On comics and other pop culture topics, including archived Comic Book Commentary posts from 2005-2007.

On The Shelves: 11/16/05

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month!My weekly look at select comic books being released tomorrow, 11/16/05. 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]AMAZE INK (SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS) Pirate Club #8, $2.95The digest collection of this caught my eye a week or two ago. Might finally pick it up.BLUE KING STUDIOS Black Heart Irregulars #2, $3.00The first issue was kinda fun, "like The…

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COMMENT: On Snobs and Good Comics Shops

I hate snobs. Of any stripe, really; literature, movies, music, TV...I hated them in the poetry scene, where snobbery usually takes the form of condencension towards anyone who was popular and/or topical, without necessarily being the finest craftspeople. I hate them equally in the comics scene, where superhero fans are looked down upon like high school dropouts and [insert late-shipping indie darling du jour here] is offered up as the equivalent of a GED, their first step to a better, more fulfilling four-color life.MEMO TO THE COMICS BLOGIVERSE: Stop trying to tell people that what they read sucks, and what…

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LINK: Superman Returns

Alright folks, the official web site for Superman Returns has opened up. I just took a quick tour and I really like it. It's very clean, nothing fancy. In fact, it's the polar opposite of the Fantastic Four web site.The site has 11 wallpapers ready for downloading, and 8 production stills on display. For your pleasure, they've also included buddy icons of everyone's favorite characters, as well as the teaser poster.By far, the best feature of the site is Bryan's Video Journals. They're posting video blog entries following the production of the film, with Bryan Singer as your guide. The…

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On The Shelves: 11/9/05

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month!My weekly look at select comic books being released tomorrow, 11/9/05. 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]ALIAS ENTERPRISES LLC Lethal Instinct #4 (Of 6), $2.99 Sixgun Samurai #2, $2.99Comics like Lethal Instinct still being published makes me think Alias is run like a vanity press. Sixgun Samurai totally slipped under my radar, so I might give…

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Buzzscope/CBC Editorial Office

My “inbox”:

The stack on the top left is everything I’ve read recently but not reviewed, either for Buzzscope of CBC Quickees. Approx. 15 comics deep is where intended reviews go to die. 🙁

The stack on the top right, underneath the New York TimesInfinite Crisis article, is mostly completed mini-series and story arcs that I’ve not yet filed away. There’s also some random issues of Moon Knight and Marc Spector: Moon Knight I pulled a while back in anticipation of my interview with Charlie Huston, and a complete run of The Saga of Crystar the Crystal Warrior, one of three I picked up off eBay a few months back when I got the wild idea that I wanted to track down the rights and publish my own revival of it! Um, yeah, moving on…

The stack on the bottom left are “not current” comics I haven’t read yet. Mostly digests and odd-sized TPBs – including Scott Pilgrim #1-2 and You Ain’t No Dancer – the first two issues of El Muerto landed on top of that pile because I didn’t want them to get buried underneath–

the stack on the bottom right, “current” comics that I haven’t read yet. There’s a few TPBs on the bottom, including Flight Vol. 2, but it’s mostly floppies, and the pile has steadily gotten bigger ever since I took on the editorial position over at Buzzscope. Rocketo #1, XIII #1, Winter Men #1-2 are all in there somewhere.

Underneath them are 2 long boxes and 3 short boxes, holding, respectively, current arcs and mini-series, my incomplete collection of the original EPIC line of comics, my 2/3rds-complete collection of Moon Knight (including significant appearances), completed indie mini-series’, and random first issues of series’ I’m not collecting.

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Buzzscope: Down With the King?

My latest Establishing Shots column is up, a look at what Stephen King's DARK TOWER project with Marvel means for indie creators.This isn’t Joss Whedon taking on the X-Men or promoting his movie; and it’s not Brad Meltzer taking on some of the most recognizable icons in American pop culture. This is Stephen King offering original material in a sequential format, in a genre that is, to put it charitably, under everybody's radar when it comes to comic books.Funny thing about a monthly column that's equal parts commentary and site hype, is the commentary aspect rarely ends up being about…

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On The Shelves: 11/2/05

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month!My weekly look at select comic books being released tomorrow, 11/2/05. 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]ACC STUDIOS Liberality For All #1 (Of 8), $2.99Part of me feels obligated to pick this up, just because I believe I should be aware of all the "notable" comics out there, and part of me is reluctant to validate…

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