I know you have seen me wearing the "MARK WAID IS EVIL" t-shirt for the last few months, and I am sure some of you have been wondering, "what the hell do you have against Mark Waid?". Well, actually I don't have anything AGAINST Waid, as a matter of fact I am a huge fan. Why the shirt then? Because for the last 2-3 months I have been promoting a new comic book series, IRREDEEMABLE, by Waid, and making sure you remember it by now, because the book is hitting the shelves, and your subscription boxes, this coming Wednesday. Read it this morning, and my review is below. BTW, on May 2nd, you can tell Mark Waid in person what you thought about it.




Before I give you my review, here is an excerpt from Grant Morrison's letter that is published in the back of this first issue. He writes,

"Irredeemable is brilliant, hard-edged, progressive super-hero comics... it's a page-turning monster of a read. Irredeemable dares to show us what might happen when the best in us is finally brought low by the worst in us. And more frighteningly, it shows us what happens next".

Not much one can add to that. I will say, the art is wonderful, very reminiscent of D. Robertson's style on "The Boys". It fits the book's dark and moody style like a very tight glove. The story is not exactly what you expect, and it goes farther than most books trying to show you the grimness of the situation. There are a couple of nice twists, and by the end of the issue, you can't wait to see what happens next. It's everything you can and should expect from Mark Waid and it delivers completely.

Earlier, I took a chance and subscribed many of my subscription customers for this book. I don't go this aggressive most of the time, but I believe in this book and, as always with books that I like a lot, I am offering this book to any of my customers on 100% RETURNABLE basis. If you do not like it, bring it back and you get full credit, no questions asked.

And, on May 2nd, stop by the store for our HERO INITIATIVE BENEFIT EVENT, and tell Mark just how evil he really is.

Some of you may have noticed the fact that I was not at the store last week. I spent the week in Memphis, the home of Elvis and some really amazing BBQ, and the host city for this year's ComicsPRO meeting. ComicsPRO is a trade organization for Comic Book Retailers, a place for us to stop being single voices that get drowned out by the big box stores and a distributor who thinks they are a monopoly, and to unite and organize and force matters that need to be heard. I have been an active member for close to 2 years now, and have seen the growth and potential that this type of organization has. The changes introduced into our industry as a DIRECT result of actions by ComicsPRO on behalf of its members are numerous, but none are greater than the fact that Diamond, and many of its Vendors (Marvel, DC, Top Cow, Image, Boom, Dark Horse just to mention a few that attended) are taking their time to go to these meetings just to present us with their materials and to listen to our concerns.

So what did I get out of Memphis? A few things:

DC Comics is going to have a GREAT year. Dan Didio is one of the most genuine fans I have ever met in my life. I know he has a certain reputation, one that I probably have talked about myself, but meeting the guy and spending a night in an open atmosphere, over drinks at the bar, gives one a new insight. Not everything is as it seems, not everything is a Success at DC and Dan will be the first to tell you that, but he's really trying hard and I think a lot of stuff they have been doing quietly over the last couple of years will pay out big this year.

- Blackest Night will be a HUGE success. We got a chance to meet Johns, and read the FCBD Blackest Night #0 issue, and I must say, I am completely impressed.
- The new Wednesday Comics look great. I do not think this will be a huge commercial success in a way that 52 was, but it will be a great Artistic endeavor that will prove that it's not all about money in this industry, there is creativity and a sense of wonder that is gone from many of today's books.
- This is going to be an amazing year for VERTIGO. A couple of titles that I read previews of look amazing. Watch out for THE UNWRITTEN, an amazing book that just screams Vertigo, from the great Lucifer team of Mike Carey and Peter Gross. The first issue (which is going to be 40 pages for ONE DOLLAR) is so entertaining and sets up so many great possibilities, it may be one of the best "for the money spent" comics I have read in a long time. Fans of Sandman, Fables and the Harry Potter movies will be instant readers on this book. This is the TRUE original Vertigo.

