Still on the Shelf #52 – Quantum: Rock of Ages – Black Eyed Susan
Who doesn’t love alternate reality comics? Such genred titles generally meet with at least moderate success in comics today. All you have to do is look at titles like Marvel’s Exiles, or several DC Elseworlds titles to see that is a thriving story concept in comics. It has also found great success in other mediums, Orsen Scott Card’s “Tales of Alvin Maker” and Pastwatch, and the television show Sliders are also good examples.
Something that the latter two examples have in common versus many of the comic incarnations is that they are retellings of actual historical events. Such “What If?” Stories capture the imagination of the reader, and open a vast array of storytelling possibilities. What would have happened had the South won the Civil War? What if Hitler conquered the world? These are solid foundations to build a captivating story on, and this approach can be used to great success.
Quantum: Rock of Ages, a twelve-part series put out by Dreamchilde Press, takes this concept a step farther. This story takes the reader through several different universes, each one unfolding in a radically different way because of one or two minor changes in history. People from each of the timelines must use powers granted to them by a fragment of a Quantum Silica stone imbedded in their body to try and stop the destruction of each of their universes.
Cast of Characters
Nick Vargas owned and worked at a music store/café called Tastee-Tunes. One evening he began to experience excruciating migraines, and began to have what he thought were hallucinations. He stumbled outside to get some air, right into the path of an oncoming truck. Rather than be crushed, he simply vanished and appeared on the side of the street, perfectly unharmed. As time went on, he discovered that he could indeed control this ability to teleport, and began to experiment with it more and more. His newfound powers took yet another turn as the migraines continued. Eventually, a piece of stone with a strange rune emerged from his forehead, and he began to shift not only through space, but into other, alternate dimensions.
Frederich Stoltz was a scientist under the employ of the Nazi Empire in an alternate universe where Hitler had emerged victorious in World War Two. Hired by the Nazi government to research time-altering technology, Stoltz worked in secret to discover a way to undo the Nazi tyranny by stopping it from ever happening in the first place. Nazi archaeologists discovered an artifact known as the “Quantum,” a spherical stone covered in mysterious runes thought to hold mystical powers. While experimenting on the stone, it shattered, tearing holes in the fabric of space-time, sending shards of the stone into different universes. These fragments became embedded in several people in many different realities, the largest of which becoming lodged in Stoltz’s chest.
Stoltz, like Vargas, was also endowed with certain powers by the Quantum Silica. His powers are less tangible than those of Nick Vargas- he has the ability to sense the ebb and flow of time and space, enabling him to detect incursions into his reality and track the bearers of the other stone fragments.
The only other “Quantum Bearer” introduced to this point is Billy Capra, a vagrant living on the street’s of Nick Vargas’s hometown in a universe where the world was ravaged by a Nuclear War in 1987. Nick was a man with no ambition, no drive at all to make anything of a life which he thought was barely worth living after the war. He even attempted to sell the stone for a mere fifty dollars after it first appeared in his palm. He soon discovered that he could “summon” any object he so desired, and started down what he thought was a path to a perfectly content, gluttonous life. He was discovered on the streets by Vargas and Stoltz, and was turned to the greater purpose of preventing the destruction of the multi-verse.
Thoughts
Quantum: Rock of Ages does not seem all that heavy at first, but you soon realize that it does take some careful reading to really get a grasp of what is going on. Once you have a sense of the details of the story however, it becomes a rather interesting and enjoyable read. This is a title that would very much appeal to fans of the television series Sliders- the band of “Quantum-Bearers” bounces back and forth between alternate realities on a quest to discover their remaining counterparts. All of the pieces of the stone must be brought back together, or each of the realities will be destroyed by its power.
This title did not jump out at me, at first. I had to read through the first issue a second time to really understand what is going on. Normally, that might be considered a bad thing, but in this case it really is not. Generally stories like those in Sliders, or another similar show have a rather simple mechanism for the jumps- Quantum has a method but it plays a much more diverse role in the story than other similar plot devices. Not only does it function as the cause of the destruction of several universes; it is also a granter of power not unlike CrossGen’s sigils. Each Quantum-Bearer is affected in different ways by the stone, and reacts quite differently to the emergence of a hunk of rock from their body. There is a great deal of explaining to do in the way of “set-up,” and so far Philip Clark has done an excellent job of doing so, without completely losing the reader.
The choice of villains in this book might seem tired – but Clark also has an interesting take on the all-too familiar theme of Nazis. Adolph Hitler is long since dead, and his empire is ruled by his son. The Nazi’s of Stoltz’s universe have achieved the goal of global domination, and are not about to let anyone, especially one of their own scientists, unravel decades of hard work. They, too, have the ability to track the heroes of the story, but have not yet confronted them directly in another reality, since they too want to gather the stones to prevent the destruction of the universe, but they would also like to use the power to their own ends.
The art, of course, is grayscale, but it is very well done. With a lot of bouncing between alternate realities on a moment’s notice, you would think that the scenes would become jumbled. To the contrary, the art team on this title does a fantastic job of working with the writer to make each reality distinct and original. Unless you are supposed to be confused about what is happening, you understand clearly that there has been a reality shift. Universes that have been visited in the past are being referenced again. Subtle clues help the reader identify the different universes – a time-altered swastika is usually seen in Stoltz’s universe, for example, and buildings in Capra’s universe are almost always damaged in some way, be it by cracked pavement or broken glass. I can only expect this trend to continue as more universes are introduced, and more unique Quantum-Bearers.
Bottom Line
Overall, while an interesting story, this is a pretty heavy title and probably not something to be read lightly. There is a great deal of foreshadowing in the first issue, and a lot of the references made then have not yet resolved themselves in the regular story. Overall it is a good read, it just requires a little patience to get through the set-up. Fans of sci-fi and reality hopping shows like Sliders and Quantum Leap will surely enjoy this title.
