Category Archives: Columns

Now is a great time to join CBLDF! Support the industry and get some cool swag!

Biting the Bullet,

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/02/09/be-a-guardian-of-free-speech-dc-teams-with-cbldf-on-2011-member-card/

On the show, I have given regular shout outs the the Hero Initiative because I think it is a wonderful organization. I’ve always wanted to join CBLDF but it was one of those things that I never got around to. I came across this article on the Source blog and it made me bite the bullet and finally grab a membership. I encourage any fellow comic fans to consider joining or making a donation to help CBLDF continue to support Free Speech in the comic industry.

For more information: http://cbldf.org/

Batman : Arkham City miniseries announced with cool digital twist

Biting the Bullet,

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/02/09/batman-arkham-city-comic/

I am a big fan of paper comics. That being said, like when trades hit the market big, I am a fan of looking at ways to expand the reach of comics.

I love collected hard covers because of the extras. This mini is releasing some of the extras in digital form first. This is cool for fans who are buying the mini in single issue form. We can experience these extras as the series it released. What do you all think of extras being available on the app?

LITG: Superman movie by Mandy Stegall

Life in the Gutter, ,

I’ll be honest.  When the news broke that Henry Cavill had been cast as Clark Kent/Superman, I said, “Who?”  I have never seen the Tudors, or anything else he’s been in, for that matter.

If I can be shallow for a moment–and I can because it’s my column–he has the look.  Give the boy a shave, an appropriate haircut, and some specs and he could very easily be Clark Kent.  Take off the specs and put the spit curl into effect and he’s Superman.  And for all our sakes, let’s hope that he’s able to learn a Midwestern accent. (And yes, people from the Midwest have an accent.)

When it comes to Cavill, I’m willing to give Christopher Nolan and Zach Snyder the benefit of the doubt.  For now.

I want so bad to be excited for this movie. I want to geek out about it.  I want to have faith that this is going to be an interpretation that isn’t going to leave a sour taste in my mouth.  So…I decided to make a short list of things I feel need to be present for this movie to be a success.

Continue reading LITG: Superman movie by Mandy Stegall →

FlashPoint Links!

Biting the Bullet, ,

I am getting more and more excited for FlashPoint. I thought, for convenience, I would post some links to the Source Blog that had some interesting news from Action Figures to hints at what is to come.

 http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/02/04/flashpoint-friday-first-look-at-dc-direct-flashpoint-action-figures/

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/02/04/flashpoint-friday-five-to-watch/

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/01/31/prelude-to-flashpoint-part-1/

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/01/28/flashpoint-friday-everything-will-change-in-a-flash/

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/01/14/flashpoint-may-2011/

LITG: Secret Origin DVD By Mandy Stegall

Life in the Gutter

Expect a few postings in the next few days from me.  I have an extended break from school/work, and I have a number of topics I want to discuss that I just haven’t had time to write out in the last few weeks.

First off, I just watched the Ryan Reynolds-narrated Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics DVD that was released in early November.

As documentaries go, this one was great.  The part that stands out the most to me, after watching it twice, is the way the history of the comics follows history in general.  We see how the comics changed in storytelling during World War II, and how the end of the war–which falls in with the Golden Age–signified a low point in comics.  This was also in part to the publication of Seduction of the Innocent by Frederic Wertham during that same time period.

Then comes the Silver Age, and the first generation of creators who were, as someone (I can’t remember who) proclaimed, getting into the business because that’s what they really wanted to do.  These were the same creators who grew up reading the adventures of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman and decided that they wanted to do that when they grew up.

Continue reading LITG: Secret Origin DVD By Mandy Stegall →

LITG: Lois Lane Series? By Mandy Stegall

Life in the Gutter

I know I’m a few weeks behind on this.  But, December 12 brought about a Twitter campaign in support of a Lois Lane ongoing series.

Yes, please.

What impresses me the most about the campaign was that it got some writers and artists show their love for the character and express their interest in working on such a series.  The Twitter campaign and the interest from some big-name creators even gained the attention of DC Editorial.

I hope that this interest is taken seriously by DC, and that it is not in the same vain as the Superman’s Girlfriend, Lois Lane series from the 1950s.  I admittedly haven’t seen many of these issues, but I do know that they were mostly considered Elseworlds tales.  And because of the times, they also put much less emphasis on Lois as a reporter and more on her role as a romantic interest of Superman.

Continue reading LITG: Lois Lane Series? By Mandy Stegall →

Glad to see some love for the Spirit!

Biting the Bullet, ,

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/12/15/pardon-me-while-i-gush-over-the-spirit-for-a-moment/

Jim and I were huge fan of the book “The Shield” from DC.  It had a fantastic character and a really amazing art style. The story just got better as it went along. When it was cancelled, I needed something to fill that hole in my reading.

I caught this article on DC’s Source Blog this morning and wanted to share the love for what the whole creative team is doing on “The Spirit”.  We’ll be talking about this on the show periodically but wanted to give it some quick love here.

This book feels edgy. There constantly feels like real threats to the Spirit and his supporting cast. What I truly like is that the main character isn’t perfect. He makes mistakes. Sometimes it could be in trusting the wrong person. His world is a place that is very dark and filled with corruption and mob warfare. Yet there is also hope. There is this great gang of kids who act as the eyes and ears of the Spirit. Theyare the eyes and ears of the character in this world. For the Spirit, a small clue here and there are crucial to saving a life or bringing down a bad guy. There is an intensity to the crime drama that is laid out here and every time I read an issue, I am really pulled into the well crafted story.

All of the classic players are here but you don’t need to have past Spirit experience to enjoy this. Dolan is back but he is a cop who has accepted that being a part of the corruption is safer and more profitable than fighting it. What happens when the Spirit gradually makes him consider a change of viewpoint? What does this mean for the safety of him and his family? How much of the police force can he trust? These are all elements that are explored.

The art is always sharp. The dialogue is whitty. The characters continue to grow on me as they are fleshed out. This feels like a great crime film and I hope this book is around for a long time.

JMS news!

Biting the Bullet

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/11/10/breaking-news-superman-earth-one-sequel-in-the-works/

This news really has me torn. I loved Earth One and am thrilled we will be getting a sequel. I really thought it was a stellar Superman story.

I am not a fan of a writer leaving major story arcs midway through though. That being said, I like the writers attached to replace him. I feel it is hard to take over for an arc created by another writer. I am liking both stories a great deal so have hopes that the new teams can continue the quality.