Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Comic News: ASTONISHING X-MEN MOTION COMIC "RISE UP," MUSIC VIDEO



Marvel is proud to unveil the official Astonishing X-Men music video, “Rise Up”, David Ari Leon, Guy Erez, Bronx Style Bob, Christian Altman and the Marvel Music Group.

Featuring previously unseen footage from the hotly anticipated Astonishing X-Men motion comic, based on the acclaimed story by superstars Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and John Cassaday (Captain America), “Rise Up” will have you cheering for more! Marvel is also proud to present MarvelFest NYC 2009, an all-new interactive outdoor experience in New York City to celebrate the iTunes release of the groundbreaking Astonishing X-Men Motion Comic on October 28th. Join celebrities and the biggest names in Marvel history to commemorate the Astonishing X-Men premiere, projected three stories high in Union Square at MarvelFest! For complete details and official rules regarding MarvelFest NYC 2009 please visit www.marvel.com/fest.



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Comic Review: Star Trek: Mission's End (IDW Publishing)



Star Trek: Mission's End is a new trade paperback that chronicles the final mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her crew as captained by James T. Kirk. Mission's End, therefore, serves as a bridge between the end of the Original Series and the first movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture. It is somewhat surprising that it has taken so long for this story to be told.



Mission's End revolves around the first contact between the Federation and a race of spider and insect people that have evolved on the surface of a long abandoned and colossal starship and the eventual admission of this planet into the Federation. The story has the feel of classic Star Trek, exploring themes of friction between species, religion, and even a touch of mid 1960's style feminism, which is anachronistic for 2009 but crucial for getting that classic Star Trek feel. It's all packaged in a fun sci-fi/adventure story in which you can practically hear the Star Trek theme and the classic actor's voices as you read the comic. The artwork is colorful and also captures the classic Original Series feel.

IDW is doing really great work with this era of Star Trek, creating comics that are lovingly faithful to the original source material. Star Trek: Mission's End presents an engaging sci-fi story, which does what Star Trek used to do so very well, that is use science fiction to tell a story that reflects on our own times. It's also a fun read that tells a pivotal chapter in Star Trek history, a must for any Star Trek fan.


Patrick Garone
Staff Reviewer
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Comic News: IDW Announces Graphic Novel Biography of Heavyweight Jack Johnson



IDW Announces The Original Johnson

Graphic novel biography of legendary heavyweight champion debuts in December


Just over one hundred years after the "fight of the century," IDW is proud to publish a graphic novel biography of Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight world champion. Available in December, The Original Johnson chronicles the life of the "Galveston Giant," telling the gripping story of one man's fight for equality. Long time comics mainstay Trevor Von Eeden (Batman, Green Arrow) captures the essence of a nation's struggle through the lens of one of the best boxers of all time.
"We're very excited to be bringing Trevor's work to the public," ComicMix editor-in-chief Mike Gold said. "This is one of the most meticulously researched graphic novels ever produced. It's an important story on a great many levels: not just boxing history, but America's evolving attitudes toward race at a time when lynching remained all too common."

The first son of former slaves, Jack Johnson would come to embody the struggle against racism that still plagues society today when his 1908 victory over a white boxer for the heavyweight world championship sparked racial clashes across the county. Johnson became an international celebrity and a major inspiration for generations of people fighting discrimination and inequality.

"This will be the first time that this remarkable man's story will be told in a comics format, and the first time that it will have been told by a black man," Von Eedon stated. "I'm telling the story of Jack Johnson my own way, the way this important story needs to be told. I've been working on The Original Johnson for over 12 years, doing an intense amount of research and honing my artistic skills. It's great to see that the book will finally reach its fruition."

A co-production from IDW Publishing and ComicMix, The Original Johnson will be a two-volume graphic novel totalling 240 pages of story, plus historical introductions. The Original Johnson contains some mature content.

The Original Johnson, Volume One ($19.99, 128 pages) debuts in December. An IDW/ComicMix co-production. Diamond order code: OCT09 0999; ISBN 978-160010-638-5.

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Toy News: New Ghostbuster Minimates Revealed



The expanding Ghostbusters Minimates line is the surprise hit of the year, invading both specialty stores and Toys R Us locations across the country.

Announced today, that excitement will carry forward into the next specialty store release - the Ghostbusters Minimates Series 3 Box Set available for retailer pre-order in the November issue of the Diamond Previews catalog!

Building on the sets already begun in earlier waves, this knockout box set delivers the final members of the marshmallow-covered crew - Gooey Egon and Winston (Peter Venkmann cleverly avoided the incident) - as well as Ghostbusters 2 versions of both EPA lawyer Walter Peck and Ghostbusters receptionist Janine Melnitz!

Each Ghostbusters Minimate stands two inches tall and features 14 points of articulation as well as a host of removable and interchangeable parts and accessories. Pre-order this set now with your local comic store or favorite online retailer and get ready for the next chapter in the Ghostbusters Minimates saga as the spring 2010 release date approaches!

