ICv2 have now posted the estimated sales figures for September. I've skipped a month since the figures came out while I was on holiday last month, so I'll try and cover that. Or just ignore it. We'll see!
Blackest Night and it tie-ins have been the big winner in terms of unit sales and dollar sales were up again, 12% on the previous year, although part of that can be attributed to price rises on many titles. Marvel, particularly, has been pushing price rises across the board, to the detriment of unit sales. Of those raised to $3.99, the newly relaunched Ultimate line (Avengers and Spider-Man) saw some drop substantial drops from their second issues, dropping a around 25,000 copies each from the first issues, while another title recently converted to $3.99, Hulk, is also down substantially, with #15 down about 18,700 copies from the previous issue.
Now on to the titles I've been tracking:
( Read more... )
Blackest Night and it tie-ins have been the big winner in terms of unit sales and dollar sales were up again, 12% on the previous year, although part of that can be attributed to price rises on many titles. Marvel, particularly, has been pushing price rises across the board, to the detriment of unit sales. Of those raised to $3.99, the newly relaunched Ultimate line (Avengers and Spider-Man) saw some drop substantial drops from their second issues, dropping a around 25,000 copies each from the first issues, while another title recently converted to $3.99, Hulk, is also down substantially, with #15 down about 18,700 copies from the previous issue.
Now on to the titles I've been tracking:
( Read more... )
- Mood:
geeky
Kevin Smith was on the BBC's Newsnight Review on Friday, along with Mark Millar on film talking about geek culture and pushing his upcoming Kick Ass movie. Other guests included Jeanette Winterson, the novelist (writer of "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" for one) and Natalie Hynes, comedian and author and Kirsty Wark, the host.
Millar did a little piece proclaiming that Hollywood has changed its hero stories to reflect the geek and how the female audience is rising to the fore.
Strange to hear Millar talking about the female audience, but there then followed this exchange:
I think this little exchange pretty much summed up why I get constantly frustrated with the comics industry when they deal with women. You get Kevin Smith's trite "It's only a comic book!" throwaway and the response to pointing out that the women only exist as cardboard cutouts again there's the "It's the comic book world" response. Honestly, nothing will ever change as long as that attitude is prevalent, amongst observers, but most particularly amongst creators such as Smith.
It also provided this exchange:
I think the thing that depresses me most is seeing this on BleedingCool and reading the "HAHA WHAT A BITTER LESBO AMIRITE?!" comments.
I think I'll go hide in Scans_Daily for a few weeks again.
EDIT: And yes, I am aware of the irony of using an icon from a Dave Sim book for this post.
Millar did a little piece proclaiming that Hollywood has changed its hero stories to reflect the geek and how the female audience is rising to the fore.
Strange to hear Millar talking about the female audience, but there then followed this exchange:
Kirsty Wark: Mr Millar.. may say the geeks are all powerful now… but he’s still doing a lonely boy revenge fantasy.
Jeanette Winterson: It’s misogynist, it’s homophobic, everyone’s a fag or a cocksucker, there’s absolutely no place for women except as cardboard cut outs, and the thing is just full of the worst kind of dripping violence, which is a kind of adrenaline injection which means you’ll utterly dead to life in its subtlety, its complexity, its possibilities of expansion of relationships. This is the kind of thing that’s the product of human emptiness
Kevin Smith: I just thought it was a comic book.
Natalie Hynes: Misogynist is a bit unfair, and also inaccurate, it’s the comic book world.
Jeanette Winterson: The comic book world is misogynist! It wipes women out.
Natalie Hynes: I don’t think that’s true any more.
Jeanette Winterson: It is in Kick Arse
I think this little exchange pretty much summed up why I get constantly frustrated with the comics industry when they deal with women. You get Kevin Smith's trite "It's only a comic book!" throwaway and the response to pointing out that the women only exist as cardboard cutouts again there's the "It's the comic book world" response. Honestly, nothing will ever change as long as that attitude is prevalent, amongst observers, but most particularly amongst creators such as Smith.
It also provided this exchange:
Jeanette Winterson: You cannot swap a stereotype of sexual proclivity for a stereotype of violence and call that progressive.
Natalie Hynes: It’s a slight progress.
I think the thing that depresses me most is seeing this on BleedingCool and reading the "HAHA WHAT A BITTER LESBO AMIRITE?!" comments.
I think I'll go hide in Scans_Daily for a few weeks again.
EDIT: And yes, I am aware of the irony of using an icon from a Dave Sim book for this post.
- Mood:
bitchy
amused
Finally I present my own story - taking place during the period depicted in Cybertron: The Middle Years, it focuses on Runabout and Runamuck, the Decepticon Battlechargers, who can be best summarised as the Beavis and Butthead of the Transformers universe. Or perhaps the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, as I definitely took pleasure in putting them in the wrong place at the wrong time in this story and blurring history a little. It's possibly my only complete fanfic because, frankly, I'm flakey and never finish anything. And I was always quite pleased with it. Those who are fans of Transformers through the Michael Bay movies will be pleased to know shit blows up. A lot.
