OFF-TOPIC: George Carlin 1937-2008

MONTHLY TOP SELLERS: May 2008

COMMENTS: Not even a strong sales push with the release of World War Hulk trade paperbacks could prevent DC from grabbing Marvel's #1 spot this month. The amount of hardcore Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans never ceases to amaze me. At the peak of that show's popularity, I knew women who would watch nothing but that show so I'm not surprised the comic book version is selling so well. Surprised and happy to see the Savage Sword of Conan reprints selling so well, as well as the Starman Omnibus books. Vertigo: First Cut was apparently too much to resist for most consumers with that extremely low cover price. Hellboy proves once again how strong it is in the TPB market. Not only Volume 8, but the Hellboy Companion also sold incredibly well.

TOP 25 SELLING TRADE PAPERBACKS

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, Vol. 2 (Dark Horse)
2. World War Hulk (Marvel)
3. Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Dark Horse)
4. Hellboy Vol. 8 (Dark Horse)
5. Heroes (DC)
6. Naruto Vol. 29 (VIZ)
7. Captain America: Death of Captain America Vol. 2 (Marvel)
8. Countdown to Final Crisis Vol. 1 (DC)
9. New Avengers: Illuminati (Marvel)
10. Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 3 (Dark Horse)
11. Justice Vol. 1 (DC)
12. Batman: Resurrection of Ras Al Ghul (DC)
13. Vertigo: First Cut (DC)
14. Batman: Joker's Last Laugh (DC)
15. World War Hulk: X-Men (Marvel)
16. Hellboy Companion (Dark Horse)
17. Kingdom Hearts II Vol. 2 (TOKYOPOP)
18. Berserk Vol. 23 (Dark Horse)
19. Hulk: Incredible Hercules (Marvel)
20. JLA Presents: Aztec the Ultimate Man (DC)
21. Batman the Killing Joke Special Edition (DC)
22. Starman Omnibus Vol. 1 (DC)
23. Green Lantern: No Fear (DC)
24. Oh My Goddess! Vol. 29 (Dark Horse)
25. Black Adam: The Dark Age (DC)

TOP 5 TRADE PAPERBACK PUBLISHERS

1. DC Comics (31.93%)
2. Marvel Comics (30.06%)
3. Dark Horse Comics (18.57%)
4. VIZ (4.98%)
5. Tokyopop (4.37%)

Source: Diamond Comics Distributors

NEW RELEASES: JUNE 18, 2008

INTERESTING: I'm still waiting for Warbound as the last World War Hulk spin-off for my library. I doubt I'll give Damage Control a look, even though I'm tempted because of their stint in one of my favorite TPBs - The Irredeemable Ant-Man. Eternals might be an interesting buy this week. The final book for Y: The Last Man is out to complete your library. I'm thrilled that the second TPB for Dynamo 5 will finally hit shelves because I've had a terrible time trying to find individual issues. If this is finally the week (there has been a lot of confusion on the publishing date between DC and Diamond), we may see The Sinestro Corps War Volume 2 which is a definite recommend for anyone! Astonishing X-Men, probably the best mutant title currently running, has its latest TPB release. Fans of sci-fi such as Aliens & Transformers will see new editions in the stores. Some of Dark Horse's releases such as Conan: Born on the Battlefield and Umbrella Academy were actually available last week. I guess they are second offerings.

MARVEL COMICS

• Eternals by Neil Gaiman TPB
• Hulk: WWH Damage Control TPB
• Iron Man: Haunted TPB
• Jack Kirby's Galactic Bounty Hunters Vol. 1 HC
• Marvel Adventures: The Avengers Vol. 6, Mighty Marvels TPB
• Marvel Masterworks Sgt. Fury Vol. 2 HC
• Marvel Masterworks Sgt. Fury Vol. 2 HC Variant
• Terror Inc. TPB
• Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 10, Ghosts TPB
• Astonishing X-Men Vol. 4 TPB

DC COMICS

• Y: The Last Man Vol. 10, Whys and Wherefores TPB
• Showcase Presents: The Flash Vol. 2 TPB
• World's Finest Deluxe Edition HC
• Green Lantern Sinestro Corps Vol. 2 HC
• Shadowpact Vol.3, Darkness and Light TPB

IMAGE COMICS

• Dust Vol. 1 TPB
• Dynamo 5 Vol. 2, Moments of Truth TPB
• Killing Girl Vol. 1, A Sister's Love TPB
• The Safest Place OGN
• PVP Vol. 5 TPB

