The Ring's Loss

Watching the news last night I was startled to hear of another tragic end to a well known wrestler -- Chris Benoit. I found myself thinking back to Eddie Geurrero's death and my overwhelming grief. Now, another loss. It's amazing how such a silly show made me care for and admire these overgrown men.

I've been watching the WWE since the 80's. The days of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant are long gone, replaced by drawn out soap operas and vicious beatdowns. As a child it was about good vs. evil. Now it's a weekly bloodbath. Wrestling's popularity has spun off two other shows and countless pay-per-views. Recent weeks have seen the worst storyline yet. WWE owner Vince McMahon faked his own murder, and let tasteless conspiracy theories and half-assed condolences swirl.

Now a shocking death hits the WWE in real life, and not for the first time; overdoses, violence, steroids, depression = dead wrestlers. And how many of these entertainers have passed with little to no fanfare or acknowledgement? It seems they get abused to no end. But this latest story has crossed a line. Fans like me could care less for McMahon's callous and narcissistic attempts for ratings. Real tragedy has made him come out and and acknowledge the loss of a great wrestler, but he runs a business. One that I have loved in the past, through blood and humiliation.

We live in a violent world, with little to no understanding and compassion, but I'm compelled to wonder if this so-called entertainment is driving their wrestlers mad, and when will such tactics end?

- Saskia

'Nuff Said

The price of comics small to pay
the thrill remembered childhood's play
The lines the words its flowing song
I read my comics all day long

Poet; guess I am not. What a weekend, The Big Apple con, then Mocca. I did both, super trooper that I am. The energy I felt at Big Apple was exciting. I have not felt it in a while. Something in the air I guess. I have been going to the con for some years now, even when it was at the church. Now it's at a hotel, guess God isn't a comic fan. Just kidding. Found some cool stuff at this years con. My Hellboy Liz figure, 7 bucks woo hoo. Sam Kieth's Secret. Its a Batman trade, not really a secret. It was really cool to be in a place where everyone is just as geeked out as you are. Some even more, shh... Stormtroopers.

I remember my first con, when it was at the church down at Columbus Circle. For me it has always been about the thrill of the hunt. Searching through those dollar bins until you find your New Mutants 27, (Demon Bear Saga) it was not an expensive book but for me it was the world. I don't know, tastes vary. I loved Doom 2099, first storyline rocked. Remember Troublemakers, another good book. Jeff probably knows it. The deals at the con were incredible and for those with a good eye you could make out like Batman and Robin when no one is looking. Last year I paid 6 bucks for a Miracleman trade book 4. This year it was twice as fun because of Mocca. Now for any one who reads my articles, they know I am not a big indie fan.

In fact last article I asked for suggestions for indie reads. That worked out really good (not really, not one email) So since I know every one was busy reading their books, I did not take offense. You guys were reading your books... right? Knowing the only way to expand my horizons were to admit my mistakes, I did last week. Now I have to take the initiative. I thrust myself into Mocca.

I met up with my friend Dennis Pacheco indie artist of Bizcochito. Love the little book. It's very human, a story of a man, his pride, a dance and a language barrier. It's funny... I asked him to show me around, point out the good stuff. He told me everything here was good. Why is it funny, because when I asked Nate Doyle he said the same thing. Almost verbatim, don't know if these indie guys just stick together or what. So I figure I would give it a try.

I liked Nate's book. I think a lot of my friends could have used it growing up. It's an interesting way to bring a point home. Also the picture on the last page brought a smile to my face. I feel I know him more, you know the important stuff. Like how he lost his virginity. Also on the elevator trip to the 7th floor was a flyer for a book called "Evenfall" by Pete Stath dealing with women and loss.

I, knowing something about loss figured it looked interesting. So I'm on the 7th floor just loving the feel up there when I see Gary Black loyal Fp customer. What I did not know is that damm he is a talented artist. Poop! (If the last word sounds PG my editor changed it. It should be a curse to emphasize my strong feelings about his work) Check his stuff out at static@nyc.rr.com

So finally God decided to intervene and right next to Gary was a man giving away these cool stickers with the purchase of his book. The stickers said “I LOVE COMIC BOOKS” which I do. So I asked if I could buy one he said why buy one when you can get one for free with the book. I finally relented and looked at the book. To my surprise it was Evenfall. Not to knock faith but I saw it as a sign. So I went with it, maybe I will tell you how it is when I finish reading it. Look me up if you can tear yourself away from your books

- javiersunspot at myspace

Welcome to Shibuya-Cho

Okay, anyone who knows me knows that I am a Ghost in the Shell super-fan. I'm the only person in the city who bought all the special editions of each volume of the second season just for the little toys or soundtracks that came with them. I own two tachikoma plushes, and all the little plastic ones from the mystery boxes, PVC statues, videogames, and various toys, t-shirts, key chain, and messenger bags. Oh yes, Major Motoko Kusanagi has received many a paycheck from me.

