Saturday, May 3, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
News Update
It's beginning to be that hectic time of the year again, but here's a quick update about things afoot:
-A movie poster for the upcoming Incredible Hulk movie came out recently. You can look at it here.
-Iron Man opens in theaters this Friday, May 2nd.
-This week's issue of Blue Beetle is a special Spanish issue. If you're looking for something a little different and unique, check it out.
-Got tales or pictures from New York Comic Con? Send 'em here and share them with everyone!
Take it easy comicphiles!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Emerald City Con Auction
Warren, I know we don't know each other outside of a few random posts on your boards, but I'd like to ask a favor for a fellow creator and friend of mine. I hope you could get the word out about the benefit auction for Josh Medors at Emerald City Comic Con. Josh is a really good guy, but he's got cancer on his spine and they've told him if the chemo doesn't work it looks bad. He's mostly a freelance artist (he's currently working on one of the Frazetta books at Image), so he's uninsured. It's well known you can break servers with your link posting abilities, so if you could, it would be much appreciated by Josh and all of us. Here is the info (it's on the front page):http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com. Josh is a big fan of your work, so anything you could do would lift his spirits.
Thanks,RD HALL
http://www.myspace.com/rdhallHeroes
Online GN writer
http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/novels/index.shtml?novel=80
Saturday, April 12, 2008
John Sowder Interview

-by Joe Churney
The story centers around Valerie, who is a nineteen-year-old girl who discovers that she’s the offspring of an otherworldly being and that her very existence threatens all human life on earth.
Initially, I started this as an homage to ‘70s Mike Ploog comics like Man-Thing or Werewolf By Night with a bit of a Lovecraftian twist. I think the story shifts to a darker tone by the second part and becomes something quite different.
Valerie is caught between these two characters, she doesn’t trust either of them. She has special powers but the more she uses them, the more she becomes like her sister. So she really has to struggle to hold on to her humanity.
But I look outside of comics for inspiration as well. I love old pulp stories and illustrations, as well as a few current small press magazines. Noir cinematographers like John Alton are an influence.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Review: Secret Invasion #1 (Spoiler-Free)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Leinil Yu
Anyone who has been reading comics for…well, for a while knows that Marvel and DC are big on ‘event’ stories. The are often huge and overwhelming and not as good as they are advertised to be. The latest is Marvel’s “Secret Invasion”, headlined by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Yu. The first issue hit today. How was it? Read on.
Bendis is definitely a polarizing writer. Some love his characters and dialogues, while others hate those same things and lament his lack of skill with ‘big’ characters rather than his street-level stuff. However, SI has a nice mix of both. Yes, this is a huge alien invasion with nearly every hero involved, but he’s getting into the psyche of characters and focusing on the psychological aspect of this attack, and it works well. There are speeches, attacks, and some crazy reveals in this issue, and it looks to only get wilder from here.
As dividing as Bendis is, Yu can be said to be just as polarizing, if not more so. His art works well for this event where it might not have otherwise. He draws dark and gritty characters (now with an inker, unlike his New Avengers work, thank goodness), and that fits the tone of the story – nothing is truly clear cut and definite, and Yu’s art adds that uncertainty to the story.
Overall, this was a solid first issue. It sets up the rest of the story nicely and sets in motion several different plot threads. If you’re interested in what’s been going on in the Marvel Universe, you owe it to yourself to check this out.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Finally she writes....
...Hey HSC Posse!...finally the real world has allowed me sometime to make my first post...alas, if only an introduction...i live in the beautiful Berkshire's of Massachusetts and i have been a comic junkie for as long as i can remember...my love of comics is a wide ranging one, to say the least :)...it's pretty much whatever happens to catch my eye on any given wednesday, when i swing by my local comic shop...i really like indie comics and webcomics (both of which i will be writing about in the near future)...also mini comics are a favorite as well (again in the near future more will be written on them)...i really don't know what else to say, other than i'm honored to finally be among you guys - writing about comics...well, i'm off to read (and write) about some of my stash i just got today...hope to be sending you all my first HSC piece by the end of the day tomorrow...until then...comic on...
