A second Avengers Trailer

Just watch, effendi, and enjoy!



Yep, that was a total geekgasim!

Main Enterprises

Yesterday I drove up to see my buddy Jim Main. I’ve known Jim for quite a number of years (met him back when he owned a comic shop). Well, Jim’s been publishing comics since the dawn of time and recently (over the past couple of years), he’s been publishing some of my stories in his many wonderful anthologies.

He publishes under the company name Main Enterprises, and this weekend I went up to his place to pick up a number of comics (with my work in them) that he was holding for me. (If you want copies of the books to which I contributed, go here, and check out which books you want, then either follow those links to Jim’s ecrater site, or contact me and buy from me direct. Hey I’ll even autograph them for you.)

Well, in addition to the books with my work that I acquired from Jim, he was nice enough to gift me with a couple of his other titles that didn’t contain my work, but are still nifty-cool. One of these books was Tribute #2 and the other was *PPFSZT! Annual #1 — Jim’s first full-color comic. The comic is beautiful featuring work from quite a few of the many talented creators who regularly contribute to Jim’s various books.

I also hear that an upcoming issue of *PPFSZT! (#35) he did manage to include a photo of my glorious self (one of the few photos ever taken of me that I actually like). Even though I don’t have anything in the annual Tribute, or *PPFSZT! #35, I strongly recommend that you check out the, along with Jim’s other titles as well, they are all quite good.

Some of the other comics that Jim publishes include Soundwaves, This comic is a very unique title from Main Enterprises because of its musical nature. Soundwaves contains illustrations and comics that are all on a musical note! And still there are more titles.

I tell you, Jim is a publishing machine! I’m not quite sure how he has the time to produce all of these comics, but he somehow does, and well, I, along with all of the numerous very talented creators, are very pleased that he does, as we are able to get our work into print.

So, if you are in the mood to support Indie comics, then hurry over to Main Enterprise’s ecrater site, and gobble up a whole bunch of them, as they are some of the coolest comics I’ve seen of late.

Well that’s all for me now, I’ve got to finish reading *PPFSZT! Annual #1. (Did I mention that it is full color?)

Let’s hear it for Jim Main!

So, 30some years ago or so I met Jim Main. Little did I know that throughout most of the intervening years since then and now, Jim has been publishing a revolving set of Indie comics under the umbrella of Main Enterprises. A couple of years ago, I re-connected with Jim, and he began publishing my short stories. to date, Jim has published several of my short stories, six of which are currently in print two more are illustrated and awaiting publishing, one has been accepted and awaiting an artist, two more are under consideration, and I have  another pair of scripts in the works.

That’s *PPFSZT! #28, 30, 33, 34, The Attic #1, & Main Enterprises #6.

Pretty Cool, eh?

Have yourself a Spider-Valentine

Yes I know that Valentine’s Day was earlier this month, but I’m just now getting around to posting what I received on that day from my lovely wife and daughter. Yep, you guessed it, it was more Spidey stuff.

Yep, that is a couple of Reese's hearts that I also received.

The last item is a pair of Spidey hand towels that I also got.

Ghost Rider, Gary Friedrich, and Marvel/Disney

OK, it’s time to talk about the film Ghost Rider, Spirit of Vengeance. This past weekend, The second Ghost Rider film came out and well, that is simply something that we never thought we’d ever see. If only because while the first film had some very cool parts (not only the appearacne of Peter Fonda as Mephistopheles, but   Sam Elliott as the original Ghost Rider), as well as a respectful adherence to Ghost Rider’s comicbook origins — always a cool thing to see in a film adaptation), but just because we thought the CGI effects were, well, somewhat lame. To be sure the Rider himself looked cool, but some of the riding around stuff just didn’t come off well by my take.


Still, while it was a serviceable enough film, I just wasn’t a big enough fan of the comicbook series to really care if there was a sequel. Yet, here it is. (more a nod to Nic Cage’s interest in the project  — and that it was filmed in Eastern Europe one would suspect, than to any great outpouring of fans clamoring for a sequel. So, Like I said, for better or worse, it’s here.

Only there’s more to it all than just a sequel, there is the whole Gary Friedrich v Marvel/Disney thing. As a movie critic for examiner.com, we felt that we had an obligation to review the film, and yet as a freelancer/comicbook fan we had no small amount of sympathy for Gary and his plight. Hence, We felt that we simply could neither simply review the film nor ignore it (or Gary) so we chose a middle ground. we reviewed the film but ran a paragraph at the end explaining ourselves. 