Now that that's out of my system, you know why this week's article has to be about the release of "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society". I personally have been waiting for this to get here for almost a year. The movie itself takes place two years after the events of the second season. The Major has left the team (don't be mistaken, she's still the star of the movie) and the rest of Section 9 is called in to solve the case of the Puppeteer. someone has been hacking into people's cyber-brains to commit acts of terrorism using their bodies.

And what does "Solid State Society" even mean? Don't worry, it will all make sense by the end of the movie. Oh, and in case curiosity and fandom aren't enough to move you to see the movie, the action and intrigue of Masamune Shirow's unique brand of espionage never cease to keep you riveted. Especially if he only has 109 minutes (as opposed to an entire 26 episode run). I'll admit it, I squealed like a schoolgirl every five minutes while I was watching. So go. See it. Now!

Ja Ne!
Mat K.

THE STATIC AGE

So last Friday (not this past Friday, the one before that) as I was looking at the invoice for what new comics were coming out, my eyes practically lept out of my head when I noticed there was an all new Tales From The Crypt on-going series hitting shelves on Wednesday (not this coming Wednesday, last Wednesday). It's been years since our good friends The Crypt Keeper, The Vault Keeper, and The Old Witch have seen print. 52 years to be exact. Oh 52 why can we not escape you? I couldn't wait to have my funny bones tickled with bad puns and even worse execution. I thought of all the moral lessons I would learn from the bad decisions made by the characters in these tales -- not to mention all while having the crap scared out of me.

Then it came... Tales From The Crypt number 1, with a cover by Kyle Baker featuring the Crypt Keeper crawling out of a grave saying the phrase "What me dead?!". Boy oh boy was I already stoked, a sweet looking cover with a Mad Magazine reference and an EC Comics logo on it. But wait whats that? A different one on it as well, a big orange Z. The Z logo is for Papercutz, the company responsible for the return of Tales From The Crypt. So I open to page one and there they are, both keepers and the witch. Not only re-introducing themselves but introducing the new series as well, with the bad plays on words we've come to expect from the gang.

All very promising, then I turn to page two and everything goes to hell. Papercutz! What are you doing to me baby!!! The first tale's artwork looks like something from a rejected Nickelodeon cartoon -- not what I've come to expect from a series that had some of the greatest comic artists ever... Harvey Kurtzman, Bill Elder, and Jack Davis just to name a few. This guy (who's name I will leave out) doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Austin English let alone some of comic's most respected artists.

The story itself was mediocre at best, but I just couldn't get over the look of it. The second story's art wasn't as bad as the first but the story itself made me yearn for the first tale. I know that they're aiming for a younger audience here, but the real question is why? After all these years of TFTC, with its movies and HBO show it has gained such a cult following among adults. Why would you bring the comic back in such a watered down format? I'm insulted by the fact that this comic bears the name and logo of it's predecessor. If the plan was to make a weak version of TFTC at least at a Jr. to the title so you don't throw off (and more importantly, piss off) true fans of the series. Papercutz you have disapointed not only me but every other person I have talked to about this comic.

Now, I being a God fearing American have learned over the years to forgive, forget, and give a second chance. I promise to read issue number 2, and hopefully will scratch number one up as some sort of fluke. But hear you me, if it sucks I'll be raging on again in 7 weeks. It's a bi-monthly book so at least we won't have this turd, crapping up our shelves every month.

- Matt D.

Shannon Wheeler : Postage Funnies 008

I Shall Change the World Through Comics Sales

Am I dreaming? Am I not warily churning butterflies in my stomach at the prospect of some looming event? Are there no signings, no conventions? Is this a small respite? Can I finally get to that stack of books gathering dust on my coffee table? Yes! Yes! So this week I finally have a chance to discuss some new books, and some newish books, I've had nary a moment to either read or write about. All of them I would recommend owning, and doing so as quickly as possible- it pays our rent, yes, but these offerings are extremely swellerific and positively desirable, dudes and dudettes.