( Read more... )
- Mood: geeky
One of the fandoms I'm big on, but don't often mention here is Transformers. It's probably the only fandom I've written proper fanfic for and that I've followed religiously since I was a kid.
Over the past few years, there's been a number of re-imaginings of the origins of the Autobot/Decepticon war published. In addition to the Transformers movie, Dreamwave and IDW published series like The War Within and Megatron: Origins which supposedly covered Optimus Prime and Megatron's early years. One thing they picked up on was earlier origin stories which had the Decepticons emerging from Cybertron's gladiatorial arenas, an story that has its origins way back in 1986 when James Hill wrote a story for one of the UK Annuals, which focused on the beginnings of the war on Cybertron.
Personally, I don't think it's ever been bettered. The story, State Games, has a political slant that's missing from most other origin stories which makes the beginnings of the war seem all the more realistic and believable, as one ancient regime crumbles into violence and civil war.
It's an obscure story, though, and I don't believe it's ever been reprinted, although it was referenced many times during the UK Transformers comic run and the gladitorial combat idea has been used repeatedly since. So, for those who haven't read it, beneath the cut I present the story in its entirety.
( Read more... )
In addition to the State Games story, one issue of the UK comic published a single page story called Cybertron: The Middle Years which detailed, briefly, what had happened in the 4 million years on Cybertron while Prime, Megatron and the other earth-based Transformers had lain deactivated in the Ark. It essentially filled in the blanks between the launch of The Ark and the loss of the Autobot and Decepticon's leaders and the later complete Decepticon conquest of the planet as shown in the US comics.
( Read more... )
- Mood: geeky
Since everyone else has talked about it...
Honestly, the Disney owning Marvel thing? I don't honestly think it's likely to make a huge difference. And almost certainly not a negative one.
The internet's already abuzz with the idea that Marvel is going to get Disneyfied and all its comics will suddenly become places where GLBT characters are no longer welcome (because Marvel were doing so well at that before?), the only books will be child friendly and cutsey (don't people love Marvel Adventures and hate 90s gorefests like X-Force? Where's the bad?) and so on.
Most of which ignores the idea that Disney already own a number of companies (Miramax, Touchstone Pictures) which haven't exactly been sanitized or interfered with. It's useful to remember that the Disney owned Miramax made Clerks, The Piano, Pulp Fiction, Il Postino, From Dusk Till Dawn, Trainspotting, The Talented Mr. Ripley, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Crow and many others. Hardly Disneyfied output.
Hey, there was the same worry about Pixar and it seems business as usual with them, still. And, honestly, if Disney decide to stick Hannah Montana in an issue of Spider-man Family, would that be so bad? Worse than the fellating of Obama in recent Marvel comics?
Quotes like "I hope I'm wrong, but this seems like the worst news in comics' history"? Ridiculous.
It seems to me like Disney got a bargain in marketing alone and, in terms of the comics, are now in a position to push comic book characters, and by extension comics, meaning wider exposure. This can only be a good thing.
There's also the buzz in the hugely optimistic direction. I had a discussion with someone last night who insisted that a statement saying that Pixar and Marvel had a meeting and they were "excited" by it meant that Pixar were going to start producing movies based on Marvel properties. Despite the fact that Pixar have had access to all of Disney's characters over the past few years and have continued to create new and fresh worlds regardless and the statement about the Pixar/Marvel meeting being for shareholders (you know, the kind of statements where hyperbole runs rife) they insisted it was going to be Pixar making Spider-man movies or something. They claimed that the tone made it clear that it was going to be Pixar doing Marvel movies and not, as I take it, Marvel doing Pixar comics based on the idea that there was nothing exciting about it that way round. Oy.
While, undoubtedly, Disney will be seeking to unite all the various Marvel film franchises under one roof when existing contracts run out, in the meantime they have massively successful films that seem unlikely to be replaced by CGI. Pixar doing a Power Pack movie? Nnnnoooo.
Another good thing, the big business support now puts them in the same position as DC, who are supported by Warner Brothers and don't have to worry about their bottom line so much. Paul Cornell puts it best:
So, titles like Runaways, Spider-girl, Captain Britain and MI13, the Marvel Adventures line, Squadron Supreme, Exiles, Agents of Atlas, Guardians of the Galaxy, Immortal Iron Fist, Nova, Incredible Hercules, X-Factor and so on could be on firmer ground.
Then there's the question of widening the range of Marvel's output. Again, a good thing. From Marc Bernardin, comic writer and Senior Editor at Entertainment Weekly:
So, I'm really struggling to see the bad here. (And, admittedly, the hopelessly optimistic Pixar making Marvel movies failing to see the good too). Disney starting to intervene, maybe even putting one of their guys in charge? Well, when did everyone decide Joey Q was someone they didn't want replaced? Everyone seems to be reacting like Marvel has a flawless track record recently that can't be messed with instead of glorifying villains and murderers, Spider-man selling his soul to Satan and coming back as a sad man-child, Sins Past, Civil War, depowered mutants, rampant misogyny and the "boys only!" mindset, sex obsessed BDSM X-men, etc etc etc
Undoubtedly there will be changes, but huge and immediate? I think that's highly unlikely. The changes I do foresee are only good ones.
Well, all will become clear in time.