RED 5 COMICS

• Atomic Robo Vol. 1 TPB

DARK HORSE

• Aliens Omnibus Vol. 4 TPB
• Postage Stamp Funnies HC
• Star Wars Legacy Vol. 3, Claws of the Dragon TPB
• Umbrella Academy Apocalypse Suite TPB
• Hellboy II: Art of the Movie OGN
• Conan: Born on the Battlefield TPB

TOKYOPOP (MANGA)

• .hack//G.U. Vol. 2 OGN
• .hack//XXXX Vol. 1 OGN
• Battle Vixens Vol. 13 OGN
• King of Hell Vol. 9 OGN
• Pet Shop of Horror: Tokyo Vol. 2 OGN
• Welcome to the NHK Vol. 7 OGN
• Battle Royale Ultimate Edition Vol. 3 HC OGN

IDW

• Transformers Animated Vol. 2 OGN
• Transformers Beast Wars Sourcebook OGN

VIRGIN

• Dan Dare Oversized UK Vol. 1 HC

VIZ (MANGA)

• Inubaka Crazy for Dogs Vol. 9 OGN
• Naoki Urasawa's Monster Vol. 15 OGN
• Cat Eyed Boy Vol. 1 OGN
• Cat Eyed Boy Vol. 2 OGN

EL MACFEARSOME COMIC SQUARES

• Adventures of Dexter Breakfast Season 2 OGN

GO!COMI (MANGA)

• Bogle Vol. 1 OGN
• A Wise Man Sleeps Vol. 2 OGN

SIMON & SCHUSTER CHILDRENS

• Chiggers HC
• Chiggers SC

TPB ODDS & ENDS: Future comprehensive index at TPB Review!

I'm at work on a comprehensive index for all published trade paperbacks. I will include titles as I review them. I will probably provide a spreadsheet for each major franchise with all publishers and spin-offs. (For example: a Batman page, a Hulk page, a Conan page, etc.) This future link will help anyone wishing to find a starting point for their reading. It will provide review summaries and critical information for each TPB, as well as a chronological listing of publications so you can identify what you need to complete your collection. You can find a beta version of this new feature here. In the meantime, you can always check out Rob Helmerich's TPB List which is basically a simpler version of what I'm trying to achieve.

SOLICITATIONS: DC September 2008

INTERESTING: The new graphic novel -- Joker -- which promises a much grittier story than what we normally see in mainstream DC superhero lore will be released. Finally! We get another Justice League International TPB. It's about time the adventures by Giffen & DeMatteis were released in later volumes! Booster Gold's latest TPB in HC will hit shelves in September and includes issue #0. JSA will see some new editions as the SC form of its first TPB will go on sale as well as the conclusion of the Alex Ross Superman story that borrows from Kingdom Come. Watchmen will get their very first regular HC edition and DC will re-release the Watchmen Deluxe HC Edition to coincide with the upcoming movie. Heroes fans rejoice as you will be treated to another HC TPB. The latest addition to the popular Ex Machina series will also hit stores.

• Joker HC
• Batman Chronicles Vol. 6 TPB
• Catwoman: Crime Pays TPB
• Booster Gold: Blue & Gold HC
• Camelot 3000 Deluxe Edition HC
• Diana Prince: Wonder Woman Vol. 3 TPB
• Green Lantern: In Brightest Day TPB
• JLA: That Was Now, This Is Then TPB
• Jonah Hex: Luck Runs out TPB
• Justice League International Vol. 3 HC
• Justice Society of America: The Next Age TPB
• Nightwing: Freefall TPB
• The Question Vol. 3, Epitaph for a Hero TPB
• Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come Book 2 HC
• Showcase Presents: World's Finest Vol. 2 TPB
• Showcase Presents: Wonder Woman Vol. 2 TPB
• Superman vs. Brainiac TPB
• Teen Titans Year One TPB
• The Spirit: Femmes Fatale TPB
• Watchmen HC
• Watchmen the Absolute Edition HC (re-printing)

WILDSTORM

• The League of Extroardinary Gentlemen Black Dossier TPB
• Friday the 13th Vol. 2 TPB
• Heroes Vol. 2 HC
• Ex Machina Vol. 7, Ex Cathedra TPB
• Token OGN

