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Comic Book Therapy
Magazine
The United Nations Of Comic Book Sites! VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 1
REVIEWS:
• Night Of The Living Trekkies • Mystery Men #1 & #2 • Wolverine Anime
www.ComicBookTherapy.com
July 2011
GAMES:
• Spider-Man Edge Of Time • DC Universe Online: Green Lantern Unleashed
SPOTLIGHT: • Comicspedia.net
• The Avengers • Captain America: The First Avenger • Steve Rogers Arrives At Sideshow! • Minimates - ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’
PREVIEW:
• ULTIMATE FALLOUT #2 (OF 6)
To Re-Number Or Not To Re-Number: Has DC Gone To Far? Comic Con 2011 – What to expect… • “The Avengers” Casting Extras • PRESENTING YOUR MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF THE BIGGEST NEWS STORIES FROM THE WORLD OF MOVIE SUPERHEROES… • Men Of Steel! By Tood Vanhooser… • Your Full Map Of San Diego Comic Con!
Comic Book Therapy Magazine is your digital companion to Comic Book Therapy
www.ComicBookTherapy.com
EDITORIAL by Pedro Marques
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O, YOU ARE NOT WRONG! IT’S A MAGAZINE!
Our first issue of the Comic Book Therapy Magazine.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine is your monthly digital companion to the main Comic Book Therapy website. On CBT, you will still get your daily fix of news, previews, reviews, columns and lots of discussion pieces. Our most revered features on the other hand are now neatly packed in digital format, allowing you to enjoy them at your own pace, away from that overcrowded place at times called the world wide web. Following issues will be available for download every month, bringing you the most exciting news around along with selected features and reviews from the comic book world. Comic Book Therapy Magazine will be bringing you all the previews and issues you cant miss over the month. We will attract your attention to both the mainstream and independent corners of the comics universe and have our say in any other social culture of our time.
A new era has begun, and Comic Book Therapy Magazine is here to stay! Make it so!
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The Avengers Assemble!
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The Rise Of the Greatest Hero: Captain America: The First Avenger
p10 Green Lantern Unleashed In DC Universe Online p14 Collecting Transformers 101 p23 A Whovian, That’s what i am! p46 Interview: Patrick O’Connor from Comicspedia.net p70 Comic Con 2011 – What to expect…. COVER STORY p26 DC Comics: Relaunch, Reboot, Reset...WHAT IS HAPPENING?! PREVIEW p62 ULTIMATE FALLOUT #2
(OF 6)
On the cover: “Icons: The DC Comics & Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee” Courtesy of Dc Comics Check www.ComicBookTherapy.com for updates. Comic Book Therapy Magazine is published monthly by Otaku Entertainment Media. Subscription price: $00.00 per year. For Advertising information, email advertise@ comicbooktherapy.com. For a list of contributors, visit www. ComicBookTherapy.com. Visit www.ComicBookTherapy.com for more comics commentary, news and reviews. Comic Book Therapy Magazine is designed by Pedro Marques. Comic Book Therapy Magazine is © 2011 Otaku Entertainment Media. All images & text is © their respective holders. Unauthorized reproduction in part or whole of any of its contents is prohibited by law. Any statement made, express or implied in the Comic Book Therapy Magazine are solely those of columnists or persons being interviewed and do not represent the editorial position of the publisher, who does not accept responsibility for such statements.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
MOVIES
The Avengers Assemble!
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he Avengers movie has been in production for quite some time now and thus far no one has been able to definitively confirm who the film’s villains are that will necessitate the superheroes banding together other than Loki seeking revenge. The first round of rumors and a subsequent leaked script suggest that Loki will use the Tesseract i.e. Cosmic Cube to bring The Skrulls to Earth and wreck havoc. That rumor still stands, but apparently The Skrulls won’t be the only one giving Iron Man and the gang headaches.
According to an inside scooper at Latino Review, Thanos will also appear in The Avengers and be up to no good. They claim to know why he’s in the movie but stopped short of sharing those juicy bits. The interesting thing about Thanos is he wears the Infinity Gauntlet, the gold glove seen at Comic-Con last year and subsequently in a cameo capacity in Thor. Could the Gauntlet’s multiple appearances be an early tease of what’s to come next summer?
If you’re wondering who Thanos is, according to Wikipedia his character is derived from Thanatos who is the personification of death and mortality in Greek Mythology. He uses the Infinity Gauntlet’s powers to appease a more powerful personification of death by trying to slay as many inhabitants of the Marvel Universe that he can. Thanos is a big purple alien hulking brute who could probably crush Iron Man by sitting on him. His presence, mostly likely all CGI if this rumor pans out to be true, would make for a formidable enemy to The Hulk.
CLEVELAND -- „Marvel’s The Avengers” will have its open casting call for extras from noon to 4 p.m. Friday (July 15) and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday (July 16) at the Holiday Inn Independence, 6001 Rockside Road. Extras must be at least 18 years old but parents can come and submit current pictures of children under 18. You are to come to the call „wellgroomed and wearing your best business executive outfit,” casting producers said. You will have your photo taken at no charge to you. Please bring your own pen to fill out the application and be prepared to submit all of your clothing sizes. Casting producers will not accept any phone calls.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
T
he Rise Of the Greatest Hero:
Captain America: The First Avenger H e may be the coolest-looking Captain America, but Chris Evans isn’t the first guy to don the stars and stripes to play Marvel’s shield-slinging Avenger. In fact, the character first appeared on film just four years after his creation in 1940, as the headliner in his very own serial. Though Dick Purcell almost looked the part in Cap’s classic costume (he’s a tad dumpier than Cap should be), Republic dropped many of the elements that fans associate with the character. They changed his alter ego from soldier/artist Steve Rogers to District Attorney Grant Gardner and replaced his shield with a pistol, amongst other things. Apparently, the scripts for the Captain America serial originally existed as a generic action hero vehicle that they shoehorned Captain America into for brand name recognition. It was the last superhero serial that Republic ever produced, as well as the most expensive.
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Reb Brown got to the play the character twice in the late 1970s, in two television movies that are largely forgotten today. The character’s origin was given a contemporary spin, with artist Steve Rogers being the son of a World War II veteran instead of a veteran himself. He’s given an experimental treatment called F.L.A.G. (Full Latent Ability Gain) after nearly killing himself in an accident, and is talked into using his new powers for good, designing his own costume (including a clear plexi-glass shield) as well as a tricked out custom van and motorcycle. The first film and its sequel, Captain America II: Death Too Soon, aired on CBS in 1979, and if it seems cheesy and dated now, it was just as cheesy and dated then.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
CAPTAIN AMERICA BARELY WEARS HIS COSTUME, RED SKULL LOOKS LIKE A REGULAR GUY! The most notorious onscreen Captain America to date was played by Matt Salinger, handsome son of reclusive author J.D. Salinger. Although the 1990 film was intended for theatrical release, budget constraints led to poor test screenings, and the film sat on the shelf until its eventual straight-to-video dump in 1992. Salinger looks the part for sure, but the film never makes good on its promising opening minutes set in WWII, which see Captain America face off against The Red Skull for the first time on film. After the opening, we join Cap in early ’90s America, and it’s painfully obvious that the budget is just non-existent for the rest of the running time.
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TIME TO BE REBORN CAPTAIN! Captain America barely wears his costume, The Red Skull looks like a regular guy (explained away with plastic surgery), and we’re treated to a lot of Ned Beatty. They’ve basically screwed up Captain America so many times now that it would be hard for Marvel to get it any worse than it’s been done before. Good thing, then, that the new Joe Johnston film looks exciting and accurate to the character. Chris Evans has the charisma, and finds himself as one of Hollywood’s most experienced “comic book” character actors, having played Human Torch in two Fantastic Four films and Jensen from DC’s The Losers. Even if Captain America: The First Avenger doesn’t click, he’s already getting a second chance, with the character appearing front and center in The Avengers.
Filmed for the most part in the UK, production of “Captain America: The First Avenger” was based at the world-famous Shepperton Studios in Surrey (or ‘Sound City,’ as it was known when productions began shooting there in 1931, a decade before the world was introduced to Captain America). Principal photography began on July 12, 2010 and officially wrapped on November 19, 2010—the shoot employed
somewhere in the region of 1,000 crew members. Soundstage shooting was augmented with plentiful location work: in Manchester and Liverpool (North England), Caerwent (Wales, in a former functioning Royal Navy propellant factory), Aldershot (known as ‘Home of the British Army’), Black Park (Buckinghamshire), Hackney Empire (London) and Pinewood Studios (Buckinghamshire).
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
Even though filmmakers were aiming for the Marvel version of the 1940s, care was taken to keep it grounded in reality. CoProducer Victoria Alonso says, “We always have a compilation of what was historically accurate, and then we augment as necessary to fit our story.” Production designer Rick Heinrichs was painstaking in his depiction of locations and history, adapting the British locations into the American settings called for through both practical and computer alterations and additions. Anna Sheppard, who costumed upwards of 300 extras a day for certain scenes, looked to period materials and existing pieces to lend authenticity. Military advisor Billy Budd—with more than 15 years in the British Royal Marines—aided all actors with advice in how to handle military equipment and weaponry; the filmmakers also incorporated actual military personnel in heavy action scenes, with actual or former soldiers comprising about onethird of the on-screen corps. Budd admits to withholding advice for Evans during his preCaptain America scenes: “I didn’t want him to have any inkling how to do anything the military way, even come to attention—so he authentically fumbles through a lot of stuff before he becomes the hero he’s meant to be.” Supervising production armorer Nick Jeffries researched and procured appropriate period
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guns and instructed actors in their safety and firing. Stunt coordinator Steve Dent also ensured on-set safety during sequences, and helped to create Captain America’s amazing feats of physical prowess, including his high-speed foot chase immediately after his transformation (accomplished with Evans being filmed running while on a ‘magic carpet,’ a treadmill/floor moving at a fair clip). Training was not exclusive to the male soldiers in the film. Hayley Atwell underwent rigorous military circuit training with an ex-Marine, not only for physical preparedness, but also to handle firing both a pistol and a machine gun believably as Peggy Carter: “The pistol training, I use a Walther PPK, happened quite early on. I’d practiced with a gun before, but nothing ever on this scale. I was really looking forward to it and we filmed some of my training sessions. Then Joe [Johnston], the director, who always liked to have a bit of fun and then see it if he could push it a bit further, said, ‘What if we got you a machine gun? I really think we should make Peggy something special.’ So they brought out this machine gun, and I almost fell over the first time I fired it—it’s so in your face, and there are bits of shells and powder going everywhere, and giving off all this heat. I wondered how I was ever going to do it without flinching. It took a
few weeks of being able to fire it without blinking, just concentrating and being able to relax into it. Eventually I was able to feel like it was an extension of my arm. I have to say, in the end, I was rather pleased with myself—but so was Joe [Johnston], and that meant a lot.”
While most of the cast and crew readied themselves to simulate World War II combat, others were tasked with making Steve Rogers look less ready for war. Visual effects supervisor Christopher Townsend was tasked with creating the look of Steve Rogers prior to his transformation. With previous work in fantasy, action and adventure, Townsend came armed and ready for the tasks at hand. Townsend also admits being sold on the job by having been a huge fan of Marvel’s cinematic treatment of “Iron Man.” He admits, “I truly enjoyed the film and quite frankly, it excited me to think what we could do with ‘Captain America,’ especially getting to work on an origin movie and setting the tone for what he’s going to be, what the character’s going to look like and be able to do.”
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
All during filming, Johnston’s name was bandied about onset as being an ‘actors’ director,’ which Chris Evans explains: “Joe [Johnston] loves hearing what the actors have to say and he’s always willing to rehearse and talk about scenes. He sits everyone down to have really healthy, collaborative, creative conversations, and you don’t always have that luxury. He also shields you from the hierarchy of who need to give their approval on the most minute detail—you really feel like it’s just you and him and that you’re making an indie film together. Whatever the situation, he’ll make it work and he’ll fix it—and on a film with this much scale, that is massively comforting.”
