COLD AND LONELY

This is a nice mid-summer cooler to keep the humidity away - the teaser poster for the upcoming Whiteout based on the Greg Rucka mini-series from Oni and the Frank Miller cover that inspired it.

MY FAVORITE BATMAN COVERS

Part 1 of a series:

This cover, originally drawn for Detective Comics #31 by Batman co-creator Bob Kane (September 1939: Batman vs. the Vampire, written by Kane and Gardner Fox), was only the 5th appearance of Batman and has often been repeated.

Most notably in the two covers that follow: Batman #227 by Neal Adams (December 1970: the Demon of Gothos Mansion, written by Denny O'Neil, interior pencils by Irv Novick), and more recently, as the cover to the first issue of the mini-series, Batman and the Mad Monk by Matt Wagner (October 2006: Part 1 of 6, written/drawn by Wagner.) The last is an exploration of that classic story from 'Tec #31, expanding on the titular character, the Mad Monk.

As much as I love the classic Gothic Romance vibe & the ink-wash technique of the Adams cover, and the painted art/computer rendered look that shows up in Wagner's version, the original still stands as one of my top five all-time favorite Batman covers.

Over the next year and a half - leading up to Batman's 80th Anniversary - I plan on featuring more and more stories on the character that got me into comics nearly 25 years ago and remains my favorite fiction character, in any medium.

All covers we're pulled from scans of my own collection, or in the case of those I don't own, from the greatest comicbook resource on the web: the Grand Comic Database project. Learn more about them and their mission, here!

STAN LEE CONTINUES TO SLING $%^#

Stan Lee continues his reality series on Sci-Fi Channel: Who Wants to be a Super-Hero? The second season kicks off next week!

The Cast:


The Winner*:

* Mr. Mitzvah wins as predicted by me, in a just world!

MARVEL PREVIEW PICKS: 10/07

continuing my picks for solicitations to be delivered in October 2007:

CRIMINAL #10
Written by ED BRUBAKER Art and Wraparound cover by SEAN PHILLIPS

THE BIG HEIST GOES DOWN ON CHRISTMAS EVE, AND BULLETS ARE
FLYING! Tracy finally comes to the end of the line in his search for answers,
but will he want them by then? Or has his entry back into the life his brother
led changed who he is? And what about the hitmen on his trail? He'll have to
deal with that, too. The action-packed FINALE of the second Criminal arc from
award-winning creators Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. And every issue of
Criminal is packed from cover to cover with content, from back-up stories to
noir articles by Brubaker and many other big-name writers, so wise up and buy
the single issues!

32PGS/Mature Content/No Ads... $2.99

Another great story arc in the making from Brubaker and Phillips. Can't miss comics.

And that's it for Marvel. I am looking forward to Iron Fist, Incredible Hulk and World War Hulk, but there is nothing in those issues to set them out from the rest of the run as I already collect those regularly.

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS FOR OCTOBER 2007

A monthly look at the solicits for DC/Marvel/Dark Horse/Indies. Today, DC:

THE VINYL UNDERGROUND #1
Written by Si Spencer
Art by Simon Gane & Cameron Stewart
Cover by Sean Phillips

Noted British television writer Si Spencer (Eastenders, Torchwood, Bad Girls) presents a sharp, unforgettable cadence in THE VINYL UNDERGROUND, a 21st century cross between THE INVISIBLES and CSI that brings rich social and political context to the dark, glittering cesspool that is London. Spencer is joined by indie creator/penciller Simon Gane (Paris, Punk Strips) and Eisner-nominated artist Cameron Stewart (the Other Side, SeaGuy) with bold, captivating covers by by Sean Phillips (The Invisibles, Criminal).
In this fast-paced, ultra-cool ongoing crime-noir series, an unlikely quartet of occult detectives secretly solve crimes — from DJ crack bars in Camden to the elegant, high-society ballrooms that make up modern London. The Vinyl Underground is led by Morrison Shepherd, a D-list celebrity darling, soul DJ, and son of an ex-footballer. Fresh out of prison and off a nasty coke habit, Morrison is joined by a fellow ex-con named Perv, whose seizures give him clues to crimes long before the cops, and Leah, a gorgeous morgue assistant who leads a double life online and represents the brawn of the team.
Morrison's ex-flame Abi is reluctantly forced to join the team when her father is implicated for murder. A young boy's head (with diamonds in the eye sockets) washes up on the edge of the Thames and seems to be connected to a series of ritual killings, a drug called Khat, and Muti magic. Can they get to the bottom of it?
On sale October 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS

I love Cameron Stewart's art, am a huge sucker for Sean Philips covers (thought he had the best Hellblazer covers since Glenn Fabry) and I have heard nothing but good things about Si Spencer's writing. Count me in.

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: SUICIDE SQUAD VOL. 1 TP
Written by John Ostrander, Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and others Art by Howard Chaykin, Karl Kesel, Luke McDonnell and others

From the 1980s comes this hard-hitting volume collecting the popular series in which captured super-villains got the chance to leave prison behind…for a price. Included are storied from Suicide Squad #1-18, Doom Patrol and Suicide Squad Special #1, SECRET ORIGINS #14 and Justice League International #13.
Advance-solicited; on sale November 14 • 528 pg, B&W, $16.99 US

Even though I have most of these issues, this is still a must-own, especially in the great Showcase format.

BATMAN #670
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Tony Daniel

The next chapter of Batman’s life starts here! The shadow of Batman’s archfoe Ra’s al Ghul still looms large over the head of the Dark Knight. Is Ra’s al Ghul destined to live again? Batman begins his quest for the truth in this special prelude to “The Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul,” guest-starring Talia al Ghul, Damian, the Sensei and I-Ching!
On sale October 31 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

While Batman's delays and lack of consistent Andy Kubert art have been a major dissappointment, each issue that comes out penned by Grant Morrison has been better than the last and some of the best Batman stories since the classic O'Neil/Adams run (and besides DKR and Year One). Plus, the return of my favorite villain, this is easily my most anticipated book of October and probably the year.

DC INFINITE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL #1
WRITTEN and illustrated by various Cover by Gene Ha

Don’t miss this collection of 13 stories of tricks and treats by some of comics’ top creators, including writers Steve Niles, Mark Waid, Steve Seagal, Dan DiDio, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Peter Johnson (TV’s Supernatural), David Arquette (Scream), Cliff Dorfman (Entourage) and many more with art by Ian Churchill, Dean Ormston, Dustin Nguyen , Bernard Chang and others! The inmates of Arkham horrify each other with terrifying tales involving Superman and zombies, Batman and vampires, Robin and werewolves, Aquaman and witches, Flash and the dead, and more! Plus, the return of Resurrection Man!
On sale October 31 • 80 pg, FC, $5.99 US

Love Halloween stories. Really liked Abnett and Lanning's Resurrection Man series. So nothing but good here.

NEW RUNDOWN UP

Ten weeks into the series, and ten columns up (plus some preview columns, and one bonus column on Mary Marvel) and I am still going strong. If you have a minute, check it out here!

Thanks and have a great weekend!

MY FAVORITE BLOGS!

This time around, head over to
Cover Browser.com for all your cover needs. Technically, not a blog, but such a cool site, I had to feature it. Check out some of these killer covers available there for your perusing delights . . .

SOME THINGS:

DC/Digital:

Who's the coolest Jim Gordon ever?? This guy!



Dave Gibbons gets environmental and my favorite heroine makes a comeback! Yay, Martha!

(from various sources, like Newsarama, Comicbook Resources and Zuda itself!)

AND THAT'S HOW YOU DRAW . . .

Bizzarro!!

by the excellent Eric Powell (creator of the Goon) and artist on an upcoming arc on DC's Action Comics