Who ya gonna call?

I saw this comic in a free local (weekly) paper that is distributed in my area. The strip Bassist Wanted is online, but this particular strip isn’t posted as of yet, but it was very funny,and my pal Chris Buchner is a huge Ghostbusters fan, so I figured that I’d post it for him.

On the Local Front

A month back, while at MoCCA, my good friend, collaborator, and client, Mark Mazz produced a limited edition “Script Book” for his Mark Twain story, Expressions of Bull-Frog Wisdom on the Lady Mississippi. The story was originally supposed to appear in the CAG-produced Graphic Album, Iconic, but due to creative differences (Mark wanted to be creative and the editor wanted something different), it was pulled. The good news is that the story will be re-released in a book entitled Literacy that is slated to come out from Atlas Unleashed.

My good buddy Chris Torres (who is drawing my own Springload & Renegade — also due out from Atlas Unleashed) illustrated it. Chris is a major talent, and seriously should be busier (and more well-known) than he already is. We sold the script book for a buck a pop, and it received some very nice comments.

The other very cool publication I recently acquired is the new issue of DitkoMania (#73) which is produced by Rob Imes. The issue is B&W and a buck-fifty. You can acquie your own copy by going to Rob's website and purchasing one yourself. This issue cover-features Dr. Strange, and is well worth the price.

You can also write directly to Rob at 13510 Cambridge #307, Southgate, MI 48195.

This is a must fro any serious Ditko fan.

Love & Rockets

So, when I first entered comics professionally (back in the Stone Age), I began working for a small local company called Fantagraphics. At that time they published The Comics Journal and Amazing Heroes. They were also getting into publishing some independent comics, one of them was Love and Rockets (later on an indie rock band appropriated the name for themselves).

Well, I began read L&R back then because well, two reasons really, they were free (because I worked there), and they were really different and somewhat subversive from what I normally read (Marvel’s DC and the like). It was like an underground Archie, with Hispanic characters, plus it was literally oozing with a sensuality that simply couldn't be found in mainstream funnybooks. Oh yeah, every once in a while it flashed some skin, but while that was what got me started reading them, what kept me was the intricate and powerful stories, as well as the truly intriguing art.

Yep, I loved these books.

Not entirely sure why, but somewhere along the way, I stopped reading them (long after I stopped getting them for free and had been spending my own money buying them). Well, this past Free Comic Book Day I managed to score the free L&R and read the new adventures, and was reminded of how much I truly enjoyed this series. So when I was up in Falmouth, MA at A Blast from the Past, I purchased a new graphic album of L&R adventures and was totally blown away as to how good it still is, and to how much I really missed reading about these characters.

If you have the opportunity to pick up any L&R comics, I highly recommend it, as it is still some of the consistently very best comics that is being produced.

The Avengers and the Military

Since 2005 Marvel has published seven specialty comics featuring the New Avengers (and co-stars) and the U.S. military in a series of comics that are distributed only to U.S. military bases. These comics are produced in conjunction with AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service)these stories have ranged from excellent to passingly OK.

Well, I just acquired the most recent issue (#7) from ebay, and I’m here to say that this one is actually quite good. This issue features not only the New Avengers, but virtually every other Marvel Superhero as they all converge on the American South West to bring down the Hulk (who is on a rampage that harkens back to his Hulk-Buster Glory Days. As always, featured prominently in the comic is some branch of the Armed Forces.

The story here is that the military is testing some new OsCorp ordnance and accidentally target the Hulk, who becomes (understandably) irritated at this inturuption of his life. In an effort not to be killed, the military calls out to Tony Stark, who brings in the (superhero) Calvary who all rush to the scene and slow the Hulk long enough for a couple of Army sharpshooters to pepper Hulk with numerous rounds of (adamantimum tipped) tranks which knock him out, causing the Jade Giant to revert back to Bruce Banner.

While I enjoyed the comic (and the throw-back storyline) I really have to question the chronology of the events that happen within the story (this only because I’m now working on The Official Index to the Marvel Universe, and, well, these things are now starting to bother me). The events of the story seem to be set in current continuity (OsCorp not Stark) has a military contract, and Aries is apparently an Avenger, but Stark/Iron Man is a hero in good standing and the Thunderbolts are on the outs and the villains that populated Osborn’s “Dark” Avengers are nowhere to be seen.

Still, these are minor, and since I’m not one to make facts (or slavish adherence to continuity) get in the way of a good story, it really doesn’t matter so much to me, as I think that the story (standing on its own) reads quite well, and is a fun read.

The Official Index to the Marvel Universe

In case you haven’t figured out by now, I’m something of a Spider-Man geek. I began reading his adventures back in 1962 when his adventures were first published in Amazing Fantasy #15. I’ve been reading his adventures ever since, and today, I have a rather sizable collection of Spidey comics, toys, clothing, Chachkas, and other assorted Spidey-stuff.

During that time, I’ve written about Spidey in numerous venues. Lately, I’ve been writing about him for Marvel Comics itself, and seriously, nothing could be cooler than that. I’m one of the contributors to The Official Index to the Marvel Universe. Issue #7 has just hit the stands, and I just today acquired my copy of it.

Well, I tell you three times. Nothing can be cooler than this.

Benefit for Rusty Haller

I’ve talked a bit about my buddy, Rusty Haller, and now I want to point you all in the direction of a benefit that is being given to help raise money for Rusty’s Expenses.

you can learn more by following this link over to Mike Gelbwasser’s online column for The Sun Chronicle

Machine-Delivered Heroes

So, you recall me telling you all of my growing collection of “gum machine” superheroes? Well here are a couple of pics I snapped last night while attending Year One and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (Yep, Dylan & I went to see both of them).

Here is the front of the machine (I know I keep calling it a “Gum” machine, but that is because I really don’t know what else to call it. Anyone out there know what these things are really called?)



Here is a close-up of the figures themselves inside the machine.



Here they are on my desk (I’m still missing the Human Torch):