Friday, April 17, 2009

Joe Q Dishes On Breaking Into The Biz in MyCup o’ Joe!




Grab those pens, True Believers, because in this week’s jam packed MyCup o’ Joe at MySpace Comic Books (www.myspace.com/comicbooks), Joe offers advice for writers wanting to make their mark in the comic book industry!

Journalist Jim McLauchlin and Joe Q discuss what fans can expect in Lockjaw & The Pet Avengers, plans for Marvel’s 70th Anniversary celebration and more! Are you Thunderbolts fan? Like what Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are doing in War of Kings? Then this week’s column is for you!

As always, Joe is answering YOUR questions. Want your question answered by Joe Quesada? Well here’s your chance true believer, head on over to www.myspace.com/comicbooks now!


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WITCHBLADE, THE DARKNESS & ANGELUS STAR IN A NEW ARABIAN TALE




TRINITY: BLOOD ON THE SANDS

Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that Witchblade/The Darkness/Angelus Trinity: Blood on the Sands one-shot comic book will be released June 2009. Following last summer’s blockbuster summer event, Broken Trinity, Witchblade/The Darkness/Angelus Trinity: Blood on the Sands reunites the three core artifacts of the Top Cow Universe in a stand-alone story set in 13th Century Arabia.

The one-shot tells the tale of three different bearers of the Top Cow Universe Trinity. Mirroring recent events in Witchblade and The Darkness against a historic backdrop, Witchblade/The Darkness/Angelus Trinity: Blood on the Sands harkens back to the Tales of the Witchblade and the Tales of the Darkness series.

“One of the unique hallmarks of the Top Cow Universe is the legacy nature of our properties. Each of our flagship characters is only the most recent bearer of an ancient artifact or power, which allows us to explore really fascinating periods of the past and enrich the background of our characters,” stated Top Cow Publisher, Filip Sablik.

In a stand-alone story with the artifacts of Top Cow’s best selling titles placed into different historical period and wielded by various legendary figures, Witchblade/The Darkness/Angelus Trinity: Blood on the Sands will appeal to new and old fans alike while providing an excellent entry-point for any reader unfamiliar with the Top Cow Universe.

“Blood on the Sands tells the tale of three different bearers of the Top Cow Universe’s Trinity. I have always been a fan of the high fantasy genre and jumped at the chance to show a new side of the Top Cow Universe against a historical backdrop. The stories center around some of the unique customs and locales of the Arabian desert,” explained writer Philip W. Smith II.

Each of the tales within the larger story takes its origin from Arabic words and locales. “‘Diyafa’ the first story is about a young man seeking the help of that era's Darkness bearer, named Idris. Diyafa is a word for desert hospitality and is a custom in practice today where wanderers lost in the desert are given food, water and shelter until they are recovered. ‘Assahiyaa’, the story about two sisters torn apart by the Witchblade means; tribal solidarity. ‘Chermera’ is a location in the Sinjar mountains where a modern day tribe called the Yezidi have an ancient temple and is the scene for the Angelus story,” elaborated Smith. “All the stories are tied together by the machinations of the villanious Idris. Unlike the current modern day Darkness bearer, Jackie Estacado, Idris is a ruthless and cunning villain who embraces his dark gift and lives by the words ‘Good people die.’”

Witchblade/The Darkness/Angelus Trinity: Blood on the Sands is written by newcomer Phillip W. Smith II (The Gelding) and drawn by artists Sheldon Mitchell (Witchblade Annual), Admira Wijaya (Hercules) and Tom Grindberg (Teen Titans, The Outsiders). Artist Stjepan Sejic (Witchblade) provides the cover to the issue.


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Spider-Man: American Son, May 2009





American Son Part 1
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #595 (MAR092529)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #595 GRANOV VARIANT (MAR092530)
Written by JOE KELLY
Pencils & Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
Variant Cover by ADI GRANOV
Rated A …$2.99
FOC—5/7/09, On-Sale—5/27/09

American Son Part 2
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #596 (APR090449)
Written by JOE KELLY
Pencils by PAULO SIQUEIRA
Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
Rated A …$2.99
FOC—5/14/09, On-Sale—6/3/09

American Son Part 3
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #597 (APR090450)
Written by JOE KELLY
Pencils by MARCO CHECHETTO
Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
Rated A …$2.99
FOC—5/21/09, On-Sale—6/10/09


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Top Cow July 2009 Shipping Items Solicitations




Top Cow has released their upcomming July 2009 items

JULY 2009 CHECKLIST

Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer #1 Mark Waid/Kenneth Rocafort/Mike Choi $2.99
Berserker #2 Rick Loverd/Jeremy Haun/Dale Keown $2.99
Fusion #3 Abnett/Lanning/Kirkham/Choi $2.99
Dragon Prince #1-4 Reader Set Marz/Moder $7.99
Impaler #5 William Harms/Matt Timson $2.99
Witchblade #128 Ron Marz/Stjepan Sejic $2.99
Witchblade #125 ECCC Var Cvr Marz/Sejic/Silvestri $10.00
Art of Top Cow HC Silvestri/Top Cow’s Finest $49.99
Witchblade Vol 7 TPB Marz/Sejic $14.99
Witchblade/Darkness/Angelus: Blood on the Sands Sgn Smith/Mitchell/Grindberg/Admira $14.99


Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer #1 (of 5)
(W) Mark Waid
(A) Kenneth Rocafort
(Cov) Rocafort, Mike Choi & Sonia Oback

Top Cow’s technology based teams collide in a critical crossover event that will have everyone talking this summer!
The Hunter-Killer team’s directive to hunt down and detain rogue Ultra-Sapiens brings them head to head with the Cyberforce team in a brutal showdown that leaves more than one member bleeding. But who is manipulating these two teams into conflict and to what end?
The team of writer and Hunter-Killer co-creator Mark Waid (Amazing Spider-Man, Irredeemable) and artist Kenneth Rocafort (Astonishing Tales, Madame Mirage) bring you a crossover filled with epic action, intrigue, lies, and betrayal. Featuring two connected covers by series artist Rocafort and a third variant cover by Mike Choi and Sonia Oback (Uncanny X-Men, X-Force).

Cover A – Kenneth Rocafort Hunter-Killer
Cover B – Kenneth Rocafort Cyberforce
Cover C – Mike Choi & Sonia Oback

Full Color
32 pages
$2.99
limited series

Expected Ship Date – July 22nd, 2009




Berserker #2
(W) Rick Loverd
(A) Jeremy Haun
(Cov) Dale Keown, Jeremy Haun

The bone-crushing new series produced by Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia and DiVide Pictures continues this month!
Farris and Aaron, the two young men afflicted with uncontrollable powers fueled by anger, find out that their outbursts have deadly consequences. Meanwhile, agents of Midgard and Asgard move in to acquire both men for their own purposes. Farris and Aaron must each choose their own path, but do they really understand where the paths lead?
Featuring variant covers by series artist Jeremy Haun (Battle for the Cowl: Arkham) and Dale Keown (The Darkness/Pitt).

Cover A – Dale Keown
Cover B – Jeremy Haun

Full Color
32 pages
$2.99
ongoing series

Expected Ship Date – July 29th, 2009



Fusion #3 (of 3)
Starring Cyberforce, Hunter-Killer, Avengers, & Thunderbolts
(W) Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
(A) Tyler Kirkham
(Cov) Mike Choi & Sonia Oback

The mother of all Top Cow/Marvel concludes in July! The battle explodes deep inside Thunderbolt Mountain as a horrifying new villain emerges to threaten everyone!
Amidst an atmosphere of mistrust, the teams of Cyberforce, the Mighty Avengers, and Thunderbolts frantically struggle to contain the threat inadvertently created by Ellis of Hunter-Killer. The writing team of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (Guardians of the Galaxy, War of Kings) and Top Cow favorite artist Tyler Kirkham (Ultimate Fantastic Four, Broken Trinity: Aftermath) bring you a perfect lead into this summer’s Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer event.

Full Color
32 pages
$2.99
limited series

Expected Ship Date – July 15th, 2009


Dragon Prince #1-4 Reader Set
(W) Ron Marz
(A) Lee Moder

Get all four issues of Top Cow’s first All Ages series in this convenient reader pack! Young Aaron has always struggled to fit in, but imagine his surprise when he discovers his real father is a dragon!

Full Color
$7.99
Set (x 4 Comics)

Impaler #5
(W) William Harms
(A) Matt Timson
(Cov) Matt Timson

This fresh, new take on the vampire mythos from International Horror Guild-nominated writer William Harms continues!
Victor learns the price for his miraculous recovery – vampires can no longer kill him. Vlad demands Victor’s eternal servitude as payment. In Washington, D.C., Lt. George Wagner and his men take refuge at the top of the Washington Monument, but things take a turn for the worst when one of Wagner’s own turns on him.

Full Color
32 pages
$2.99
ongoing series

Expected Ship Date – June 3rd, 2009



Witchblade #128
“War of the Witchblades” Part 3 (of 6)
(W) Ron Marz
(A) Stjepan Sejic
(Cov) Stjepan Sejic & Luke Ross

The momentous “War of the Witchblades” story arc continues!
Every war has casualties and the climactic battle in Witchblade #127 has left both Sara and Dani lying on the ground. Which one will rise to reunite the Witchblade? Or will the Witchblade choose a new bearer entirely to carry the mantle of The Balance?
Featuring a beautiful homage variant cover by Luke Ross (Captain America)!

Cover A – Stjepan Sejic
Cover B – Luke Ross

Full Color
32 pages
$2.99
ongoing series

Expected Ship Date – July 8th, 2009


Witchblade #125 Emerald City Comic-Con Silvestri Variant Cover
(W) Ron Marz
(A) Stjepan Sejic
(Cov) Marc Silvestri

Don’t miss your chance to get Witchblade co-creator Marc Silvestri’s interpretation of “Dark Sara” previously available only at Emerald City Comic-Con! Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.

