Comic Book Candy

Graham Crackers Comics Ladies' Night is a monthly meeting of female comic book fans at the Chicago loop comic book store. The next event taking place tomorrow, August 1st, will be a charity benefit. In addition to the usual comic book related discussion, artist Jenny Frison will be on hand to create sketches and sign comics with all of the proceeds going towards the Hero Initiative , a charity that helps support creators in their times of need. All are welcome to join us, men and women alike, though the discussion will be the usual group of ladies only. The event begins at 6, but feel free to come early as we are expecting a large turnout.

Earlier this week I started receiving frequent mentions on twitter, all with the same content: " Photoset:› @comicbookcandy:›› AVENGERS AND POKEMONS ASSEMBLE!››(By: *[FerioWind] ) ". Initially, I thought it was well targeted spam (because I'd totally be interested in some Avengers and Pokemon mashup artwork). But then I cautiously followed the link and it became clear where the confusion stemmed from: another blog with the title Comic Book Candy . A tumblr comprised of various comic book related artwork, gifs, and movie stills, I began to worry that readers may become confused by what site I write for. I've begun to attend conventions as a member of the press with my small comic book related blog, I have contributed guest posts to other blogs as Comic Book Candy, and I comment on various websites as Comic Book Candy. There is no question that we do different things; the tumblr blog is an aggregator while I focus on creating original content in articles, reviews,...

"A debut issue is a challenging beast in comics; this is doubly so for a book that is re-introducing an established character to old and new fans alike. It is a delicate balance between showing what we know to be true while still offering a fresh perspective. Writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Dexter Soy bring us a first issue that attempts to reconcile the needs of all readers, and it is not always successful. Though the focus may shift between keeping old and new fans interested, one thing that is unwavering throughout is the voice of Carol Danvers, and that’s definitely something new...." You can read the rest of the review over at my guest blog post on the Women Write About Comics blog . Enjoy!

This year's Comic Con International, or "Nerd Mecca", ended yesterday after four days of exciting comic book, film, and television announcements. It would be impossible to cover every single revelation, but here are the ones that got the most people talking, the most retweets, and reblogs, and maybe a few announcements that we're just a little more excited about than others. Neil Gaiman to write Sandman prequel for 2013 release, JH Williams III will be artist DC's got the prequel fever, but unlike Before Watchman, Sandman's original creator Neil Gaiman is willingly spearheading the project. The five issue mini will focus on revealing the background of Morpheus leading up to his unexpected imprisonment. Everyone is still heartbroken over the cancelation of Firefly, but that's okay As if missing Comic Con International wasn't hard enough year after year, 2012 was particularly difficult to miss due to a cast reunion of Serenity, a show havi...

On the eve of San Diego Comic Con and having passed the 4th of July weekend, we've reached the pinnacle of summer in 2012. What better way to celebrate than with a final look at the 94' Marvel Swimsuit Special? It's been a titillating journey, but this comic proves that yes, you can have too much of a questionably good thing. However, here at Comic Book Candy we are considering tracking down Marvel's other classic pin-up collections for further analysis should public demand prove sufficient. Until then, enjoy this final visual feast before you and fondly remember the 90's comic book landscape.   Doc Samson is Marvel's resident psychiatrist, and frankly I'm a little disappointed with the lack of creativity displayed in this depiction. Maybe some bookish glasses, a notepad, and Doc wearing these same swimmers while inviting us, the viewer, to lie on his couch, now that's something that would demonstrate the "allure of science" as Uatu say...

Jill Thompson's take on Jughead and Betty. What makes the cast of Archie such appealing subjects for comic book artists? Fond memories from childhood? The simplicity of the well established archetypes? Maybe Archie and the gang are just really fun to draw. More interesting than the widespread desire of comics professionals to draw Jughead is seeing the surprising results. What happens when artists with uniquely recognizable styles draw the Riverdale gang? Awesome happens. Here's a small collection of some alternative takes on Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead. An adorable Hero Initiative sketch cover by Agnes Garbowska . A very young Lucy Knisley's own Archie comic ( at 8 or 9 and already a "cynical cartoonist" ). Not only does this crossover make perfect sense, but it's great to see Art Baltazar draw Robin dancing to Josie and the Pussycats.   Aviv Itzcovitz's version of a classic Jughead cover, as seen on the blog Covered ...

The heat wave continues as we analyze more baffling beachside scenes featuring the likes of Iron Man, She-Hulk, and the Wasp (you'll want to stick around for that one, believe me). Catch up on Part I of our analysis here , then join Uatu in I as we do our best to understand Earth's Mightiest as they enjoy their spacecation. Please enjoy more after the jump, some of these photos are too hot for the front page (and too numerous).  If it wasn't for her Spidey pattern towel, it would be easy to mistake Mary Jane for any number of other Marvel redheaded women. In the description it is implied that Peter invited her on this cosmic vacation, yet he apparently didn't make the cut for pinup depictions. As my husband pointed out, "Why is there a child in this?" A sexy day at the beach does seem an unlikely place to see a child. Uatu observes, "…it's no wonder (daughter) Luna is carefree!" I guess she hasn't gotten a glimpse of mom's...

This year Chicago has added one more convention to the mix, and this one is a little different (and no, we're not talking about Cake). Vert Con, a small venture organized and crowd funded by local high schooler and former Comic Vault employee Everett "Vert" Watford took place this weekend in the basement of the All-Saints Church in the Ravenswood neighborhood. With only one local comic shop in attendance as a vendor ( First Aid Comics ), the majority of tables were dedicated to local creators touting their creator-owned works. Guests of honor included Mike Norton , creator of Battlepug , and Tim Seeley , creator of Hack / Slash. Also in attendance were Batman, Inc. artist Chris Burnham and Atomika creator Sal Abbinanti . Seeing such big names in attendance at such a small gathering made the absence of other well-known local creators more noticeable. Considering the long established Heroes Con in North Carolina also took place this past weekend, it's likely that tho...

Molly is a cosplayer. Molly needs your help buying herself new, bigger breasts . I think I'd like to help Molly another way by offering an alternate solution: quit cosplaying. This may seem like an extreme solution, but it is as logical as buying a new pair of boobs. When looking at Molly's plea for donations to cover the cost of the procedure, several contradictions present themselves. "...I feel more secure and certain of my place in the world than I ever have before. That’s why I am able to finally come out and say this publicly: I want fake boobs." Acceptance of one's body is not usually followed by feelings of inadequacy, unless one is inclined to accept feeling dissatisfied. It is probably painfully obvious to everyone but Molly that this is most definitely a matter of self esteem. Accepting one's body is a lifelong battle for most women, one that rarely ends in total happiness with one's physique. There is no greater voice or opinion more freque...

When it comes to comic books, eccentricity has never been in short order. The silver age of comics  is considered the heyday for the weird and wacky, followed by the gritty reactionary tales of Frank Miller and Alan Moore in the 80's. Like a pendulum, the industry swung back to the zany in the 90's. Clones! Robot Superman! Spawn! One of the more ridiculous books of this time period is the Marvel Swimsuit Special. Released annually between 1992 and 1995, these collections of pinups did not hesitate to embrace their shallow purpose. Not quite poster books and lacking any semblance of a storyline, these infamous tomes embody their place and time in an industry that has since strayed from such blatant fan service. The cheesecake stuck around, but it made its home in every brokeback pose (mostly executed by female characters), while the men left behind their speedos and went back to their stoic ways. By no means do I miss properties like the Marvel Swimsuit Special; but it is n...