My first review

OK, that's not quite right. I've been reviewed before, it is just that this particular review is my first review of Hot Girl and Totally Hot Girl, my brand-spanking new comic from Pronto Comics which is available as a Print on Demand (PoD) from IndyPlanet. Spiderfan gave the comic five out of five stars, and totally loved it:

SpiderFan is a site totally dedicated to Spider-Man and places he appears, and since Spidey appears in a crowd scene on the first page, the fine folks over at SpiderFan chose to post the comic and review it.

Here is a picture (with link to the review) on the front page of the Spiderfan website.

OK, to be entirely truthful, I was the one who reviewed the comic. (Hey, I’m really a reviewer for the site. Honest. And hey, if you can't give yourself a good reviewer for your own comic, then why bother being a reviewer, eh?) Anyway, if you want to buy a copy for yourself, then you can go here to check out a preview of the comic first, and then go here and get yourself a copy of your own.

Have fun!

More from Sketchers

A few days ago I discovered a Sketcher’s Comicbook in a box of a pair of Sketcher's sneakers. Today I managed to acquire a couple more comics.

Now, while there is nothing truly spectacular about any of these comics, I do have to say that I am enjoying seeing companies utilize comics to entice and/or reward their customer base.

I think that this is a marketing aspect that is often overlooked and well, should be tapped more often (anyone remember when Marvel used to issue their quarter and annual stock reports in ciomicbook form? Well, while that was certainly the most famous (and ovbious), use of this, it certainly wasn't the first time I had heard of a company doing that.

Still, I couldn’t help but notice that in this story, the “villain” is a creature called The Tangler, who is essentially a sentient, animated shoelace, that unfortunately looks like, well, you look and tell me...

Yeah, I kinda thought so too, especially after I saw this panel. Personally, I think that it is treading dangerously close to “adult manga" but then again, I’m hoping that the kids to whom this is targeted simply haven’t seen the came comics that I’ve seen.

Anyways, in spite of this (admittedly minor) image glitch, I’m solidly behind this Sketcher’s marketing plan, and hope that they continue with it. I know that there are other comics in this series, and I hope to get them all.

Iron Man! IRON Man! IRON MAN!

OK kids, Iron Man opened last night and while I didn’t go yet (I was actually supposed to see it on Wed night, but that’s a whole ‘nother story), I AM going today. (First show of the day!) So, until I get there, I’m gonna lay on you the pair of Free Comic Book Day Iron Man comics that I scored on FCBD (which was last Saturday, in case you Droogs missed it).

One of them co-starred Thor and the other co-starred Nova. Both of them were fun and interesting reads, with the Nova one apparently pitched to a younger audience. The IM/Thor issue had the Norse weather god unsuccessfully battling fierce and unprecedented weather patterns that were apparently the result of a device initially created by Stark to “weaponize” weather, and (mis)appropriated by a bunch of greedy and self-centered multibillioniares who wanted to emigrate to the famed Blue Area of the moon and terraform Earth’s natural satellite for their personal enjoyment.

The Nova issue had the youngster teem with the Golden Avenger to smack down the Red Ghost and his team of super apes. The Apes themselves are being kept in protective custody, but Ivan (the Ghost), busts them out, only one of the apes (Igor, the shape-changing monkey actually) doesn’t really want to be subservient to his Russian master anymore and assists the heroes in stopping him. At one point Igor shifts into Spider-Man which merits this issue being listed in the Spider-Fan database.

As stated, both of these comics were available for FCBD, which brings up a perennial question I’ve posed, that why doesn’t Marvel (or DC, or whatever company is the bases for the new comicbook film), produce and distribute giveaway comics to be handed out at the premiere of funnybook films? Such a maneuver would (perhaps) entice patrons of the film to head back into their local comicbook shops to seek out the four-color versions of these stories, thus increasing readership?

This seems like such a simple marketing idea, and yet it is rarely ever utilized.

Talk about brain trusts.

