Unkie Dev's Amazing Stuff

MORE Exclusives

Forbidden Planet has signed an exclusive deal with Orville Redenbacher brand microwave popcorn. We don't have coupons like we do for our arrangement with Nightmare: Ghost Stories, but we must insist you only eat Redenbacher Popcorn on the premises. Failure will be met with physical force: ALL HAIL THE REDENBACHER!

SITE SEEING

ComicArtFans.com - Comic fans with high speed internet should hit up comicartfans.com, A searchable treasure trove of original artwork, scanned by their fans and owners. Type in an artists' name and instantly convention sketches, original commissions and pre-inked pencils spring up on the screen. The site also features spotlights on active and drool-worthy eBay auctions... right now there are a few Mignola originals as well as an entire Adam Hughes sketchbook up for grabs at insane prices.

I ALSO hope you all check http://www.fpnyc.com, the Forbidden Planet New York web site! Every week the site is updated with the upcoming books, figures, manga and DVD products arriving that week but also all the contents of the Weekly Planet, news, announcements and more!

OCTO-OMNIBUS

The mid 80's saw what is now known as "The Black and White Boom," part of an exciting and still controversial period of comics leading up to the great "Market/Speculation Glut" of the late 80's which almost destroyed the industry. Started by now classic black and white comics like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and crazy ole' Dave Sim's Cerberus, the B/B-Boom had many animal imitators. My favorite is Mark Martin's Gnatrat... more on that in another column.

My second favorite was Reggie Depasqualle's "Ultra-Pus: Eight Arms of the Law!" Ultra-Pus was a regular sea-dwelling octopus who was flown to the magical land of EZ in a water spout. EZ is much like OZ, except substitute munchkins, witches and flying monkeys with octopi, octo-witches and flying monkopusses. The Wizard of EZ gives our hero magical powers which Ultra-Pus uses to return to Earth and fight human criminals, feeling himself more akin to humans then sea creatures. He also had a clever secret identity as "just some octopus that hangs out at a science museum."

"Ultra-Pus: Eight Arms of the Law!" ended after 24 issues when its creator, Reggie Depasqualle, was forced into an insane asylum by his brother. Polar Bear Press announced at last weekend's Poughkeepsie Comic-Con they intend to collect and publish Ultra-Pus in its entirely in a black and white anthology tome this December, making some of this material available for the first time in 20 years! Forbidden Planet is currently filing the paperwork to have Depasqualle released as an out-patient for a special in-store signing. Watch this space for more info!

NOW AVAILABLE

This week's hot humor hits include Umbrella Academy #2, Simpson's Comics #135 and Marvel Zombies II #1. Though late to the game, Marvel Zombies is an interesting bridge between the once popular humor genre and the now status-quo, though over exposed, zombie genre. I'd recommend anyone who likes funny super-hero stuff to pick up Brian Michael Bendis's Mighty Avengers #5. I know Bendis isn't for all, but I think he's a hoot!

END TIMES

This week I have planted a fake news story in amongst the humor news. Post a comment here on what YOU think was the fake story. Wouldn't it be great if you won a lifetime supply of Orville Redenbacher popcorn? Well you won't. You won't win anything. Actually, most of the items this week are made up. Did I mention I'm a ninja?

Alright... I'm not a ninja. [ED. NOTE: Forbidden Planet has signed no such exclusive deals, and does not endorse one tasty popcorn treat over any other. And please don't eat in the store. Thanks. Also -- sorry ladies, but Unkie Dev is getting married this week, and is no longer on the market. Rah, rah, congrats and lord help that poor woman!]

By Guest Contributor: Unkie Dev