The Sit-Down Comic

An Avenger for a day (or even in a comic book)

2010-04-27T06:45:00.002+08:00

I uploaded my pic at IAmAnAvenger.com. Hopefully, I'll get to appear in an Avengers comic book.

After years away from the X-books, here's my jumping on point

2010-04-10T21:30:00.002+08:00

I should have picked up Messiah Complex and Messiah War before jumping into this story arc. Nevertheless, the first two parts didn't disappoint. But wow, these X-books have lost all their fun and charm. It's all doom and gloom.

One of my fave comic books of all time

2010-04-04T23:43:00.002+08:00

Now that I'm in the process of reacquiring my lost collection, I had to get the first volume of Tom Strong.

I once collected all the titles from America's Best Comics, the Alan Moore imprint from Wildstorm.

This sci-fi book was my fave along with Promethea, the ubiquitous League of the Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Top Ten.

Alan Moore is one of the great comic book geniuses of our time. In fact, no way should this title (along with LEG) should be considered comics. This is a modern pulp book tale. If you love the adventurer side of the Fantastic Four, some early Superman with a dash of early DC stuff then you'll love this.

New Iron Man toys in time for the movie

2010-03-28T17:04:00.002+08:00

The Gundam toy section of Toys R Us Galleria

2010-03-27T17:19:00.000+08:00

All these cool stuff but not enough moolah.

Good old days and Dave Stevens' The Rocketeer

2010-03-06T17:58:00.003+08:00

I have this happy thought. Make them thoughts. During summer and other long vacations, I would always stay with my grandparents in Tarlac. When I was there, I always said to myself as I munched on a bowl of Frosted Flakes, “This is the life.”

I was spoiled. Yes, I was and I freely admit it. I’d sit on my grandfather’s favorite rocking chair watching television (they were connected to the US Armed Forces network emanating from Pampanga) watch cartoons and baseball.

Some days, my grandpa would take me to the train station where he’d let me go up the trains and cabooses. Other days we ride the bamboo rafts along the river. Sometimes we go to a farm where I’d jump on a haystack.

At night, I’d read those books on Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. Read those Time and Life magazines of his about Camelot (JFK and Jackie), the Vietnam War, James Dean, the Beatles, Elvis, Joe DiMaggio, juke boxes, pulp novels, a time when right was might and not the other way around, and the exploits of gumshoe reporters.

Once or twice a week, walk to a nearby panciteria where I’d eat ice cream with barquillos. That was a treat if there was ever one. Some days my grandpa would take me to the convenience store where we’d buy comics. So I became a fan of the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, X-Men, and other Marvel Superheroes. That pretty much made me a fan for life.

Those were the days that I cherish so well. They remain so vivid like a Norman Rockwell painting of my brown self in those golden days of summer. Where I’d sit on the tracks with the sweat running down my forehead and onto my nose. My grandpa would wipe my face with his handkerchief and ruffle my hair. I love the man and miss him tremendously.

Because of those days, I fell in love with the culture of a bygone era. Anything on the 30’s to the 60’s, I was obsessed with. Whether it was the music, novels, pin-up girls, heroes, and fiction. Some of my favorite television shows and movies are Happy Days, The Wonder Years, Homefront, Laverne and Shirley, Flash Gordon, A League of Their Own, and Oscar to name a few.

Even if I lost much of my personal collections during the flooding brought about by Typhoon Ondoy, I still seek to reclaim some pieces I cherish and simply must have.

One may say that they are material things. Those who say that know nothing of that loss. They are not only totems but signposts of our lives. They are things that were bought and have much value.

Today, I was finally able to get the late Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures. Ever since I first picked up a copy of Pacific Presents #2 in a bargain bin that featured Stevens’ character Cliff Secord clutching the Rocketeer jet pack, I’ve been a fan. It was like discovering gold. It was my only copy until the comics adaptation of the movie starring Bill Campbell and Jennifer Connelly and the fantastic novelization by Peter David. Then I was able to get the graphic novel of Cliff’s New York Adventure. But my collection remained incomplete until today.

Cliff Secord was Peter Parker without the webs. He was ornery and really nothing special until he got ahold of the rocket pack. If you loved those Indiana Jones movies where there was adventure, intrigue, and Nazis… well, the Rocketeer did it first.

Dave’s art is gorgeous. It’s lively and full of emotion. It pays a lot of homage to the pulp stuff of yesteryear with cheesecake shots and a dash of adventure (can you say The Shadow?). His women are bodacious and paved the way for artists like Adam Hughes and Frank Cho who were made to drawn the female of the species.

Stevens’ design of the Rocketeer’s helmet is one of comicdom’s all-time best. C’mon, name someone with a famous helmet – Iron Man, Magneto, Galactus? The Rocketeer’s fin is awesome!

The movie adaptation is faithful and Campbell is a deadringer for Secord. Betty became Jenny wasn’t the pin-up girl she was in the comics. But Connelly’s breathtaking beauty added to the charm.

After I closed the 148-page collection, I sighed, then went through it again like some photo album from a bygone day. I thought of good things. Good memories. Like my sainted grandfather. Ice cream on a hot summer day. Comic books. Stories of the 1930’s-1960’s. And Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer that will always have a place in my heart.

A childhood cartoon fave of mine

2010-03-04T08:43:00.000+08:00

One of the my favorite Saturday morning cartoons when I was growing up. Hope to get this un-remastered DVD soon. Aside from The Herculoids, I loved Gigantor, Astro Boy, Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, and those old Marvel Superheroes cartoons.

Nexus The Origin remastered

2010-01-20T06:33:00.002+08:00

Just learned of this now. Have been so out of the loop but I'm slowly coming back. My priorities are my Nexus comic books. The Origin, when it first came out, was my jumping point for the Nexus mythos. From there it was no looking back.

And am looking forward to getting this.

2010-01-14T17:42:00.002+08:00

I can't believe that Marvel Films intends to reboot the Spider-Man movie franchise. Why? They could have moved forward sans Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi.

As for the Thor movie, I wonder what the plot will be. For sure they will meld Asgard and Midgard. Lady Sif or Jane has to be a babe, huh.

Siege

2010-01-12T22:20:00.003+08:00

Am not so much into collecting comic books now (after Ondoy) but this one I am following. I picked Prelude and the first ish. Riveting is the word. Now here's hoping they don't change artists midway through the story because that always annoys the hell out of me.

I'll say this though -- the Marvel Universe sure is one dark place now.