Kevin Feige is a self-professed and huge comic book fan: “We count ourselves among fans, so we see everything as one and the same. If we’re servicing what they want to see, it’s because we want to see it, too. We know that the cardinal sin is to think that we know better than material that has been around for 70 years. There’s a reason why Captain America is so much older than we are, and he’ll be here long after we’re gone.”
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Feige continues, “What’s fascinating about Steve Rogers/ Captain America as a character is that he has largely remained unchanged. He is able to adapt to the times and is able to reflect the mood of the country at any given moment. It’s exciting to finally get the chance to tell his story in a big screen adaptation.” Chris Evans counts himself lucky to be a part of this ‘comic book movie’: “They have a built-in and incredibly loyal fan base. I’m obviously going to take extra precaution with every decision I make in this movie, in order to honor those fans. They have a strong voice and they want to be heard. But that’s a great thing. An actor needs an audience and it’s nice having the fans out there, because you know they’ll support you. With a lot of cooks in the kitchen, it’s tricky to have one vision. It’s not easy, or there would be a lot more of them. I didn’t just do this movie because it’s Marvel, because it has an existing fan base—those were contributing factors. But what sealed the deal was Joe Johnston at the helm and Kevin Feige behind the scenes. So the best I can hope is that I kept my head down and I did my job right.” For Johnston, getting to direct “Captain America: The First Avenger” was wish fulfillment on many levels. He closes, “I just thought that here was a character that was a projection of a national ideal. Historically, the character came out before we ever entered the War, and I think he quickly became a symbol of ‘here is what we could do if we were allowed to.’ Well, I guess getting to do the film allowed me to do those things. Those national dreams were handed to me, and I think we got to tell Captain America’s story in a way that would make everyone—the fans, the creators at Marvel—proud. I couldn’t be happier.” Directed by Joe Johnston, the film stars Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, and Hugo Weaving. Captain America: The First Avenger opens in 3D on July 22, 2011.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF THE BIGGEST NEWS STORIES FROM THE WORLD OF MOVIE SUPERHEROES… It’s an exciting time for Batman fans at the moment, with the first teaser trailer and poster from The Dark Knight Rises arriving in cinemas alongside Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 later this coming week, and if recent rumours are to be believed, it looks as if we might be getting a couple of interesting cameos in Christopher Nolan's third Batman movie. First up came word that Adam West had been spotted near to the shoot in Nottingham, with FLOSS Magazine then reporting via Twitter that 'Hollywood bigwigs' had confirmed the Batman TV star would be making an appearance in the film. Quite who these 'bigwigs' were remains a mystery, with Batman-Online since suggesting the rumours to be false, but given that Nolan has signed up just about every actor in Hollywood then it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to see the former Caped Crusader crop up for a quick cameo. Along with Adam West, there's also been speculation that Roland Daggett - a.k.a. the corrupt businessman from Batman: The Animated Series - could feature in the film, stemming from a set photo that seems to indicate the inclusion of a character called Daggett. You can take a look at the photos for yourself here. Meanwhile in other Batman news, we also got our first look at Eliza Dushku's Catwoman from the upcoming DC Animated Original Movies adaptation of Batman: Year One, with a trailer then making its way online later in the week.
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Year One receives its world premiere at Comic-Con later this month and is set to arrive on October 18th in North America, and will also feature a 15-minute Catwoman short written by DCAU legend Paul Dini. Moving on and MovieMistakes have been updating their records for 2011, with Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class currently holding the ‘honour’ of being the most mistake-filled superhero movie of the year so far (although it trails Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Transformers: Dark of the Moon overall). In fairness, a lot of the errors are to do with continuity between First Class, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which I suppose shouldn’t really count seeing as it was only ever meant to be loosely tied to the previous movies. Thor fares a little better with only a few errors, while I’m presuming they’re just counting Green Lantern as one big mistake. On the subject of this year’s superhero movies, Thor is about ready to call time on its run in cinemas and continues to lead in terms of global box office receipts with $439m, with X-Men: First Class close behind on $336m and Green Lantern struggling to recoup its budget with just $139m to date, including a feeble $33m from the international markets.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
MOVIES
– Thor 2 is officially official! Kenneth Branagh is moving on as a director (a shame, really his playful tone helped make Thor a hit), but screenwriter Don Payne is coming back for more. Cinema Blend, in advance of any formal announcement from Marvel, ran an early rumor that the sequel would bring in Thor villains The Enchantress and The Executioner. Some of the fans appear to be hoping for The Absorbing Man (maybe along with The Wrecking Crew). It is unlikely that we’ll see Thor 2 any sooner than 2014, so news on this one will probably be pretty slow until The Avengers is actually in theaters. — Guillermo Del Toro always seems to be attached to about a dozen projects at any given time, with many of them seemingly no more than “cloud talk” from the director, so it will be interesting to see whether his live-action Hulk television show will actually make it to TV. “We’re going to do this thing different,” Del Toro told Marvel (according to FEARnet). Interesting that Marvel would let him run free with the character while they still have cinematic plans for Ol’ Greenskin, but maybe “different” just means different than the 1970s series — not necessarily a drastic departure for the character.
— One Avengers character that will be coming to the small screen (again) is Iron Man. Marvel.com has a clip from the new Japanese-flavored Iron Man anime, featuring a guest appearance by Wolverine. The anime style looks legit — not like the typical American facsimile of anime. The new show starts July 29 on G4TV.
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— We knew the “First Avenger” part of the title Captain America: The First Avenger was created, in part, for international audiences, but, surprisingly, there are only three countries ditching the “Captain America” portion. The film will be known only as The First Avenger in Russia, South Korea, and Ukraine (possibly more to come). It all makes a sort of sense, if you consider the “shoe on the other foot” U.S. box office potential of a character named Captain Ukraine.
The Marvel / Comic-Con saga took a further turn this past week with First Showing suggesting that despite shunning Hall H, the studio still plan on bringing The Avengers to San Diego with a S.H.I.E.L.D.themed viral marketing campaign that may include the Helicarrier bridge set from the movie itself. The report also claims that footage from Joss Whedon’s superhero team-up will be shown around the floor, which could potentially include the first teaser trailer. It’s also said that stars such as Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo may be in attendance, although Chris Evans is confirmed to appear to promote the release of Captain America: The First Avenger. Wrapping up the best of the rest… …Collider revealed the Friday schedule for Comic-Con, with some interesting superhero highlights including The Amazing SpiderMan, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, and the world premiere of Batman: Year One… ...Heat Vision have revealed that Harry Lennix (The Matrix Reloaded) has officially signed on to Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, where he will portray military man General Swanwick... ...And finally, a really poor quality French poster for Captain America: The First Avenger has arrived in advance of the film's release, while ComicBookMovie have also posted a few words about the movie from Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough and Hugo Weaving.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
GAMES
Deep inside S.T.A.R. Labs, overall game villain Brainiac is trying to get his hands on technology that will let him control Green Lantern power rings. A devastating attack forces the Corps to forge a tentative truce with the Sinestro Corps in order to stop Brainiac.
Green Lantern Unleashed In DC Universe Online
In Hal Jordan’s hometown of Coast City, DCUO players will face off against the Red Lantern Corps, while battling their way across the city all the way to a final showdown at Ferris Aircraft.
Sony Online Entertainment has been updating DC Universe Online with character-based and seasonal missions since it was first launched in January. These updates have been fun but left very little impact on the game’s online world. That’s set to change this Summer with the release of “Fight for the Light,” a $10 DLC pack that answers many a fan’s desperate desire: to play as a Green Lantern. Green Lantern Hal Jordan has always been part of DCUO, but players have never had access to his power set, having to settle for battling alongside this NPC in a few level-grinding missions. “Fight for the Light” is the first downloadable content pack that adds a brand new power set to the game: Light. In this way, using and maxing out Light powers, as well as customizing costumes, will allow players to join up with the Green Lantern Corps. “Fight for the Light” also introduces three brand new locations to the game along with major new story-driven missions to go with them.
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Lastly, players will travel to the distant planet Oa, home base to the Green Lantern Corps, and join up with Guy Gardner to stop a prison break in-progress. Sinestro’s to blame, as he continues his never-ending campaign to destroy the Lanterns; while setting free the Corps’ most dangerous enemies, he hopes to find the evil Lyssa Drak and release her. The Green Lantern download pack will sell for $9.99, and be available for PlayStation 3 and PC.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
GAMES
Spider-Man Edge Of Time: A Look Into... Each Spider-Man will have his own special abilities with all new combat and moves. The Amazing Spider-Man combat system is a lot more fluid with new powers to boot, for example a new power called the Hypersense, which is the ability to tap into his Spider Sense for short periods at a time, which in turn makes him almost invincible. Other moves include long range attacks such as a giant mallet made out of webbing, giant web gloves and many more so you don’t always need to be up close and personal.
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he story of Edge of Time, written by Petter David, co-creator of Spider-Man 2099, is all about Amazing Spider-Man and 2099 Spider-Man working together and communicating across a point in time and space to stop the death of the Amazing Spider-Man. The game actually begins with the webheads death and the story all plays out from there. The title is not a Shattered Dimensions sequel though and is in fact an all new story building on the success of Shattered Dimensions, in my opinion one of the best Spidey games in a long time. The worlds for each Spider-Man are completely different, including different villains for each time line. The reason for the two different Spider-Men is due to a chrono link used from Peter Parkers DNA. The game will have no set levels and will play out more like an interactive movie with certain cause and effect set pieces of gameplay. This means that the actions of one Spider-Man in the present will affect the other in the future and you will see this happening via picture in picture on screen whilst playing. This can include missing structures in the future due to the present Spider-Man destroying it but this doesn’t work the other way around for obvious reasons.
2099 Spidey will be tougher than Amazing Spider-Man and be quicker in combat, bringing a lot of claw attacks into play due to the talons on his fingers putting a big focus on close quarter combat. One of his special abilities is accelerated vision, allowing him to see things faster and when used it will be like you are in two places at once, letting you set up enemies for attacks. This move is also fully upgradable. This Spider-Man title sure looks to bring more of the same success that Shattered Dimensions did. The use of the two different versions of Spider-Man and the two different timelines does look like it could lend itself to some very interesting gameplay. It seems you will always be changing strategies for each one depending one what the other Spider-Man does and going by the demo gameplay, the action is very smooth and fluent, although it didn’t show how they will make the transition between the two Spider-Man characters. The title looks very much like a roaming beat-em up so the question of repetition does come into play, but the team are trying to combat this with different bosses and villains for each of the two timelines. Two Spidey’s are clearly better than one. Spider-Man Edge Of Time swings in this fall on all major platforms including the 3DS.
Heroes and villains alike will be turned against Spider-Man via the power of mind control by Walker Sloan, an evil scientist from the 2099 universe. The example shown of this was a battle against Anti-Venom who loses his will to Sloan. Anti-Venom then tries to kill Spider-Man by healing him due to the radioactivity Spider-Man is infected with which also has an effect on Spider-Man 2099. Boss battles will make perfect sense for the layout of the story, including some new creations and cameos from other Marvel characters.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COLLECTIBLES
Collecting Transformers 101 By Jordan Duncan
ALL HAIL THE 80’S! Now, if you were a child of the 80s like me, then you probably watched some pretty awesome cartoons growing up. And chances are that one of those awesome 80s cartoons you grew up watching was the original Transformers. This cartoon has stood the test of time spawning an animated movie, multiple “spin off” series, toys lines for each respected series, and as of this year three live action movies. There’s a good chance that almost everyone who has seen any episode from any series owned at least one Transformers figure in their life. For me, it’s been my favorite cartoon for as long as I can remember, so I show my support for all things Transformers by collecting the action figures.