VERTIGO

• Absolute Sandman Vol. 4 HC
• Crossing Midnight Vol. 3, The Sword in the Soul TPB
• Hellblazer: The Family Man TPB
• Northlanders Vol. 1, Sven the Returned TPB
• Sentences: The Life MF Grimm OGN SC
• Un-Men Vol. 2, Children of Paradox TPB

CMX MANGA

• Astral Project Vol. 1
• Classical Medley Vol. 1
• Suihelibe! Vol. 1
• Crayon Shincan Vol. 5
• The Flat Earth/Exchange Vol. 2
• Batman: Deathmask Collected Edition TPB
• Dorothea Vol. 3
• Gon Vol. 6
• I Hate You More Than Anyone Vol. 6
• Kichi and the Magic Books Vol. 6
• Tears of a Lamb Vol. 4

MOVIE NEWS: The Dark Knight

Warner Brothers has hidden another easter egg in its online marketing craze. Check out the Gotham City Pizzeria mock website, click the letters "HA" in Gotham and you'll be treated to the first (to my knowledge) clip of Two-Face. Luckily, it doesn't reveal full details of his face, and it seems Nolan is intent on saving the big surprise of this famous villain's appearance until the day we buy our tickets.

Source: Supehero Hype

REVIEW: Y THE LAST MAN VOL.1, UNMANNED

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Penciller: Pia Guerra
Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr.
Colorist: Pamela Rambo
Letterer: Clem Robins

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Publisher: DC/Vertigo

Hardcover: n/a

Softcover: January 2003

Pages: 128
Cover Price: $12.95
Includes: story only

Collects: Y: The Last Man #1-5
TPB to Read Before: n/a
TPB to Read After: Y: The Last Man Vol. 2, Cycles

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• Cool post-apocalyptic tale with a "What if?" scenario involving a world without men.
• Clever opening sequence as time rushes up to the moment when men suddenly die.
• Little far-fetched at times but another creative job by Brian K. Vaughan that will keep you hooked.
• Decent art that doesn't exaggerate or try to be too stylish like some superhero books and fits the setting of the "average world."

Recommended for those who enjoy:

• Post-Apocalyptic storylines
• Female empowerment storylines
• Brian K. Vaughan

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To set the mood for this review, you'll need to click and play this song:

Feel the estrogen? Oh yeah..... Nothing like female empowerment to get you going for a story about women taking over the world. You see, Y: The Last Man REALLY is about the LAST man. In a stunning turn of events, the entire male population has violently died and the world has been taken over by lesbian bikers who decide they only need to deal with one "tata" and cut off the other one. Okay, silliness aside, this actually is a good series, and probably what I admire most about it... it has an ending! Volume 1: Unmanned is nowhere near that ending -- you'll need to read 10 volumes first -- but the best stories always have a beginning and end, and as long as you enjoy the tone of the first book, you'll probably be a devoted reader until the final days.

If you enjoy the format of TV shows like 24 that flash how much time is remaining in a story, you'll get a kick out of the intro in this book. Vaughan writes in a cinematic style as he counts down to the opening moment when testosterone ceases to exist. While we have a clue as to what caused it, we're still left in the dark because numerous events occur at the exact moment of male genocide. Who survives this calamity? Why none other than Yorick, a struggling magician who might be more effeminate than most of the women left on the world. Oddly enough, his male pet monkey, a creature he was raising as part of a college science experiment to earn extra cash, also survives making them the only two walking and breathing male mammals... or at least the only two the story has revealed thus far.

So presented with the potential disaster of an entire species dying because it can no longer reproduce, I'm sure you have figured out that Yorick's first plan is to live out every male teenager's porn fantasy and start breeding like rabbits, right? Nope, given the luxury of living his own harem-lifestyle, Yorick instead decides to track down his girlfriend in Australia who he was in the act of proposing to (over the phone) at the same moment when males around the world suddenly started bleeding profusely and dropping dead. But first, he has to visit with a world famous biologist who was in the process of human asexual reproduction, and see if she has any clues as to why he is the only male left on the planet.

If you enjoy post-apocalyptic tales, this one is no different than any fun-loving zombie epic. The world is busy disposing of millions of corpses, most people drive on easier-to-navigate motorcycles, and Washington D.C. is trying to decide who is really in charge now. Incidentally, Yorick's mother is one of the most powerful politicians in the nation's capitol, and she helps her son set his direction as she and others hunt down the Secretary of Agriculture who is next in line for the Presidency since everyone above her station was a male.

