It’s pretty hard, if you watch tv, go to the movies, read books or are generally alive in any way, to avoid zombies these days.  Which is great because I love zombies – reading about them, watching movies with them, shooting them… So I was only too happy to receive a copy of Brian P. Apodaca and B. Paul Jordan’s Zombie Outlaw.

The story is pretty simple: Matt Naismith is a pretty standard geek, with a pretty standard crush on the prettiest girl at Irvine State University, K.T Delaney.  Being too shy to attempt romance, Matt seeks advice from his Resident Advisor, Will Simers.  Will has his own quest: to track down the cowboy hat of a legendary zombie killer from the Wild west of 1872, which he believes to be somewhere within the university.  Will agrees to help Matt with wooing K.T, if Matt helps him find the hat.

Right from the off, it’s pretty clear that this tale is going down the comedy route: Jordan’s artwork is very cartoony, all huge biceps and wide eyes, or tiny waists and big breasts on K.T.  It’s very easy to imagine this as a Saturday morning cartoon show: I can almost imagine the sound-effects as I read it.  The zombie art is in the same vein, but still manages to look a little scary.  Just a little.  Interestingly, a more realistic look can be found on the official website.

The dialogue between the characters feels fairly natural and strikes the right note of being light-hearted and likeable, although it might have been fun to see a bit more of the relationship between Matt and Will, and a reason for Matt’s crush on K.T.  These are pretty minor quibbles though and since it’s only the first issue, there’s plenty of time for that.

All-in-all, this first installment does what it’s supposed to do: sets up the story, moves at a cracking pace and makes me curious about what comes next.

You can follow Brian Apodaca on Twitter at @Capn_Midnight (Yes, I know it says @Capn_Midnight is someone named Adam Blackmoon, but this is the same person as Brian Apodaca. Don’t ask me why.) and like them on Facebook as well as visiting the official site.Similar Posts:

• Tales of a Comic Book Virgin: Issue 2
• Books You Really Should Have Read By Now — Warren Ellis’ “Crooked Little Vein”
• Tales of a Comic Book Virgin: Issue 4
• So you want to read X-men comics…
• [Streaming] Astonishing X-Men
• DC Comics Reboot in September?
• ElfQuest Trailer: By the Biggest Geeks, for the Biggest Geeks

SEPTEMBER 30, MILWAUKIE, OR—What do a rock star, the lead writer of Mass Effect, and the ever-charming and talented Ms. Becky Cloonan all have in common? They’re all signing at the Dark Horse booth!

Following up on Wednesday’s announcement of Dark Horse’s 2011 New York Comic Con programming, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for: the 2011 Dark Horse New York Comic Con schedule!

The full schedule of Dark Horse’s in-booth signings and activities can be found below:

ALL DAY, EVERY DAY:

Spin the Dark Horse prize wheel for a chance to win free digital comics, including Mass Effect and Star Wars: Crimson Empire bundles!

Thursday, October 13

6:00 p.m.      FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

Friday, October 14

10:30 a.m.    The Occultist—Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash) and Jenny Frison (Criminal Macabre)

11:00 a.m.    Bunny in the Moon—Tara McPherson

11:00 a.m.    FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

11:30 a.m.    Orchid—Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, The Nightwatchman) and Scott Hepburn (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic)

FREE Orchid poster featuring art by Massimo Carnevale. Ticketed event. Please talk to a Dark Horse staff member at the show.

12:30 p.m.    Dethklok—Jon Schnepp, Jeremy Barlow, and Nate Piekos

1:30 p.m.      The Immortal—Ian Edginton

FREE poster revealing never-before-seen art from the upcoming comic The Immortal, adapted from an acclaimed Japanese novel and written by Ian Edginton (Scarlet Traces, Star Trek: Early Voyages, Warhammer 40,000)

2:00 p.m.      FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a The Thing movie T-shirt and free digital comics! Read the FREE digital prequel comic of The Thing now!

2:30 p.m.      Star Wars—Andrea Mutti

Find out what Star Wars series Andrea Mutti (Rage) will be working on at Friday’s Dark Horse panel (1:30–2:30 p.m., Room 1A15).

3:30 p.m.      The Massive—Brian Wood and Kristian Donaldson (DMZ)

4:30 p.m.      Star Wars: Jedi—The Dark Side—Scott Allie and Mahmud Asrar

6:30 p.m.      Dr. McNinja—Christopher Hastings

Saturday, October 15

10:30 a.m.    Mass Effect—Mac Walters

11:00 a.m.    FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

11:30 a.m.    The Last Dragon—Jane Yolen and Rebecca Guay

FREE face painting inspired by The Last Dragon! FREE miniprint to the first one hundred people in line for the signing.

12:30 p.m.    House of Night—Jenny Frison

Get Marked! FREE House of Night face painting during the signing with cover artist Jenny Frison! FREE House of Night poster. And the first twenty-five people in line for the signing will receive a copy of The Fledgling Handbook 101 by P. C. Cast with Kim Doner from St. Martin’s Press!

1:30 p.m.      Beasts of Burden—Evan Dorkin

1:30 p.m.      Avatar: The Last Airbender—FREE face-painting event

2:30 p.m.      Dragon Age—David Gaider and Mike Laidlaw

FREE print to the first one hundred people in line to meet the lead writer and lead designer of Dragon Age!

3:30 p.m.      Angel & Faith—Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs

4:00 p.m.      FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

4:30 p.m.      Comic TBA—Brian Wood (DMZ, Demo, Northlanders) and Becky Cloonan (Demo, Pixu)

Find out what Dark Horse comic Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan are going to be working on together at Friday’s Dark Horse panel (1:30–2:30 p.m., Room 1A15)!

5:30 p.m.      Evelyn, Evelyn—Cynthia von Buhler

Sunday, October 16

10:00 a.m.    Beanworld—Larry Marder

10:30 a.m.    FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

11:00 a.m.    Mignolaverse—Mike Mignola and John Arcudi

Ticketed event. Please talk to a Dark Horse staff member at the show.

12:00 p.m.    Creepy—Dan Braun

It’s trick-or-treat time, but not for the kiddos! FREE Creepy comics to the first one hundred people in line, plus an array of crazy Creepy prizes just in time for All Hallow’s Eve!