“Jordan, I’m interested in collecting Transformers but I have no idea where to begin. Do you have any recommendations?” Well, I’m glad you asked, because I sure do. Now, I’m not saying that my manner of collecting is for everybody because every collector has a method to their madness, but maybe it can guide you on your collection quest. And this doesn’t have to be applied strictly to Transformers; you can apply to any of your interests in
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the comic book/cartoon/movie world. I’m just mainly using Transformers as an example because that’s what I’m most familiar with. What are you familiar with? Are you a new Transformers fan? Are you an old one? Or maybe familiar with a few of the series but don’t know where to start? Find out where you stand. Also, know what kind of collector you are. Do you only ‘spot collect’ and get something here and there, or are you a collector that has to have every figure from every line. Always know what kind of collector you’d be because sometimes collecting isn’t easy on the old pocket book if you’re a completist. Always start small and if you enjoy the hobby, nothing is holding you back from wanting to explore more into collecting.
THE PROBLEM WITH ANY COLLECTION: WHERE TO GET STARTED! Figure out what your favorite series is. Start there. Chances are there is a character you favored or felt a connection to. Maybe that character is the first figure you get. Maybe that character has an arch-nemesis in the show and there is a figure of that. Well, some collector’s can’t have one without the other. So why not snag both of them for the old collection shelf. Say you’re late in the game for collecting a certain series’ figures and they’re just not available anymore at your local toy or hobby store. Online auction sites typically have what you’re looking for. You want that Soundwave figure from 1984?
Ebay is always a good place to start. Beware though, some people on internet sites can tend to price gouge because they know what business they’re in and also know that some people will pay those prices from time to time. However, there are other online auction/pay sites such as www. crave.com that have a good bit of people looking to sell certain figures. Hasbro’s online toy shop (www.hasbrotoyshop.com) is also a good source for some of the newer figures. Always pay what you’re comfortable with. Sometimes figures come out before you get to see the characters in action. This is primarily common with the movie figures. After all, you have to start promoting early. Say you see all these cool Transformers and you don’t even know where to begin. Optimus Prime here, Megatron there, it can be a little overwhelming.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COLLECTIBLES
Now, I typically try to wait to see what said character is like in action in the movie before I get it because I don’t want to waste my money on a figure that had lame characteristics in the movie (Am I right everybody who bought a Skidz and Mudflap figure from Revenge of the Fallen? Yeah, I thought so!). Now, I’ve been guilty on taking a chance and picking up a figure I’m unfamiliar with just because it looked cool. So that’s fine too. Now, say you’ve been collecting for a while have a decent sized collection going on but want to build on what you already have a bit more. Maybe it’s a good time to go back and start looking for some of minor characters from each line you’re collecting just to flesh it out. Also, there is the option of import figures. Japan gets just about every figure that is released in America (and sometimes vice versa), but sometime those figure either A) Have a different paint job, B) come with an exclusive item, C) have cooler packaging (If you’re the kind of collector that leaves your stuff in the box), or D) All of the above. If you take that much pride in your collection and your fandom for the franchise is strong, adding some imports to your collection makes for nice conversation pieces while talking with other collectors. Within the last 7 or so years, Takara Tomy and Hasbro have been releasing “high end” figures through their Masterpiece Line. This toy line is one for the really big Transformers fans. They’re essentially “perfect” version of select favorite characters from the original Generation 1 Transformers Line. They can cost anywhere between $100-$300 depending on the figure and what accessories come with it. These figures are typically taller that 1’ and are incredibly detailed with articulation and amazing paint jobs. Only a handful of these have been released, but they are all a welcome addition to any
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G1 fan’s collection. I’m not going to lie, I have a few myself. They’re pretty awesome. If you’re looking for something interesting that doesn’t have an official release, there are third party figure companies that produce figures from certain show’s but legally aren’t named the character’s name. Websites like www.tfsource.com offer some really cool and interesting figures. The only drawback to this is that some of them can be pretty pricey for the size figure you get. Though, sometimes smaller companies usually charge that much because of their production costs. If you’re a big fan that just has to have any and everything Transformers, third party toy makers might be up your ally. If you’re interested in getting a figure, but afraid that when you pony up the $12, $25, $50 or even $100+ dollars for said figure won’t live up to the hype, look for a review. There are tons of other collector’s out there and chances are they’ve either written a review for a website or even made a video review and posted it on YouTube. YouTube is a good source for figure reviews on a how a figure transforms, what features it has, and usually pros and cons of each figure. So check those out. There you have it folks. If you were interested in getting a Transformers (or any other interest of yours) collection going on, I feel this is a pretty good starting step. Again, all collectors have a method to their madness. Maybe this way doesn’t work for you personally and have a better way to go about it for yourself. By all means, follow that. But in the end, always do and collect what you’re comfortable with. Cheers!
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COLLECTIBLES
STEVE ROGERS ARRIVES!
S
ideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys are proud to present the Captain America 12-inch Figure from the upcoming summer blockbuster Captain America: The First Avenger movie. The movie-accurate collectible is specially crafted based on the image of Chris Evans as Captain America in his hero costume in the movie, highlighting the newly developed head sculpt, highly detailed costume and weapons. The Captain America 12 inch Figure features: Authentic and detailed likeness of Chris Evans as Captain America in the Captain America: The First Avenger movie Stands approximately 30 cm tall Helmeted head Muscular body with over 30 points of articulations Hand-painted, movie-accurate facial expression with detailed wrinkles and skin texture Nine (9) pieces of interchangeable gloved palms including: One (1) pair of palms for holding shield One (1) pair of palms for wielding shield
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One (1) right palm for holding gun One (1) pair of relaxed palms One (1) pair of fists One (1) blue and off-white jacket with embossed pattern as well as stars in chest and arms One (1) pair of grey and red suspenders One (1) pair of blue pants One (1) brown faux-leather belt with pouches and pistol sheath One (1) pair of brown boots One (1) metallic electroplated shield One (1) machine gun One (1) pistol Figure stand with Captain America nameplate and movie logo License: Marvel Product Type: 12 inch Figure Product Size: 12” H (304.8mm)* Product Weight: 3.00 lbs (1.36 kg)* Box Size: 14.00” H (355.6mm) x 9.00” W (228.6mm) x 3.50” L (88.9mm)* Est. Shipping Weight: 3.00 lbs (1.36 kg)* Dimensional Weight (DIM): TBD Int’l Dimensional Weight (DIM): TBD
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COLLECTIBLES
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COLLECTIBLES
Minimates - ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ Captain America and Red Skull SPECIFICATIONS: Captain America • 14 Points of Articulation: Ball socket: head, shoulders, hips; Hinged: elbows, knees; Swivel: waist, wrists, ankles • Accessories: Helmet, shield, removable ‘Steve Rogers’ hair piece, and sidearm SPECIFICATIONS: Red Skull • 14 Points of Articulation: Ball socket: head, shoulders, hips; Hinged: elbows, knees; Swivel: waist, wrists, ankles • Accessories: Removable ‘Johann Schmidt’ face and sidearm The first action figure review from this year’s Captain America: The First Avenger toy offerings ventures into uncharted territory for us at HeroesArentBorn.com with a look at the film’s Minimate line. For those unfamiliar with this product type, here is some brief background information. Originally created by Art Asylum in 2002 and featuring
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characters from cult licenses such as Dark Angel and Star Trek, Minimates were a modern American take on the block-style figures originating with LEGO in the 1970s. Minimates, however, were slightly larger in scale and highly detailed, giving them more in common with Medicom Toys’ popular Kubricks. Minimates gained greater prominence in the adult collector community when Art Asylum partnered with Diamond Select Toys to release dozens of two-packs featuring characters culled from all corners of the Marvel Universe. Nearly a decade later, Minimates have become a regular fixture in comic shops and Toys R Us locations across the nation. They have also become an integral part of Marvel’s movie toy merchandising, releasing figures from Iron Man and its sequel, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Thor, and others. Now Captain America’s major cinematic debut joins the Minimate ranks, and HeroesArentBorn.com is pleased to present an in-depth examination of Diamond Select’s Captain America and Red Skull two-pack.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COLLECTIBLES
PORTRAIT (Captain America): Excellent Because Minimates are stylized block figures, certain criteria commonly used in this website’s action figure reviews have been either altered or discarded. These include aspects such as proportions, performer likenesses, and some elements of accuracy. For example, each figure has the same basic feet, and the base torsos are always flat unless separate costume elements have been layered over them. That being said, Diamond Select crammed an incredible wealth of detail into their little two-inch canvas—starting with Captain America’s portrait. While technically a costume accessory, the helmet is the iconic face of Captain America and therefore considered one half of this figure’s portrait. Diamond Select did an admirable job converting the movie’s realistic interpretation of the Captain’s helmet into Minimate form. All the major elements are in place: the centered “A” with the WWII aircraft decal wings, double-line trim on the seams, and the leathery chin strap. The sculptors did an excellent job simulating the filming helmet’s leather composition in a plastic medium. However, the helmet does have two downsides. First, it fits too loosely on the Minimate’s head and frequently shifts. This shifting tends to cover up one of the eyes at any given time. Second, Diamond Select positioned the side decals incorrectly, so it looks like Captain America’s eyes have wings! Probably one of this figure’s coolest features is its ability to portray the unmasked Steve Rogers with a simple accessory swap. Removing the helmet reveals a bald highly-detailed portrait. Consumers then plug a separate hair piece accessory (which even includes ears) into the head, which creates the alternate Rogers portrait. Obviously, there is no way this face will ever be a spoton match for actor Chris Evans, but the overall presentation is a success. The paint lines are extraordinarily precise considering the head is the size of an adult’s fingernail. The piercing blue eyes are locked straight ahead in a determined warrior-like gaze. What’s funny is that companies like Hasbro have a difficult time consistently avoiding lazy eye paint apps on their 3.75 inch figures,
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but Diamond Select dodges this pitfall with relative ease. The sculptors did impressive work on the hair as well. The whole piece has a very natural shape which is accentuated by the hair’s part and its subtle downward slope on the opposite side. The lines etched into the yellow-brown painted plastic flow nicely across the surface, and their non-uniform twists and turns produce an excellent simulation of properly combed and styled hair. In fact, the only fallacy is that Diamond Select put the part on the wrong side of Rogers’ hair—a minor inaccuracy. PORTRAIT (Red Skull): Excellent The Red Skull comes with two portraits as well—his human disguise and his true face—but interchanging them is handled a bit differently than its counterpart. Rather than a part swap, the ‘Johann Schimdt’ face simply slides over the Red Skull portrait like a mask with no need for separate hair pieces. This approach mirrors the footage of the Skull peeling off the Schmidt face in the film’s trailer. Again, this is a stylized caricature of actor Hugo Weaving although the facial expression is befitting of the actor. Paint lines are not quite as crisp as those on Rogers, but this may be an intentional move on the company’s part to simulate an older, more rugged face. Regardless, the quality remains high. The same points hold true for the hair. While the etched lines are softer than those on Rogers’ hair, the overall look is just as realistic. Schimdt’s hair style does appear exaggerated compared against publicity stills of Weaving, but this was likely done for dramatic effect. The buzz-cut elements are simulated via paint apps directly applied to the head’s flat surface. These apps include a two-tone hair color and small dash-like brush strokes intended to simulate buzzed hair. Lurking beneath the human façade is the devilish Skull portrait. Diamond Select continues their impressive work with the paint applications. The shade of red is a bit too saturated, but this is likely another intentional exaggeration. The painters did neglect to include two facial features that keep this from being a perfect caricature of the Skull—ears and properly sunken eye sockets. The sockets in particular are sorely missed as they (along with the nose) are the two most telling facial features in the villain’s skeletal portrait. While not a huge issue, their absence does throw off the effect on a subliminal level.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COLLECTIBLES
COSTUME (Captain America): Excellent Eschewing the simplicity of Captain America’s comic book incarnation, the new cinematic version takes a functional real-world approach to the costume’s design, and practical elements such as padding, harnesses, and utility pouches now adorn the super-soldier’s suit. Diamond Select’s designers did an impressive job simplifying the intricate costume through both additional pieces placed over the figure and paint applications on the body. The best examples of the former method are the ammo pouches and gray/red harnesses—although one strap clearly suffers from deformed sculpting (most likely a production gaffe and not representative of every sample), The add-ons stay securely on the body without needing to be glued down, an act which would have hampered the visual aesthetics. The gun holster is another admirable sculpting element. Not only is its design well-rendered, but it is fully-functional and snugly holds Captain America’s sidearm. As for the paint apps, the standout elements here are methods used to simulate raised white padding and stitching on a flat 2D canvas by using solid and dashed lines in tandem. These elaborate apps continue downward onto the figure’s legs as well, replicating the basic shape of the film’s costume. Upon reaching the lower legs, the apps switch over to a minimalist replication of Captain America’s boot tops: a series of black lines that represent straps and laces. That’s not to say every paint app has been executed perfectly. The work on the upper arms leaves a little to be desired. The border between gray and blue is very fuzzy although thankfully is not as noticeable to the naked eye as it is to a camera lens. The star insignias on each shoulder also suffer from ill-defined borders, and these flaws are more noticeable under general observation. Regardless, the overall execution of Captain America’s costume is remarkable given Minimates’ scale and stylized nature. COSTUME (Red Skull): Above Average Softness and murkiness—those are the factors that ultimately
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keep the Red Skull’s costume from hitting a perfect rating. Several of the sculpted lines are too shallow and soft to convey the appropriate amount of layering. This is most evident in the silver button-adorned vertical straps. As for those buttons, the silver paint appears haphazardly applied—particularly on the right side of the torso. Accuracy, on the other hand, goes far beyond expectations. Compared against a high-resolution publicity photo of the Skull, it’s clear that Diamond Select went to great lengths to simulate every visible layer on the costume. Coupled with a remarkably accurate Hydra insignia on the belt buckle, the Red Skull’s costume remains quite impressive. A RT I C U L AT I O N (Captain America): Excellent STABILITY (Captain America): Above Average If the aesthetics weren’t impressive enough, then the articulation will be. Diamond Select and their Minimates take block figures to a level above and beyond their predecessors by giving them 14 points of articulation, which is comparable to “super articulated” 3.75 inch scale action figures. This is undeniably the most surprising facet of the Minimates line because it’s unadvertised on the package and not clearly noticeable until the figures are out of the box. Obviously, the articulation doesn’t always function as well as its 3.75 inch counterparts. The arms tend to pop out of their sockets if overextended (easily fixable though), and the waist is difficult to rotate because of the gray/red harness. Nevertheless, consumers can still put Captain America in a wide array of dynamic poses. The figure’s stability comes up a little short (no pun intended) because of the legs. In what appears to be a byproduct of the base body’s construction, the legs tend to become uneven once shifted into action poses and then put back at rest. Consumers can remedy this by making a deliberate effort to push each leg as far back into the socket as possible and then fine-turning the figure’s neutral pose. It’s not a huge deal, but it is a tad trickier than returning an action figure to an at-rest stance.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COLLECTIBLES ACCESSORIES (Red Skull): Average The quality of the Red Skull’s sole accessory—his sidearm— fares much better than the shield, but the lack of accessories keeps this category from rising past average. As with Captain America’s pistol, the Skull’s weapon is nicely detailed when considering its scale and format. The glaring omission here is the lack of the Cosmic Cube (seen in the post-credits scene of Thor and in some Red Skull publicity stills), a device from the Marvel Universe which appears to be central to the cinematic Skull’s master plan.