Getting back my Nexus

2010-01-09T06:43:00.001+08:00

Trying to get back all these titles:

Nexus The Origin

Alien Justice

Wages of Sin

Executioner's Song

God Con

Nightmare In Blue

Space Opera

Nexus/Madman

Nexus/Magnus the Robot Fighter.

Also looking for his Space Ghost issue.

And speaking of cartoons, here's Charlie Brown

2009-12-24T21:28:00.003+08:00

Another cool album with jazz musicians performing music from the Peanuts cartoons. This was some two decades ago now. And I once got the vinyl album of this. Once the compact disc version was out, I made sure to get it.

Saturday Morning Flashback

2009-12-24T21:19:00.002+08:00

I picked this up more than a decade ago around the time of the tribute music craze and when Alternative Music was in full swing but this album -- Saturday Morning Cartoons Greatest Hits -- was something else. This one spoke my language as I grew up watching many of the cartoons whose theme songs are featured on this album. The alternative acts here are cool. And the television/video version was hosted by Drew Barrymore! I never get tired of listening to this as I love it as only a kid can.

Avatar

2009-12-22T23:16:00.001+08:00

James Cameron's Avatar reminded me of The Mission and Dances With Wolves but I still loved it. Can't wait to watch it again and get myself the DVD.

Nexus First

2009-12-22T23:09:00.003+08:00

One of the toughest things after Typhoon Ondoy was losing a lot of personal belongings and effects that I had accumulated through the years. I feel bad about my comic book collection that I've had since my school days. I sort of lost my taste for buying comic books since then. I did pick up a few trades such as the Ultimates and Avengers Forever but that's about it. The one series I am going to get back are all my Nexus comics books that were released under Dark Horse. nexus happens to be one of my all-time fave characters and seeing a letter of mine printed in the pages of Nexus: Alien Justice was a fanboy moment. I recently got in touch with the owners of Comic Alley to help me get the entire Dark Horse and Steve Rude Productions comics. I'll start with that and work my way backwards to other titles. For me, it's Nexus or nothing.

Image United - the jury's still out for me

2009-12-20T23:22:00.003+08:00

If you think I'd be impressed, after reading the first issue, I'm not. The jam art doesn't work I'm sorry to say as does Robert Kirkman's script. But I am intrigued enough to pick it up. Let's hope that it doesn't suck the way Final Crisis did.

FOX TV bring these three back for a 3rd season or be terminated!

2009-12-05T20:01:00.001+08:00

Terminator Heaven

2009-12-05T19:35:00.005+08:00

Of all the sci-fi horror stuff that came out in the 1980s: Aliens, Predator, and Terminator, it's the latter than I'm a huge fan of. I have all the DVDs and even collect the comic books. Great great story and Salvation -- I'm tempted to say it's even better than T2 which is my personal fave. But who cares? As long as they bring it on. As for the Sarah Connor Chronicles, it is so much better than I expected and totally love the show. And Summer Glau and Lena Heady are both hot. To FOX TV, BRING IT BACK NOW.

Pedal to the metal

2009-12-03T19:30:00.000+08:00

I loved the first movie and the second one can only get better.

One of my fave comic book characters of all time has one of the best comic book movies of all time.

And the sequel has Scarlett Johansson. She just takes my breath away.

One of the great superhero stories of all time

2009-10-11T17:37:00.003+08:00

I have every single version of this great epic -- from the original limited series to the collected versions and the novelization. An instant classic from the moment it was displayed on comic racks.

One of the few comics I read today

2009-10-10T17:50:00.002+08:00

I don't follow too many comic books now. In fact, I only buy three: Green Lantern, Ultimate Avengers, and Captain America. The Blackest Night series looks far better than Final Crisis which was really terrible. I hope after this they give all these doom and gloom extinction event level stories a rest. But Blackest Night is cool.

Millar is back (Jeph Loeb sucks forever)

2009-09-30T22:42:00.002+08:00

I've been away from comics far too long. What a surprise to see Mark Millar doing the Ultimates again. No more terrible stories that have no rhyme or reason (Jeph Loeb is one of the worst shitheads to ever happen to this line). And although I miss Bryan Hitch's art, Carlos Pacheco is not a bad choice. Wahoo!

You're just a toy!

2009-07-21T09:33:00.001+08:00

My new toy... from Playskool! It says for ages 2 and up.

My emotional rescue for the day

2009-05-29T01:13:00.002+08:00

Get the limited edition with a free bonus disc.

Captain America #600 What a cover by Alex Ross

2009-05-29T01:08:00.002+08:00

Stuff that I get now: Astonishing X-Men, Captain America, Justice Society of America, Flash Rebirth, and Green Lantern. And Cap is just tops!

Ed Brubaker is one heck of a writer!

And while I'm not as crazy for my old favorite artists like Jim Lee and company, Alex Ross -- after all these years -- is one artist I still get up for.

Look at what I got last weekend! So cool!

2009-05-26T00:44:00.001+08:00

My fave Star Wars characters:
1. Han Solo
2. Boba Fett
3. Clone Troopers
4. Darth Vader
5. Qui-Gon Jin

And the Millennium Falcon is the best spacecraft ever!

2 claws for Wolverine?

2009-05-02T08:10:00.000+08:00

What do I think of the Wolverine movie? From a fanboy's perspective, it was nice to see it onscreen and try to decipher what was taken from the comic books and translated to film. I guess it's like that for all superhero movies.

The inclusion of the other mutants who would later comprise the X-Men was totally new in terms of movie retconning. Nice to see Gambit and Emma Frost.

The movie after being leaked and all, well, not bad. The first X-Men film was better. I can't put my finger on it but there was something sterile about it; it sometimes had the feel and texture of a B-movie.

Myabe after I watch it again (on DVD), I'll have a better appreciation for it but for now, it's not bad. Maybe when the DVD comes out I'll rave over it.

Rebirth of the Flash and me as a fan

2009-04-09T09:55:00.000+08:00

Barry Allen is back. My favorite Flash is back in real time DC Universe continuity. And he becomes the main Flash in the book.

I never was much of a Wally West fan. Ditto with Kyle Rayner over at Green Lantern. The originals are still the best by a mile. So it's really good to see them back. These characters just have to be in the hands of people who care for the stories they tell and not just produce them for money and marketing gimmicks.

I'm not much of a DC person but they do have some good titles. So I'll be picking up the Barry Allen Flash for sure.

I haven't been buying comic books in a while and it was only yesterday that I saw this and picked it up immediately along with the several issues of Captain America that I missed.