The first two issues of Quantum: Rock of Ages are available now, each with a cover price of $2.99. Issue #3 is due out soon, and was solicited in the recent issue of Previews. You can ask your local comic shop to order you a copy, or you can pick one up online at quantumcomic.net. The website also has a great deal of in-depth information about the story and characters, and is a good place to turn to for a more detailed look at this title.
Credit Where Credit is Due –
Quantum: Rock of Ages is
Written by Philip Clark,
Drawn by Ozzy Longoria,
Inked by Supriya Kalay,
with Grayscales by Mauricio Mandara (Robert Ashcraft, Issue 1).
Still on the Shelf Extra-
Normally, I prefer to stick to a single title in each column. However, at the recent convention I attended, I came across several interesting titles that merit some attention. Rather than devoting my column to these titles for the next few months, I have decided to add this semi-regular feature into the mix. Normally I have pretty strict rules about what sort of title I cover, in several cases, no matter how good a new book may be, the title is just too new to do anything more than a regular review for. Such is the case for an upcoming comic from Mad Yak Press, written by Newsarama columnist Patrick Neighly, entitled Black Eyed Susan. It certainly caught my eye and is very much worthy of some extra attention.
The first issue of this title is fresh off the press, and is due to ship in May of this year. It is the story of a mechanic named Melanie McDonaugh who wakes up one day to find that the planet has been invaded, and virtually decimated by a Martian invasion. The whole feel of the first issue is pretty engaging. Neighly does a fantastic job of conveying Melanie’s confusion about just what is going on, and her frustration is dealing with dealing with those few she meets who cannot, or are unable to give her real information about what has happened to all of them.
The real star of this book is the artist, Donny Hadiwidjaja. I think it is safe to say that we will be seeing a lot more of him in the future. The art is stunning in this issue, and beyond that, the artistic storytelling is brilliant. A lot of the plot in this first issue is conversation-free, yet the story is conveyed just as clearly as if there were words. This issue is worth checking out for the art talent alone.
Black Eyed Susan is a bimonthly ongoing series, and the publisher has promised that it will have a very strict release schedule. The fist issue is a whopping 48 pages for a cover price of $3.50, each additional issue will be a more regular price of $2.95. I have to recommend that you sample this title when it debuts. You can check out the publisher’s website, madyakpress.com, for upcoming news on this title’s release. A stunning debut, with an outstanding story. Recommended!
Post your comments in the Forum!
March 22, 2004
Still on the Shelf #51 – Independent Minds
By Andrea Speed
Nobody panic – I haven’t taken over this part of the site too. No, after his 50th column special, Craig deserved a break, and I was more than happy to muscle in … er, fill in for him while he lets his keyboard cool off.
Usually he spotlights just one title, but since I just went to the Emerald City Comic Convention and found several small but worthy titles, I thought I could feature them all in a sort of omnibus column. The funny thing about the majority of these titles is that your best bet to get them is at conventions or on-line, at least for the moment; you might be able to ask for some of these at your local comics shop, but I think you’d have to know them pretty well to get them to order them for you. Okay, enough foreplay – let’s get to the good stuff (in no particular order – and all printed in glorious black and white).
Me and Edith Head – Cold Water Press, written by Sara Ryan, art by Steve Lieber. This is, as you can see, a one off, not in typical glossy comic form but in a pamphlet size edition with a stiff cardstock cover. Basically, in roughly a dozen pages, it tells the story of an awkward teen who gets assigned to make costumes for the school’s production of “A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream”. She wanted a role, not that job, and is incensed by both it and the snotty girl who got the part she wanted. But a sympathetic member of the drama department gives her two books to read, by Oscar winning costume designer Edith Head, as well as some sage advise. In these short, smart pages, we watch this girl grow out of her alienation and find not only a talent she didn’t know she had, but a newfound confidence in herself. This was amazing – nothing feels forced or rushed, and it has more naturalistic character development than a year’s worth of most mainstream comics. It’s a very real, touching story, and Steve Lieber (yes, of Whiteout fame) does a beautiful job of showing the small but noticeable changes Katrina undergoes as she learns to take charge of her life and feel comfortable in her own skin. It’s almost impossible how perfect an example of storytelling this book is. You can get it from Steve himself at conventions he attends, or go on line right now to www.stevelieber.com and buy it for two dollars – yes, just two measly bucks (includes shipping). If they charged by quality, it would be twenty.
Valentine – running series and trade paperback, Fully Loaded, which includes the first six issues. Red Eye Press, story and art by Daniel Cooney, with various inkers and cover artist and colorists. There’s nothing instantly original about a good looking female assassin, and yet Cooney turns in a highly entertaining spin on the genre, basically creating a heroine who could kick Elektra’s sorry butt and seem more realistic while doing it. It’s basically an action movie in handy to carry form, although its plot and character development is far more complex than most movies will allow. Basically, to just strip it to bare bones, Dana Valentine is a top operative in the secret QCC agency, who discovers the hard way she has been double crossed while on an “undercover” assignment within a so called “Assassin’s Guild”, a shadow branch of the CIA. In the course of the ambush, Dana comes into possession of a mysterious, encrypted disc that points to a nigh immanent coup d’etat lead by a treacherous CIA agent. While she is being hunted down by those who want the disc back, will she do the right thing and stop them, or simply try and save her own skin? What do you think? But it’s a fun ride, more La Femme Nikita than Alias, as Dana has some real problems. For one thing, her memories are butchered if not gone, and she has the occasional “fugue state”, an after-effect of her chemical brainwashing at the hands of the MK-Ultra project. So who is she really? What has been done to her, by who, and why? Well, you’re going to have to read it for yourself to find out. There are issues seven through nine available as well, recounting her later adventures as she attempts to construct some type of life for herself in the aftermath of advents in the Fully Loaded arc. Will there be an issue ten? I hope so, because it seems like the adventure is just beginning. And I have to take a second to mention the artwork is often fantastic – sometimes Dana seems almost art deco in style, with her raven hair and black lips, and heavy inking is often used as attractive high contrast. Cooney is quite an artist, and quite an author as well. If you like a good conspiracy/ espionage action story, or just kick ass babes who seems far more realistic than most (She has scars! She gets hurt! She doesn’t wear gravity defying outfits!), you really must check this out. Go to www.redeyepress.net for more details.
