Friday, June 26, 2009

IDW Releases Captain Canuck



First hardcover collection available now


IDW Publishing is proud to release the first hardcover collection of "Canada's own" Captain Canuck, available in stores throughout Canada and the U.S. now. The first of a two volume series, Captain Canuck Vol. 1 will feature issues #4-10, written by Richard Comely with art by George Freeman and Claude St. Aubin. This volume will also include previously unpublished newspaper strips, plus sketches by Freeman.

Debuting in 1975 by Ontario-resident Comely, Captain Canuck became the first and only Canadian-published superhero comic book distributed on the mass market throughout the U.S. Canuck gained an impressive fan base during its five year run and continues to delight readers across the continent. In addition to a captivating story, Captain Canuck was also printed using revolutionary colour techniques, allowing for a greater range of colour.

"I was a big fan of Captain Canuck as a teenager," said Scott Dunbier, IDW's Special Projects Editor. "It's great to finally see it printed as beautifully as the material deserves."

More than 2.3 million copies have been printed since the series was first published. For the twentieth anniversary, Canada Post issued a Captain Canuck stamp, which quickly became one of Canada Post's best selling stamps. Following Captain Canuck Vol. 1, IDW will release the second volume featuring issues #11-14 and The Summer Special, later this year.

"Captain Canuck has a large fan base in the U.S. as well as Canada," states Comely. "It's been a joy to work with a company and an editor who enjoy the work and the characters we created. Fans will be delighted to see the art so well presented."

Captain Canuck Vol. 1 is now available in stores.


Read more...

Read More

New JLU 6-Packs Coming to Target in August




Hey JLU fans!

It's good versus evil in the ultimate JLU matchup when two new 6-packs arrive at Target stores this August. One set is themed villains and one is good guys, but both are packed with fan requests and first-time offerings!


The League United 6-Pack

* Superman
* Mr. Terrific — first-time figure!
* Supergirl — adult figure!
* Elongated Man — comic book deco!
* Obsidian — fan-requested re-release!
* Hourman — first-time figure!


Mutiny in the Ranks 6-Pack

* Lex Luthor
* Tala — first-time figure!
* Devil Ray — first-time figure!
* Dr. Polaris — first-time figure!
* Psycho-Pirate — first-time figure!
* Gentleman Ghost — first-time figure!


I know it's hard to wait till they arrive in stores, so in the meantime here are some images. And if you're heading to 2009 San Diego Comic-Con in July, be sure to visit my booth where they'll be on display.

See you at Target in August!
Read more...

Read More

The Incredibles #3 (Boom! Studios) Review by Adam P.



Simply Incredible

It seems that whatever Pixar touches turns to gold these days. So a lot of folks in comic book land where rightfully delighted when they released the Incredibles movie. And when I heard that comics great Mark Waid was scripting a mini-series for this super-family over at Boom! Studios, I had similarly high hopes. And Incredibles #3 fulfills them all.




For those less familiar with the Incredibles, their super-powers are essentially the same as the Fantastic Four with the Flash added on for good measure: Dad is super strong, mom can stretch, the daughter generates force fields, the son is a speedster and baby can turn into flame (as well as other mysterious forms). The plot of this four-issue miniseries centers on Bob Parr a.k.a. Mr. Incredible losing his super-strength. Mark Waid's laid-back storytelling manages to end up surprising the reader in this issue with a big reveal as to where the source of the problem stems from.

Overall Incredibles #3 continues to deliver the goods. Marcio Takara's art is a delight. Nothing is lost as the super-family transitions from 3D animation to the 2D of comic books. His drawing style is crisp, clean, deceptively simple and lovingly crafted. He nails the Incredibles facial expressions panel after panel. The work Waid and Takara are doing is equally enjoyable for both kids and adults. I know that I appreciate the title as much as my five-year-old son does. Here's hoping this creative team sticks around for a while!

The Incredibles series is not to be missed by any fan of the film. That Boom! is releasing an issue #0 for this title, followed by an ongoing series, speaks to the positive response from the readers. For me, this title is like feasting on well-cooked healthy food: scrumptious, satisfying and good for body and soul.

9/10
Adam P.
Review Co-Editor
Read more...

Read More

The Runic Review: Madame Xanadu #12 (DC Vertigo) By John H



Just a little bit of Herstory repeating?

