Panelology - Veeps Interview with Bill Kelter

by Brandon

With the presidential election just a couple of days away, all attention is turning towards this important moment in our country. We all know it has been an interesting campaign season, but one of the more interesting storylines has been that of the vice-presidential candidates. Or should we say candidate? Sarah Palin has grabbed the nation's attention while Joe Biden has, you know, occupied some space and consumed some oxygen here and there. What most people don't realize is that people have laughed at the vice-president before Governor Palin rolled around. With so much attention being given to the number two spot, it is a little bit more than a happy coincidence that Top Shelf is publishing a book in November on the #2 spot on the presidential ticket. Veeps by Bill Kelter and Wayne Shellabarger details the often humorous history of the most prominent sidekick in the nation.

I interviewed writer Bill Kelter recently about the presidential race and the creative process with his upcoming book.

BJM: Let's start from the beginning; why the interest in Vice Presidents? What fascinates you about these seemingly insignificant figures?

BK: A lot of people are fascinated with train wrecks, and I always had a perverse fascination with powerful figures who have had power land in their laps and have for whatever reason been wont to spray their gorgeously-appointed room—with almost everything they could ever desire—with lighter fluid and drop a Zippo on the carpet.

Somewhere around the mid-1990s, as I read more and more political history, I started making a mental inventory of so many of America’s leading politicians who had brought disgrace upon their careers, and at first it seemed like so many of them appeared to have served as America’s Vice Presidents.

Take Spiro Agnew, for example. He had a bizarrely meteoric rise, in five years, from Baltimore County Executive to Governor of Maryland to Vice President in six years. A dream job, right? Well, when he came to Washington he couldn’t leave behind a kickback agreement he’d made with a number of construction execs when he was governor. A deal’s a deal, I guess, but this kind of shakedown seems like the kind of thing that should be far, far behind you when you’re the second-most powerful man in the country—and you certainly shouldn’t be making men come personally to Washington to deliver bundles of cash to you.

Nelson Rockefeller didn’t disgrace himself while he was Vice President, but I was always fascinating by his tawdry demise of a heart attack while allegedly mixing it up with his mistress, just two years after he left office. I remember Doris Kearns Goodwin on “Imus In The Morning” in 1997 describing the aftermath of Rockefeller dying in the saddle, as it were. His aides scrambled frantically for an hour before they called an ambulance, trying to put his clothes back on and prop him up in his chair as if he were reading a newspaper when he expired apparently in a romp with a woman 44 years his junior.

And of course Dan Quayle…well, to call him dumber than a boxful of rocks is patently unfair to rocks.


BJM: How did you guys meet? What made you want to write a book about the Vice Presidents's together?

BK: Well, I don’t know if we misled anyone with the Merle Stickney article we have linked from www.veeps.us. But we really weren’t, unbeknownst to one another, present at Spiro Agnew’s first swearing-in. Wayne would have still been in his mother’s womb at the time, and, though I was a very ambitious toddler, I think such an event was still out of my grasp. Still, Spiro Agnew was the kind of man who could captivate any young child, if only in a Voldemort sort of way.

Wayne and I went to the same high school (Hood River Valley High School, in Hood River, Oregon), but never attended at the same time. We met in 1987 at the University Of Oregon, at the urging of my brother-in-law, from whom we both took English classes at HRVHS.

We hit it off immediately and launched a handful of really great and hilarious collaborations that have never seen the light of the day. They’re in the slush pile. They might yet emerge.

The Veeps Project originated from one very drunk morning at my apartment in the Corbett-Lair Hill neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, in late 1999. I was single, two years after my girlfriend had moved out. While she was there, she prodded me into nudging the landlord into letting us retile the bathroom floor. We replaced an old brown-and-white floral linoleum with alternating 10”x10” tiles of white and British Racing Green. At this point, I already had a minor fascination percolating with America’s disgraced Vice Presidents.

On that morning in question one December many years ago, I was drunkenly brushing my teeth at 7:00 AM, after a long night of imbibing, and while I was looking at my floor to kill the time while I scrubbed my chompers, for some reason, it occurred to me that a great use of these bare white vinyl tiles might be to have portraits of disgraced Vice President laminated on each, with a quote highlighting their signature indiscretion.


BJM: Let's size up the current Vice Presidential running mates on the two major tickets. First up, let's look at Barack Obama's choice Joe Biden. What do you guys make of him? What does he bring to the table for Obama?

BK: As for Biden, I said that he was a one-man rapid response team, and the perfect attack dog for the Obama campaign. I don’t know how well that’s played out so far, but he earned his paycheck last Thursday. He didn’t let himself get accused of bullying her and he was like a jackhammer stressing the Bush-McCain connection.


BJM: On the other side (the dark side, perhaps), we have the current media darling Sarah Palin. What do you guys make of her? Besides ovaries and a bit of pizazz, what would she bring to a McCain White House?

BK: Sarah Palin was a novelty pick, imposed by McCain’s handlers, to, first, seize the news cycle after Obama’s Invesco Field speech (never mind that taking the nominating speech out of the convention hall hasn’t been done since JFK moved his speech from the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena to the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1960, but it was no small feat cramming 84,000 people in a stadium with an official capacity of 76,125—and we were in Denver, and it was an impossible ticket to get), and, second, to shore up the base. Both worked—McCain/Palin owned the news cycle for the next two weeks, and everyone all but forgot about Obama’s speech. As for the latter, McCain shouldn’t have had to shore up the right. The other spin originally was that picking her would attract disgruntled/disaffected Hillary voters, but that was a dog that was never going to hunt, and it was as cynical as George H.W. Bush picking Clarence Thomas to succeed Thurgood Marshall on the Supreme Court.


She’s not stupid by any means, but she ain’t ready for The Show, to cite a Bull Durham reference, at least with her experience to this point. Leaving partisan politics out of it, I have to side with CNN’s Jack Cafferty, who said about a little over a week ago, "If John McCain wins this woman will be one 72-year-old's heartbeat away from being President of the United States. And if that doesn't scare the hell out of you, it should."

“Word” as the kids used to say. Not to drop a Hillary Obama/RFK comment, but in this case, any insurance actuarial table would suggest that there’s a significant chance that a President McCain may well leave the White House in a mahogany box. Look at how the office aged, for example, LBJ, Bill Clinton, and the current Bush. Now, look at McCain, and he hasn’t even made it through one Presidential campaign yet.

That said, if she is the one who winds up giving the State Of The Union Address in 2010 or 2011 or 2012, you can be fairly sure that it isn’t going to be her who’s actually running the country.

One thing is for sure: There has never been an election in U.S. history where we’re still talking so much about a Vice Presidential nominee more than a week after she was nominated. A lot of people tuned in out of curiosity for Dan Quayle’s debate with Senator Lloyd Bentsen in 1988, hoping they’d see a bloody accident (and those who did were richly rewarded, with one of the greatest live television moments of all time), but Dan Quayle was merely a dunce. Sarah Palin is far more dangerous. Never mind the Couric and Gibson interviews, she’s being trained furiously and she’s learning her lessons. She’ll carry the water for the far right and she’s smart enough to take direction and trot out her inner beauty queen to effectively work any room she’s in. Back in ’88 there were the usual “heartbeat away” questions, but the then 64-year-old George Herbert Walker Bush was not that old and looked like Michael Phelps compared to the Arizona Senator his current state.


