Nick Davis's Blog, page 116
July 13, 2011
Fabula Zero – Pencil proof of the Exposition Baltimore Comic Con Exclusive
This is turning into a week of Fabula Exposition exclusive sneak peaks, here is a worked up pencil proof of the thumb of the comic con exclusive by artist Asher Humm. Pretty neat, eh? So why is Captain Avenger fighting the Ninjas of the Bloody Left Metacarpal? You will find out at Baltimore Comic Con…
July 12, 2011
My thoughts on the Fear Itself event and preview of issue #5 Do you fear Marvel has lost the plot?
I was asked via email what my problem was with Fear Itself. I wish it was a simple answer but it isn't. I think it comes down to vapid plot over character, with a incoherent event book and the Spider-Island previews prove this event really does not matter a damn in the Marvel universe.
Since then I stumbled-upon the preview of the first five pages of Fear Itself #5. Now I'm questioning if I should even pick it up. Check out this preview over on Bleeding Cool News by clicking this link - http://t.co/nq4ayfW
Yeah… That's right it's hammer time… Normally this would excite me, but it doesn't. I should not be feeling this way about an Comic Event book; I should be excited by Fear Itself not bored. The book is going for shock over story and is turning into Marvel's 616 Ultimatum. How long before the Blob eats someone just to get that extra sale? Look how well that turned out for the Ultimate universe in the end, effective that event almost killed an entire line of books.
What happened to stand alone books that tell a good story? Why is The Thunderbolts and Alpha Flight the only two with a decent tie-in story that actually makes sense? I got a message from Alliance Comics saying they feel Fraction can pull it all together by the end, but since the entire story has devolved into an incoherent mess I don't know if he can. This story is so fractured, the event book done in a snapshot style it will take something major to pull that off. More than just Ironman hitting the bottle again and some nonsensical Odin razzle dazzle…
I guess Fear Itself is just collapsing under its own weight, the plot seems to be half thought out and far too many tie in books (why Howard the Duck?). I should know what is going on just by reading the Event book, not picking up the other 50+ titles published every month by Marvel just to follow the plot; talk about going after the readers money. Even if I can stomach this event long enough to get all the Event books I have a horrible feeling it will only make sense if I read it backwards!
I cannot be the only one feeling this way about Fear Itself? Can I? The last few summer Marvel events actually raised my expectations. They all linked together to form a long plot story that made sense and gave us an amazing pay off at the end. I cheered at the end of Siege with the Heroes finally being able to stand tall again. Now I don't want anything to do with them, I hear the word Comic Crossover Event and actually cringe… Is that the Fear Itself?
July 11, 2011
Fabula Zero – Sneak Peak at the first fully lettered page of Exposition; here comes Captain Avenger!
Still a little work to do the Exposition logo isn't quite right yet and this page is going to be tweaked a little more. However, I thought you all might want to see a preview of what is to come. Any feedback you may have is greatly appreciated been a while since I've done lettering and I'm very rusty.
July 10, 2011
From the Archive – My Stikfas creations long forgotten and now deserving of a showcase
Three years ago I used to sell Stikfas, but also I played with Stikfas building some fun little conversions. The following is a gallery of my Stikfas creations, some of them you may recognize from Sigmartyr, some are stand alone creations all were created using the myriad of interchangeable parts that come with every Stikfas kit, okay I also used some modelling putty too. Enjoy this showcase after the jump.
July 9, 2011
A Day of Book Signing at Chucks Comics Hoo Haa Day
Today was a good day for Alt-World and myself as I took all three of my main titles to Chucks Comics as the Captain himself invited me to conduct a book signing, and I gladly accepted. I took both current titles of The Tether Saga and the first volume of The Wonder Tales, to be honest I didn't expect much, selling prose books at a comic event is always hard work.
I was placed next to the boys from Heritage HSQ Comics, a two-man creative team that have pumped out some cool titles, what makes them even more amazing is one of them is legally blind! The day went really well, The Wonder Tales was a unexpected hit, who knew comic book readers had a soft spot for all ages fairy tales? I tried out my new prices for all titles package price as an experiment and it brings hope for Baltimore Comic Con.