Image Comics is going to be stepping things up. Saw and read the first issue of VIKINGS, a new "golden age size" book, that at first sounds like Northlanders, but is definitely something else. The art and the packaging will get you to try it and the story will definitely get you coming back. Top Cow has been one of the biggest supporters of ComicsPRO for a couple of years, and it's starting to show. Retailer feedback and direct communication has led to some great initiatives, one of which many of you took advantage of last week, with the FREE issue of Witchblade #125, the first part of the "War of Witchblades" crossover. The way the company is promoting their great quality books makes me want to help and promote them. IF you have not read their books, CHECK THEM OUT. It's FREE, ask me this week for your free copy if you have not done so already.

Marvel Comics is Marvel Comics. What you see is what you get. They own the marketplace and they know it. But we were told in blunt terms that we are their #1 channel and that they are in no way looking to get out of printing comics and "go digital". That is reassuring considering they did it knowing it was recorded for the archives, and can be used later against them.

Overall, while we learned a lot about things coming out, the biggest success for myself and the store was what I learned about running a successful shop. My head and my notebook is so full of ideas, thing I can't wait to share with you. You will see some minor and MAJOR changes in the store in the coming weeks, and I hope a year from now, by the time I go to the next ComicsPRO meeting, I will be very proud of what I accomplished in the year to come.

If you are a long time customer, you know we always go ALL OUT for FCBD. Well, this year, I thought we bring it up a FEW notches. The plans started gathering in my head last year, around November or so, when my friend Jim McLaughlin from HERO Initiative came by to bring us some of those really cool STAN LEE books that HERO put out. We started talking about how we can organize something really REALLY cool for FCBD, and started brainstorming ideas, names and all the other fun stuff.

First person to sign on was MIKE KUNKEL, the amazing creator of "HEROBEAR and the Kid" and the Super-cute new "Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam!" book for DC. I met Mike last year at Wizardworld LA, and we talked about the possibility of doing something for FCBD. Mike is an amazing artist and you can see his stuff on his site, THE ASTONISH FACTORY.

Next I talked to my good friend and customer JT KRUL, who is a very good writer, whose credits include MOST of the ASPEN COMICS line, plus Red Sonja, X-men Unlimited, and the really good Joker's Asylum: Poison Ivy one shot. JT spent his FCBD with us last year, and graciously agreed to do it again. You can see JT's website HERE.

Through JT I got in touch with JOE BENITEZ, a great artist who's been producing amazing stuff for the last few years, including Darkness, Weapon Zero, Magdalena (who he created), in addition to his recent stint on TITANS. I have known Joe for many years, as he used to be a regular customer until he moved out of the Valley. It's great to have him back, specially since I am a HUGE fan of his art, which you can see on his site, Wraithborn.com.

I have been a huge fan of our headlining writer, Mark Waid, for a long long time. His Flash and Fantastic Four runs are still probably the best I have ever read on those titles, and books like Kingdom Come and Empire are some of my all-time favorite reads. His new book, Irredeemable, is coming out next month from Boom Studios, a company that he runs as their Editor-in-Chief, and I am SUPER proud to have Mark as our guest, as well as the rest of Boom, who will be on hand (hopefully) to PIMP their great line of books.

Now, do you think we are done???? Not even close. I wanted to start promoting the event this week, thus this blog entry and a new page on the website, but I have a feeling that our list of guests will improve dramatically in the next few days. The webpage is just a start, keep checking it weekly for updated information.

In addition to our amazing list of guests, we'll have a bunch of great things, including Costumed Characters, Special Sale, Raffles for products provided by our guests, SKETCHES for HERO INITIATIVE by our Artist Guests and a ton more stuff.

We really look forward to providing all our customers with the best FCBD Experience possible. Thank you all for being loyal patrons of our business.