Honestly, the Disney owning Marvel thing? I don't honestly think it's likely to make a huge difference. And almost certainly not a negative one.
The internet's already abuzz with the idea that Marvel is going to get Disneyfied and all its comics will suddenly become places where GLBT characters are no longer welcome (because Marvel were doing so well at that before?), the only books will be child friendly and cutsey (don't people love Marvel Adventures and hate 90s gorefests like X-Force? Where's the bad?) and so on.
Most of which ignores the idea that Disney already own a number of companies (Miramax, Touchstone Pictures) which haven't exactly been sanitized or interfered with. It's useful to remember that the Disney owned Miramax made Clerks, The Piano, Pulp Fiction, Il Postino, From Dusk Till Dawn, Trainspotting, The Talented Mr. Ripley, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Crow and many others. Hardly Disneyfied output.
Hey, there was the same worry about Pixar and it seems business as usual with them, still. And, honestly, if Disney decide to stick Hannah Montana in an issue of Spider-man Family, would that be so bad? Worse than the fellating of Obama in recent Marvel comics?
Quotes like "I hope I'm wrong, but this seems like the worst news in comics' history"? Ridiculous.
It seems to me like Disney got a bargain in marketing alone and, in terms of the comics, are now in a position to push comic book characters, and by extension comics, meaning wider exposure. This can only be a good thing.
There's also the buzz in the hugely optimistic direction. I had a discussion with someone last night who insisted that a statement saying that Pixar and Marvel had a meeting and they were "excited" by it meant that Pixar were going to start producing movies based on Marvel properties. Despite the fact that Pixar have had access to all of Disney's characters over the past few years and have continued to create new and fresh worlds regardless and the statement about the Pixar/Marvel meeting being for shareholders (you know, the kind of statements where hyperbole runs rife) they insisted it was going to be Pixar making Spider-man movies or something. They claimed that the tone made it clear that it was going to be Pixar doing Marvel movies and not, as I take it, Marvel doing Pixar comics based on the idea that there was nothing exciting about it that way round. Oy.
While, undoubtedly, Disney will be seeking to unite all the various Marvel film franchises under one roof when existing contracts run out, in the meantime they have massively successful films that seem unlikely to be replaced by CGI. Pixar doing a Power Pack movie? Nnnnoooo.
Another good thing, the big business support now puts them in the same position as DC, who are supported by Warner Brothers and don't have to worry about their bottom line so much. Paul Cornell puts it best:
"It gives Marvel Comics the same financial security as DC has, the latter being part of TimeWarner, while previously Marvel had to survive purely on the strength of its comics...
That's why, in the past, a marginal Marvel title would be cancelled long before a marginal DC title would. Now, when the immediate success of every single title isn't make or break, I expect we'll be seeing more experiments and more creative risks from people whose love of the medium meant they couldn't help themselves but to publish comics they knew would find only a small audience, even when finances were tight."
So, titles like Runaways, Spider-girl, Captain Britain and MI13, the Marvel Adventures line, Squadron Supreme, Exiles, Agents of Atlas, Guardians of the Galaxy, Immortal Iron Fist, Nova, Incredible Hercules, X-Factor and so on could be on firmer ground.
Then there's the question of widening the range of Marvel's output. Again, a good thing. From Marc Bernardin, comic writer and Senior Editor at Entertainment Weekly:
"The biggest question this acquisition poses to me, from a purely comics standpoint, is ‘How will this change what Marvel chooses to publish?’ Not that I think that suddenly, Disney will step in and set some sort of mandate, but if you draw an analogy to the Warner/DC relationship, it’s important that DC publish non-superhero titles for Warner to funnel into production. Because not every superhero demands his or her own movie," said Bernardin. "You also need to have your 'Preachers', your 'Y: The Last Mans', your 'Losers'. But right now, Marvel doesn’t do much of that outside their Epic line. They are, by and large, a publisher of superhero comics, and to this point, it’s worked incredibly well for them. But I think that’ll probably change.”
So, I'm really struggling to see the bad here. (And, admittedly, the hopelessly optimistic Pixar making Marvel movies failing to see the good too). Disney starting to intervene, maybe even putting one of their guys in charge? Well, when did everyone decide Joey Q was someone they didn't want replaced? Everyone seems to be reacting like Marvel has a flawless track record recently that can't be messed with instead of glorifying villains and murderers, Spider-man selling his soul to Satan and coming back as a sad man-child, Sins Past, Civil War, depowered mutants, rampant misogyny and the "boys only!" mindset, sex obsessed BDSM X-men, etc etc etc
Undoubtedly there will be changes, but huge and immediate? I think that's highly unlikely. The changes I do foresee are only good ones.
Well, all will become clear in time.
- Mood:
optimistic
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
kirke_novak suggested the X-men for the fandom meme, so here goes...
1. The first character I fell in love with:
"Fell in love with" is probably a strong term, but I think Kitty Pryde probably. When I started reading X-men comics with any regularity, she was off with Excalibur and so I didn't really know much about her until I started reading the collected Essential collections. So I was able to read the character from her first appearances. I think falling in love is a gradual process and I think that's what I had with Kitty - warming to her and then finally something clicking completely when I read the way Warren Ellis handled her in Excalibur. I miss her.