Briefly, Gary Friedrich was original writer of the Marvel Comics series, and — spurred on by his lawyer — sued, Marvel/Disney over ownership of the character and in turn was countered-sued by the corporation. Friedrich not only lost his suit but was hit with a $17,000 bill from Marvel/Disney. Friedrich, who is 68, unemployed, and broke, intends to appeal the decision against him. In the meantime comicbook writer Steve Niles set up a fund to contribute to help Gary pay the bill. 

Some comicbook creators are calling for a boycott of not only this film, but all Marvel films. While we personally are not going quite so far, we are strongly urging fans of the original comicbook series to send some money Gary’s way, because if you can spend $10+ to see the film (and more on popcorn and a drink), you can surly find it in your hearts to send a few bucks Gary’s way as well. (One individual indicated that while he wasn’t planning on seeing the film, if he were, he would simply pay for another film, then slip into the Ghost Rider screening).


Needless to say, this whole matter has caused us no small amount of consternation. While we have always seen ourself as not only a writer, but a journalist, we still feel a loyalty to Gary, so have been torn (A comicbook friend of ours reviewed the film on a comicbook site without even mentioning the suit, which we sort of understand, but well, not really). Still, everyone has to make their own choices in this life, so we strongly urge you all to do just that, Still, to clearly state our own views of the matter, we didn't pay to see the film (as a film reviewer we hardly ever pay for films), but did donate to Steve Niles fund for Gary.

Black Comic Book Day

This Saturday (February 18^th, 2012) I went into Harlem NY to attend Black Comicbook Day at the request of my good buddy, Ray Felix. Black Comic Book Day was from from Noon to 3 P.M. at Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe (2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd (Between 124^th and 125 ^th   Streets)), and features the talents of Jerry Craft (Mamas Boyz) as the Host.

This was the 2^nd annual Black Comic Book Day Event (I didn’t attend last year). Anyway, I joined Ray and Trevor Von Eeden for a sneak preview of their latest creation: Black Power along with the unveiling of a multitude of Black artist, writers and Independent publishing companies.

All-in-all it was a very cool day and I got to meet up with good friends and meet some new ones.

The War of the Independents continues!

 I know that it’s been a while since I wrote about Dave Ryan’s wicked-cool, and totally ground-breaking comicbook series event entitled The War of the Independents, but that’s because it has been brewing to a heated all-out battle between some of the meanest, roughest, toughest supervillains in the known (Indie) universe (like Maldestrak from Joe Martino’s JM Comic, Shadowflame), and others.

Well, Issue #2 of WotI hit the comicbook store shelves this week (we personally picked it up at Heroes Cards & Comics in Norwalk, CT), and it was the very first comic we read this week — yes, even before our Spider-Man comics.

The War, in case you are coming late to this party, is a true, grass-roots, industry-wide event that has been — quite literally — been years in the making. Dave was originally inspired by Marvel’s Civil War. He felt then that if fans enjoyed seeing a company-wide match up of their favorite (corporate) heroes then they would go positively geek-wild of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see their favorite independent comicbook characters in a similar setting.

So Dave set out to corral some of the most well-known, fan-favorite, and well indie characters in order to do the unprecedented, and put them all in the same comicbook series. Backed by the fine folks at Red Zone Comics he set out to pull this series together.

So with both issues #1 & 2 out on the shelves, and #3 due out soon, Dave is burning up the webisphere as he takes his marketing online, direct to fans, all of whom are clamoring for their issue.

In addition to the six issues of the War, there are already a number of Indie tie-in comics that relate to the War. With even more tie-ins in the offing, and the rest of the War itself still to come, we want to sing Dave’s praises as he lands this monumental, ground-breaking series.

If your comic shop isn’t carrying either the war (or its related tie-ins), then you need to get a hold of Dave, and get your own copy of the war!

Comicbook history in the making.

Batman International

I just had to share this!

It’s all about the Book!

OK kids, here it is, I’ve just fired off the fourth (and my final) chapter to a special book project to which I’m contributing. The Book is for Dynamite Entertainment, and is due to be published this October (Hopefully in time for NYCC!).

My editor just informed me that while there will be some (minor) tweaks that will be required,  I’m the first of the team of writers that has turned in all of their contracted chapters.

How cool is that?

Now, it’s Agent Unknown time!