Jade: Hide and Seek – Story and art by Edward Pun. This is a really cute, brief piece of anime in booklet form. Again in pamphlet size with a stiff cardstock cover, this seriocomic story involves Jade, a legendary demon hunter who also happens to work as a barmaid in a quasi-medieval, demon infested world. She has to work the waitress job because, as vital as her services are, it’s not a job that pays well. But she also has a bit of a soft heart for people in need, and in this case a traveler is in trouble, being hunted by a terrible beast that has killed his family, and now seeks to kill his infant daughter. But while Jade takes the job, she quickly finds out things aren’t quite as cut and dried as they seem. Pun has a style of drawing that did remind me of the kind of Japanese cartoons you can often see playing on Cartoon Network, which is not only appropriate for the action scenes, but adds to some of the comedy. A pleasant diversion, and a wonderfully paced, tight story for a mere twenty pages. I’d love to see more of Jade in action. Please go to http://hometown.aol.com/pungang/ for more information, and to check out his work.
PV Comics #1 – PV Comics, with short stories by Nate Piekos, Matt Johnson, Steven Taylor and Kris Thor, Tom Stackpole, Jay McLeod with Dineshsingh T., and D.J. Coffman. The first printed collection of works by some (but not all – not even close ) of the many contributors to pvcomics.com, a new on-line comics site that offers a lot of content for a cheap price. This is their first printed venture, and all the stories are original, not to be found on their site, and it’s a very eclectic collection that lets you sample some of their top talent. Included here is the somewhat humorous (but always disgruntled) adventures of “Lint McCree in Tall Tales”, an ex-superhero but full time curmudgeon, who – in the story included here – has his van break down in a small Maine town, where a strangely Stephen King looking (nice touch) store owner tells him a story about the woods being haunted by clowns killed long ago by crazed loggers. Yes, it’s pretty funny. “Dewclaw: To You, My Brothers” is an odd bit of science fiction that involves quite literal dog soldiers in a dystopian future, where humanity is dying away, and its genetically engineered creations find themselves torn between trying to help them or simply turning their backs on them. This story is quietly melancholy and has some lovely art, as well as a very well thought out back story. “Jake Dyson’s Big Move” is a quaint bit of surrealism where a man who is described as being “a simple man of limited athletic abilities” moves into a new home, but can’t escape such things as time, middle age spread, and life. But my favorite of all of these is Coffman’s “Yirmumah!”, which is not only worth the price of the book by itself, but worth the cost of an online subscription. A semi-autobiographical comic involving Drew the disgruntled artist (and Bob the tortured writer), this is a scathing, hilarious skewering of the comic book industry, as well as several creators (who can’t help but kick Liefield?), the companies (both big and small), and the people both behind the scene and on the internet and in the conventions. I think I might have recognized myself in here, and I’m frightened. Absolutely not for kids, but wonderfully bitter and funny. This print edition will be in the April Diamond catalog (shipping in June), but is available now at any convention where the company is represented, and will eventually be up for sale on their web site. Go to www.pvcomics.com and see everything they have available now, for both purchase and free viewing on the web.
A Monk’s Tale #1 – Konsequential Studios, with story and art by Laurie Breitkreuz and Kandrix Foong. This is a a four part series about three young monks in ancient China, who find adventures and trouble on their way to a tournament. A simple martial arts story, but told with lots of enthusiasm and love, for both the characters and the setting. And I can’t say enough about the art; the pencil work (in sepia and white, as opposed to black and white, for a wonderful “aged” feel) by Breitkreuz and Foong is elegant and stunning. How come neither of the major comics companies have grabbed these two up? The care and detail that goes into each and every page is awe inspiring, and the story moves very well, deftly balancing character moments with action. See their website http://www.konsequential.com/ to see what issues are available now.
This was very long winded, wasn’t it? Ultimately, I hope you check out the independent titles, whether it be at comic conventions, in your own comic store, or online. Sometimes you’ll find real gems that you might never see on the Diamond sales chart, but – in a just world – deserve to be there. And who knows? You just may discover the next Rob Liefield. ( Ha ha, I kid! Please don’t sue.) What are your favorite independent or little known titles? Please add them below, so I know you’ve all made it to the end of my long winded report. Gracias.
Post your comments in the Forum!
March 15, 2004
Still on the Shelf #50 – And The Winner Is…
I am sure you all read Blake’s column last week, in which he celebrated his own first anniversary writing Everything But Imaginary. Congratulations to him, of course (believe me, know one knows better than I do how hard this is to keep up consistently, week after week), but it is my turn to butt-in on the celebrating!
A year ago, I started here with a little piece on Spider-Girl, which was then “officially” cancelled. Of course, I am not taking credit for the later stay of execution it got, but I’d like to think that my little column has opened some of your eyes to titles out there that were in danger of meeting their end due to low sales.
Of course, my column began as a means to highlight books that were close to being cancelled by the likes of Marvel and DC for low sales, but it eventually grew to include small press books that you might not have heard of, but would enjoy just as much as if they came out of the houses of the big two. These publishers may have a lower sales threshold, but need the sales all the more to publish these high quality books. Often times I hear people complaining about the kinds of books Marvel and DC put out, how the “market” is unfairly dominated by the superhero genre, or how the comics have become too tied to merchandising. The fact is that we all want a high quality comic, and it is my goal to bring to your attention books that are exactly the kinds of things we all want to read.