2. The character I never expected to love as much as I do now:
Scott Summers. When I first started reading the X-men, I bought into the reputation of Scott as uptight, jerky and otherwise bland. To be fair, the late 80s and 90s weren't the best time for Scott - after Claremont left the book. Again, it was reading the Essential collections that revealed there was more to the character than the reputation might suggest and also Grant Morrison's run where something really clicked and I started to be fascinated by his character - flawed, noble and often brutally hard on himself.
3. The character everyone else loves that I don't:
Jean Grey. I wouldn't say I dislike so much as find her uninteresting. I find her terribly bland and the epitome of the character that has it all - power, looks, not just one, but two men (or three, or four) chasing after her - and is just a little too perfect. The one skeleton she has in her closet - Dark Phoenix - wasn't her at all and what's left is a rather flawless individual. I find the f***-ups like Scott far more interesting than the characters who seem to know it all without actually learning anything. And for all the bad reputation Scott gets (deservedly) for his flakiness with women, somehow Jean always survives unsullied, despite making damn sure Logan remained obsessed with her for years. If she'd actually come out and admitted she was cockteasing him I might actually warm to her as interestingly flawed, but keeping Logan on a leash whilst also being portrayed as near being so damn goodie-two shoes. Few things are more irritating to me than perfect characters.
( Read more... )
I better not ask for any other fandom suggestions. That took me entirely too long.
- Mood:
restless
ICv2 have now posted the estimated sales figures for July.
Bad news for fans of Runaways, but before that...
For the second month running, sales appear to be up, which gives a positive indication that the market has indeed bottomed out and is finding its level. Captain America Reborn was the big winner, with sales of 193k. That's a decent total and the first comic topping the charts to get near the 200k mark for a while. Blackest Night does well, with DC's event picking up seven of the top spots. It ties with Dark Reign, which picks up another seven.
On Amazing Spider-man, only two issues shipped this month and the issue 600 anniversary issue picks up sales of 116k while #599 72k, so well ahead of the magic figure this month. Again, its whether any of those readers stick around which is going to be telling.
Now on to the titles I've been tracking:
( Read more... )
Bad news for fans of Runaways, but before that...
For the second month running, sales appear to be up, which gives a positive indication that the market has indeed bottomed out and is finding its level. Captain America Reborn was the big winner, with sales of 193k. That's a decent total and the first comic topping the charts to get near the 200k mark for a while. Blackest Night does well, with DC's event picking up seven of the top spots. It ties with Dark Reign, which picks up another seven.
On Amazing Spider-man, only two issues shipped this month and the issue 600 anniversary issue picks up sales of 116k while #599 72k, so well ahead of the magic figure this month. Again, its whether any of those readers stick around which is going to be telling.
Now on to the titles I've been tracking:
( Read more... )
- Mood:
anxious
Yeah, I'm aware that this journal's mostly been comic stuff recently. But people asked for comic reviews so you're getting them. Booyah.
Reviewed this time:
Incredible Hercules #131/#132
Ultimate Comics Spider-man #1
X-men Forever #5
Marvel Zombies 4 #4
Uncanny X-men: First Class #2
( Read more... )
Reviewed this time:
Incredible Hercules #131/#132
Ultimate Comics Spider-man #1
X-men Forever #5
Marvel Zombies 4 #4
Uncanny X-men: First Class #2
( Read more... )
- Mood: geeky
In the final part of my Top Five meme, kirke_novak asked for Top 5 Comic Books You Wish Never Existed.
Now, that's an open category. Are we talking series or individual issues? And in the days of online solicitations, I'm usually able to avoid books that look horrible.
And, let's face it, bad books are often easy to avoid. Or used to be. An issue of the X-men where the X-men encounter a villain that turns into ice cream? Easily dodged! Onslaught Returns? Did anyone even notice? So, to be truly a book that I wish never existed, it has to be something that was not just horrible in its own right, but by its existence screws up a bunch of other stuff that I actually care about too.
And, let's face it, not wanting to be a Yellow Hat, most of that's… um… well, let's just say we're talking last five years for my top picks.
But, for the record, I present my top five:
( Read more... )
kirke_novak asked for Top 5 Comic Books You Wish Never Existed.Now, that's an open category. Are we talking series or individual issues? And in the days of online solicitations, I'm usually able to avoid books that look horrible.
And, let's face it, bad books are often easy to avoid. Or used to be. An issue of the X-men where the X-men encounter a villain that turns into ice cream? Easily dodged! Onslaught Returns? Did anyone even notice? So, to be truly a book that I wish never existed, it has to be something that was not just horrible in its own right, but by its existence screws up a bunch of other stuff that I actually care about too.
And, let's face it, not wanting to be a Yellow Hat, most of that's… um… well, let's just say we're talking last five years for my top picks.
But, for the record, I present my top five:
( Read more... )
- Mood:
nauseated
Well, okay, not completely, but recent revelations in Chris Claremont's X-men Forever title start some curious thought processes.