Thor God-Size

2008-12-23T20:53:00.000+08:00

I love Thor. And its been great lately.

Alex Ross on the JSA

2008-12-23T20:31:00.003+08:00

Ever since Alex Ross did marvels, I've been a fan and collector of his works. I once tried to get every cover he did but it's been kind of impossible and too costly so I just got the books where he did the interior paintings. Seeing him be a part of the creative group of the Justice Society of America has been a treat for a long time Golden Age and Ross fan.

But this Kingdom Come Special was real sweet. Great story and equally great art.

Three Claws approval rating from me

2008-12-17T19:54:00.000+08:00

The Dark Knight for a Dark Christmas

2008-12-17T19:49:00.003+08:00

What a way to end the year... The Dark Knight DVD is out. Don't you get the feeling that you're watching the super hero version of Natural Born Killers? A thoroughly enjoyable movie. And we had four good super hero movies this year --- Transformers, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and The Dark Knight. Now on to the X-Men Wolverine Origins movie.

Hit the ground running

2008-11-23T22:14:00.003+08:00

When I still think about how cool the endings for Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk are my mind races to the possibility of an Avengers movie -- the Ultimates version. For the longest time, I have been a Captain America fan. He maybe wasn't as cool as the X-Men and he didn't have the gadgets that Batman uses but he was still a fascinating character.

As we see Marvel produce solo movies of the core cast of the Avengers I in all my fanboy geekdom was ecstatic to find out that they are now producing the Captain America film.

The candidates to play the iconic Steve Rodgers are Mark Valley (ER and Boston Legal), Nathan Fillion (Firefly), and Aaron Eckhart (he played Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight Returns).

Valley might have the age just right. But It would be interesting to see Fillion nab the role of the Star Spangled Avenger.

Watch this if you want to live...

2008-11-20T22:55:00.001+08:00

This is such a worthy addition to the Terminator mythos. I so love it! Perect casting and Lena Headey has made the role of Sarah Connor hers. And what can I say about Summer Glau... not exactly the most perfect but like I always say, a woman's imperfections make her even sexier.

But the story breaks new ground here and they manage to pull it off as a TV series. So it isn't like Smallville where it's the freak of the week that Clark Kent goes up against.

The crew battles against the formation and creation of Skynet as they manage to delay Armageddon but not prevent it.

Awesome storyline. And Season 2 kicks into high gear from the first episode.

Mutants, sex, and action

2008-10-19T22:55:00.003+08:00

This is one of the best reads now. I thought that towards the end, Josh Whedon sort of lost it. I love Firefly/Serenity, Josh, but get over it. Those space stuff don't cut it for the X-Men.

So you have to give props to Warren Ellis who has been consistently one of the best writers out there and to Simone Bianchi -- gorgeous art. I really look forward to this book every month. And I have to admit that all that sexual undertones between Scott and Emma just make this all the more cool to read.

Now will they ever do a real "X" book? Bwahahaha.

Iron Man 2-disc DVD Helmet Collector's Edition

2008-10-17T23:09:00.004+08:00

This has got to be a cool DVD collector's edition with the case designed like Shellhead's helmet. The tricky thing about these special cases is you have to be careful when you pull out and return the discs let their fragile casings get busted.

I tremendously enjoyed the second disc with all its special features. A real fun watch. Some deleted scenes could have been inserted but over-all even without them the original cut is still awesome.

Damn. Two more years before the next Iron Man movie.

Trade Paperbacks Rule!

2008-08-10T21:23:00.003+08:00

Don't you love those trade paperback collections? They're easier to file and they contain all the stories between covers. They contain forewords, introductions, and an afterword which I must admit I do read. They've been recolored and sometimes printed on superior paper as compared to the old newsprint. The only thing missing are those cool ads and letter columns that spiced up those salad days.

Having spent some time away, I was unable to attend to my collections. It used to be that I was meticulous in their care. Now they're not in the best of conditions.

Trade paperbacks are a nice way of reconnecting with what I enjoyed during my youth. And they do bring as much joy when I re-read them. They've also opened up a whole new audience of readers since one does not have to look for back issues anymore.

2008-08-09T21:37:00.000+08:00

I feel the need for speed

2008-07-20T20:18:00.003+08:00

I've always been a fan of speedster characters from the Jay Garrick Flash to the Barry Allen Flash to Max Mercury. Sorry, I'm not a fan of Marvel's Quicksilver.

When Velocity came along from Top Cow, I knew I had another character to follow.

Now hopefully, they write this character correctly rather than feature her as an Avril Lavigne wannabe or someone with angst issues.

Ultimate Treat

2008-07-04T07:59:00.003+08:00

Staying up at night. Couldn't sleep. I decided to read Ultimates Volumes 1 & 2 and Ultimate War. I've said it before and I'll say it again, these are some of the best comic book stories ever.

That's why Volume 3 by Jeph Loeb and Joe Madureira are so painful to the mind. They are nowhere near as good and they are just conceived terribly.

Now hopefully, we'll see the original team back. Joe Quesada are you listening? It's like letting Alex Ross go to DC. It's going to bite you in the ass.

Read this, Rey Mysterio!

2008-07-03T22:28:00.003+08:00

This is a fun read. If you like wrestling, the X-Files, and good old indie humor, then Image Comics' Lucha Libre is the best way to get yer ya-ya's out.

The comics which are like 48-page specials are released quarterly. They are something that should be read when one isn't harassed and is in the mood for something different. It's quirky and at times needs a little re-reading. Maybe it's that indie-feel that makes it so but make no mistake, it's a fun read.

Lucha Libre is the story of several middle-aged men who don masks and fight werewolves, crime, their wives, and other denizens of East LA. These men never take off their masks and people tend to think of them as overgrown babies who are actually quite harmless. But in truth, these guys are superheroes. Rey Mysterio ain't got nothing on these dudes.

2008 Toy Con

2008-06-16T08:25:00.004+08:00

Had a blast at the Toy Con 2008 at the SM Mega Trade Hall. Saw quite a few friends there who let the kid in the enjoy and roam free. Nah, I didn't buy any toys or comics but got a burned DVD of the old Captain America cartoons (circa 1966).

This week's stash

2008-06-08T22:03:00.003+08:00

I really don't know what to think of Secret Invasion #3. Tony Stark... a Skrull? Damn if they do that I'll stop reading Iron Man. I think that the Skrull Spider-Woman was just playing with his fragile mental state. It's a third of the eight-issue limited series and we have yet to see explanations for a great many things. Instead, Marvel has chosen to do the other stories in other titles. A cheap stunt I tell you.

