Robin: Year One - NEW PRINTING

Written by Chuck Dixon & Scott Beatty
Art and cover by Javier Pulido & Robert Campanella

A new printing of the classic tale of young Dick Grayson’s baptism by fire as he dons the costume of Robin for the first time! Becoming a hero is anything but easy!

The series collecting every adventure of Superman in chronological order continues with this new volume including stories from ACTION COMICS #32-36, SUPERMAN #8-9 and WORLD’S BEST COMICS #1 (1941)! In this volume, Superman faces the threat of the Krypto gun and meets Perry White for the first time.

Supergirl: Beyond Good and Evil
Written by Kelly Puckett, Kurt Busiek, Geoff Johns & Fabian Nicieza
Art by Drew Johnson, Renato Guedes, Ray Snyder and others
Cover by Adam Kubert

Supergirl’s life takes a turn for the worse in this volume collecting SUPERGIRL #23-27 and a story from ACTION COMICS #850. When Kara is confronted by a ghost from Krypton, what revelations from her past will come to light?

Green Arrow and Black Canary are ready to exchange vows — but can they make it down the aisle alive? This new hardcover collects the GA/BC WEDDING SPECIAL and the first five issues of the happy couple’s hot new series, and guest-stars the Justice League of America.

Wonder Woman: The Circle

Written by Gail Simone
Art by Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson, Bernard Chang and Ron Randall
Cover by Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson

What is the deadly secret of the mysterious Circle? Wonder Woman will find out in this new hardcover collecting issues #14-19 of her hit series. Also in this volume, the reformed Secret Society of Super-Villains invades Paradise Island, led by Captain Nazi!

Absolute Dark Knight
Written by Frank Miller
Art by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson
Cover by Miller

Reoffered to coincide with the ABSOLUTE RONIN HC, this oversized, slipcased hardcover collects both THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS and THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN, along with bonus sketch material and more.

Countdown Presents: Lord Havok and the Extremists
Written by Frank TieriCover by Liam Sharp
Art by Liam Sharp, Rob Hunter. Mark Robinson and others

Spinning out of COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS, this title collects the complete miseries by Frank Tieri and Liam Sharp. Discover why Lord Havok and his deadly team are so important to the future of the DCU — and how the fate of the multiverse lies in their hands.

Suicide Squad: From the Ashes
Written by John Ostander
Art by Javier Pina, Robin Riggs and Jesus Saiz
Cover by John K. Snyder III

The Suicide Squad makes its triumphant return in this new volume collecting the recent miniseries. But how did team leader Rick Flag Jr. survive a ground-zero nuclear blast and return from the dead?

Written by Steve Englehart
Art by Joe Staton, Ian Gibson and others
Cover by Joe Staton & Mark Farmer

The 1988 8-issue miniseries MILLENNIUM is collected for the first time! The Guardians of the Universe have left our dimension behind — and in their absence, the deadly robotic army of Manhunters threatens the survival of the DC Universe!

Invasion
Written by Keith Giffen & Bill Mantlo
Art by Todd McFarlane, Bart Sears, P. Craig Russell, Joe Rubinstein and others
Cover by McFarlane & Rubinstein

The massive 3-issue miniseries from 1988 is collected for the first time! In this universe-spanning saga, the deadly but emotionless Dominators have come to Earth to wipe out the threat posed by metahumans. But what is the real reason for their attack?

Showcase Presents Superman Vol 04
Written by Jerry Siegel, Edmond Hamilton, Leo Dorfman and others
Art by Curt Swan, George Klein, Al Plastino and others
Cover by Swan and Klein

Collecting stories from ACTION COMICS #293-310 and SUPERMAN #157-167

Showcase Presents the Atom Vol 02
Written by Gardner Fox, Dennis O’Neil and others
Art by Gil Kane, Sid Greene, Murphy Anderson, Dick Dillin and others
Cover by Kane

Collecting THE ATOM #18-38 and stories from THE ATOM AND HAWKMAN #39-45

Looking fantastic!