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Comic News: MarvelFest NYC 2009 Announces Full Guest List For Astonishing X-Men Premiere!



Marvel is pleased to announce the full guest list for the hotly-anticipated MarvelFest NYC 2009, celebrating the premiere of the Astonishing X-Men Motion Comic, in Union Square tomorrow, October 28th, at 6pm!

Joining already announced superstar creators Neal Adams (Uncanny X-Men, Astonishing X-Men Motion Comic Director), Chris Claremont (Uncanny X-Men, X-Men Forever), and Dan Slott (Amazing Spider-Man) are Frank Tieri (Wolverine), Paolo Rivera (Marvel Mythos), Jacob Chabot (X-Babies) and Reilly Brown (Cable & Deadpool)! Also, Marvel is pleased to announce Special Guest Scott Adsit from 30 Rock, making his MarvelFest debut as a guest judge for the MarvelFest Costume Contest.

Get those schedules out, because MarvelFest is jam-packed with events! First, visit Forbidden Planet (www.fpnyc.com) for an x-tra big autograph signing session with Adams, Claremont and Slott! Then, at 6pm, head over to Union Square for giveaways straight from the House of Ideas and the MarvelFest Costume Contest, in which contestants (18 years old and older) will have a chance to win a variety of prizes, including the grand prize of being featured in a Marvel comic book! All contestants will receive a limited-edition Nick Fury Hasbro action figure (while supplies last), an exclusive Vengeance of The Moon Knight #1 MarvelFest Variant comic book and a 1 month subscription to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited just for participating in the costume contest!! Plus, get free sketches from Rivera, Chabot and Brown AND have your picture taken in front of a life-size comic book cover!

Finally, at 7pm, in celebration of the release of the Astonishing X-Men Motion Comic, based on the award winning story by superstars Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and John Cassaday (Captain America), the landmark first episode of Astonishing X-Men will be projected three stories high so that fans can experience the adventure like never before!

You’ve heard about it everywhere from TV Guide to MTV to USA Today – now experience the most groundbreaking comic book event of the year as MarvelFest takes over New York’s historic Union Square! And don’t miss the Astonishing X-Men Motion Comic, available on iTunes tomorrow!

For complete details and official costume contest rules regarding MarvelFest NYC 2009 please visit www.marvel.com/fest.


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Comic News: RICK REMENDER'S COMPLETE STRANGE GIRL GETS COLLECTED THIS JANUARY!



Rick Remender's complete post-apocalyptic epic, STRANGE GIRL, is collected in a limited edition slipcase this January!

Before PUNISHER and DOCTOR VOODOO, Rick Remender made his name writing the post-apocalyptic series STRANGE GIRL, which will be collected in its entirety this January as a limited edition slipcase collection.

"STRANGE GIRL is easily one of my most personal works and I've long hoped for a complete collection," Remender said. "Even more important to me is seeing illustrators Eric Nguyen, Jerome Opeña, Nick Stakal and Peter Bergting getting their beautiful work collected in such an edition. STRANGE GIRL was an important book for all of us and I'm happy to have readers get their first chance to experience the entire story in one collection."

STRANGE GIRL begins ten years after the Rapture, when a beautiful occultist and her pet demon embark on a road trip to the last open gateway to heaven, in hopes of befriending God and escaping hell on earth. A bare-knuckle, action-driven series, peppered with social commentary and dark humor, STRANGE GIRL is a story about the bewildering nature of religion, what would happen if the dark future predicted by many came true, and what a good person would endure for not having faith in advance of it.

The STRANGE GIRL LIMITED EDITION SLIPCASE COLLECTION contains all four volumes of the critically acclaimed series in an exclusive new slipcase along with a Strange Girl print by legendary illustrator Michael Kaluta, all signed by series creator Rick Remender and limited to 1000 editions.

Big Fan and Ratatouille star Patton Oswalt commented, “STRANGE GIRL is exactly that. Strange, plus she’s a girl. But it’s so much more. Redemption, demons, magic spells, hopelessness, friendship and belly-shirts. Rick Remender takes a loving, nostalgic look at the coming apocalypse.”

STRANGE GIRL LIMITED EDITION SLIPCASE COLLECTION, a four-volume signed slipcase strictly limited to 1000 editions for $49.99, will be in-stores January 13th, 2010.

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Toy Review: Masters of the Universe Classics Teela



October's Masters of the Universe Classics figure was the much-anticipated Teela, available exclusively on mattycollector.com. Even with the expanded amount of figures produced, Teela sold out in under a week, which is a testament to both the popularity of the character and the excitement surrounding the release of this, the first female character in the line. From the beginning there were lots of questions about how she would come out, especially how the articulation would work in this and future female figures. So how did she turn out?