Avengers/Invaders #2 was plenty cool. I'm just not crazy about Steve Sadowski's art. He gave this limited series an indie feel but I think what this series needs is some dynamic if not majestic art.

The Astonishing X-Men Sketchbook was in many ways even more exciting. That new line-up of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Beast, Nightcrawler, Storm, Angel, Wolverine, Dazzler, and Colossus really rocks.

Check out these way cool covers on Secret Invasion

2008-06-01T19:03:00.000+08:00

2008-05-31T08:56:00.003+08:00

One of my favorite experiences is being at a comic book shop whenever the new batch of four colored delight is put on the racks. It wasn't just seeing my favorite books on the racks but the buzz and electricity by the fans who would spill in to get their stash while they engage in fanboy chatter.

I relish my memories of Midtown Comics and to this day still almost have every brown bag I got. In case you want to know, the "brown" in the bags is even more browner. Hahahaha.

The buzz is unbelievably louder when a hot new story/book is released. Like Marvels, Kingdom Come, Infinite Crisis, and Invasion.

I remember with great detail when Crisis On Infinite Earths first came out and it was kinda chaotic in the old Filbar's Shop on New York Street in Cubao. If you did go there then you would have remembered how much of a mess that place was on D-Day when the new books went on sale.

I couldn't wait to get back home to read my stuff but at the same time I tremendously enjoyed talking with everyone. People would skim through the hot picks (which was a no-no because you wanted to read it from page one) and we'd speculate and rave about or diss the art.

And Final Crisis is no different.

Here are my thoughts on issue number one:
- I thought it was cool way to start it off with the "caveman" Vandal Savage which obviously has ramifications for the storyline. I never knew Metron to be a part of his history so is this a retcon?
- Hokey Smokes! They killed off Orion and the Martian Manhunter. I'm actually sick of all these storylines with villains offing heroes. I demand that many of these foes be paid back in spades! And that's J'onn J'onzz.
- I'm not liking all these Monitors. The first crisis was perhaps the biggest of them all and it's only now these bald-headed DC versions of the Watchers show up? C'mon. Enough of all these retcon and tell straight forward stories.
- It's more of a set-up issue for the succeeding ones. The first issue is okay but not great. What makes it exciting are the numerous teaser/sub-plots being unveiled of which the most intriguing isn't even in the 32 pages, but in the next issue cover --- the return of the Barry Allen Flash! Oh, yeah. Now I know that Marv Wolfman left a way for him to return to the mainstream DC Universe and I'd love to see hw Grant Morrison does it.

A not so secret way to pilfer more money from the fans' pockets

2008-05-30T09:23:00.000+08:00

Obviously Secret Invasion's basic plot goes all the way back to those early Fantastic Four issues of Stan and Jack. And I for one cannot wait long enough to see how the story unfolds and affects the Marvel Universe's past, present, and future. I just think that the story should have unfolded in the regular series rather than have the back stories be told in different titles. It read a bit disjointed. I think the stories are great but its just hard to follow. I believe that its an underhanded stunt for the fans to buy even titles that they don't normally pick up.

The Savage Land part of Secret Invasion should be told in the main book and we fans shouldn't have to go to the Avengers titles that should be telling related plots of the heroes. Sure it's great to see Ka-Zar again, but not this way.

Monkey see. Monkey do.

2008-05-24T09:36:00.002+08:00

There was a time when this ad appeared in almost every comic book in the 1970's up to the mid-80's. It was intriguing. Talk about "sea monkeys" in humanoid form. Only these creatures bore no resemblance to the caricature which was meant to be "fanciful." They're actually a variant of brine shrimp or Artemia salina, now called Artemia salina nyos. With a life cycle of two years at the most, they're like "toys" albeit the creepy kind. Must be those illustrations. And all these comic books about Skrulls.

2008-05-22T16:34:00.003+08:00

I wasn't born yet when Golden Age characters first came out, but when I discovered them I became a fan for life. Whether it was the Justice Society of America, the Invaders, or even the retro Big Bang Comics, I collected them.

Their costumes weren't snazzy and they even had cheesey names like Mr. Terrific and the Sandman but I thrilled to their adventures like only a kid can. Wen they made a comeback more than a decade ago with Len Strazewski writing and the late Mike Parobeck illustrating them that's when I began collecting every single JSA issue out there. Len was especially knowledgeable about the JSA tome and when he brought them out of their eternal battle in limbo (Ragnarok), he updated them for modern audiences.

That turned into a successfully and critically-received limited series that eventually became a regular run now on its second volume. Heroes like the Golden Age Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman though clearly were cool again. And when James Robinson and David Goyer (and later Geoff Johns) took over they included the offspring of the older heroes.

I've always loved team books from the Justice League of America to the Avengers to the X-Men, and to the JSA... the granddaddy of all superhero teams.

The current storyline where they finally integrate the Kingdom Come universe (once considered as simply Elseworlds) into modern continuity is really riveting. With the Great Darkness Saga unfolding in the Green Lantern titles, the Batman RIP arc, and Final Crisis upon us, how does everything tie in?

Someone tell Loeb to go back to Batman

2008-05-08T05:30:00.006+08:00

You see that quote by Bryan Hitch? Maybe Mark Millar and Hitch should go back to the Ultimates because Jeph Loeb and Joe Madureira are doing such a piss-poor job.

And Tony Harris! Yeah, I've always loved those guys from the defunct Gaijin Studios. His Starman (with writer James Robinson) was cool.

2008-05-06T01:10:00.001+08:00

The ten best Batman stories ever told

2008-05-05T14:25:00.013+08:00

In all my years of reading Batman (on a semi-regular basis since A Death In the Family because prior to that I was strictly reading Marvel Comics), I can honestly say that these are the best stories in the Batman canon (let's keep it to the post-Crisis I era).

What makes a good book? For one, it's a story that defines and charts the direction of the character for the next generations. It's a story that is constantly mined for gems of new stories and untold ones.

Many may point to Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns as the one that changed Batman for all eternity. Maybe so, but if you want to talk about grim and gritty then Batman: Year One is the story. It features great art by David Mazzuchelli who also worked with Miller on my favorite Daredevil story Born Again.

Year One begat the Long Halloween, Prey, and Batman Begins to name just a few.