BJM: Now that we have those two out of the way, let's talk about the current Vice President, Dick Cheney. At the very least, he's been one of the most infamous Vice Presidents in the modern era. What do you think his legacy has been on the position of Vice President?

BK: After so many monumentally insignificant holders of the office, he’s clearly redefined the position—possibly to the point that it needs to be forcefully defined by the next occupant. You could make an argument that no one should be taking orders from George Bush, but he does have the bigger desk, and it’s been a running joke throughout the last two terms that it’s been Cheney running the country. That was a little less funny when it was learned that Bush attempted to dispatch his Vice President to go on damage control for Hurricane Katrina, and his VP said, in essence, “Well, I’ll do it if you want me to, but…no.”


BJM: Top Shelf Productions will be publishing your book Veeps in November. What made you guys decide to go with Top Shelf?

We didn’t choose them. They chose us—and we couldn’t have been luckier. Wayne published a book of his brilliant concert poster art (I’m Totally Helpless [http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?title=172]) in 1996.

Brett Warnock and Chris Staros love a gorgeous book, and they’ve made a great investment in Veeps. These guys are champs, and when they believe in something and someone, they’re in for a dollar, in for a dime. I’ve talked to a handful of other authors who have talked about handing over their book and losing their vision. That’s never been an issue with Top Shelf in rolling out Veeps. Wayne and I have sat in rickety chairs at Brett’s desk, late at night and stupid from lack of sleep, going through the manuscript one page and portrait and illustration at a time, trying to get it right.


BJM: On the art end of the spectrum, how many sketches did each VP require? Did some get left on the cutting room floor? Can we expect a VP swimsuit special?

BK: As for the swimsuit special, good Lord, I hope not. I think we’ve all seen enough of that portion of Sarah’s 1984 Miss Alaska competition (although I suppose there are some who would argue that John Cabell Breckinridge might look good in a Speedo).


BJM: Based on many of the samples provided on your web page, there aren't many places in terms of content that you guys don't go in this book. Were there any VP stories that were just too out there, uncorroborated, or outlandish to publish?

BK: No, not really. I remember one Quayle line that turned out to be false ("I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and the only regret I have was that I didn't study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people.") Compared to so many of the factual bludgeonings that really did pour out of his mouth, that this wasn’t real wasn’t much of a loss.

Actually, there’s a Palin story that I really wanted to report on a blog entry (and hopefully in a Palin entry in a second printing of Veeps—either as an Also-Ran entry or, God help us all, Chapter 47). There was a story making the rounds through much of September that her Iraq-bound son, Track Palin, had vandalized something like 110 school buses and a judge ordered him to enlist in the military or face jail time. I knew the judge angle was pretty flaccid, at best—to my knowledge, that hasn’t happened since the 1950s, and even then maybe only in B movies about a Bad Boy who finds redemption being forced to defend his country. I was mainly interested to see if the vandalism charge was true, but besides some breathless rants from the blogosphere, and a few of them who got their calls through to progressive talk radio, there was no “there” there, and no mainstream media source ever reported it. So, it would have made a great story, but it doesn’t seem like it really happened. But again, like Quayle, the bounty of confirmed Palin stories is a gift that keeps on giving, so that this one probably isn’t true was also only a small loss.

Really, what I found in my research was that VP history was a gusher. When my fascination started, I began with just a few outlandish examples, but as I went on with researching and writing the book, it was like turning over rocks in the garden-- ugly, slimy, fascinating, wiggling things under every one.


BJM: If you had to pick a favorite VP, who would you pick and why?

BK: I’ve gotten this many times. In our movie, we rave about Spiro Agnew, but it’s a movie and we were in character—defending him in a wide-eyed, naïve, and somewhat blind way, befitting our unconditionally VP-obsessed characters--but in reality, with a straight face, the racist bully/corruption angle makes him a bit repugnant and indefensible. But damned his speeches have a great cadence.

But if I have to vote for the overall package, my pick has been and still is Thomas Riley Marshall. This was a brilliant, funny man in a job that was beneath him. Sitting in his office as tour groups passed, he one day yelled at the passing visitors, “If you look on me as a wild animal, be kind enough to throw peanuts at me.”

He summed up the regrettable reality of his office with this self-penned job description of his place in the Office of the Vice Presidency: “To acknowledge the insignificant influence of the office; to take it in a good-natured way; to be friendly and well disposed to political friend and foe alike, to be loyal to my chief and at the same time not to be offensive to my associates.”

After his second term, he was asked what he wanted to do in retirement. “Well, I don’t want to work. I wouldn’t mind being Vice President again.”


BJM: Here's the budget line. Why should people be interested in a book about the Vice Presidents?

BK: Besides Wayne’s elegant and amazingly rich portraits and illustrations, this is a treasure trove of head-scratching political tales that have escaped the attention of the curious over the last few generations. Excepting the popular tales of Aaron Burr shooting Alexander Hamilton, and Dick Cheney shooting Harry Whittington, any question about our Vice Presidents draws a Homer Simpson stare from most. That’s not a comment on our collective intellectual curiosity, or the quality of our education system. It’s quite simply an area of our history where no one imagined there was anything interesting or edifying. The office itself has been treated with so little respect—not the least of which by our Presidents, even some of those who have been Vice Presidents themselves—that it never occurred to most of us that there would be anything about the office they would care to know.


BJM: What's next for you gentlemen?

BK: I’m all for fame, six or seven printings of Veeps, a baker’s dozen or more of collaborations between Wayne and myself, and a mention on TMZ.com every two or three days. And a Blackberry. I just want to own a Blackberry.

And actually, Wayne already owns a Blackberry, so he’s already ahead of me on that point.
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Panelology – Your Collection is Incomplete, Part 2

by Brandon

In this week’s Panelology, we take another look at a comic book collection. But not just any ol’ collection; your collection! That’s right. Have you ever felt like your collection has been missing something. Is there a story-shaped void in your collection that needs to be filled? If so, I offer four suggestions to get your geeky jollies out on. Some of the stuff is obvious and mainstream. Some of the stuff is out of the way and may take a little bit of effort on your part. But what self-respecting comic fan doesn’t put a little effort into his or her collection?


The Surrogates #’s 1-5, Top Shelf
By Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele
Available in The Surrogates issue #’s1-5 or in Hardcover/Softcover TPB
This book was a recent “read” for me. I had heard for quite a while now that this title was flat out awesome. Despite the praises, I just never really checked it out. That is until the recent $3 Sale at Top Shelf. Words can barely even describe how awesomely good this book is. The Surrogates tells the story of a society that has devolved into technological dependence and addiction. People can buy android surrogates to interact with the world in their place while they lay around all day and play out their own lives vicariously through these androids. It’s not original to say this, but how very Philip K. Dick. The comic is smart by having playing off the themes of humanity’s fascination of technology and the alienation it causes. The artwork is brilliant and subdued. Everything just clicks for this book. I’m anxious to see how the movie turns out, which will no doubt give this book a well-deserved higher profile.

