Some of you may have heard about this little comic called Fantastic Four. Back when they were created by some guys named Lee and Kirby, they kinda started the whole Marvel Universe and put Marvel, as a company, on the map. It's about these four people who get exposed to Cosmic Rays and get amazing (or possibly "fantastic") powers, and decide to use their powers to help people, save the universe, etc. Oh, there is apparently a movie coming out over the summer based on these guys too. Does that ring a bell?
OK, all kidding aside, no comic book fan worthy of the name doesn't know about the FF. They are Marvel's First Family and, in the right hands, their adventures can make for fantastic, exciting, and just-plain-fun reading. At their best, the FF can truly live up to Stan Lee's hype as "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine." When these great characters are hooked up with a great writer/artist team, fans better pay attention.
Fantastic Four # 527 marks the start of a promising new era for the team. J. Michael Straczynski (AKA:JMS), the much-loved and sometimes controversial writer of Amazing Spider-Man, Supreme Power, Midnight Nation, and loads of other good stuff, takes over the writing duties with this issue. JMS is known for writing great stories and for finding new ideas to explore with long-running characters. Those elements are definitely in place with his first issue of FF.
In fact, all the elements of a great FF story are here. Readers get just a hint of what life would be like with a brain as super-smarty-smart as Reed Richards. We get humor, family dynamics in action, some big sci-fi ideas, and just a hint of adventure to come. JMS' great story is well-served by excellent art from Mike McKone. The characters look great, Reed's science-gizmos are cool, and even the quieter moments are visually stunning.
This is your chance to get in at the start of a new era for the Fantastic Four. If you don't try out FF #527, Johnny will give you a hot-foot, Ben will clobber you, Reed will be appalled by your ignorance, and Sue will... um, probably put up a force field to protect you from that abuse. Anyway, buy FF #527 now while it is the guaranteed Book of the Week. It's cosmic, dude!
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Man with the Screaming Brain #1
Bruce Campbell is THE man. Ask anybody who knows anything, and they'll tell ya that there is just no one cooler than Bruce. Anyone who doesn't agree is just plain crazy. Whether you know him as Ash from "Evil Dead", Elvis from"Bubba Ho-Tep", Briscoe County Jr., or from his pivotal roles in both Spider-Man films, you know that Bruce Campbell is one groovy dude.
"Sure," you say, "Campbell is cool. But what does he have to do with the Book of the Week?" Excellent question and, if I may say so, very well asked! One of Mr. Campbell's latest projects is an independently produced movie, "The Man with the Screaming Brain," co-written, directed by, and starring Bruce Campbell. The clever folks at Dark Horse Comics, seeing a chance to embrace the Campbell-cool, asked him to put together a script for a comic adaptation of the film, and THAT is what Bruce Campbell has to do with the Book of the Week.
Man with the Screaming Brain #1 is co-written by Campbell and David Goodman with art by Rick Remender and Hilary Barta. The story is a bizarre tale about an unpleasant and obnoxious American millionaire, William Cole, who makes an ill-fated business trip to a small Russian city. Cole runs into trouble with commies, a former KGB cab-driver, hilarious Russian accents, and Gypsies. The Gypsies are bad enough, but Willie's troubles really start when he runs afoul of an "unstable" Gypsy femme fatale calledTatoya.
The book is drawn in a somewhat cartoony style, which fits the story perfectly. Campbell himself says that the comic is a truer vision of the story because characters and settings can be captured much more perfectly through the hands of an artist than by any movie studio. The caricature-like art also perfectly re-creates Campbell's famous chin.
Give a little sugar to Bruce Campbell! Try out The Man with the Screaming Brain #1. This off-the-wall comic makes a great change of pace. It has mad science (love the mad science!), Gypsies, seduction, betrayal, a wonderfully violent cab driver, and Bruce Campbell! And all this is before we even set eyes on a screaming brain. Best of all, Screaming Brain is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week. Try it today! Just remember, there are two rules in Gypsy Town. Number One: Stay in the car. Number Two: Same as number 1.
"Sure," you say, "Campbell is cool. But what does he have to do with the Book of the Week?" Excellent question and, if I may say so, very well asked! One of Mr. Campbell's latest projects is an independently produced movie, "The Man with the Screaming Brain," co-written, directed by, and starring Bruce Campbell. The clever folks at Dark Horse Comics, seeing a chance to embrace the Campbell-cool, asked him to put together a script for a comic adaptation of the film, and THAT is what Bruce Campbell has to do with the Book of the Week.
