TheHeroBlog.com

Too much Deadpool IS a good thing!

 

I've commented before how I feel like Deadpool is way overused these days. It seems like in any given month, he's got 4 series, 2 minis, 6 one-shots, and a gazillion guest appearances going. I blamed Marvel. But Rob Liefeld pointed out I was wrong.

Earlier this week, Liefeld directed his Twittter followers to this amazing breakdown on iFanboy explaining why Deadpool is getting so many books:

In April, Marvel placed 95 books in the Diamond Top 300. The AVERAGE Marvel comic sold 28,460 units into the direct market. 53 books sold less than that average, 42 books sold more. Now let’s take a look at how each of the Deadpool-related books fared:
 
Captain America: Who Won’t Wield the Shield? – 32,477 copies
Deadpool Corps #1 – 39,466 copies
Deadpool #22 – 43,061 copies
Deadpool & Cable #25 – 38,424 copies
Deadpool Team-up #894 – 28,835 copies
Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #10 – 33,803 copies
Hulked Out Heroes #1 – 37,665 copies
Hulked Out Heroes #2 – 35,065 copies
World War Hulks #1 (featuring Deadpool) – 41,398 copies
Average DP Sales – 36,688 copies
 
Two things worth noting here:
 
1) Every single Deadpool related book sold more than the Marvel average

2) The average sales for DP related titles were 29% higher than overall Marvel sales

Wow - if iFanboy's numbers are correct, I really can't blame Marvel for pumping these titles out - it's like printing free money! (BTW - it's a great article. Do yourself a favor and read the whole thing.)

It is now clear that the blame for the oversaturation of Wade Wilson is on us, the comic fans. And while I don't consider Deadpool to be worthy of starring in every other Marvel title produced, I guess if he's helping the industry and getting people into comic shops, I can't complain.

And don't get me wrong, I really do like Deadpool. But I really like donuts too. With donuts, after eating a few, my blood sugar shoots through the roof, making downing another nearly impossible. Oh, I CAN do it, I assure you. But I feel like crap afterwards.

And that's why I cut myself off at 3 Deadpool titles: Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool, and Team-Up.

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On a related note, I've also voiced my opinion on reverting to original numbering to boost sales (like going from Captain America #50 to #600). I hate it. It's lame and it messes with my self-diagnosed comic OCD. But the one title that gets a pass here is Deadpool. Not even a year after releasing Deadpool #900, there's been a solicitaion for Deadpool #1000.

Has it really been 100 issues since Deadpool #900? Who cares! Some of comics’ top creators take aim at the Merc with a Mouth in this massive 104-page special that pits the Deadpool against a cavalcade of baddies – including urban cannibals…underage hit men…mimes from outer space…and Lady Luck herself.

I love it! It's the only title that actually acknowledges the ridiculousness of the renumbering system.

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BTW - you can learn more about that Deadpool shoe here.

I'm off to start my holiday weekend - see ya back here Tuesday...

Comic Books Are Brainwashing Our Youth!

...or at least they are in India and New Zealand. From The Escapist:

The Indian government's new Bollywood-Hollywood anti-piracy coalition recently announced the nationwide launch of a comic book called Escape from Terror Byte City that attempts to show kids why piracy is a bad idea.

Escape from Terror Byte City imparts the epic tale of two young, innocent boys that download Transformers without transferring funds to the official owner, producer, or distributor of the intellectual property. Due to their criminal act, they get trapped in the virtual Terror Byte City where weird little demons tempt them to download more illegal goods. There, they meet a magical internet security knight who tells them the errors of their ways. He then gives the children superpowers and they disinfect the entire internet.

I'll say this - I agree that downloading intellectual property without permission/paying is bad. But not half as bad as the movie industry gouging the public like they've been doing the past few decades. (I'm guessing we wouldn't have to pay $12 a ticket if the industry wasn't paying the Tom Cruises of the world $80 million to star in total crap.) 

If you'd like to read the comic for yourself, you can find it here on the New Zealand Federation Against Copyright Theft site.

I'm not surprised the comic doesn't touch on how the industry itself contributes to piracy. (Who is making those blank DVDs we buy in bulk? Sony for one. They make $ off the burners themselves too.) And, as TorrentFreak points out, "Consumers demand convenience, availability and a high quality product for a fair price. Still, the decisions of the music labels and movie studios are mostly heading in the opposite direction as they cling to their old business of trying to safeguard their monopolies."

