Tag Archives: comics

by | July 28, 2014 · 10:35 pm

Editorial | Have You Seen This (X)man?

Yes, I actually own this book.

Yes, I actually own this book.

As many of my readers who regularly follow the blog know, I really love Marvel’s blue, furry X-man Beast.  I’ve written poems about him, and even my local comic book store regularly puts aside issues in which he appears for me to pick up.  Seriously, it doesn’t matter what the book is about, I will buy it if Beast is in it.  About a year ago I decided that I wanted to find a Beast statue, so I enlisted Andrew to help me look.  I had no idea what I was getting us both into.

The first place I looked for Beast was, naturally, New York Comic Con.  Conventions are often a great place to get hard to find collectible items.  Lots of times comic book store owners will bring comics and collectibles that have been sitting in their stores for a long time, and they are willing to strike a bargain to avoid taking them home again.  So I enthusiastically started at one end of the floor and headed toward the other.  I have to be honest; I didn’t scour NYCC for a Beast statue.  That was my first convention and I was pretty overwhelmed with the shiny things on both sides of me.  Besides, how hard could it possibly be to find a statue of one of Marvel’s more popular characters?  That was probably a poor choice of rhetorical questions. Continue reading →

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by | July 10, 2014 · 11:00 am

Guest Blog | “Gone to Texas” Review, Preacher Vol. I

“This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

An angel from heaven and a demon from hell share a moment of celestial passion that produces an entity—an idea—called Genesis that is so powerful it could challenge the Almighty himself.  Kept incarcerated in heaven, this creature finally breaks free and heads screaming to Earth, decapitating a seraph on the way down. Looking for a human soul, it slams into a preacher in the middle of a crisis of faith, giving his Sunday sermon in a backwater town in the wastes of Texas.  The impact obliterates the church, incinerates the parishioners, but leaves the preacher unharmed and with the power of the word of God. This sequence of events sets in motion Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s epic series Preacher.Gone to Texas cover Continue reading →

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Filed under Comic Reviews, Comics, Guest Blog, Joseph De Paul, Reviews

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by | April 22, 2014 · 4:10 pm

Comic Book Misconceptions

Being relatively new to comics, I’ve noticed several misconceptions that the general public seems to have about comic books.  While the reasons for these misconceptions vary from person to person, they really do the industry a disservice. Comics are often pushed to the fringes of pop culture because people who might otherwise be interested in the content are basing their opinions on bad information and missing out. I’d like to take a few minutes and address some of those and see if we can clear things up.

Misconception #1: Comic books are all about superheroes in tights and capes.

Not a cape to be found.

Not a cape to be found.

Some of my favorite comic books have absolutely nothing to do with superheroes. Sure, most of the books put out by Marvel and DC involve superheroes (though not all are wearing costumes), but those are not the only publishers of comics. Both Image and Vertigo are publishing great books that feature characters other than superheroes. In fact, Image has been driving a wonderful resurgence in the science fiction comic book. There is a comic book to fit every reader’s tastes; it’s just a matter of finding it.

Continue reading →

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by | April 15, 2014 · 11:30 am

Random Thought Generator Episode 3, Feat. Pete Newcomb of Borderless Comics

TiG_Proof_2-04

On this episode Tracy got the opportunity to sit down and chat with Pete Newcomb of Borderless Comics.  Pete is a fascinating storyteller, and the tale of how he became a comic book store owner is unique and very interesting.  Besides sharing his personal journey, Pete also provided some insight into the workings of a comic book store.  Borderless is unusual in that it is a read store–meaning that the owners encourage customers to read comics in the store. If you think this sounds like an insane idea, you’re not alone, but Pete has some compelling reasons for believing that this is a solid business model.

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