Man with the Screaming Brain #1 is co-written by Campbell and David Goodman with art by Rick Remender and Hilary Barta. The story is a bizarre tale about an unpleasant and obnoxious American millionaire, William Cole, who makes an ill-fated business trip to a small Russian city. Cole runs into trouble with commies, a former KGB cab-driver, hilarious Russian accents, and Gypsies. The Gypsies are bad enough, but Willie's troubles really start when he runs afoul of an "unstable" Gypsy femme fatale calledTatoya.
The book is drawn in a somewhat cartoony style, which fits the story perfectly. Campbell himself says that the comic is a truer vision of the story because characters and settings can be captured much more perfectly through the hands of an artist than by any movie studio. The caricature-like art also perfectly re-creates Campbell's famous chin.
Give a little sugar to Bruce Campbell! Try out The Man with the Screaming Brain #1. This off-the-wall comic makes a great change of pace. It has mad science (love the mad science!), Gypsies, seduction, betrayal, a wonderfully violent cab driver, and Bruce Campbell! And all this is before we even set eyes on a screaming brain. Best of all, Screaming Brain is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week. Try it today! Just remember, there are two rules in Gypsy Town. Number One: Stay in the car. Number Two: Same as number 1.
Epic Fantasy: The Wood Boy #1
Those of you with a naughty mind may giggle when you hear the title The Wood Boy, but it isn't what you think. How many people would like to be named by the job they do? Most folks would probably object to being known only as "The Sales Lady," "The Driving Guy," "The Keyboard Dude," or "The Human Resources and Development Woman." Unfortunately, that is just what happens to "The Wood Boy."
The Wood Boy, from Image Comics, is an adaptation of a novel by famed fantasy writer Raymond E. Feist. The story has been adapted by Sean Jordan, with art by Matt Broome. Having never read the original novel, I'm not sure how faithful the adaptation is, but the story here is well-told. Broome's art is very nicely detailed, with a hint of manga-style in the look of the characters.
The Wood Boy is a young lad named Dirk. (I know, Dirk the Wood Boy is just asking for a rude double entendre. Try to be mature about this.) Dirk was looking forward to a fairly cushy life as a servant to Lord Paul of White Hill. His life of laid back Feudal servitude veers way off track when the White Hill is invaded by the mysterious Tsurani. The Tsurani take over with little blood-shed, but they are happy to demonstrate that they will not tolerate even the slightest disobedience to their rule. If anyone even looks at a Tsurani the wrong way, they will quickly find themselves hanging from the nearest available tree.
Among many other back-breaking duties, Dirk finds himself delivering firewood to the Tsurani kitchens. It is this thankless job that earns him the name "The Wood Boy." Considering the oppressive lack of fun that comes with Tsurani rule, many of the servants are not very happy with their new bosses. Since any expression of discontent leads to a one-man necktie party, things get a bit ugly and seem set to go downhill from here.
The Wood Boy seems all set to be an epic fantasy tale, something not seen all that often in comics. If you are a fan of Tolkein or Dark Horse's recent Conan series, you will probably find a lot to like in this series. Don't miss out on the opening chapter! Pick up The Wood Boy #1, while it is Four Color Fantasies' Book of the Week. You don't want to end up being called the "Wouldn't Try It Guy," do you?
The Wood Boy, from Image Comics, is an adaptation of a novel by famed fantasy writer Raymond E. Feist. The story has been adapted by Sean Jordan, with art by Matt Broome. Having never read the original novel, I'm not sure how faithful the adaptation is, but the story here is well-told. Broome's art is very nicely detailed, with a hint of manga-style in the look of the characters.
The Wood Boy is a young lad named Dirk. (I know, Dirk the Wood Boy is just asking for a rude double entendre. Try to be mature about this.) Dirk was looking forward to a fairly cushy life as a servant to Lord Paul of White Hill. His life of laid back Feudal servitude veers way off track when the White Hill is invaded by the mysterious Tsurani. The Tsurani take over with little blood-shed, but they are happy to demonstrate that they will not tolerate even the slightest disobedience to their rule. If anyone even looks at a Tsurani the wrong way, they will quickly find themselves hanging from the nearest available tree.
Among many other back-breaking duties, Dirk finds himself delivering firewood to the Tsurani kitchens. It is this thankless job that earns him the name "The Wood Boy." Considering the oppressive lack of fun that comes with Tsurani rule, many of the servants are not very happy with their new bosses. Since any expression of discontent leads to a one-man necktie party, things get a bit ugly and seem set to go downhill from here.
