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Location: 280 E Main St. Suite 101 Newark, DE 19711
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Posted By Dave on April 27, 2012
Yes, AvX: VERSUS IS different than AVENGERS vs X-MEN!
The latter is the 12-issue main story with an actual plot, while the former is the more fun of the two. AvX: VERSUS is just the fights, the details of the classic “Who would win?” question. In #1 you get two fights: Iron Man/Magneto and Namor/Thing from two different creative teams.
Pick this up, pop some popcorn, and pop open a soda and get ready for big humor and big action.
Posted By Dave on April 27, 2012
The list of everything we’re getting this week!
Posted By Dave on April 26, 2012
Review/article by Mike Clarke of BC Refugee Blog
I have earned somewhat of a reputation among the regular visitors to this blog site as the source for reviews, etc. of alternative reading in comics. I certainly do enjoy writing about genres other than super-heroes – - – focusing on more independent publishers, controversial subjects and themes, horror and sometimes autobiographical and illustrated history. I’ll gladly take that badge and wear it proudly!
That doesn’t mean I don’t also read standard super-hero fare. I also buy a good amount of books from the “Big Two” publishers. I’ve devoted quite a bit of column space in the last six months to the DC NEW 52 titles. DC right now seems to have a good grasp of what readership has been asking for. They have assembled a great group of creators and the stories have become exciting again.
However, if you look over my collection you will find that MARVEL issues outnumber the DC issues by a ratio of 4 to 1. I never followed any DC books on a continuing basis, a practice that began for me back in the early days. In my comics-reading formative years, I was weaned on a steady formula of Lee and Kirby. I was able to relate to Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk and other MARVEL characters more. They seemed closer to not just my age, but also my values, principles and beliefs. I could never get into the “head” of any of the wooden DC characters back in the 1960’s – 1970’s. (I did immerse myself much more in the DC universe in the mid 1980’s and early 1990’s – but it didn’t last.)
It was MARVEL that held the super-hero magic for me. To further reinforce my preference in recent time – - – along came AVENGERS DISSASSEMBLED, CIVIL WAR, and SECRET INVASION to hold my attention. But since those days, I find myself enjoying MARVEL books less and less. The classic characters are still there – - but they aren’t pulling me in like before. It seems like the only new things from the “House Of Ideas” is to stack one mega-crossover on top of another and stretch out story concepts across multiple titles far further than they ought to be. (The upcoming crossover in the DC Bat-titles – - the Council Of Owls storyline – has me feeling both anxious and apprehensive. One of the things I liked about the NEW 52 was the promise of concise and compact story arcs and no more crossovers. Well, at least it lasted almost six to seven months.)
So, the AVENGERS VERSUS X-MEN mega story / mega crossover has me intrigued. It’s been a very long time since I used to follow both teams on a monthly basis. When the X-MEN expanded to multiple titles I lost interest in trying to keep up (in the late 1990’s). When the same thing occurred with the AVENGERS in the last five years or so I gave up on them as well. So, it will be interesting to see if I can renew my interest by following AVENGERS VERSUS X-MEN for the next six or so months it takes this mega-event to play out. I’m committed to the limited series only. We’ll see if I venture into any of the other titles that this battle will continually cross over into. (I will probably sample one issue of the secondary series – - the A vs. X “battle” issues – - for sure.) It’ s going to take something major or shocking to occur (as in AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED and/or CIVIL WAR) to win me back. Show me what you’ve got, Marvel !
If I feel the magic has returned, I’ll be commenting on that right here. And, since I’ve decided to write something about every issue as it comes out – - if this series turns out to be garbage it will cause me to violate one of my personal rules for reviewing . That rule is “don’t write negative reviews. Write about books that excite you; books that could benefit from further attention and need more readers. If you don’t like it, ignore it.” I sure hope that doesn’t happen. So, without further delay, let’s get to it ! . . . .
*** Alert!! – - Spoilers beyond this point ***
AVENGERS VERSUS X-MEN PROGRAM GUIDE one-shot . . .