And I guess part of safeguarding their monopolies includes lying to the public. This is how they're trying to win sympathy?

Again, downloaders shouldn't steal. But they're the symptom, not the cause. Someone needs to make a comic for the movie industry to read.

Hitting Shelves Today - 5/26

I read The Avengers last week. It was...OK. I didn't like it, I didn't hate it, but I do have faith that Bendis will grab my interest sometime soon (whether or not he delivers on the ending is something else entirely). I'm interested to see if this week's Secret Avengers #1 can out do "regular" Avengers.

Who are the Secret Avengers?  Are they a covert team of heroes working the darkest corners of the globe to stop disaster? Are they part-spy, part-superhero? Are they XXXXXXX's newest idea to save the world...or all they all of the above?  A new era begins as Marvel's hottest team takes a 21st century twist!

Are the "XXXXX"s supposed to be Steve Rogers?

This team seems like such an odd combo. Moon Knight, Nova, War Machine, Black Widow, Beast, Valkryie...will it gel?

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"Yo, Joe!" anyone? IDW is kicking off a new G.I. Joe series with G.I. Joe: Hearts and Minds #1. While I don't care much for the title, the creative team sounds promising:

From Max Brooks -- New York Times bestselling author of World War Z -- and masterful artists Howard Chaykin and Antonio Fuso comes the next generation of G.I. Joe and Cobra.

"I'm a natural tracker, and it's got NOTHING to do with my heritage. For me tracking's not a gift, it's a curse."-SPIRIT.

"Some fight for God, some fight for country. I fight for cash, and don't you DARE judge me until you know why." -Major Bludd.

Gotta say, aside from the name drops, that's probably one of the worst soliciatation blurbs I've ever read. Here's to hoping the book is much better.

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In order to ca$h in on their summer blockbuster, Marvel is reissuing one of the better Iron Man stories from the past decade. Iron Man: Extremis Director's Cut #1 promises the first part of the 6 issue run, along with bonuses:

It's the beginning of a new era for Iron Man as renowned scribe Warren Ellis joins forces with digital painter Adi Granov to redefine the armored avenger's world for the 21st century—a landscape of terrifying new technologies that threaten to overwhelm fragile mankind! What is Extremis, who has unleashed it, and what does its emergence portend for the world? This special reprinting of an already classic Iron Man tale comes packed with never-before-seen bonus material. Get a behind the scenes look at how this blockbuster tale was created with preliminary artwork, script pages, layouts and much more!

If you haven't read it, it's worth picking up.

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Here's a list of what's dropping today and how much it will set you back:

DARK HORSE COMICS
GUILD #3 (OF 3) FERREYRA CVR $3.50
GUILD #3 (OF 3) RUGG CVR $3.50
STAR WARS INVASION RESCUES #1 (OF 6) $2.99
STAR WARS LEGACY #48 $2.99
TERMINATOR #3 (OF 3) $3.50

DC COMICS
ACTION COMICS #858 NEW PTG $1.00
AIR TP VOL 03 PURELAND (MR) $14.99
AUTHORITY #1 NEW PTG $1.00
BATMAN LONG SHADOWS HC $19.99
BATMAN RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #2 OF (6) $3.99
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #16 $2.50
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #34 $2.99
DCS GREATEST IMAGINARY STORIES TP VOL 02 $19.99
DETECTIVE COMICS #865 $3.99
DOC SAVAGE THE MAN OF BRONZE TP $17.99
GARRISON #2 (OF 6) $2.99
GOD OF WAR #2 (OF 6) (RES) (MR) $3.99
GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #12 $2.99
GREEN LANTERN #54 (BRIGHTEST DAY) $2.99
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #48 (BRIGHTEST DAY) $2.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST #2 (BRIGHTEST DAY) $2.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE THE RISE OF ARSENAL #3 (OF 4) $3.99
MADAME XANADU #23 (MR) $2.99
MIGHTY CRUSADERS SPECIAL #1 $4.99
NORTHLANDERS #28 (MR) $2.99
POWER GIRL #12 $2.99
ROBOTECH PRELUDE TO THE SHADOW CHRONICLES TP $17.99
SCALPED #38 (MR) $2.99
SUPER FRIENDS #27 $2.50
SUPERMAN NEW KRYPTON TP VOL 01 $17.99
SUPERMAN WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #4 (OF 4) $2.99
TEEN TITANS #83 $3.99
TITANS TP VOL 03 FRACTURED $17.99
UNI FORMZ FLASH CLASSIC VERSION  PI
UNKNOWN SOLDIER #20 (MR) $2.99
WEB #9 $3.99
WEDNESDAY COMICS HC $49.99
WILDCATS #23 $2.99
WONDER WOMAN #44 $2.99