Fletcher Hanks I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets - Edited by Paul Karasik, published by Fantagraphics. Upon first inspection it is easy to dismiss the contents of this book as pure old-timey, dopey crap, of the kitschy sort of superhero buffoonery lampooned in Robert Smigel cartoons on SNL. Indeed, in the book's afterword, a revelatory comic-format quest to find Hanks the man, Karasik portrays his mother and Hanks' son both merely glimpsing at his comics, and their immediate response: "Looks like crap to me." From 1939-1941, Hanks let loose these bizarre treasures upon the world, often for third rate publishers, until Whoosh! he disappears, drops off the comic radar. A cult figure in comic-lore, his anatomy's atrocious, his sense of reality non-existant, but his The standout character of this book, a collection of fifteen of Hanks' best, is Stardust: The Super Wizard, "whose vast knowledge of interplanetary science has made him the most remarkable man that ever lived, devot[ing] his abilities to crime-busting." Stardust has a knack for catching the baddies- and then unleashing such violent retribution that the overhyped 90s superstar artists couldn't even imagine. Y'know, I just read a review of this book proclaiming it hilarious (published by the same guys who made those poopy comics popular in the first place). Nothing could be further from the truth for me. Read the afterword; get the context. You'll see these stories are imaginative and childish, yes, but also the disturbing comics of a disturbed man, displacing his twisted worldview in comic form. Now for all of us to enjoy! And awaaay we go...

Spent - by Joe Matt. If you've never read Joe Matt's books- Peepshow, Fair Weather, The Poor Bastard- nothing I write here can possibly prepare you for the sheer pain of reading the man's books. The kind of pain that makes you wince and avert your eyes when the main character in a book or a movie embarrasses the hell out of themselves, or says something completely asinine at the worst moment to the worst person. Spent collects in a re-edited and re-colored form his best storyline from the past four issues of Peepshow, the end-all be-all of autobiographical comic candor for over a decade. Look, we've all got problems, right? Joe Matt just lays all of his to bare on the comic page, for better or worse, exorcising his every insane tick for your entertainment. And entertaining it is, as HBO once tried to option Peepshow as an original series (guess they settled on the less neurotic Larry David, instead) and I've been known to guffaw and chuckle at the books myself. With regards to the title, know that when a chronic masturbator uses the word Spent, he ain't referring to shopping like no danged Rockefeller at Bloomy's!!

Paul - by Nate Doyle. You might remember Nate from such weekly newsletters as The Weekly Planet, and This Week in Fungus. An occasional contributor to this publication, and a valued employee here at the store, Nate is also a very talented and promising cartoonist. His drawings are lush and expressive. He's got a great sense of tempo and storytelling, with a fluidity of motion and action that are rarely exhibited by an artist so young (here's an anomaly: you can actually tell what's going on in his comics!). Based on Norman Maclean's novella, "A River Runs Through It," Nate's mini, Paul, is available now for only five bucks at the Planet. If mini's are the rookie cards of the comics community, jump on now, so that you might lament that you knew his stuff when...

House - by Josh Simmons. An original graphic novel from the creator of Top Shelf's Happy, House is a silent story of teenagers exploring a creepy abandoned mansion, where adventure and tragedy await. Here be there be unnerving mischief. Ye be warned.

Syncopated - Volume 3 is the newest, ish, but just now have I gotten a chance to read it, the previous editions already securing a prized place on my bookshelf. A quick observation of the current comics world here, with MoCCA having just ended- there are a bozillion anthologies out there right now. Strike that generous estimate. A gozillion! This is a personal favorite. Vol.3 features Tom Devlin, Nick Bertozzi, and Paul Hoppe (all 3 Jeff Ayers faves) and a zozillion other reasons to buy it.

"A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages." -
Tennessee Williams

Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go sit for a spell,
JEFF

THE STATIC AGE

First off I wanna apologize for not having an article in the last two issues. You know... sometimes I get so overwhelmed putting this rag together that I can barely think straight. But anyway... I hope you're digging the rantings of our newest contributors Javier Rodriguez and Mat Kerwin. (About time the upstairs was represented in the WP) Those kids rule. Javier found me every issue of Dylan Dog. Which is out of print and somehow was accidentally left off our want list. So I extend Jeff's invitation to bring us copies of Dylan Dog for store credit.

What is Dylan Dog you ask? It's one hell of a sweet horror comic, that's what! From Italy none the less. The stories revolve around Dylan Dog (No he's not actually a Dog like McGruff and yes he knows it's a silly name) your average infamous, broke, sober, clarinet playing, horror movie loving, model ship building, paranormal investigating, ladies man. Wait a second there's nothing average about him at all, WOMP WOMP! Average or not D.D. author Tiziano Sclavi was definitely on to something when he created this series back in 86'. It's still the best selling comic Italy has ever had, and yet us Americans weren't hip enough to get the ball rolling over here until 1999. Dark Horse reprinted six volumes in English with new covers by Hellboy's Mike Mignola. Even our Mignola expert Chris had no idea about D.D. when I showed him the first volume Javier found for me, and that kid has a Hellboy Tattoo for Christ's sake. How could such an awesome comic go unnoticed to the point of out-of-printness (Hey if Jeff can make up words, why can't I). Well I hope I've sparked some interest for D.D. in your comic loving hearts. So be on the look out and please bring us your copies, that is if you can part with them.