Fell #’s 1-8, Image
By Warren Ellis & Ben Templesmith
Available in Hardcover, TPB and issue #’s 1-8
I don’t consider myself a rabid Warren Ellis fan. He’s just one of those creators that seem to create a fervent, cult-like following for much of what he does. In fact, m y only claim to Warren Ellis fame is that I did have a beer in a bar whilst sitting next to him a t HeroCon a few years ago. That’s pretty much it. Outside of a few titles like Ministry of Space, Transmetropolitan, and The Authority, I never really enjoyed much of his work, and of those three, I only thought Ministry of Space was superb. However, Fell is probably one of my favorite titles currently being published. Why? Well, for one reasons it’s cheap. It’s a two-buck comic that dings in usually around sixteen or so pages. Yet it accomplishes much more in those Spartan pages than most comics do in a whole year of story arcs, crossovers, and big budget events. The book follows the crime-fighting antics of Detective Richard Fell in the mythological/seedy city called Snowtown. Cop shows are fodder for my brain, but Fell has an underlying mystery and symmetry to it that goes beyond the homicide investigations one can see at any given hour on basic cable. Templesmith’s wonderfully erratic art punctuates the sordid depravity of Snowtown like no artist could. The only frustrating thing about this book is its tardiness. Started in 2005, only nine issues have made it to stands thus far. Pick these issues up or turn in your fan boy badge at the door.

All-Star Superman #'s 1-12, DC
By Grant Morrison & Frank Quitley
Available in TPB, Hardcover, and as issue #’s 1-12
I hate Superman. I can’t really explain the origins of this strong dislike for the most iconic comic book character. I’ve always had a strange aversion to him, ever since I was little. He just seemed to be too strong and invulnerable, too clean and infallible for my jaded taste in comic books. However, I love Grant Morrison. Like Warren Ellis, he’s created a cult of devoted fans that follow his work wherever he may land. While I wouldn’t say I’m a member of that cult, I do tend to pick up books with the Morrison stamp of approval. Morrison and Quitley were phenomenal in their X-Men run together. When DC started their All-Star line in a somewhat hokey attempt to counter the popularity of Marvel’s Ultimate books, I decided I would give one of my favorite teams a try at my least favorite character. Much to my surprise, they actually managed to write a great story and they pulled off quite a magic trick; they made me like Superman. Superman seemed believable through Morrison’s vulnerability. Though the story covered a lot of ground in twelve issues, the overarching theme was that Superman was dying. Facing mortality made Superman seem relevant, like he actually had a dog in the fight for life instead of just moral responsibility to save humankind from itself. That didn’t happen in the 90s when Superman faced death and overcame it. Yet it happened here, quietly and without black polybagged gimmicks. For the first time in comic book reading lifetime, I felt for Superman. This book is essential for anyone’s collection because it represents a true, unique vision of the man of steel that doesn’t just strictly involve super-heroics as usual. To borrow a phrase from President Obama, this was change we could believe in. This was Superman.

Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1, Marvel
By Brain Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley
Available in single issue format or in Ultimate Annuals Vol. 1, Ultimate Spider-man Hardcover vol. 8, or Ultimate Spider-Man TPB vol. 15
While many fans are still irate with Marvel over the dissolution of Peter and MJ’s wedding, the Ultimate universe still has the couple sporting around. However, in late 2005, there was a sudden yet plausible shift in relationships in Ultimate Spider-Man’s life. Yes, you read that right. It was a believable shift in the relationship that didn’t involve Mephisto or Peter selling off his soul. Peter and MJ were kind of in a slump in their relationship. Much like her Marvel Universe counterpart, MJ had been the target of several attacks on Peter, who has been pretty fast and fleeting with his secret identity. A lull in their relationship left a female emptiness to be filled. Enter Kitty Pryde. Yes, that “Hey, isn’t she in the X-Men?” Kitty Pryde. While fighting the Shocker these two realize that they work well together on and off the field of battle. For Peter, here was a girl who actually defend herself if, say, Rhino decided to show up unexpectedly. For Kitty, Peter represented someone who could actually empathize with her and her powers. In my opinion, this is by far the best issue of Ultimate Spider-Man yet to be published. Also, it marked an end for me. While this was a great issue, it marked the pinnacle of the series. Ultimate Spider-Man just hasn’t been that gripping since then. It’s fun and entertaining, sure. But it just doesn’t grab me like it once did. Hopefully that will change soon, but this issue is possibly the best written story of this decade. It’s fun, playful, and genuine. You can’t go wrong with that.

Fanenomics
Next week, just like everyone else in the multiverse, I'll be talking about the bad economy. Fans can find their investment into their favorite hobby taking a nosedive when the economy goes the way of Jean Grey. What can a fan do to deal with the economic malaise and get their comic book fix?

That's next week.

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Panelology - Your Collection is Incomplete, pt. 1

by Brandon

When you look at your collection, do you feel a comic book shaped void? Go ahead, you can admit it. We’re all missing something considered essential by fans. Occasionally, I’ll offer some sage-like (read; asshole) advice on what every respectable collection should include. Don’t have it in your collection yet? Your Namor bust should hang its head in shame. The old. The new. The obscure. The iconic. It will all be represented. The only thing I can promise is that I’ll at least leave Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns off. I mean, let’s face brass tax here, folks. If you don’t own those two yet, I’ll need to collect your service weapon and badge as you exit the building.


Locas: The Maggie & Hopey Stories, Fantagraphic Books
By Jaime Hernandez
Available in HC or individually throughout Love & Rockets Volume 1 #’s 1-50

Love & Rockets is one of the best independent comic books ever produced. The sometimes madcap antics contained within either volume of the series, the first run from 1982-1995 or the latest incarnation published from 2001 to the present. You could effectively stack up the works of Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez against any of the big name creators today and have a very proud representation of the breadth and scope of the possibilities of the comic book medium. My favorite stories from Love & Rockets have always been the Maggie and Hopey stories. Of the two character, the beleaguered, often frustrated, Maggie is my favorite. Jaime did something very brave with Maggie as a character; he evolved here. In a medium where character evolution (note, this is different than development), Jaime turned Maggie from bombshell babe to a realistic heavyset girl. Time and gravity tame all things. These stories are always funny, seldom boring, and consistently engaging. And what can be said about Hopey? Well, if you don’t find something to at least smile widely at in each story, then you should be ashamed of yourself.