IDW PUBLISHING
ANGEL #33 $3.99
ARMY OF TWO #5 $3.99
BLOOM COUNTY COMPLETE LIBRARY VOL 01 LTD SGN ED $50.00
COMPLETE LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE HC VOL 05 $49.99
DOCTOR WHO ONGOING #11 $3.99
GI JOE DISAVOWED TP VOL 01 $19.99
GI JOE HEARTS AND MINDS #1 $3.99
MYSTERY SOCIETY #1 $3.99
STAR TREK MOVIE ADAPTATION #4 $3.99
TORPEDO HC VOL 02 $24.99
TRANSFORMERS IDW COLLECTION HC VOL 01 $49.99
TRANSFORMERS ONGOING #7 $3.99

IMAGE COMICS
CHOKER #3 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
COMPLETE INVINCIBLE LIBRARY HC VOL 02 LTD S/N ED $175.00
COWBOY NINJA VIKING TP (MR) $17.99
DARKNESS DARKCHYLDE WITCHBLADE KINGDOM OF PAIN (ONE SHOT) $4.99
INVINCIBLE TP VOL 12 STILL STANDING $16.99
PROOF #27 (MR) $3.50
SAM & TWITCH WRITER #2 (OF 4) $2.99
TRACKER #4 (OF 5) $3.99
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BARON VON SHOCK #1 (MR) $3.99

MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #632 $2.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #37 $3.99
ANITA BLAKE PREM HC BOOK 03 LC EXECUTIONER (MR) $19.99
ANITA BLAKE PREM HC VOL 03 LC EXECUTIONER DM VAR ED (MR) $19.99
AVENGERS WEST COAST AVENGERS ASSEMBLE PREM HC $29.99
AVENGERS WEST COAST AVENGERS ASSEMBLE PREM HC VAR ED 44 $29.99
CAPTAIN MARVEL DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL PREM HC $24.99
CAPTAIN MARVEL DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL PREM HC VAR $24.99
DARK WOLVERINE #86 $2.99
DAZZLER #1 $3.99
DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #11 (OF 13) $2.99
DOOMWAR #4 (OF 6) $3.99
ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 08 $19.99
FALL OF HULKS SAVAGE SHE-HULKS #3 (OF 3) $3.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #579 HA $2.99
FORTUNE & GLORY A TRUE HOLLYWOOD COMIC BOOK GN HC $19.99
HEROIC AGE BY JIMMY CHEUNG POSTER $8.99
IRON MAN CAPTAIN AMERICA TP $24.99
IRON MAN EXTREMIS DIRECTORS CUT #1 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
KOOKABURRA K PREM HC (MR) $24.99
MARVEL ZOMBIES 5 #3 (OF 5) $3.99
MARVEL ZOMBIES MGC #1 $1.00
MMW AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 04 $24.99
MMW AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 04 DM VAR ED 16 $24.99
MMW AVENGERS HC VOL 10 $54.99
MMW AVENGERS HC VOL 10 VAR ED 137 $54.99
MMW GOLDEN AGE CAPTAIN AMERICA HC VOL 04 $59.99
MMW GOLDEN AGE CAPTAIN AMERICA HC VOL 04 VAR ED 138 $59.99
PETER PARKER #3 (OF 5) $2.99
SECRET AVENGERS #1 HA $3.99
SECRET WARRIORS #16 $2.99
SENSE & SENSIBILITY #1 (OF 5) $3.99
SPIDER-MAN #2 $2.99
SPIDER-MAN COMPLETE CLONE SAGA EPIC TP BOOK 02 $34.99
SPIDER-MAN REAL CLONE SAGA HC $29.99
SPIDER-WOMAN HC AGENT OF SWORD GN W/ MOTION DVD $29.99
TALES OF THE DRAGON GUARD #3 (OF 3) (MR) $5.99
THANOS IMPERATIVE IGNITION #1 $3.99
THOR #610 SIEGE EPILOGUE $2.99
THOR LATVERIAN PROMETHEUS TP $14.99
THUNDERBOLTS #144 HA $2.99
ULTIMATE COMICS ENEMY #4 (OF 4) $3.99
WEAPON X NOIR #1 $3.99
WEAPON X NOIR #1 CALERO VAR $3.99
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #48 $2.99
WOLVERINE WEAPON X #13 $3.99
X-FORCE #26 2ND PTG RANEY VAR (PP #918) $2.99
X-FORCE #27 XSC $2.99
X-MEN FOREVER TP VOL 03 COME TO MOTHER RUSSIA $16.99
X-MEN ORIGINS EMMA FROST #1 (MR) $3.99
X-MEN PSYLOCKE TP $19.99
X-MEN SECOND COMING REVELATIONS BLIND SCIENCE #1 XSC $3.99