Full Color
40 pages
$10.00
Convention Exclusive

The Art of Top Cow Hard Cover
(A) Marc Silvestri, Dale Keown, Michael Turner, David Finch, Joe Benitez, Stjepan Sejic, Eric Basaldua, and many, many more
(Cov) Marc Silvestri & Steve Firchow

One of Top Cow’s lasting legacies in the comic world is the studio and Marc Silvestri’s impact on the face of comic art. Today’s top artist lists is filled with alumni of the famous Top Cow “Pit”. The Art of Top Cow is a gigantic collection that combines The Art of The Darkness, The Art of Witchblade and The Art of Marc Silvestri, plus select additional pieces drawn by some of the best artists to have graced the pages and covers of Top Cow titles. This is the definitive art collection for the ultimate art fan.
This over-sized 10” x 12” coffee table book will feature a beautiful dust cover with a unique poster printed on the inside of the dust cover.

Full Color
320 pages
$49.99
hard cover

Expected Ship Date – July 22nd, 2009



Witchblade Vol. 7 Trade Paperback
(W) Ron Marz
(A) Stjepan Sejic
(Cov) Stjepan Sejic

The new era of Witchblade featuring the team of writer Ron Marz and artist Stjepan Sejic continues! The pair committed to staying on the title until at least issue #150 and their second complete arc together entitled “Crown Heights” is collected in this trade paperback. More importantly this storyline sets the stage and leads directly into “War of the Witchblades”.
Collects Witchblade #120-#124 plus an additional story previously featured in Top Cow’s 2008 Free Comic Book Day offering, a cover gallery featuring Stjepan Sejic, Matt Haley, Tyler Kirkham, and plenty of bonus materials.

Full Color
176 pages
$14.99
trade paperback

Expected Ship Date – July 29th, 2009



Witchblade/Darkness/Angelus Trinity: Blood on the Sands Signed Edition
(W) Philip W. Smith
(A) Sheldon Mitchell, Tom Grindberg, & Admira Wijaya
(Cov) Stjepan Sejic

Get this limited edition signed by writer Philip W. Smith and artist Sheldon Mitchell. Quantities are limited, allocations may occur.

Full Color
32 pages
$14.99
Signed Edition
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Review of Green Lantern Corps # 35 (DC Comics) By Eddie R.

Family Matters.

After reading this issue of Green Lantern Corps, I feel the war of light seems to have taken a more personal tone for some of the characters. With any war, houses get divided, brother turns against brother, and the ideals of parents are challenged by the children, as to how the war should be viewed and played out. This issue seems to touch on all these elements to some degree, especially focusing on two father and child reunions, which might lead to potential turning points in this battle.



We pick up this issue right where we left off in the last one, on Oa. It is here where a massive Jail break has taken place in the Science cell blocks.

As rage and fear begin to flow into the science cells, a perfect mix is created to fan the flames of destruction. This set up allows one member of the Red Lanterns, and the rest of the imprisoned Sinestro Corps, to escape and run amok. I liked how the use of Rage, which is first applied as a brute force tactic, then fear, act as the catalysts for the means of escape, playing one against the other in this battle for freedom. As alarms sound, and members of the Corps scramble to recapture the freed prisoners, we see Guy Gardner take charge in a major way. This is the type of scenario Guy was born for, and he is used very well in this scene.

But as soon as the Battle for Oa begins, we cut away to the other side of the Galaxy where we find fellow Green Lantern’s Sodam Yat and Arisia, in orbit around the planet of Daxam.

Sodam, as a character, is at a cross roads right now. Having to choose to save his fellow Daxamites, even after all the suffering they had put him through, especially his parents, or let the fate of his people succumb to the advances of the Sinestro Corps, Sodam chooses to fight to save Daxam. But the real question is this...do the Daxamites themselves want to be saved?

I have to mention here how I really like the way Sodam is being developed as a character. He now has no choice but to tap into his Ion abilities more and more, due to the proximity of the red sun which Daxam orbits. Perhaps the Ion entity will be having a greater influence on him now? Only time will tell.

Next we cut away to Korugar, where we find Lantern’s Iolande, and this sectors resident GL Soranik, being confronted by the Citizens of Korugar City. As Soranik dismantles the throne Sinestro once used to rule from, she tells her fellow citizens they need to move on for a better tomorrow. But the crowd of onlookers cry foul of this idea, feeling cheated for Sinestro not being punished for his evil deeds. Iolande later points out the only way for Korugar to move forward is to quench its thirst for revenge, and only Sinestro’s blood can do this. Soranik is reluctant to the idea, and the final page of the book reveals as to why?

Seems all this new information from the war front is bound to have a significant effect on the end results. One can only Hope...

8.5/10

By Eddie R.
Comic Review Editor
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War of The Marvels, July 2009






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SKAAR IS COMING!





PLANET SKAAR PROLOGUE (MAR092571)
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by DAN PANOSIAN
Cover by ALEX GARNER
Parental Advisory…$3.99
FOC—4/23/09, On-Sale—5/13/09


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