The Ultimates, Volumes 1 & 2, Marvel
By Mark Millar & Brian Hitch
Available in HC, TPB, or individually in Ultimates #’s 1-13 and Ultimates 2 #’s 1-13

Most of the comic book news that has been released lately has been, for me at least, pretty lackluster. The only thing that really set my fanboy heart on fire is the Announcement that Millar would return to his Ultimates roots in writing Ultimate Avengers. The first two volumes of The Ultimates were absolutely plagued by lateness issues. However, having all now completed and having read the totally monotonous Ultimates 3, one can really appreciate the original stories. I believe this is a modern day classic. Gone are the positive beams of optimism Stan Lee & Co. gave us in the 1960s. The heroes presented in the first two volumes of The Ultimates are heroes for a jaded, post-industrial world readers that understand that the definition of heroics is constantly in flux and often different depending on culture and political leanings. Our supermen are only as super as far as their powers can take them, but they are flawed human beings at their core. The Ultimates stands as a modern morality play on the post-9/11 world. As Stephen King likes to point in his Dark Towers books, the world truly has moved on. In a world where The Ultimates exist as true mirror to mirror reflection of our own cynicisms, how can cheerleader heroes like Superman be relevant? I believe the answer is that they aren’t. Millar and Hitch brought a brutal modern realism to the superhero genre much like what Miller, Moore, Chaykin, and others did in the 1980s. There’s no turning back.

Savage Sword of Conan Volume 1, Dark Horse/Marvel
By John Buscema, Gene Colan, Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Gray Morrow, John Romita, Barry Windsor-Smith, et al.
Available in TPB or in Savage Tales #’s 1-5 and Savage Sword of Conan #’s 1-10

Conan has always been one of those sword and sorcery staples fans have pointed to as being a truly iconic character. As sexist, racist, and xenophobic as some of Robert E. Howard’s stories could be at times, Conan is still one of the principles of the genre. The standard by which any Conan comic should be measured is The Savage Sword of Conan. The regular Marvel series was great, but Conan was never better than in glorious black and white from the Savage Sword title. More akin to the magnificent modern day Conan titles produced by Dark Horse, Savage Sword felt like Robert E. Howard’s vision for Conan than the many pastiches of the day. It was violent, adventuresome, stark, and demanded the full attention of the reader’s imagination. No better celebration Robert e. Howard’s work exists than the stories in this volume. Seeking out the single issues might prove to be an expensive venture in the short run, but just think how magnificent would they look there among your collection.

Promethea Volume #’s 1-5, ABC/DC
By Alan Moore & J.H. Williams III
Available in HC, TPB, and individually in Promethea #’s 1-32

Alan Moore is obviously a prolific writer who has written so many classics that it is almost impossible to think that anyone would be lacking in the “Alan Moore Department” of their collection. However, many fans have passed on Promethea. Why? I’m not quite sure. Maybe there aren’t enough fisticuffs to keep the fight-of-the-month crowd interested. The reading is dense and rich as Moore explores the multifaceted ideas of magic, life, and reality. In a day and age where an average comic takes about 5-10 seconds to read, Promethea gave you plenty to read and think about for at least an hour. While in college, I remember I would pick up the issue of Promethea on a Friday, read it, and return to the book store the following day to have a discussion about the issue. Those were some of the most intellectually stimulating moments of my life. And it was about a comic book. Will wonders never cease? Moore’s poetic writing is complimented by William’s exquisite drawing and homage covers. One has to wonder how Moore always seems to get the perfect complimentary artist for his stories. Maybe it’s magic. Tracking these issues down in any format, collected or individually, will be well worth the effort.


Super F*ckers #’s 1-4
By James Kochalka
Available in Super F*ckers #’s 271 (1), 273 (2), 277 (3), & 279 (4)

I said in a recent article here that Kochalka is the funniest man creating comic books today. Period. I stand by that statement. Case in point? Super F*uckers. Why? If Millar paints a realistically bleak picture of the socio-political elements of our society, Super F*ckers is a glimpse into how real young adults would handle the responsibility and melodrama of being in a team. The result? Petty, asinine disputes that will make you laugh. The team’s leader is gone, so therefore the team devolves into pretty much mental mush. Add superpowers to the typical young adult dynamic, and you have a charged recipe for hilarity. Even the numbering of the title is off to give readers a sense of “you’ve missed some things” that adds to the humor. The comedy comes fast, engaging, and acceptably immature to great effect. This is what the New Mutants would probably be like. I just wish more issues would come out. Perhaps then a trade would be issue. Until then, the issues are still available and fans can get them for s mere $3 at Top Shelf for a limited time.

That’s it this week. Be sure you check back next week where I will once again I hope to prod and poke you with all of my idiotic opinion on collecting.
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Raiding Top Shelf's $3 Sale

by Brandon

There are so many reasons to love reading comics published by Top Shelf Productions. They are probably the most consistent indie publishers out there, producing some of the best fiction and nonfiction on the shelf at your fine local comic shop. They also have a slew of prime talent behind their books like James Kochalka, Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell, Liz Prince, Craig Thompson, Andy Runton, Alex Robinson,and many, many more. So, honestly, who needs another reason to love these guys?

Well... How about a huge $3 Sale? Yeah, that will do.

If you read my normal column Panelology or have spent more than five minutes hanging around me, you know I'm a cheapskate. It's not that I don't like spending money, it's just that I don't have much. You can't really be a "high rolla" on a teacher's salary. Every cent has to count for something. When I saw this sale go live last night at their website, my wallet leaps at the chance to finally roam freely through fields of e-commerce.

So what did I end up getting? I got some very cool stuff. Here are some of the highlights!

The Surrogates #'s 1-5 by Robert Venditti & Brett Weldele:
I've heard nothing but positive buzz about this comic. I've read several reviews online, but I haven't really seen it anywhere. The local shops around here pretty much pander to (a) DC whores, (b) Marvel zombies, or (c) Pokemon prostitutes. It's too bad because this futuristic book looks like it blends action and science fiction well. I'm a sucker for great Sci-Fi, so this book promises to be a must-read once it arrives. It's definitely going to be tough competition for the first read, but I think this book has a lock on that first spot.


Sketchbook Diaries vol. 1-4 by James Kochalka
Kochalka is the funniest man operating on this side of the funny book pages today. Period. If you have a better choice, stuff it because you're wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! I love his work on nearly everything he's done, but Super F*ckers, Johnny Boo, and Monkey vs. Robot stand out as his best. Or do they? Many people say that his Sketchbook Diaries are a lot of fun, but I've never really check them out. I hope these volumes surprise me just as much as his other work has.

Will You Still Love Me if I Wet the Bed? by Liz Prince
I literally held this book in my hand this past weekend. I had done so probably on at least five or six occasions before then. I never picked it up. I am a real big jerk. However, redemption comes in many forms, and this time it comes in the shape of three wrinkly George Washingtons. I know you're not supposed to judge a book but its cover, but to hell with conventional reasoning. This is serious, damnit! The title is just stellar and the art looks fantastic. Battling the Surrogates for the top reading spot will be this little title of relationship vignettes. Not only am I a sucker for good Sci-Fi, I love reading about relationship comic books. Not in a 90210 sort of way, just the type of comics that look at the real side of life and love. This looks like it will fit the bill nicely.