• Watchmen Trailer

Watchmen (Paperback)  £10.79 (at time of writing, check link for current price):

Amazon.co.uk Review
Has any comic been as lauded as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen? Possibly only Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns but Watchmen remains the critics’ favourite. Why? Because Moore is a better writer, and Watchmen a more complex and dark and literate creation than Miller’s fantastic, subversive take on the Batman myth. Moore, renowned for many other of the genre’s finest creations (Saga of the Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, and recently From Hell, with Eddie Campbell) first put out Watchmen in 12 issues for DC in 1986-87. It won a comic award at the time (the 1987 Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards for Best Writer/Artist combination) and has continued to garner praise since.

The story concerns a group called the Crimebusters and a plot to kill and discredit them. Moore’s characterisation is as sophisticated as any novel’s. Importantly the costumes do not get in the way of the storytelling, rather they allow Moore to investigate issues of power and control–indeed it was Watchmen, and to a lesser extent Dark Knight, that propelled the comic genre forward, making “adult” comics a reality. The artwork of Gibbons (best known for 2000AD’s Rogue Trooper and DC’s Green Lantern) is very fine too, echoing Moore’s paranoid mood perfectly throughout. Packed with symbolism, some of the overlying themes (arms control, nuclear threat, vigilantes) have dated but the intelligent social and political commentary, the structure of the story itself, its intertextuality (chapters appended with excerpts from other “works” and “studies” on Moore’s characters, or with excerpts from another comic book being read by a child within the story), the fine pace of the writing and its humanity mean that Watchmen more than stands up–it retains its crown as the best the genre has yet produced.

–Mark Thwaite

Register and post your review in the ‘Comments’ section below.

MySpace Dark Horse Presents was introduced by editor Scott Allie who confesses since the original Dark Horse Presents was cancelled he’s been working to bring it back, “I love anthologies, love the absolute liberty it gives you to try new things.

“Hellboy Weird Tales was an attempt to rekindle that, The Dark Horse Books of Hauntings, etc., was also an attempt, but MDHP is the real thing. It gives us the flexibility to jazz around as much as we want to.”

As the series celebrates it’s anniversary Gerard Way and Gabriel Bä take their smash hit The Umbrella Academy in a new direction, with a short story delving into the team’s teen years, when Vanya and The Kraken kicked out the jams in their punk band, The Prime-8’s.

Last year’s MySpace Dark Horse Presents saw the debut of Joss Whedon’s Eisner-nominated feature “Sugarshock.”  One year later, Joss returns along with his brother Zack with an exclusive comics tie in to Dr. Horrible’s Singalong Blog,  their much talked about series of upcoming musical webisodes. This eight page feature introduces the world to Captain Hammer, Dr. Horrible’s squeaky clean arch enemy. And celebrated low-brow artist Tara McPherson joins the fold with a hauntingly beautiful tale, “How to Heal a Broken Heart.”

MySpace Dark Horse Presents is a free online anthology that provides fresh content the first Wednesday of every month, with stories archived so that it’s never too late to join in and catch up. To find out more, check out:

MySpace Dark Horse Presents
 

Whether you are a experienced or novice collector, “The Convention” is the time to shop and mingle with other collectors, talk with comic book dealers about the hottest news, or meet comic and entertainment guests. Its enough to make your eyes and brain explode!

When I first attending my first convention my mind went every where, along with my eyes, there was so much I wanted to buy, talk about, and do that my brain was swimming, by the time I left the convention I was broke and exhausted from all the information I received.

While I had a great time it was just overwhelming, so here is a small Survival Guide To Comic Book Conventions that can be helpful to the new comic collector.

Budget

Conventions And Comic Book Budget - Remember to factor your spending at a convention with your regular comic book buying during the month, remember you want to have money to buy your regular purchases from your comic book store, or have enough to buy your subscriptions at the end of the month.