One of the most interesting and fun parts of the day was talking about Exposition, the first book in the Fabula range, just talking about this book got me more excited about it. I feel its going to be my best story to date and I cannot wait to show you all, so look for the preview coming soon!
In all this was a good day and I want to thank Forsaken comics for showing me some great concepts, the boys from Heritage HSQ for being simply too cool beyond words, my wife for keeping me focused throughout the day, my daughter for selling like crazy (its in the family genes) and lastly Captain Chuck himself for inviting me in taking part in his 22nd Anniversary Party. Thank you all.
For those of you that are interested check out this article on Essex Patch about Chucks Comics 22nd Anniversary.
July 8, 2011
Alt-World Book Signing at Chucks Comics Hoo Haa Day Sale! This Saturday 11am onwards!
Just want to remind you all that I will doing a Book Signing at Chucks Comics Hoo Haa Sale this Saturday at 11am. I will be bringing The Tether Saga books and The Wonder Tales Volume One along with me. I'm also going to bringing artwork from Fabula Zero and other works in progress.
This is a great opportunity to talk to me about upcoming projects and to pick up some cool comics, look forward to seeing you all here. You can RSVP here.
What was really missing from Green Lantern the Muppet Green Lantern Corps
I found this fun image poking around the interwebs and I think this is what was really missing from the Green Lantern Movie, the final ingredient that would of pushed it over the edge into one of the best movies of the year. Meet the Muppet Green Lantern Corps.
As you can see they are more realistic than Ryan Reynolds Hal Jordon and would of made the fractured script actually make sense. Anyhow thought I would share, you can view more images like this on Abby Mermerson's Deviant Art page here.
You can view this image in full after the jump.
July 7, 2011
Inside the Box – Godzilla, Thunderbolts, Super Dinosaur, Red Skull, Cap'd out & more Fear Itself
Welcome to a new addition of Inside the Box, where you get to see what books I keep and what books I dump from my Box at my local comic book store Chucks Comics. This seems to be turning into a bi-monthly column so the following is a breakdown of two weeks worth of books; presented in the order I read them in.
Red Skull Incarnate 1 of 6 – Pak, Colak, Aja – This book is every bit as chilling and as disturbing as you expect it to be. You can read my full review here. I can see this title just getting better and will be staying in the box until series end
Fear Itself Book Four – Fraction, Immonen, Von Grawbadger, Martin – This is Marvel's big event book and really all it is one or two pages devoted to part of the story that will appear in a spin-off or regular title book. The value of this book as a stand alone has dropped significantly in my eyes. After the huge Frak Up that was Bucky's death last issue, (screwing up a much better storyline in a much better planned book for the sake or nothing more than shock), with poor art that changed the location of Bucky's cybernetic arm depending on the panel, I'm questioning this entire event. In end will anything really happen that will matter? The fractured story structure doesn't help at all and why is Steve Rogers wearing a green helmet but then has a special Cap parachute like the bad 80′s Cap movie? Still in the box because its the Marvel event after this one though I'm going to be questioning if I will bother with the next one.
Thunderbolts #160 – Fear Itself Tie In – Parker, Shalvey, Martin – This book is firing on all cylinders and along with the Spiderman title are showing the rest of the books how to do a tie in, and continue the main story. The more Luke Cage stays away from the Thunderbolts the more I like them as a team. The interaction among the villains is spot on with everyone having there own motives for staying on now Thunderbolt tower is a mess. To add the cherry on top of a near perfect book, we have a fight against the Worthy Juggernaut, which is both impressive, slightly comical and chilling all at the same time. Rarely do I read a book that I feel really disappointed when I get to the end and this book has three false endings that does leave you screaming for more. This book is a keeper and your missing out not getting it.
Super Dinosaur – Kirkman, Howard – This book is just plain good old fashioned fun and the only book that my son also reads and enjoys. Still going strong and we are seeing more of SD suits including a flying one. I predict a betrayal from inside the Dynamo Dome a coming. This is a pure Saturday morning cartoon waiting to happen and still in the box.