The Dark Knight Returns is one of those great futuristic stories to come out in the 80's (along with X-Men: Days of Future Past). It defined the relationship between Batman and Superman for an age, one that was even felt all the way to Alex Ross' magnum opus Kingdom Come.

The Killing Joke is the story that turned the Joker into a real homicidal maniac. Not only is this a great story but it's also a work of art. By Alan Moore and Brian Bolland.

Another British duo to have a significant impact on the Dark Knight. Grant Morrison and Dave McKean present a gothic and psychological thriller set inside Arkham Asylum. Frightening and downright edgy. Bats appears more often than not in the shadows.

The longest Batman story in this list. Mines Year One and its suspense story greatly influenced Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's approach to telling their later collaboration, Hush. tim Sale's art fits along nicely with David Mazzuchelli's Year One story.

This is the only recent Batman story in this list. Most of them were in the 1980's post-Crisis on Infinite Earths with the Long Halloween coming out in 1996. This story pretty much shows DC Comics' direction since it came out -- massive storylines where the hero runs the gamut of his rogues' gallery -- while connecting a dark past -- A Death In the Family. It sure helps that Jim Lee put in his best artwork in some time.

One of the first Batman books I bought that tells of the origins of the birth of Batman's son with Talia, the daughter of Ra's Al Ghul. For the longest time, creators stayed away from Mike W. Barr and Jerry Bingham's story and it wasn't until Alex Ross touched on this in Kingdom Come that it became fair game. Grant Morrison recently began exploring this in the regular Batman title.

If you ask me, this was more of a stunt when DC asked readers to vote whether to spare the life of Jason Todd or not. But jst as his parents' death defined Batman's character so did his greatest failure. How the sudden resurrection of Todd in recent continuity affects this time will only tell.

Batman vs. Hugo Strange as written by Doug Moench and illustrated by Paul Gulacy. One of those stories that mines Year One. One of those hidden gems in this series. While Batman: Seduction of the Gun is one of the few Batman stories that deals with real social issues such as gun control. Great stuff (Seduction of the Gun) by John Ostrander and Vince Giarrano.

Free Comic Book Day

2008-05-03T15:26:00.008+08:00

It's Free Comic Book Day all over the world. And this year, I got to celebrate it at Comic Odyssey in Robinson's Galleria with over 200 fans.

I've been buying at this shop for quite some time now. I like the service and the fact that the owner is a fan.

These are just some of the freebies I got at Comic Odyssey.

An X-Men book written by Mike Carey with art by Greg Land. A Hellboy story written by Guillermo Del Toro and art by the great Mike Mignola. And The Death-Defying Devil from the Super Powers series from Dynamite.

I also got Trese: Murder On Balete Drive by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo. Budjette has really done a lot for the local comic book scene so this guy deserves massive props.

Gerry Alanguilan and I have been friends for almost two decades now. He is one guy I truly respect for his creative genius, guts, and determination. Not many people may know it but I wrote the first ever feature on WASTED in any local publication (it was for the Philippine Daily Inquirer). I followed his work through the years even as he broke in the major leagues -- Marvel, DC, and Image. And now his work on Elmer is simply hilarious. Thanks for going to the11-25pages.blogspot.com, Gerry.

Iron Man: the best super-hero film yet!

2008-05-02T20:27:00.007+08:00

Ever since the first Spider-Man movie came out, every film that came out afterwards strived to fit the world of marvels with a dose hard-nosed reality. In this digital age, the special effects made the impossible possible and the A-list cast every bit as integral to its success.

Look Christopher Reeve was perfect as Superman and his Smallville days were awesome, but that was about it. The movies were crap and Lex Luthor as played by Gene Hackman was a buffoon.

So the day that comic books came of age (as accepted by the non-fans) for all intents and purposes begins with Spider-Man.

But every movie save for Batman Begins was a superhero movie.

Iron Man seems not to be.

It just might be the best super-hero film of them all. When the cast was announced, I couldn't wait to see this done. Thank God that Jon Favreau who played Foggy Nelson in Daredevil (with Ben Affleck) understood this character so much better than Mark Steven Johnson who directed ole Hornhead. And great "cameo" by Favreau as Happy Hogan.

Robert Downey Jr. I've been a fan since Chances Are (with Cybill Shepherd) and Heart and Souls. Given his real life struggles with drug addiction (though Tony Stark was an alcoholic), Downey Jr. with his great acting chops, is a perfect fit.

He makes Stark's character his own. He doesn't allow the technology of Iron Man (the special effects of ILM) to steal the show because he is the show. And like Michael Bay's Transformers, tying in with the US Military was beneficial because it adds a lot of realism to the story.

Gwyneth Paltrow made Pepper Potts seem more interesting than she ever was in the comics. Terrence Howard as Rhodey was perfect (will he don the War Machine armor) and Jeff Bridges was really menacing. Here's your next Lex Luthor, DC!

Great re-telling of Iron Man's origin. Loved the SHIELD cameo. The story never drags and is periodically spiced with simple humor that doesn't make the story one bit frivolous. And any movie that starts out with AC/DC's "Back in Black" has got to be aces in my book.

Since I'm a credits guy, I'm glad I stayed for end where I got to see Samuel Jackson portray the Ultimates' version of Nick Fury who talked about "the Avengers Initiative." That pretty much gives away Marvel Studios' plans -- to come up with an Avengers movie. But first they have to come up with a Thor and Captain America movie. Giant Man and the Wasp can join in when that Avengers/Ultimates movie gets done.

But Iron Man... can anyone say one of the best movies of the year? Let alone best comic book movie?

Links:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16214
http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16251

Trilogy

2008-05-01T13:56:00.004+08:00

When Crisis On Infinite Earths #1 first came out in 1985 the printing was so bad I didn't purchase it. Oh yes, I remember that day well. The books were just placed on display and fans everywhere were grabbing a copy. There was supposed to be a second printing only I never saw it.

I had to wait several years later before I was able to pick up the entire 12-issue maxi series. I always thought that it was one of the better story arcs DC put out and not soon after that the Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen came out ushering a new era for the company.

Infinite Crisis was an even better story and filled with surprises and turns that I didn't see coming. It came 20 years after the original crisis and seemed well thought out. I'm not so sure about Final Crisis though. DC seems in a rush to bring this story out and since the original crisis have been coming out with one world-extinction event after another - Invasion to War of the Gods etc.

Yeah I know that Grant Morrison and and Geoff Johns are the writers behind this so it's going to be every bit a great story. And if this issue -- a chilling prologue of what's to come, then I'd be watching out for this.