Closing in on Amazing Spider-Man

So, in case you have missed much of what I’ve been posting about her for the past couple of years. I’m something of a Spider-Man fan. Yeah, I know, that was something of a surprise announcement. Anyway, I sort of have this hole in my collection (from like the end of 1995 to the beginning of 2001). I’ve been filling it in over the years since I returned to the industry (in ‘01), and well, needless to say, while I’ve been attempting to fill in all of the various Spider-Titles I missed during my absence, I’ve been concentrating on the Amazing Spider-Man title (the main title).

Well, this past weekend I scored a couple of more books in that run, bringing my total missing in that run to just 10 books. Now I know what you are thinking, these are probably the first 10 books, but, no, that’s not true. They are all from the ‘95–‘01 time frame (yep, I own Amazing Fantasy #15 & Amazing Spider-Man #1). As of this writing, the ASM titles I’m missing are ASM #431, ASM V2 #s 11, 16, 19-22, 24, 25, and ASM Annual 1999.

Not bad, eh?

Truth to tell, I’m having a tough time filling in these numbers because this was during the time period that Marvel was (quite literally) printing exactly as many copies of each issues as were ordered (“Oh, 1,000 copies were ordered? print 1,001.”), so while these issues aren’t particular valuable (or memorable), they are (apparently) exceedingly, rare.

I’m not at all concerned, as I know that they are out there, and I do intend to find them all. Then I’m going after all of the missing issues of the rest of the (non-reprint) Spidey comics, and then all of the various Spidey guest appearances in other comics. Yes, I know that is something of a chore, but you see, I actually own most of those comics already. I’m currently doing a count of what I’m missing, but I believe that it is probably around 100 or so issues. Not too shabby when you consider the 47-year publishing history of the character.

Meanwhile, back in the Marvel Universe...

Not sure if I’ve mentioned this (recently or at all), but not only do I pen reviews for SpiderFan, but I have recently been tapped by fellow Spider-Fanner Al Sjoerdsma to work on the upcoming Official Index to the Marvel Universe (my contributions begin with issue #2, due out in Feb., ‘09). Well, due to a misunderstanding on my part, I reviewed X-Men/Spider-Man #1. When I realized that my review was premature, I decided to expand it to fit in over at SpiderFan, only, as it turns out Kevin Hollander had already laid claim to reviewing that title. Not wanting to let my review languish in limbo, I figured I‘d post it here.

Comic: X-Men and Spider-Man #1!

Title: The Strangest Teens of All

Background:
Over the years, the paths of Spider-Man and the X-Men have crossed many times. In this limited series, we see how one story took place over the course of several years, as events in the lives of these heroic teens are manipulated by Mr. Sinister. This first chapter takes place during the ‘60s when the X-Men were in their New costumes (after the “death” of Professor X), and around the time Flash had just entered in the military, Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy were both still alive, (he was dating MJ, and she was dating Peter).

Detail:
The X-Men (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Iceman, Angel) are sitting around at the X-Men mansion in Westchester, watching an account of themselves on TV battling the Hulk, while the show’s guest, J. Jonah Jameson, rails on about the mutant menace, and calls for some sort of registration for all mutants. Spider-Man, meanwhile, swings through Manhattan happy as various TVs play in the background with the same program broadcasting. Spidey is happy that JJJ is going after someone else.

He enters his and Harry’s apartment and wonders if he should tell Gwen his secret, while thinking that worrying might give him an ulcer (which it eventually does). The next guest on the show is Kraven who has just been released from prison (after having been tossed there by Spidey), and vows that his next target will be mutants. And he postulates that Spider=-Man is a mutant. The X-Men feel they have to warn Spidey, and head into the city.

After having changed out of his costume, Peter meets up with Gwen and Mary Jane they all head to the Coffee Bean to meet the gang. They enter the café, under the watchful eyes of Kraven. Shortly after the arrival of Peter and the girls, the X-Men (in civies) pull up in Warren’s car and of all the places in Greenwich Village to enter, they go into the Coffee Bean.