For those not ink the know, X-men Forever is a new semi-out-of-continuity title that picks up from when Chris Claremont left X-men back in 1991. It follows on directly from his original run, providing a new continuity, a blend of what he had planned for the book before he was forced out, new ideas picking up on old plots and entirely new plot devices that he couldn't get away with in a shared universe.
For example, one of the major developments so far is an event that would never be allowed to take place permanently in the Marvel universe proper, the death of Wolverine.
X-men Forever #5 revealed this major revelation: http://asylums.insanejournal.com/scans_
( Discussed under the cut. )
For those not ink the know, X-men Forever is a new semi-out-of-continuity title that picks up from when Chris Claremont left X-men back in 1991. It follows on directly from his original run, providing a new continuity, a blend of what he had planned for the book before he was forced out, new ideas picking up on old plots and entirely new plot devices that he couldn't get away with in a shared universe.
For example, one of the major developments so far is an event that would never be allowed to take place permanently in the Marvel universe proper, the death of Wolverine.
X-men Forever #5 revealed this major revelation: http://asylums.insanejournal.com/scans_
( Discussed under the cut. )
- Mood:
impressed
uncanny_rman requested my Top Five Most Badass Cyclops Moments.In actual fact, I had great difficultly trimming it down to five and there's a few (Cyclops shooting a giant squid in the face, about a dozen times he flattened Logan) that didn't make the cut. But hopefully something for everyone here.
Counting down from 5...
( Read more... )
- Mood:
lazy
I wasn't much interested in the announcement of a S.W.O.R.D. ongoing, picking up on the Joss Whedon created agency that protects Earth from alien invasions, despite the presence of Beast and the promise of Lockheed as the team's Wolverine. Until I read this interview.
I mean, the mention of "a new creation: U.N.I.T., who exists at a midway point between C-3P0 and Hannibal Lecter" might do it, but it's the mention of another mechanoid that's just made me squee my pants.
He's coming back, yes? The original and best.
Don't call him a bounty hunter. He's a freelance peace keeping agent, right?
I mean, the mention of "a new creation: U.N.I.T., who exists at a midway point between C-3P0 and Hannibal Lecter" might do it, but it's the mention of another mechanoid that's just made me squee my pants.
"And in the first issue, as I needed a bounty hunter for a plot beat..."
He's coming back, yes? The original and best.
Don't call him a bounty hunter. He's a freelance peace keeping agent, right?
- Mood:
excited
Not much reaction to my comics reviews, I see. I suspect that producing them at least a week after the issues have come out is likely to suck the appeal out of that feature, yes? I don't usually get to the comic store until the weekend after comics have come out... another few days to read them...
I think I might stick to reviewing the collected volumes I pick up or complete story arcs, over individual issues. What do people think? Is there more appeal in that?
Time for a poll!
Poll #1440932
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 5
Under the cut: Reviews for UNCANNY X-MEN: FIRST CLASS GIANT SIZED SPECIAL and #1, TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHTS: CLIFFJUMPER AND METROPLEX and RUNAWAYS #12.
( Read more... )
I think I might stick to reviewing the collected volumes I pick up or complete story arcs, over individual issues. What do people think? Is there more appeal in that?
Time for a poll!
Poll #1440932
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 5
How should I do my comic reviews?
View Answers
Individual issues.
2 (40.0%)
Arcs/collected volumes. 3 (60.0%)
I don't read comic reviews. 1 (20.0%)
Look, stop seeking constant approval and do whatever you feel like, bitch. 0 (0.0%)
Under the cut: Reviews for UNCANNY X-MEN: FIRST CLASS GIANT SIZED SPECIAL and #1, TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHTS: CLIFFJUMPER AND METROPLEX and RUNAWAYS #12.
( Read more... )
- Mood:
nerdy
I promised a few weeks ago to start doing comic reviews again, but, of course, since then I've failed to get to my local comic store to pick up my pull list. HOWEVER, this weekend I finally did and I'm working my way through the pile. So, since things have finally quietened down, it's review time! Slight change, I got fed up with the marks out of 5 system, since I ended up giving so many half points, so this time marks out of 10 for simplicity's sake.
Comics covered this time around:
ULTIMATE INVINCIBLE HARDCOVER VOL. 4
EMPOWERED VOL. 5
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #15
TRANSFORMERS: ALL HAIL MEGATRON #13
X-MEN FOREVER #3/#4
NEW MUTANTS #3
Reviews are kept (relatively) spoiler free.
( Read more... )
Comics covered this time around:
ULTIMATE INVINCIBLE HARDCOVER VOL. 4
EMPOWERED VOL. 5
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #15
TRANSFORMERS: ALL HAIL MEGATRON #13
X-MEN FOREVER #3/#4
NEW MUTANTS #3
Reviews are kept (relatively) spoiler free.
( Read more... )
- Mood:
creative
My comic store wasn't open when I went past this morning on the way out for the day, which means... three? weeks without any new comics. This is an annoyance as I intended to catch up this weekend.
I may have to resort to torrenting some of my pull list, because I don't really want to be a month behind. (Of course, I'll buy the titles when I get to the store anyway, so I fail as a filthy pirate.)
Also, going out was a bad move. I should have just stayed in bed. I feel awful again now.