Its a good idea to start saving at least a month or at least two weeks before the convention to ensure that you can pay for both convention books and your store books.

Spending - Before going to a convention determine how much money you want to spend, check the price guides for prices and also check with the convention website to see if their is an admission fee, also factor in food and drinks, many conventions and/or convention centers will offer food, these are usually not cheap so put that in your convention budget as well

if possible leave your bank debit card behind, this could be a temptation to use and it could put you over budget, if you can not leave it at home give it to a friend or family member to keep it safe.

Shop Around

Be sure to make a couple of rounds of the convention room first, checkout what dealers are there and look at the prices of the books you are looking for, never buy the first book you see on your list, take your time and get a feel for the convention, if this is your first convention look at the £1.00 and 1/2 boxes you could find some bargains there.

Admission

Before going to the convention find out if the convention has admission, if there is a fee be sure to factor that into your convention budget, look for online coupons located on the convention website.

Guest Attendance - If you are going to a convention to meet media and comic book guests be sure to check the convention website first, make sure there are guests you want to meet, and also check and see if guests have canceled their appearance

Dealer Attendance - Also see how many dealers will be attending you do not want to arrive with a low dealer turn out, this could not only be a waste of your time but also money.

As always look for those FREE admission conventions!

The Art Of Haggling

Don’t be afraid to haggle or bargain with comic book dealers, they understand that customers are working on a budget and are willing to work with customers on making deals.

• Preparing to Haggle - Before leaving for a convention make a list of books that you are searching for, next to the title write a price, this will help kin keep track of cost but it will also give you a reference of what books are going for, and also helps the comic book dealer know what you are willing to spend.
• Make an Offer - Don’t be afraid to make a offer especially if you have more than one issue, the worst a dealer can say is “No” most times he will work with you, however don’t walk away right away if the dealer does reject your offer, see if he will work worth you or ask “What is the best price he can offer?”
• Take Time and Think - If you need time to think about a book, you can ask a dealer to put the book behind the table, but you should always return to the comic book dealer even if you purchased the book elsewhere, remember that the dealer did this as a courtesy for you.

if you do not return to inform the dealer you do not want the issue, the dealer stands a good chance of loosing money. If you do not return it could strain the relationship between you and the dealer in the future and they may be unwilling to haggle or hold books for you in the future.

If you do ask for a dealer to hold the book, its best to return within 15 to 20 minutes, this is plenty of time to look around and compare prices and think about the purchase.

Guest Lines

Some conventions have comic book and media guests, these lines can get long and boring, to avoid this make time to get in line early, I would give yourself at least 10 to 15 minutes to get to the signing area or booth, also be sure to check the schedule.

• Guest Tickets - Sometimes tickets are provided for a guest line, so be sure to get those early or conventions will provide a “Speed or Express” pass, these allow you to be first in line.
• Signings - If you have materials to be signed be sure to have them prepared, this helps the guest sign the materials quicker, and keeps the line moving, and be sure to speak to the guest during and/or after all they want to talk to you and hear what you think about the subject.
• Artwork And Sketches - Want a artist to draw something? Always ask in advance if they are doing artwork, and ask about cost, however some artists will do a quick sketch for free or very little money depending on the line.
• Bring Your Books - If you want comics signed be sure to bring copies with you, while most dealers will have hot books to get signed, the books on many occasions will be over priced, again get updates from the convention website to see who will be there and start shopping for the books you want to have signed.
• Guest Cancellations - Guests can cancel or leave early, if this occurs without your knowledge or you are not notified by the convention staff, then you may ask for your money back if you came for the sole purpose to see that guest, in a few instances I have seen refunds but do not expect a refund often.

Making Contacts

When visiting with comic dealers like myself, always talk to the dealer - pick their brains and get their insight on books and what to be to watch for in the future, also even if you do not buy anything from the dealer get their business card, this way if you need anything you will have a recourse to dealers to contact, and when you need that hard to find book you will have the advantage.

