Are Reboots worth the RISK? (Part 2 of 2) : Marvel NOW?

(Continued on from Part 1 here.)

Okay so, lets get back to the real world and the current bombardment of the "NEW", "NEXT", "NOW!".

Usually when you hear, see or read any of those three previous words you would expect something, new, current and better, right? Well, sorry friend, but you are out of luck. Remember last year when all of a sudden Marvel decided to end the decades old run of the Uncanny X-men title and spilt it into Wolverine and the X-Men and renumber Uncanny X-men to #1 with Cyclops leading the team.
Wait.., Didn't this happen before? 
Yes, a similar thing did happen back in 1990s. I remember, because thats when I spent $100 of my wages every week buying comics, especially X-Men related books. There was a split with Cyclops,  'Blue Team' and Storm's 'Gold Team'. Preorder for that 'X-Men' book was 8 million but supposedly only 3 million sold. Which shows that the decision didn't pay off as was expected.

X-Men - 1991 series

Are Reboots worth the RISK? (Part 1 of 2)

Due to poor health, I spend a lot of time reading articles on comics, reading comics and going through reader responses to current trends in the comic industry. Along with writing comics, illustrating them and with a completed graphic novel before an international publishing house (my fingers are tired from crossing that I might get that much needed boost-to-my-ego and finally arrive upon the comic scene - you can cross your fingers as well. I need all the luck I can get. And also, I could do with a little less idiocy in my life), I am weary with how the Comic Industry is going to keep being relevant while rehashing the same characters in a new costume, only slightly changed, and  in a different team etc.

Now let me make myself very clear here before anyone starts to have a go at me for being an upstart, or if you're a little less polite, an idiot.

I LOVE COMIC BOOKS!

I do. Comics were my first love. They were an escape and several thousands of dollars were spent buying them as a collector and as a fan.

JUDGE DREDD: Day of Chaos (Comic Review)

2000AD #1743 - The start of Days of Chaos.

JUDGE DREDD: Day of Chaos (from 2000AD.)




When I was a kid, around 9-10yrs old, my friend who lived directly across the street from us was a huge fan of the British weekly comic series. The two of us at such an early age began a love of a genre in entertainment that I wasn't even aware that I was in love with: Science Fiction. Sure we had our favourite TV shows like Knight Rider, Star Trek and Automan, but they were to us just the normal thing to watch.

My friend Regan was in love with the ABC Warriors which was a series that ran in 2000AD. He made sure he got every single issue of the weekly and so in turn I got to read it and for free. We had our own gang of two called the 'ABC Warriors', with out own clubhouse which his father and the two of us built. That was some 30 years ago.

The Authority: The Lost Year.

The Authority: The Lost Year is a 12 issue maxi-series that came out between 2006 to 2010. Story by Grant Morrison and Keith Giffen and written by Keith with art by various artists.

The series begins with The Authority slipping through the bleed into an alternate earth where they some how end up losing the 'baby universe' that powers the Carrier. And so they are stuck until they can find a way to get back home. But they realise that a parasite like creature is using the people of this alternate earth as what can only be described as the humans caught in the Matrix. Well you can accept that explanation or that its a Cthulhu like creature feeding on the emotions of the people, who have no idea that its feeding off them. I think the Matrix is less gross.

 

Superman: Earth One (Hardcover) Review

For years I have had Superman: Earth One sitting on my book self. I attempted to read it without getting past the first few pages when I got it. Why? I guess I expected it to just be another story about the origin of Superman on earth. But I was wrong. I should have expected it to be something else. 

I had pre-ordered the Hardcover knowing that it would be something else, especially since it was written by J. Michael Strachzynski. JMS happens to be one of my all time favorite author. JMS has worked as a writer for TV, with Jeremiah, Murder She Wrote, and his five year long flagship Babylon 5. A TV Series he created and wrote which stands a favorite amongst Sci-Fi fans it hit the screens back in the

Comfort in Comics: 100 BULLETS

I haven't written anything for 3 months. By written I mean, I haven't written any comic book scripts, nor have I drawn anything. When that happens I usually escape into sci-fi and fantasy based stories. Reading or watching something that has nothing to do with reality always seems to bring me out of the depths that I end up digging for myself.

   So, I did a lot of reading and watching. Being in the dark mode I was in, I picked and ruffled through the pile of graphic novels I have and then got hold of the complete trade paperbacks of 100 Bullets. Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's tour de force is a classic crime series. The high concept is thus : A man with a suitcase filled with 100 untraceable bullets would offer you a chance to use it for whichever purposes you wish. What would you do if you were afforded such an opportunity?