However, I have now successfully infected my family, friends and random strangers with "swine flu", so I get to appreciate the joy of sharing.
Oh, and I feel unclean. I bought a Harry Potter book. I may even attempt reading it.
EDIT: While I'm on the subject, Maxim have apparently done a Girls of Harry Potter spread, which makes me facepalm so hard. But I can't really totally hate them, because somehow they sidestep my extreme distaste and take the sting out of it by including Dame Maggie Smith on the list.
I may have to resort to torrenting some of my pull list, because I don't really want to be a month behind. (Of course, I'll buy the titles when I get to the store anyway, so I fail as a filthy pirate.)
Also, going out was a bad move. I should have just stayed in bed. I feel awful again now.
However, I have now successfully infected my family, friends and random strangers with "swine flu", so I get to appreciate the joy of sharing.
Oh, and I feel unclean. I bought a Harry Potter book. I may even attempt reading it.
EDIT: While I'm on the subject, Maxim have apparently done a Girls of Harry Potter spread, which makes me facepalm so hard. But I can't really totally hate them, because somehow they sidestep my extreme distaste and take the sting out of it by including Dame Maggie Smith on the list.
- Mood:
moody
THIS:
- Mood:
devious
All Star Superman,
Emma Frost and Iceman,
Herc and Amadeus Cho,
Jubilee's get up and go,
Ellis' stock chars,
Wisdom's invasion from Mars,
Or Yorick's final trick,
Chamber, loveable dick,
In fact, Gen X as a whole,
Doc Ock, with the pudding bowl,
The rogues gallery of Bats,
And Selina's love of Cats,
Sound effects like "Snikt!", "POW!" and "WANK!"
Megatron, especially G2 as a tank,
Pryde and Wisdom playing hard,
The Kingpin, ruthless tub of lard,
"Gaze into the fist of Dredd!"
U-Go Girl and Doop (though they are dead),
Juggernaut laying Piotr out,
Scott's constant self-doubt,
Still with the X-men, lovely Kurt,
Runaways, Molly, Chase and Gert,
Blue Beetle and Booster Gold,
Spider-man, before his soul was sold,
Jenny Sparks killing God,
How about "Kneel before Zod"?
John Cassaday art,
Empowered's heart,
Invincible, despite the gore,
Jim Gordon, laying down the law,
Santo toasting smores on Match,
The may plans that DOOM doth hatch,
Scott Lobdell's chars, one and all,
She-Hulk, sexy, green and tall,
Deadpool, quite obsessed with Bea,
Starscream's constant treachery,
Young Avengers, especially Cassie,
Rogue in cut-offs, kinda sassy,
Death's Head, back in the day,
Ben Urich and J.J.J.
Foggy Nelson, stalwart friend,
and as I'm almost at the end
to Kev I have to raise a toast,
but it's Grimlock who I love the most.
Emma Frost and Iceman,
Herc and Amadeus Cho,
Jubilee's get up and go,
Ellis' stock chars,
Wisdom's invasion from Mars,
Or Yorick's final trick,
Chamber, loveable dick,
In fact, Gen X as a whole,
Doc Ock, with the pudding bowl,
The rogues gallery of Bats,
And Selina's love of Cats,
Sound effects like "Snikt!", "POW!" and "WANK!"
Megatron, especially G2 as a tank,
Pryde and Wisdom playing hard,
The Kingpin, ruthless tub of lard,
"Gaze into the fist of Dredd!"
U-Go Girl and Doop (though they are dead),
Juggernaut laying Piotr out,
Scott's constant self-doubt,
Still with the X-men, lovely Kurt,
Runaways, Molly, Chase and Gert,
Blue Beetle and Booster Gold,
Spider-man, before his soul was sold,
Jenny Sparks killing God,
How about "Kneel before Zod"?
John Cassaday art,
Empowered's heart,
Invincible, despite the gore,
Jim Gordon, laying down the law,
Santo toasting smores on Match,
The may plans that DOOM doth hatch,
Scott Lobdell's chars, one and all,
She-Hulk, sexy, green and tall,
Deadpool, quite obsessed with Bea,
Starscream's constant treachery,
Young Avengers, especially Cassie,
Rogue in cut-offs, kinda sassy,
Death's Head, back in the day,
Ben Urich and J.J.J.
Foggy Nelson, stalwart friend,
and as I'm almost at the end
to Kev I have to raise a toast,
but it's Grimlock who I love the most.
- Mood: nerdy
Thanks to jawastew posting over at ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif)
comicbook_icons I discovered Katie Cook, the aforementioned katie_can_draw.
Anyway, her art is pure love and in particular these (rejected) designs for the "X-Men Archives" trading card set.
So much good stuff there. Andjawastew turned a bunch of them into icons over here.
Man, that's a lot of links.
I've knocked together a few of mine own. (I suspectdistractedone will like the Emma ones below, if no-one else.)
If anyone uses any of these, please make sure to creditkatie_can_draw.
jawastew posting over at comicbook_icons I discovered Katie Cook, the aforementioned katie_can_draw. Anyway, her art is pure love and in particular these (rejected) designs for the "X-Men Archives" trading card set.