Inside, the mutants and Peter’s friends intermingle. Flash, who is in Uniform, as he is either on leave, or yet to ship off to the Army), tries to pick up Jean, and MJ & Gwen flirt with Bobby and Hank, respectively. Harry’s on edge because of MJ’s antics (around this time Harry began taking drugs, and this was clearly part of that storyline). Just as all of the teens are beginning to enjoy themselves, Kraven and Blob burst into the café and attack. As all get-out erupts, the X-Men and Peter use the confusion to change into their costumes.

The heroes force both villains outside and onto the street so as not to endanger the patrons. As the fight rages on, Kraven manages to nick each of the X-Men; drawing blood from each of them. Eventually Spidey and the X-Men manage to subdue the Blob, but Kraven manages to slip away. The Blob dealt with, Kraven in the wind, and the cops on their way, all of the heroes do likewise so as not to be around when the cops show up. Before they go, however the X-Men renew their offer to have Spider-Man join them. He declines stating that he really doesn’t work well with teams.

Kraven delivers five vials of DNA material to Mr. Sinister who has been hiding behind the scenes this whole time. Mr. Sinister indicates that he has plans for the genetic material.

General:
This is obviously a continuity implant story, building on previously-established events from the established cannon of the Marvel Universe. The story seems to play out well, doing a very nice job of tapping into those events, and actually manages to successfully re-establish the feeling of that time. From the excellent visuals and great dialogue you can almost believe that this story was written and drawn back at that time. The inclusion of a later villain like Mr. Sinister, plus the teaming of two older, classic villains (who prior to this never actually met), are both very nice touches.

Summary Rating: 3.5 Webs

Rating Explanation:
Again, this story reads quite well, and does a most-excellent job of recreating that era for this reader.

Postscript/Comments:
I’m not entirely certain how this will eventually play out, but this story worked quite well for me, including a bit of foreshadowing with Gwen sitting on a dock with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background.

# # #

As soon as the camera’s battery is fully charged, I’ll post more Christmas photos.

It is good to be right

So, I picked up my weekly comics the other day and one of them was Amazing Spider-Man Annual 2008. Well, while I haven’t read the issue as of yet, I couldn’t help but to notice that the cover of the issue had three numbering sequences on it, first it was (correctly) labeled as the 2008 annual. Next, I saw that Marvel had chosen to re-start the numbering sequence with #1. Totally understandable, as the last ASM annual was published back in 2001.

However, what surprised me was the “alternate” numbering sequence (a number 35). Now I remembered that the original ASM annuals ran from #1 to #28 (1994)then continued on to four annuals that carried only a year (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998). This was followed by the next three annuals (which continued with years not numbers — 1999, 2000, & 2001). Keep in mind that Amazing had also been renumbered at this time.

Well, as the Sr. Title Coordinator for SpiderFan as I was entering the title inthe database, I wanted to verify our count and contacted Spider-Editor, Stephen Wacker, who confirmed that our count was correct. The current issue should have been numbered 2008 / 1 / 36.

Oh, and just for the record,I’m not making this post to show up Stephen — who is being very helpful, and a real good sport in all of our correspondence — but to keep the record straight, and because I’m totally anal in this regard...mostly because I’m anal about the numbering system for both my own collection and the SpiderFan database.

Cool, eh?

Funny is as Funny does

Like most of America, I get my news not from either the broadcast networks, nor from the 24/7 cable news networks, or even from the Intertubes. I go straight to the source and get my news from The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

Still, that is for “real” news. For what is going on in the world of Funnybooks I go directly to PVP:



Then, for an alternate view, I stop in over at SpiderFan:



Now I’m going to go drink heavy and giggle like a schoolgirl.