Now for something not so completely different. Have you ever seen the Italian zombie movie Cemetery Man? (or Dellamorte Dellamore depending on if you saw it in its original format) Well it was based off of D.D., kinda, I guess, but not really. Either way it's one of the most original pieces of cinema the genre has ever seen. Thanks to its recent DVD release, it's easier to find copies of Cemetery Man than issues of Dylan Dog. Maybe I should have started with Cemetery Man instead of Dylan Dog, but then I wouldn't have a very good reference point so I guess starting with the comic did make more sense... see what I mean about not thinking straight.

Anyway... Cemetery Man features Rupert Everett as the lead Francesco Dellamorte, which is totally awesome because Dylan Dog the comic character was actually drawn to look like Rupert. It was directed by Michele Sovai, who worked very closely with one of my all-time favorite directors, Italian master of horror Dario Argento (Go rent Suspira already!) on some of his best flicks and was second unit director for Terry Gilliam (Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, Monty Python & The Holy Grail) on a few films including The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (another "you gotta see it to believe it" flick).

Francesco works as a care taker at a cemetery, but his job goes beyond digging graves. For some reason the people buried in this particular cemetery come back to life, or un-death? It's up to Francesco to take them out and get them back to their final resting places... again. The odd thing is he doesn't question why it happens and goes about his work like anybody would at their average boring day job. Throw in some comic relief, a beautiful love interest, and some serious philosophical mumbo jumbo and you have a horror flick that appeals to everyone from the Romero obsessed gore fiends to the artsy fartsy indie loving cinema students. There's not another movie in the world like it. A must see, without a doubt.

- Matt D.

Welcome to Shibuya-Cho

Well, it's a huge week for manga this time around and I wish I could get around to all of it for you. A bunch of our favorites are coming out, as well as plenty of new releases. Yet amidst all the books I would love to talk about I feel a responsibility to devote this week's article to Death Note volume 12.

This is it, the last issue! And even if you know how it's all going to end, you also know you're going to read it anyway. Now I'm not going to spoil anything for the readers out there, but let's reflect on why this book caused us all (even people who aren't so much into manga) to fall into rabid fandom. The key of it all, it seems, is that we don't know who to love and who to hate! While Light is cool and kinda cute (in that way that psychos tend to have), he also loses touch with his purpose and becomes a sort of villain.

And L! L who we hate for always getting so close to catching Light, we also love for his brilliant quirkiness. Now anyone who has gotten into the series knows that it has it's ups and downs, but when it gets intense, WOW does it get intense. I can only imagine what writer Tsugumi Ohba has in store for the finale. So get out there and finish the series, that way you can move on to any of the other awesome series coming out this week. Like D. Gray-Man or Claymore.

Ja ne!
Mat K.

The Indie 500

Help me people, really help me. In the shuffle and bustle of Civil War and Planet Hulk, I've lost my way. Wait that's not true. I never saw the path. Now I call myself a Comic fan, but am I really? I have secluded myself from different forms of the art. One of them the dreaded Indie section. The one with all of its little weird books, different sizes n' such. Their weird names, Goodbye Chunky Rice, La Perdida, Ninja. I mean I'm a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Just give me the basics. Some capes, bad guys getting hurt and so forth. Books about relationships with people... c'mon. The last thing I want to deal with is real life. Most of us are stuck in dead end jobs, hate our bosses and just need a release. What better way then to visit a world where we know who the bad guys are (Tony Stark) and can watch them get what they deserve. Where else can I escape to? These books show us ideals we all strive for and heroics we dream of performing. They give us the ability to fly, whether in shadows or in light.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I finally picked up Maus, a Graphic novel about a man writing of his father's struggle to survive after the Nazis take over. The man was called Art and his father Vladek. In the book the Nazis were portrayed as cats and Vladek a mouse. The concept is genius. The parts that hit home to me was the way Art interacted with his dad. I saw in Vladek the way that these events changed his life and shaped him to be who he was to his son. You see why their relationship was so difficult. How Vladek's life shaped his actions and in his case made him who he was. I saw how I interact with my father. I came to an understanding of who my father is. Superhero comics are fine cause we all need to escape. We can't hide forever though can we? We need to land sometimes and deal with all this shite that is shoveled on top of us. We need to question. We need to grow and that's what good art does. It challenges us. It shows us different ways of looking at things. Ways of looking at ourselves. I am sure if you have not read the Sandman, you have heard of it. This book is one of those books that does that. It shows us that one must change or die. It caused me to reexamine my life. To let old ideas go, to adapt. So here goes the question fellow FPers. In that mess of 500 indie books can you recommend some to me? Just send me some suggestions if you can. I would greatly appreciate it. Any recommendations, see me at http://myspace.com/javiersunspot. Danka laters.