The Last Temptation of Alice

2008-04-29T07:50:00.004+08:00

My younger brother picked up this limited series from the defunct Marvel Music comics line in 1994. I don't think it was ever reprinted in trade paperback form until Neil Gaiman brought it over to Dark Horse in 2005.

When I first read it in its full color glory back then, the story creeped me out. It was about a boy who is tempted to fall through the cracks -- a recurring theme in Gaiman's stories like Neverwhere and Stardust among others -- and disappear. The Alice cooper character, "the showman," paints a bleak and destitute picture for the boy's future and in exchange for his soul in his traveling circus of lost souls, will have immortality in a spirit world.

For all of Gaiman's works and influences, he is a modern HP Lovecraft who crafts his stories in a CS Lewis world. He can sure write a terrifying story without resorting to being Stephen King. I almost slept with the lights on.

And this story, in its collected black and white format that highlights the terrific art by Michael Zulli, still frightens me after all these years. Now I'm wondering why I didn't get the trade of X-Men: God Loves. Man Kills instead.

the Alex Ross Collection

2008-04-26T13:58:00.007+08:00

I was one of those enthralled when I first purchased Marvels in 1993. If reading comic books wasn't one of those carryovers from childhood already this would have made me a fan. Alex Ross captured that feeling of awe and wonder of having to behold such characters. Working almost exclusively in watercolor gouache, he brought a photorealistic style that takes almost everyone's breath away. Every panel he paints is gorgeous and is a work of art. I spend an inordinate amount of time just reading and gazing the loving detail he puts into every page. For sheer attention to layouts, I never thought anyone would top George Perez but Alex did. And more.

From there on, I picked up almost everything that he's worked on since... Kingdom Come, Uncle Sam, those over-sized editions of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Shazam, and the Justice League, and Justice.

I guess we were weaned on the same thing as kids -- the Super Friends, a deep appreciation for Norman Rockwell (I have two books of his collected art), the 1960's Marvel cartoons, Battle of the Planets, the Justice Society of America, and old school Marvel and DC.

Marvels, Kingdom Come, and Justice (the three-part hardbound editions are a welcome addition to my collection) are in my all-time fave comics list.

I really wish he'd do stuff for Marvel once more as opposed to layouts like for the X series that I didn't collect). I'll be checking out the Invaders/Avengers cross-over. While I like Steve Sadowski's work (JSA), I wish they're doing it with paints over pencils.

Free Comic Book Day at Comic Odyssey

2008-04-26T13:39:00.005+08:00

At the Comic Odyssey Robinson's Galleria branch from 12pm-5pm.

They will be giving out FREE COMIC BOOK DAY edition comics from various publishers.

These FCBD edition comics will be limited to (3) copies per customer, however, we will also be giving out THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of other comics for FREE with no set limit.

To celebrate Free Comic Book Day, we will also be offering:
*50% off all back issues in the comic bins
*Raffle prizes every half hour
*Guest artists Gerry Alanguilan and Edgar Tadeo.

Brand new day. Same old shit.

2008-04-24T16:12:00.006+08:00

I became a fan of Spider-Man in those old 1960's cartoons along with the Avengers, Iron Man, Thor, and the Hulk. By today's standards, the animation is clumsy and even lacking in imagination. But why compare? That was a different time.

And so old Webhead became one of my favorite characters with those John Romita Sr. stories. But I became hardcore by the time Roger Stern was the scribe. I stopped collecting around the time Ron Frenz began to regularly illustrate the pages. I would come back once in a while but never on a regular basis as I didn't like many of the story arcs.

When Peter Parker tied the knot with Mary Jane Watson, I thought that it made for an interesting change in his life. And like many marriages after some time, they tend to lose the fire that once made it so passionate and like no other that came before. I honestly thought it so uncharacteristic of Peter to unmask himself during the recent Civil War. Pete would have never never done so. He was always aware of the pros and cons no matter how hard life dealt him a bad hand.

If they wanted Peter to separate from MJ then that's they're look out. Why not? Marvel has pretty much tried to wreck all the comic book marriages it created -- Hank and Janet Pym, Scott and Jean Summers, and Reed and Sue Richards. What's one more?

But to render it as something that never happened -- like that crummy Infinity Gauntlet story where everyone died but came back afterwards -- through magic! An evil kind of magic is just so lame. If Mephisto was that powerful to change the world just like that they why has he always been beaten? Lame. Lame. Lame.

What? Joe Quesada wanted to bring that Peter Parker with all his problems? Been there and done that. As they like to chant in pro wrestling -- "same old shit." Spidey is just up against new villains. It's like what DC did to Hal Jordan. As much as I'm a Hal Jordan fan, they should have kept him as Parallax. Now they guy who replaced him as Green Lantern -- Kyle Rayner -- is just another uninteresting and misused character.

There are letter writers are saying that the Brand New Day stories are interesting? Of course they have to be? That's their job or else no one would buy them. But they're all cheap stunts designed to milk more money out of the fans. I don't even understand why there are three issues out every month of Amazing Spider-Man.

Marvel likes to say that DC fixes it problems by blowing up the universe with all these crises. Well, they render some great stories practically meaningless because of their constant retconning. Yeah, they're comic books. That's like saying that football is just a game.

Brand new day. Same old shit.

In the chill of night, At the scene of the crime, Like a streak of light, He arrives just in time!

2008-04-24T13:44:00.001+08:00

Here they are -- all 52 episodes of Spider-Man's original 1967 classic television series in six discs, now completely restored in full color and bursting with spectacular Spidey action! A boxed set that fetches a whopping $100 bucks!

Experience every amazing moment of Spider-Man's first appearance on TV in the animated series that electrified Saturday morning audiences from 1967-1970. Featuring the Web-Slinger's greatest foes, including Dr. Octopus, The Green Goblin, Mysterio, The Rhino, Dr. Magneto, and so many more.

X marks the spot

2008-04-23T08:29:00.005+08:00

This coming April 30 will see the release of hardcover trade paperback of X-O Manowar: Birth which collects #0-6 with a new story done just for this collection. X-O Manowar came out during the alternative boom of the 90's when Image, Valiant, and Dark Horse spearheaded their assault into mainstream consciousness.

I love Homage Comics' Leave It To Chance, Image's Astro City, Dark Horse's Hellboy, Jeff Smith's self-published Bone, Terry Moore's Strangers In Paradise, and Valiant's X-O Manowar and Turok. And I still do.