Wearing Spidey

OK, you folks asked for more (well, Reggie did, and I can’t help myself but to oblige him). Yesterday I posted some pics of my Spidey Boxers, and Reggie wanted to know if I had any socks, well I do, but they are like 30 years old (and no, I don't wear them any more, because, well, as you can see they are white socks with Spidey printed on them). I never wanted to wear them out, so I wore them a few times when I was younger, then tossed them in the back of my sock drawer (right next to the Cap socks, which I’ve also posted).

In recent years I’ve looked for Spidey socks again (these are also just a touch small on me these days), with no real success. I’ve also been unable to find Spidey shoes except for little kids (heh, kids get all the luck). Actually, when I was in my 20s I almost bought a set of Spidey Underoos, (secure in the knowledge that I was going to eventually get married and have kids). Only I stopped, when logic kicked in as I wasn’t sure that I’d have boys, or what size to buy (that plus the fact that I wasn’t dating anyone at the time). It wasn’t until later (after they stopped manufacturing Underoos) that I regretted not ever buying them.





Anyway, I’m just happy that I can get adult-sized Spidey boxers. Oh yea, you’ll also see my Spidey pillowcase up here someplace (Just one, each side is different). I think this was from Spidey 2. Then, as long as I had the camera out, I figured that I’d snap some pics of the Spidey clock that is in my office.

As well as a couple of Spidey suction figures that are stuck to a glass-front book case that is also in my office. Fun stuff all around.

Oh, and just to keep you in suspenders, right now I’m working with Jon over at SpiderFan to build a fast food section displaying all of the Spider-Man related kid toys that I have collected over the years (including some non-US toys as well). Not to worry, I’ll let you know here when that section becomes populated and ready for public viewing.

In the mean time you will just all have to satisfy yourselves with looking at all of the truly oddball Spidey stuff that I have in my eclectic collection.

Drink up on Spidey

In a recent email, chief Spidey-Honcho, Jonathan Couper-Smartt (our Imperious leader of SpiderFan), sent out a link to product placement, that cited some of the products that scored screen time in the Spidey flicks. Well, my pal Tommy pointed out the both he and I managed to acquire cans of Dr. Pepper that were emblazoned with our Webbed-buddy’s likeness. He then went on to lament that he never acquired any of the Spidey-Yogurt.



Well, Tommy, as you can see from the top of this post, yep, I do have Spidey Dr. Pepper cans. I also have some that fly...



Oh, and in case you are not jealous enough, I also have the yogurt. If that doesn’t send you ‘round the twist, if you look closely at the white Spidey bi-plane (and no, I didn’t make them, I bought them on ebay), you’ll be able to see my first (of three) Marvel No-Prizes.

Is he or isn’t he?

Well, If you were to ask me, I’d say that my favorite hero is married to ah, whatshername. Only I’m told that these days, not only is he not married, but he never actually was. Only, if My pal Petey isn’t married then who is this red-headed hottie that is snuggling up to him.



Her name is on the tip of my tongue, only I can’t quite remember...

Oh yeah, and then there is this bit of marital silliness...



You can find these tidbits and more over at The Amazing Spider Blog that is managed by my good buddy, Mike Podgorski, who (like me) is also a reviewer over at SpiderFan.

Seriously, what is her name???

It’s all fun and games until someone makes a deal with the devil to end your marriage!

Cap’s Back, and Steven Colbert has him! What am I talking about? well you just have to check out this clip from Comedy Central’s Steven Colbert Report where Steven is (once again) talking to Marvel Editor-in-Chief, Joe Quesada:



Apparently, once you've made a deal with the devil to end somebody else’s Marriage there is no going back!

While the conversation between Steve and Joe starts off with them discussing Captain America, it soon seques into them discussing Steven’s aborted run for President. Well, apparently In the Marvel Universe, Steven is still a candidate.