FREE Fallen Angel art

IDW Celebrates Peter David's Fallen Angel #25 by artist signing and free original Art
For more than two years, readers of Fallen Angel have been enjoying a dark atmospheric tale of a former celestial being who continually defies THE BOSS by helping those who can't help themselves. Now reaching issue 25, Fallen Angel is the longest running title in IDW Publishing history.
To celebrate this landmark issue, IDW is giving away original pages of J.K. Woodward's series artwork at two different promotional events.
This issue will be special in more than just number, though. Peter David is promising an absolute upheaval in the story, "The great thing about a creator-owned series such as "Fallen Angel" is that I can unilaterally kick over the apple cart without having to run it by a plethora of Powers That Be, and that's what's happening. The great thing about working with (artist) J.K. Woodward is knowing that he's able to take whatever I throw at him and knock it out of the park." IDW's Editor-In-Chief, Chris Ryall, calls J.K.'s work consistently brilliant and "nothing short of awe-inspiring". J.K. is thrilled with the series success, "Peter gave me some exciting challenges with this story and I've had a great time illustrating. There's a reason I've stayed with this series for over 2 years!"
J.K. reveals that loyal readers will be rewarded with bonus features in this issue, including a double cover and character gallery, but that the extra content also makes it a great time for new readers to jump in. “…It not only introduces the characters but gives a summary of the story so far. It’s a perfect jumping on point for first time Fallen Angel readers.”
As for the free artwork, a page will be given to each of the first 10 people to attend one of these promotional events:
Wed March 26, from 5-8pm:
The Comic Bug
1807 Manhattan Beach Blvd
Manhattan Beach, 90266
www.thecomicbug.com
Wed April 2, from 7-9pm:
Golden Apple Comics
7018 Melrose Ave, LA 90038
www.goldenapplecomics.com
Artist J.K. Woodward will be on hand to sign his pages, copies of the comic or pretty much anything the fans want to stick under his sharpie.
I'll also be there with copies of Crazy Mary for JK and I to sign.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Catch up
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything but a review or two and there is good reason, this:
I am the proud daddy of a one Madison Jean Rozayln Colbert and I have the lack of sleep to prove it.
I’m currently running about two weeks behind any and all TV shows, which is a dog’s year in the internet so I’ll skip all that and hit on a few things.
1 – The Doctor Who comic from IDW really captures the spirit of the new show. If you’re a fan, like Moi, you won’t be disappointed even when there is a 40 foot tall cat made of sand.
2 – My friends at glitchwork studios in San D have a new comic coming out called TITANIUM RAIN if you read any of their “Utopiates” series (odds are against it really and truly your loss) you know these folk kick out some serious hardcore SF comic with a strong cyberpunk edge. This new comic seems like a cool idea and you can check out a ten page preview at this link:
http://www.blogger.com/www.glitchwerk.com/titanium
Comics in America needs more Science Fiction, the genre is limp in the states and I have no idea why. Glitchworks has the ability to change that with enough momentum.
While we’re on the subject of free Nine Inch Nails take the on-line distribution idea a step further with GHOSTS VOL: I – IV. Most bands from the 90’s still claim relevance but only Radiohead and NIN seem to be doing anything new. “Ghosts” is a 36 track instrumental experiment with the first volume available for free download or you get all 36 tracks (copy protection free) for $5.00. 36 tracks of NIN music might seem brutal to some but if you’re a fan, like Moi, it’s worth the price of admission. Hearing banjo being played in a haunting scary minor key should be enough to convince you, you cheap bastard. To go along with the release NIN has teamed with youtube for an open source film festival using the tracks as the foundation.
One last thing on the book front:
Anton Strout, an old school buddy of mine, has released his first novel. The name is DEAD TO ME and you should at least stop by your chain book store and read a page or 3 and then buy it.
More info at:
http://www.antonstrout.com/
That’s about it for now I’ll be sending more reviews next week.
MIKE
ROCK!!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Doctor Who in comics again!
DOCTOR WHO
Issue 1
Review by Michael Colbert
Written by Gary Russell
Art by Nick Roche
Colors by Charlie Kirchoff
IDW Publishing
The Doctor returns to the time of comics with a lot to like for the hardcore and casual fan.