Bacchus Vol. 1 by Eddie Campbell
Eddie Campbell is one of my favorite artists, but I have neglected to pick up any of his Bacchus comics or trades. I feel real reformed-Southern Baptist guilt over this. Catholic guilt can't even hold a candle to that type of guilt! The story of Greek Gods surviving into the modern era is a compelling framework for the series. And for $3, how could I pass this opportunity up?

There's more to my massive order, but I won't go into details just yet about those other purchases. Why? Well, I figure I can squeeze another article of them. Plus, I want you to stop reading this, get off your ass (at least your digital ass) and head over to Top Shelf right now to buy some great comics! I promise you will be satisfied. That is unless you have no soul, in which case, it's probably tough convincing you of anything.
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Panelology - Casualty of the 90s: Warriors Of Plasm

by Brandon
We all probably fondly remember a comic book or company that went away in during the 90s due to one creative failure or business miscalculation. Though the company or title remains forever in our hearts, they have sadly passed on to the nether region known as the dollar bin, or even worse, the trash can. Some of these titles were exciting, refreshing, and new. Many of these titles were terrible beyond the imagination of anything these hokey events from the Big Two could slop at us. But yes, Virginia, there were some quality titles that went the way of the dodo, dinosaur, and southern liberal. Defiant’s Warriors of Plasm stands as one of those imaginative titles that were woefully destroyed by the ridiculous and spiteful underpinnings of the 1990s. Feel like getting mad at Marvel today? Of course you do! Read on.

Shooting the Shooter
Even before Rob Liefeld was a twinkle in a fanboy’s evil eye, Jim Shooter could get the fans all abuzz with hate, blood pressure rising in raging, foaming about the mouth with cheap plastic Halloween swords in hand ready to storm the Marvel Offices in New York. Shooter has never shied from controversy. Shooter has also never shied away from trying new things and shaking up the nuts and bolts of comic books, especially certain well established properties. I think Captain America fans still have bounties out for his scalp.

Whether you love or hate Jim Shooter, he entered the 90s with a great drive to bring new comics to the forefront, first with Valiant Comics and later with Defiant. The story of Valiant Comics is one for another Causalities of the 90s column, but it is impossible to talk about Defiant without looking at Valiant briefly. Valiant successfully published original and licensed properties and helped lead the charge for those cheesy chromium covers. I know, ugh. Valiant was wildly successful for an independent publisher, but despite the success, there was a question of selling the company, which Shooter disagreed with. Also, there was the question of Shooter being quite the dictator when it came to his editing practices. Shooter would eventually be forced to leave Valiant for a time, though he would later return, causing even more trouble once he returned. But that’s another story for another time.

Defiant to the Last
Not to be outdone by his Valiant partners, Shooter would Defiant, headhunting several of the creative talents populating some of Valiant’s best books. One of those creators was David Lapham. Shooter and Lapham created Warriors of Plasm together. Warriors of Plasm was a pretty funky title. How freaky was it? Freaky. Imagine David Bowie creating a strange space opera in the 1970s that involved aliens, the end of days, and decadence. Well, on second thought, scratch that.

Warriors of Plasm followed the story of a sentient planet, the Org of Plasm. Being a living world, it was constantly hungry. The Org had to be fed constantly, so those people who followed the Org had to conquer plants and offer up tasty, meaty morsels to the great Org. Mmm mmm, good. Lorca, the lead guy on the acquisition of munchies for the Org, had a change of heart when it came time to devour our humble planet, Earth. He genetically modified five humans to stand up and defend Earth against the impressive hunger of the Org.

Hilarity and problems ensue. Unfortunately for Defiant, they ensued both on and off panel.


Marvel at Marvel’s Legal Might
Do you remember the Marvel character Plasmer? Of course you don’t. And if you do? You’re a loser. Your guild in World of Warcraft needs you now to raid some mine or castle or whatever it is you do. On a scale of comic book coolness from 1 (Quasar) to 10 (Wolverine), Plasmer scores a whopping -15.2. Well, if anybody remembered Plasmer it was Marvel. And Marvel’s Legal Department.

Apparently, on the surface, Marvel believed that we fans were too incompetent to recognize the difference between Plasmer and Warriors of Plasm. Let me write those two names again for those of us Marvel considers to be too stupid; Plasmer and Warriors of Plasm. Right. And this was in the era before flawed Joe Quesada-like thinking at Marvel. Originally, the title of the comics was supposed to be just Plasm, but Marvel still sued after the name change. Excelsior!

It doesn’t take an insider to see that this was probably more a vendetta against Defiant and Shooter than it was about protecting their intellectual property. Full disclosure; I feel dirty using the term “intellectual property” for Plasmer. Marvel’s pursuit of the lawsuit would prove fail in court, but it was enough to topple Defiant as a company. The large legal fees used defending itself from such a frivolous lawsuit alone helped topple Shooter’s Defiant Comics. The lesson learned here for independent publishers; don’t mess with Marvel. Even in legal defeat, Marvel has a deeper wallet than you do.

A total of fifteen issues (#’s 0-13 and a holiday special) and one trade of Warriors of Plasm were published before the plasmatic axe came down on the title.

The Dust Settles
Defiant was brutally victimized by the Marvel juggernaut for daring to infringe on the much beloved Plasmer. But this story does have a bit of a silver lining. At my core, I’m an optimist, so I can’t leave these creators or my fine readers in the negative-Nancy lurch, right?

In 1995, David Lapham would move on to start his publishing company El Capitan. His title crime title Stray Bullets would wow critics right from the beginning. Lapham would gain so much attention that he would do books for both Marvel and DC, working on characters such as Batman, Punisher, and Daredevil. He’s currently rocking the socks off of his Vertigo title Young Liars. Lapham made it! That’s too bad in a way because as his mainstream workload has increased, his output on Stray Bullets has decreased. That’s too bad. Stray Bullets has consistently been one of the best independently published titles ever produced. It would entertain, get your juices going, and constantly provoke you to think about human nature.


And then there’s Jim Shooter. He would make a comeback to Valiant in 1999 with Unity 2000, but that wouldn’t last too long. He was brought back on to rejuvenate the now flaccid Valiant line. But Shooter had chips on his shoulder and axes to grind. Mental note for all readers; don’t try to piss off the people you pissed off before by bringing unfavorable facsimiles of them into your title. It is not likely to garner you any favors and someone may be tempted to use the word “asshole” when describing you. Shooter did this. It was funny for all of us readers, like Democrats watching Hillary Clinton forcing that malevolent smile this week at the DNC. It was an odd choice of venue for revenge, but nevertheless, it wouldn’t last. Like many companies at the time, there were payment disputes out of the yin-yang. Acclaim/Valiant filed for bankruptcy after three issues. Even though he was lost in the comic book void for a while, Shooter has recently found his way back to the title that put him on the map, DC’s Legion of Superheroes.

Warriors of Plasm may be gone now, but the creators are still out there enjoying their own brand of success. You can’t ask for much better than that, can you?

Next Week…
We must say goodbye to the Causalities of the 90s for the time being. But don’t fret! Casualties of the 90s will be a regular feature of Panelology during the last week of every month henceforth. Next week, I’ll be looking at the arduous subject of the even more arduous task of cataloging your comic collection. Ouch.