But at the end of the day, a lot of titles during the indie boom went away. To much clutter not enough great stuff.

X-O Manowar had an interesting concept -- it was like putting Conan inside Iron Man's armor. The stories were good and occasionally great so I was surprised to see that they rebooted the character later on using a different protagonist.

But Aric of Dacia, the original X-O Manowar... is once more here again in his early barbaric glory. Watch out for Elvis Presley's cameo.

Sandy Collora's Finest

2008-04-22T15:43:00.003+08:00

While attending the Big Apple Convention, I purchased indie filmmaker Sandy Collora's Batman: Dead End. I thought it was such a cool flick given the extremely low budget. That's one of the things I loved about living in New York, there's just so much stuff readily available to you. Stuff that I'd never think I'd get my hands on. When I first read about Batman: Dead End in Wizard I wondered if I'd ever get to see it much less own a copy.

Well, I do have one and a whole lot more. The World's Finest is cool. I just wish they rendered it ala Steve Rude.

Autographed comics

2008-04-21T21:42:00.007+08:00

I purchased my copy of Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross at Virgin Records in Times Square rather than a comic shop because it was priced by several dollars off. Then came the signing on November 21, 2003 at Midtown Comics in Midtown Manhattan. The signing was from 5pm-7pm but I had to work undertime if I wanted to get some stuff autographed. I lined up at 1pm meaning I was standing in line for four hours before it stared moving.

You could only have two items signed at one time so if you had a lot of stuff you had to get back in line. And that was almost impossible given the line that snaked all the way from 40th Street and 7th Avenue to Port Authority. So what I did was get him to sign the frontispiece of Mythology and the over-sized Justice League treasury edition. I also had with me a copy of Kingdom come but store personnel were strict only two books to be signed per line-up. I got a video of Alex signing my books; a nice belated birthday gift for myself.

This was during the promotions for the Punisher movie. I have a picture of myself, actor Thomas Jane, and Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada somewheres and this was my opportunity to get him to sign the Guardian Devil story arc trade paperback.

Less than a month after the Alex Ross signing, I got Phil Jimenez to sign his entire run of New x-Men (with Grant Morrison) comics at Mid-town. The line wasn't that long so I could go back in line to get everything signed.

I also had the opportunity to get Mark Millar's sig on the frontispiece of the Ultimates trade paperback. He was a swell guy who really loved meeting and talking with the fans.

Other signed stuff I have: Whilce Portacio on Uncanny X-Men and Punisher, Jim Lee on X-Men and Wildcats, Grant Morrison on X-Men, Todd McFarlane on Spider-Man, Mark Millar on Wanted, and JG Jones on Wanted and Black Widow. I'll post these pics sometimes soon. I also have signed Torrie Wilson and Sable Playboys complete with pix. Hahaha.

Someone asked me why do I ask the writers or artists to put my name on the book because that practically kills the re-sale value. It's obvious that they're nothing but speculators who do kill the industry. I'm not in this to sell them at a later date. I read and collect this stuff because I'm a fan. And when the time comes, I'll give them to my kids as hand-me-downs.

In the City

2008-04-21T08:39:00.007+08:00

After reading all those Marvel comics you tend to look up the Big Apple's concrete canyons in search of some cape or webbing. My dad tells me that it's a product of my overactive imagination. But that's fine.

When I was living in New York, I first bought my comics at Jim Hanley's Universe on West 33rd and 5th Avenue. It was on the block opposite the Empire State Building and not far from the Manhattan Mall and Madison Square Garden where I used to work. I later transferred to Midtown Comics because of the free $20 dollars worth of comics that I got after every $100 (cumulative) purchase. That's a lot you save when you become a member by simply registering with them (your password is your birthdate).

There were a few other comic book shops like Forbidden Planet in Union Square and the indie shops in St. Mark's in the East Village (I loved their line of indie titles) that I did visit from time to time but I got my stuff essentially at Midtown. Forbidden Planet is where my cousin would get his manga stuff and I would too.

Midtown and Jim Hanley bag your stash in a paperbag while in FP, it was in a plastic bag with some druid-looking alien as their mascot. Now is an old school rocket that looks real cool.

Here I mostly buy my stash at Comics Odyssey in Robinson's Galleria and occasionally at Filbar's and Comic Quest. For trades... it's Fully Booked.

I say, "Ninja. Ninja. Ninja."

2008-04-20T07:04:00.001+08:00

The action thriller anime film Ninja Scroll, about a wandering samurai named Jubei Kibagami set it feudal Japan, joins Akira and Ghost In the Shell as some of the world's favorite and most popular and influential exports from the Land of the Rising Sun.

I remember always going into Best Buy taking a look at the Special Edition wanting to buy it but it just expensive. Far from the standard $20 DVD. It cost around $35 if I am not mistaken. But if you're a fan you'll only be able to resist the temptation for so long.

It was only the other day that I got the 13-episode TV series from one of those anime stores the other day (it cost me seventy-five bucks a disc) and I'm pleasantly surprised to see that it's a good purchase.

The story follows the adventures of Jubei who is asked to guard the Jade Dragon Stone and to protect the Priestess of Light (Shigure) from the Hiruko Clan and the Kimon Shu. He is aided by the government spy Dakuan and the thief Tsubute. It falls into the formulaic ninja-foe/s of the week every episode which is somewhat disappointing because this is a story that can be told in far fewer episodes. It's like they were stretching it by coming up with new villains with fantastic powers every week that one has to pause and ask that why didn't all these ninja just team up together to kick the crap out of Jubei instead of fighting him one at a time?

The main female character, Shigure is nothing like Kigero of the film version. She has to be rescued time and again although at the start of the film she's shown beating the crap out of one of her bodyguards in a sparring session.

But in spite of my those observations, I love it and hope to see a new series of adventures.

I've always loved these ninja stuff that's why as a kid, I loved those Shintaro and Watari shows on TV. Imagine outside Japan, those two shows were only hugely popular in Australia and the Philippines. My son, Matthew loves Naruto and it's only recently that I began to watch it.

The series portrayed the adventures of Akikisa Shintaro, a roving samurai, played by Ose Koichi. Shintaro has no claim to power being the half-brother of Ienari, the 11th century Tokugawa Shogun. So he assumes the guise of a wandering spy-swordsman to seek out and eliminate plots by rival warlords, in this way protecting his younger brother, who is still a minor. His faithful sidekick is Iga Ninja, Kiri no Tonbei (translated as "Tonbei the Mist") played by Fuyukichi Maki.