As always there is a short bio on the back of the package an in Teela's case it is relatively uncontroversial. Although, there is the strange reference to her being the "cloned" daughter of the Sorceress. At this point in line, the relationship between the Sorceress, the Goddess and Teela are unclear. Especially since the Goddess is a straight repaint of Teela. I guess this is appropriate considering the historical confusion between these three characters. Part of the charm of the MOTUC series is to confuse us in exactly the same way all these years later.


Teela is a rarity in this line: she is an all new figure. Just like King Grayskull before her, she is the first of her kind and although a great figure there are some definite bugs that need to be worked out for future female characters. The first point of controversy and confusion regarding Teela was in whether or not she would have waist articulation, as Mattell had stated confusingly that she would have no "mid waist articulation" so fans were left to wonder what that meant and speculation ran wild for weeks before Mattel chimed in. So here's the deal, she has no real waist articulation, not necessarily because of the plastic of her outfit but because the joint is a good deal lower than her waist, closer to her hips (in the area of that belt of golden discs she wears.) Now there is actually a good bit of turn there but the problem is that when you turn it, the skirt rotates in an unnatural and unappealing way and starts to reveal the joint mechanisms normally concealed by the big gold leaf that is at the front of her skirt . The point is you can turn her quite a bit but you are not going to want to.


The other main issue is with the head. The female characters are going to have a smaller ball joint on which to put the head. To me, it seems very flimsy and I really don't want to mess with it anymore than necessary. The smaller mechanism also seems to result in a head that fits more loosely than on the other figures. I have read of people complaining of a bobblehead effect on line. My figure is not nearly that bad but the head is not on there as tightly as it should be .

Other than those couple of issues, Teela is a phenomenal action figure. The sculpt is beautiful, feminine and strong at the same time. The outfit is a separate sculpted piece with all kinds of great molded details. There is also lots of golden curlicues sculpted onto the guantlets. There is plenty of sculpted detail on the arm-braces and boots. The primary head is sculpted with a short ponytail. I never had the original figure but I always remember her hair in a bun on the cartoon, so this may be a reference to the ponytailed Teela that we saw in the MYP cartoon.


The paint scheme is outstanding and works beautifully with the sculpting. Teela's primary colors are white and gold, which gives her an Elvish/Egyptian quality. The gold looks very shiny and metallic, much better than the bronzy color that they used on He-Ro. I noticed a few stray paint flecks on my figure, most noticeably on her chin.

Like her father before her, Teela comes loaded with accessories. Her primary weapon is a neat new sword which is inspired by her 200X counterpart. It is painted and sculpted to match Teela's Egyptian leaf/snake motif and is inset with a large painted maroon colored stone. Teela also comes with an alternate head which is sculpted with a smooth golden helmet. This head is designed to work with the cobra armor which is also included. The cobra armor looks great and has vivid painted green eyes that really pop against the brown serpent skin (unfortunately there was a little green slop on my from the paint). The armor is sculpted with a really cool texture and actually looks a lot like snake skin. Teela also includes her Staff of Ka, her newly-named cobra-themed staff which is sculpted to be curvy and is the same great golden color that you find so much on Teela. The staff is really cool with lots of sculpted detail. It is amazing how the Horsemen have captured the look of real gold on this figure and in her accessories. Teela also includes a small shield, based on her classic accessory. This shield seems a little too small and has some trouble staying on her arm. If all of that weren't enough , Teela comes packaged with Zoar, a falcon, which itself has articulated wings and ankles. Unfortunately, without a perch Zoar doesn't really do much but it is nice to get her.


As all of you know, October 15th was kind a rough sale day for Mattel and there have been numerous complaints of problems with subscriptions and other issues associated with the sale. For my part, I had no problems other than that my figures went out a couple of days later than they normally would. I've only dealt with customer service a couple of times at mattycollector and have found them nice but generally clueless about this line. Digital River is strangely inflexible about doing simple things (why don't you know if I can combine shipping on subscriptions purchased on different days going to the same location?) and I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who is in a position to have to rely on them to solve a problem. I am sure that by and large people (like myself) get their figures with no problems but when there are problems there needs to be a functioning system for dealing with them. I hope Mattel is putting this in place for future orders as I would hate to see people turned off this great toy line because they can't get their figures.

So despite some problems with the sculpt and with the sale itself, Teela turned out to be an extraordinary figure and one of the best of the line so far. Just as they did with Grayskull they will make improvement for future female characters and hopefully give us a sturdier ball and socket mechanism for the head and a usable way to approximate a waist turn that does not make the figure look bad. Teela's gone and it will probably be a long time before we see her again but she is definitely worth picking up on the secondary market, and her green doppleganger, The Goddess will be available on mattycollector.com on December 15th.

Patrick Garone
Staff Reviewer
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Toy Review: Masters of the Universe Classics Zodak



Masters of the Universe Classics Zodak is the first bonus figure to have been offered in the line and as of this writing he is still available on mattycollector.com. Like King Grayskull before him, Zodak takes his inspiration directly from the 200X cartoon and comics, although realized in the Classics style. Although his little more than a kitbashed figure, Zodak has a lot of appeal and is a great addition to the MOTUC line.