Those of us who frequent their local independent comics stores on a regular basis were able to snag this little gem back in February. There are short previews of both AVENGERS VS X-MEN #0 and AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1. The clues are all there – - the major threat/challenge in this series and also possibly the event that causes the battle lines to be drawn between The Avengers and The X-Men is the return of the Phoenix force to Earth. The current line-ups are shown for The Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Avengers, Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine & His X-Men. Storm and Namor are part of The Uncanny X-Men while Beast is shown with The Secret Avengers. Wolverine doesn’t get a spotlight (yet) but he can be seen in a tiny shadowy panel with Uncanny X-Force. There is also a page with six “Wild Cards” posing the question “Where will they stand?” Here are my guesses – - Scarlet Witch will fall back in with the X-Men (based on a snub in AVENGERS VS X-MEN #0) and Quicksilver will stand with his sister. Deadpool and Cable should be on the X-side. I can’t think of any reasons why they wouldn’t. Nova and Hulk will side with the Avengers. (We’ll see how well my predictions are soon enough.) I’ll cover the #0 preview in the following paragraphs. Here’s what up with the #1 preview =
The Avengers alert the U.S. government that the Phoenix is headed to Earth and looking for a new biological host – - and they feel pretty sure they know exactly where it is headed. Captain America makes an early attempt to enlist Wolverine and his school but doesn’t get a reply from a reflective and remorseful Logan. Cyclops/Scott suspects that Hope will be the target and is contemplating allowing it to happen in the hopes (pun) that she can be trained to control the energy force for the good.
AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #0 : Writers = Brian Michael Bendis (Scarlet Witch story) & Jason Aaron (Hope story). Artist – Frank Cho. Color Art – Jason Keith. Letterer – Chris Eliopoulos.
Nobody will complain about this choice of writers – - both Bendis and Aaron are at the top of their super-hero scripting games (although they may slip a little from time to time, these two are consistently solid). It’s also great to see Frank Cho back drawing a super-hero team. His clean and fluid style is very inviting. He goes all out in this preview with some big panel action, some of it exploding across two pages. The rest of the art team makes it all look awesome. I loved what Cho did with The Avengers a few years back and was sorry to see his assignment end too quickly. (Rumor is that he couldn’t keep up with the monthly deadlines – - hope that doesn’t happen again with this series.)
In the opening story by Bendis, the Scarlet Witch returns and interferes with an assassination attempt by M.O.D.O.K. and some A.I.M. forces and constructs. She gets an assist from some Avengers followed by an invite to visit their HQ. This Scarlet Witch is very beautiful and “wholesome” as portrayed by Cho, and I like the touch of modesty and self-consciousness Bendis brings to her. She’s been out of practice for some time and is far from being sure of herself. The first person she meets at the door of Avengers Mansion is The Vision, who makes it clear she is not welcome. The Vision was one of my favorite Avengers back in the 1970’s and it’s cool that Bendis is bringing him back to the forefront. I always liked his cool demeanor and logical statements tempered with a soft and sensitive side. How else could an android win the heart of a mutant witch except with sincerity and conviction? I didn’t expect the exchange of conversation between the two to come off the way it did here. It’s a neat surprise and makes sense after what happened. And Bendis/Cho hint a little that the Vision is not as unaffected as he wants it to appear. The page that has almost no dialogue and just shows the body language/reactions of several team members is priceless, as is the lonely and discouraged expressions of Wanda. Cho does it right by isolating her on the far right of the page against a blank white background. Hey, I’m warming up to this book. This is the kind of story telling that gets my attention! Especially when we are getting to this in the #0 issue ! My favorite line in this issue occurs after M.O.D.O.K. tries to humble Wanda by reminding her of the damage she caused in the super-team ranks. She responds with = “Please. I’m begging you. If I wanted to hear a crazy monologue I’d move back in with my father.”
In the second story by Aaron, Hope shows just how tough she is. First she holds her own both verbally and physically against Cyclops. Then she takes on the Serpent Squad and puts them down. Scott/Cyclops is trying to guide her but she has her own ideas and values. She is ready to meet the Phoenix. Scott thinks she can be their savior but is apprehensive because of what happened to Jean Gray many years back. He worries she may be killed or driven crazy. My favorite line in this story was Hope’s retort to Scott = “And here I thought this place was called Utopia. Funny name for a prison.”
I like the way this series is starting out. Things are actually happening here. Obviously both Wanda Maximoff and Hope Summers will be major players in the events to come.
NEWS FLASH: After an immediate sellout of Avengers VS. X-Men #0 in comic shops all across the country, Marvel has bumped up the on-sale of Avengers VS. X-Men #0 Second Printing Variant to April 18th . Not only will Avengers VS. X-Men #0 Second Printing Variant be available in time for Avengers VS. X-Men #2, but a second printing of Avengers VS. X-Men #1 as well!
Posted By kita on April 25, 2012
Posted By Dave on April 25, 2012
THIS WEEK’S COMICS HIGHLIGHTS
CBH picks the BIG books plus ones you might miss
NEW COMIC WEDNESDAY is 10am-8pm at CBH!
Posted By Dave on April 24, 2012
SUPERCROOKS #2
Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: Leinil Francis Yu
Mark Millar started out as a writing partner to Grant Morrison but his style is similar to Garth Ennis. Like Ennis’ Hitman and The Boys, Millar writes alternative superhero comics–comics where the “supers” do not play nice–like Kick Ass and Nemesis. Supercrooks is a great follow up to Millar’s Wanted where we get to see what “real” supervillains might do.
