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

POLL: Niche Comics Sites?

Thinking "aloud" here...NEWSarama and CBR have gobbled up two of the better group blogs out there recently, while peripheral niche sites like the Ninth Art are shutting down. Meanwhile, the sleeping giant, Wizard, is finally doing something with their web site, already snagging exclusive columns from Bendis and Johns, and likely becoming the new home for most Marvel and DC exclusives. How long before they start to siphon off some of NEWSarama and CBR's audience and firmly position themselves as one of the top three comics sites? Six months, tops?When I think of the other comics sites, including The Pulse…

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On the Shelves: 6/7/06

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month. My weekly look at select comic books being released Thursday, 6/8/06. 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 Action Philosophers Vol 1: Giant-Size ThingBOOM! STUDIOS Tag #1 (Of 3), $3.99 Zombies...with a twist! Actually, this first issue sets up a fun premise, as the child's game of Tag is perverted into…

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POLL: Simply the Best — Marvel & DC

Regardless of what you think of superhero comics in general, there's no denying that over the years some of the greatest fictional characters ever created were birthed within the DC and Marvel Universes. Recently, a list of the Top 50 Marvel and DC characters were put forth by Andrew Wheeler and The Great Curve, respectively, so I thought I'd weigh in with my own less ambitious, but arguably more difficult, Top 5 list from each company.My choices are totally subjective, of course, and in some cases reflect the potential of a character as opposed to its actual history. (In some…

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On the Shelves: 6/1/06

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month. My weekly look at select comic books being released Thursday, 6/1/06. 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 Skyscrapers of the Midwest #3ADHOUSE BOOKS Skyscrapers Of The Midwest #3, $5.00 If you only buy one non-superhero comic book this week/month/year, let it be Skyscrapers Of The Midwest #3. Seriously. In the…

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COMMENT: NYT on Minorities in Comics

[Edited for clarity on 5/30/06] Funny that this article in the NY Times has been referenced by others for its apparent spoiler re: Batwoman (she's not Renee Montoya, which is all I care about) instead of its main point, the increasing diversity at the Big Two. Funny strange, not funny ha-ha, of course. Straight (and Not) Out of the Comics By GEORGE GENE GUSTINES But this year will be a banner one for diversity in the $500 million comic book business. At DC Comics, an effort is under way to introduce heroes who are not cut from the usual straight…

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COMMENT: 52 Putdown

I'm done.Week Three did nothing for me, and the numerous continuity issues already popping up in and around a series that is all about continuity is just way too distracting. Especially at $2.50 a pop. One of the bigger problems for me is the use of the weekly/daily timeline that doesn't feel the least bit organic, with scenes seemingly being spread out and arbitrarily labeled Day Two, Day Three, etc.Side note: Did anyone else think Detective Jiang in the opening scene this week looked like a slightly tweaked Crispus Allen? AKA, the recently deceased partner of Renee Montoya (who was…

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On the Shelves: 5/24/06

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month. My weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 5/24/06. 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 Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness (Vol. 3)ASPEN MLT INC Shrugged #0, $2.50 A: Shrugged; Q: What I did after reading the Fathom TPB? (Bought on deep discount last year via Mile High…

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