- Javier Rodriguez

Conventional Weekend NYC

The places to be this coming weekend, June 23-24th. Make plans to hit up every one of these events. All the cool kids are doin it.

MoCCA Arts Festival
Puck Building (293 Lafayette at Houston), New York City, 11:00am - 6:00pm

Festival Program
(Please note: this year's programming will be held at the MoCCA gallery, located at 594 Broadway, just two blocks from the Puck Building.)

Saturday, June 23

10:15am - 10:55am Paul Karasik on Fletcher Hanks
11:00am - 12:15pm D+Q Cartoonists' Showcase: Gabrielle Bell, Anders Nilsen, Kevin Huizenga
12:20pm - 1:25pm Applying for Grants and Scholarships
1:30pm - 2:35pm Festival Award: Alison Bechdel
2:45pm - 3:55pm Keith Knight
4:00pm - 5:00pm Jeffrey Brown
5:05pm - 6:10pm Lauren Weinstein

Sunday, June 24

10:30am - 11:00am Minx: The Face of Modern Fiction
11:00am - 11:40am Austin Grossman (author of Soon I Will Be Invincible)
11:45am - 12:45pm Reportage, Memoir and Comics: David Axe, Brendan Burford, Greg Cook, and Ted Rall
12:50 pm - 1:55 pm AWP Roundtable: Gabrielle Bell, Alex Holden, Tom K., Jon Lewis, Aaron Renier, and Karen Sneider
2:00pm - 3:00pm Kim Deitch
3:00pm - 3:55pm Craig Yoe
4:00pm - 5:00pm Joe Matt
5:05pm - 6:05pm Nordic Animation Screening

All that terrific programming, plus hundreds of your favorite cartoonists, book premiers and the best independent/self published fare the American comics community has to offer. We'll also be throwing down at this:

Big Apple Comic-Con
Penn Plaza Pavilion
401 Seventh Avenue at 33rd St.
10am-7pm Sat & Sun
The oldest and longest running Comic, Art and Toy, Sci-Fi show in New York City, Big Apple features hundreds of guests from diverse walks of geekdom, from Daredevil artist Alex Maleev to wrestler Roddy Piper.

Forbidden Planet 20% OFF Sale
The newsletter version of this WP features a terrific coupon good for this generous discount on any and all items in stock. See the back page for details. You'd be crazy not to take advantage of this, Crazy. Also! You wanna go to MoCCA. You wanna hit up Big Apple. You love Forbidden Planet. But all that travelling, oh veh! Never fear as a shuttle van's gonna be provided to cart you around to all three hip shindigs.

Windy Corner @ Union Pool
Come party with the stars in Williamsburg, as Forbidden Planet wage slave Austin English celebrates the release of Windy Corner magazine. 6/22/07, 8pm, 484 Union Ave, Brooklyn.

Top Shelf Anniversay Party!
Be sure to join us on Saturday evening, June 23rd, for the10th Anniversary Party of Top Shelf Comics. Come help celebrate that they're still here, still publishing phenomenal stuff, and chuggin along full speed! Congratulations and kudos to Chris, Brett, and the whole gang.

Saturday, June 23rd
9pm - After Hours
@ GSTAAD
43 West 26th Street

One last thing before I hit the bricks: this week's World War Hulk tie-ins are Ghost Rider #12, Incredible Hulk #107, and Iron Man #19.

Dig it.
JEFF

Shannon Wheeler : Postage Funnies 007

SUMMER FLINGS

Love 'em. Whether it's baseball, girls, or comics, I'm all for 'em. For our purposes I'm gonna focus on some upcoming comic related flings for us to jump into head first (because head first's the only way to go about living), but whatever your fancy, may you always slide safely into home.

Item #1: June 23-24th. I dearly hope you're going to be in NYC next weekend! You better be! The MOCCA Art Festival 2007 once again fills the hallowed halls of the historic Puck Building (293 Lafayette @ Houston). Next week I'll list the Festival's programming and events, guests and exclusives, but know that this is one of comicdom's premiere events, and is a must-attend if you live on this planet and have a love of and regard for the medium as a legitimate and viable artform. Also that weekend is Big Apple Con, New York's longest running comic and collectible show, at the Penn Plaza Pavilion (7th Ave @ 33th St), your best bet if you need to meet Captain Lou Albano and pick up that action figure you've been looking for all over.

I know it's rough to make both cool shows in one day, but, cue corny "to the rescue" music... There's a shuttle van that will run between the two events!!! And do you know where it stops and can drop you off between shows? FORBIDDEN PLANET, that's where. We are currently selling combined weekend tickets to both shows: $17 for two terrific comics events with free shuttle access. We will see you there. And here. And all over this frakkin' city.