ARTICULATION (Red Skull): Below Average STABILITY (Red Skull): Excellent The Red Skull’s articulation, however, is not nearly as impressive as his heroic foil despite sharing the exact same base body. The reason is that the Skull’s inflexible and body-covering trench coat prohibits any productive use of the lower joints, cutting the figure’s functional articulation in half. The Red Skull can stand still, aim his sidearm, make wild arm and hand gestures—and that’s about it. Stability, on the other hand, is excellent since the figure’s center of gravity is barely touched. ACCESSORIES (Captain America): Average A quick disclaimer before continuing: accessories such as the helmet and alternate hair are not factored into this category since they were counted as portrait and costume elements. Therefore, this section addresses only the shield and sidearm. Sadly, that iconic shield proves to be subpar due to severe aesthetic issues. The soft plastic is prone to warping. Also, the white paint apps are too thin to sufficiently cover over the red molded plastic, resulting in a prominent pinkish purple color rather than the mandated red, white, and blue. Furthermore, Diamond Select chose to again simulate a three-dimensional star by painting black lines inside it. Unfortunately, this star is supposed to be flat and following the smooth contour of the shield, making this paint app grossly inaccurate. Functionally, the shield is more than adequate as it attaches firmly to the pegs on both Captain America’s back and hand. However, that is far from being a saving grace for this accessory. Conversely, Captain America’s automatic pistol is very impressive. It has plenty of finely-sculpted details, and the thickness of its grip is properly sized to fit snugly in the figure’s hand. Unfortunately, it is not enough to balance out the company’s huge misfire with the shield.
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OVERALL RATING Captain America: Excellent Red Skull: Above Average (Bordering on Average) Significant issues with the shield notwithstanding, Captain America emerges as the clearly superior figure based upon the high quality of its design and painting. The costume retains a high degree of accuracy despite its stylized nature, and switching between masked and unmasked versions of the superhero is done with great ease and success. Even the horribly painted shield manages to be very interactive: it can be mounted on the figure’s back, “carried” on the wrist, and even held like a Frisbee. The Red Skull is no slouch either as far as appearances are concerned. The sculpting work on the Hydra uniform is quite impressive even if it is a bit soft, and the paint applications on both portraits are intricate and crisp. Additionally, the mask’s hair is sculpted well, and it slips perfectly over the Red Skull’s devilish face. However, none of that can distract one from realizing this figure makes a better statue than a dynamic Minimate. Nevertheless, the Captain America and Red Skull Minimate 2-pack figure set is well worth the $7.99 price tag at Toys R Us— especially in light of the poor paint apps seen on the initial entries in Hasbro’s comparatively priced Captain America: The First Avenger action figure line. By no means should casual collectors make it a point to collect this film’s entire Minimates line however. Some of the sets are simply too boring in appearance to justify the cost. These particular Minimates though will make intriguing and iconic additions to anyone’s superhero toy collection, and they are essential for any Captain America-themed collections.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
EDITORIAL
D
IGITAL REVOLUTION? I wouldn’t count print out...
By Eric Archibald
Ok, I get it. Technology is evolving and there is no escaping it. From smartphones and tablets, to e-readers and media-centric televisions, digital products are being smashed in our faces. And don’t get me wrong, its entertainment at its finest, but holy hell let’s just take a minute and ease up a little. My ultimate goal is, or quite possibly, was to own my own comic book store. The advent of comiXology and Graphic.ly and the other avenues to access digital comics made me feel that my dream would never be reached. We could also go into the economy, but dear lord if you don’t know what’s wrong with the economy type CNN.com into your address bar and you’ll find out in seconds. Anyway, the point at hand is that digital comics are becoming more prevalent and are therefore being crammed all the more in our faces. Yes, I’ve heard that the target market is those who don’t or won’t frequent a local comic book store, but it seems to me like that target is moving to existing fanboys. This
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is a tragedy from every angle. I’m not an expert but as a fan of comics myself, isn’t the whole point of going and physically picking up a comic the reason we’re fans? Is downloading a digital version of our pull-list nearly as fun or as valuable as holding the art in our hands? Now I’m not saying that we’re just looking to make money off of comics, I mean value in a tangible, meaningful way. Isn’t buying a digital copy like buying air? Well if that’s the case I’m opening an eBay storefront for the purchase of $0.99 oxygen particles the minute I’m done with this piece. I’m not going to lie, I have the comiXology app on my phone
and yes I’ve downloaded a bunch of free comics. While it’s new and right in front me instantly, I can’t bring myself to justify paying for these digitized clones. The free comics have led me to explore comics I wouldn’t normally get the chance to peruse, but is that really their main goal?
Hopefully it is, but usually when a business is created, it’s to make profits, not turn customers over to other businesses. Again, maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think the increase in brick-and-mortar customers has grown all that significantly since the evolution of the digital comic. And to the DC relaunch, reboot, restart, revamp reholycrapidontcare. They’re really trying to shove the day-anddate digital down our throats. Isn’t it lovely? Yay, they’re the first to do so, let’s all clap it up for DC’s initiative! Look, I understand the industry needs a shot in the arm, I get it really I do, but is it absolutely necessary? The lads and ladies over at Comic Book Resources took a poll after this initiative was unleashed on the masses. And would you look at that, out of 10,680 votes, 61.63% still plan to stick with print over this digital nonsense. There’s still the fact that another 20.58% plan to stick with print and mess with digital on the side. Point being…print looks like it’s still alive and kicking.
Marvel has had their digital subscription service going on 4 years now, and their print sales haven’t slowed (much, anyway). Plenty of comic news sites have feverishly pointed out that print sales have fallen from month to month and the top-selling comic isn’t hitting what it used to, and blah, blah, blah. That could be a whole other article but the point is that maybe the few trickling over to digital could be a factor on print sales. Nobody knows for sure because apparently there is no way to track these things in this era of gadgetry and gizmos. What it all comes down to, is maybe the almighty digital revolution might not be all that it’s cracked up to be. I wouldn’t begin to tell those who swear by digital to revert back to print, I just ask that you assess what exactly you’re purchasing and wonder if it is worth it. There will come a time, possibly with the Rapture, that print will be dead and gone. That time isn’t now, and isn’t any time in the near future. Sorry believers of the Rapture…
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
EDITORIAL
A
WHOVIAN That’s what i am!
By Susan Damon I am the luckiest little girl on the planet! Actually, if we’re talking about what I think we’re talking about (and we are), then I am the luckiest girl in all of time and space. That’s right. I’m here to talk Doctor Who. He’s a mad man with a blue box, also known as the TARDIS, which the Doctor claims he stole, but that’s up for debate. Either way, he is the last of the Time Lords and travels with a companion (usually human and female) throughout the galaxy. Also, I’m in love with him. That fact is neither here nor there, really. I just thought I would throw it in, so I can explain where I am coming from.
I can’t claim that I’m an Amy Pond, who has loved the Doctor her whole life, but I am just as fascinated by him and he has definitely changed my world. Of course, she gets to travel in all of time and space with him. I had a show from the 1960s blow my mind. Granted, I have not been into it since then. My first Doctor was David Tennant in the highly popular episode from series three, “Blink”. I fell in love right off the bat. Then I went back to the Russell T. Davies reboot in 2005. I got involved with Christopher Eccleston (the 9th Doctor) and ever since then, the Doctor has been my man.
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Now, we are on the 11th incarnation played by Matt Smith. I have been enjoying him ever since his first episode, “The Eleventh Hour”. We’re now a season and a half into his version, and he is playing the part in a very interesting manner. He’s kind of a professor gone slightly mad and uber-quirky. I’m having fun being along on his ride. Plus, this season we got to see the TARDIS take a human form. I think that might be my favorite Matt Smith episode. Oh, and it was written by Neil Gaiman, so I think that speaks volumes for the show’s progression of popularity. Personally, I am so happy to see the growth in America. I love every time I meet a new “Whovian” and it happens more and more often. People have such strong bonds with the characters, and everyone has a favorite companion. My favorite is, now that the “mystery of River Song” has been revealed, how that has changed so many fans’ opinion of her. I’m impressed she’s had that impact on the universe, as I never particularly took to her. We often hear the phrase “You never forget your first Doctor” and that is the most true thing anyone can tell you when you start the series. Remember that this mad man, imaginary friend, whatever you want to call him will take you to places you have never been. Also, remember that I called dibs here on Comic Book Therapy.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
EDITORIAL
Men Of Steel!