The “Let Us Win YOU Over” initiative is a yearlong campaign by Top Cow Productions to give out free copies of its regular comics to potential fans in the U.S. and Canada through participating comic book stores. Each month, a different set of stores, each month a different free comic. The stores vary by geography and demographics. Top Cow has partnered with ComicsPRO to bring this promotion to fans and all of February’s retailers are members of ComicsPRO.

Witchblade #125 is an over-sized 40-page comic, which launches the six part “War of the Witchblades” storyline. Since the events of First Born, Detective Sara Pezzini and dancer Danielle Baptiste have shared the mystical gauntlet, the Witchblade; but recently cracks have appeared in their relationship. The story is written by regular writer Ron Marz and ongoing artist Stjepan Sejic. The issue will be in comic shops on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009.

You can sign up for this promotion using the "WITCHBLADE FREE ISSUE" listing in this week's "NEW COMICS" section of the subscription system. Doing so will NOT sign you up for WITCHBLADE the title, which means if you like it, you need to then manually sign up for Witchblade or ask us to sign you up at the register. IF you are already signed up for Witchblade, you will receive your copy for FREE this week as a THANK YOU for being a follower of this title.

So, I know you are all dying to know my opinion about this movie (or I am totally full of myself, either way). I got several emails today asking me about it, so I think I will share it below.

Despite numerous problems with the movie, I really enjoyed Watchmen, and will see it again. I am not a movie theory buff, nor do I go into real serious examination of genres, styles and "coulda-been". My gut reaction right after seeing a movie is usually how I feel about it later, so please keep that in mind. I came out of the theater feeling like I just watched one of my favorite books come alive, and not in the dry-and-boring-why-did-I-watch-this way that I felt about Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code", which was faithful and yet completely soulless. I felt like Watchmen did a good job making both the fans and the people who have not read the book happy. I have a suspicion that it will impress more those who have not read the source material, and have not had exposure to the amazing character development and depth of Alan Moore's characters in the book. But that is the beauty of having been introduced to Watchmen through watching the movie. The book, read after watching the movie, will be that much more impressive and there is something RIGHT about that.

Of course, after the initial reaction wore off, I started remembering the things that threw me off about the movie. There are a couple of "WTF" moments in it that go against the grain of someone who's read the book as many times as I have. Without giving things away too much, here are my two main "beefs" with the movie.

1. Acting - The two female leads are so outmatched by two out of three male leads, that their lack of skill really stands out (in a bad way). Malin Akerman is sexy as hell, but does not carry the scenes at all, and she's got the better of the two female performances. Carla Gugino, who looks like a dead ringer for the original Silk Spectre, feels so wrong with the "old woman" make-up on her face, that it makes me wonder why they did not just cast a different actress for the role of the older Spectre. The scenes between the two of them are unwatchable and are void of any energy. Matthew Goode, while not a bad actor per se, has an accent that comes in and out, and seems "boyish" in the role that should have been given to someone with a lot more presence. Younger Robert Redford is the look they should have gone for, IMHO, and there are a few actors that could have fit the bill. Goode does not look "right" as the young costumed hero in flashbacks (in the garish rubber nipple ring suit), nor does he pull off the older persona. And for a character who is supposed to feel like the IDEAL Dedicated Superhero, he comes off a bit creepy throughout the movie.

2. Gratuitous violence - in the book, the violence is shown in quick bits and pieces and is very understated on purpose. I completely understand the need for added action scenes in the movie, and they would not have bothered me, if not for the Superhuman-like strength the characters exhibit, with giant leaps and wall crushing blows that do not seem to injure the actual combatants. And don't get me started on the "alley" scene (if you have read the book, you know what that is), where our supposed "heroes" dispatch the attackers with such brutal and deadly violence that it made me cringe.

On the other hand, the movie has a couple of absolutely masterful acting performances by Jackie Earle Haley and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and a ton of moments that make real fans giddy with joy. Overall, I would say this is a must-see movie that deserves a chance to impress.