Item #2- World War Hulk. Comics have not at all been event-starved, but here comes Marvel's next epic. Here's a super quick recap if you haven't been keeping up with the Green giant recently: Tony Stark, Reed Richards, Dr. Strange, Black Bolt, and Prof. Xavier have deemed the Green menace too menacing for Earth and shot Hulky into space, where he lands on a war-torn planet wherein he becomes a bigger gladiator champion than Russell Crowe and eventually becomes king. The above story, a helluva lot better told, with better art too(!), can be found in the Planet Hulk HC releasing this week!!! I know every one of you is gonna want to own this book. Why? Battle axes and hand blasters, my man, battle axes and hand blasters.

Anyway, that's just a primer for the real big fling here: World War Hulk #1. So you've been kicked off you your planet for being a little rowdy by a bunch of sanctimonious blowhards? What're ya gonna do? Smash. Smash everything. The Hulk comes back to Earth, and precipitates a Civil War size conflagration of very heavy-duty proportions that will rage on the whole summer long. We'll have complimentary WWH checklists for the completist at the front counter, too.

Items #3+ Imminent Infatuations:

Amory Wars #1 - Rock band Coheed and Cambria's frontman Claudio Sanchez teams up with Gus Vasquez, a terrific artist and old buddy of ours who's worked on Spider-Man, Green Lantern, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to give his rabid- frothingly rabid- fans the comic experience of his music. Part Phillip K. Dick, part Vonnegut, part 80s TV Sci-fi show, The Amory Wars is complicated to say the least, so much so that I'm going to refer you kids to the comic's Wikipedia entry for more detailed synopsis, and print the official sales solicitation:

Coheed Kilgannon's suburban world is turned upside down by General Mayo Deftinwolf, who explains the nightmares of torture that violate Coheed's dreams are real-and that Coheed and his family play a crucial piece in a terrorist plot to destroy all the worlds of the Keywork. To save these worlds, Coheed and his wife, Cambria, must do the unthinkable... From the imagination of Claudio Sanchez comes a science fiction epic in the tradition of Star Wars and The Matrix. A new, star-spanning mythology, rooted in the story of one simple family.

I'm going to leave off and, like Han's initial unfailing faith in Lando, assure you that Gus can handle such a daunting task. If he doesn't? Never heard of 'im!

Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol 1 HC - featuring the debuts of Orion of the New Gods, the evil Darkseid, super-escape artist Mister Miracle and many others, this handsome hardcover collect Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133-139, Forever People #1-3, New Gods #1-3 and Mister Miracle #1-3 in chronological order as they appeared in 1970 and created by Jack "King" Kirby, in his DC debut.

Jack Kirby. One more time: Jack Kirby.

Strangers In Paradise #90 - Fourteen years in the making, the final issue in Terry Moore's self-published magnum opus. Congratulations, Mr. Moore on your great accomplishment and enthralling comics. But, whatever are you to do, oh distraught reader, now that this seminal touchstone of your lives is over? Go out, get kidnapped and read something new, that's what. You friendly neighborhood FP employee has a myriad of new books for you to try. Make contact today.

Grant Morrison: The Early Years - by Timothy Callahan. Follow the early bibliography of comic writer Grant Morrison as he cuts his metaphysical teeth on Brit comics Zenith and 2000a.d. to his first sui generis American works Arkham Asylum, Batman: Gothic, Animal Man, and Doom Patrol. This book analyzes story and structure techniques, subtle nuances and references you may have missed (a la Anarchy for the Masses), and makes a case that I don't have to be sold on: that Grant just might be the greatest comic book writer in history. Expected in stock Wednesday 6/13, fingers crossed.

Head First, Baby,
JEFF

Shannon Wheeler : Postage Funnies 006

Welcome to Shibuya-cho

Welcome fans, both mild and otaku, to the newest segment of the weekly planet. Real quick before we get into it: this section is for anything Japanese that you can get your hands on. From anime, manga, and sometimes even toys, we do it first so you don't have to be lost in this brave new world full of Japanophiles.

Up on this week's radar is the new release of Shonen Jump's "Hoshin Engi". Hoshin is the long awaited manga version of the anime "Soul Catcher" that came out a few years back. And despite the time lag, Hoshin still managed to be able to be picked up by Soul Catcher's left over popularity.

While the creator, Ryu Fujisaki, admits that the storytelling is a bit different from the anime counterpart, it's still plenty good in it's own right. The young hero (Taikobo) still has to go around and capture the 365 evil Sennin (beings of power and magic), while uncovering the truth behind his destroyed village, and flying around on the back of his moose-hippo-person companion. With a quick wit, good heart, and magical stick of windy death, he manages to capture two of the demons by the end of the first book.