Zodak's bio draws directly from the 200X continuity and references his backstory presented in the MYP cartoon. To justify the inclusion of both ZodaC and ZodaK in the same storyline, it is stated that Zodac trained Zodak to take his place after Zodac left Eternia on some mysterious mission for the Overlords of Trolla. Strangely, the bio omits Zodak's strongest character motivation in the series: his need to avenge the death of his brother at the mouths of King Hsss.

As stated above, there is little new to this figure: the body is from He-Man, the gloves are from Hordak, the boots and loincloth are from He-Ro and the head and armor are from Zodac. The only new piece is a staff. Combined with the paint, all of these pieces do a good job of approximating the look of 200X Zodak. Along with Grayskull, this gives you a good idea of how the modern figures are going to translate into this line.

The paint of this figure is up to par with what we have seen on the line thus far. The most distinguishing difference between Zodac and Zodak is in skin color and The Horsemen have given Zodak a nice chocolate-brown skin tone that contrasts beautifully with his blue cosmic warrior tattoos. Mattel has given us a nice surprise in that the tats actually glow in the dark which is a great touch on a figure that seems to have been put together on the cheap. There is also added white highlights on the Cosmic Enforcer armor as well as some painted details on the loincloth to approximate the look on the 2002 Zodak loincloth. The Hordak gloves are painted a very dingy white, much dirtier-looking than in the prototype photos. I'm glad to see that there are a lot of little metallic details on the boots, which is a nice surprise as they had looked almost unpainted in photos prior to the release. It is also great to see the He-Ro boots reused because they are a great design and are not seen often enough (unlike the Skeletor feet which are on every other figure it seems).



Accessories are where this figure really stumbles. As stated above, he comes with a staff, which is a Classics-ized version of his 200X staff. The ends have been redesigned to match the barrel of Zodac's gun. The staff is of good quality and not of any kind of "gummy" material. As far as weapons, they could have included any number of things. Zodak prominently used a mace while battling He-Man in one episode, that could have made a nice, simple add on to meet the Mattel-imposed two accessory threshold. In fact, there is a quick shot in the cartoon of Zodak's weapon rack, they could have included any number of things. Consider picking up Spy Monkey Creations'
200X version of the Master Blade of the Empyrean, which looks fantastic with Zodak's color scheme.

But what Zodak is really missing is a second, helmeted, head. More often than not he appeared this way on the show and he is even pictured without his helmet on the back of the MOTUC package. To not include a bonus head makes the figure feel like a cheap repaint, especially when he only comes with one accessory. Infuriatingly, Mattel has even stated that a bonus head would be a great way to "refresh" the character down the line. Now unless Mattel wants to sell the bonus figures for cheaper than the regular figures (since they are kitbashes and repaints and cost them less money) I am holding them to the same standards I would for a regular figure.



Despite the lack of bonus head and other accessories that would have made this a great figure, I'm still happy to get Zodak in the line. He's great example of how the 200X did such a great job of reinventing characters and giving them strong motivations. And he was a badass who rivaled He-Man in power. He has survived the translation into the Classics style relatively unscathed. If you want to pick him up, he is still available as of this writing at
mattycollector.com, but hurry because he is very close to being sold out.

Patrick Garone
Staff Reviewer
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Comic Review: The Waiting Place - The Definitive Edition (IDW Publishing) By Rudy T.



Welcome to Northern Plains: The Black Hole of America where dreams are crushed, love is lost and everything else that can happen in a small town usually does.

Jeffery Dietz and his family have just moved from the city to the quiet tourist town of Northern Plains much to Jeff's annoyance. Now he's stuck with the label "the new kid" and trying to figure out what to make of the town's inhabitants. Whether he tries to evade the volatile Kyle who's harassment makes Jeff keep his distance from Jill, Kyle's girlfriend whom Jeff can't stop thinking about, or making friends with Scott the town's video store clerk. Scott invites Jeff to a party in the woods he's throwing and he meets Lora, a girl with a reputation for sleeping around and having no issue about anyone's opinion about it. As Jeff learns to adapt to his new surroundings and relationships, he discovers small towns can be just as complicated as any city.



The Waiting Place by Sean McKeever is an intricately beautiful story about the lives of the young people of Northern Plains that readers can connect with on many different levels and the ensemble is given opportunity to grow with each chapter, with a few forgivable exceptions. The shift in perspective from one chapter to the next was a great way to keep the flow of the story going and also allowed the reader to get to know the other characters. The artist change in Chapter 7 was slightly jarring but Norton's art was easy to accept. My favorite chapter in the story was Chapter 10 where Jeff finds Lora's diary in the hallway and reads it, McKeever's skill at portraying a teenage girl's fears and insecurities made me connect with Lora and her words resonated with me as much as it had Jeff. Scott's story was one I found the most interesting, he like most teenagers in a small town had dreams of escaping his surroundings only to be tied down by one responsibility or another and haunted by memories of the one who got away. There are times when The Waiting Place felt like Kevin Smith's Clerks set in high school, a fact even the author responds to in a sole letters page, but if anything it's a melding of Smith's Clerks and perhaps his best work Chasing Amy. But this is a story that should be seen as its own entity and is completely engrossing from start to finish and its epilogue, picking up seven years later, gave a good resolution to many of Northern Plain's mainstays but the absence of others was sorely felt.