Ever dream of being immortal? Seeing eras and empires come and go, to actually bear witness to the passage of history and seeing the errors of humanity being repeated time after time? Winston Churchill said “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme”. Now imagine yourself as an immortal clairvoyant, trying to remember that rhyme, like a long lost lullaby you heard in your youth. Within that rhyme is the answer to a clue, a clue your old friends the stars won’t share this night. And the inability to get an answer from the heavens, you fear, will mean soon the time will be up for a select group of victims…




Set in a time before the great depression, Madame Xanadu #12 is rife with the art and prose of The Roaring Twenties. The glitzy glamor and the wild abandon of the era are felt wafting off of each page. It is in amidst this setting where Madame Xanadu must seek out a clue that will lead her to the perpetrator of the heinous crimes hounding her recent clients. Gleaning information about a stranger with a black dog, Madame Xanadu then seeks out friends of her client in order to deliver her dire warnings.

We are then whisked off on a recollection, (a bit of déjà-vu perhaps?) into the times of the early Renaissance, where our illustrious seer is yet again confronted by the church, who judges her knowledge of midwifery as an act of rebellion to the Church. This leads the reader to suspect that perhaps the church, an age old enemy to our forward thinking heroine, has something to do with her present day affairs.

Back in the present day, we see Madame Xanadu at the New York Public Library, seeking out an old tome, suggested to her by one of her old lovers, the Great Zatarra. It is here where she finds the answers as to how her client’s father was murdered, now if she could only find the why... However, it seems that Madame Xanadu’s efforts where in vain, for the mysterious villain has already struck unbeknownst to everyone, even to the poor deluded victim.

What I love about these comic books is how the author and artist are in sync with each other. You feel immersed in the time period, sensing the danger from the villain, and perceive the effrontery that is felt by Madame Xanadu at the hands of those less knowledgeable than herself. I also admire the way magic is portrayed as not being a crutch to the character; it is a resource at her disposal that she wields with parsimony.

Overall, this issue is a must read for any fan of the genre. Both the writer and artist continue a great storyline, and make it even more maddening when you realize you are at the end, once again.

9.0/10

John H

Read more...

Read More

I.M.O Review: Green Lantern #42 (DC Comics) By Eddie R



The wait is finally over.

As the prelude to Blackest Night finally winds down, and begins a new epic chapter, it appears we are now starting to see how the lines of right and wrong have become very blurred, and how roles seem to be reversed when pressure is applied. It makes me wonder what will happen when Blackest Night does finally hit. Will the traditional character traits we have come to expect from these characters suddenly take a leave of absence, or will we be shown something more sinister, almost to complement the darker tone generated by Blackest Night?




Green Lantern #42 finally ties up some loose ends with the main storyline concerning the battle of light. For months now we have been following Hal Jordan in his struggle to find a way to use the blue power ring. The only thing which was preventing Hal for using it was true sincerity behind his request. Well, at long last Hal hopes for something, which allows the ring to discharge its energy. But at the same time the ring also shows Hal something which he has a hard time interpreting. How this vision will play out will certainly be one of the key high points of Blackest Night, I believe.

Meanwhile, in their continuing their battle with Larfleeze, the Guardians eventually come to a realization. Knowing they will never be able to suppress the orange light, the Guardians decide it would be better to let Larfleeze remain in control of it, as opposed to let it fall into the hands of someone much worse. A truce is called, and a deal is struck between the Guardians and Larfleeze. But is the bargain struck by one group the possible undoing of another? If Larfleeze has his way, then yes.

And finally the quest of fellow Green Lantern’s Sarrek and Ash, in search for the corps of the Anti- Monitor, comes to an end. But unfortunately this ending is just the beginning, as the voices of the dead which Sarrek has been hearing and Ash have been following, turn out not to be what either hero assumed they were. Now, not only are the dead hungry, but I sense so will be the readers.

And with that, let the feast which is Blackest Night, begin.

8.5/10

Eddie R
Review Co-Editor
Read more...

Read More

Rudy's Realm: Freddy vs Jason vs Ash: The Nightmare Warriors #1



Freddy vs Jason vs Ash: The Nightmare Warriors #1

The 80's horror icons are back but this a sequel anyone wanted?