1:00 p.m.      Behind the Scenes of Mass Effect—Mac Walters

Mac Walters discusses the process of writing Mass Effect comics and walks through a digital preview of Mass Effect: Invasion #1.

2:00 p.m.      FREE T-SHIRTS, COMICS! Come to the Dark Horse booth for a chance to win a Hellboy T-shirt and free digital comics!

2:30 p.m.      Kult—Jeremy Barlow

3:00 p.m.      Robert E. Howard’s Savage Sword—Jeremy Barlow, Paul Tobin, and Joshua Williamson

4:00 p.m.      Falling Skies—Paul Tobin and Juan Ferreyra

Are you missing Falling Skies? Talk to the creators of the preview comic and get a Falling Skies pin from TNT, while supplies last!

Keep your eyes on the Dark Horse blog for further announcements on signings, in-booth events, green-screen photo ops, and so much more!

Similar Posts:

• DARK HORSE UNVEILS PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2011!
• DARK HORSE UNVEILS THE 2011 NEW YORK COMIC CON EXCLUSIVE MARVEL SPIDER-MAN SYROCO!
• If Your Kisses Can’t Hold the Superhero You Love
• DC Comics Reboot in September?
• Tales of a Comic Book Virgin: Issue 4
• New York Comic Con Newbie: Was it worth the time and pain?
• Tales of A Comic Book Virgin: Issue 6

SEPTEMBER 28, MILWAUKIE, OR—As part of the Marvel Syrocos program that debuted at San Diego Comic-Con International in July, it is announced today that Dark Horse will be releasing another exclusive Spider-Man statue for New York Comic Con!

New York Comic Con attendees will have a very significant opportunity to acquire a special statue released just for the show. Much like the previously released and long-sold-out SDCC exclusive, a very limited number of this statuette is being offered. It is packaged in the same litho-printed tin box that is the hallmark of the Dark Horse Syrocos, and is destined to be a bona fide hot item, both at the show and far beyond the exhibit hall. It will be sold at the normal retail price of $49.99, with a limit of four per customer.

“We wanted to evoke New York with our very special exclusive Spider-Man,” said Dark Horse’s VP of Product Development, David Scroggy. “Unfortunately, space constraints made a rooftop water tower or fire escape impossible, but we still hope fans can sense the city in this piece.”

The Marvel Syrocos program kicked off earlier this month with two alternating series: Classic Marvel Characters and the Fantastic Four. This new line will be deliberately different than the common modern Marvel collectible sculpture, with features like a rougher surface texture, visible seam lines, and other slightly distressed aspects, such as the method of paint application.

These special New York Comic Con exclusives will be available at four p.m. on Thursday, October 13. Don’t miss your chance to own one of these fantastic statues!

 Similar Posts:

• DARK HORSE UNVEILS PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2011!
• DARK HORSE UNVEILS SIGNING SCHEDULE FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2011!
• San Diego Comic Con: A Look Back (Part 3)
• [Streaming] Astonishing X-Men
• This Week In Comics (March 2, 2011)
• This Week In Comics (March 9, 2011)
• [Web Show] ANTI-MATTER

SEPTEMBER 28, MILWAUKIE, OR—As anticipation grows for what has become the fastest-growing comic show in the country, Dark Horse gives fans the first taste of what to expect at this year’s New York Comic Con!

The full schedule of Dark Horse programming can be found below:

Friday, October 14
1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Room 1A15

DARK HORSE PRESENTS: 25 YEARS OF PUBLISHING AND BEYOND

Join Dark Horse’s senior managing editor, Scott Allie, and director of public relations, Jeremy Atkins, for a look at all that the publisher has on tap for the coming year. In addition to news about all of the hot new fall titles, like Orchid, The Strain, and House of Night, we look to 2012 for a sneak peek at what fans can expect in not only the company’s flagship anthology Dark Horse Presents, but also Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and more! Guests include Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Orchid), Brian Wood (DMZ, Northlanders, The Massive), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Rick Remender (Fear Agent, Uncanny X-Force, The Punisher), Jerome Opeña (Fear Agent, The Punisher), Tony Moore (Fear Agent, The Walking Dead), and more!

Saturday, October 15
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Room 1A15

BUFFY AND ANGEL PRESENT: DARK HORSE DOES VAMPIRES RIGHT!

Dark Horse Comics invites you to attend a special panel highlighting the growing number of comics featuring vampires! In addition to the highly successful Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics, we introduce you to other titles, like Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden’s Baltimore, P. C. and Kristin Cast’s House of Night, and Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s The Strain! Join Dark Horse’s managing editor, Scott Allie, director of public relations, Jeremy Atkins, and Angel & Faith’s writer Christos Gage and artist Rebekah Isaacs, as well as a few surprise guests, for a panel you can really sink your teeth into. If that’s not enough, every attendee will receive a free copy of Angel & Faith #1!

4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Room 1A24

DARK HORSE AND BIOWARE PRESENT:  MAPPING THE MASS EFFECT UNIVERSE

With comics, novels, movies, and a third game on the horizon, Mass Effect has become one of the largest science-fiction franchises in the world. Join Mass Effect lead writer Mac Walters, along with Dark Horse’s director of public relations, Jeremy Atkins, and director of custom programs, Nick McWhorter, for an exploration of what makes Mass Effect so special! Fans will get a firsthand look at the upcoming comics series Invasion and the art book The Art of the Mass Effect Universe, as well as a taste of Mass Effect 3! With announcements to be made, surprise guests, prizes, and giveaways, we couldn’t give you more reasons to attend!

5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Room 1A03

DARK HORSE SPOTLIGHT: MIKE MIGNOLA

With Hellboy dead, and the B.P.R.D. and the world at large in shambles, what’s next for this elite team of paranormal investigators? Enter the mind of creator Mike Mignola for a spirited discussion of the future of Hellboy, the B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Edward Grey, and a world that has spawned television, novels, video games, and more. Attendees will be rewarded with exclusive insight, announcements, and even a special giveaway!