See you then!
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Coming Attractions: Veeps

by Brandon

The wait is over for us Obama fans. It's Biden. Did you yawn a little too? Yeah. With all of the mystery surrounding Barack Obama's vice-presidential choice and the collective yawn expected coming from old man McCain's choice, it is only natural to want to look back at our Vice Presidents. Thankfully, Top Shelf Productions is there for us fans when we really need someone to give us background on one of the most useless, yawn-inspiring, but usually laughable jobs in the executive branch. Well, at least before we got a buffoon like Bush actually in the Oval Office.

Have you ever wondered about those individuals who are a stroke, bullet, or over-sized pretzel away from being President? It seems like the office of the Vice Presidency hasn't amounted to much until the recent administration. Hell, I even have an undergraduate degree in History and Geography and I must admit that I don't know too much about most Vice Presidents. Everyone knows the guy sitting in the big chair, but not the guy throwing wild drunken, parties just across the street from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. In fact, there probably wasn't much of interest out there on our VP's for anyone to really care. That is until now.

Enter Bill Kelter and Wayne Shellabarger.

In October, their new illustrated novel Veeps hopes to set the record straight on the most peculiar office in Washington. If the previews available are any indication of the overall quality of the book, fans of politics and humor will be very pleased. The book promises to chronicle the Vice Presidential lives of our nation's most obscure statesman. The timing is just right, too. This election is proving to be a high-interest election by anyone's reasoning.

The authors approach their material from a historical vantage point that is dipped in irony and humor. Most comic book fans will appreciate the way the authors approach the material, as it is more akin to reading something from Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert than a history book. This book is set to prove that the truth really is funnier than anything you could make up.

To promote the book, the authors haver established a website, a blog, and Top Shelf is offering a preview as well. Based on the ample preview material, it is safe to say that this will be one of the funniest books to come out this year from any comic publisher. Illustrated novels like this don't seem to see the light of day often from modern comic companies, but Top Shelf has done a bang-up job by getting behind this book. At times, the preview selections available currently are hysterical as is the case with Franklin Pierce's VP William Rufus DeVane King, the nation's thirteenth.

King was a unique character, potentially the first homosexual to serve in VP capacity. The authors write of King's personal life that, "Besides the Vice Presidency, King shared with Thomas Jefferson a rumored habit of indulging in sexual relationships with his slaves. Unlike Jefferson, though, King’s trysts were believed to be with his male slaves. We can’t know precisely all that John Quincy Adams had in mind when he called King 'a gentle slavemonger', but in this light the imagination wanders." King, like many of our first Vice Presidents, also didn't live too long once in office. He lasted forty-five days before killing over from tuberculosis, leaving a sad postscript as "the least remembered man in American history.”

Politics can be so staunch and stiff that it is a rare and welcome surprise to have a book like this come along, no less from a comic book company. History can be very funny, especially when considering an office like that of the Vice President's. Sadly forgotten over the course of time, Veeps offers an insightful and funny look at what it means to be the number two man in America.


Veeps is an illustrated hardcover by Bill Kelter and Wayne Shellabarger set to be released on October 29, 2008 from Top Shelf Productions. Readers can preview the content of Veeps by visiting their web page or by visiting Top Shelf Productions. You can order the book via Top Shelf Productions or Amazon. Read more!

Panelology - Casualty of the 90s: The X-Files

by Brandon

The 90s casualty report keeps on rolling today in Panelology. There were many spooky things going on in the 1990s comic book market, but nothing was as spooky as the eerie rise and fall of The X-Files title from Topps Comics. The X-Files managed to scare up more than just watchers during the second season boom; they managed to get a bunch of readers. The comic book exploded onto the scene in 1995, but will fizzle out by 1998 along with Topps Comics. What happened? How could a title that occupied space on the shelf with the other big league players of the day fold so quickly? This is truly a case for Special Agent Brandon and the 90s Casualty Files. The truth is out there, but it probably won't satisfy you one bit.



Secret Origins
The X-Files began humbly in September 1993. For those that somehow missed the show, The X-Files followed a pair of detectives, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, as they investigated the fringe, seemingly unexplainable elements of the FBI's massive caseload. This was a show that was steeped in so much lore that it is hard to just focus on one of the many great themes explored. There were aliens, monsters, unexplainable events, and memorable characters. As far out as it seemed, The X-Files always remained scary and relevant. The mix of horror, science fiction, and drama was just too perfect. By the second season, The X-Files had become a television darling of fans and many critics.

Topps Comics
Topps began producing comics in 1993. Most baseball card collectors will probably recognize them more for their sports cards than anything else, but they actually did get in on teh speculator boom of the 90s. Topps would focus primarily on licensed properties, including The X-files, but they would venture out into some original series. Topps landed some great creative talent (past, present, and future at the time) to work on some of these books including Tim Bradstreet, Mike Mignola, Charles Adlard, Kurt Busiek, Kieth Giffen, and Jack Kirby. the Kirby books were of interest because they basically raided his creative storehouse of untapped ideas. And though we all know Kirby was quite prolific, that is another tale for another day.

In 1995, the first issue of The X-Files hit the stands, and would immediately become their biggest success, remain so until the company folded. The creative team of writer Stefan Petrucha and artist Charles Adlard started the series. The book was selling like hotcakes. I remember seeing several copies in shops floating around $50-$100 each. Things haven't changed too much nowadays, as I saw a copy last week in a local shop still going for $45!

Problems in the X-Files...
Almost from the beginning, The X-Files was in mysterious danger. Though many fans (including this one) thought the series was excellent, apparently Fox and Chris Carter did not. Chris Carter and the other bigwigs involved with the approval process took a heavy hand in the creative process. Tony Isabella once was quoted as saying, "The main reason the comics fell behind schedule was because it took so long to satisfy the X-Files people. They went over *everything* with a fine-tooth comb, including the letters columns." Stefan Petrucha would also lament these heavy-handed editorial woes by stating that, "As the success of the series grew, I felt more and more boxed in."

Despite having some solid stories, Petrucha was sacked as of issue 16, with John Rozum becoming the permanent writer for the remain issues. In a, interview from 1998, Petrucha stated that, "I decided to leave right after they fired me. To be honest, knowing the extent of their objections, it was getting harder and harder to drag myself over to the word processor and produce what I thought was a good script.." Adlard would stay on until issue 29, to be replaced by Alex Saviuk for the remainder of the run. The editorial revisions and second-guessing would soon take their toll causing late shipments and headaches in an already rough market. Despite having several successful miniseries, a graphic novel, and some one-shots the X-Files was canceled with issue #41 in 1998. With their best selling titles now gone and feeling the universal strain of the 90s comic industry, Topps decided to fold their comic book line in 1998 as well.

The Truth is Out There Again
The X-Files would finish its 9-season long run in 2002, the series having weathered many damaging changes of its own including Duchovny's semi-retirement from the show and waning viewership. While most fans hoped for another movie soon thereafter, legal disputes and creative issues kept fans from seeing a new movie until the summer of 2008. An unfortunate critical and commercial disappointment, The X-Files: I Want to Believe was more of a putter than a bang in a summer box office that saw Batman beating up all of the competition.