I know most of you have a limited budget, and don’t read my column all the time because you don’t want to get hyped into buying another book that you can’t afford. Hey- I can understand that. I hope you will have the willpower to read anyway. Even I can’t afford to buy every book I cover on a regular basis- I would have had to stop writing this long ago if I were to do that, because I simply could not afford to do it anymore! So even if you don’t end up buying the title I cover, you can at least discuss it! The more people who talk about a particular book, the better chances that someone, somewhere, might be curious enough to give it a try. Titles like Spider-Girl, who suffer at the hands of Marvel’s selective Marketing. Books like Dead@17 relied on your word of mouth to become as popular as they are now. In the end, the success of books like these which don’t have an X in their title, or don’t seem to merit a lot of attention in the eyes of the big-name publishers, ultimately lie in the hands of readers like you discussing them. It is my hope that I can stir that conversation up a bit.
Obviously, this column will not follow the “format” I have used over the past year, but I have a lot of good stuff to talk about, so here goes nothing!
—
First Anniversary Contest
A few weeks ago, I announced my contest to celebrate the first year of my column. It met with a great deal of discussion and a decent turnout (though not as much as I wanted, but hey – I had really high hopes!). In the end, the questions may have just been too difficult for most to even attempt to enter. I think a lot of you who chose not to enter on that basis may regret that choice, as not a single entrant got every question right! I know there must be a lot of you who are curious as to the answers- hundreds of people accessed the questions on my site, StillontheShelf.com. Before I announce the winners, I thought I would let all of you know the correct answers to the questions. Some answers require more explanation than most; hopefully I will cover any questions you might have about the answer!
1- What is the secret identity of The Buzz? – Jack “J.J.” Jameson, grandson of the Daily Bugle Publisher we all know and love, from the Spider-Girl Universe.
2- In which comic (and issue) did the Joker main Barbara Gordon, thus confining her to a wheelchair? – Batman: The Killing Joke.
3- What is Holden Carver’s “code” name? – The Conductor, from Sleeper.
4- In Meridian, what is the name of Sephie’s father? – Turos.
5- In the world of Archie Comics, what is the name of Moose Mason’s girlfriend? – Midge Klump.
6- What comic did Stan Sakai letter before creating Usagi Yojimbo? Groo the Wanderer.
7- Who did Promethea sleep with in order to “learn about magic?” – Jack Faust, in perhaps one of the most erotic, without being explicit or gratuitous comics I have ever read.
8- Complete the name of this Savage Dragon adversary (3 words) – Jimbo Da Mighty Lobster.
9- By what name did Brianna Digger go by when she was first created? – Grave Digger
10- What planet is Ted White, the original Homicron, from? Alpha. Though I suspect many of you are not familiar with the ”Strangers” comic from years past.
11- In what episode of the Batman: Animated Series did Harley Quinn make her first appearance, and who wrote that episode? – “Joker’s Favor,” written by Paul Dini
12- In what city was Katina Choovanski born? – Katchoo, from Strangers in Paradise, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
13- What series was the Vertigo title Lucifer spun out of? – Sandman
14- What college did the Ebony Warrior graduate from? – Tuskegee University. I am surprised more people did not get this answer – as it was one of the few facts I mentioned about this hero back in SOTS #13.
15- Hamza Rashad, before discovering the nature of his powers, almost died in a car accident. Who saved his life? – Ethan York, from Gen13, Volume 3.
16- Boon Sai Hong, master of the Ring of Staffs, at one time possessed another of the legendary rings. Which was it? – The Ring of Blades.
17- What accident opened up the infamous delivery route 666 so that Pete, the P.O.’d Postal Worker to take over? – The original carrier was shot in the leg, shortly after Pete returned to work after serving time in prison.
18- Prior to discovering the nega-bands that allowed Rick Jones to become Captain Marv-ell, what cornerstone Marvel hero saved Rick from the same disaster that caused his origin? – The Hulk.
19- In Noble Causes, who is Frost’s father? – Doc Noble
20- Is Alex Hayden (a.k.a. Agent X) right or left handed? – Both, he is ambidextrous.
21- What was the name of Cassie Starkweather’s gymnastics coach? – Coach Hogan, from Route 666.
22- What key historical difference caused the skewed timeline found in Rex Mundi?- The assasination Martin Luther by the Inquisition.
23- What message was written in blood on the wall of Rose Red’s “murder” scene? – “No More Happily Ever After.”
24- Who killed Mordath? – Ayden, who’s legendary bow later falls into the hands of the heroine of Sojourn.
25- Darrian Ashoka is the name of the mortal incarnation of what “Lord of Death?” – Cernunnos, from the Dawn series.
26- What profession did the bartender of the Hide-Out Bar and Grill have before opening up his drinking establishment? – He was a hero himself.
27- What three new comics were introduced in last years Free Comic Book Day issue from Rocket Comics – Ignite? Syn, Go Boy 7, and Lone.
28- In Mystic, what is the name of the secret “eighth Guild” whose power comes from logic and math? – The Geometer Guild.
29- What planet is Charon, the God of Negation space, originally from? – Earth. More about him in the upcoming Negation War!
30- What animal serves as the totem of the “god” that originally granted Brath his Sigil? – A stag. Though many already know he lost his sigil very quickly afterwards.
31- In what city does Simon Archard live and work? – Partington.
32- Hope, daughter of Marion, is a half-breed. What two races make up her genetic heritage? – Human and Eldritch- Hope is otherwise known as “Lady Death.”
33- What Marvel team does Spidey square off against in the very first issue of the Amazing Spider-Man? – The Fantastic Four.