By Todd Vanhooser
In my high school senior English class I teach a segment on the Hero’s Journey at the beginning of the semester. It’s a good way to kick start things, and it gives the class a good excuse to talk about their favorite superheroes as well as the mediocre blockbuster movies they watched during the summer. It’s a well-designed trap, in reality. I’m tricking them into learning. During this lesson I take some time to use comic book heroes to illustrate certain points about the Hero’s Journey—a cycle noted by Joseph Campbell in “A Hero with a Thousand Faces” to be shared by most heroes throughout recorded history. When you boil it down, it’s basically as though we have one very common tale: young man discovers he’s a chosen one, is trained by an older mentor, sets out on a quest, overcomes obstacles, loses mentor, then defeats some terrible threat. Sound familiar? It should. King Arthur, Spider-Man, Star Wars, Iron Man, The Hobbit, Harry Potter, The Matrix, and a thousand others are all the same. Only the names change.
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But despite the fact that I’ve basically spoiled every summer blockbuster those students will ever watch at this point, the conversation inevitably turns to which super hero could trump another. It’s the age-old argument that we had as kids ourselves. And it’s the same one I saw two 40 somethings have outside my booth at Phoenix Comicon, but that’s another story entirely. Although I’ve seen a few long-shots come out victorious in these heated debates, the tried and true super hero to apparently trump them all is usually Superman. It’s a perfect winner for the lesson I am guiding the class through, and it gives rise to one final discussion. That being the shockingly ridiculous disguise used by Clark Kent—the man behind the Man of Steel. Let’s face it, in a world of super heroes with everything from symbiotic goo, high-tech gadgetry, latex, spandex, and iron clad helmets used to cover the face, somewhere along the line Clark Kent missed an important memo. I mean, Christian Bale apparently digitally alters his voice to create that
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
EDITORIAL
gravelly “I’m Batman” snarl that comes out from the cowl. Superman/Clark Kent? Nope. Nothing theatrical here. Just the specs. “Glasses? Seriously no one can tell its him?” “Clark Kent combs his hair and Superman has that little curl. Oh, and the glasses. That’s it!” “Glasses!?” “It’s stupid.” “It’s lame.” The quotes I’ve heard in the classroom go on and on. But after listening to their ranting and raving, I begin again. I have them where I want them, and they’ve all come willingly along. You see, it’s no small accident that the original creators of Superman made such a simple distinction between the most recognizable super hero in the world, and his “every man” alias. Do people think that one day the creator looked down at the panels, smacked his forehead and said, “Good God! We forgot the mask! How’d we forget the freaking MASK?” No. He’s not supposed to have a mask, because Superman, like so many other popular heroes in our culture, is a reflection of who we are. Batman represents the conflicted, brooding part of us. Iron Man is tough on the outside but deeply flawed within his metal skin. Hulk shows us the raging battle of man’s repressed emotions. The list goes on and on. And Superman? Ask yourself this: why is it no one can tell the difference between Kent and Krypton’s last son? Is it really the curl and the specs? Or is it possible that the inability to see this literal super hero right before their eyes is actually a reflection of us and our inability to see that “superman” in those around us? Clark Kent carries himself as a gawky, socially awkward, clumsy Average Joe. Superman, on the other hand, is, well, super.
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Faster than a speeding train, able to leap tall buildings…you’ve heard the spiel. Yet, in truth, they are the same man. My assertion is this: people don’t let themselves see the superman inside. In fact, it’s entirely possible that beneath all of the socially awkward Average Joes lives a Superman ready to take flight. The creators of Superman knew this. They didn’t forget the mask, folks. They left it off for a reason. It’s message to all of us that too often we as a people, as a culture, are too shallow to see that beneath the clumsy, geeky exterior resides a Man of Steel. Like so much in our pop culture, you have to look beneath the pages of the comic book to truly get it. You have to be willing to accept that the reason titles like Superman, Batman, and others haven’t existed this long simply because they’re “cool.” They’ve lasted this long because they’re a part of who we are: reflections of our hopes, our fears, our aspirations, our teenage dreams, and our middle-aged woes. We are the Men of Steel, waiting for those we work with, those we see everyday, those we love to see the Superman within. And if indeed Joseph Campbell had it right and there is only one hero’s story that is told and retold over and over again, then that means the story is ours. Each of us is our own Superman setting out on the unique Hero’s Journey of life. Now, the infatuation with spandex…that’s for a future article.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY
DC
COMICS
RELAUNCH, REBOOT, RESET... WHAT IS HAPPENING?!
Come August 31st, 2011, DC Comics will never be the same again with the controversial “DC Comics - The New 52” initiative. The DC Comics Universe will change forever... But what exactly is the meaning of this? “Flashpoint”, DC Comics last genuinely universe-changing big Summer crossover event before “DC Comics - The New 52” initiative takes over. For those that have not been keeping track of the news, it was announced after weeks of intense fan speculations and rumors that fifty-two monthly titles will be launched with #1 issues across the month with 13 new titles shipping each week. Under DC Comics’s renewed directive to introduce “a more
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modern, diverse DC Universe”, the change will officially kick off on August 31st, where the publisher will release two comics: The final issue of “Flashpoint”, and the first issue of “Justice League”, with a new superstar creative team comprising writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee. More significantly, the release of “Justice League” # 1 also marks the beginning of same-day digital release for all of the publishing line’s ongoing titles, “making DC Comics the first of the two major American publishers to release all of its superhero comic book titles digitally the same day as in print.”
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY This is undoubtedly one of the most significant events in the long history of comic publishing, and is definitely DC Comics's make-or-break chance to wrestle the number one spot comic book publisher spot from Marvel. Gathering sources across online medias, we here at The Daily Zombies are giving our take on the event, setting the records straight on some of the most-asked questions, and try our hands on some of the harder ones as well. Before we move on, it is noteworthy that in an effort to stamp out any lingering concerns with regard to the bold move, DC Comics has issued a massive email to retailers, detailing the rationale behind the move. Coming from Bob Wayne, the Senior Vice President - Sales of DC Comics, the message, entitled "The New 52 and You" , has addressed most but not all of the important questions. We have the entire press release here in the Magazine if you are curious. Just jump to page 50.
It was one massive Press Release! And it thankfully answered many of the questions we fans had. However, are these answers good enough for you? For example, the events of The Killing Joke still happened and Barbara Gordon did became Oracle... but she has gone "through physical rehabilitation" and has therefore resumed her Batgirl identity as she has "became a more seasoned and nuanced character because she had these incredible and diverse experiences." Really? We can only take comfort in the fact that Gail Simone will be handling the character in Batgirl. For now, we try our hand on what's left of the questions you might have. First and foremost, what is going to happen to the Batman family of titles, specifically, Batman. Inc? We kicked off our Q&A with a downer. With Grant Morrison's incredible Batman magnum opus in process, Batman Incorporated has been inevitably interrupted as a result of the initiative. While DC has confirmed that Grant Morrison will be involved in the September relaunch of the Batman books, Batman Incorporated will return with a new issue #1 in early 2012. Here's what Morrison has to say over at DC's The Source blog:
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“Batman, Incorporated will continue through to Issue #10 and August’s shocking season finale that changes the Batman status quo yet again. The series will take a brief hiatus while I work on a major new project to be announced shortly. Batman, Incorporated returns next year with me, Chris Burnham and Batman: Leviathan, the epic 12 part conclusion to my 6 year Batman saga. Don’t miss it!” And here's more bad news: Dick Grayson will be returning as Nightwing and as mentioned earlier, Oracle Barbara Gordon is returning as Batgirl. Over at "Batman and Robin", we will be seeing the "father and son" team of Bruce and Damian Wayne. Meanwhile, Batman and Detective Comics will respectively be getting their number ones for the first time ever. For more details on each of the titles, keep on reading for our full coverage on all fifty-two of the relaunched titles.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY Who will be in the confirmed Justice League line-up? Based on what we saw on the cover of Justice League #1, a shake-up of the original "big seven" of the DC Universe is apparent. Martian Manhunter takes his exit (more on where he is going to, later) as Cyborg replaces good ol' J'onn J'onzz's position among the seven big guns.
and Jim Lee's Justice League.
Additionally, as uncovered by DC Women Kicking Ass on superhero cup manufacturer Toon Tumblers' Facebook page, an image meant for a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive cup was leaked, featuring the full roster of Geoff Johns
From top left, we can confirmed that Deadman, Atom, Element Woman (an all-new character designed by Jim Lee that has just made her debut in Flashpoint), Firestorm. Over at the top right, we have Green Arrow, Hawkman, an unidentified female character, and Mera. It has been noted by many that the unidentified female character is actually monster hunter Miranda Shrieve, a new character that has only recently debuted in Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown. However, Geoff Johns has discarded all the speculations by confirming that everybody got it wrong and that the lady isn't even a blonde in his Twitter page. So there we have a total of fifteen characters, as opposed to the initial press which indicated that there would be 14 members on the team. What is the marital status of Clark Kent? Yes, we have witnessed the new crew-necked, red underwear-less, and semi-armored outfit of Superman. What other terror lies ahead of the Man of Steel?
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A marriage no more. You have to admit you saw this one coming. Just see the troubles Marvel went to get Peter Parker back to his swinging bachelorhood. With the changes affecting the status quo of the entire line-up of the DC Universe, you can imagine how tempting it is for them not to undo this. What will be happening to the Wildstorm imprint? We have earlier witnessed the official demise of the Wildstorm imprint. Can things get any worse for the Wildstorm heroes? Yes, it certainly can, and in fact, it has. By bringing the Wildstorm heroes to the same universe as arguably the most original superheroes in the DC Universe. A look at the upcoming Stormwatch cover sickens me deeply with the ludicrous redesign of Wildstorm's very own variation of World's Finest: Apollo and Midnighter. And remember we were going to tell you where Martian Manhunter were going to? It's right here at Stormwatch. This is just great. All of my favorite Warren Ellis and Mark Millar's Storm Watch and The Authority's storylines undone.
Despite what DC Comics stated in their press release, is this a reboot? Depending on your point of view. Unlike Marvel, DC Comics has been in a perpetual state of storyline retcon (Retroactive continuity). From 1986's Crisis on Infinite Earths to 1994′s Zero Hour, we have seen everything from bits and pieces of aspects of prominent superheroes' origin being eradicated, to the total removal of continuities of superheroes like Justice Society and Legion of SuperHeroes. The significance of this upcoming initiative would be the fact it is on an unprecedented scale where DC would be firing on all cylinders. So for those continuity freaks, do not be overtly alarmed. For me personally, I'm just annoyed that Batman. Inc is interrupted and Wildstorm got more insults to go along with their injuries as a result of the damage induced on the well-established characters.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY What are the most noteworthy titles to look out for?
Grant Morrison's take on the Last Son of Krypton is without a shadow of a doubt, the most interesting title among the fifty-two, given his amazing feat with his previous Superman work, All-Star Superman. Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman is also piquing my curiosity with the obvious clash of styles with the character. And then of course, one has to be stopped in their track with Geoff Johns and Jim Lee's starstudded Justice League. The quirky line-up (Shade the Changing Man, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Zatanna and John Constantine) for Peter Milligan's Justice League Dark is also interestingly enough for me to pick up. Additionally, the return of Swamp Thing, the original OMAC, and Animal Man might prove to be something worth looking out for.
For now, that's all we got. Stay tuned for more updates and developments of the biggest relaunch in comic history. In the meantime, check out the respective official description and covers in the solicitation information for all fifty-two new titles, courtesy of DC's The Source blog.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 Written by GEOFF JOHNS Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS 1:25 Variant cover by DAVID FINCH RETROSOLICITED • On sale AUGUST 31 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US RATED T • Combo pack edition: $4.99 US Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information. Comics superstars Geoff Johns and Jim Lee make history! In a universe where super heroes are strange and new, Batman has discovered a dark evil that requires him to unite the World Greatest Heroes! This spectacular debut issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1 Written by DAN JURGENS Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN Cover by AARON LOPRESTI On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T With the growing presence of super beings around the world, the United Nations resolves to create a new group called Justice League International. Batman, Booster Gold, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, August General in Iron, Fire, Ice, Vixen and Rocket Red are charged with promoting unity and trust – but can they reach that goal without killing each other first?