Sounds like a definite casualty of the 90s, right? Well, maybe.

Along with the movie has come a new comic book from DC/Wildstorm. Issue #0 hits stands with the movie this summer and the remaining six issues are due out this fall. Maybe the final chapter to The X-Files comic hasn't been written yet? The zero-issue was quite good and I definitely recommend it to anyone interesting a good one-shot comic that doesn't involve Skrulls, Crisis, or Quasar.
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Panelology - Who Do We Read, Part II

by Brandon



Who do we read? My look into the essentials of comic collection continues this week with my second look at the companies and titles we read. The big guns - Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse are out of the way, so all that remains are the indie publishers. Some are large, many are small, but they all offer a refreshing blend of titles for comic book fans.

It can be scary to try something new out. I personally believe many fans do not go outside of their comic comfort zones often enough to experience the lush variety of titles outside of the big four. We fans can be creatures of habit, and with big events being the crutch that DC and Marvel are seemingly clinging to these days, it can be tough to tear ourselves away from these companies and the familiar titles they espouse. I promise that comics not produced by these four companies do not bite. They may nibble a bit, but if you are like me, you like it a little kinky anyway.

Though I think the lack of trying out books from independent publishers is mostly born out of a “fear of the new”, there are also economic considerations. Typically, indie books are more expensive than the titles from the big companies. Although Marvel and DC have their share of $3.99 and up books, it is more the norm for independent publishers to have the higher price point. This isn’t always true, but it certainly happens more often than not. And with the way the economy is going, it is a tough sale for fans to buy books at a higher price point. These books are also scarce. Of the four major shops in my area, only one consistently carries independently published books. So there may be a lack of exposure to books outside of DC, Marvel, Image, and Dark Horse. Part of this comes from the laziness of these shop owners, but part of it comes from their keen eye for buying trends. Why order something from Fantagraphics if Johnny loves DC books? What’s in it for them?

So, by way of introduction, what follows is a humble and short introduction to six of the other comic book publishers out there. They aren’t the smallest, but they act as a great gateway drug into the world of independent publisher. I only wish I could promise the first hit will be free. Don’t be afraid to read about them or, heaven forbid, actually buy one of their books. If you start to feel light headed, go pick up a copy of Final Crisis and rub it on your chest for two to three minutes and continue. It certainly won’t kill you to try them out, and you may end up actually enjoying something!



Dynamite Entertainment
Like Dark Horse, this publisher has started to scoop up some interesting licensed properties. Among their pack of licenses they hold, they have Highlander, Red Sonja, Xena, Terminator, Army of Darkness, Battlestar Galactica, and the Lone Ranger. That’s pretty impressive for a company that just started publishing in 2005. Chances are reading through that list, you found one title that interests you. If not, check out some of their original work, chief among those is the wild Garth Ennis superhero spoof The Boys. I also heard that they will be picking up some interesting titles from the 2000 AD brand. This company will probably be doing as well as Image and Dark Horse in the coming years.

IDW
The fifth largest publisher of comics in the USA, IDW also has some great licensed properties for fans. Angel, Transformers, CSI, and Star Trek round out just a few of their licensed titles. They have had a ton of miniseries in this licensed realm as well. They also just picked up G.I. Joe. Pretty impressive. They also have a great lineup of original work too. They are probably best known for their 30 Days of Night titles, but Popbot also received some rave reviews.

Fantagraphics
Publishers of The Comics Journal, Fantagraphics has been plugging along since 1976. They have a ton of killer books; Jimmy Corrigan, Castle Waiting, Schizo, Love & Rockets, Angry Youth Comics, and Eightball. Talk about an impressive horde of award winning titles! They also have a bevy of great graphic novels including King, Ghost World, and Palestine. Not to be outdone, they have some impressive licensed material that they have re-released like Peanuts, Dennis the Menace, and Little Orphan Annie. This publisher just puts out some of the finest “alternative comics” (whatever that means) in the business. Do yourself a favor and check on of their books out. If Noam Chomsky read comics, I am positive he would dig Fantagraphics


Top Shelf Productions
This label is probably known more for their graphic novels than they are for anything they continuously put out. Just looking at their back catalogue makes that obnoxious indie-snob that haunts your LCS grin with envy; From Hell, Lost Girls, Blankets, American Elf, Box Office Poison, Super Spy, Owly, and Korgi! They have a slew of great creators that they have published like Alan Moore, Craig Thompson, James Kolchalka, Christian Slade, and Nicholas Mahler. I mean, holy cow Batman, why aren’t you order some of their stuff yet?

AIT/Planetlar
This is another company that focuses on the production of graphic novels and miniseries. Demo and True Story, Swear to God have been the biggest successes for them in the past few years. I haven’t been as pleased with their output as others have been, but many fans really do enjoy their titles. Electric Girl is a fun all-ages read too. Check them out!

Slave Labor Graphics
Yet another publisher probably better known for the graphic novels they have published, SLG was probably one of my first indie loves. They have published some really great titles over the years including Milk & Cheese, Bear, Dork, Dr. Radium, Emo Boy, Lenore, Migraine Boy, Skeleton Key, and The Waiting Place. My first introduction to these guys came through the Evan Dorkin titles they produced, but they have been a treasure trove of entertainment for me, especially during my college years. Migraine Boy is probably my favorite collection thus far from these guys. I can’t recommend this company more highly!

My challenge to each and everyone one of my readers is to take a dip in the independent pool this summer for some much needed comic book refreshment! I challenge each of you to at least try one independent book out from one of the above for every, let’s say five books you buy this summer. So, if you buy four Marvel trades, why not buy a fifth from Fantagraphics? Or if you go to the store and buy some comics, why not pick up an extra indie or two? Like I said earlier, they certainly won’t bite and it will give you good comic book karma. I promise very few of the titles mentioned above deal with marriages being dissolved or anyone being a Skrull.

Next week, I will return with the penultimate edition of my look at the essentials of comic book collecting. I will be taking a look at where we buy comic books. I promise not spend too long with the “adults only” area at the back of the store.
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Panelology - Who Do We Read? (Part 1)

by Brandon

Panelology triumphantly returns this week after a long, but necessary, mental health hiatus! Continuing on with my look at the essentials of collecting comic books, I'm taking up the issue of comic book companies. Who do we read? Why do we slavishly follow companies? Is there hope for mankind? Read on!

Comic book fans are pretty unusual. Our purchasing habits tend to follow one company or line with great regularity. Sure, we all venture out, but we tend to follow a company's titles as a general rule of thumb. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a curious phenomenon that happens within our hobby. I'm a huge music buff, but I don't tend to follow record labels around. I, like any proud fanboy, also love movies. Yet, I don't find myself lining up at the the local yokel movie theater every time something from Paramount or Warner Brothers comes out. Even gamers tend to sample across the spectrum.