34- Who is the first super-powered individual (other than himself) to meet Hyperion? – Stanley Stewart, the Atlanta Blur. A lot of people answered “The Whizzer,” which is only half-right. The storyline in the original Squadron Supreme did not have Hyperion meeting the Whizzer first, so that answer has been judged incorrect.
35- Who was the first mutant member of “the Ultimates?” – Janet Pym, the Wasp. A lot of people answered either Scarlet Witch or Quicksilver, forgetting that Pym is indeed a mutant and a founding member of the team, though she keeps her mutation as secret.
36- What cornerstone Marvel character is Gus Beezer’s cousin? – Peter Parker.
37- In what Sentinel story arc did Bruce Willis guest star? – “No Hero”
38- What is the name of Hazy Foss’s brother? – Simon
39- What was the title of the Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories episode in which Scrooge McDuck was introduced by Carl Barks? – “Christmas on Bear Mountain.”
40- How many consecutive years has Jingle Belle Kringle received a lump of coal from her father for Christmas? - 169
41- In what year was the ship La Misericordia attacked and captured by Blackjack Tom? – 1687
42- For how many minutes must Matzah Woman remain submerged in water before she loses her powers? – 18 minutes.
43- After becoming fully human, what did Syn decide to use as her food source, until a more suitable replacement could be found? – The rejected bodies she initially created for herself. Gross, and cannibalistic, but there was really no other food source for her to turn to at that time.
44- In the Silencers, what degree does Fiore Calvino hold? – A Bachelor of Fine Arts in Landscape Design. An entrant offered that Fiore’s last name was indeed “Carlino,” however, “Calvino” is as it is spelled on his degree in the first issue of the Silencers, so I am sticking to it! Feel free to provide evidence to the contrary, however, I am actually curious where the “Carlino” spelling comes from!
45- How much is Generic Man’s weekly allowance? - $5. A pittance considering the amount he must make working at the newspaper (Which he promptly turns over to his mother!).
46- In Superman’s Girlfriend: Lois Lane #105, what was the name of the back-up story that introduced Rose and the Thorn? – “Night of the Thorn, Day of the Rose.”
47- What Marvel Hero was I working on a script for before Marvel stopped accepting EPIC submissions? – Prodigy, a member of the Slingers. Man, I only wish I had the time to finish that one up before EPIC closed up shop.
48- What was the very first comic book I ever read? – The Amazing Spider-Man #260.
49- In my addition of the “Fanboy News Network,” the rights to what “cancelled Code 6 comic” were bought in anticipation of an upcoming film? – Admiral Cheribum of the Samurai Espionage Squad. Thanks to Blake Petit for allowing me to rip off his hilarious idea!
50- In my unprinted “submission” to Comixtreme to write a column, what comic did I cover? – Pete, the P.O.’d Postal Worker.
Tie Breakers- – Deadline. Many of you may have noticed Kat’s name on the byline of a story in the Pulse, #1.
1- What was the name of the Marvel miniseries about a reporter named Kat, written by Bill Rosemann, the current Senior VP of Publishing?
2- In Arcana Press’s Kade series, what was the name of the Monk who raised Kade? – Marco.
3- Pick a number between 1 and 1000 – 7!
—
And now, the winners!
First, I would like to announce the “staff” prize. I did not elect to allow Comixtreme staff members to enter the contest, as I wanted to avoid the appearance of favoritism if one of them should win. Behind closed doors, however, I did elect to offer a prize to any staff members who decided to enter – a copy of Digital Webbing #10, with the preview of Sword of Dracula, signed by creator Jason Henderson. In addition, because I liked it so much, I will include my copy of Herobear and the Kid #1. And the winner, by one point, was Blake Petit, with 41 correct answers. I will note that Blake’s answer to the Carl Barks question was not counted (since he wrote that column!), which resulted in him beating the next nearest entrant, Benoit Fabre, who got 39 correct, by a single point. Congratulations Blake, and thanks to all of the staff members who took the time to enter!
Now for the regular contest winners. The counts of all of the entries have been double checked, and I know there are those of you whose counts would have been slightly different had you answered more precisely. Now I will say if your answer was incomplete (as in forgetting to answer Paul Dini in question #11), or technically wrong (answering The Whizzer in question 34), the answer was considered wrong. That was the only way to do it, and be fair. I am sorry if you feel slighted by this, but the rules are the rules!
Third Prize –
The third place winner takes home The Generic Trade Paperback, signed by series creator Doug Miers and a few of the comics I have covered in my Bargain Bin Love pieces. The winner, with 35 correct answers (this one went all the way to the “pick a number tiebreaker!), is Christopher Roman, aka Roman here on Comixtreme.
Second Prize –
The second place winner wins a slightly larger package – Sentinel #1, Inhumans #1, and The Waiting Place v2 #1, all signed by writer Sean McKeever, Other People’s Heroes, a novel signed by author Blake Petit, Captain Marvel #3, Kade #1: Pursuit, Meridian #34, and Dead@17 #2! The winner, with 40 correct answers, is Cameron McAra. Congratulations!