I’ve taken the liberty of enhancing a couple of images from the clip. The first image shows a cutaway of some (doctored) art for Amazing Spider-Man #546 (with a close-up from that image up next). Sure, sure Joe has done a great deal to increase the awareness of Marvel, Cap, Spidey, and the rest of the Marvel stable, but it begs the question, if Joe want’s to appeal to appeal to a younger audience, then why does he keep appearing on the Colbert Report, which (I’m sure) appeals to a demographic that is substantially older than teens (who might think that a married superhero is too old).

Of course, that could be just me.

Marvel Specialty Comics

If you have never heard of or seen Marvel Specialty comics, then you are truly missing some very cool stuff. You see, Over the years Marvel has produced numerous volumes of these specialty comics that have partnered the publisher with various pro-social groups and corporations utilizing the various Marvel characters to promote specific causes or products. Everything from Toy Fair, to Home Depot, to the U.S. Military, to Prevent Child Abuse America. Generally speaking these are all fun books.

Personally, I have quite a few of these books in my own collection. Which is why I was excited to find this particular comic, Spider-Man Battles The Myth Monster, for sale on ebay. What shocked me was the price attached to it ($40.00). Sure, I wanted to purchase the comic, but that price seemed to me to be a tad steep. So I decided to do a Google search for the title and came up with it for sale on Amazon for just $9.99. Cool, I thought, 10 bucks is way better than 40. then I found this link, to the Epilepsy Foundation which is selling the very same comic for a mere three bucks with no shipping (or you could buy a bundle of 50 for $73.00)

Can you guess what I did next? I thought you could. (I’ll add a link to my review of the comic on SpiderFan as soon as I get and read the comic then write and post the review.)

It is another Brand New Day (all over again)

Yep, I had my say (a couple or three times) about this (here and elsewhere) but, as you can expect, I’m no where near done yet. (Hey if I have to suffer through 18 months of this crap, you are going to have to suffer through 18 months of my haranguing Marvel over it!)

Well, the point is that I just finished reading the first three-part story arc and well, I will say this one positive thing, Marvel did manage to get three issues out in three weeks (no small feat as it hasn’t been able to get one Spidey issue out every four weeks for several months prior to this, something that shouldn't have been that hard, as there were three or four titles which should have been scheduled to hit on consecutive weeks, but never quite managed to do so — there would be several weeks of no Spidey comics, and one week were all of them came in at once!)

Anyways, I read the first story arc and while Dan Slott is a very talented writer,and Spidey is a very engaging character he has been handed a bill of goods and while he is struggling mightily to do the best he can, is still reads like crap (sorry Dan, I still love ya, but the starting premise is dreck and you can dress dreck up all you want, but it is still dreck).

I suppose that what I truly object to second most (the BND premise takes the top slot) is that this first story revolves around another tablet with ancient Egyptian writing on it. Anyone who knows me knows that the first tablet storyline (which ran in Amazing Spider-Man #s68–75) is easily my favorite storyline ever in the series. Still, even that couldn’t salvage this story.

Of course part of the problem with using this (backwards) link, is that it gives the story yet another “been there, done that” feel to the action. (Then, of course the trio of “kissing” splash pages that kick-started each issue.)

Still, taking all of that into consideration, I wanted to present to you a pair of very witty snipes taken at Marvel Editorial (Joe Q) by some very talented people. First up is this image to my left which was done by my good budy and fellow SpiderFaner and CAGer Chris B. The second one (and I may have already posted this link once before) was posted on David Willis’ Shortpacked. Both take turns at essentially the same gag, but it works well in both. (And I did link to Shortpacked before it is most assuredly worth linking again.)

Enjoy (Oh, Chris’s image is going with an article that he is penning for another website, when that rant goes live, I'll add that link in as well, because I read his pre-posted rant, and he definitely knocks it out of the park. Way to go Chris!

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before!

Paul S. A SpiderFan buddy of mine turned me on to this on-line cartoon that takes a slam against the current One More Day storyline going on in the Spider-Man titles. Us fans all know where Joe Quesada is going with his badly-conceived storyline to retcon the marriage of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson-Parker.