A lot of people don’t “Get” Doctor Who, at least in this country. The TV show has been a kiddie program, history show, horror, Hard SF, a parody, a bad Fox network TV movie, and even Cyberpunk in its decade’s long run. So why don’t a lot of Americans “get it”? One reason is that The Doctor doesn’t conform to the typical space opera hero most people regencies (but most people think of Captain Kirk as a typical Sci Fi hero); he doesn’t use guns, only a sonic screwdriver and his wits. And he’s more inclined to disarm people with witticisms and fast talk than Kung foo. He’s more cerebral than muscle; it just doesn’t scan in the land of the cowboy and Bruce Willis. Another reason is because it’s so unapologetically, willfully… English… That means whimsy, dry humor and laughing at the void that constantly threatens to consume. It makes for an odd balance sometimes and if the story doesn’t deliver the goods it can all come off as just plain silly. One book written about the best of Science Fiction television said “Doctor Who can, at its worst, be stupid and distracting, at it’s best hypnotizing.” So how does the new comic featuring the 10th Doctor and his human companion Martha Jones fare against high expectations from the fans, an uphill climb in a US market that seems to have no interest in SF comics and is still so damn English?
Pretty well, thank you very much.
For those of you who don’t know, the Doctor is an alien. His race is called “Timelords” and he is the last one. He looks human and frequents Earth in his TARDIS a time and space ship that looks like a police call box (it’s an English thing). The brilliant aspect of Doctor Who is that he can go anywhere and anywhen so a story can go in any direction and be just about anything. That’s a lot of choices laid out and a lot of ways to get lost but more often than not Doctor Who stays coherent, colorful and fun, which is a pretty good way to describe the comic. Admittedly I’m a bit biased but at the same time my judgment is harsher because I’ve been such a long standing fan. The stand alone story already assumes you know something about the Doctor, a safe assumption if you’re buying the comic, but doesn’t require much effort on the reader’s part to catch up. The Doctor and Martha Jones are sampling the best chocolate milkshakes from across time and space (English whimsy) and stumble across an alien that captures rare or extinct species for hunting purposes (the void right there with a milkshake). The story keeps a light tone and moves along fast enough to keep you from noticing the silliness in the internal logic (A space diner that houses a slave trade, and alien badguy that says he rocks). It’s all good fun with a wink and humor. The space milk bar where the action takes place is called the “Korova v.3” and the splashpage has aliens ranging from beavers to bugs to cyborgs all enjoying the best milkshake in the universe (including one alien crying over his spilt drink). The plot is paper thin but it whizzes by so fast you’ll hardly notice. The conflict is resolved in a fashion completely loyal to the internal logic of Doctor Who with the bad guy dooming himself despite The Doctor offering a chance at redemption. Then it’s off to the next adventure.
If you are a fan of Doctor Who you’ll have plenty to enjoy, the comic has really captured the spirit of the rebooted TV show and hopefully with future issues can tackle the potential also. The villain is a callback to a TV episode (the first Christmas special) which links nicely if you’re a fan. If you’re not a fan, or have a passing interest, I’d still suggest you give it a try; the book can be so many things that odds are The Doctor will deliver eventually.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Mark McCracken Interview
Divine Authority began when artist Jamie Apgar approached his cousin Mark McCracken to collaborate on a comic book project. In their younger days, Jamie was impressed with the elaborate stories Mark would conceptualize while playing with action figures. Together they established Midnight Warriors: the flagship title of what was then known as A.M. comics (Apgar/McCracken, a.k.a. ‘After Midnight’).
Since then, Divine Authority has established a loyal fan base and expanded to include other titles such as -Girl!, Icebox, The Nameless One, Rank in Hell and more. Not only is Divine Authority a way for Mark McCracken and others to promote their own creator-owned projects, D.A. also exist as a labor of love.
I had the chance to pose a few questions to D.A. publisher and creator Mark McCracken:
Note: We were made aware of a misspelling in Mr. McCracken's name and it was promptly corrected. We apologize for this mistake.