AQUAMAN #1 Written by GEOFF JOHNS Art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The superstar creators from BLACKEST NIGHT and BRIGHTEST DAY reunite to take AQUAMAN to amazing new depths! Aquaman has renounced the throne of Atlantis – but the sea will not release Arthur Curry so easily. Now, from a forgotten corner of the ocean emerges… The Trench! A broken race of creatures that should not exist, an unspeakable need driving them, The Trench will be the most talked-about new characters in the DC Universe!
WONDER WOMAN #1 Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO Art and cover by CLIFF CHIANG On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The Gods walk among us. To them, our lives are playthings. Only one woman would dare to protect humanity from the wrath of such strange and powerful forces. But is she one of us – or one of them?
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY THE FLASH #1 Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL Variant cover by IVAN REIS and TIM TOWNSEND On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information. The Fastest Man Alive returns to his own monthly series from the writer/artist team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato! The Flash knows he can’t be everywhere at once, but what happens when he faces an all-new villain who really can! As if that’s not bad enough, this villain is a close friend!
CAPTAIN ATOM #1 Written by J.T. KRUL Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Charged by nuclear energy, possessing vast molecular powers, Captain Atom has the potential to be a literal god among men – a hero without limits. But the question is: Will he lose himself in the process? Don’t miss the start of a legend from writer J.T. Krul (GREEN ARROW, TEEN TITANS) and artist Freddie Williams II (JSA ALL-STARS)!
THE FURY OF FIRESTORM #1 Written by ETHAN VAN SCIVER and GAIL SIMONE Art by YILDIRAY CINAR Cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond. These two high school students are worlds apart – and now they’re drawn into a conspiracy of superscience that bonds them forever in a way they can’t explain or control. The dark secrets of the murderous Dog Team and its Firestorm Protocol force them to put aside their differences to confront a threat so terrifying that it may lead to a new Cold War! Welcome to a new vision of nuclear terror from writers Ethan Van Sciver and Gail Simone with astonishing art by Yildiray Cinar!
GREEN ARROW #1 Written by J.T. KRUL Art by DAN JURGENS and NORM RAPMUND Cover by BRETT BOOTH and ROB HUNTER On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Green Arrow is on the hunt. Driven by inner demons, Ollie Queen travels the world and brings outlaws to justice…by breaking every law. Now, armed with cutting-edge weaponry and illegally gained intel (courtesy of his team at QCore), Green Arrow is shooting first and asking questions later.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
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COVER STORY THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #1 Written by TONY S. DANIEL Art and cover by PHILIP TAN On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Carter Hall’s skill at deciphering lost languages has led him to a job with an archaeologist who specializes in alien ruins – but will the doctor’s latest discovery spread an alien plague through New York City? No matter the personal cost, Carter Hall must don his wings and become the new, savage Hawkman to survive! Witness the start of a new action series from writer Tony S. Daniel and artist Philip Tan that will take Hawkman where no hero has flown before!
MISTER TERRIFIC #1 Written by ERIC WALLACE Art by ROGER ROBINSON Cover by J.G. JONES On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The world’s third-smartest man – and one of its most eligible bachelors – uses his brains and fists against science gone mad in this new series from Eric Wallace (TITANS) and Roger Robinson! Michael Holt is the head of a successful high-tech corporation and an institute that recruits and encourages the finest minds of the next generation to excel. As Mister Terrific he inhabits a world of amazement few others know exists, let alone can comprehend.
DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #1 Written by PAUL JENKINS Art by BERNARD CHANG Cover by RYAN SOOK
ACTION COMICS #1 Written by GRANT MORRISON Art by RAGS MORALES and RICK BRYANT Cover by RAGS MORALES Variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T The one and only Grant Morrison (ALL-STAR SUPERMAN) returns to Superman, joined by sensational artist Rags Morales (IDENTITY CRISIS), to bring you tales of The Man of Steel unlike any you’ve ever read! This extra-sized debut issue is the cornerstone of the entire DC Universe!
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On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T It’s the start of a new series spotlighting some of the DC Universes’s most exciting super heroes! First up is Deadman, straight from the pages of BRIGHTEST DAY, in a five-issue epic where the body-hopping hero meets his match in a new foe who wants to make sure the souls that Deadman helps out go straight to Hell!
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY SUPERMAN #1 Written by GEORGE PEREZ Breakdowns and cover by GEORGE PEREZ Art by JESUS MERINO On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The new adventures of Superman begin here! What is The Man of Steel’s startling new status quo? How does it affect Lois Lane and The Daily Planet? There’s no time for answers now, because Superman must stop a monstrous threat to Metropolis – one that he somehow is the cause of!
SUPERBOY #1 Written by SCOTT LOBDELL Art by RB SILVA and ROB LEAN Cover by ERIC CANETE
SUPERGIRL #1 Written by MICHAEL GREEN and MIKE JOHNSON Art and cover by MAHMUD ASRAR On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Meet Supergirl. She’s got the unpredictable behavior of a teenager, the same powers as Superman – and none of his affection for the people of Earth. So don’t piss her off!
BATMAN #1 Written by SCOTT SNYDER Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION Cover by GREG CAPULLO Variant cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
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On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T They thought he was just an experiment – and a failed one at that! Grown from a combination of Kryptonian and human DNA, the Clone was no more than a set of data to the scientists of Project N.O.W.H.E.R.E. But when the scope of his stunning powers was revealed, he became a deadly weapon! Now the question is: Can a clone develop a conscience?
Be here for the start of a new era for The Dark Knight from writer Scott Snyder (AMERICAN VAMPIRE, BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM) and artist Greg Capullo (Spawn)! A series of brutal killings hints at an ancient conspiracy, and Batman learns that Gotham City is deadlier than he knew.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY DETECTIVE COMICS #1 Written by TONY S. DANIEL Art by TONY S. DANIEL and RYAN WINN Cover by TONY S. DANIEL On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T DC’s flagship title is relaunched for the first time ever, with new Batman adventures from acclaimed writer/ artist Tony S. Daniel! A killer called The Gotham Ripper is on the loose on Batman’s home turf – leading The Dark Knight on a deadly game of cat and mouse.
BATWING #1 Written by JUDD WINICK Art and cover by BEN OLIVER On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Africa, a land of beauty – and of great horror. A land of creation and conflict. It is in desperate need of a defender, and from the ranks of Batman Incorporated comes a soldier to carry on the legacy of The Dark Knight in the most tumultuous region on Earth. Meet Batwing, the Batman of Africa!
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1 Written by DAVID FINCH Art by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND Cover by DAVID FINCH On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The Dark Knight struggles against a deadly – yet strangely familiar – foe in this phenomenal debut issue from superstar writer/artist David Finch (BRIGHTEST DAY, ACTION COMICS)! As a mysterious figure slinks through the halls of Arkham Asylum, Batman must fight his way through a gauntlet of psychos, and Bruce Wayne faces the unexpected legal ramifications of Batman Incorporated!!
BATMAN AND ROBIN #1 Written by PETER J. TOMASI Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Battling evil with his son, Damian, at his side, Batman now realizes that the hardest part of the job may be trying to work together! As Batman and Robin try to adjust to their new partnership, a figure emerges from Bruce Wayne’s past: His name is NoBody, and he’s not happy that Batman Incorporated is shining a light on his own shadowy war against evil...
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
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COVER STORY BATGIRL #1 Written by GAIL SIMONE Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES Cover by ADAM HUGHES On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Yes, it’s really happening! Barbara Gordon is back as Batgirl – and she’s going to have to face the city’s most horrifying new villains as well as the dark secrets from her past. You won’t want to miss this stunning debut issue from fan-favorite BIRDS OF PREY writer Gail Simone!
NIGHTWING #1 Written by KYLE HIGGINS Art and cover by EDDY BARROWS and JP MAYER On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Dick Grayson flies high once more as Nightwing in a new series from hot new writer Kyle Higgins (BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM)! And as he embraces his destiny, Haley’s Circus, the big top where Dick once performed, returns to Gotham City – bringing with it murder, mystery and superhuman evil. Nightwing must confront his past, among former friends and enemies from his circus days, while uncovering a much greater evil!
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BATWOMAN #1 Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN Art and cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T At last! Batwoman’s new series begins, from the multiple awardwinning creative team of J.H. Williams III and Haden Blackman! In “Hydrology,” part 1 of 5, Batwoman faces deadly new challenges in her war against Gotham City’s underworld – and new trials in her life as Kate Kane. Who or what is stealing children from the barrio, and for what vile purpose? Will Kate train her cousin, Bette Kane (a.k.a. Flamebird), as her new sidekick? How will she handle unsettling revelations about her father, Colonel Jacob Kane?
CATWOMAN #1 Written by JUDD WINICK Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ Meet Catwoman. She’s addicted to the night. Addicted to shiny objects. Addicted to Batman. Most of all, Catwoman is addicted to danger. She can’t help herself, and the truth is – she doesn’t want to. She’s good at being bad, and very bad at being good. Find out more about what makes Catwoman tick in this new series from writer Judd Winick (BATMAN: UNDER THE HOOD) and artist Guillem March (GOTHAM CITY SIRENS)!
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY BIRDS OF PREY #1 Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI Art and cover by JESUS SAIZ On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T One is wanted for a murder she didn’t commit. The other is on the run because she knows too much. They are Dinah Laurel Lance and Ev Crawford – a.k.a. Black Canary and Starling – and together, as Gotham City’s covert ops team, they’re taking down the villains other heroes can’t touch. But now they’ve attracted the attention of a grizzled newspaper reporter who wants to expose them, as well as a creepy, chameleon-like strike team that’s out to kill them.Don’t miss the start of this hard-hitting new series from mystery novelist/comics writer Duane Swierczynski (Expiration Date, Cable).
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #1 Written by SCOTT LOBDELL Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T No sooner ha, Jason Todd, put his past as the Red Hood behind him than he finds himself cornered by a pair of modern day outlaws: Green Arrow’s rejected sidekick Arsenal, the damaged soldier of fortune, and the alien Starfire, a former prisoner of intergalactic war who won’t be chained again. As a loner, Jason has absolutely no interest in this motley crew of outlaws. What’s he going to do when they choose the Red Hood as their leader? Find out in this hot new series from writer Scott Lobdell, featuring art by rising star Kenneth Rocafort.
GREEN LANTERN #1 Written by GEOFF JOHNS Art by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information. The red-hot GREEN LANTERN team of writer Geoff Johns and artist Doug Mahnke introduce an unexpected new Lantern.
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1 Written by PETER J. TOMASI Art by FERNANDO PASARIN and SCOTT HANNA Cover by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T When deadly conflicts emerge across the universe, it’s up to Guy Gardner, John Stewart and an elite Green Lantern strike force to keep the peace – or else.
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COVER STORY GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1 Written by TONY BEDARD Art and cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Kyle Rayner has assembled the most powerful team in all the universe, selected from the full spectrum of corps. But can he even keep this volatile group together?
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1 Written by PETER MILLIGAN Art by MIKEL JANIN Cover by RYAN SOOK On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The witch known as The Enchantress has gone mad, unleashing forces that not even the combined powers of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Cyborg can stop. And if those heroes can’t handle the job, who will stand against this mystical madness? Shade the Changing Man, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Zatanna and John Constantine may be our only hope – but how can we put our trust in beings whose very presence makes ordinary people break out in a cold sweat?
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RED LANTERNS #1 Written by PETER MILLIGAN Art and cover by ED BENES and ROB HUNTER On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ Atrocitus and his Red Lantern Corps return in their own series, battling against injustice in the most bloody ways imaginable!