The storyline in Y: The Last Man is an intriguing "What if?" scenario and accompanied by decent artwork that knows how to illustrate a world in which exaggerated superheroes are not the norm, it's a fun read that will leave you eager to follow through in the second book. It seems when writer Brian K. Vaughan is at his best, he can do no wrong, and this series is certainly another example of his creative prowess. At a list price of $12.95, it's a great deal, and if the theme of this story sounds interesting, I recommend you check out Ebay and see if you can find a great package deal that combines several volumes in one auction. In a few months, DC will also start releasing deluxe hardcover editions so if you're a fan of those formats, you might want to wait before starting your journey down one of the more original and captivating tales published in Vertigo's short history.

MOVIE NEWS: Punisher War Zone

The first teaser trailer is up and away at IGN. You can view it here. Can't say it looks spectacular, but enough to possibly tempt me to buy a ticket. Don't hate on Ray Stevenson yet. If you ever watched HBO's Rome, you know he can be a total bad arse. I just wish they hadn't given him the circular shooting, the stuffy body armor and.... well, maybe I'll appreciate the body armor after watching the film if it comes across as a semi-realistic portrayal. The coolest scene might be when he's on the other side of the wall facing a fully-armed SWAT team. I like that they're playing symphony music in the background instead of the cliche "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" rock crap like the other Punisher movie. I still need to see a full trailer before I decide if I'm a go for this film.

Source: IGN

REVIEW: JUSTICE VOL.3

Story: Jim Krueger & Alex Ross
Script: Jim Krueger
Art: Doug Braithwaite & Alex Ross
Lettering: Todd Klein
Covers: Alex Ross

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Publisher: DC

Hardcover: October 2007
Pages: 160

Cover Price: $19.99
Includes: Intro by Alex Ross, Bruce Wayne Profiles featuring original art & sketches by Alex Ross & Doug Braithwaite

Softcover: not yet published

Collects: Justice #9-12
TPB to Read Before: Justice Vol. 2
TPB to Read After: n/a

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• Better than Volume 2, but never captures the strong start of Volume 1.
• Intricate plot about war strategy by Batman and the other heroes.
• Reveals the conspiracies by the Legion of Doom.
• Same stunning artwork by Alex Ross.

Recommended for those who enjoy:

• JLA, Legion of Doom stories
• Alex Ross artwork

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Maybe Justice should have been published in one large omnibus because it certainly has been a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs throughout the journey. The goods news? Justice Volume 3 is a far better story than the disappointing Justice Volume 2. The bad news? While a superior product, it still doesn't come across as a classic. The epic beginning to Justice Volume 1 was never to be matched. The incredible art by Alex Ross saves this series but if it had been done by an average artist, I wonder if the story would have been enough to carry it?

Anyways.... this is it! This is where the superheroes bring it and fight back against the Legion of Doom. The entire volume is essentially one huge battle. Everyone gets a chance at payback although Green Lantern, Aquaman and Batman are probably the three most featured heroes. Realizing that they are susceptible to Brainiac's nanobots, the heroes cooperate with the seldom used DC team of Metal Men and use the group's ability to mold suits of armor that will protect them from mind control, and quite frankly, look pretty bad arse when drawn in the style of Alex Ross.

Many loose ends are explained in this book such as how the villains are able to come across as the second coming of Jesus Christ and heal the blind, paraplegic and other inflicted masses of the world. We also see which supervillains truly are behind the grand scheme and which ones are simply dupes. But perhaps the best trickery involves Batman's plan of attack. When the tables are turned, he always has an ace up his sleeve, and you'll admire the creativity behind the storyline as the superheroes usually seem to have a counter-plan for everything the Legion of Doom throws at them.

All in all, it's a decent JLA story. It's a little bit too happy for my tastes. Since the story in Justice isn't considered cannon (officially sanctioned) within the regular DC fictional universe, I was really expecting something dramatic with Ross & Krueger not having to follow the rules of continuity. Ross does explain in his introduction that the old cartoon Super Friends was his inspiration for much of this, so I guess it's to be expected. If you've already purchased the first and second volumes, it's worth it to take the plunge for the third book, but I might wait until all books are in softcover. I don't know if you'll be taking these out anytime soon for another read (much like I have for Kingdom Come and some other Alex Ross books) but it will certainly make amends for some of the weaker storylines in the current Justice League of America run.