First Prize-
The grand prize, as you know, is quite a doozy. The winner of the Captain Marvel Volume 1 Trade Paperback, signed by colorist Chris Sotomayor, the CrossGen Starter Pack, including Sojourn-”From the Ashes,” The Path- “Crisis of Faith,” Mystic- “Rite of Passage,” Scion- “Conflict of Conscience,” Route 666- “Highway to Horror,” and Meridian-”Flying Solo,” Viper Comics’ Dead@17 #1-4 set (and the preview), signed by series creator Josh Howard, Sword of Dracula #1 and #2, signed by series creator and writer Jason Henderson, The Hyper-Fanboy Premium Markup Variant Limited Edition Cool Generic Comic Book #5, signed series by creator Doug Miers, the Phoenix bust, and the individual issues from comics covered in my column over the past year – Agent X #1, the Amazing Spider-Man #36, Betty and Veronica #187, Birds of Prey #56, Brath #5, El Cazador, Collected Edition, Dawn: Three Tiers #1, Deadpool (ongoing) #1, Dini Double Feature #13, Fables #16, Gen13 #0, Go Boy 7 #1, Gold Digger #41, Harley Quinn #1, Jewish Hero Corps #1, Kade #1: Pursuit, Brian Pulido’s Lady Death: A Medieval Tale #6, The Marvelous Adventures of Gus Beezer with the Hulk #1, Negation #22, Noble Causes: Extended Family, Pete, the P.O.’d Postal Worker #5. Promethea #14, Rex Mundi #6, Rose and Thorn #1, Ruse #21, Savage Dragon #104, The Silencers #2, Sleeper #1, Spider-Girl #1/2, Strangers #1, Strangers in Paradise #51, Super Hero Happy Hour #1, Supreme Power #1, Syn #1, Usagi Yojimbo #65, The Ultimates #1, Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #635, and Way of the Rat #13, is Howard To, “bdckr” right here on Comixtreme!
Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to everyone who entered. The contest questions were indeed difficult, and I am impressed at the number of people who could answer so many of them. It has been a fun experience putting this on- perhaps I will do another one a year from now!
Again, thanks again to all of those who contributed prizes to the contest – Bill Rosemann, Chris Sotomayor, Sean McKeever, Jason Henderson, Josh Howard and Jessie Garza, Doug Miers, Blake Petit, and Ken Baugh. I could not have done it without you!
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Year in Review
Just thought I would take some time to update you on just how all of the titles I covered this year are doing now!
An Early Grave –
It was a tough year for titles I covered this year and hopefully I had nothing to do with that! Among the titles that have reached an early end are four CrossGen titles, Ruse, Meridian, Mystic, and Way of the Rat. While its cancellation has not been announced, Route 666 is rumored to be teetering on the edge. After #24, the title is supposed to be relaunched, possibly under a different name with the same creative team. While this does not mean doom for the title, the fact that nothing concrete has been announced yet does call into doubt its future. So please, give the title a shot – it really is worthy of your attention! Among other casualties this year are Harley Quinn and Gen13 from DC, and Sentinel from Marvel. Mr. Keen, from Moonstone, though slated as a mini, sadly did not do well enough to garner another run. A big shame on that count, as that was a high quality series.
While not so much “cancelled,” several titles met their end this past year, but should resurface again in a new volume or mini. Sleeper from Vertigo is going to release “Season Two” in the upcoming months, and the Ultimates is about to do the same thing. The Marvelous Adventures of Gus Beezer seems to be over for the time being, as Gail Simone has signed an exclusive deal with DC, but that does not mean we won’t see any more of the loveable little kid at some point in the future. The Generic Comic Book’s first mini has come to an end, but a second installment of that title is also due out this year. Lady Death is also about to begin a new volume – The Wild Hunt, which should be an interesting read. Finally, Noble Causes, which is really just a series of mini-serieses, should eventually come out with another installment. At least, I hope so! Of course, last week’s title, Herobear and the Kid, is about to begin a new three part mini. The biggest news of this bunch is Agent X, which was “cancelled” on a really good note thanks to three outstanding final issues written by Gail Simone. The best thing about that was the return of Deadpool, which will star in his own series along with Cable, the first issue of which is due out this month.
Chronically Tardy
A few titles I covered in this past year just can’t seem to come out on time. Strangers and Dawn “Three Tiers” from Image are notable among them. The latter seems to be way under the radar at this point, and looks to have been repositioned from an ongoing to a six issue mini. Probably for the best there, as I was not too keen on that book. Dawn is even later- most likely due to its art.
An even more disappointing “tardy” title is Pete, the P.O.’d Postal Worker. . I covered this title way back in July, and at that time, the next new issue was all but printed- yet it still has not come out! This is particularly disappointing to me, as I have been a fan of the title since day one. Hopefully I will see it on the shelves someday!
Milestones
Several titles I have covered have passed some major milestones. Of course, I have to mention Amazing Spider-man’s 500th issue- I don’t think we will be seeing that one go anywhere soon. Gold Digger recently had its 100th issue (50 in black and white, 50 in color)- a great accomplishment there. Of course, Betty and Veronica will be reaching there 200th issue (since the relaunch) at the end of this month, which is a great accomplishment in of itself for a non-big-two publication. Of course, last but not least is Strangers in Paradise, now in its 10th year of publication. Congratulations to all of these titles!
Going Strong
Nothing major to report for the remaining titles I covered in my first year. Of course, there are books that met with incredible, of surprising successes like Dead@17, or books like Usagi Yojimbo that continue their run of excellence, and should not be going anywhere, anytime soon. I invite all of you to take a peak at my archives page- where you can find all of the titles I covered over the past year (and beyond). There you can see just what I had to say about the titles I mentioned earlier and all of the titles that fall under the “Still going!” category. You might just find something that appeals to you that has fallen under your radar!
The Future
I’d like to close this month by talking a little about a self-published mini comic I found recently at my local comic shop. Jaci Slotnik, a student from Laguna Niguel, California, put together this mini-comic, and has been selling it (at a cover price of $1) at Nuclear Comics, my own local comic shop.
This book has a lot to offer. Jaci demonstrates a great deal of artistic talent in Pots and Pans, as well as a sense of humor. She unabashedly switches from art that could quite possibly stand up against comic artists who have “made it” in the industry to a group of characters who are nothing more than stick figures.