Extras: A letters page and creator bios.

Written by: Sean McKeever

Art By: Brendon Friam (Chapters 1-6) and Mike Norton (Chapters 7-18)


9.5/10

Rudy T.
Staff Reviewer
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IDW PUBLISHING JANUARY 2010 RELEASES



IDW Publishing has released their solicits for January 2010

IDW PUBLISHING
JANUARY 2010 SOLICITS

The Adventures of Simone and Ajax
Andrew Pepoy (w & a & c)
Mix: one wacky girl with one tiny dinosaur; Result: Big Fun! Presenting three full-color, zany tales of Simone & Ajax: “The Case of the Maltese Duck,” “A Christmas Caper,” and “Simone, Queen of the Jungle. Also includes extras by Eisner-winning Andrew Pepoy (Fables, The Simpsons). Intro by Mark Schultz (Xenozoic Tales). Try it, and join the adventure!
TPB • FC • $19.99 • 132 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-616-3
© 2010 Andrew Pepoy


Army of Two #1
Peter Milligan (w) • Dexter Soy (a) • Chester Ocampo (c)
Coinciding with the release Army of Two: The 40th Day, this new ongoing monthly series, written by comics veteran Peter Milligan (X-Statix, Greek Street), follows ex-Army Rangers Salem and Rios as they form their own Private Military Corporation: Trans World Operations. But the pair get more than they bargained for as they are unexpectedly caught in a brewing war between the Mexican Army, drug cartels, and The Maras—one of the most powerful street gangs in Mexico!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Angel #29
Bill Willingham, Bill Williams (w) • Brian Denham, David Messina (a) • Jenny Frison, David Messina (c)
Where has the “hero of L.A.” gone? While Team Angel Investigations try to figure out how to handle the everyday demons, danger, and evil-doing on their own, Angel’s whereabouts turn out to be part of a seriously sinister conspiracy. Plus: chapter of the Eddie Hope back-up by Williams and Messina.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Angel: A Hole in the World #2
Scott Tipton (w) • Elena Casagrande (a & c)
IDW's series of adaptations of landmark Angel episodes continues with A Hole in the World, one of the series' most heartbreaking episodes! As Fred begins to succumb to a horrible curse, Angel and his crew frantically race to find a cure, and discover only treachery in their midst, in the form of a betrayal from one of their own…
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Beyond the Wall #3
Matt Venne (w) • Gordon Purcell (a & c)
Guided by Brynna, a fearsome female Pict warrior, Marcus and his band of Roman deserters are in a desperate race against their pursuers to reach Antonine’s Wall, and the freedom of its seaport. But this route will lead them directly into the mouth of Hell, and the many dangers it contains… including Gorgon-infested woods! Also, a betrayal is revealed!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Digger and Friends #4
Jack Briglio (w) • Diego Jourdan (a & c)
The all-ages adventures of NASCAR mascot Digger and his friends conclude here! After Grandpa spins a yarn about his bygone days of racing, Digger finally gets an opportunity to drive in a NASCAR race. But how? He’s a tiny gopher! And will Lumpy ruin his chance to realize his dream?
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
© 2010 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.


Doctor Who #7
Tony Lee (w) • Al Davison (a) • Paul Grist, Davison (c)
Part 1 of the two-part “Tessaract,” featuring the return of artist Al Davison. When a 5th-dimensional spacecraft crashes into and through the TARDIS, it’s up to the Doctor and his two new friends to stabilize the console room and stop both ships from imploding! But the console room is missing, and the other ship is filled with an alien race that wants the Doctor dead!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Fallen Angel Reborn
Peter David (w) • JK Woodward (a & c)
In this all new collection, the Fallen Angel finds herself pitted against a special guest-star… Joss Whedon’s Illyria. On a mission to reclaim three objects of power, which she hopes will restore her former glory, Illyria must also dispatch of another “fallen” godling… namely Liandra, the Fallen Angel, Magistrate, and protector of Bete Noire. Who will win in this ultimate battle of wills, the fallen demon god, or the fallen angel?
TPB • FC • $17.99 • 104 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-586-9


The Ghoul #2
Steve Niles (w) • Bernie Wrightson (a & c)
The Ghoul arrives in Los Angeles and quickly learns that there's more to Hollywood than glitz and glamour—there are also demons invading Griffith Park and a cop named Klimpt, who is convinced an aging starlet is a blood-sucking freak of her own creation. It's the Ghoul versus Demons in this knockdown, drag-out melee of monstrous behemoths!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


