The Rebirth of a Classic Hero: Buck Rogers #1

In the 24th1/2 century, Duck Dodgers must track down the last element of Illudium Phosdex, the shaving cream atom, and then...oh, wait a minute. Dynamite's new comic is actually a new take on Buck Rogers. Apparently Daffy Duck isn't in it at all. Well, that's embarrassing. I'll start again.

There has been a trend lately in movies, TV, and comics to take awesome old properties and ideas and slather on a coat of 21st century gloss to bring these properties to a new audience. Some of these new takes have been excellent, like the new Star Trek film, and some have been egregiously horrible ruinations of the original property. I'm looking at you Land of the Lost and Transformers. Dynamite has decided to join in on the fun with their latest effort: Buck Rogers, by Scott Beatty and Carlos Rafael.

If you're a fan of any of the previous versions of Buck Rogers, you will recognize many of the elements of this book. Captain Anthony "Buck" Rogers is a daredevil test pilot, who has devoted his life to developing a new form of Gravity Drive that will revolutionize space flight. Something goes wrong on a test flight and Buck ends up crash-landing in the far future. He's pulled from the wreck by an "angel" in a black flight suit named Colonel Wilma Deering, and immediately forced to cope with being thrown into a world that is not his own. If you never heard of Buck Rogers until today, you still know everything you need to know to enjoy this book.

The story is fast moving, with plenty of action, but readers still get to know Buck as a full-fledged character. The art is excellent, with dynamically designed characters. Though if you still aren't sure about whether or not you should pick up this book, just let me say this: in the first issue, Buck and Wilma have to face off against an enormous, talking, cyborg grizzly bear armed with a huge blaster. Oh, and he's got an eye patch. If that doesn't seal the deal, I'm not sure what's wrong with you. Maybe you don't like comics.

So, despite the lack of Daffy Duck's dashing space hero (though Dynamite couldn't really go wrong with a Duck Dodgers comic), Buck Rogers #1 is a great book. This is your chance to be in on the rebirth of a classic hero, at no personal risk. Buck Rogers #1 is guaranteed all week as Four Color Fantasies' Book of the Week. And let me reiterate: CYBORG GRIZZLY BEAR!

Everyone loves a mystery, right? Of course, not just any old mystery will do the trick. "The Puzzling Disappearance of the Missing Sock" would probably not grab most people's attention. (Except obsessive hosiery fanatics. Those people have issues.) There are hundreds, if not thousands, of fictional detecting, mystery-solving types out there, but the greatest, most iconic detective of all time has to be Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Thanks to the good people at Dynamite Entertainment, the great detective is back on the case!

Even if you've never read Conan Doyle's brilliant stories, you probably know something about Holmes. He lives in Victorian London, at 221B Baker Street. He plays the violin. He solves crimes with the aid of his worthy partner Doctor Watson. He is an eccentric, obsessive, man, whose attention to minute details often leads him to discover the most bizarre, insoluble, secrets of his world. Of course, if you haven't read any of the Holmes stories, you should get yourself to a bookstore ASAP. (AFTER you come by Four Color Fantasies and pick up this comic, obviously.)

Dynamite's Sherlock Holmes, written by Leah Moore and John Reppion, with art by Aaron Campbell, gives readers an all-new tale of Holmes and Watson. The story will intrigue readers unaware of the intricacies of Holmes' canon, but will be an even greater treat for those who are already familiar with literature's most famous detective. A bombing in London's East End shocks the city, but becomes even more worrying when a letter sent to Sir Samuel Henry suggests that there will be more bombs, including one in his home. Sir Henry, very sensibly, summons Sherlock Holmes to assist the police in their investigations.

Unfortunately, when Holmes arrives on the scene, events do not proceed according to plan. The house and grounds are swarming with Inspector Lestrade's men. Holmes and Watson arrive shortly before the bomb threat's zero hour. After observing the scene, Holmes heads to the ailing Sir Henry's room to assure him of his safety. However; when a shot rings out, and Holmes is found standing over Sir Henry's body, with a smoking gun in his hand, things take a turn towards the unexpected.

This authors of this tale clearly have a great deal of respect for Conan Doyle's work, and their story could fit right in with any of the original tales. At the same time, putting Holmes on the wrong side of the law gives this story a unique twist. Campbell's art perfectly captures the gaslit, foggy, streets of Victorian London, which are as much a part of Holmes' appeal as the man himself.

With a new movie on the way (Starring Iron Man, no less!), and this new comic on the stands, now is the perfect time to become a Sherlock Holmes fan. It doesn't take a deductive genius to see that you should pick up Sherlock Holmes #1 & 2 this week at Four Color Fantasies. Don't wait for a mysterious invitation, written in code, with invisible ink, to drop through your door. Try this book now, while it is guaranteed!

The Story Behind One of Marvel's Most Powerful Super-Villians: Dark Reign: The Hood #1

Back when Parker Robbins first appeared in his own series, he was just a small-time thug. Parker wasn't really evil, he just grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, and didn't really know what to do with his life. He tried to take care of his family the only way he knew how-by stealing stuff! He was a complete nobody until the day that one of his criminal escapades landed him with the hooded cape that would give him supernatural powers and a new name: The Hood!

If you've been reading any of Marvel's Avengers titles, you already know that The Hood has come a long way since his humble beginnings. He's built the largest, most successful super-human criminal cartel the Marvel U has ever seen! Usually, any group of super-villains falls apart as soon as their massive egos collide, but The Hood has been able to show them another way. By working together, these super-baddies get equipment, support, and intelligence that they could never maintain on their own. If they get caught, they are quickly busted out. Evidence of their crimes is cleaned up by experts. Best of all, when some nosy super-hero tries to ruin their fun, The Hood's people have a whole lot of muscle backing them up!

Dark Reign: The Hood #1,by Jeff Parker and Kyle Hotz, offers another look at the man under the hood. In front of his men, Parker presents himself as calm, assured, and always in control. Whenever he shows up to thwart the Avengers, he seems to be a terrifying and unstoppable force. In this limited series, we see that the powerful crime boss is not that far removed from the hesitant, conflicted, thug he used to be. Has he become too cavalier about killing? Is he really in control of the demonic forces that give him his powers?

The Hood occupies a precarious position in the "We love Norman Osborn" Marvel Universe. The true heroes, many of whom have been driven underground by Osborn, oppose him in his bid for power. Osborn, with his Dark Avengers and H.A.M.M.E.R., is certainly not happy about some "freelance" villain building a power base without his permission. Not only is Parker stuck between these two powerful enemies, he also has to worry about keeping the demonic powers of the underworld, like his "buddy" Dormammu, happy.

If you want to know the story behind one of Marvel's most powerful super-villains, check out Dark Reign: The Hood #1! It's a steal at $3.99, but you can try it risk free all week because it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week! If we all work together, everybody benefits. I think The Hood is onto something here.