Comic Book Conventions And People With Disabilities

If you are a person with disabilities and attending a comic book convention, this can be a little more nerve racking for you, because of the crowds and chaos going on, being a person with disabilities I thought these tips could help.

Convention Access

If you are attending a convention in town always call the location to make sure they have handicapped parking, ramps and bathroom facilities, while thing have changed over the years its still a good idea to inquire about disability access.

Money Storage

Conventions are crowded and lines around a table or booth can quickly grow, be sure to have your money ready and if you can invest in a nice fanny pouch or something to carry your cash and other things.

Assistance

If you can, bring a friend or relative with you if you need help carrying your purchases, or if you can get a nice and sturdy tote bag to put your stuff in.

Convention Staff Help - Conventions may provide you with an attendant to help you, you may want to contact the convention promoter prior to going or ask the head of convention security or convention staff, this is still a new concept in conventions so do not be disappointed if it does not exist at the convention you are attending.

Communicating With Dealers

Ask For Help From Dealers - Comic Book Dealers are some of the most attentive people in the world, comic book dealers will assist you and aide you the best that they can, in many cases you can hand them your list and they will go through boxes for you or let you know immediately if they have the issue.

However you will need to ask for assistance on occasion, so be sure to speak up, the dealer will be happy to assist you in your searches.

Conventions can become very busy, if a table or booth looks crowded make a few rounds around the dealer room and come back to the dealer.

Guest lines

If you want materials signed again be sure to be in line early and have your materials ready to be signed, but if you speak with the convention staff or someone affiliated with the artist in most cases they will allow you to come to the front, this helps you and keeps the line moving smoothly.

If you have more than one guest on your list be sure to inform the convention staff of all the guests so that they can help you schedule your visits.

Always thank the the guest and the staff for their help, and be sure to talk with both parties, this will help them to remember you in the future.

Asking For Help

This is a touchy subject for some people, but we all need help, if you find yourself in a situation like needing a bottle, can or bag opened ask for help, there is no need to go thirsty or hungry at a convention, so grab a friendly face and just ask you will be pleasantly surprised.

Patience is the key

Because of the crowds, the noise and lets face it you may encounter a little bit of bumping and their are always those few rude people, just take a deep breath and be patient, if you feel that its a bit too crowded go out of the convention room and get some air, if you use a walking device ask the staff for a chair or a place to sit, if your in a wheelchair device go park, and then go back in.

Just be as patient with yourself and the crowds as you can, and remember to have fun.

These are just a few tips for convention goers, if you are new you will get the feel for it in no time, but until then listen and learn and watch your budget.

Thank you,

Jeff Hughes

http://www.Comicscoop.com and http://www.MailboxHeroes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Hughes

So you’ve decided to purchase a few Marvel statues and busts of your favorite characters. Now, how do you protect and display your new collectibles while keeping their value intact? Review the following guidelines on protecting your collectibles.

Choose your environment wisely.

When deciding where to display your new collectibles, consider the effects your environment will have on their longevity. Keep your collectibles in a consistent, climate controlled room. Don’t keep them near a heater or air conditioner as extreme temperature changes could potentially effect the strength of resin/polystone. Keep your collectibles away from windows: sunlight tends to degrade your collectibles’ paint jobs and/or fabrics.

Surround your collectibles.

If possible, keep your collectibles in an enclosure, such as a display case or cabinet. This will protect your statues and busts from collecting dust, which over time will build up and become more difficult to clean if they are not maintained regularly.

Many collectors use glass display cabinets to showcase their busts and statues. Ikea makes a wonderful glass display case called the “Detolf”. It is available at most Ikea stores for about $60. If you decide to use a Detolf cabinet, be aware that the maximum suggested weight load is around 13 pounds. Some Marvel Premium Format statues weigh more than that, so be careful. If you don’t live near an Ikea store, you might find a Detolf in your area via Craigslist.

Another big benefit of using display cabinets is the option of using spotlights to help show off your collection. Many cabinets (such as the Detolf) offer the option of led lighting.