MILLARWORLD says: “Johnny Bolt is a villain living in a world where pickings are slim and the ‘heroes’ are everywhere. now, with little left to lose, he’s convincing his pals that their last, best hope lies overseas. but will culture shock get to them before the policia do? continuing the high-stakes escapade from the creative team that brought you Superior!”
Publisher: Millarworld/Icon/Marvel
Format: Monthly Comic
Price: $2.99
Posted By Dave on April 23, 2012
Batman: The Long Halloween
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Tim Sale
DC Comics | Graphic Novel | $19.99
Review by From the Booth‘s own Ken
I’m not a big Jeph Loeb fan. The first book I can remember reading from him was the Counter-Earth Captain America series that was pretty lackluster but, in fairness, the entire Counter-Earth/Post-Onslaught line was pretty bad. The latest thing I read from him was Avengers X-Sanction which left more questions than answers (how is Cable alive again?) and wasn’t great either. Tim Sale, a frequent collaborator of Loeb’s, is a stellar artist whose work on such titles as Batman, Superman and Catwoman have received much critical acclaim.
Batman: The Long Halloween was a 13 issue miniseries in 1996 and 1997. It follows the continuity of Batman: Year One and reimagines the origin of Two-Face. It spawned two sequels, Batman: Dark Victory and Catwoman: When In Rome. Christopher Nolan borrowed plotlines from this trade when writing the script for Batman: Dark Knight Returns albeit with several changes.
The story opens with the murder of the nephew of Carmine “The Roman” Falcone on Halloween. The Maroni family is suspected of the killing but shortly thereafter, there is a murder on every holiday and it begins to take from both sides sowing dissent between the two families but also implying a third actor might be involved. The gang war is peppered with appearance from Batman’s rogue gallery including the Joker, the Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Solomon Grundy, the Mad Hatter and others furthering spicing up the murder mystery.
The storyline and art are both amazing in this book. It is easily the best Loeb book I’ve read to date and in the top 10 or 15 of my favorite Batbooks. You won’t guess the identity of Holiday until the reveal which is as it should be. The art makes me wish Sale had been tapped for artist duties for one of the Batman new 52 books. His latest credit seems to be some Image Comics work in 2008 so I hope he is working on a big yet-to-be-announced project.
Final rating (out of 5): 
Posted By Dave on April 23, 2012
Saturday, May 5 Captain Blue Hen Comics throws a family-friendly party to celebrate comic book fun
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FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Events from 10AM to 5PM
Everyone gets a free comic just for showing up.
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Schedule for Artist Workshops at Newark Arts Alliance
12:00 to 12:30 Thom Zahler – Love and Capes
12:45 – 1:15 Ken & Buz – Living Corpse
1:45 – 2:15 Rich & Jamar – Roboy Red & Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun
2:30 – 3:00 Dan Parent – Archie Comics
3:30 Pinata Busting Fun- What’s a Cinco De Mayo without a Pinata?
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Costumed Characters
Spider-Man and Batman
(they’re watching one another’s city while they’re here, so they won’t be here at the same time)
11:00 to 2:00
Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, and MORE!!!