6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Room 1A24

CREEPY AND EERIE: ALL HALLOW’S EVE EDITION

Discuss the new Dark Horse Creepy series, the classic age of the Warren Creepy and Eerie magazines, and all the exciting things coming up in the Creepy universe with a bone-chilling panel including Louise Simonson, Joe Harris (“The Curse” from Creepy #1–#3), and a number of other special guests. Moderated by New Comic Company’s twin engines Dan Braun (Creepy) and Josh Braun (A History of Violence). Plus, there will be Creepy trivia questions with swag and prizes!

Watch the Dark Horse blog for further announcements on signings, in-booth events, green-screen photo ops, and so much more!Similar Posts:

• DARK HORSE UNVEILS SIGNING SCHEDULE FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2011!
• DARK HORSE UNVEILS THE 2011 NEW YORK COMIC CON EXCLUSIVE MARVEL SPIDER-MAN SYROCO!
• Full-Bodied and Well-Rounded: Women in Comics
• [Streaming] Astonishing X-Men
• Not So Fast: DC Pulls Rug From Underneath Nolan & Superman Rumor
• Cartoon Network and Adult Swim Announce Highly-Anticipated Panel and Event Lineup for 2011 New York Comic Con
• Tales of a Comic Book Virgin: Issue 4

Cartoon Network and Adult Swim will host nine panels, two screenings and three autograph signings for fan-favorite series at New York Comic Con at the Jacob K. Javits Center, Friday, October 14 through Sunday October 16, 2011.  See the full lineup for both networks below; please note all times, dates and locations are subject to change.

CARTOON NETWORK & ADULT SWIM PANELS 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

ADULT SWIM: The Venture Bros

4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Location: IGN Theater

Talent: Jackson Publick (co-creator) and Doc Hammer (co-creator)

The Venture Bros show creators Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer, perennial Comic-Con favorites, will discuss their original series and answer questions that have been submitted by fans on AdultSwimPresents.com/NYCC.  Launched on Adult Swim in August 2004, The Venture Bros. is an inspired spoof of 1960s action cartoon shows such as “Johnny Quest.” The animated series follows the bizarre misadventures of the Venture family, which includes world-renowned Dr. Venture, his dimwitted sons Hank and Dean as well as Brock Samson, their bodyguard assigned by the government to keep an eye on the family who is then promptly forgotten by the Feds.

ADULT SWIM: Robot Chicken

5:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Location: IGN Theater

Talent: Seth Green (co-creator), Matt Senreich (co-creator), Zeb Wells (writer) and Doug Goldstein (head writer and co-producer)

Seth Green (co-creator), Matthew Senreich (co-creator), Zeb Wells (writer), and Doug Goldstein (head writer and co-producer) discuss their incredibly-popular and award-winning series Robot Chicken and provide a sneak peek of season 5.5, premiering Oct. 23^rd at 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Adult Swim. Created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, the Emmy Award-winning Robot Chicken uses stop-motion animation to bring pop-culture parodies to life in a modern take on the variety/sketch show format.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15

ADULT SWIM: Superjail!

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Location:  Room 1A06

Talent: Christy Karacas (creator and executive producer) , Stephen Warbrick (creator and executive producer), Jackson Publick, Janine DiTullio

Join creators and executive producers Christy Karacas and Stephen Warbrick with Jackson Publick and Janine DiTullio as they discuss their Adult Swim series Superjail! and preview never-before-seen footage! Fast-paced animation, flying guts, creepy underlings, and plenty of prison fights dominate the Warden’s chaotic prison in Superjail!. The blood flows like wine and the line between criminal and keeper gets blurrier by the minute.  Picture a kaleidoscope of entrails meets Jon Waters meets Shawshank damnation plus a sweaty muscle woman minus primetime sensibility. You are hereby guilty of being given what you asked for.

ADULT SWIM: Eagleheart

4:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Location:  Room 1A06

Talent: Chris Elliot, Jason Woliner, Andrew Weinberg, Michael Koman, Maria Thayer

Join series star Chris Elliott with Jason Woliner, Andrew Weinberg, Michael Koman, Maria Thayer as they discuss the live-action comedy Eagleheart and show exclusive footage from the upcoming new season.  Produced by Conan O’Brien’s Conaco Productions and Dakota Pictures, the series premiered in February and recently wrapped production of its second season, which is slated to premiere in the spring of 2012. Every episode of Eagleheart promises violence, suspense, intrigue and copious amounts of needless bloodshed as Marshal Chris Monsanto (Elliott) blindly kicks, punches and shoots his way to what may or may not be a legitimate solution to his case.

ADULT SWIM: The Heart, She Holler

5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

Location:  Room 1A06

Talent: Patton Oswalt, Kristen Schaal, Heather Lawless, Leo Fitzpatrick, Joe Sikora, John Lee (executive producer), Alyson Levy (executive producer)

Adult Swim presents The Heart, She Holler, an original live-action series that explores the dramatic lives of a small community living in a hillbilly town.  Moderated by David Cross, series stars Patton Oswalt (United States of Tara), Kristen Schaal (The Flight of the Conchords), Heather Lawless (Be Kind Rewind), Leo Fitzpatrick (El Camino), and Joe Sikora (Shutter Island) join co-executive producers John Lee and Alyson Levy to show never-before-seen footage of this new original live-action series that will premiere on Adult Swim this fall.

ADULT SWIM: Delocated!

6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Location:  Room 1A06

Talent: Jon Glaser (creator and executive producer), Steve Cirbus, Janeane Garofalo, Jacob Kogan, Yung-I Chang, Ali Farahnakian  

Delocated! creator/executive producer and star Jon Glaser is on hand along with Steve Cirbus, Janeane Garofalo, Jacob Kogan, Yung-I Chang  and Ali Farahnakian to reveal exclusive footage from the upcoming third season of the show premiering on Adult Swim this fall as well as answer questions about the series.  Delocated! is a live-action series about “Jon,” who after testifying against the Russian Mafia has to live undercover through the witness protection program.  After existing quietly in an anonymous suburb, “Jon” accepts an offer to participate in a reality show based on his life.  In order to protect his identity with television audiences—and more importantly, the Russian mob family the Mirminsky’s—he wears a ski mask and has his voice surgically disguised.