So much good stuff there. And
jawastew turned a bunch of them into icons over here.Man, that's a lot of links.
I've knocked together a few of mine own. (I suspect
distractedone will like the Emma ones below, if no-one else.) If anyone uses any of these, please make sure to credit
katie_can_draw.- Mood:
chipper
Something I'd overlooked was the announcement of Longbox, the "iTunes for the comic industry". Will this mark the end of piracy in the comics industry? the end of the printed medium? Get a big shrug from most comic readers? Not sure, personally, I'm still of the opinion most of us want to read physical comics rather than onscreen and it'll succeed maybe to the level of e-books but not exactly take over, but as the article points out, Longbox is doing a lot of things right, including price points, apparent ease of use and so on.
The big question is, will Longbox succeed because it's able to deliver the latest issues cheaper (99 cents an issue) or is it going to be limited to older titles, like Marvel's . There's also the question of whether any of the big publishers are going to sign up for it - so far, only Top Cow and BOOM! Studios are confirmed. If Marvel and DC continue to want to do their own thing (or not in the case of DC) Longbox would appear to be defeated before it even begins.
Of course, there's also the question whether those that do read comics online will actually go back and start paying for them after they've been getting the content free on torrents for a while. And whether these people represent the bulk of those prepared to read books on their computers - obviously I'm happy with reading snippets of books online, but would I read my entirely monthly pull list on a computer instead of buying printed media? I doubt it. In my experience most comic readers are the same, but there probably are those who want to read comics but are short on storage space.
How do my friends list feel about this? Quick poll!
Poll #1432786 Will you use Longbox?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 3
The big question is, will Longbox succeed because it's able to deliver the latest issues cheaper (99 cents an issue) or is it going to be limited to older titles, like Marvel's . There's also the question of whether any of the big publishers are going to sign up for it - so far, only Top Cow and BOOM! Studios are confirmed. If Marvel and DC continue to want to do their own thing (or not in the case of DC) Longbox would appear to be defeated before it even begins.
Of course, there's also the question whether those that do read comics online will actually go back and start paying for them after they've been getting the content free on torrents for a while. And whether these people represent the bulk of those prepared to read books on their computers - obviously I'm happy with reading snippets of books online, but would I read my entirely monthly pull list on a computer instead of buying printed media? I doubt it. In my experience most comic readers are the same, but there probably are those who want to read comics but are short on storage space.
How do my friends list feel about this? Quick poll!
Poll #1432786 Will you use Longbox?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 3
Will you use Longbox? (Assuming new releases are even available)
View Answers
No, I don't read comics on my computer. 1 (33.3%)
No, I'm a filthy pirate and proud! 1 (33.3%)
No, I read comics on my computer but prefer to physically own them. 2 (66.7%)
Yes, but I'd still mostly buy print versions. 0 (0.0%)
Yes, and I'd mostly buy digital comics. 0 (0.0%)
Yes, and I'll exclusively buy digital comics. 0 (0.0%)
- Mood:
curious
ICv2 have Diamond's estimated comic sales for June up, which means it's time for analysis again. It's rolled around quickly. At some point I might even finish writing up the reviews for comics I've actually been reading.
Just before we start on the floppies, a quick glance at the Trades and Graphic Novels chart reveals that returns from the Watchmen consignment program outweighed new sales, leaving Watchmen off the Top 300 Graphic Novel list. It seems that in addition to the movie flopping, DC are seeing a lot of returns of the graphic novel, which was reprinted in bulk, expected to fly off the shelves with a successful movie behind it. I guess Watchmen is the new Tank Girl.
In general it's been swings and roundabouts. While, after last month's slide, there's a recovery on dollar sales (up 6% on this time last year) in the comics market, trades are a massive 35% down. It seems like retailers aren't prepared to splash out on expensive editions which may sit gathering dust until someone wants them.
( Now onto individual titles. Runaways readers be warned. )
Just before we start on the floppies, a quick glance at the Trades and Graphic Novels chart reveals that returns from the Watchmen consignment program outweighed new sales, leaving Watchmen off the Top 300 Graphic Novel list. It seems that in addition to the movie flopping, DC are seeing a lot of returns of the graphic novel, which was reprinted in bulk, expected to fly off the shelves with a successful movie behind it. I guess Watchmen is the new Tank Girl.
In general it's been swings and roundabouts. While, after last month's slide, there's a recovery on dollar sales (up 6% on this time last year) in the comics market, trades are a massive 35% down. It seems like retailers aren't prepared to splash out on expensive editions which may sit gathering dust until someone wants them.
( Now onto individual titles. Runaways readers be warned. )
- Mood:
tired
Just three to start with, which is all I've managed to read since picking up my pull list yesterday.
Reviews under the cut for:
Captain Britain and MI13 #14
All Hail Megatron #12
Young Avengers: Dark Reign #2
( Read more... )
More to follow tomorrow, most likely.
- Mood:
productive
I only just realized that Diamond's estimated sales figures were released while I was away on holiday and I missed them. Which makes this month's rundown a little late. So I'll be skimming through more briefly than normal. New Mutants debuts this month, so it'll be interesting to see how that does.