The original series Watari can be compared to the popular Batman TV series, which was still airing in America at the time. Masked Ninja Red Shadow (Kamen no Ninja Aka-Kage), produced by Toei Company Ltd., aired on KTV and Fuji TV from April 5, 1967 to March 27, 1968, with a total of 52 episodes divided into four story arcs.

This was Toei's first color tokusatsu superhero show. Akakage was played by the late Yuzaburo Sakaguchi (a.k.a. Toru Sakaguchi), Blue Shadow was played by Yoshinobu Kaneko (younger brother of fellow child actor Mitsunobu Kaneko of Akuma-kun and Giant Robo fame) and White Shadow was also played by the late Fuyukichi Maki who also appeared in Shintaro.

Worlds Collide

2008-04-19T16:20:00.000+08:00

I don't play too many video games -- it's only Tekken and FIFA. But this one... Mortal Kombat vs. DC sounds like an exciting one.

Nova or the Surfer? Kirby or Moebius?

2008-04-19T15:33:00.004+08:00

This has to be one of the coolest pieces of comic art ever.
It's Nova vs. the Silver Surfer who is once more the herald of Galactus.

This is all part of the great Annihilation trilogy by Marvel. One of the biggest sleeper hits in the last several years.

Anyone remember that scene from the action thriller Crimson Tide where two sailors are fighting over which drew the definitive Surfer -- Jack Kirby or Moebius and Denzel Washington's character settled the issue by saying that anyone who reads comics knows that the King's is the one true Surfer? I thought that it was a nice homage to comic books in a very good film. So who do I think drew the best Surfer? Hard to say because I thought that Jim Lee and Ron Lim drew him well too. But the Moebius art is definitely striking.

People can say what they want about Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer but I truly enjoyed it. Including the Surfer has got to be one of the coolest things ever. And if the first one seemed so not FF, this was more on track.

The Adventures of Spawn Series 2

2008-04-18T15:36:00.001+08:00

When Todd McFarlane first burst into the comics scene, he had a cartoony style that was very raw. I saw it in DC's Invasion Limited Series but by the time he got his own adjective-less Spider-Man and Spawn comics to draw, his art for all its exaggerations was awesome.

But it was his toys that if you ask me that elevated action figures. Before toys of Marvel or DC super heroes sometimes looked nothing like their comic book counterparts. By the time McFarlane Toys got its groove going, everyone else was playing follow the leader. And in terms of design it's still the best. DC's Kingdom Come and Justice series have some good designs but not all the products have been consistent.

The Adventures of Spawn Series 2 has some cool toys that borrow some of Paul Dini's designs with an anime influence. They're stylish and great looking. Definitely not your dad's toys. And they're on sale.

From top to bottom:
Agent 8
Commando Spawn
Omega Squadron

Appleseed Ex Machina

2008-04-17T16:26:00.001+08:00

Produced by John Woo and directed by Shinji Aramaki, Appleseed Ex Machina (2007) ranks as the most elaborate, stylish, and violent of the three adaptations of Masamune Shirow's manga. When it was released in 1988, the original Appleseed felt like a summary of anime's past, while Akira pointed the way to the future. The second Appleseed (2004), also directed by Aramaki, was an unimpressive motion-capture CG feature that borrowed elements from other sci-fi anime. In this latest incarnation, Deunan, Briareos, and Tereus of the E.S.W.A.T. team charged with preserving the peace of the city-state of Olympus, the hi-tech paradise on a largely ruined Earth, come to life in incredible and gorgeous detail.

I don't have too many anime titles in my collection since I'm kinda discriminating with what I purchase, but this one has a place alongside my discs of:
Akira
Battle Angel Alita
Ninja Scroll
Mobile Suit Gundam: Stardust Memory
Transformers: The Animated Movie
Nausicaa
Neon Genesis Evangelion

The Ultimate Let Down

2008-04-16T15:46:00.001+08:00

It was the same sick and morose feeling that engulfed me when Jim Lee left the X-Men. Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch made the Ultimates into the best comic book out in the market bar none.

Some have said that the Ultimates were the bastards sons and daughters of the Authority. Ah, the Authority was a great read but the Ultimates punts it away by a country mile.

I really wasn't sure when it was announced that Jeph Loeb and Joe Madureira were taking over. The only thing I ever liked from Loeb was his Long Halloween Batman stories for DC but artist Tim Sale had a lot to do with that as well. As for Joe Mad? Well, he provided some great artwork for the X-Men and Battle Chasers but doesn't really work well with for the Ultimates because it runs so contrary to the real world style and lovingly detailed line art that Hitch previously imbued on the Ultimates that it smacks of heresy. The cartoony stuff might be better suited for maybe Spawn, Ghost Rider, or some indie title, but definitely not the Ultimates.

In issue after issue, Loeb destroyed everything that Messrs. Millar and Hitch brought to the table. It reads like an old Image comic and the characterization (complete with juvenile one liners) of all the heroes is so way off. Chris Eliopoulos' work on those Marvel strips reads even better.

I signed the online petition to oust Loeb and Madureira and I really hope that Marvel pays attention. If the dropping sales are any indication, they should head their fans. This limited series has got to be one of the worst and most disastrous follow ups to a great arc in comic book history.

Bring in Warren Ellis and Phil Jimenez. If not bring the originals back... Millar & Hitch.

This is an ULTIMATUM.

On the subject of getting hardbounds and trades

2008-04-15T15:27:00.003+08:00

I've got like 30 boxes of comic books back in my parents' house and I'm pretty sure that the majority of them are getting brown with age and acidic plastic and backing boards. There was a time when once a year I would inspect them but ever since I came back from the US I've not done that at all.

I am in the process of giving away many of them and instead hope to replace them with the massive trade paperbacks and hardbound editions which contain a lot of freebies. I was never one of those collectors who went for first editions and variants. I collected them because I loved and read them for myself not for anyone else. Even now, I am not so fussy about creases, as long as they don't look like something the cat dragged in I'm fine with it. It's the trades that I'm more concerned about. It's like getting special edition DVDs of your favorite movies.

Like the collected first volume of Kurt Busiek and George Perez' run. This is just a fun read and worth in any collection. While the first arc deals with Morgan Le Fay -- I'm not too fond of magic stories because it's so belies a lot of things that do not need explanation -- it was just nice reading these stories all over again after poor stewardship during the Heroes Reborn Saga which is one of the worst moves by Marvel ever. The notes and collection of covers makes it all the more worth to collect.