ADULT SWIM: China, IL Exclusive Screening and Q&A

7:15 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Location:  Room 1A06

Talent: Brad Neely (creator) and Daniel Weidenfeld (executive producer)

Adult Swim presents an exclusive screening of a never-before-aired episode of their newest animated comedy China, IL.  Frank and Steve Smith are brothers who teach in the history department of a state university in China, IL.  They also happen to be legends in their own minds who will often sacrifice facts, lessons and syllabi for the sake of being awesome.  Created by Brad Neely and produced by Titmouse, Inc., China, IL is a reverse Animal House where the teachers are crazy and the students just want to learn.  Creator Brad Neely and executive producer Daniel Weidenfeld will be on hand for a lively Q&A.

ADULT SWIM: Black Dynamite

8:15 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location:  Room 1A06

Talent: Michael Jai White, Byron Minns, Kym Whitley, Carl Jones (executive producer), and Scott Sanders (producer)

Black Dynamite is an exciting new animated series coming to Adult Swim in 2012 and is based on 2009’s critically-acclaimed feature film. The series further chronicles the exploits of Black Dynamite and his crew.  Cast members Michael Jai White (Black Dynamite), Byron Minns (Bullhorn), Kym Whitley (Honeybee), executive producer Carl Jones, and producer Scott Sanders will host a Q&A and show never-before-seen footage!

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16

CARTOON NETWORK: Adventure Time / Regular Show Panel and Q&A

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Location: 1A06

Talent: Adventure Time – Pendleton Ward (Creator/ Lumpy Space Princess), Jeremy Shada (Finn) and Tom Kenny (Ice King); Regular Show talent includes creator J.G. Quintel (Creator/ Mordecai), Bill Salyers (Rigby) and Sam Marin (Pops, Benson, Muscle Man).

Cartoon Network is dominating Monday nights with the FUNNIEST night on television, and we’re bringing the inside scoop to Comic Con!  Join creators and talent from Adventure Time and Regular Show as they talk about how these two comedy hits came to life, screen upcoming episodes, share what’s in store for your favorite characters this season, answer questions and more!

The panel features Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward (Lumpy Space Princess), Jeremy Shada (Finn) and Tom Kenny (Ice King); Regular Show talent includes creator J.G. Quintel (Mordecai), Bill Salyers (Rigby) and Sam Marin (Pops, Benson, Muscle Man).

Adventure Time introduces viewers to unlikely heroes Finn and Jake, buddies who traverse the mystical Land of Ooo and encounter its colorful inhabitants. The best of friends, our heroes always find themselves in the middle of heart-pounding escapades.   Regular Show features Mordecai, a six-foot-tall blue jay, and Rigby, a hyperactive raccoon, great friends and groundskeepers at a park whose attempts to escape their everyday boredom take them to fantastical extremes.

CARTOON NETWORK: Ben 10 / Generator Rex: Heroes United Screening and Q&A

12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Location: 1A22

Cartoon Network’s top animated action heroes – Ben 10 and Generator Rex - team up for an exciting panel at New York Comic Con…and for an out-of-this-world adventure! In the middle of a battle, Ben Tennyson is drawn into a vortex and lands in an alternate world infected by nanites! Ben must team up with Rex to defeat a common enemy who covets the Omnitrix and Omega Nanite! In the midst of battle, Ben Tennyson is drawn into a vortex and lands in an alternate world infected by nanites…the world of Generator Rex!  Ben and Rex will face off before realizing they must unite to battle a common enemy who threatens both of their worlds!

CARTOON NETWORK: Level Up World Premiere Screening

2:00 p.m.  – 3:30 p.m.

Location: 1A22

It’s time to “Level Up” your Comic Con experience with the WORLD PREMIERE SCREENING of Cartoon Network’s funniest original movie for the video game age!  Level Up introduces three high school gamers who unwittingly open a portal from an online game, allowing the in-game creatures and mayhem to escape into the real world!  The trio must put aside their differences and join forces to play the game for real in order to save their neighborhood (and the world!) from ultimate evil! Be among the first to see Level Up before it premieres on Cartoon Network in November, with an explosive TV series to follow in 2012.

ADULT SWIM AUTOGRAPH SIGNINGS

Friday, October 14

Venture Bros Signing

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Room 1E07
Talent: Jackson Publick, Doc Hammer

Robot Chicken Signing

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Location: Room 1E07

Talent: Seth Green (co-creator), Matt Senreich (co-creator),

Zeb Wells (writer) and Doug Goldstein (head writer and co-producer)

Saturday, October 15

Black Dynamite Signing

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Room 1E07
Talent: Michael Jai White, Byron Minns, Kym Whitley,

Carl Jones (executive producer), and Scott Sanders (producer)

CARTOON NETWORK – LOUNGE INFORMATION

Cartoon Network and Adventure Time will take over the registration lobby of the Jacob Javits Center at New York Comic Con from October 13 – 16, with the CARTOON NETWORK LOUNGE.  A fully-immersive experience, the CARTOON NETWORK LOUNGE will be a must-see destination for fans of the network, as they can catch up on their favorite Adventure Time episodes, grab some exclusive giveaways, play their favorite video games and so much more.  In addition to other giveaways, Adventure Time fans should stop by to get their free New York Comic Con exclusive 2″ Finn figure, while supplies last.  The toy is a limited-edition update to one of the figures from Jazwares toy line, which is currently available for sale at Toys”R”Us retailers nationwide.  Additionally, at the CARTOON NETWORK LOUNGE, fans can try their hand at three all-new video games that will be released this fall:  Ben 10 Galactic Racing, Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion XL and Generator Rex: Agent of Providence.

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in more than 99 million U.S. homes and 207 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for youth and families.  Nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET, PT), Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animated and live-action programming for young adults 18-34.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.Similar Posts:

• DARK HORSE UNVEILS THE 2011 NEW YORK COMIC CON EXCLUSIVE MARVEL SPIDER-MAN SYROCO!
• DARK HORSE UNVEILS PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2011!
• New Wonder Woman TV Series Upgrades Costume
• DARK HORSE UNVEILS SIGNING SCHEDULE FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2011!
• San Diego Comic Con: A Look Back (Part 3)
• [Event] The 4am Project
• ElfQuest Trailer: By the Biggest Geeks, for the Biggest Geeks

The Green Lantern movie came out on Friday and though the reviews forit are negative, it is my opinion that the reviews it is getting are much worse than it deserves.  That, however is a different article.  This article, whether you saw the movie or not or thought it was good or not, is to help to be able to pick up the comic books.  There are many Green Lanterns in the universe (and more recently other colors as well) and a good number on Earth as well.  Here are a few good storylines to get you started.