SWAMP THING #1 Written by SCOTT SNYDER Art and cover by YANICK PAQUETTE On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ One of the world’s most iconic characters has returned to the heart of the DC Universe, and every step he takes will shake the foundations of the Earth! Alec Holland has his life back… but the Green has plans for it. A monstrous evil is rising in the desert, and it’ll take a monster of another kind to defend life as we know it!
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY ANIMAL MAN #1 Written by JEFF LEMIRE Art by TRAVEL FOREMAN and DAN GREEN Cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ Buddy Baker has gone from “super” man to family man – but is he strong enough to hold his family together when Maxine, his young daughter, starts to manifest her own dangerous powers? Find out in this dramatic new series from writer Jeff Lemire (SWEET TOOTH) and artist Travel Foreman (The Immortal Iron Fist).
FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #1 Written by JEFF LEMIRE Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI Cover by J.G. JONES On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T It’s Frankenstein as you’ve never seen him before, in a dark new series from acclaimed writer Jeff Lemire (SWEET TOOTH) and artist Alberto Ponticelli (UNKNOWN SOLDIER)! Frankenstein is part of a network of strange beings who work for an even stranger government organization: The Super Human Advanced Defense Executive! But can he protect the world from threats even more horrifying than himself? And since he’s vilified for who and what he is, will he even want to take on this mission?
VOODOO #1 Written by RON MARZ Art and cover by SAMI BASRI On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ Who is Voodoo? Is she hero, villain – or both? Learn the truth about Priscilla Kitaen as she leaves a trail of violence across America. Discover the new DCU through her eyes, because the things she sees are not always what they seem…
GRIFTER #1 Written by NATHAN EDMONDSON Art by CAFU Cover by CAFU and BIT On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The DCU’s most wanted man stars in his own series! Cole Cash is a charming grifter few can resist. And yet he’s about to be branded a serial killer when he begins hunting and exterminating inhuman creatures hidden in human form – creatures only he can see! Can the biggest sweet talker of all time talk his way out of this one when even his brother thinks he’s gone over the edge?
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
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COVER STORY DEMON KNIGHTS #1 Written by PAUL CORNELL Art by DIOGENES NEVES and OCLAIR ALBERT Cover by TONY S. DANIEL On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Set in the Dark Ages of the DC Universe, a barbarian horde is massing to crush civilization. It’s fallen to Madame Xanadu and Jason Blood, the man with a monster inside him, to stand in their way – though the demon Etrigan has no interest in protecting anyone or anything other than himself! It’ll take more than their own power to stop an army fueled by bloodlust and dark sorcery, and some very surprising heroes – and villains – will have no choice but to join the fray!
DEATHSTROKE #1 Written by KYLE HIGGINS Art by JOE BENNETT and ART THIBERT Cover by SIMON BISLEY On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ “Friends die, family disappoints, but a legacy... That lives forever.” Slade Wilson is the best mercenary in the DCU, and he’s been doing this a long time. Some might say too long. But they’ll learn: Never turn your back on Deathstroke the Terminator. He won’t quit, no matter how high the stakes. Kyle Higgins (BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM) and Joe Bennett (TEEN TITANS) team up to bring you the finest in mayhem and gore.
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STORMWATCH #1 Written by PAUL CORNELL Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ They are Stormwatch, a dangerous super human police force whose existence is kept secret from the world Directly following the ominous events of SUPERMAN #1, Adam One leads half the Stormwatch team to recover the [INFORMATION REDACTED] from deep in the Himalayas. Meanwhile, Jack Hawksmoor and the rest of the Stormwatch crew look to recruit two of the deadliest super humans on the planet: Midnighter and Apollo! And if they say no? Perhaps the Martian Manhunter can change their minds...
SUICIDE SQUAD #1 Written by ADAM GLASS Art by MARCO RUDY Cover by RYAN BENJAMIN
On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ They’re a team of death-row super villains recruited by the government to take on missions so dangerous – they’re sheer suicide! Harley Quinn! Deadshot! King Shark! Defeated and imprisoned, they’re being interrogated about their mission – and about who’s pulling the strings behind this illegal operation. Who will be the first to crack under the pressure?
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY O.M.A.C. #1 Written by DAN DIDIO and KEITH GIFFEN Art and cover by KEITH GIFFEN and SCOTT KOBLISH On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The all-seeing Brother Eye satellite has unleashed a new beast upon the DC Universe in this smashing new series! Kevin Kho has become an unwilling participant in a war between Checkmate and Brother Eye as he is transformed into the One Machine Army Corp known only as O.M.A.C.!
BLACKHAWKS #1 Written by MIKE COSTA Art and cover by KEN LASHLEY On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Welcome to a world waging a new kind of war that’s faster and more brutal than ever before. It’s fought by those who would make the innocent their targets, using computers, smart weapons and laser-guided missiles. The new enemy is hard to find – and closer to home than we think. Between us and them stand the Blackhawks, an elite force of military specialists equipped with the latest in cutting-edge hardware and vehicles. Their mission: Kill the bad guys before they kill us.
HAWK AND DOVE #1 Written by STERLING GATES Art and cover by ROB LIEFELD On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Hank Hall is not happy. He’s not happy to have Dawn Granger as a new partner in his war on crime. He’s not happy that she’s dating the ghostly Super Hero, Deadman. He’s not happy to learn that someone is trying to plunge the United States into a new civil war! Now it’s up to Hawk and Dove to root out the forces behind this conflict and stop them before they turn the U.S. into a wasteland! And who is the monster lurking in the shadows, watching Hawk and Dove from afar? Find out in this new series from Sterling Gates and artist Rob Liefeld!
BLUE BEETLE #1 Written by TONY BEDARD Art by IG GUARA and RUY JOSE Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and SAL REGLA On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T It’s not easy being Jaime Reyes. He has to deal with high school, family and all the drama that comes with being a teenager. Also, he’s linked to a powerful scarab created by an alien race known as the Reach who seek to subjugate planets – or annihilate them. It’s up to one teen hero to turn this instrument of destruction into a force for good.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY TEEN TITANS #1 Written by SCOTT LOBDELL Art and cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Tim Drake, Batman’s former sidekick, is back in action when an international organization seeks to capture, kill or co-opt super-powered teenagers. As Red Robin, he’s going to have to team up with the mysterious and belligerent powerhouse thief known as Wonder Girl and the hyperactive speedster calling himself Kid Flash to stand any chance at all against a living, breathing weapon with roots in another world! They will be the Teen Titans in this new series from writer Scott Lobdell and artist Brett Booth.
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1 Written by PAUL LEVITZ Art by FRANCIS PORTELA Cover by KARL KERSCHL
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On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The Legion of Super-Heroes has been decimated by the worst disaster in its history. Now, the students of the Legion Academy must rise to the challenge of helping the team rebuild – but a threat of almost unstoppable power is rising at the edge of Dominator space, and if the new recruits fail, the Legion Espionage Squad may be the first casualties in a war that could split worlds in half!
STATIC SHOCK #1 Written by SCOTT McDANIEL and JOHN ROZUM Art and cover by SCOTT McDANIEL and JONATHAN GLAPION On sale SEPTEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T The brilliant, slightly awkward high school student Virgil Hawkins transforms into the cocky electromagnetic hero Static! A mysterious tragedy forces the Hawkins family to relocate from Dakota to New York City! Virgil embarks upon new adventures in a new high school and a new internship at S.T.A.R. Labs! As Static, he dons a new uniform and establishes a new secret headquarters! But is he ready to take on the new villains who lurk in New York City’s underworld?
LEGION LOST #1 Written by FABIAN NICIEZA Art and cover by PETE WOODS On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T Seven heroes from the 31st century have traveled back to the present day. Their mission: Save their future from annihilation. But when the future tech they brought with them fails, they find themselves trapped in a nightmarish world that, for them, is the ultimate struggle to survive! Don’t miss the start of this all-new LEGION series illustrated by Pete Woods – fresh off his spectacular run on ACTION COMICS – who is joined by writer Fabian Nicieza (RED ROBIN)!
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
REVIEWS
By Kai Charles Ah, summertime! Longer days, Vacation, Beach trips and for us fan girls and fan boys one of our favorite pastimes: Conventions! I had purchased “Night” in February. What sold me were two things: Star Trek Fans and Zombies!
I enjoyed the action scenes in this book as well as the zombie action but there was a little too much predictable Star Trek jokes. The zombies are very parasitic in nature with an interesting feature I haven’t seen before.
In the tradition of most great Horror stories our story begins with a prologue set up. We are introduced to two military personnel guarding a medical research lab and discussing their attendance at the upcoming Star Trek convention. Things go wrong and a mysterious creature escapes.
There are some laugh out loud moments and some great action but some parts were overly predictable. It is a quick fun read though perfect for the beach or resting in your room post convention. Rating: 3/5
Next we are introduced to Jim Pike (yep they go there). Jim is a former solder working as security at the Botany Bay Hotel in Houston Texas. It’s Friday, the kickoff of the weekend Star trek convention which is expected to draw thousands. Things aren’t going well for Jim. He is having strange, scary flashback dreams and a growing since of unease. Half the hotel staff is out sick with a strange flu virus and there is a pack of strange homeless people moaning and shuffling in the alley behind the kitchens. Can you see where this is going? :0 Once Anderson and Stall set the scene, including the arrival of Jim’s sister and a beautiful stranger garbed in a princess Leia costume (slave girl of course!) zombie chaos ensues. Soon there are zombified Klingons and Red Shirt’s everywhere.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
REVIEWS
By Kai Charles Despite the growth of Digital Comics there is nothing like a referral to a title from a knowledgeable store clerk! That’s how Mystery Men came to my attention. With the exception of The Invincible Iron Man I don’t read any Marvel books so Mystery Men wouldn’t have even been on my pull list without an in store recommendation. I have to say two issues in It’s one of my most anticipated books and I’ve become a huge fan of Liss and Zircher’s vision. It’s New York in 1932 and The Operative Dennis Piper has just completed a caper. He is a cosmopolitan character hobnobbing with the rich and famous as well as relieving them of their riches in the manner of Robin Hood. We also meet his lady love actress Alice who in the first few pages is brutally murdered by a mysterious General. Framed for her murder Dennis is on the run searching for clues. He meets Alice’s sister Sarah and the mysterious Revenant. A great start to the series. I really enjoyed the diversity in this series as well as the Revenant is an African American hero.
mind and begins to investigate on his own. The Revenant has an easier task getting the required information and once again reaches out to Dennis so they can work together. Great action this issue! I really love the evolution in the characters and the interplay between them. Sarah is no shrinking violet she is in the thick of the action much to Dennis’s dismay. the Revenant continues to shine this issue and I commend the team for showing how easy it can be to portray a diverse character in mainstream comics. Kudos to Marvel for the great price on the books : $2.99 I’m definitely on board for the whole series.