Godzilla – Kingdom of Monsters – Powell, Marsh, Hester – This book is a pure guilty pleasure nothing much to it except the Monsters tearing at the each other and the landscape, with the humans stuck in the middle. I do kind of wish we had a human side story going on just like the Godzilla movies, and there are plot holes a plenty. Staying because I have a soft side of big monsters.
Fear Itself – The Black Widow – Bunn, Nguyen, Yeung, Hamscher, Gandini – This would be a good espionage story without the Fear Itself backdrop and I cannot escape the feeling they shoe horned the event story line into it. What the story does is show just how effective the Widow is as a Super-Agent, what it doesn't do is anything for the Fear Itself story line. It is a fairly good story I would of ignored it without the event tag because I'm not a big enough fan of the Widow by itself. Take a look if you see it on the rack.
Transformers #21 – Costa, Guidi, Cahill – Nothing in this book is making any sense its like half the story is in another hidden book inside this issue. We are treated to some exposition from Vector Sigma that kind of holds the tale together, but it is fracturing fast. I'm a fan of the bots, but this book's charm is wearing thin on me. Might be heading south soon.
Moonknight #3 – Bendis, Maleev, Wilson – I didn't want to get to this book and I put it right at the bottom of my pile. I want it to be good so bad and I didn't want to open the covers and be disappointed. Thankfully this book was saved by some good dialog by Bendis, still not digging the muddy art. This one was more of a plot builder and finally picked up enough to earn a reprieve until the next issue. Staying in the box one book at a time.
Never to be seen again; Captain America – First Vengeance this mini-series started really strong and then turned into an incoherent mess, glad its gone and very disappointed, cool cover, nice art, messed up story line. All-Winners Squad Band of Heroes – I didn't even know this book was a coming and after reading it I can see why. Blatant cash in on Captain America and never to be seen again in my box.
That's it for this week very slim pickings, but most of my titles appear mid-month. Now get out there and find a book that tells a good story and have fun.
DC Relaunch – Justice League International Line Up & NEW Issue Cover by Aaron Lopresti
Okay, I've bitten the bullet and will be picking up a handful of DC titles in September. All of them will be team books and I hope this DC reboot will give us some great stories. Above we have the rumored cover of Justice League International #1 by Aaron Lopresti, the book creative team is Dan Jurgens & Aaron Lopresti, and it gives us an idea of the line up of this super team.
We have Booster Gold (front and center possible team leader?), Rocket Red (old style suit), Fire, Ice (the cute one), Vixen (or someone who looks like her), Batman (who according to rumor is the moving force behind the JL), Guy Gardner (Oh yeah!), a Man in some type of clam shell armored suit holding an energy fork, and a Girl in black spandex (who might be from Booster Gold #45). Looks like good stuff and now lets hope for some good stories.
Review – Red Skull Incarnate 1 of 6 by Greg Pak
Red Skull Incarnate 1 of 6
Publisher Marvel
Written by Greg Pak
Art by Mirko Colak
Cover by David Aja
Red Skull Incarnate is the origin story of the Red Skull, written and drawn in the same way as Magneto Testament. Here we may find out who is the Red Skull, what drives him, what haunts him and how he fell so far. Opening up the pages and you can tell you are in for a grim tale with the muted palette and historical back drop of the rise of the Nazi party. Utterly frightening seeing this dark period of history come to life in front of you.
The first book sets the tone of this series, it is dark, it is unforgiving, it is going to pull you right out of your comfort zone and it may take you further down the rabbit hole than you are normally willing to go. The story is compelling in its grimness, you are drawn to each panel searching what made the innocent boy you see turn to such a path of darkness. This is what comic story telling should be, story first before anything else.
Red Skull Incarnate is a mature read dealing with a dark subject matter. This book will make you squirm, will make you feel uncomfortable reading it, but you are witnessing the birth of absolute evil here and this book does not pull its punches; nor should it. David Aga brings us an amazing Propaganda poster cover graphically beautiful and chilling all at the same time, the internal art by Mirko Colak with the colors of Matthew Wilson draw you into this world.
This is by far the best book of this week, a strong contender for one of the best books of this year. If you are looking for a gripping story I strongly suggest picking up Red Skull Incarnate from your local comic book store.
4.5 thumbs up out of 5
