Every week I do a column full of comic book reviews as I’ve done since March 2003 and currently published at Comic Book Resources. Then, after the reviews post, I try to come over to Komplicated and expand on the thoughts and ideas listed there. Why talk about stuff at some other site? Oh, like you’ve never done any private projects when you’re at work! Sometimes things get profound, sometimes it’s gibberish, but it’s always about comics … let’s see what we get this week!
What? This week’s reviews …
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: CBR won an Eisner Award for “Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism.” I didn’t notice because I was busy being awesome.
This year the site won again. I’ve been writing for CBR at least for the last seven years. I’m told my work is among the highest traffic generators. Therefore, I am a two-time Eisner winner. That’s just science. Deal with it, because I will officially be running that bad boy through the ground in anything comics-related that I do.
Best of all, it means I have as many Eisners as John Layman. He gets the actual statues, so he’s got an advantage on me there.
NOTE: I say all this facetiously, and in no way wanna take away from the amazingly hard and skillful work done by people who won Eisners all by themselves or as part of a creative team. I do love CBR and my work there, but I know it’s not the same and don’t wanna be a complete douche commander about it. Just FYI.
PRIDE: I’m extremely proud of the huge image gallery we posted of Black faces in San Diego. I missed some, I know. Hopefully I’ll get more comprehensive — I got a late shot of Dave Crosland from my pal Pinguino Kolb, so I already have an idea for an update. I really love working on Komplicated, and I hope that shows.
THE STRUGGLE: A guy who shops at Comics Ink, a really big buyer, came through to pick up two weeks worth of stuff. About — brace yourself — nine hundred dollars worth of comics. He bought a hundred copies of the blank cover Daredevil #1. Why? How should I know? He looked like a brother too.
He was missing a comic or two — maybe he was buying everything that shipped, I dunno — and drove up to Golden Apple on Melrose in his open-doored Jeep. You know, like the Daisy Duke kind, but his was brand new and bright yellow and huge. Anyway, he parks in the GA lot, walks in to get some stuff, comes out and finds somebody stole all $900 worth of his comics. “I’d like to think it wasn’t a customer,” he said, but I’m almost certain it was. What homeless person would grab boxes of comics? He returned to Comics Ink and bought most of it again, showing how serious he was about his comics. I told him I was sorry for his loss, he recognized me from the CBR column, and we chatted. I mentioned some restaurants across the street that may have had cameras pointing the right way. In this economy, losing a grand to theft is not cool for anybody.
#WHODWIN WEDNESDAYS: Introduced something new on Twitter and Facebook where I posit the idea of an even-stakes battle between two characters and let people talk out why one would win or whatever. It worked better on Facebook (this time). The battles? Hulk vs. Doomsday (inspired by Che “Rhymefest” Smith), Dr. Strange (as Sorcerer Supreme) vs. Zatanna and a brain-off between T’Challa (Black Panther) and Michael Holt (Mr. Terrific).
Doomsday had some fans but I think Hulk pulled it off, Strange massacred Zatanna and Terrific narrowly edged out Panther. Next week, starting at noon PST, three more battles. I love it.
ANYTHING ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ACTUAL COMICS, JACKASS? Right, sorry …
- I really skipped a lot of DC books. Didn’t feel worth it. “Wonder Woman? I’ll check back in when she rocks the retractable pants … or will I?”
- Rick Remender was on fire with that Venom issue.
- If comics cost less, I’d have bought The Mission #6, Skullkickers #9, Last Mortal #3, Executive Assistant Violet #1 and that Bomb Queen book. Yes, those are all “indies.” take note. I’d even go for a $1.50 to $2 price point, especially if I could get a file I could keep and own for my iPad. I’m serious.
- I once wrote that Jonathan Hickman could write a phone book and make it interesting. I think he’s working hard to prove me wrong with FF. I am looking forward to his new Image book, though.
- Mogo is now Lantern-ite. Here’s a short story about that: no.
- The fact that Xombi got whacked in the Nu-52 as it’s getting so good makes me sad in the deepest areas of my soul parts.
THAT’S THE NEWS, AND I AM OUTTA HERE: Behave.
Playing (Music): “Fill Your Space” by Angel Haze
[Source: Comic Book Resources]