The story is pretty personal, and could probably be described as stream of consciousness. She drifts around a bit in the book, but on the whole it is a story about her and her “love affair” with art and comics. On the whole, it is lighthearted and funny, and a wholly enjoyable read. I get the impression that we will probably see her name start to pop up from time to time in the future- so be on the look out! She has a raw talent, and I can’t wait to see what kind of work she puts out when her style matures (though she is not that far off now!).
If you are interested in picking up a copy of Pots & Pans (for the cover price plus shipping, of course), please drop me a line, and I will let you know what you need to do. Who knows, you might just end up with an original work from a future star in the comic industry!
A bit long, but as #50 is supposed to be a comic milestone, I thought I would celebrate my first year properly. Thanks to everyone who has supported me, and all of you who have read Still on the Shelf over the past year. Here is to another year of great comics! Next week I shall be taking a break, and the lovely and burly (I think, aren’t lumberjacks burly?) Ms. Andrea Speed will be filling in. There will be a quiz when I get back, so you better pop in to see what she has to say. As always, thanks for reading- stick around for what I have planned this year!
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March 8, 2004
Still on the Shelf #49 – Herobear and the Kid
There is something to say about a book that is making you grin ear-to-ear after just a couple of pages.
Last Wednesday, I made one of my regular forays into the small press section of my local comic shop. I stumbled upon what I thought was a new number one of a book called “Herobear and the Kid.” Much to my surprise, it was in fact a fifth printing, and that all five issues of the miniseries were already out. After reading the first issue, I was enchanted – rarely have I ever been so immediately willing to plunk down as much money as it takes to find every back issue of a comic that I could find. It was tough, but I did manage to track down a copy of the trade paperback including all five issues of the first mini (a very well put together collection as well, I might add, for $20), and I am extremely glad I did.
For those of you unfamiliar with the title, Herobear and the Kid is written and drawn by Mike Kunkel, who is far more known for his work in the field of animation. Herobear and the Kid, though a virtual sleeper in terms of critical acclaim, snagged itself an Eisner Award in 2002 and in 2003 (Best Title for a Younger Audience). It may have been pigeonholed into the “Younger Audience” category, but I think it is better to refer to this as an all-ages title. The fact is, if you don’t absolutely love this story, you have no heart at all.
Cast of Characters
Tyler is your average unassuming, ten year-old boy, with all of the cares and worries a child that age might have. The biggest problems he faces are trying to catch the bus to school everyday, a trio of school-yard bullies (the Bullio Brothers), his annoying younger sister Katie, and how to talk to the girl he has the biggest crush in the world on, Ashley. He has an extremely active imagination, so much so that he often completely fades from reality and begins to act on the story that unfolds in his mind, much to the glee of those around him who would torment him relentlessly.
Tyler’s story begins on a really sad and difficult note. His grandfather dies, leaving his family his entire fortune, including a huge mansion. Tyler and his family move into the stately home, and begin their life in the new neighborhood. Waiting in their new bedrooms was a gift for their grandfather for each child. Katie received a most unusual high-tech contraption (it spins – about the best way to describe it). Tyler received what turned out to be the more mysterious gift – an old teddy bear and a seemingly broken pocket-watch. He soon realized that the bear was way more than it appeared to be on the surface, when he touches its nose, and it transformed into the larger-than-life “Herobear.”
The only other person to know about the mysterious qualities Tyler’s bear possesses is the families butler (who also served Tyler’s Grandfather before his death), Henry. Henry seems a little off from the moment Tyler met him – exhibiting a very precise manner, always timing (and approximating completion times) right down to the minute. Tyler finds Henry to be a wealth of knowledge about his grandfather, Herobear, and exactly how he has become entwined in what turns out to be a family tradition.
Thoughts
As I said before, if you don’t love this book, you have no heart. Kunkel’s story is full of magic and warmth, a real departure from the uber-serious, dark, hopeless stories we find throughout comics today. Tyler’s experiences with Herobear are every kid’s fantasy-come-true, and the exploits of the heroic duo are exactly the kinds of things you would expect a ten year old to come up with while playing with his toys.
When I look for a good comic book, the first thing I look at is the quality of storytelling, as many of you know. However, with a title like this, it is nearly impossible to talk about it without going into Kunkel’s art. It is very clear the man is an animator by looking at the panels on each page, sometimes it seems as if he just can’t decide what point in the “shot” he should focus on, so he draws them all. As a result, the panels become fluid- almost animated in their appearance.
Another striking thing you will no doubt notice as you flip through the pages is that the art is not inked, and is printed directly from Kunkel’s pencils. The construction lines on the characters are even still present. You might think this would give the art a sloppy look, but it ends up enhancing the whole feel of the page. There is no color, save for the red of Herobear’s cape (and the costume of another character that appears much later). I really enjoyed that little color selection, as it makes your eyes focus on Herobear whenever he is on the page. Now, if you ask me, if I saw a giant teddy bear flying around in a cape, you could be sure he would be the most noticable thing around, and I think making his “costume” the only source of color throughout the story really helps to illustrate that reality.
Another great thing about this title is the sheer quality of the product. The copy of Herobear and the Kid #1 that I purchased came complete with a cardstock cover and nice thick paper. It was only 24 pages, but there were zero ads – if anything, I think ads of any kind would hurt this work of art. “The Inheritance,” the trade, was one of the best such collections I have ever seen. Oversized with glossy pages, dust-jacket style fold-overs on the cover for marking your pages and 57 pages of bonus material to round off the collection really make this trade the complete package. And, if you have any doubt about my word as to the quality of this story, the trade features introductions by Don Hahn (Producer of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King) and Jeph Loeb (I should not have to explain to you who that is); as well as bits of praise scattered between each of the chapters from many notables, from: Terry Moore to J. Scott Campbell, Mike Wieringo to Joe Quesada, and many more artists, writers, animators, producers, reviewers – the list goes on. In short, I think it is impossible that you could find anyone who did not just love this title.