MOVIE NEWS: Wolverine

I usually don't bother with set photos because they rarely reveal anything, but this was one that interested me mainly because it proves that the film entitled X-Men Origins: Wolverine REALLY is about his comic book origin. A fan snapped these pics from a distance and they show a WWII battle scene involving Hugh Jackman so I guess we'll at least see a few scenes of Logan's early days before the claws when he was an elite WWII soldier. I have no idea how closely they'll follow the specifics of his military origin. Canadian or U.S. Army, it's just what any mlitary needs, a soldier who quickly heals. You can see the photos here by scrolling down.

Source: Superhero Hype and Flickr

NEW RELEASES: June 11, 2008

INTERESTING: Slow week for the big publishers but a printing frenzy for manga lovers. The new Incredible Hercules series by Marvel will be released in HC TPB form. The last issues collected in World War Hulk were a fun read and this looks to continue the crazy adventures of Hercules and Amadeus Cho. If you're still dedicated, Ultimate X-Men has another hardcover edition, although this collects what would probably be the worse run in the series so far. Absolute Sandman collects its third edition, a highly acclaimed series for any comic reader. The new Justice League HC TPB will be released, and while the new JLA series hasn't lived up to its billing, this collects a traditional superhero/supervillain battle royale. If you're a video gamer, you know what The Penny Arcade is, and all strips from 2004 will be collected in the new TPB released this week by Dark Horse.

MARVEL COMICS

• The Death of Captain America Vol. 1, Death of the Dream TPB
• The Eternals by Jack Kirby Book 1 TPB
• Incredible Hercules: Against the World HC
• Marvel Zombies 2 HC
• Silver Surfer, In Thy Name TPB
• Ultimate X-Men Hardcover Vol. 8 HC
• Wolverine, Enemy of the State TPB

DC COMICS

• Absolute Sandman Vol. 3 HC (Vertigo)
• Burnout
• Justice League of Amerca Vol. 3, The Injustice League HC
• Metamorpho Year One TPB
• The Question, The Five Books of Blood TPB
• The Programme Vol. 1 TPB (Wildstorm)
• Vinyl Underground Vol. 1, Watching the Detectives (Vertigo)
• Will Eisner's Spirit Archives Vol. 24 HC
• Joker: The Greatest Stories Ever Told TPB

IMAGE COMICS

• Amazing Joy Buzzards Vol. 1, Here Comes the Spiders, OGN
• The Ride Vol. 2 TPB
• Witchblade Origins Vol. 1, Genesis TPB

DARK HORSE

• Blade of the Immortal Vol. 19, Badger Hole TPB (MANGA)
• Penny Arcade Volume 5, The Case of the Mummy's Gold TPB
• Fluffy HC

DEL RAY

• Negima Volume 18 OGN (MANGA)

GEMSTONE PUBLISHING

• Walt Disney's Spring Fever Vol. 2 OGN

TITAN PUBLISHING

• James Bond: The Paradise Plot OGN

IDW

• Complete Little Orphan Annie Vol. 1 HC

YEN PRESS

• Zombie Loan Vol. 3 OGN (MANGA)
• Sunshine Sketch Vol. 1 OGN (MANGA)
• Black God Vol. 3 OGN (MANGA)

AMAZE INK

• Vaistron Vol. 1 TPB

TOKYOPOP

• Recast Vol. 6 OGN (MANGA)
• Blood Sucker Legend of Zipangu Vol. 7 OGN (MANGA)
• Dragon Hunter Vol. 18 OGN (MANGA)
• Dragon Knights Vol. 26 OGN (MANGA)
• Faeries Landing Vol. 19 OGN (MANGA)
• Life Vol. 9 OGN (MANGA)
• Missile Happy Vol. 3 OGN (MANGA)

TRANSFUZION PUBLISHING

• Raven Chronicles Vol. 1, The Curious Case of Raven Inc. TPB
• Helsing Legacy Born TPB

VIPER COMICS

• Rabid OGN

VILLARD BOOKS

• Out of Picture Vol. 2 OGN

VIZ

• Boys Over Flowers Vol. 30 OGN (MANGA)
• Gimmick Vol. 1 OGN (MANGA)
• Inu Yasha Ani Manga Vol. 27 OGN (MANGA)
• Nightmare Inspector Yumekui Kenbun Vol. 2 OGN (MANGA)
• O Parts Hunter Vol. 2 TPB (MANGA)
• One Pound Gospel Vol. 1 (2nd Edition) OGN (MANGA)