G.I. Joe #14
Chuck Dixon (w) • Robert Atkins (a) • Robert Atkins, David Williams (c)
SNAKE EYES and the Hard Master reunite as the JOE’s silent bringer of death seeks the tutelage of his mentor. And a COBRA operative invades a college campus with deadly results for the JOES. The action builds as the M.A.S.S. Device moves closer to a reality!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


G.I. Joe: Best of Baroness
Larry Hama (w) • Frank Springer, Rod Whigham (a) • Andrea DiVito (c)
Collecting the most incriminating moment of G.I. JOE’S BARONESS, this volume focuses on the Baroness, COBRA’S most seductively evil intelligence officer and lieutenant to Cobra Commander himself.
TPB • FC • $19.99 • 144 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-587-6


G.I. Joe Cobra II #1
Mike Costa, Christos N. Gage (w) • Antonio Fuso (a) • Fuso, Howard Chaykin (c)
CHUCKLES is the only man alive to have successfully infiltrated COBRA... and he’s M.I.A. Has he been killed? Defected? Gone rogue to fight a one-man war against the enemy? None of these alternatives are acceptable to GENERAL HAWK. He wants CHUCKLES back with G.I. JOE, so he’s sending a new Joe to retrieve him. But what she finds may be worse than anyone could have imagined... Also, get a deeper look inside COBRA than ever before, as TOMAX, XAMOT, and Erika continue to feel the effects of the previous miniseries, and several COBRA operatives are introduced for the first time in an IDW book!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


G.I. Joe: Origins #11
J.T. Krul (w) • Klaus Scherwinski (a) • Scherwinski, Tom Feister (c)
When Army Ranger Wayne Sneeden washes ashore in Guatemala with no memory of who he is, how he got there, or who shot him, putting together the pieces of his past shows him a future he never imagined—and a new name to go with it: BEACH HEAD!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes #4
Ray Park, Kevin VanHook (w) • Lee Ferguson (a & c)
Having returned to the village where he trained with the Arashikage Clan, SNAKE EYES uncovers the true identity of the murderer who had stolen his identity! Now Snake Eyes must take the battle to holy ground as he confronts a demon from his past—and watches the world around him go up in flames!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


GrimJack: The Manx Cat #6
John Ostrander (w) • Timothy Truman (a & c)
GrimJack is in a race to save Blacjac and Bob from the Manx Cat. The problem is… everyone who falls asleep becomes an unwilling Night Terrorist in the Manx Cat’s army! Bullets, blood, bikes, bombastic babes… and the St. John Knives! What more can you want in a stunning conclusion?
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
GrimJack ™and © Nightsky GrimJack LLC, 2008.


IDW X Covers TPB
Ted Adams (w) • Gabriel Rodriguez, Ashley Wood, Ben Templesmith, and more (a)
Now available in a softcover edition, this collection includes every cover done for an IDW book up through December 2008 (That’s more than 2,100!). Artists include: Clive Barker, Tim Bradstreet, John Byrne, J. Scott Campbell, John Cassaday, Richard Corben, Kieron Dwyer, Tommy Lee Edwards, Don Figueroa, Alex Garner, Mike Grell, Tony Harris, Dave Johnson, Sam Kieth, Igor Kordey, Ted McKeever, David Messina, Alex Milne, Scott Morse, Paul Pope, Gabriel Rodriguez, Richard Sala, Eric Shanower, Bill Sienkiewicz, Ken Steacy, Ben Templesmith, Billy Tucci, Ashley Wood, JK Woodward, Bernie Wrightson, and many more.
TPB • FC • $19.99 • 148 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-588-3


Jennifer Love Hewitt’s The Music Box #2
Scott Lobdell (w) • Casey Maloney (a) • Casey Maloney (c)
Love may be blind, but it is certainly not deaf. Which is why the Music Box is able to so thoroughly complicate the life of a cheating husband and his mistress. From the mind of Jennifer Love Hewitt comes another thriller as written by Scott Lobdell and illustrated by Casey Maloney (Gene Simmons Zipper).
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Jon Sable Freelance: Ashes of Eden #4
Mike Grell (w & a & c)
Jon Sable, kidnapped! As his captors torture him, we join Jon on a journey though through the darkest caverns of his soul. Discover the identity of the Maguffin Diamond thief—as New York City gets set up for Nuclear Winter!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Jon Sable, Freelance ™ and © Nightsky Sable LLC, 2008. All Rights Reserved.