Clean your collectibles weekly.

If you keep your collectibles in the open air, it would be wise to clean your collection at least once a week. We recommend using a camera lens brush, due to it’s softness. Gently brush dust and other particles off your statues and busts, being mindful of finely detailed features such as sculpted arms, legs, and accessories. Compressed air also works well for cleaning collectibles.

If your collectible breaks…

If one of your busts or statues happens to break, it can usually be fixed as long as the break is not too severe. You can fix it yourself using clear super glue, and soft brushes and paint for touching up the appearance. You can also usually find someone on many collector’s message boards who may do it for a fee.

If you follow the above suggestions, not only will your collection look great, it will be well protected for many years to come!

Please visit http://polystonecollectibles.com for great deals on Marvel Comics statues, busts, and other collectibles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_F._Lee

Red decks will always be around at Magic the Gathering tournaments. Red mana and red cards symbolize chaos and aggression and many players thrive off of aggressive, quick kill decks. The new big set, Shadowmoor, was officially released on May 2, 2008 and there are 3 red cards in I predict will see a lot of play in the popular Standard format. In my playtesting, these 3 cards have proven their worth as quality cards.

Tattermunge Maniac

Cost: R/G

Type: Creature - Goblin Warrior

Rules Text: Tattermunge Maniac attacks each turn if able.

P/T: 2/1

It’s been awhile since red players have had a two power creature for one mana. Don’t worry about the drawback. Tattermunge Maniac’s drawback is not really a drawback at all. If a red deck is not attacking with it every turn, it’s probably losing. Expect to see this card many times on turn one. Make sure you have a way to deal with it quickly or you’ll be dead soon as the red mage will send a flurry of burn spells your way.

Boggart Ram-Gang

Cost: R/G R/G R/G

Type: Creature - Goblin Warrior

Rules Text: Haste, Wither

P/T: 3/3

This card should take over the 3 drop slot in red decks from Countryside Crusher. Sure, the Crusher can get bigger and helps you get better draws, but today’s red deck wants to deal 20 damage as fast as possible. I’d rather have the haste ability to increase my chances of a turn four kill.

For example, check out this sequence that would not be possible if you played Countryside Crusher over Boggart Ram-Gang.

Turn 1: Play Tattermunge Maniac

Turn 2: Play Keldon Marauders and ping opponent. Attack for two. (Opponent is at 17 life.)

Turn 3: Play Boggart Ram-Gang. Attack for eight. (Opponent is at 9.)

Turn 4: Ping opponent. Attack for 5. Incinerate opponent. (Opponent is toast.)

And don’t count out Ram-Gang’s second ability. Wither is great addition in a world that may be filled by persist creatures like Kitchen Finks and Murderous Redcap.

Flame Javelin

Cost: 2/R 2/R 2/R

Type: Instant

Rules Text: Flame Javelin deals 4 damage to target creature or player.

This may be the most exciting red addition. Currently, in the Standard format, red does not have a three mana burn spell that deals four damage.

Flame Javelin is comparable to Char, another red card from a few sets back. However, Char had a huge drawback. It dealt damage to you, so playing multiple Chars was risky. Another card that’s similar is Flames of the Blood Hand. However, that card could not target creatures. In a world filled with cheap 3/4s (Tarmogoyf) and 4/4s (Chameleon Colossus), it’s good to know that you don’t have to spend an Incinerate and a chump blocker to kill these pesky creatures.

What’s great about these 3 cards is all them are uncommon instead of rare. This means they are affordable to the average Magic player. Yet, if you’re a red mage, you’ll want to get your hands on these cards as soon as possible to save money. I predict these three cards will go up in value soon. Some Magic the Gathering retailers are already selling them in the $1.50 - $2.50 range.