Heroes Lawsuit: Did they rip off Carnival of Souls? You decide.

So Comic Book Resources did my homework for me! Their site has a few shot-by-panel comparisons of the last season of Heroes and the Carnival of Souls graphic novel (for those who missed it, the comic's creator is suing the Heroes production company for ripping off their plot/imagery). Check out the evidence for yourself:

CBR has much more here. After reading their write-up, I must say that most of this evidence seems very weak. However, there are some pieces - the one below in particular - that seem pretty damning. The text in the official complaint reads: "Both stories have a Hunter who attacks the Carnival while his daughter is at the Carnival. On the left is a scene where the Hunter from Carnival of Souls is looking at his daughter through the scope of his rifle. In the picture on the right, the Hunter from Heroes is also looking at his daughter through the scope of his gun, while he is attacking the Carnival."

That example aside, I think part of the issue is...if you're creating an imaginary carnival, you're trying to cram images of things everyone expects to be at a carnival into a very small amount of space. If I challenged you all to create a typical carnival, then we compared it to what I came up with...I bet we'd have a potential lawsuit on our hands!

I'm guessing it'll take a while before we get a ruling on this, but I'll be sure to post it here when we do.

Look out World of Warcraft, here comes the Marvel Super Hero Squad Online

While all eyes have been on the progress of DC Universe Online, Marvel has quietly been putting together their own MMORPG - Marvel Super Hero Squad Online. Here's the announcement video:

Marvel Super Hero Squad Online PC Games Trailer - Announcement Trailer

The release date is 2011, so it may actually beat DC to the punch. Of course, it seems like they're going after wildly different audiences. I can't really see plunking for $15 a month of what I saw in that teaser (though I'd be tempted). It makes me wonder what their business model will be here. If you're aiming for kids, it's gonna be hard to get them to use their parent's credit card. Maybe there will be a ton of ads instead?

In any event, this game has an edge over DCU Online in one regard - you'll actually be able to play as your favorite Marvel Heroes in this one. Even if they are the watered-down, kiddie versions - that's still kinda cool that you'll get to be Hulk, Wolvie, Spidey, Invisible Woman, Black Panther...

Here are some more screen shots:

 

 

 

For the latest updates, you can visit their website here.

iPad Comic Reader Apps

I stumbled upon a great article on comic readers for the iPad. Before I get into it, I will say that it's from MacWorld.com, so it's not really looking at "how does the iPad compare to other devices for comic reading?", but rather it focuses on which apps are best for the new device.

From MacWorld.com:

iVerse and Comixology are the big movers when it comes to iPad comics. Not only do both companies offer their own reader apps—iVerse and Comics, respectively—but their technology powers several publisher- or brand-specific comic apps. iVerse’s reader is also the power behind the Star Trek, Transformers, and IDW apps; the much-hyped Marvel Comics app is a custom version of Comixology’s app.

Both apps, in all their variations, are quite good—and quite similar. Both provide a storefront that’s inspired by iTunes and the App Store, with a showcase for featured comics, as well as lists of new and popular items. (Strangely, iVerse doesn’t display prices until you tap on a particular comic.) Their approaches to the comics you’ve already downloaded are slightly different: iVerse places comics on a virtual bookshelf, a la iBooks; Comixology’s view is a but busier but more powerful: there’s a Cover Flow list of covers, a scrolling list view, and a Browse button that lets you navigate your collection by genre, publisher, creator, or title.