CINEBOOK

• Clifton Vol. 5, Jade OGN
• Green Manor Vol. 1, Assassins & Gentlemen OGN

BLOOMSBURY

• Freddie & Me: Coming of Age Bohemian Rhapsody OGN

REBELLION

• Judge Dredd Henry Flint Collection TPB

BOOM! STUDIOS

• Hero Squared Vol. 2, Another Fine Mess TPB

ANTARCTIC PRESS

• Gold Digger II Pocket Manga Vol. 4 OGN (MANGA)

SEVEN SEAS

• Hollow Fields Vol. 2 OGN (MANGA)

DIGITAL MANGA

• Loving Gaze OGN (MANGA)

TPB ODDS & ENDS: The Future of the Market

Compared to movies, video games, books and other forms of entertainment it seems like comic books are last in line. What gives? Why is an industry that is full of people with vivid imaginations the last one to use this same creative process in the business world?

Some challenges and ideas:

• COMICS ARE TOO EXPENSIVE: Why is this important? Have you walked into a comic book shop lately? Have you seen how many kids are in the store? Not many. That's troublesome. You can't build your future if you don't have young readers ready to fall in line. Many established readers have also trimmed down their pull list to the bare essentials. My argument would be comics are simply too expensive these days. They have outpaced inflation. A parent will not be happy if their son or daughter walks away with twenty dollars, only to bring back four flimsy comic books. Sad but true. Comics need to show value. Consider this: With ten dollars, you can walk out of a Gamestop with a fun used video game, walk out of a Half-Price Books franchise with two great used novels, or walk out of a Wal-Mart with two brand new DVDs. Or you can walk out of a comic book store with two used 22-page comics. Hmmm... if I'm not an avid reader already, which one tempts me and shows the most value?
• THE TPB MARKET: Individual issues can still be printed but the market needs to take advantage of TPBs even more than it has thus far. TPBs will continue to grow because they are the only form of print that follows a model similar to other forms of entertainment and they SHOW value. You can easily find used or older TPBs at discounted prices. That's how it should be. It's fine to up the price of a first or rare issue, but I shouldn't have to pay the $2.99 or $3.99 cover price for past issues of comics that aren't in much demand. And while we're on TPBs, why does DC refuse to label the spines of their TPBs in sequential order like everyone else? Shouldn't they WANT to make it easy for new readers to figure out which book to buy? Comics should not be viewed as an investment, but rather a form of entertainment, which leads me to....
• DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION: Why do I sign-up for Marvel's official distribution service and am only able to find the first five issues of a series that is currently on issue #38? Shouldn't everything be included? I understand the need to keep the digital titles a little bit behind the official printed copies, but the timing should be more like a film to DVD. And why is there not an attempt to invent an official E-Comic? Comics aren't fun to read on bulky computers, but imagine a slim Ipod-looking device with a sleek LCD screen roughly the same size as a comic book page? Imagine it with a small hard drive and Wi-Fi access to all publisher's libraries. I'd never buy print comics again if it was that easy. Torrent websites have already shown how popular these formats are on clumsy laptops and desktops, albeit in pirated forms. Plus, if you opened up an easy digital distribution model at a universal website, it would greatly increase the amount of new entry independent books. Let the market determine the price. I'll readily pay two bucks a pop for my favorite titles, but I'm only going to fork out a quarter at best for small newcomers. If the new title ends up a fun read, I'll gladly meet their inevitable higher prices. Another perk of a large digital distribution model is you trim the costs of book production since you can travel directly from the studio to the consumer.
• MOVIES: This might be one of the few areas the comic book industry is finally getting right. Marvel should be the example for everyone. Their film universe is now tied up into one large vision with Iron Man, the new Incredible Hulk, and other film properties such as the upcoming Captain America and Avengers films. DC is finally catching on with a better version of Batman but it remains to be seen if they will wisen up and make an effort to release characters like Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern and more who are just as popular as Daredevil, Iron Man, and other mid-tier Marvel superheroes who saw financial success at the box office. Movies are a great way to bring in new readers! It's also impressive how many indy titles are getting their own movie versions these days. My only tip would be to somehow make sure non-readers realize that these properties are based on comic books. Marvel has a brilliant strategy for this with their opening Marvel Studios logo that shows a comic book quickly flipped through, often with pictures of the characters in the movies.