Captain Canuck: The Movie

I kid you not! There is a Captain Canuck movie in the works that is due out in 2015. If you don’t know who Captain Canuck then you simply missed that golden era of his prosperity in the mid-’70s:

In May of 1975, Richard Comely, then 24, with a $7000 loan and operating as Comely Comix published the first issue of his Captain Canuck comic book series from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Much like Superman which was first published in 1938, Captain Canuck was an instant hit. To millions of Canadians he became “Canada’s own Superhero”.

(via CaptainCanuck.com)

Back then, it was the first non-Marvel comic that I got excited about in quite some time. I really got into this character and it looked like it was getting off to a very good run, but then, unfortunately, it simply disappeared in 1985.

The series did come back a couple of times, but by then it had all changed, and even though I was excited about the return of this hero, I wasn't as excited about it any more. Hopefully the film will generate more interest and we can all get that initial excitement back again.

We can only hope.

Holy Easter Eggs, Batman

’nuff said!

Gary Friedrich v. Marvel Comics

For what it’s worth, Marvel can deny the facts all it wants, but this is the way it was when it began back in February of 1975.

Meet, Mr. Wilcox!

So you say that you want to be famous, well my good pal, John Wilcox is. Over the years he has achieved this fame by appearing (over and over again) by appearing (if in name only) as a character in Bob Webber’s syndicated comic strip, Moose and Molly.

Here is a email I just received from John:

Once again, my good pal & colleague Bob Weber, Sr. used my name in his comic strip. This one is from yesterday, Feb 11. Over the years, in the strip I’ve been a bill collector, an employer, Moose's daughter’s boyfriend, a guy being booted from an office and; I forget what else! Pardon the lousiness of the scan, as it's directly from a newspaper!

John did the scan. Fun stuff, eh?

Gesundheit

Follow me!

Hey, did I mention that I’m now on Twitter @Funnybook_City?

Well if I hadn’t, then now’s the time to get in on the ground floor. Tell all your fiends...er friends!

Marvel's new logo

’nuf said.

Batman & Superman Punk each other

Don’t look now, but Superman has been punk’d

(What totally makes the gag work, is Batman’s comment at the end!)

Still you can't really blame Batman, especially after what Superman did over in Gotham.

Moxy Fruvous doers Spider-Man

Couldn't resist:

Occupy Marvel

Jack Kirby either created or co-created much of Marvel, there is no doubt about this. There is also no doubt that his art set the house style for decades. Marvel has gotten filthy rich off the back of Jack and other artists and  writers over the years. It is time that they acknowledge this debt.

There are some calling for a boycott of Marvel of this summer’s Avengers movie. Writer/artist, and educator Steve Bissette feels that we should petition Marvel to give credit and royalties to Jack Kirby and his family. Others suggest that you don’t necessarily boycott Marvel films, but give a buck to the Jack Kirby Museum whenever you go see a film with Kirby characters in it.

We feel that whatever option you choose, you stand up to the corporate slugs at Marvel and demand that they give proper honor and respect to one of the men that not only helped found this entire industry, but who gave so much of his life to the company itself.

New Amazing Spider-man Trailer

Here you go kids...



I have to say that I still want to be excited about this film, but the Spider-Man footage looks too much like a videogame, and I'm hoping that it looks better on the big screen than it does here.

Spidey vs. Venom

Hey kids, here is a very cool piece of art by my good buddy Roy Cutting. I think his work is excellent, and believe him to be a great undiscovered talent. Someone should snap him up!

The Avengers - Extended Super Bowl Spot

Yes, I’m a Twit!

OK I did it, I’ve joined the Twitter Generation, you can follow me on Twitter @Funnybook_City.

I just set my account up today (with the help of my beautiful 17-Year-old Daughter Kayla Rose, and you all are invited to follow me!

The Death and return of Superman

I just watched this very cool short film by Max Landis (the son of famed Animal House director John Landis and screenwriter of Chronicle) that deconstructs has released The Death Superman story arc in an entertaining, whisky-fueled, foul-mouthed, 17-minute short detailing the 1990s storyline. It is great fun and (unfortunately) NSFW due to the very blue commentary of Max. Still it is entertainingly insightful for those of us who lived through that event.



Having watched this video, I have to agree, that this is essentially when comics started to really suck

Avengers Superbowl teaser

Just a little snippet of the upcoming Avengers film that will air during the Superbowl.



Wicked cool, eh?