Guy stuff.

Vs. CARD OF THE WEEK: Bart Allen <> The Flash (DCR-173)

Take two friends who love comics. Add a superhero-themed collectible card game. Sprinkle a dash of competitiveness, and a lump of testosterone. The result? Weekly matches that turn friends into nemeses.This is not your typical "card of the week" column. Every web site dedicated to CCGs has been there and done that. This column is all about our competition, though. Dan and I usually play two games of Vs. a week, and every Sunday, we'll feature the card that we think most influenced the outcome of the matches we played the preceding week, and the metagaming lessons we learned in…

Continue ReadingVs. CARD OF THE WEEK: Bart Allen <> The Flash (DCR-173)

On the Shelves: 4/19/06

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month. My weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 4/19/06. The full shipping is list available at ComicList. [NOTE: Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your LCBS offers a pre-ordering service, be sure to take advantage of it. If not, find another one; or try Khepri.com or MidtownComics.com] PICK OF THE WEEK Dead End: Vol. 4ARCHAIA STUDIOS PRESS Mouse Guard 2nd Prtg #1 (Of 6), $3.50 If you missed the first printing, walk, don't run... DARK HORSE COMICS Conan #27, $2.99 Conan Book Of Thoth…

Continue ReadingOn the Shelves: 4/19/06

Review: La Perdida

La PerdidaBy Jessica Abel ($19.95; Pantheon Books)Wow! I missed La Perdida in its serialized form, first hearing of it when the final issue hit the stands last year, but considering it took five years to finish, I'm guessing reading it collected in one impressive tome was for the best. Unlike decompressed superhero comics where "writing for the trade" often implies unnecessary padding, Jessica Abel crams heaping handfuls of story into each chapter of her gripping tale of self-discovery and self-deceit, but they are unquestionably parts of a larger whole; an excellent, completely engaging and essential whole that belongs on every…

Continue ReadingReview: La Perdida

On The Shelves: 4/5/06

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month. Here's my weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 4/5/06. The full shipping is list available at ComicList. [NOTE: Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your LCBS offers a pre-ordering service, be sure to take advantage of it. If not, find another one; or try Khepri.com or MidtownComics.com] PICK OF THE WEEK Revolution On The Planet Of The Apes #3ADHOUSE BOOKS Superior Showcase #1, $2.95 The follow-up to last year's FCBD standout, Superior Showcase #0 (which was a spinoff of the unfortunately out-of-print Project:…

Continue ReadingOn The Shelves: 4/5/06

PopCultureShock Update #513f

Slowly but surely, I'm getting back on track over there. A huge help in that regard was finally finding a managing editor, Kevin MacDonald, who saw my posting on The Engine and endured a grueling interview process that included publicly, and intelligently, talking comics while drinking in an Irish pub. Equally important, though, is that he's actually a production editor by day, working for one of the major publishing houses here in the City. He'll be taking over coordinating and editing approx. 60% of our columns, while I finally turn my attention to getting our reviews up to snuff. Yay,…

Continue ReadingPopCultureShock Update #513f

QUESTION: If you had $20…

Last week I hit the century mark at Midtown Comics, and have a $20 rebate coming to me. It's a personal tradition that every rebate be used toward the purchase of a trade. So what should be my next purchase? The last one I picked up was Superman: Birthright, and it was a winner. So are there any suggestions from the dedicated readers of CBC? Any Marvel or DC trade is fair game.

Continue ReadingQUESTION: If you had $20…