But as always, it comes down to content. And this is where the future gets sketchy. The article notes that not only does DC not have a legitimate digital presence online, but Marvel doesn't have any books newer than February 2008. And here's the most important paragraph in the piece:

It’s a situation that smacks of the music industry in the heart of the Napster era. The fact is, scanner-equipped pirates have ensured that every comic book published is available online in a matter of days after release. At some point, the comics industry needs to understand that artificial barriers and the withholding of content just won’t work, and that they need to provide a good-karma, legal alternative to the comic scans that abound on BitTorrent tracker sites.

I can't stress enough how important this is for DC and Marvel to address ASAP. The future of their industry literally depends on how quickly they can get a handle on this. No one expects digital comics to take over the world any time soon, but the iPad (and many devices to follow) are a major step in that direction. Failure for companies as big as Warner and Disney to see the writing on the wall is inexcusable.

Yesterday's best news...

...as got to be this:

"Prince of Persia" star Gemma Arterton is the front-runner to replace Megan Fox in "Transformers 3."

Now all they have to do is get rid of Labeouf and Bay and the series might actually not suck. Read more on that here (be sure to click the AICN link at the top to see all the current Transformers 3 candidates).

In other hot babe news - these are cool:

Comic artist J. Scott Campbell took a crack at drawing the Disney princesses. I think he did a pretty good job. :)

I wish I would have seen these 5 months earlier - I would have bought this calendar:

 

If you want one, you can get an autographed copy here. Check out the other stuff the artist has for sale...he knows how to draw the ladies!

Hitting Shelves Today - 5/19

It's relaunch time! We'll start with the biggie - Avengers #1 arrives today.

The Heroic Age Is Here! There came a day! A day unlike any other...where two of Marvel's top creators teamed up for the very first time to create a bombastic new monthly Marvel comic that not only ushers in the Heroic Age of Marvel Comics but unleashes onto the world the most blockbuster Avengers team ever! Who will answer the call?  And will they assemble just in time...because Kang the Conqueror is here from the future. And wait till you find out why...! Bonus back up feature:  the oral history of the Avengers, part one. A brand new illustrated look at the Avengers in a way you have never seen before by series writer Brian Michael Bendis.

How much do you want to be that within 3 years they switch it back to it's original numbering so they can hit issue #800?

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Not one to miss out on the relaunch fun, DC restarts a super team of their own with Legion of Super Heroes #1:

Fan-favorite Legion writer Paul Levitz returns to the 31st century super team he made supreme with an all-new intergalactic era! This exciting series picks up on threads from Geoff Johns's "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" storyline and creates its own all-new ones, including a Green Lantern Corps tie-in and the destruction of a major planet! Rocket on board here as Levitz and rising star artist Yildiray Cinar (Teen Titans) revitalize one of DC's most beloved franchises starting with an oversized first issue with a variant cover by superstar artist Jim Lee!

I've really liked what Johns has done with the Legion as of late. And the Legion mini-series was by far my favorite thing about Final Crisis. Let's hope this series continues the winning streak.

Here's an interview with writer Paul Levitz for those who want to know more about this book.

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Hopefully Avengers #1 won't steal too much thunder from Marvel's other relaunch - Atlas #1 (which could turn out to be the better book of the two).

THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE – It’s the Agents you love, in an ALL-NEW ONGOING SERIES! Someone has come to ATLAS looking for answers to some very strange questions, and on his trail is a danger of a new level. Marvel’s Rat Pack are back to solve the mystery behind THE 3-D MAN. The star team of Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman return to take Jimmy Woo’s agents to the weirdest and most fantastic heights yet!

I liked the last incarnation of this title. It was fun. And I'm not the only one who thought so. BSC agrees and has some preview pages of the new series for you to look at.

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Here's a list of what's dropping today and how much it will set you back:

DARK HORSE COMICS
ALIEN LEGION OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $24.99
ART OF BLADE THE IMMORTAL HC $29.99
AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER ART ANIMATED SERIES HC $34.99
AVP THREE WORLD WAR #4 (OF 6) $3.50
CREEPY COMICS #3 $4.99
DEVIL #4 (OF 4) $3.50
EMILY THE STRANGE 13TH HOUR #3 (OF 4) $3.99
END LEAGUE TP VOL 02 WEATHERED STATUES $16.99
GANTZ TP VOL 10 $12.99
HELLSING TP VOL 10 (OF 10) $13.99
OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 35 $10.99