Secret Origin - This is part of the relaunch of Hal as Green Lantern.  It is a new origin story retelling and is the basis, more of less, for the story we’re getting in the movie.  Collecting #29-35 of the newest volume of Green Lantern, this covers Abin Sur, Hal gaining the ring and establishing his relationship with Sinestro.  If you want to start at the beginning with Hal Jordan, this most recent retelling is an excellent place to start.  This is easily findable these days, collected in a trade paperback call, unsurprisingly, Secret Origin.

 Tales of the Green Lantern Corps- I admit that I’m biased here but I would recommend grabbing all three volumes of Tales of the Green Lantern Corps in the trade paperback.  The stories where you’re introduced to the Corps are collected here.  This is where the mythological backbone of the Corps as we know it today (and all of the ground work for Blackest Night) comes from.  You’ll get to meet Arisia, Kilowog, Mogo, Salaak, Katma Tui, Leezle Pon and so many more characters.  It wasn’t until I met the rest of the Green Lantern Corps that I truly fell in love with Green Lantern, realizing how diverse the universe of the DCU could be.  Also, in the third trade paperback, you get to spend time with the Corps team on Earth which allows you to meet and get to know Guy Gardner.  There are three volumes of the older Corps tales, though there are also collections of the newer Corps title, all available and currently in print.

Showcase Presents Green Lantern- These are a good way to pick up back issues for any character in DC you’re interested in reading about.  Like the Essential Marvel collection I mentioned in my X-men article the Showcase collections are a inexpensive way to pick up on past DC character storylines.  These collections are relatively easy to find and inexpensive for how many issues you get in each.  More specifically, I would recommend picking up Volume 5, as this has what has become know as the Hard Travelling Heroes story arc as well as the introduction of John Stewart.  Collecting Green Lantern #76-100, you get to see Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) try to show Hal all of the problems that need his attention on Earth.  Taking him on a road trip, you not only get to see Hal and Ollie’s friendship. you get to see a turning point in comics as they being to more obviously address the problems in the world today.  There are also important cameos by Speedy (of the Teen Titans and later to be Arsenal) and Black Canary.  The Showcase titles are all currently in print and are usually kept that way for long periods of time.

Justice League – Looking through Kyle Rayner’s stories, I have a hard time finding one that I would recommend as a place to start.  There are a lot of things that happened in his run (including the event that created the term Women in Refrigerators) which I think should be read but I don’t think they’re a place to start.  A good place to start to get to know Kyle Rayner, though, is Grant Morrison’s run on JLA.  This was a big relaunch of the Big Seven and a lot of these stories show the best of all of these characters and Kyle Rayner was often put on display as the reader’s point of view.  It allowed him to be relatable and allowed more people to get to know him.  There is a new printing of the first volume of JLA coming later this year if you can’t find it right now.

Green Lantern Rebirth- Through circumstances that are complicated and completely comic book, Hal Jordan was dead for a significant period of time.  This is the story that brought him back from the dead and re-established him in the comic book universe.  This story has some excellent moments and while the references to other things and places and past storylines are present, they are not so intense as to prevent someone who has not read them from understanding the story.  This story is what re-establishes the Green Lantern mythos and is the starting point for where we are in the comics today.  Kyle Rayner and Green Arrow get some good moments and a few of the odd quirks of Green Lantern rings are explained.  From here, you could pick up just about anything going forward and this shoudl be very easy to find right now.

Green Lantern #1 - If you want to pick up comics now, I would recommend any of the above.  If, after reading those, you’re looking to read comics going forward, I would find a local comic book shop soon.  You have a few months but with the relaunch/don’t call it a reboot of the DC Universe, there will be at least three great places to jump on depending on what you’re interested in reading.  Green Lantern #1 will be written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Doug Mahnke And Christiam Alamy.  The solicitation says they’ll be introducing ‘an unexpected new Lantern’, which could make it a very interesting place to start.  Green Lantern Corps #1 will be written by Peter Tomasi with art by Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna.  This will be the title with John Stewart and Guy Gardner and the rest of the elite Corps, so this looks to be more space cops patrolling the universe fun.  There will also be Green Lantern : New Guardians and Red Lanterns if you’re interested in picking up Lanterns that are not of the green variety.Similar Posts:

• [Trailer] Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011)
• [Trailer] Green Lantern Animated Series (2011)
• “Blackest Night” – The Collected Editions
• [Review] Green Lantern (2011)
• [Streaming] Astonishing X-Men
• [Review] Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
• So you want to read X-men comics…

An attempt to project the strategy of DC and Marvel with regard to the long term sustainability of their various film franchises is an interesting exercise. In the case of Marvel, projection is not difficult for we already know what the strategy is at least for the time being: Introducing The Avengers roster in preparation for May 4, 2012 in what may be a make or break event for  large scale superhero films. Marvel is pulling no punches in its build up to The Avengers. The Marvel live action strategy is well ahead of DC, at least in porting comic-style story telling over to the big screen.

DC’s plan for its franchises is murky at best. Chris Roven, the producer for the upcoming Superman and Batman films, was recently asked about the potential for those two films to crossover. He said, “That may be in somebody’s mind, but right now the Batman lives in his world and the Superman lives in his world. Those stories are those stories, and we haven’t thought beyond each individual picture.” There is vague and unspecific language in that quote which leaves the door open for various avenues of freedom in the near future.

The health of DC heroes can be called into question. Batman is a healthy franchise unto itself thanks to Christopher Nolan’s uber popular take on the Caped Crusader. However, the Batman that resides in a world of superheroes and super villains is no where to be seen. Superman is suffering from years of inactivity followed by a tepid if well meaning Superman: Returns which once again (and inexplicably) rendered the Man of Steel as a player in a melodrama and not as, oh I don’t know, a super-powered alien boy scout who can kick a ton of ass. Green Lantern looks like it will have good if not spectacular box office success, but the critical reception of the film has been uneven.