May saw a huge crash in the comics market, down 19% on this time last year. Despite staying ahead so far this year, that sudden and major downturn's attributed to both the lack of huge "name" titles hitting the streets this month, but also the rising cover prices seeing a large number of people deciding that an increased financial drag isn't justified in the current financial times.
Not one title broke the 100k mark and that's a bad sign that will most likely see the big two cutting back. In the long term it's likely to see more of those big flashy crossovers to pull people in, rather than focusing on smaller books, and also (and perhaps wisely) less obscure spin-offs.
Speaking of spin-offs, last time I mentioned Wolverine: Weapon X debuting at #3 with sales of 98k. The second issue sees a huge drop off, down to 59k. That's kinda steep for a second issue drop, but understandable if sales are dropping across the board. It'll be interesting to see if it levels out, however. Ahead of it, the parent Wolverine title shipped #92 and #93 to sales of 87k and 83k respectively.
( Read more... )
- Mood: geeky
In honour of the release of Transformers: ROFTL, what if everyday life was directed by Michael Bay?
And speaking of whom, it's okay, despite everyone saying he is, apparently he's not a huge racist. Although I'm hoping "Tiger, Bay’s beloved but ultimately abandoned idea for a tiger who can transform into “a bigger tiger"" makes it into the next movie.
Big Mac "healthier than salads.
Marvel Divas - First look. When they said it was "Sex in the City" in the Marvel universe, I was kinda expecting them to, y'know, use Marvel characters and the Marvel universe. Not just in name only. No, wait, actually I was expecting this to be awful. I don't think it disappoints.
As reported at The Hostel - Runaways gets a theme song. Marvel editors need to stop thinking they're rock stars. I'll be in the corner punching myself in the face. Please Marvel, just stop.
Canterbury is "sufficiently gay". Hull, however, still too hetero.
13 unintentionally disturbing childrens' toys.
Drinking 13 beers before showing up for your psychological evaluation to gain custody of your three kids isn't wise, despite your claims that you weren't drunk because you "can drink like a fish."
- Mood: bitchy
In serious news, Labour have suffered an "historic defeat" in the European elections. Not sure if it's as historic as the last one or as historic as the next one's going to be, but hey, ho. The elections saw the rise of the right with the BNP actually getting a pair of Euro MPs and the UK Independence Party doing well in the popular vote, knocking Labour into third place. This is clearly a big crisis.
A lot of pundits are horrified and disgusted that people could even consider voting far right - me, I follow The Daily Mash's line: "Professor Tom Logan, of Reading University, said: "Prolonged recessions do have a tendency to expose our inner racist fucknut, but it subsides once you get a new credit card."" It's a swing to the far right that's been seen across Europe, so not so much damning of Britain as human beings in general.
I should probably be more horrified than I am, but seeing as Euro MP's sole power appears to be going on holiday to the Caribbean with our money, I'm more philosophical about it, frankly. I don't think it's much to do with the politics, mostly that the main parties have been demonstrated to be a bunch of thieving bastards and no bugger trusts them as far as they could spit them, let alone wants to vote for them. Health Secretary Andy Burnham apparently agrees, saying: "The BNP is like the ultimate protest vote. It is how to deliver the establishment a two-fingered salute. I think largely it is a comment on Westminster politics."
In other depressing news, a woman's body's been found in a wheelie bin in Surrey. In a macabre twist it's claimed that the body only remained undiscovered because of bin men refusing to move or empty the bin because it felt too heavy. It anything makes me despair for the state of this country, that does. We're ruled by petty jobsworths.
Well, before I get too political...
The latest Will Ferrell shitfestmovie, the remake of Land of the Lost, came out on Friday. Apparently industry polling put it up there as being one of the big rivals for the Summer blockbuster top spot, rivaling Transformers: ROTFL with its predicted biggest opening evah. Call me mean spirited, but I was kinda glad to see it tank and tank badly, opening to under $20m over the weekend on a reported budget of $100m+. I find Will Ferrell about as funny as a forced colonic irrigation and the sight of him doing his mind-numbingly banal petulant man-child act in another movie, just with CGI dinosaurs, made me want to punch someone. It seems that moviegoers have metaphorically done that for me, though.
Michael Bell, voice of Prowl, Swoop and other characters in the original Transformers cartoon, is urging people to convince IDW to take up his proposal for a series of motion comic books that would be available for download on iPhone, iTouch and other outlets. The animated comics would also include several of the voice actors from the early Transformers shows as well as other voice actors. The problem is, IDW seems to have stalled out on the issue, but he's posted a short clip (from the recent "All Hail Megatron" series) below:
Scans_Daily is having a "One Perfect Moment" Week and it is chuffing awesome. I love icon_uk for coming up with it and it's thrown up so much good stuff in just a few hours. My first contribution? Jono laying out an immensely smug Warren with a single punch, but I have others to post.
Apparently not having a beard makes me look years younger. Or like a completely different person, apparently, judging by the reaction of my neighbours who came out of their flat yesterday when I was putting something in the bins to ask who the hell I was and what the hell I thought I was doing. Cruel people have pointed out that once again I look like a young Timothy Spall. Bastards.
- Mood:
dorky
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