Comic Book Candy

Batman: Gates of Gotham #1(of 5) Writer(s): Scott Snyder & Kyle Higgins Artist: Trevor McCarthy Batman: Gates of Gotham has many elements of a modern Gothic mystery. A hidden figure wreaks havoc on the city by planting bombs on several bridges, killing more than Batman and his fellow vigilantes can save. Vignettes into Gotham's history reveal a connection between major players in the story and their ancestors, including the grandfathers of The Penguin and Bruce Wayne. The bridge-as-target is an appropriate metaphor for connecting the past to the present, and it could make for an interesting visual element. Despite the potential this story has, the book doesn't quite come together. For starters, the artwork is not a good fit for the story; disturbing moments are awkwardly portrayed leading to some unintentionally hokey results (see Batman's attempts at underwater rescue, or his interrogation of a pleather wearing henchman). Complicated action sequences are furth...

This past weekend Mighty Fine Tee's revealed a new line of women's t-shirts featuring Marvel comic book characters depicted in the iconic style of Patrick Nagel's album artwork. But that wasn't the only artist to come to mind when I viewed these new duds - Cliff Chiang has been creating very similar parodies for years. Like showing up to Prom in the same dress... (Chiang's take at left) In Mighty Fine Tee's defense, they have a lot of really awesome, original designs available through their site. I myself own a Scott Pilgrim tee from their store, and I am seriously considering buying this art nouveau style Shadowcat tee . But these new designs have only been online for a day and already several of Cliff Chiang's fans have pointed out the similarities , myself included. This case is a little less cut and dry compared to some of the blatant infringements that have been brought forth by artists, such as Jess Fink's recent battle with several t-s...

In an ongoing series for the Comic Vault blog , I will be reviewing one or more new releases each week (meant to post this one BEFORE the Flashpoint review). We're calling the series "It Must Be Wednesday", for obvious reasons! Here is a look at the recent review for Super Dinosaur #1 : "Wow. What a fun book! I know a genuine snap judgement like that might come across as sarcastic, but that reaction accurately sums up this new title from Kirkman and Howard. I wasn’t sold at first, as the hype made my expectations pretty high. Kirkman doesn’t disappoint with this action and intrigue packed debut issue." The rest of the review can be found at It Must Be Wednesday: Super Dinosaur #1

Here's a look at my recent review for Flashpoint #1 , written by Geoff Johns with artwork by Andy Kubert (Spoilers: I really liked this first issue). It's also worth mentioning that since I wrote this review last week, this issue has sold out from DC and will be going to a second print. Get it while you can!: "Have you picked up Flashpoint #1 yet? Have event fatigue? Planning to wait for the trade? Were you confused / uninterested by the concept? None of these are sufficient excuses to skip this latest DC mini. It’s actually really good. If I sound surprised that’s because I too was reluctant to pick up another “what if / alternate scenerio / not-quite-but-kind-of-an-Elseworlds” book. After finishing this first issue I’m still not entirely sure how the alternate universe came to transpire, but in this case not knowing is totally okay." You can find the rest of my review at It Must Be Wednesday: Flashpoint #1

The month of May brings more than just warm weather and summer blockbusters. For comic book fans the world over, especially those in Chicago, Free Comic Book Day is the shining beacon that marks the end of a long, cold winter. FCBD means those much touted event books from the Big Two are right around the corner, and comic book movie adaptations aren't far behind either. This year saw the release of Thor the same weekend as FCBD, while past releases have included Wolverine and Star Trek . Despite a large amount of store participation across the world, many fans still do not know what this wonderful event is about. Speaking from retail experience, many casual comic readers see posters for FCBD and think, "What's the catch?" Though every store has different criteria, the main idea remains the same. Stop in to your local comic book store on the first Saturday in May and you can get 1 or more free books specifically released for FCBD, no purchase necessary. These books ...

The last month my blogging has slowed considerably, but no fear, I have not lost interest in comics. In fact, I've been reading more than ever! My increasingly busy schedule has been in part due to the fact that I have returned to the world of comic book retail. Since its opening in the Block 37 shopping center in early April, I have been a regular employee of Comic Vault Downtown . I thought it best to make an official statement in the interest of full disclosure, especially considering how frequently I write about the retail experience. The only major effect I foresee this having on my blog will be an increase in availability of reading material, and perhaps more frequent spotlights on events occurring at the Comic Vault stores. Thus far it has been a blast working with the Comic Vault crew, and I've had even more fun getting the chance to talk to other fans face to face about the books coming out each week, discovering new series, and being in the thick of it every Wednesday...