It's starting to look a little bit like Free Comic Book Day!

The other day, my daughter asked me if Christmas was my favorite holiday, and I had to stop and really think about it. Needless to say, I didn’t actually have to think that hard, and I told her, truthfully, “No, actually, Free Comic Book Day is.” I mention this because, over the weekend, it was announced what the 10 Gold Sponsors for next year’s 10^th event would be.

As could be expected, I was thrilled to learn who was going to be involved in next year’s event.

Kung Fu Panda, Richie Rich (Kid Zoic/Ape Entertainment), The Dark Crystal (Archaia Entertainment), Betty & Veronica (Archie Comics), Darkwing Duck/Rescue Rangers Flip Book (BOOM! Studios/Disney), Avatar: Last Airbender/Star Wars: Clone Wars Flip Book (Dark Horse Comics), Locke & Key (IDW Publishing), Spider-Man (Marvel Comics), Geronimo Stilton & The Smurfs Flip Book (Papercutz), plus a special top secret project from DC Comics, and  a Kid-Friendly Title from Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), from Image Comics

Yeah, you got that right, I LOVE Free Comic Book Day. it is a day where I get to acquire some 30 FREE comics (did I mention that I don’t have to pay for them either?). Yeah, I totally love this stuff. as I get to see many comics that I wouldn’t normally get to read, plus acquire some free comics that are available nowhere else, except on Free Comic Book Day.

While this isn’t recognized as a national holiday as of yet, I’m certainly hoping that it will be one day. Anyways, here are some images of the covers from the books that have been already been announced.

Ain’t it cool?

Free Comic Book Day is Saturday May 7^th, 2011

(Too Much) Coffee Time!

We love coffee. In fact, consuming an excess amount of coffee it our last remaining vice. So it only goes to follow that Shannon Wheeler’s iconic comicbook Too Much Coffee Man was (and still is) one of my all-time favorite comics. So when I got an e-mail this morning from Boom Studios that they are about to release a Too Much Coffee Man Animated mug, I could hardly contain myself.

Interestingly enough, this discovery was followed up by an all-to-brief online chat with Mr. Wheeler himself, who told me that Boom was about to launch a new line of books that will kick off with a compilation of Wheeler’s cartoons that were submitted (but rejected) by The New Yorker.

The new imprint (named Boom! Town), will publish and market selective reissues of out-of-print works and merchandising, including the collection of Wheeler’s cartoons that didn’t make it into the The New Yorker. Wheeler’s book, I Thought You Would be Funnier, will be among the first wave of releases under the new imprint.

Too Much Coffee Man fans can also thrill to the announcement that it looks like Wheeler will also be writing and illustrating a new eight-page TMCM story for the relaunch of the Dark Horse Presents.

Seriously, how cool is that?

Die Medium?

I have to say that, after having purchasing the second issue of Boom Studio’s, I’m still waiting for the explosions to start.

Yeah, yeah, I know that comics and films are two very different media, but I mean, really, this book had better start blowing crap up soon, or I’m afraid that it is going to lose it’s potential audience.

Just to make it clear, I’m enjoying the comic thus far, but really, this is not at all what I expected in a comic that has the main character blowing stuff up in the first 20 minutes of screen time. I mean, four films later we have expectations, and this book had better start ramping up the über-violence pretty soon.

Oh, if you are a fan of the book, but want to see some wicked-cool crap blow up, you can watch this following video (be careful, though, as the lyrics repeatedly utter John McClane’s most famous line — yippie-I-aye-Muther-f#cker! — as part of the chorus, so if you are watching at work (something I don’t advise), you just might want to keep the sound low).



Oh, and here is some six minutes of explosions and gun battles from 2007’s Live Free or Die Hard (the 4th film).


Live Free Or Die Hard - Funny videos are here

While it isn’t contained in this clip, I just love the line John utters when he drives his car into the ‘chopper.

Media comics tie-ins

For quite some time I’ve been espousing the thought that it would be a good idea for comics to explore other genres — no, I’m not quite ready to give up on superhero funnybooks, but even I can see that we have been boxing ourselves into a corner for decades, and it is time to expand the fold.

It is for this reason that I have been eagerly looking forward to Boom! Studios Die Hard comic. As someone who loved all of the films (sure they are preposterous, but they certainly are a good time), I had actually pitched the idea for a Die Hard comic (to another publisher, to be sure). It is nice to know that my instincts are good.

This comic is a “year one” concept. That is to say, it goes back to when John McClane is a rookie NYC beat cop, and looks at his initial exploits. I’ll be honest. The first issue is all about set-up, and seems to start off very slowly (no one dies, no explosions, no Yippie-ki-ayy nothing).

Still, it is too early to declare it a misfire, I’m in for the first story arc, if only to see where it is going to go. I suggest that you folk take the leap with me, if only because I actaully see McClane as an American James Bond, with the possibility of becoming a franchise that can out-live it’s original actor. Hey, there are those of us who thought that no one could replace Sean Connery, but there have been a buncha guys who have stepped into those shoes over the past 45 years. I sincerely believe that the same could be said for McClane.

At some point Bruce Willis will become too old for the role, but there is no reason to say that the character can’t survive without him (need I point to Star Trek?)

Another Boom! comic that I just picked up, was 28 Days Later. I liked both films, and (in spite of zombies being all the rage these days), I thought that I’d give this title a spin.

This first issue seems OK, and plays well with the established time line of the films. Plus I like how the writer is playing the characters (everyone always thinks that they can handle the relentless pursuit of zombies). Again, here only time will tell how well it fares.