It's definitely a blast and good for anyone who likes Fullmetal Alchemist or even Naruto.

Ja Ne!
Mat K.

AWARDS SEASON

Forget the MTV Movie Awards (even if they are the only remaining source of meager entertainment left on that decrepit channel). The 2007 Harvey Awards Nominees were announced this past week, ushering in comics' Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the industry's most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. Nominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators – those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, edit or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field. They are the only industry awards both nominated by and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. They will be presented Saturday, September 8th, at the Baltimore Comic-Con. While you can bet the farm that Will Farrell and Borat won't be making out at the show, and Godzilla won't be winning the Lifetime Achievement Award, some very deserving books and talented creators shall be lauded, and that's what really counts. And getting hammered at Awards Ceremonies.

BEST WRITER

• Ed Brubaker | DAREDEVIL | Marvel Comics


• Grant Morrison | ALL-STAR SUPERMAN | DC Comics


• Steve Murphy | UMBRA | Image Comics


• Don Rosa | UNCLE SCROOGE | Gemstone Publishing


• William Van Horn | WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES | Gemstone Publishing


• Brian K. Vaughn | Y: THE LAST MAN | DC/Vertigo

BEST ARTIST

• Brian Fies | MOM'S CANCER | Abrams


• Renee French | THE TICKING | Top Shelf


• Stuart Immonen | NEXTWAVE: AGENTS OF HATE | Marvel Comics


• Frank Quitely | ALL-STAR SUPERMAN | DC Comics


• Don Rosa | UNCLE SCROOGE | Gemstone Publishing


• William Van Horn | WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES | Gemstone Publishing

BEST CARTOONIST

• Jaime Hernandez | LOVE & ROCKETS | Fantagraphics


• Kevin Huizenga | CURSES | Drawn & Quarterly


• Bryan Lee O'Malley | SCOTT PILGRIM & THE INFINITE SADNESS | Oni Press


• Don Piraro | BIZARRO | King Features Syndicate


• Don Rosa | UNCLE SCROOGE | Gemstone Publishing


• William Van Horn | WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES | Gemstone Publishing

BEST LETTERER

• Jon Babcock | UNCLE SCROOGE | Gemstone Comics


• Chris Eliopoulos | FRANKLIN RICHARDS | Marvel Comics


• Hope Larson | GRAY HORSES | Oni Press


• Troy Peteri | NECROMANCER | Marvel Comics


• Stan Sakai | USAGI YOJIMBO | Dark Horse Comics


• Willie Schubert | WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES | Gemstone Publishing

BEST INKER

• Jaime Hernandez | LOVE & ROCKETS | Fantagraphics



• Ryan Kelly | LOCAL | Oni Press


• Steve Leialoha | FABLES | DC/Vertigo


• Danny Miki | ETERNALS | Marvel Comics


• Joe Weems | HUNTER-KILLER | Top Cow / Image

BEST COLORIST

• Susan Daigle-Leach | WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES | Gemstone Publishing


• Steve Firchow | HUNTER-KILLER | Top Cow / Image


• Jamison Services | WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT, VOLUME 19 | DC Comics


• Lark Pien | AMERICAN BORN CHINESE | First Second


• Scott Rockwell | UNCLE SCROOGE | Gemstone Publishing

BEST COVER ARTIST

• John Cassaday | ASTONISHING X-MEN | Marvel Comics


• James Jean | FABLES | DC/Vertigo


• J.G. Jones | 52 | DC Comics


• Don Rosa | UNCLE SCROOGE | Gemstone Publishing


• Marc Silvestri | HUNTER-KILLER | Top Cow / Image

BEST NEW TALENT (Representative work listed)

• Lilli Carré | TALES OF WOODSMAN PETE | Top Shelf
• Brian Fies | MOM'S CANCER | Abrams


• Alexa Kitchen | DRAWING COMICS IS EASY! (EXCEPT WHEN IT'S HARD) | DKP


• Matthew Loux | SIDESCROLLERS | Oni Press


• Stjepan Sejic | WITCHBLADE | Top Cow / Image

BEST NEW SERIES

• CIVIL WAR | Marvel Comics


• 52 | DC Comics


• NECROMANCER | Top Cow / Image


• THE SPIRIT | DC Comics


• WASTELAND | Oni Press

BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES

• DAREDEVIL | Marvel Comics


• LOCAL | Oni Press


• THE SPIRIT | DC Comics


• UMBRA | Image Comics


• WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES | Gemstone Publishing

BEST SYNDICATED STRIP OR PANEL

• ANTIQUES: THE COMIC STRIP | J.C. Vaughn, Brendan Fraim & Brian Fraim | Hero Initiative