DC COMICS
AIR #21 (MR) $2.99
AMERICAN VAMPIRE #3 (MR) $3.99
ATOMIC KNIGHTS HC $39.99
AZRAEL #8 $2.99
BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #12 $3.99
BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM HC VOL 01 HUSH MONEY $19.99
BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #17 $2.50
BRIGHTEST DAY #2 $2.99
CODENAME KNOCKOUT TP VOL 01 THE DEVIL YOU SAY (MR) $19.99
DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES #1 (OF 10) $3.99
DV8 GODS AND MONSTERS #2 (OF 8) $2.99
EX MACHINA #49 (MR) $2.99
EX MACHINA DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 03 (MR) $29.99
EXECUTOR HC (MR) $19.99
FREE REALMS TP BOOK 01 $19.99
GREEN LANTERN LEGACIES STATUE PART 1 HAL JORDAN $195.00
HELLBLAZER #267 (MR) $2.99
JOE THE BARBARIAN #5 (OF 8) (MR) $2.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #45 (BRIGHTEST DAY) $3.99
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #45 (BRIGHTEST DAY) VAR ED $3.99
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA BAD SEED TP $14.99
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #1 $3.99
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES ENEMY MANIFEST TP $14.99
SCALPED #1 NEW PTG $1.00
SCALPED TP VOL 06 THE GNAWING (MR) $14.99
SPIRIT #2 $3.99
SUPERGIRL FRIENDS AND FUGITIVES TP $17.99
SUPERMAN BATMAN #72 $2.99
SUPERMAN WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #3 (OF 4) $2.99
SUPERNATURAL BEGINNINGS END #5 (OF 6) $2.99
TINY TITANS #28 $2.50
WORLD OF WARCRAFT ASHBRINGER TP $14.99
ZATANNA #1 $2.99

IDW PUBLISHING
BEYOND THE WALL TP $17.99
CLASSIC GI JOE TP VOL 08 $24.99
GHOUL HC $14.99
GI JOE #18 $3.99
JAMES PATTERSONS WITCH & WIZARD #1 BATTLE SHADOWLAND $3.99
KILL SHAKESPEARE #2 $3.99
LAST UNICORN #1 SGN ED $9.99
STAR TREK MOTION PICTURE TRILOGY TP $24.99
TANK GIRL ROYAL ESCAPE #3 (OF 4) $3.99
TRANSFORMERS LAST STAND O/T WRECKERS #5 $3.99

IMAGE COMICS
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #23 $2.99
CHOKER #2 (OF 6) 2ND PTG (PP #919) $3.99
COMPLETE INVINCIBLE LIBRARY HC VOL 02 $125.00
DEAD AT 17 WITCH QUEEN #3 (OF 4) $2.99
FADE TO BLACK #3 (OF 5) $3.50
GOD COMPLEX #6 $2.99
HAUNT #7 (MR) $2.99
JERSEY GODS #12 $4.99
SHADOWHAWK CHRONICLES TP VOL 01 $19.99
SPAWN ORIGINS TP VOL 05 $14.99
TURF #1 2ND PTG (PP #916) $2.99
WALKING DEAD #72 (MR) $2.99

MARVEL COMICS
AGE OF HEROES #1 (OF 4) HA $3.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS AMERICAN SON #1 (OF 4) $3.99
ANITA BLAKE CIRCUS OF DAMNED CHARMER #1 OF (5) (MR) $3.99
ATLAS #1 HA $3.99
AVENGERS #1 HA $3.99
AVENGERS #1 I AM AN AVENGER BLANK CVR VAR (PP #914) $3.99
AVENGERS #1 PARTY EXCLUSIVE JRJR GATEFOLD VAR $3.99
AVENGERS #1 ROMITA SR VAR (PP #911) $3.99
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 HA $3.99
DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER #1 (OF 5) $3.99
DEADPOOL #23 HA $2.99
DEATHLOK #7 (OF 7) $3.99
DESTROYER TP (MR) $19.99
ENTER THE HEROIC AGE #1 HA $3.99
GALACTA DAUGHTER OF GALACTUS #1 $3.99
GIRL COMICS #2 (OF 3) $4.99
HER-OES #2 $2.99
HEROIC AGE MAGAZINE $9.99
HULK PREM HC $19.99
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #26 HA $2.99
MARVEL 1602 MGC #1 $1.00
MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ #6 (OF 8) $3.99
ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS #1 HA $3.99
RESCUE #1 $3.99
SPIDER-MAN GAUNTLET PREM HC VOL 03 VULTURE MORBIUS $19.99
TROJAN WAR TP GN $14.99
ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #2 $3.99
X-FACTOR #204 2ND PTG DE LANDRO VAR (PP #917) $2.99
X-FACTOR #205 XSC $2.99
X-FACTOR PREM HC INVISIBLE WOMAN HAS VANISHED $19.99
X-MEN FOREVER #24 $3.99
X-MEN LEGACY #235 2ND PTG LAND VAR (PP #917) $2.99
X-MEN LEGACY #236 XSC $2.99
X-MEN NATION X HC $34.99
X-MEN ORIGINS TP $19.99
X-MEN PIXIE STRIKES BACK #4 (OF 4) $3.99