5 QUESTIONS with Graphic Novelist Dylan Horrocks

5 QUESTIONS is were I ask 5 questions of New Zealand Comic Book Creators, Writers and Artists. 

This week I asked DYLAN HORROCKS the questions. DYLAN lives 
 and works in Auckland, NZ. He teaches Art at Auckland University of Technology and advises on Comic Writing at Auckland University. His '10 issues of his comic book Pickle were published by Black Eye (1992-97) and his graphic novel Hicksville was published in 1998, also by Black Eye.  Hicksville has since been reprinted by Drawn & Quarterly and has been translated into French, Italian and Spanish'. Hicksville was Nominated for two Ignatz Awards (best graphic novel and best art) and one Harvey Award (best reprint collection). Winner of two Goodies Awards (best graphic novel and best writer).  Named a Comics Journal 'book of the year.'  

5IVE QUESTIONS with Graphic Novelist & Illustrator ANT SANG

5IVE QUESTIONS 

This new segment dear readers, is where I ask five questions of New Zealand Comic Book Creators, Writers and Artists to find what makes them tick.

This week I asked ANT SANG the questions. Ant lives and works in Auckland, NZ, He is an award-winning cartoonist and amongst his comic works is a series called, Dharma Punks and recently had his graphic novel, Shaolin Burning published ny HarperCollins New Zealand. Ant is well known in the New Zealand comic scene. And due to his creative work on the Bro'town TV Series, he has stamped his place in NZ Moving Images scene as well. 

Review: SHAOLIN BURNING graphic novel by Ant Sang

ANT SANG lives and works in Auckland, NZ. He is an award-winning cartoonist and amongst his comic works is a series called Dharma Punks and he recently had his graphic novel, Shaolin Burning, published by HarperCollins, New Zealand. Ant is well known in the New Zealand comic scene. And due to his creative work on the Bro'town TV Series, he has stamped his place in the NZ Moving Images scene as well. 

Will the real Captain America please stand up?

Jack Kirby (& heirs) Vs. Marvel Comics

Yes, I am going there. But for all the right reasons. For a little while now, a court case has been under way to get back the rights or at least get royalties from Marvel Comics for the late Jack 'King' Kirby and his heirs from the 100s of millions made from creations which without Kirby would not exist, such as Hulk, Fantastic Four, and oh, that money spinner, X-Men. Every comic fan/reader must know about Kirby for it goes without saying, that he is as important to American/Western comics as Leonardo Da Vinci is to modern art and as Anant Pai was to Indian comics.

A Hell(Blazer) of a week.

I have been reading comics as mentioned the other week for close to 30yrs. And a small portion of that time I have spent a small fortune buying, selling and re-collecting, after my first collection was burnt in a fire. Amongst those were the Uncanny X-men run from #180-295. Some of the greatest X-Men stories told were written during those years. But I am digressing. Anyway, I restarting collecting 10yrs ago and haven't stopped since. As well as you know writing and creating my own. 

Hellblazer Pandemonium Jami Delano is a Must Read.

Auckland Zinefest 2011 part 2

So, as I mentioned the other day, I was quiet sick and wasn't feeling too good having spent the previous day locked up in my hotel room with the blanket over my head coughing and blowing my nose every ten minutes. But I made it up to the event after being dropped off by my father who had driven me down.


I was really interested to see what the turn out for this event would be like, since it was my first ever Zinefest. All day there was an even amount of people flowing through the tables, looking and buying books and items on display. I bought a ton of items myself.


But being my first Zinefest, I wasn't aware of the difference between a comic book and a zine. So, I sat in on a panel, which was being held below the event at an adjacent room to a wine bar.

Auckland Zinefest 2011 (Saturday pics)

I was pretty sick leading up to the Fest and also during the Fest on Saturday. The article about the day will be up on Thursday, while I wait for the anti-biotics to clean out my system,  but in the meantime here are some pics.


Sorry about no captions. More pics with all juicy details to be added soon... Stay tuned.

A Rising Star from the Rising Sun: Aru's Debut @ CA

Before we begin, let me introduce you to Aru.
Aru is the newest addition tothe Comic Addicts family, currently residing in the land of the Kiwi and is the owner / operator for Rising Sun Comics, based in New Zealand. OK, no more interruption, stage is all yours Aru. Shoot!

The Comic Creators and Their Trials

                                                     by Aru

Much has been written on the trials and tribulations of the Comic Book Writer or Artists, but it doesn't make the issues we face any lighter or smaller. From day to day we are continually faced with the same thoughts that any artist who is passionate about their work face; is what we are doing making any difference? Will the readers accept my work? Will I ever make it? Will I ever make a living from my work?

Sadly none of these questions have any easy answers. Either wise we would either give up. A fellow Kiwi (New Zealander) Dylan Hyrocks has spent 20 yrs. trying to make it into the big times and he has after a while but he would be the first to say how hard it is. Similar, Richard Fairgray, another or of the hard workers in the comic book medium is now getting a greater recognition for his passion.