King Aroo HC Vol. 1
Jack Kent (w & a)
The Library of American Comics proudly presents a long-neglected classic—King Aroo! Lauded by critics in the pantheon of great strips such as Krazy Kat, Pogo, and Barnaby, Jack Kent's brilliantly conceived world brought smiles to young and old alike with its fanciful array of clever puns, visual humor, and good old slapstick. Includes a text feature by Bruce Canwell, and an introduction by Sergio Aragones. Volume One celebrates the strip's 60th anniversary by presenting every daily and Sunday strip from the beginning in 1950 through 1952.
HC• FC • $39.99 • 360 • 9.5” x 7.5” • ISBN: 978-1-60010-581-4


Krazy & Ignatz in Tiger Tea
George Herriman (w & a)
Krazy Kat's most surreal adventures were the famed "Tiger Tea" sequence where Krazy Kat imbibed a psychedelia-inducing substance. This is George Herriman at his best in the only full-length Krazy Kat adventure story of his career presented in the same era as Terry and the Pirates and Captain Easy. Krazy & Ignatz in Tiger Tea showcases a rare photo of Herriman sporting a Mexican sombrero and smoking a funny looking cigarette, a perfect addition to this fun, classic trip down memory lane.
HC • BW • $12.99 • 122 Pages • 7.75” x 7.75” • ISBN: 978-1-60010-645-3
© 2010 Gussoni-Yoe Studio, Inc.


Little Adventures in Oz Book 1
Eric Shanower (w & a & c)
In the marvelous Land of Oz, magic is always around the next corner. Dorothy, the Scarecrow and their many friends can't stop plunging into one adventure after another. Wonder and magic abound in this collection of "The Enchanted Apple of Oz" and "The Ice King of Oz" by award-winning cartoonist Eric Shanower.
TPB • FC • $9.99 • 136 Pages • 6” x 9” • ISBN: 978-1-60010-589-0


Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows #3
Joe Hill (w) • Gabriel Rodriguez (a & c)
The Eisner- and Scream Awards-nominated series continues! Dodge takes possession of the crown of shadows, and darkness falls upon Keyhouse... with a vengeance.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Sparrow 16: Rick Berry Vol. 2
Rick Berry (w & a & c)
Rick Berry started in underground comics at age 17, expanding into popular culture with art for Marvel and DC comics; major book and gaming publishers; television and feature film (including being Keanu Reeves’ cyber stunt double in Johnny Mnemonic). In 1984, raiding MIT’s Media Arts and Mass College of Art’s digital labs, Berry created the world’s first digital cover for a novel, William Gibson’s Neuromancer. Authors Frank M. Robinson, Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Neil Gaiman have commissioned work, and Berry’s art continues to win awards and appear in print.
HC • FC • $11.99 • 48 pages • 6" x 6" • ISBN: 978-1-60010-569-2


Star Trek Captain’s Log: Sulu
Scott & David Tipton (w) • Federica Manfredi (a) • David Messina (c)
Introducing a brand-new series focusing on some of the most famous Captains in Starfleet history! In the debut issue, Captain Hikaru Sulu, still new to the command of the U.S.S. Excelsior, finds himself once again face to face with one of the Federation's most dangerous and mysterious adversaries—the Tholians! From the creative team behind Spock: Reflections!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Fool’s Gold #2
Scott & David Tipton (w) • Fabio Mantovani (a) • Sharp Brothers, David Messina (c)
Deep Space Nine teeters on the brink of anarchy as swarms of treasure-hunters and mercenaries continue to flood the station. Major Kira and Constable Odo are on the case, and the investigation leads to a not-unexpected destination: Quark's Bar!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Star Trek: The Next Generation: Ghosts #3
Zander Cannon (w) • Javier Aranda (a) • Joe Corroney (c)
With Worf captured and under threat of execution, Geordi, Troi, and Dr. Crusher race to get information that will exonerate him. Picard and Riker negotiate with Worf's captors, but the paranoid warlords continue to regard all outsiders as a threat, and launch a military attack on the ship under the Enterprise's protection.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Star Trek: Spock: Reflections
Scott & David Tipton (w) • David Messina, Frederica Manfredi (a) • Messina (c)
In the follow-up collection to the smash hit Stark Trek: Countdown movie prequel, we discover what could drive a man to abandon all he knows and go to live with the Federations sworn enemy. Discover his real motivations and how he looks back at what brought him to this stranger place in his life.
TPB • FC • $17.99 • 104 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-590-6


Starstruck #5
Elaine Lee (w) • Michael Wm. Kaluta, Charles Vess (a) • Kaluta (c)
Molly joins a band of female-fighters and is leading an action to deface a Temple of Beauty franchise in the XYchromo Zone. She’s arrested and sent to prison, where she’s tricked into escaping by her cellmate, Murphy, secretly in league with Molly’s little sister, who now calls herself Verloona. Betrayed, Molly is dropped onto the abandoned penal colony, Omega 6… for life!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Transformers #3
Mike Costa (w) • Don Figueroa (a) • Figueroa, Andrew Wildman (c)
HOT ROD’s desire to get off-planet leads to some desperate measures, OPTIMUS PRIME and Spike sit down for an unpleasant conversation, and a new arrival to the AUTOBOT camp comes at their most vulnerable time possible. Costa and Figueroa continue to make history, bringing the AUTOBOTS to their (almost) darkest hour.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Transformers: All Hail Megatron, Vol. 4
Simon Furman, Mike Costa, Shane McCarthy, Andy Schmidt, Nick Roche, Denton J. Tipton, Zander Canon (w) • Don Figueroa, Chee Yang Ong, Emiliano Santalucia, Andrew Griffith, Casey Coller, Nick Roche, and Guido Guidi (a) • Trevor Hutchinson (c)
It ends here. All loose ends are laid to rest in this collection that ends the All Hail Megatron saga and sets the stage for big things to come for the TRANSFORMERS!
TPB • FC • $17.99 • 104 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-592-0