The first and second things that DC needs to compete with Marvel in scale are superhero versions of their tent pole superheroes. Superman has never been accurately portrayed on the big screen and Batman is in serious need of some sort of cinematic reboot just to compete in a comic universe. Looking at other heroes on the DC roster, there is a possible Flash movie quietly in development.

With those four heroes leading the charge, DC has the potential to set up a nearly unlimited amount of films with crossover storylines that could pull in billions. How can DC do it?

The Brave and The Bold

.

The Brave and the Bold format has been around for DC since 1955. The series is most recognizable for providing superhero team-ups between two heroes in the DCU. This is a great place to start for DC’s cinematic endeavors (DCMU). Using The Brave and the Bold style stories can move superhero franchises toward each other and possibly bloom into a large scale Justice League movie. Some of the possibilities are intriguing: Obviously Flash and Green Lantern makes sense – those two have a long running bromance that carries over to each incarnation of the heroes. Superman and Batman also makes sense – they  have appeared in many comics together in temporary team-ups and can be just as interesting when exploring the relationship between Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, and their various supporting players. A The Brave and the Bold style movie would feature two heroes in a team-up, but there could also be other DC characters introduced with extended cameos. That’s how Wonder Woman, Aquaman, etc. can be introduced and groundwork could be laid for a massive team movie later down the road.

It’s hard to picture such a thing as a live action The Brave and the Bold format with what we know about the current status of DC heroes and what movies are already in the pipeline. However, with some tweaking and assumptions that are only available in Hypothetical Studios, a plan is revealed.

For example, the Green Lantern movie is fine as an origin story for one of DC’s second tier heroes. The Dark Knight Rises is problematic for it is obviously going to feature the incompatible Nolan Batman which will not fit into a proper superhero universe. We will call Nolan’s next feature unrelated and proceed to the Zack Snyder directed Man of Steel.

All this Superman feature needs to do is acknowledge that other heroes exist. A cameo or two would be great, but at very least Man of Steel (and every DC movie from this point) should provide passing mentions or obviously hidden easter eggs verifying the existence of the DCU. I realize this is taking a page out of the Marvel playbook, but it was a smart move for them and will be a smart move for DC.

There are many ways to mix and match heroes in co-starring or minor supporting parts in forthcoming films like Flash and Green Lantern 2. The most important and controversial move, however, will be how to reintroduce Batman into the developing DCMU. The best way to get Batman into the mix would be as a supporting hero in the sequel to Man of Steel. Having Batman team-up with Superman would present the chance to get a non-Nolan Bats back on the screen without having to worry how to reboot the character away from his previous incarnation in a feature film.

Finally, a future feature Batman film, acting a bit like The First Avenger, can be the last steppingstone before a massive Justice League movie. This Batman film would build on the character introduced in the Superman sequel and also include minor roles for several of the heroes that have been introduced in the previous The Brave and the Bold DCMU films.

The door would be open for an incredible Justice League movie.

The Films

.

• Green Lantern
• The Dark Knight Rises (unrelated)
• Man of Steel
• The Flash: The Brave and the Bold
• Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold
• Superman: The Brave and the Bold
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold
• Justice League

The Plot

.

One of the better JLA comic arcs that I have read (which was also brought up as a suggestion by fellow Bunker-mate Elwood) is Tower of Babel. This is an excellent story arc from which it would be easy to borrow elements and create a dynamic script. This film would not have to be (nor should be) a faithful adaptation, but the theme and participation of the various JL members are varied enough where the storyline could be stretched to encompass portions of five films, possibly being resolved early in a Justice League movie only to segue into another, more group-centric plot where the team can finally work together.  Engineering Tower of Babel as an origin device for the Justice League may be tricky, but the payoff would be immense.

Below is a summary of the Tower of Babel arc from wikipedia. It has been heavily edited for brevity:

Tower of Babel deals with Batman‘s perceived betrayal to the superhuman community by keeping records concerning the strengths and weaknesses of his allies in the JLA, including plans to neutralise his allies in a fight. His files are stolen by Ra’s al Ghul, who uses them to defeat the League through a coordinated attack to prevent them from interfering with his latest scheme.

The attack briefly but effectively incapacitates the League members long enough for Ra’s al Ghul to enact his plans. After they all recover, the JLA must also deal with Ra’s al Ghul’s attack against the language centers of all humanity, using a specially-designed tower to generate a low-level sonic signal which causes written language to be scrambled into total nonsense.

League members recover from their injuries and Batman reveals Ra’s al Ghul’s actions to them, which causes much friction between him and the rest due to his role in devising the traps that nearly killed them. After Superman is able to destroy the machine that is causing the chaos, Ra’s al Ghul reveals that a deadly nerve agent is about to be released on the entire Earth’s population. As Superman, Batman, and later a restored Aquaman and J’onn move on Ra’s’ base, Flash, Green Lantern, Plastic Man and Wonder Woman are able to prevent the release of the toxin barely in time thanks to Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter Talia providing them with the locations of the bombs.

Batman claims that his plans were a cautionary measure. Recognizing the dangers of villains gaining control of the heroes, he created fail-safes in case such a situation ever happened.

It’s possible villains and some heroes can be swapped in or out to make the plot work, but I can foresee a way for the above arc to be converted into a story that ends in the formation of the Justice League. It’d be exciting!

Do you think something like this would work? What ideas do you have for DC in the long term? Do you even want a massive group movie?

Similar Posts:

• Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths (2010)
• San Diego Comic Con: A Look Back (Part 3)
• [Retro Bunker]The Flash (T.V. Series 1990)
• Tales of a Comic Book Virgin: Issue 2
• [Trailer] Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011)
• The State of the Super Hero Movie
• DC Comics Reboot in September?

I know what the internet doesn’t need right now is another Op/Ed piece on the big DC Comics Reboot, but guess what? It’s getting one anyway.

The more I read about this, the more I recognize myself actually mourning. Mourning the loss of “MY” comics. The comics I’ve been reading for 26 years now, ever since I picked up a copy of Crisis on Infinite Earths WAAAAAAY back in 1985. After taking stock of my reactions this week, both internally and on Twitter, the irony of my own comic geek beginnings in relation to this “DCnU” is not lost on me.