REVIEW: INVINCIBLE VOL. 9, OUT OF THIS WORLD

WRITER: Robert Kirkman
PENCILER/INKER: Ryan Ottley
COLORIST: Bill Crabtree
LETTERER: Russ Wooton
COVER: Ryan Ottley & Bill Crabtree

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Hardcover: n/a

Softcover: June 2008 (NEW!)
Pages: 144
Cover Price: $14.99
Includes: Sketches & Comic-Con art with commentary by Kirkman & Ottley

Collects: Invincible #42-47
TPB to Read Before: Invincible Vol. 8, My Favorite Martian
TPB to Read After: not yet published

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• Continues the streak of impressive Invincible TPBs. The series is still going strong!
• Furthers the impending storyline of a Viltrumite Invasion.
• More storylines with popular characters such as Omni-Man and Allen the Alien.
• Hints at the first powers of Invincible's half-brother, Oliver.
• A conclusion that gives the Global Defense Agency new secrets.
• More terrific art by Ottley and hilarious dialogue by Kirkman.

Recommended for those who enjoy:

• Image superhero franchises such as Dynamo 5.
• Readers looking for superheroes that are strictly written for fun.
• Readers looking for quality superhero franchises outside of Marvel & DC.
• Tongue-in-cheek humor.

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If you're not reading Invincible yet, shame on you! Stop reading this review, go pick up the first trade paperbacks, and get back with me when you're finished. Invincible is probably the best superhero franchise on the market that doesn't have a big ol' DC or Marvel logo printed on its cover. While some series quickly fizzle out, something about this series just keeps getting better. Maybe it's because Kirkman never thought it would last this long, but whatever the case, you're missing out if you're not reading Invincible, Dynamo 5 and some of the other Image superhero titles.

There are several story arcs in this TPB. One great thing about the Invincible franchise is that new characters continually appear, and sub-plots are always abound. Probably the biggest theme is the impending invasion of the Viltrum Empire. Invincible knows his time is short and this message is spelled out even clearer when an agent visits him to check on his progress. After a short battle, we're once again reminded how weak Invincible is compared to his father and the average Viltrumite warrior. Speaking of Invincible's father, this TPB also pushes along a possible redemption story for Omni-Man. For once, he admits he misses his wife, and the inevitable execution of Invincible's father -- safely locked away in a Viltrumite prison -- looks to have a blurry angle as Allen the Alien allows himself to be captured and locked away in the same prison complex with plans of rescuing the once respected Omni-Man.

Some of the other stories covered in this TPB include the rapid growth of Invincible's half-brother Oliver, the relationship between Invincible and Atom Eve, Invincible's gradual flunking out of college, the effects on Immortal after Dupli-Kate's tragic death, and a startling conclusion that reveals the Global Defense Agency might be more than meets the eye. Issue #50 promises to conclude some of the revelations about Cecil Stedman and his Global Defense Agency, and if you're like me, you might not be able to wait for the next TPB to read that story.

As usual, the art by Ryan Ottley is top notch and Kirkman's tongue-in-cheek style is perfect for Invincible and the colorful characters that surround him. If you're not familiar with Invincible, maybe the best way to describe the book's attitude is if a young Peter Parker was given Superman's powers instead of being bitten by a radioactive spider. The stress he faces as only an 18-year-old is unbearable, but he manages to endure it all with his usual sarcastic yet optimistic approach.

Volume 9 establishes that this series is not in danger of running out of steam, which is something that is even more admirable when you consider how many titles Kirkman writes these days. Like other Image TPBs, it has a low cover price, and is well worth the purchase. If you'd like to sit down to a fun book and let your imagination flow for just a while, this TPB is the book for you, and another quality addition to your Image superhero library.

MOVIE NEWS: Incredible Hulk

Ain't It Cool has a fun review of the new Incredible Hulk film. If you haven't read this site before, the reviewer (Harry) is a bonafide geek and will bring up tidbits that a normal film reviewer will miss. His mentions of the easter eggs thrown in for Marvel Comics fans are interesting. For example, the weapons used against the Hulk have the label Stark Industries. He also mentions cameos and other appearances that show Marvel has a grand plan to bring all their film franchises into one giant Marvel film universe. Exciting times for Marvel fans who enjoy quality film adaptations. You can read the review here.

Source: Ain't It Cool