Transformers Animated Vol. 13
Marty Isenberg (w) • Various (a)
The Season 2 adventures of the TRANSFORMERS in New Detroit come to a dramatic conclusion in episodes "A Bridge Too Close" parts one and two. Featuring OPTIMUS PRIME, BUMBLEBEE, RATCHET, MEGATRON, BLITZWING and more, the Transformers Animated series puts new TF action in your pocket!
TPB • FC • $7.99 • 112 Pages • 5” x 7” • ISBN: 978-1-60010-593-7


Transformers: Bumblebee #2
Zander Cannon (w) • Chee (a) • Chee, Guido Guidi (c)
“Things Fall Apart,” Part 2: BUMBLEBEE’s human-allied Skywatch team tracks down their latest target: the AUTOBOT BLURR. With this forced betrayal, the team’s morale takes a deep plunge until BUMBLEBEE and WHEELJACK devise a dangerous mission to free them all from the kill-switches that compel them to obey Col. Horiuchi’s commands.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers #1
Nick Roche (w) • Nick Roche (a) • Roche, Trevor Hutchison (c)
The AUTOBOT special ops crew, THE WRECKERS, are sent to investigate Garrus-9, a prison that fell to the DECEPTICONS three years ago with no communication in or out since. Who’s really behind the prison siege, and what dark secret awaits SPRINGER there? Writer/artist Nick Roche (Maximum Dinobots) does all the dirty work.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


Transformers: Tales of the Fallen #6
Chris Mowry (w) • Alex Milne (a) • Carlos Magno, Milne (c)
Setting out in search of OPTIMUS PRIME and the AUTOBOTS, ARCEE is captured by the vicious THUNDERCRACKER. And what better punishment for this AUTOBOT warrior than being the catalyst for a new squad of DECEPTICONS? ARCEE must learn that a good leader conquers all, especially in war.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99


The Veil
El Torres (w) • Gabriel Hernandez (a & c)
Meet Chris Luna, a cheap private eye with a client list of the dearly departed. Chris has the unique ability to sometimes pierce through The Veil between our realm and the unknown beyond. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really pay the rent. Now Chris is broke and has to return home to Maine… and face the darkness that now lurks beneath the surface of her quiet hometown. Includes bonus materials and an Ashley Wood cover gallery.
TPB • FC • $17.99 • 104 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-594-4


Weekly World News #1
Chris Ryall (w) • Alan Robinson (a) • Alan Robinson, Joe Corroney (c)
Bat Boy! PhD Ape! Manigator! UFO Alien! Ed Anger, the columnist who sits to the far right of the far right! These and many other tabloid newspaper staples from the Weekly World News are featured in their first-ever miniseries. And they’ve got it rough from the start, as Chaos Cloud appears in “The Irredemption of Ed Anger, Part 1.” Also features original articles from the Weekly World News as a back-up feature!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Weekly World News #1: B&W “Newspaper” Edition
Chris Ryall (w) • Alan Robinson (a & c)
This special edition of the first-ever Weekly World News miniseries is printed in b&w newsprint, just like those actual “newspapers” you used to hear about from your parents! Also presented ad-free, with back-up articles culled from the tabloid’s classic archives!
BW • 32 pages • $3.99


Wizard’s Tale
Kurt Busiek (w) • David Wenzel (a & c)
A magical story of redemption! The Wizard’s Tale is the story of the aged Bafflerog Rumplewhisker and his young companion, Muddle, the woodcutter’s son, as they embark on a quest to retrieve the magical Book of Worse—a tome that will ensure the land of Ever-Night remains as it is, a dark and gloomy realm of evil. But old Rumplewhisker’s heart slowly warms on their journey, and a chance to restore a semblance of goodness to Ever-Night is possible—If he and his young charge can dare face the challenges ahead.
HC • FC • $24.99 • 144 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-595-1
© 2010 Kurt Busiek and David Wenzel


Worthwhile Books
Princess Valentine
Megan E. Bryant (w) • Nancy Gayle Carson (a & c)
“Princess Valentine wakes with the sun on her favorite day of the year. A day for kisses, a day for hugs — Valentine’s Day is here!" Princess Valentine has so much to do to get ready for the Valentine Ball! Come along on a delightful adventure with Princess Valentine as she celebrates her favorite day of the year.
HC • FC • $7.99 • 10 Pages • 8” x 9” • ISBN: 978-1-60010-635-4

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