Looking for strategies and decks to help you win your next Magic The Gathering tournament? Then, check out my blog about Magic the Gathering It’s found at http://magicgameplan.com/blog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dee_Barizo

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With the success of the movie adaptation Stardust, as well as his novel American Gods, Neil Gaiman’s work is finally getting the mainstream attention it deserves. Though alongside Allen Moore, Gaiman has been one of the few American comic writers to enter popular culture, gathering critical acclaim from outside the comic book sphere, many of his appreciators may still not recognise his graphic novel work outside of The Sandman series and its numerous offshoots.

For the sake of brevity, I’ve concentrated on Gaiman’s work that is currently available in graphic novel format, presented in chronological order. The list far from extensive, but I think most would agree that I’ve covered all the classics.

As ever with the comic industry, some of the publishing dates may be debatable - in most cases I have given the year in which the stories were published in their original comic format.

Violent Cases

1987

Gaiman’s first graphic novel collaboration with Dave McKean, in which a narrator recalls events from his childhood in Portsmouth, where he was taken by his father to be treated by an osteopath who once worked for Al Capone. In what would become a prevalent theme in Gaiman’s work, Violent Cases is a study in the relationship between memory and imagination, as the narrator’s accounts are increasingly skewed by an imperfect recollection of things he was too young too have understood at the time.

Black Orchid

1988

An update of a Silver Age DC Comics character which shares similar plant-based powers to Swamp Thing. Featuring cameos from Batman, Poison Ivey and the aforementioned Swampy. This could be considered a precursor to the seminal Sandman series, in that though it is set within the DC Universe, its idiosyncratic atmosphere is more in line with Gaiman’s personal work. Dave McKean’s art uniquely blends color and monochromic imagery - Orchid is purple while those around her appear colorless - complements the eponymous heroine’s emotional reclusion.

The Sandman

1989-1996

1. Preludes and Nocturnes
2. The Doll’s House
3. Dream Country
4. Season of Mists
5. A Game of You
6. Fables and Reflections
7. Brief Lives
8. Worlds’ End
9. The Kindly Ones
10. The Wake

The definitive Gaiman series, undoubtedly one of the greatest comic book runs of all time, and the only comic book to find its way onto the New York Times Bestseller List. The ten volume tale of Morpheus, Lord of Dreams, and his fellow personifications of universal concepts The Endless, incorporates countless myths, legends and fairytales into an epic, Grecian tragedy.  Though the first volume, Preludes and Nocturnes occurs in the mainstream DC Universe, the series progressively took its own direction. The Sandman spawned numerous spin-offs, the majority of which were not written by Gaiman but are worth reading nevertheless.

The Books of Magic

1990

Lead character Tim Hunter and the magician-in-training plot bear an uncanny similarity to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, though this is an infinitely more pensive series. Though Gaiman was only involved in this initial miniseries, primarily intended as a guide to the various forms of magic an mysticism in the newly retconned DC Universe, a praiseworthy ongoing series written by John Ney Rieber expanded upon the Tim Hunter character and his fairy heritage, and is highly recommended to fans of The Sandman. Art by John Bolton.

Signal to Noise

1992

An emotional, ethereal yarn in which an anonymous film director, told that he has a terminal illness, attempts to create the film he will never get to produce in his head, with a cast of friends and family. Simultaneously empty, depressing and inspiring, Signal to Noise lingers in the mind long after. Again, art by Dave McKean.

Death: The High Cost of Living / Death: The Time of Your Life

1994/1997

Two graphic novel spin-offs starring the popular goth chic rendition of Death, sister to the Sandman, Morpheus. The High Cost of Living, in which Death takes human form once every century in order to appreciate life, is arguably the greatest thing Gaiman has ever written, and has undoubtedly reduced countless emotional readers to tears. The Time of Your Life is also very good.

The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch

1995

A surreal haunting portrayal of a man haunted by his childhood, with bizarre art by long-time collaborator Dave McKean that blends painting with photographic imagery. Like Violent Cases this is a story about stories, with convincingly disturbing themes of early childhood perception and the nature of memory, that really makes you appreciate just how demented the Mr. Punch character is.