• DOONESBURY | Garry Trudeau | Universal Press Syndicate



• THE K CHRONICLES | Keith Knight | United Comics / Salon.com


• MAAKIES | Tony Millionaire | Self-syndicated


• MUTTS | Patrick McDonnell | King Features Syndicate

BEST ANTHOLOGY

• THE BEST AMERICAN COMICS | Houghton Mifflin


• FLIGHT, VOL. 3 | Ballantine Books



• HOTWIRE COMIX AND CAPERS | Fantagraphics


• MOME | Fantagraphics


• WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES | Gemstone Publishing

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM – PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

• ABSOLUTE NEW FRONTIER | DC


• CASTLE WAITING | Fantagraphics


• THE EC ARCHIVES: WEIRD SCIENCE | Gemstone Publishing


• GHOST OF HOPPERS | Fantagraphics


• POLLY & THE PIRATES | Oni Press

BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY

• CIVIL WAR # 1 | Marvel Comics


• FUN HOME : A FAMILY TRAGICOMIC | Houghton Mifflin


• GANGES # 1 | Fantagraphics


• MOM'S CANCER | Abrams


• PRIDE OF BAGHDAD | DC/Vertigo


• SCHIZO #4 | Fantagraphics


• SOLO #11 | DC Comics

BEST AMERICAN EDITION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL

• ABANDON THE OLD IN TOKYO | Yoshihiro Tatsumi | Drawn and Quarterly


• KAMPUNG BOY | Lat | First Second


• KLEZMER: BOOK ONE: TALES OF THE WILD EAST | Joann Sfar | First Second


• ODE TO KIRIHITO | Osamu Tezuka | Vertical

BEST ONLINE COMICS WORK

• AMERICAN ELF | James Kochalka | americanelf.com


• THE CHELATION KID | Robert Tinnell & Craig A. Taillefer | webcomicsnation.com/taillefer/chelation_kid/series.php


• GIRL GENIUS | Phil & Kaja Foglio | www.girlgeniusonline.com


• PERRY BIBLE FELLOWSHIP | Nicholas Gurewitch | www.thepbf.com


• PVP | Scott Kurtz | www.pvponline.com

SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION

• THE ABSOLUTE SANDMAN | DC Comics


• CARTOON AMERICA : COMIC ART IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS | Abrams


• THE EC ARCHIVES: WEIRD SCIENCE and SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES | Gemstone Publishing


• THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK COMPANION | Gemstone Publishing


• LOST GIRLS | Top Shelf


• POPEYE : I YAM WHAT I YAM | Fantagraphics

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM – ORIGINAL

• AMERICAN BORN CHINESE | Gene Luen Yang | First Second



• BILLY HAZELNUTS | Tony Millionaire | Fantagraphics


• FUN HOME: A FAMILY TRAGICOMIC | Alison Bechdel | Houghton Mifflin


• PRIDE OF BAGHDAD | Brian K. Vaughn & Nino Henrichon | DC/Vertigo


• SCOTT PILGRIM & THE INFINITE SADNESS | Bryan Lee O'Malley | Oni Press

BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT

• COMPLETE CHESTER GOULD'S DICK TRACY | IDW Press


• COMPLETE PEANUTS | Fantagraphics


• EC ARCHIVES | Gemstone Publishing


• POPEYE: I YAM WHAT I YAM | Fantagraphics


• WALT & SKEEZIX | Drawn and Quarterly

SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS

• Evan Dorkin | DORK | SLG Publishing


• Michael Kupperman | TALES DESIGNED TO THRIZZLE | Fantagraphics


• Bryan Lee O'Malley | SCOTT PILGRIM & THE INFINITE SADNESS | Oni Press


• Don Piraro | BIZARRO | King Features Syndicate


• Don Rosa | UNCLE SCROOGE | Gemstone Publishing

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, OR JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION

• ART OUT OF TIME: UNKNOWN COMIC VISIONARIES 1900-1969 | Abrams


• COMIC ART | Buenaventura Press


• THE COMICS JOURNAL | Fantagraphics


• MAKING COMICS | HarperCollins


• OVERSTREET COMICS BOOK PRICE GUIDE | Gemstone Publishing

So that's what comics people think is this year's bee's knees. Curious about something listed above that you've never heard of? Come by and check these nominees out, as copious amounts of them should be flowing from our shelves. Except the online material not collected yet- like that genius Gurewitch's Perry Bible Fellowship forthcoming from Dark Horse. More on that book in a few months. Right, off you go.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball,
JEFF

Shannon Wheeler : Postage Funnies 005