So, using the standard Kübler-Ross model, I shall attempt to reconcile – for the record – how I feel about this situation overall.

Expect the unexpected.

• DENIAL:

When news first started breaking about the reboot, I’ll admit that I was in disbelief. There’s no way that DC would do this now. After all of the Events and Crises in the last several years? After working so hard to build up this HUGE mythology in the Green Lantern books? After creating the strongest and most diverse Bat-Family in a generation? After drafting such a deep bench of Legacy Heroes? To blow it all up and start over seems counter-productive.

But that’s what’s going to happen. Now, we have heard that the reboot isn’t going to be a complete mind-wipe, but quite a bit of it will be. The translation and execution remains to be seen. A lot of characters will have changed – ethnicities, origins, disabilities (or lack of) – and most of the costumes are being altered. (I’m particularly scarred by the new Harley Quinn as well as the Jersey Shore Superboy, both pictured to the right.)

As well, lot of characters seem to be MIA. Justice Society? Booster Gold? Power Girl? Captain Marvel? This makes me feel a lot of…

• ANGER:

As a customer of mine said, “GEOFF JOHNS HAS LOST HIS DAMN MIND!” Not only are Johns and Jim Lee recreating the DCU in their image, but they are doing it in a way that is very egocentric. Jim Lee’s Wildstorm universe is now part-and-parcel with the DCU. The Green Lanterns – as well as their color spectrum counterparts – are all staying intact with little to no changes to their stories. Coincidentally, the Lanterns are Geoff Johns’ benchmark as a writer. The characters that are changing the most seem to be ones that neither Lee nor Johns have had any big hand in lately. This is a case of Johns and Lee believing their own press, or they have incriminating photos of Dan DiDio somewhere.

Taking a step back from that, I can see that this theory isn’t entirely true. Geoff Johns cut his teeth in the DCU by finally, once and for all, straightening out the Hawkman Mythology. That said, Carter Hall is looking to be remarkably different in the DCnU, and the character is almost starting from scratch. Also, Johns’ Stargirl, Courtney Whitmore, is nowhere to be found thus far in this new Universe. I wouldn’t be shocked if she wound up in Teen Titans, but up until now she’s been part of the Legacy set over in the Justice Society.

Which isn’t included on the List of 52.

Jim Lee, as an artist, hasn’t had any real impact on DC characters other than Batman. Even there he was just making pretty pictures. Hush, All-Star Batman, etc. This isn’t the first time that the DCU and Wildstorm have crossed-over, either. With the scuttling last year of the Wildstorm imprint, founder Lee’s characters had to end up someplace. So here they are.

Mostly, I’m just an old dog who isn’t big on new tricks. Why go thermonuclear? Which leads us to…

• BARGAINING:

If DC hadn’t let so many good books go bad… If DC hadn’t already attempted so many mini-reboots and re-numberings… If DC had held some of their high-profile writers and artists to the deadline fire…

If… If… If…

Why not cut the wheat from the chaff? Cancel the dead weight. Shuffle up the creative teams. Give the readers QUALITY over QUANTITY. Apologize for the fact that J. Michael Straczynski absolutely KILLED the sales for two of your Big Three’s solo books. Enforce deadlines.

You can do all of this with just as much pomp and circumstance. You can do all of this and still roll out your day-and-date digital plan. You can do all of this without changing non-fiction history by taking three books – Action, Batman, and Detective – that have never ever EVER been re-numbered since they began in the 1930s and 40s, and rolling them – and every other title – back to #1.

You don’t want compromise? You don’t want to accept that if you had done more to encourage and enforce the status quo over the last 10 years that you look to attain with this complete and total revamp, that burning it down and salting the earth wouldn’t be necessary? This sends me straight into…

• DEPRESSION:

I’ve been a full-time comic reader for almost three decades now. I have been a DC Comics stalwart that entire time. Do I read books from Marvel, IDW, Image, Boom!, Top Cow, Dynamite, etc.? Sure, I do. Would I feel the same way if this scenario was presented by any of those publishers? No, I would not.

Age of Apocalypse and Heroes Reborn – Marvel Comics’ last two big reboots – mean nothing to me. The DC Universe that I grew up reading means everything to me, and this wholesale destruction of it cuts me deep. If I didn’t work in the industry, I would strongly consider this the end of my personal era and file away the longboxes for good.

I mean…look at all of the classic stories I came into comics with: The Man of Steel. Batman: Year One. The Dark Knight Returns. I’ve been through more Starmen than I can count. I read through Superman Red and Blue. I was there during Zero Hour, during Final Night, during Legends and Invasion. I’ve seen Eclipso rise more than a few times. Through Mind-Wipes and Rapes and Retcon Punches, OH MY! Why are you doing this to me?!? Everything that came out of Crisis on Infinite Earths has been the road map of my comics book geekdom, and I don’t understand why you would want to…um…

Why anyone could think to…er…

Shit.

• ACCEPTANCE:

The last time DC Comics did a full-scale shakeup of their comic book universe was with Crisis on Infinite Earths. They did so to streamline their continuity, to put a cap on the Silver Age, and to bring a new generation of readers to the 4-color medium.

And that included me.

So who am I to say that this is such a bad idea? As a reader, as a retailer, as a convention organizer, who am I to tell anyone that they can’t do something new and exciting? Would I be who I am today if Crisis on Infinite Earths had never happened? If the DCnU brings in new readers, new customers, and new discussions, then I’m all for it.

If they tell me great stories paired with great art, why should I care if they aren’t “MY” characters?

Because they will be someone’s characters.

Somebody is going to find that issue of Flash, or Wonder Woman, or Justice League of America and it is going to be their gateway into the wonderful adventures and worlds inside of comic books.

And who am I – as a reader, as a fan, as a retailer, as a human being – to deny them that?

[Update June 15, 2011: Newarama.com has a decent update with some material from the powers and writers at DC. DC is going to make a timeline available for the reboot and also much of the history for many of the titles is going to remain intact - not a hard reboot at all. Check out the article over on Newsarama for specific details. -ed.]