Stardust

1997

Began as another prestige-format illustrated novel with delicate illustrations by Charles Vess, though it is now most commonly published in a more conventional illustration-free paperback format. Now a popular feature film, though the book has a far more earthly, folktale ambiance to it.

Neil Gaiman’s Midnight Days

1999

A Collection of Gaiman’s earliest short stories, including John Constantine, Swap Thing and the Golden Age Sandman. One for the most ardent fans only, really.

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters

1999

Not strictly speaking a graphic novel, but an illustrated novella, with incredible art by Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano. Gaiman draws his inspiration from numerous Japanese myths, predominantly that of the kisune, or fox spirit.

Harlequin Valentine

2001

Based on the old Commedia dell’Arte and Harlequinade pantomime, from which Mr. Punch also derived, this contemporization sees the mischievous entity Harlequin giving his blasé love interest Missy his heart… by literally nailing it to her door. It’s an intimate, bittersweet tale, beautifully painted by John Bolten. Includes an interesting essay by Gaiman on the origins of his tale, ‘Notes on a Harlequinade.’

Marvel 1602

2003

Though written primarily to financially aid his lawsuit against Todd MacFarlane for ownership of the Miracleman property, this relocation of the Marvel Universe into historical territory is an entertaining swashbuckling epic that can be appreciated regardless of one’s prior knowledge concerning its characters. Gaiman’s classical reinterpretations of popular Marvel franchises (the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Captain America et al) are intelligently mixed in with actual events, though thankfully the book doesn’t take itself too seriously. Art by Andy Kubert.

Neil Gaiman’s Nevewhere (graphic novel)

2006

(written by Mike Carey) Began life as a dire, low-budget BBC miniseries, co-written with Lenny Henry and aired in 1996. Gaiman wrote a far superior companion novel, which was later adapted into graphic novel form by writer Mike Carey and illustrated by Glenn Fabry. This is by far the best of the three adaptations, with Fabry’s art capturing everyman Richard Mayhew’s journey through the labyrinthine London Below with a grandeur and attention to detail that no television budget could possibly match.

Eternals

2007

Just as he did with DC’s original Sandman, Gaiman attempts to breathe life back into Jack Kirby creation The Eternals, an offshoot of humanity created on Earth by the alien Celestials. The nearest to conventional capes & tights shenanigans Gaiman has written in many years, this book sticks closer to the original mythos than his previous reboots. Unlike much of Gaiman’s Marvel or DC work, it is perhaps best avoided by those intimidated by the superhero genre. Art by John Romita Jr.

Carl Doherty created http://www.holycr4p.com under supervision of his doctor, who conceived the criticism and categorisation of every film that Carl watches as a way of tackling his obsessive compulsive disorder. He has now watched 23 films, and is not entirely sure he liked any of them. Carl currently resides in Southend-on-Sea where he shares an abandoned warehouse with a buffy-tufted marmoset named Tautilus Samson. Together they have all sorts of adventures.

Read more comic, graphic novel related features and reviews of Books by Neil Gaiman at http://www.holycr4p.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_Doherty

Birds of Prey was a short-lived TV series shown on The WB network in 2002 and 2003, based on the DC Comics series of the same name. Even though almost eight million people watched it, it The WB canceled it after only thirteen episodes.

It featured three superheroes fighting crime in New Gotham City until Batman returns from his self-imposed exile.

Their leader is Barbara Gordon, also known as Oracle and Batgirl (played by Dina Meyer). As Batgirl, the Joker shot her, paralyzing her, and confining her to a wheelchair. Using her skills in computers and weaponry, she leads the group and directs Huntress from the New Gotham Clocktower. During the day, she is a teacher at New Gotham High.

Helena Kyle, or Huntress (Ashley Scott), is the action-oriented one of the trio. She is the daughter of Batman and Catwoman, only finding out after the Joker murdered her mother. Barbara Gordon then took her in and raised her. She inherited her mother’s cat-like abilities including super human strength, agility, healing properties and the ability to see in the dark.