11:00 to 4:00
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Dan Parent – Archie Comics
1:00 to 5:00
Thom Zahler – Love and Capes
Neil Vokes – Flesh and Blood, The Wicked West
Buz Hasson – The Living Corpse
Ken Haeser – The Living Corpse
Scott Roberts – Patty Cake, Spongebob Comics, Rugrats
Jamar Nicholas – Fist Stick Knife Gun (comic), Comic Book Diner Podcast
Rich Faber – Roboy Red (comic), Buzzboy (comic), Comic Book Diner Podcast
Zenescope – Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, and Anthony Spay
11:00 to 3:00
Neil King – Why Pudding Joe ate the Cat, My Sister the Dinosaur
Sean Bishop – Smorgasbord Productions
Tom Lynch – webcomic ’30 Extra Lives’
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NEWARK ARTS ALLIANCE
ACTIVITIES
Face Painting * Make a Mother’s Day Card * Food and Concessions * Mask Making
throughout the day
Thanks to Newark Art Alliance, Newark Development Group, our Market East Neighbors and all our volunteers
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Posted By Dave on April 22, 2012
For MARCH 2012 from icv2.com
1. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 01 DAYS GONE BYE
2. HELLBOY TP VOL 12 THE STORM AND THE FURY
3. BOYS TP VOL 10 BUTCHER BAKER CANDLESTICKMAKER
4. FLASHPOINT TP
5. X-MEN SEASON ONE PREM HC
6. DMZ TP VOL 11 FREE STATES RISING
7. STAR WARS CLONE WARS YR TP VOL 07 ENEMY WITHIN
8. FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT BATMAN TP
9. NORTHLANDERS TP VOL 06 THORS DAUGHTER
10. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 02 MILES BEHIND US (NEW PTG)
11. NARUTO TP VOL 55
12. VENOM BY RICK REMENDER TP VOL 01
13. BATMAN BIRTH OF THE DEMON TP
14. SECRET INVASION TP
15. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 15 WE FIND OURSELVES
16. DEADPOOL TP VOL 08 OPERATION ANNIHILATION
17. SAILOR MOON TP KODANSHA ED VOL 04
18. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 03 SAFETY BEHIND BARS
19. FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT SUPERMAN TP
20. AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE HC
21. FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT WONDER WOMAN TP
22. FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT GREEN LANTERN TP
23. FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT THE FLASH TP
24. BATMAN YEAR ONE DELUXE EDITION HC
25. KING CITY TP
26. RACHEL RISING TP VOL 01 SHADOW OF DEATH
27. STAR WARS OLD REPUBLIC TP VOL 03 LOST SUNS
28. AXE COP TP VOL 03
29. CROSSED TP VOL 03 PSYCHOPATH
30. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 04 HEARTS DESIRE
31. ANNIHILATORS EARTHFALL TP
32. AVENGERS INVADERS HC
33. GOTHAM CITY SIRENS TP VOL 04 DIVISION
34. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 05 BEST DEFENSE
35. ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS VS NEW ULTIMATES DOSM TP
36. SPIDER-MAN PREM HC TORMENT
37. ASTONISHING THOR TP
38. DC UNIVERSE BY ALAN MOORE HC
39. ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN BY NICK SPENCER PREM HC VOL 01
40. UNCANNY X-MEN BY KIERON GILLEN PREM HC VOL 01
Posted By Dave on April 20, 2012
The list of everything we’re getting this week!
Posted By Dave on April 19, 2012
FOR MARCH 2012 from icv2.com
1. AVENGERS VS X-MEN #1
2. AVENGERS VS X-MEN #0
3. JUSTICE LEAGUE #7
4. BATMAN #7
5. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1
6. ACTION COMICS #7
7. GREEN LANTERN #7
8. DETECTIVE COMICS #7
9. BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #7
10. SUPERMAN #7
11. FLASH #7
12. AQUAMAN #7
13. BATMAN AND ROBIN #7
14. UNCANNY X-MEN #8
15. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #682
16. UNCANNY X-MEN #9
17. AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1
18. AVENGERS X-SANCTION #4
19. WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #7
20. AVENGERS #24
21. AVENGERS #24.1
22. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #681
23. NEW AVENGERS #23
24. TEEN TITANS #7
25. WONDER WOMAN #7
26. UNCANNY X-FORCE #23
27. GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #7
28. BATWOMAN #7
29. ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #8
30. BATGIRL #7
31. NIGHTWING #7
32. KICK-ASS 2 #7 (MR)
33. GREEN LANTERN CORPS #7
34. FANTASTIC FOUR #604
35. CAPTAIN AMERICA #9
36. AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #5
37. INCREDIBLE HULK #6
38. SWAMP THING #7
39. DAREDEVIL #10
40. SAGA #1 (MR)
Posted By kita on April 18, 2012
Is the magic gone with comic movies? Do people love Saga or do they just love BKV? Will C2E2 rip a hole in the multiverse with awesomeness or will there be a new Hawkeye series announced? Will the Dr. Who/Star Trek crossover lead to nerds rioting in the street? And this week on the ‘cast, we discuss AvX.
Posted By Dave on April 18, 2012
THIS WEEK’S COMICS HIGHLIGHTS
CBH picks the BIG books plus ones you might miss
NEW COMIC WEDNESDAY is 10am-8pm at CBH!
Posted By Dave on April 17, 2012
RESET #1
Writer/Artist: Peter Bagge
I love Peter Bagge’s work, especially on NEAT STUFF and HATE. I am also a fan of Philip K. Dick. The RESET comic seems like it might explore a theme similar to Dick’s short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale”. PKD-style science fiction with the skewering wit and irreverence of Bagge? sign me up.
DARK HORSE says: “If you could relive major events in your life, would you take a stab at making things better-and would your best attempts only make things worse? Or would you use your second chance to put your most twisted, perverted fantasies in motion? These are questions washed up actor and comedian Guy Krause asks himself after he signs up to be the main research subject for a virtual reality experiment.”
Format: Four-issue LIMITED SERIES
Price: $3.50