Similar Posts:

• DC Comics Reboot in September?
• So you want to read Green Lantern comics…
• Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths (2010)
• Tales of a Comic Book Virgin: Issue 2
• “Blackest Night” – The Collected Editions
• [Streaming] Astonishing X-Men
• [Review] DC Universe Online Comic Con Trailer

Did you hear?  There is a new X-men movie that just came out and from the reviews and my personal experience, it is fantastic.  Perhaps after seeing it, or perhaps even before seeing it, you’d like to read some of the source material?  The X-men are like one long and complicated soap opera.  You need some pretty complicated charts to understand who has hooked up with whom and who is related to whom.  No, really.  I’m not kidding.

The best advice I can give you, is to go to a local comic shop, jump right in and see if you like something. It could be the art, it could be a specific character you see, you could flip through a comic and see something interesting happening, or you could find someone who reads comics and ask what they thing.  In addition to that, I will add that you could do far worse than to grab anything Matt Fraction is writing right now.  In case you’re looking for something more solid in the way of a place to start, here are a few storylines you can consider as jumping on points.

X-men: First Class – This started as an eight issue mini-series published in 2006 and 2007 and then got picked up for a regular series, collected in a number of graphic novels.  First Class – Tomorrow’s Brightest, the first graphic novel, centers mostly around the original five X-men (Angel, Beast, Mavel Girl, Cyclops and Iceman)  and their adventures.  Most of the stories are done in smaller arcs and some solo issue stories.  While it isn’t the same team as in the movie (not even close) it is where the title came from, certainly.  The reactions on this one tend to be extreme, either way, so you might want to look through it before buying.

New X-men Volume 1 – Grant Morrison’s run is polarizing, as his writing tends to be what ever questions he undertakes.  Spanning over 3 years, it turned the X-men on their heads, starting out strong but ending up on some very odd notes, which fans either loved or hated.  These three years introduced a lot of interesting concepts and thinking about mutants and what it would mean to be a third or fourth generation mutant, to have enough people to start having your own culture and customs.  He also introduced the concept of secondary mutations and turned Xavier’s more into a school than it ever had been in the comics previously.  This has been collected in a few place, including the New X-Men Omnibus.

Days of Future Past – For only being a two issue story, this is certainly one of the more popular moments in X-men history.  (The first of the two issues was voted  the 25th greatest Marvel comic by fans in 2001.)  The story handles with a dystopian alternate future in which mutants are incarcerated in internment camps.  This horrible future is caused by the X-men’s inability to prevent the assassination of Senator Robert Kelly, a name that might seem familiar from the first X-men movie.  This has been collected in a graphic novel also called Days of Future Past as well as in Essential X-men Volume 2, which is a black and white reprint. The Essential volumes ususally collect 15 to 20 issues and are a good way to pick up back Marvel issues.

God Loves, Man Kills – Published only as a graphic novel (in 1982, that was rather exceptional) this is story by Chris Claremont, one of the most prolific X-men writers ever.  The Reverend William Stryker (a name that might well sound familiar from the movies), stirring up religious anti-mutant fervor.  In fact, there are a lot of plot points between this graphic novel and X2 that are similar.  This is excellent storytelling and one of the best examples of why X-men stories work.  This was recently re-released, likely due to the new movie, and you can likely easily find a copy to pick up.

The Dark Phoenix Saga - This is likely the iconic X-men story.  Ultimately, this story can be broken out into two pieces.  The first piece, where Jean Grey becomes the Phoenix, gaining impossible cosmic power in the mean time, was originally in X-men 101 – 108.  She saves the X-men when they are returning from a mission in space, before deciding to voluntarily restrain her powers in order to keep them under control.  The second half of the story (collected in X-men 129 – 138) has Jean being seduced by Jason Wyngarde and joining The Hellfire Club to indulge in dark decadence.  During a confrontation between the X-men and The Hellfire Club, the restraints Jean had placed on herself shatter and she fully embraces the power and the darkness.  I won’t spoil what happens next but it doesn’t go well for anyone.  The story is powerful, with ramifications that are still felt through the X-men to this day.  This is also collected in Essential X-men Volume 2, as well as several Dark Phoenix titled collections.

Ultimate X-men – Normally, I wouldn’t recommend much of anything in the Marvel Ultimate Universe but for someone who doesn’t know much about comics and is looking for an easy way to pick up some knowledge, this is a good way to do it.  The Ultimate universe was supposed to be a way to tell different stories with the same characters.  What it turned into was a way to tell the same stories with the parts that weren’t so popular trimmed out and a few events and people changed around.  While that is frustrating for me, having read the X-men for over 20 years, that is excellent for someone starting out and wanting to see if this is something they might enjoy.  I would especially recommend any of the graphic novels collecting the arcs by Brian K. Vaughn or Robert Kirkman.Similar Posts:

• So you want to read Green Lantern comics…
• [Streaming] Astonishing X-Men
• Tales of a Comic Book Virgin: Issue 4
• Tales of A Comic Book Virgin: Issue 6
• DARK HORSE UNVEILS THE 2011 NEW YORK COMIC CON EXCLUSIVE MARVEL SPIDER-MAN SYROCO!
• Tales of a Comic Book Virgin: Issue 1
• DC Comics Reboot in September?

I’ve yet to play Batman: Arkham  Asylum (I’ve not owned a console for years, but have access to one now and B:AA is on order), but I have enjoyed watching the trailers like little movies while celebrating the snippets of Kevin Conroy’s voice work as Batman.

Due to be released on September 21, Batman: Arkham City is next up in the series and the trailers so far have looked as amazing as anything else from this series. Now there is a new trailer for Arkham City featuring sexy feline anti-hero Catwoman. Maybe it’s just me, but I find this trailer breathtaking considering it is for a video game.

What do you think?

Similar Posts:

• [Trailer]: Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim (2011)
• New Video Game Releases – 6/7
• New Video Game Releases – 4/19
• [Review] DC Universe Online Comic Con Trailer
• PAX 2010: Over Too Soon (Part 4)
• [Web Show] ANTI-MATTER
• [Trailer] “Iron Man 2″ Trailer Footage (and leaked trailer…)