Bottom Line
Sure, the first mini series has come and gone, but there is a new three-part Herobear and the Kid on the horizon, that you should be on the lookout for. It was solicited for a February release, but coming from Mike Kunkel, you can pretty well expect each issue of this title to be late. I know it is rare to hear me say something like this, but unlike the Ultimates – the art on this title is very much worth the wait.
In the meantime, I strongly suggest that each of you head out and try to track down a copy of the first Herobear and the Kid trade – “The Inheritance.” You may have to do some calling around (or order it online at Astonish’s website), but trust me – it is well worth both the work and cost required to track this down. I have not loved a comic like this in quite some time, and I am positive you will feel the same way.
That’s it for this week. Also, it is my sad duty to report that the time period for entries into my First Year Anniversary contest has come to an end. I may consider taking late entries, but you will have to send me an email begging and pleading (though I would not count on me accepting it!). Winners will be announced next week in my gala #50 column, as well as some other goodies I have lined up. See you next week!
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March 1, 2004
Still on the Shelf #48 – Revenge of Bargain Bin Love
So maybe not what you expected, but you should enjoy it nonetheless! This week, I decided to take a break from the norm and delve into the quarter bin of my local comic shop, and see what kinds of goodies were to be had there. Hey, I need an easy week every now and again! Those of you who caught Still on the Shelf #13-14 way back those many months ago know the drill, so without further ado -
Marvel Age – Marvel, 1988. Cover Price – $.50.
Younger readers might not recall this title. Not so much a comic book, rather, a news magazine Marvel put out each month. This particular issue had all the news about several new monthly serieses, including a new Excalibur, Cloak and Dagger, Dr. Strange, and Speedball, the Masked Marvel. I have to say it was kind of fun reading “news” from fifteen years ago- especially about a quartet of new number ones, all of which came to a relatively quick demise. Most of the info found in this incarnation of Marvel Age is found nowadays on the internet or in Previews, so the need for such a thing really isn’t there anymore. In any case, this issue sure had a really cool looking cover.
Mad Dog #4 – Marvel/Ace Comics, 1993. Cover Price – $1.25.
This interesting little gem featured two stories – The main story seemed to be a more “modern” tale about a Wolverine-type hero with the powers and ferociousness of a dog. While the main story was decent, I found myself more drawn to the back-up story, featuring another version of this very same hero. This Mad Dog was a more cartoony, old-style hero, with a side-kick named buddy, who fought menaces like “The Malevolent Meerkat.” This Mad Dog was dealing with something of a crisis- it seemed his powers were beginning to take over him, and he was losing control. He started to go berzerk in fights, often dealing out far more punishment than was needed to subdue an opponent, and it culminated in the end with him – GASP – hitting a woman! Granted, that woman was trying to kill him, and was the villain of the issue, but the humor was there. This is exactly the sort of thing I am hoping to see in the new “Seaguy” title over at DC – irreverant and funny heroes in not-so-serious situations. Man, I would love to see something like this resurrected- if only EPIC wasn’t canned! An interesting side-note, this issue was edited by none other than Fabian Nicieza- writer of the upcoming Cable/Deadpool series. Maybe this is why I liked it so much? Could be.
1963, Tales From the Beyond Book 4 – Image, 1993. Cover Price – $1.95.
You know, another really good read from the Bargain Bin this time around – who would have thought it? This issue featured two stories- the first of which found a hero called N-Man (N for Nuclear, I would presume), dropping into an A-bomb test site to investigate a strange “Shimmering Zone,” with unusual gravimetric distortions. A pretty good action filled story, very much in the spirit of a comic tale that would be told 40 years ago.
The second story was even crazier than the first- a sixties hipster calling himself “Johnny Beyond” finds his apartment building is the center of a fracture in space-time. Tenants from across a span of years all merge into the same time period, including himself from 40 years in the future. I have to say that this story was the best of the two in this issue- complete with a solid twist at the end and enough confusion to make you slow down to really see what was going on. Now when I pick up an unfamiliar title from the Bargain Bin like this one, I never really check the credits until after I have finished reading it. Imagine my surprise to find that the issue was penned by one Alan Moore- whose work on Promethea I have enjoyed a great deal. I have got to say that I have gotten really lucky with this week’s pull!
Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, Volume XI – DC Comics, 1985. Cover Price – $1.00
Whoa boy, this one was a real doozy. Again, not so much a comic book, closer to a Secret Files, this encyclopedia spent about a page on each of the DC characters from Icicle to Jonni Thunder. Now at this time, I was most certainly not a DC fanatic, and though I have prided myself on learning about several of the current DC character’s histories, I have to say that out of the 35 characters and teams detailed in this volume, I recognized only one – the Joker. Either the landscape of the DC Universe has radically changed in the last twenty years, or else DC was intent on covering every single character with this series, no matter how obscure. There were some real interesting characters in this volume who I would love to see updated- maybe I will hold on to this one in case I ever get that chance.
Showcase ’93 #9 – DC Comics, 1993. Cover Price – $1.95.
There were a few stories in this issue, though the one that really leapt out for me was the lead – a nice Huntress story (pencilled by Bill Willingham of Fables fame) dealing with a pretty hefty domestic violence case gone awry. I will say this- after seeing Huntress’s costume in this issue- I will never again complain about her current look. While her look now is not my favorite, it is far and away better than the get-up they had her in back then. Sometimes when you have it good, it is easy to forget how bad it was. Doug Moench, who I admit I am totally unfamiliar with, wrote a pretty good story here, and I have to admit I am curious to see what happened next. Perhaps a little more hunting is in order.
Once again I find myself surprised at what I found for a quarter a pop- on the whole it was $1.25 that was very well spent. I think I am going to have to do this more often! Once again, it goes to show, just because it is worth next to nothing on the comic collectors market, does not mean it is not worth reading!
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