The story opens on Crystal Lake, six months after the events of the first Freddy vs Jason vs Ash mini, as government agents retrieve the Necronomicon and also try to recover the corpse of Jason Voorhees but Freddy Krueger, disguised as Jason's mother, wills Jason to arise, find Ash Williams and kill him as his soul is special.




Ash, on the other hand, has decided to retire from S-Mart and the hero biz to enjoy downtime with his girl Carrie. But the peace is short lived as a Dr. Burroughs comes to his door with a message of warning about Freddy, which Ash doesn't take seriously until he sees Krueger and Voorhees handy work.

If you haven't read the original miniseries you may get lost as to how Ash from the Evil Dead movies got mixed into Freddy vs Jason lore but to be honest if you bought this you're a fan of at least one if not every series. The writers put in easter eggs for long time Nightmare fans with the inclusion of Alice and her son Jacob (last seen in A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child) and a reference to Dr. Neil Gordon but the government's involvement and plans as seen so far seem to detract from the plot.

7/10

Rudy T.
Read more...

Read More

Rudy's Realm: Superman #689 (DC Comics)



Superman #689

When Morgan Edge, owner of WGBS broadcasting, makes Mon-El the focus of his show The Edge of Reason it causes a chain reaction. Mon-El begins to worry about the scrutiny he may soon face as a result of the broadcast.




He travels around the world seeing places like Russia, England and Spain trying to help where he can, teaming with various heroes but also stops to appreciate the beauty each country has to offer. Jim Harper aka The Guardian goes on The Edge of Reason to vouch for Mon-El's heroism and is met with no resistance from Edge which arouses Harper's suspicions.

General Sam Lane enlists the talents of the Prankster to handle one Metropolis' since he'd been able to get Black Lightning away from the city. His next target: John Henry Irons, the former hero known as Steel, who's got a much larger problem weighing on his shoulders.

This issue is laying the groundwork to plots that will pay off later on but the location jumps and one page voice overs by Mon-El as he interacts with heroes like Dr. Light and Congorilla felt monotonous after the first couple of times. Guedes' art is hit or miss as well giving a lot of detail to buildings and backgrounds but overexerting some character's body proportions.

7/10

Rudy T.
Read more...

Read More

Toys R Us Exclusive Mez-Itz Arriving In Stores This July!



Mez-itz 6" rotocast vinyl collectables that are cool by design.


Series One of Mezco's designer vinyl line presents Hellboy & Abe Sapian.

These figures, based on the character designs from the film Hellboy 2:The Golden Army unleash the potential of the Mez-itz designer figures.

Applying the essence of these dynamic heroes onto the canvas like Mezitz vinyl Mezco produces something exciting and original.

These two figures are exclusive to Toys R Us and ToysRus.com.
They can be purchased at

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3684540

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3684541

or at your local Toys R Us retail location.


Read more...

Read More

Disney-Pixar Up I Can Speak Paper Giclée Print



From Up: Dug the Dog Can Speak!

If you saw Up, the new Pixar flick, you no doubt enjoyed the journey of Ed Asner across South America. (We sure did.) Even more of a surprise was Dug, a talking dog who is probably the friendliest mutt you'll ever meet. Based on the concept from the movie, this gorgeous and adorable Disney-Pixar Up I Can Speak Paper Giclée Print is a work of art that really gets to the heart of the movie in a style that we don't see enough of these days. Unframed but suitable for framing, this hand-signed collectible focuses on the character and his collar by presenting them in a two-dimensional illustration that resembles the Disney cartoons of old.

What's more, Acme Archives has a whole suite of Up art that you truly need to see. It's so gorgeous and clever that by not looking at it, you're depriving yourself of some of the most awesome prints we've ever sold.


Disney-Pixar Up I Can Speak Paper Giclée Print
Description:

* Look! I can speak!
* Eye-catching paper giclée print, hand signed by artist Eric Tan.
* Limited edition from the Disney-Pixar Up movie.
* Crafted by Acme Archives.

This dog will tell you what's on his mind! Hand signed by artist Eric Tan, this eye-catching "I Can Speak" print is limited to just 150 pieces and includes a certificate of authenticity. The limited edition giclée on paper is printed on acid-free archival paper and measures 19-inches tall x 13-inches wide. Speak up now and order yours while you still can!

By tying thousands of balloons to his home, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns that he is not alone on his journey. Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.

From Up: Dug the Dog Can Speak!


Read more...

Read More