkmate are going to be featured in this series eventually, aren’t they?

p. 345 – If You Give A Kid A Cookie, Will He Shut the F*** Up? HC:


So is making faux-kids’ books with profanities in the title the new fad now? Charlotte’s F***ing Web? Harry Potter and the Chamber of S**t? What the C*** Did I See on Mulberry Street? From the F***ed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler?

Anyway, as literary fads go, it’s better than zombies. Unless they mix those in, too. It’s Motherf***ing Zombies, Charlie Brown!

p. 345 – Bugf#ck The Worthless Wit & Wisdom of Harlan Ellison:


And here’s another faux-kids’ bo…oh, wait, hold on. The “f#ck” threw me off.

p. 357 – Splitscream T-Shirt:


Uh…what?

p. 364 – The Punisher Jakes Knit Cap:


Just imagine if this was the Punisher’s identifying clothing, instead of the skull shirt. I don’t know if that would be hilarious or somehow even more terrifying.

p. 368 – Ghostbusters Terror Dog Light-Up Mini Statue:


So is this Sigourney Weaver, or is this Rick Moranis? …Somewhere, a Ghostbusters fan is worrying about this. Or, uh, just buying two of them, I guess.

p. 370 – Femme Fatales Bo Peep PVC Statue:


According to the solicit, the statue “re-imagines the demure shepherdess as a fierce highlands warrior with wolfskin boots and gauntlets and a shepherd’s crook that will take your head off.” …”Re-imagines” seems like understating it just slightly.

p. 382 – Mr. Potato Head Kiss 2011 Collector Set:


So when do these guys team up with Archie? Also, how different is this set from ones in previous years? Is the 1983 Collector Set sans makeup? …Or you can just take off the makeup pieces, maybe.

p. 398 – Disney Pirates of the Caribbean Captain Jack Sparrow Mickey Vinyl Collector Doll:


I am upsetting myself by picturing Mickey in the place of Johnny Depp in all the Pirates films, so I’m stopping now.

p. 399 – Doctor Who Eleventh Doctor with Cowboy Hat Figure:


Has the Doctor shown up in a sombrero yet? I’d buy a Doctor Who Eleventh Doctor with Sombrero figure.

p. 410 – Mixo DC Heroes Kooky Kans:


Apparently these are like cylindrical lunch boxes, or…something, I guess? But I swear, when I first glanced at the picture, I thought it was superhero-themed deodorant cans. Too bad…that’d probably do well at conventions.

p. 411 – Superman and Supergirl Emblem Pendants:


The Supergirl emblem’s solicitation text states that Supergirl “wears a distinctive version of the House of El’s sigil.” And by “distinctive” they mean “perhaps…slightly more pinkish, maybe?” Or “more glare in the photo?”

p. 411 – DC Comics Pint Glasses:


“Superman Pick-Up Lines” is about as fundamental misunderstanding of the character as…well, this. And let’s face it, “wanna come to my Batcave” just plain crosses the line from “subtext” to full-on “text.”

p. 418 – Star Trek Mighty Wallets:


So here I was, all ready to make a joke about “they don’t use money in Star Trek‘s future, hurr hurr,” but Previews totally beats me to it in the actual solicitation text. …Well played, Previews, well played. You have won this battle.

p. 418 – Star Wars Imperial Forces Wallpaper:


In case you needed something to finish off the nursery, along with the TIE fighter mobile, the R2-D2-shaped milk bottle, and the furry Ewok diapers. My best to you, your spouse, and, of course, baby Lobot.

p. 418 – Star Wars Wacky Wisecracks Figures:


…And there was no forgiveness, not ever again.