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

Civil War: Can it be saved?

After reading Civil War #6, the answer is definitely no. In my opinion, this is the worst event comic DC or Marvel has put out in the three years since I jumped back into comics. Civil War makes Identity & Infinite Crisis look like f#&k!ng Shakespeare. House of M, is the next great American novel compared to Civil War.No matter how this ends, it cannot overcome the crap in the previous 6 issues.If it wasn't for the amazing artwork by Steve McNiven and the star power of Mark Millar, this series wouldn't be a hit; people would have dropped it…

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Blog: One Diverse Comic Book Nation

Over in the left column, a little ways down, are "Blogs of Note", my short-list of the most essential comics blogs that I check regularly for updates. If the democratic blogiverse is akin to the [self-elected] House of Representatives, than these blogs are the House Ways and Means Committee. Some are new, some aren't; some I usually agree with, some I often don't; but each one is a highly recommended read. (Sadly, a few are on indefinite hiatus, but remain linked in the hopes they one day return.)One of the most recent additions is Loren Javier's One Diverse Comic Book…

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On The Shelves: 1/4/07

Reading is fundamental. Don't waste your time reading bad comics out of habit! Hello, 2007! 2006 was a great year for comics of all types (be sure to check out my Best of picks) and I'm betting this year is going to be even better all-around. Hopefully Ed Brubaker's crystal ball is in working order: What will be the biggest story in comics in 2007? The rebirth of major interest in creator-owned non-universe spanning comics in the American Market. Yeah, after two years of crossovers and events, readers decide they just want to read the ones they like, and miss…

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Charlie Foxtrot Entertainment

A number of new comics publishers have targeted specific niches over the years, seeking to better serve and/or exploit untapped audiences in an effort to carve out a viable niche for themselves. Whether its minorities, women, GLBT, pre-teens, etc., it’s a topic I’ve covered specifically or peripherally several times in the past, so this latest effort caught my eye as taking a unique angle and, perhaps, having the most potential next to those targeting Christian readers.

MILITARY VETS FORM ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION COMPANY

Military veterans Ernesto Haibi, Tom Waltz, Gerry Kissell, Robert Scott McCall, Steven Fish and Michael Abrams, along with Richard Pille, who served as a civilian contractor for the U.S. military in Vietnam, announce their formation of Charlie Foxtrot Entertainment, Inc., an entertainment company whose primary focus is on making motion pictures, comic books and other entertainment about soldiers and the military.

Gerry Kissell of Charlie Foxtrot Entertainment states, “All of us at Charlie Foxtrot feel that in a time when war is at the center of mass consciousness of this great nation, somehow Hollywood, and others in the entertainment industry, manage to produce less than 1% of their over all productions about the military. There has been a gaping hole in entertainment, whether it is in film, television or in publication, regarding our soldiers serving in harm’s way. We see it as our job to fill that void, and to expand the coverage, making certain audiences and readers have the chance to experience what and who our soldiers really are, and to let our military know that they are not forgotten and are appreciated, and to insure that they are not dehumanized and relegated to being just some anecdote on the evening news. They are not just cannon and news fodder. Our men and women in uniform are amazing people, doing amazing things, and its time everyone knows it. We have made our creed simple and to the point, ‘By soldiers, about soldiers and for soldiers’.”

First project on their list is the epic war comic series, CITY of FIRE, due out in early 2007.

(more…)

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Review: American Born Chinese

American Born ChineseBy Gene Luen Yang (First Second, 2006; $16.95)When I first heard about American Born Chinese back in July, I pegged it as the highlight of First Second's second wave of releases purely based on a few preview images and its solicitation copy. After doing so, I crossed my fingers that it would actually live up to my lofty expectations, as Deogratias had set the bar pretty high. It took me a while to finally pick up a copy, and before I did, it was named as a finalist for this year's National Book Award in Young People's Literature,…

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On the Shelves: 12/28/06

Reading is fundamental. Don't waste your time reading bad comics out of habit! My weekly, semi-informed look at select comic books being released Thursday, 12/28/06 follows. 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 Captain Gravity and the Power of the VrilAMERICAN MULE ENTERTAINMENT Public Enemy #2, $2.99 It was nice to see Public Enemy promoting their comic book alter…

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Quesada on DC Becoming Marvel

From NEW JOE FRIDAYS WEEK 27:"There's a reason Batman is the greatest DC hero, he's the closest to the Marvel formula, but the rest of the DC universe I feel suffers from the same flaws as Superman. In his time, Superman spoke of the immigrant experience which was very important in America at the time, but he's also a paternal figure where as Spider-Man is us. At his core, Superman is also actually a dishonest character in his make up. He has to create a persona in order to be accepted by the people around him, the same for Batman.…

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