The Wood Boy seems all set to be an epic fantasy tale, something not seen all that often in comics. If you are a fan of Tolkein or Dark Horse's recent Conan series, you will probably find a lot to like in this series. Don't miss out on the opening chapter! Pick up The Wood Boy #1, while it is Four Color Fantasies' Book of the Week. You don't want to end up being called the "Wouldn't Try It Guy," do you?
Friday, May 06, 2005
It ain't easy being super: Great Lakes Avengers #2
What if YOU were a super-hero? At least part of the appeal of super-hero comics comes from the desire to BE a hero, to be someone with abilities and powers far beyond those of mortal men. Realistically, if most of us had some sort of run-in with experimental chemicals or radioactive waste that --instead of sending us for a lengthy hospital stay-- granted amazing powers, we probably wouldn't know quite what to do next. We wouldn't be the next Captain America or Daredevil. We might not even be the next Speedball. But maybe, just maybe, we could join the Great Lakes Avengers.
The GLA are a group of regular, everyday folks who somehow ended up with super powers. They all really want to help people, they really want to be heroes, they understand that "with great power comes great responsibility," but, try as they might, they just can't make the grade. Unwanted by any of the major super-teams out there, the GLA formed their own mid-western version of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Sadly, even as a team, these heroes have failed to make their mark. Even more sadly, their inadequate performance tends to get members killed with alarming frequency.
In the second issue of Marvel's new GLA series, this unfortunate dip in membership has forced the GLA to try to drum up some new recruits. In the Marvel Universe, if you are looking for heroes there is only one place to go-New York City! With membership down and their leader (Mr. Immortal, who tends to die quite often himself) on a bit of a "mental health break," Flatman and Doorman head to the big city looking for willing heroes to join the team. As you can imagine, recruiting is not easy for the GLA. Even Sleepwalker turns them down.
This very clever and funny look at the less successful side of the super-hero biz is written by Dan Slott and pencilled by Paul Pelletier, the talented team behind the excellent (and soon to be returning) She-Hulk series. Slott has added some great touches to the GLA, including commentary from new member Squirrel Girl (a hugely under-rated Steve Ditko creation) and her helpful squirrel side-kick, Monkey Joe. In fact, this book is worth buying for Monkey Joe's sage advice alone.
If you like your super-hero comics with a bit of humor and huge doses of satire, you should check out GLA #2. If you like comics that dare to be different, you should check out GLA #2. Most of all, if you like comics that offer advice and commentary from a cartoon squirrel, you HAVE to check out GLA #2. Do it now, while GLA #2 is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week. Monkey Joe says, "You better buy it, or Squirrel Girl will be angry!"
The GLA are a group of regular, everyday folks who somehow ended up with super powers. They all really want to help people, they really want to be heroes, they understand that "with great power comes great responsibility," but, try as they might, they just can't make the grade. Unwanted by any of the major super-teams out there, the GLA formed their own mid-western version of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Sadly, even as a team, these heroes have failed to make their mark. Even more sadly, their inadequate performance tends to get members killed with alarming frequency.
In the second issue of Marvel's new GLA series, this unfortunate dip in membership has forced the GLA to try to drum up some new recruits. In the Marvel Universe, if you are looking for heroes there is only one place to go-New York City! With membership down and their leader (Mr. Immortal, who tends to die quite often himself) on a bit of a "mental health break," Flatman and Doorman head to the big city looking for willing heroes to join the team. As you can imagine, recruiting is not easy for the GLA. Even Sleepwalker turns them down.
This very clever and funny look at the less successful side of the super-hero biz is written by Dan Slott and pencilled by Paul Pelletier, the talented team behind the excellent (and soon to be returning) She-Hulk series. Slott has added some great touches to the GLA, including commentary from new member Squirrel Girl (a hugely under-rated Steve Ditko creation) and her helpful squirrel side-kick, Monkey Joe. In fact, this book is worth buying for Monkey Joe's sage advice alone.
If you like your super-hero comics with a bit of humor and huge doses of satire, you should check out GLA #2. If you like comics that dare to be different, you should check out GLA #2. Most of all, if you like comics that offer advice and commentary from a cartoon squirrel, you HAVE to check out GLA #2. Do it now, while GLA #2 is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week. Monkey Joe says, "You better buy it, or Squirrel Girl will be angry!"
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