The third member of the group is Dinah Redmond (Rachel Skarsten). Dinah is drawn to New Gotham by dreams of the Joker’s revenge. She has precognitive dreams, can read the thoughts of anyone she touches and develops some telekinetic abilities. She is taken under the wing of Oracle (no pun intended) on the condition she trains herself to use her abilities.

Detective Jesse Reese (Shemar Moore) who is infatuated with Huntress provides love interest. As it is a Batman-related show, the faithful butler Alfred (Ian Abercrombie) attends to Miss Gordon’s needs in the Clocktower.

The recurring villain is Harleen Quinzel (Mia Sara), or Harley Quinn, the girlfriend of the Joker before he died. She comes to New Gotham to wreak revenge on the city.

Even though it only lasted thirteen episodes, the producers knew it was being canceled relatively early, and were able to wrap up the story line by the final episode in a consistent manner.

I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek seriousness of the show (also seen in Smallville, which has the same producers), the cinematography was excellent and the music was good too. There were some cheesy lines, but hey, it’s a comic book!

Birds of Prey is to be released on July 15, 2008 in the United States.  You can also sign-up for release notification on Amazon.co.uk: Birds of Prey: The Complete Series [2008]

Go to Birds of Prey to get more information on the show. Check out the Dina Meyer fan page too.

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BOTTOM LINE: It’s a good, solid, comic book, action film that delivers on the thrills of the famous big green angry giant, but it’s too fast, noisy and shallow; more time spent on story, pacing and character would have made this as good as its Marvel counterpart, Iron Man.

THE GOOD: Most of us should be familiar with the character of “Hulk” from the old television series, and this film harkens back to the spirit of that era, but most importantly to the original comics. Ang Lee’s character driven version of Hulk didn’t deliver the action that this film does, and it’s spectacular, particularly in the climax when Hulk is fighting against the nasty Abomination. The CG rendering of Hulk is flawless, with some great expressions in his face, and he is truly incredible with the strength, agility and movement that are displayed in numerous sequences throughout the film. Edward Norton fits amicably in to the role of Bruce Banner, the everyman on the run from the US Army who want his power to develop the ultimate weapon. Liv Tyler is also good as love interest Dr Elizabeth Ross. This film moves very quickly, following the chase-movie template with Banner trying to outrun General Ross (William Hurt) and his army so that he can find a cure for his ‘green’ condition. And stealing the show is a cameo by Iron Man Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) in the final scene of the film which is clearly designed to open up a new realm of possible sequel spin-offs.

THE BAD: It’s clear that the filmmakers wanted to go in the opposite direction to Ang Lee’s 2003 version of Hulk, but this is not to the film’s advantage as they go too far, solely delivering an action spectacular without much depth. The opening sequences which introduce us to Bruce Banner don’t really give us a window in to the plight of his character being on the run; a shame really as Edward Norton’s acting talents are for the most part never utilised because all he’s doing is either running away from bad guys or having the “I miss Elizabeth” look on his face. Without that setup, the rest of the film falls flat from a character perspective. William Hurt is miscast in the role of General Ross; the character looked to demand a toughness which was missing from his performance. The creation of the Abomination, although great for the dramatics because he’s a nasty piece of work that Hulk has to fight, is ultimately a sloppy sequence, put together in a very arbitrary, 2-dimensional way. The character of “Mr Blue” who first tries to help Hulk, but then ends up creating the Abomination willingly, is ludicrous, just like the portrayal of his character. All of this comes together to make a film that is an action spectacular that lacks character, and it’s only really our knowledge of the Hulk character and what he’s fighting against that make the journey worthwhile.

For the original review, follow this link: http://www.allaboutmovies.net/filmreviewtheincrediblehulk.htm

Todd Murphy is a staff reviewer at the film/DVD review web site, http://www.allaboutmovies.net - for all the latest reviews on the newest releases.

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