This isn't a rule for everybody, but many in our community tend to stay with one company for a majority of their purchases. I'm no different. I freely admit that I am Marvel fan. I do tend to dip out into other books and companies, but I would say a full two-thirds of all of my purchases come from the House of Ideas. Just this past weekend at HeroCon, I heard a young man exclaim as he was rifling through the 50% off TPB boxes, "Man, all of this shit is Marvel! Why would anybody read this stuff?"

Well, let's see...

Marvel
I love Marvel. I think Marvel tends to do a great job of mixing the fantastic with reality. I think in terms of character development in the superhero realm, Marvel does a better job than anybody out there. For super-heroics, Marvel offers a wide variety of titles, both solo and team books. Marvel doesn't seem to be afraid to take risks with their properties. Just look at Brand New Day and the Death of Captain America arcs if you don't buy this argument. For better or for worse, Marvel likes risks. I don't think they are as risky as they were back about eight years ago or so, but that was more of a function of survival than anything. Plus, they have a quasi-impressive line of labels now. Max, Ultimate, and Icon have solid potential. I believe the Ultimate line may be the only one that has at least lived up to its potential, but if rumors are true about this line, it could be going the way of Valiant pretty soon.


DC
Ah, the "old" guard. If someone wants superhero titles, DC is where it is at. Marvel has them too, but DC seems to be focused so much on the superhero that they seem to lose the characterization Marvel tends to focus on. That could be my own bias of DC coming in, but I don't think that focusing on superheroes is a bad thing. I think DC appeals to those fans who want heavy continuity and stability. I don't see them as risk takers, but more as stability-setters. They really have bought into the event trend, which is great for their readers because they tend to demand a more cohesive, connected universe of titles. Their Vertigo line is also one of the best lines out there for mature readers. It mixes fantasy, crime, science fiction, and mystery so well. Unlike the Ultimate line, Vertigo has far exceeded its potential. Vertigo acts almost like an indie label being hawked off by a major company. I really enjoy many titles from this line. Except for Jack of Fables.

Dark Horse
DH is an interesting company right now. They have tons of opportunities going for them. They have a good mix of licensed properties and original titles. On the licensed properties front, they have some big licenses with Star Wars, Conan, Indiana Jones, Buffy, Aliens, and Predator to name just a few. I bet DC and Marvel would cream themselves to snap up those properties! These properties bring in a locked-in fanbase that tend to follow the titles out of love for the characters. This is good money for DH. Chances are that at least one of those properties interests you, my fine readers. DH also has some really good original titles. Hellboy, Fear Agents and The End League immediately come to mind. All three of these titles are exceedingly well done. DH seems to be more willing to take a dip in the original title pool lately, which seems to be working for them. Also, their collected editions

Image
Image has a lot going for it these days. They have a stable of some really excellent titles that are very diverse. To use a terrible word, Image has cornered the market on "funky" titles. That's right, funky. That's probably not the right word, but it works for the time being. They have a zombie book, outlandish and grounded superhero titles, spy books, and action/adventure titles. Image seems to do a bit of everything and they are able to filter it through their funky lens to make it unique. Fell, Casanova, The Walking Dead, and Savage Dragon are all strong books in my mind from this company. Image has tons of potential, and I think Erik Larsen is doing a fine job tapping that potential.

Those are just four of the "big" companies. Just between those four, there is enough diversity in comic books for anybody to find a title they love. But what about the other comic publishers? Great question! Next week, I'll take us on a journey through some of the indie publishers.

I'll definitely be getting back on a regular weekly schedule too. Between taking two grad classes, teaching a creative writing class, and wrapping up the school year, things have been a little hectic around here for me. But never fear! I'll be back next week with Part 2!
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Beyond the Big 2: June 2008

by Matt

I love going through the Previews magazine every month. I spend hours going through every page, reading every solicitation and I usually find something that piques my interest. Each month I try to pick up a new book that is NOT part of the "Big 2". Here are a couple of new books that I am giving a try in August from the June 2008 Previews.





FLASH GORDON #1
America`s beloved sci-fi hero is back in a brand new ongoing series, based on Alex Raymond`s original ideas but with a modernized twist for the 21st century! CIA Agent Dale Arden draws a reluctant Flash Gordon back into the world of espionage to track down the allegedly insane Hans Zarkov - who`s been accused of creating a weapon of mass destruction. Elsewhere in the universe, Ming the `Merciful`s` tyrannical shadow looms over Mongo, where an impending civil war is escalating!

FLASH! AAHHHHHHHH! Savior of the Universe! I am a HUGE fan of the cheesey 80's epic movie that I will check out any Flash Gordon. I am hoping this this comic is a little more true to the original series that the recent television show or the silly updated Flash Gordon cartoon a few years back. I have not seen any interviews or previews of the title but I had to give this a shot! Check out the official site for more art and an interview with the creative team.


BIONIC COMMANDO #0
By (W)Justin Marks and (A)Jean Diaz
Published by Devil's Due Publishing
$0.99
Product Code JUN083852
At the whim of social prejudice, Nathan Spencer fell from grace in the Federation he once saved. Stripped of his bionic arm and cast out of society, Spencer is reluctantly called upon once again to fight-this time against his fellow bionic outcasts who are waging war against the government that rebuked them.

I grew up playing Bionic Commando on the old NES system and I cannot wait for the new version of the same game for the new platforms. I absolutely loved this game and I think this could have the potential to be a successful translation. And for only 99 cents, how can I not try it out? The last time I picked up a Devil's Due preview book for 99 cents was Drafted and that turned out to be one of my favorite books. Looking forward to this book.



GHOST OMNIBUS VOL 1
By (W)Eric Luke, (A)Adam Hughes, Terry Dodson, Scott Benefiel, Matt Haley and others.
Published by Dark Horse
$24.95 TPB
Product Code JUN080071
If you`re already dead, you might as well make the best of it. Someone brutally murdered reporter Elisa Cameron, but back from the grave as the spectral avenger Ghost, Elisa intends to find out who killed her and why and grab a double dose of .45-caliber retribution. But Ghost`s journey to the truth follows a dark, twisted path, and the revelations she unearths may lead not to redemption, but damnation. Collects Ghost Special #1, Ghost #1-12 (first series), and `Sweet Things` from Decade of Dark Horse #2.

I fondly rememeber most of Dark Horse's superhero universe back in the 90's and I am pleased that they are reprinting a ton of material from those days. The one that I am most excited for is this volume. The only Ghost stories (hey I made a funny) that I have read were her first appearence and the story that is being reprinted from the Decade of Dark Horse mini series. Ghost is probably the most popular charcter of that universe and I am interested to see why.

I get all my comics, trades and hard covers through Mailordercomics.com. Click on the banner below and you visit their site and you can order these books (and anything else from the June Previews) at huge discounts.




Next month I will return with 2 new columns! I will be posting my normal Beyond the Big 2 but I will also be posting a new column called Beyond the Big 2: Preview Review where I will be reviewing picks that I made in earlier columns. Next month will include Freddie & Me: Coming of Age, Charlatan Ball #1 and Fluffy, a hardcover I ordered a few months ago.

We'll see you on the flip side.
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