Those of us who care (i.e.; everyone who reads or has read any Spider-Man title, ever!) think that he has his head stuck up his...well,you get the idea. Anyway, the cartoon in question is called Casstoons, and, well, here is what Paul told us in an email.

Not sure if anyone's familiar with “Casstoons” but they're a series of crude mouse-drawn comic strips a guy going by the handle of "Drink" started doing on several comic message boards about a year ago in response to DC’s mishandling of Batgirl. Since then though he's been doing parodies of other comic story lines though.

It is very funny, and deserves to be read.

Hippo Birdies to me!

A couple of years ago when I hit the half-century mark (yea, I am that old,now sit down and shut up, this is my blog). My lovely wife threw me an all-Spidey birthday party. I’m bringing this up now,as a buddy of mine from SpiderFan shot out an email to the lot of us telling us how his wife baked him a Spidey cake. He indicated that it had something to do with his age, which I found entertaining, as I had a similar sort of event occured for me a couple of years back.

Well, I wanted to post some images of my Spidey cake from my 50th B-Day (I may have done this already, but am too lazy to go back through my posts here and elsewhere to find out).

At any rate, the cake was purchased at a local grocery store or somesuch (I’ve seen the cake at a couple of different places, and I’ve even seen it since, with new and/or different “toy” toppings. Most currently, I’ve seen it with Black-costumed Spidey. I think I’m going to either have to convincer her to buy me a new cake soon, or simply go to the store and purchase the toppings separately. Which is the way that I think that I’m going to have to go with this one, because — quite frankly — I’m more interested in the topping stuff, than in the cake itself.

Oh, as an aside, I think that one of the kids down the street must have had a Spidey cake as well, as he gave my daughter a Spider-Cake toy that was a topping. Needless to say, she gave the toy to me. She’s the coolest.





Enjoy, effendi!

Can you say Ewww?

By now it is all over the Net, and well, it should be. Marvel has just released a new Mary Jane statue, and well, it not only plays into all of the pre-pubescent fanboy geekiness of the industry, but it is (considered by some) borderline soft porn. Over at SpiderFan, there are a few folks up in arms, but personally I saw the statue some months back and simply considered it lame.

Hell, I don't even buy the way-cool Spidey stuff. That could be because I mostly care about the comics themselves, and leave the Spider- tchotchkes to my family to buy (which they do, on end).

Here is the image, and links to fans riffing on it, but, like I said, I like to save my outrage for stuff that really matters.

More Spider-Clonage from Spider-Fan!

Just when you thought that the Ultimate Spider-clone saga couldn’t get any hinkyer, the Whack-jobs over at SpiderFan have posted a second installment of their spin on the Ultimate saga.

If you know anything about this storyline (either when it played out in the original Spider-man titles, or as it is being replayed in the Ultimate series), you’ll really want to check out this askew variant take on both of those storylines. It is a hoot-and-a-half.

The first SpiderFan installment of this particular story can be found here



For more Spider-Fun, you can check out this on-going web comic from the beginning, as it appears on SpiderFan.org.

Spider-Clone, Spider-Clone, Friendly Neighberhood Spider-Clone

Ever hear the expression “Kissing your sister," well Over in Ultimate Spider-Man, you all know that Ultimate Petey was cloned by Ultimate Doc Ock and spun out in dozens of, well, interesting Ultimate variants. (including Spider-Scorpion, his father (Richard Parker) and, a female version of his own self). Well, my pals over at SpiderFan who can’t leave this sort of stuff along, have come up with their very own spin on the Spider-Clone concept.

Personally it is nothing that you or I didn’t think of already, they just got it into (digital) print sooner. Oh, and my version was way further off the deep end, but here for your reading pleasure is SpiderFan’s spin on the Ultimate Spider-Clone Saga.



If you enjoyed this strip (or want to see it ful sized for better reading), and want to read the entire run of SpiderFan funnies, go here.