"Heroes" is getting sued by a comic book creator

I guess the only thing worse than network cancellation for a production company is "cancellation with a side of lawsuit". From Comic Book Resources:

Just a day before NBC announced the cancellation of Heroes, a comic creator sued NBC and Tim Kring's Tailwind Productions, claiming they ripped off the "carnival of lost souls and outcasts" used in the show's fourth season.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles federal court, Jazan Wild (aka Jason Barnes) claims the traveling carnival that menaced the final season of the NBC drama is "virtually identical" to the one depicted in his 2005-2006 comic series Jazan Wild's Carnival of Souls.

"The settings and the storylines are virtually the same," the complaint states. "The main character in both stories leads a carnival of lost souls and outcasts. This dark character seeks to make his carnival more powerful by recruiting new members with special abilities. The appearance of some of the characters is also virtually identical to those in the plaintiff's books. [...] Even the dialogue is similar. Indeed, some of the scenes in Heroes appear as if plaintiff's books were used as storyboards by the defendants."

I've never read Carnival of Souls, but would love to hear from readers who have. Is it true - is it a rip off? Or is it a rip off in the sense that Peter Patrelli is a copy of X-men foe "Mimic"? I guess there are only so many powers in the imaginary world...just like there are only so many chords in music. You can't copyright chord progressions, so should character archetypes and story skeletons be the same?

Here's the artist's website, which prominently promotes the new iPad version of the comic in question.

Here's Chapter 1 of the motion comic:

JAZAN WILD'S CARNIVAL OF SOULS CHAPTER #1 Motion Comic Book | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

More chapters can be found here. Those of you who made it through the last season of Heroes - check it out an let us know how similar they are!

Heroes is dead. Long live...The Cape?

As you've probably heard by now, NBC has decided to cancel Heroes. I think this is a good call on their part, but I also think it's a crappy way to send the once decent series off...with no real finale. IMO, any series that goes more than a season should automatically be guaranteed a two hour finale to wrap things up. I mean  - networks have a commitment to their viewers, right?

If you're sadden by the sudden lack of superheroes on network TV, fear not. NBC has a replacement ready to roll. The Cape.

Will NBC support it better than they did Heroes? Hopefully. Because it looks interesting. This first clip speaks to me, as I imagine this is what putting my daughter to bed will look like in a few more years.

Here, we get to the beef of the story and a glimpse of yet another child actor who can't act (sigh). [Spoiler alert on this one].

More clips can be found here, but they give more and more away as they go.

It may not look perfect, but Imma give it a shot when it premiers this summer.

Finally, here's the official plot synopsis from NBC. It gives away the premise, so if you want to walk in with a blank slate, don't read it:

"The Cape" is a one-hour drama series starring David Lyons ("ER") as Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, who finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead.  He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, "Life on Mars") and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, "Flash Forward").  Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, Faraday becomes "The Cape" his son's favorite comic book superhero -- and takes the law into his own hands.  Rounding out the cast are James Frain ("The Tudors") as billionaire Peter Fleming - The Cape's nemesis - who moonlights as the twisted killer: Chess; Keith David ("Death at a Funeral") as Max Malini, the ringleader of a circus gang of bank robbers who mentors Vince Faraday and trains him to be The Cape; Summer Glau ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") as Orwell, an investigative blogger who wages war on crime and corruption in Palm City; and Dorian Missick ("Six Degrees") as Marty Voyt, a former police detective and friend to Faraday.

Umm - did they say "Summer Glau" as their version of 'Oracle'"? The series got 100% more intertesting to me all of a sudden. :)