Issue two shows the Dennis , Sarah and Ezekiel Wright (The Revenant) further adventures. Dennis is not in the team up state of
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
REVIEWS
By Dan Quiroga DocBBanner again here, with the review (at long last) on the next release of Marvel Entertainment and Japanese anime studio legend Madhouse‘s collaborations.. This time out, we cover the scoop on Marvel‘s all-time favorite mutant, Wolverine (AKA James Logan). At first view here, in terms of style of hard punching action style, Wolverine is definitely what Marvel fans are looking for in an anime adaptation without the story or settings getting too other-worldly and out of control. The release also surprisingly contends with one or two particular figures from out of Logan’s past (not to mention focusing on his pre-X-Men past) and written slightly different. Our story begins with Logan spending time with one time/ one true love, Mariko Yashida aboard one of her family’s yachting cruisers. As mind dawdles over some concerns as to their living situation, Wolverine is suddenly attacked by unknown jet-packing tech soldiers. As Logan regains himself healed again, he pushes away
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Mariko to safety and charges these soldiers once more…fast forward a year later… Mariko has since vanished to parts unknown… Leaving Logan to eventually follow a trail to her… On his way in New York, Logan is then alerted to the accosting of an old agent friend of his by soldiers unknown again… He quickly takes out the soldiers and quickly sniffs out and takes out the cloaked soldiers as well. The agent, going by the name of Asano, is reunited with Logan and the two continue to probe the mystery of Mariko’s disappearance. Asano’s discovery of Mariko’s possible whereabouts, arranged engagement to another man, and subsequent corrupt dealings of her father leads Logan on a bargained mission to Tokyo with Asano to rescue Mariko and stop the deal that her father is having made. What secrets and other underhanded dealings will Wolverine face when he encounters Mariko, her father’s mob, and his corrupt business dealings with her arranged suitor? Is there more to this than meets the eye? Find out as the mystery unfolds…
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
REVIEWS
Again, like Iron Man, another brilliantly animated work by Madhouse. The character designs actually went better than the original first teaser-ed promos were having Wolverine portrayed. Instead of looking like a typical long streaky haired, be-buffed fighting character from out of a Masami Obari (character designer for Fatal Fury, Virus Buster Serge) anime or game design, Logan looks more like he usually/actually is. In terms of the other character designs, Mariko is done up pretty much the way she hasalways been portrayed at Marvel…only more Madhouse anime glamorously. The animation is spectacular in terms of high quality digital enhanced visuals and high quality 2D animation intertwined, some great action scenes in the first ten minutes definitely account for that. The soundtrack is uniquely hard edged rock, and definitely made for Wolverine’s character and usual hardboiled exploits. As for story, again, good approach, not too hairy in terms of getting too outerworldly. The concept of bringing Logan’s once true love Mariko Yashida again and into the anime’s story mix was also a good lead for story material given Wolverine’s noted adventures in Japan at one
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time in the original Wolverine comics, X Men comics, and noted in flashbacks from the original X Men animated series altogether. This is still good story material, despite any retcons that have been made that differ Mariko’s destiny in the anime as opposed to her in the comic book storyline. All in all, a great work and partnership by Marvel Entertainment and Madhouse once again. Fans of Marvel and anime, rejoice!! Logan is definitely in top form, taking names and slashing them up in this adaptation.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
INTERVIEW
By Jorge Cardoza
Real Life Comic Book Therapy
It’s a rare privilege to write down something even remotely serious when you write for a site like ours, so I was thrilled with the opportunity to interview a very interesting person. I’d like to introduce you to Mr. Patrick O’Connor, MA. He is a Psychology Doctoral Candidate, originally from Chicago, now working his way towards a Postdoctoral training at Southeast Psych (www.southeastpsych.com) in Charlotte, NC in early September. Mr. O’Connor has some amazing ideas on the use of comic books as a facilitator for psychological therapy, some of which he kindly discussed with us recently. In summary, (Soon-to-be) Dr. O’Connor is compiling a database of emotionally-relevant comic books and sorting them according to several, very comprehensive categories. The whole database can be accessed at www.comicspedia.net, where you’ll also find tips and examples on how to incorporate the books into therapy sessions. Although free to the public, the site is obviously aimed towards mental health specialists, so don’t expect to earn your degree on Batman Behavioral Sciences and Super-Criminal Profiling just by leafing through it. Still, it’s very interesting and surprisingly engaging, even for the lay person. It’s also a wonderful example of how the comic book medium can transcend the entertainment aspect inherent to its production and become something uniquely valuable.
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ADB: Good evening, Mr. O’Connor. I’d like to thank you for your time on behalf of ComicbookTherapy.com. First, could you introduce yourself? Patrick: My name is Patrick O’Connor, M.A., I am 28 years old and currently live in Mitchell, South Dakota while I am wrapping up my internship for my Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, which I expect to be conferred later this year. ADB: Nice to meet you. You expressed some interest in discussing a project of yours called “Comicspedia”. Can you explain a little about what it is? Patrick: Comicspedia is a database of summaries for hundreds of comic books, and each summary is tagged with relevant issues to bring into the psychotherapy session. It was developed primarily with the therapist in mind so they can learn how to utilize the wonderful stories and rich art when helping a person reach their goals. Some of these themes include mourning, alienation, and abuse of power. If a client is grieving the loss of a loved one, a therapist can use Comicspedia to search for comics that focus on this theme, read brief summaries of related comics, and find out how to obtain the book to bring to therapy.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
INTERVIEW ADB: I see from your CV you have experience with issues like domestic violence. Has there been a particularly memorable instance so far in which you have found comic books useful? Patrick: I had one client, a middle-aged male, who came of his own volition to my office. He spoke frequently about how stressed his family made him feel, said he sometimes broke things around the home out of anger, but insisted he never hurt his family. I initially attempted a form of behavioral therapy, but he appeared to be reluctant to change. After revealing he was a fan of Batman, I selected Batman comics focusing on family, losing powers, and others’ expectations in an effort to bring these topics into discussion. He presented as a much calmer person after reading an issue and, under the guise of discussing how Batman struggled with these issues, discovered his own means of controlling his expressions of anger. ADB: I take it you adhere more to Skinner than Freud Patrick: On the contrary, if given the two options I believe I would side more with Freud. I have found success in the past with particular behavioral techniques with men who perpetrate domestic violence, but it is not for everyone. For most of the clients I see, I utilize humanistic techniques similar to those written about by Carl Rogers. It really is a case-by-case basis though, as I try to focus on what I think works best for the client given their presentation and personality. ADB: Following the same vein: There is definitely a socioeconomic threshold for Freudian psychoanalysis. It takes some degree of education for the patient to fully comprehend the therapist’s methods. What patients can benefit the most from implementing comicbooks as therapeutic instruments? Patrick: I believe people age 12 and up, including adults, can benefit from this. Reading level and maturity are the two most important factors, and as the database currently stands, it has a large selection of issues targeted at teens and adults. I have even had success with clients who have never read comics before, or even did not know much about Batman aside from the name alone. ADB: What specific issues have you encountered so far that lend themselves best for treatment using comic books?
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Patrick: The most success I have experienced has been when working with teens who come from troubled home environments. Especially when it comes to young men, many teens have difficulty putting their thoughts and feelings into words and often express sadness through anger. Comics really show the full spectrum of emotion as being both genuine and helpful. Issues such as defying authority, feeling betrayed by alcoholic or abusive parents, unknowns of one’s future, and forming an identity are easily explored in comics. ADB: I think it’s great to see comic books taken this seriously. To be honest, this is the first time someone’s ever mentioned comic books as a therapeutic tool to me, and the way you express it, it makes perfect sense. How did you come to start this project? Patrick: I was delivering therapy to foster children in their homes, and I frequently came up against resistance. Here was a strange adult entering a home they had only lived in for days, weeks, or months, and their foster parents are telling them to open up to this strange person. After reflecting on Dick Grayson‘s story of essentially becoming Bruce Wayne‘s foster child, I wondered if any of my clients could relate to his story. I went to a local comic book store and was blown away by the selection of back issues. I asked if there was a database that catalogued Batman or Detective Comics issues with Robin in it that dealt specifically with father/son, abandonment, or identity formation issues. They said there wasn’t, and after clarifying with psychologists who taught at my graduate school that this did not exist, I decided to take the project on myself. This happened around January 2010. ADB: And you’ve been compiling this list on your own? Patrick: Largely, yes. For the first year and 200 issues, all of the content was mine. The ideas for therapy were developed by me as well. In recent months I have received assistance from Genevieve Halton with finding and summarizing issues, and Dr. Will Brooker from the United Kingdom has recently helped me with exploring the cultural end of comic book history. The beginning was quite difficult, as I found comic book enthusiasts often knew little about clinical psychology, and clinical psychologists often knew little about comic books. I presently hold all of the comics in the database minus the ones summarized by Ms. Halton.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
INTERVIEW
ADB: So you provide the publishing information, and it’s up to the therapist to find that particular book? Patrick: Yes, and I understand that creates a hurdle for some people. In my FAQ section I provide a great deal of information on how to find and purchase comic books, both from online and brick-and-mortar retailers. I considered developing a partnership with a retailer that could assist me in linking to the purchasing pages directly, but I am still researching vendors and how difficult of a process this might be. ADB: Have you thought about other applications of your project? Like manga in Japan, that is used as means to teach Japanese youths how to read and write. Patrick: Certainly! In fact, one of the most frequent bits of feedback I receive is that my database is too superhero-focused. I am always open to exploring other applications for it. However, because I am still the primary contributor to the project, I am focusing on my initial goal of having an extensive selection of well-known heroes to choose from, each covering the themes in their own unique ways. That goal offers plenty of work for one person. The great thing about Comicspedia being so young is there is still a lot that can be achieved with it, and it can still develop to reach people in different ways. ADB: I have to agree, there are some amazing books that just don’t fit the caped-men-in-tights format but could still prove to be useful, both as means of therapy and awareness/education. I think I’ve pretty much covered all of the technical aspects I intended to include, is there anything else you’d like to add before go on?
issue is rich with personal struggles and deep character development! X-Men titles are also consistently excellent for finding therapeutic themes, as is Detective Comics. ADB: So this means your interest in comic books is fairly recent? You’re not the “Spiderman-pajamas” type? I am. Patrick: I’m sure there are some photos in a shoebox of me in superhero underwear, but aside from occasionally reading some Flash, Simpsons, and Ren & Stimpy comics in the 90s, I really only got into comics when I first began Comicspedia. My son, however is a different story! He wore Superman pajamas underneath his SpiderMan costume for Halloween last year. He is only 2 and a half years old, but he’s already got his own first Superman and Batman comics. ADB: That’s awesome… but this effectively annihilates all my fanboy-related questions. Let’s wrap this up: any particular character you love? Patrick: Ha, sorry! The Plutonian from Irredeemable is easily my favorite. The feats of physical strength he can pull off paired with the internal issues he struggles with makes for a fascinating character. Despite being a bad guy for so long, I want him to pull through. I want him to prove the very title of the comic he is featured in wrong and redeem himself. Additionally, I really love reading Invincible (I tore through the first 13 trades in a week) and Rorschach was incredible in Watchmen, very intense and deep.
Patrick: I don’t believe so. ADB: Great… so, do you consider yourself a fan boy? Patrick: I have become a huge fan of comics, although not of any publisher in particular. Personally, I think Irredeemable from Boom! Studios has been hands-down the best comic in the database both in terms of quality of writing and art and in relevance for therapy. Every
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Mr. O’Connor’s CV can be downloaded here (http:// www.4shared.com/document/77bFUsGH/OConnor_Patrick_ CV.html). For more information, make sure you visit his website and follow him on Twitter as @Comicspedia.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY DC COMICS DIRECT CHANNEL SPECIAL July 1, 2011 THE NEW 52 AND YOU To our comics retail partners, We've just wrapped our five Retailer Roadshows, and the response was great. We were in Burbank, Dallas/Fort Worth, Baltimore, New York and Chicago to talk about The New 52. Around 300 retailers came out to meet with us, sharing their enthusiasm and their concerns. Thanks again to everyone who attended. In response to your feedback, we've made some changes to our sales and marketing plans for The New 52. One change of note is that we'll be announcing shortly that the hardcover collection of FLASHPOINT will be rush-released to hit your shelves before the end of October... Many thanks to the retailers at several stops on the Roadshow who suggested the move. We also did two condensed versions of the Roadshow presentation for the Diamond CSR team and other Diamond staffers prior to our retailer session in Baltimore. Now there's a tough audience! Those of you who attended saw the sizzle video for The New 52, with commentary by Eddie Berganza, Dan DiDio, Bob Harras, Jim Lee and Grant Morrison. As promised, we've completed our edits for an in-store retailer version of the sizzle video. You can view in a web browser or save a copy for use offline at: http://www.dccomics.com/go/retailer-video. As discussed with the Roadshow attendees, this is an edited version of the sizzle video for your use, without any mention of digital comics. (Another version that includes that information will be running on the DC Entertainment website and at our booth in San Diego.) Attached is our first FAQ for The New 52. This will be an evolving document, and we'll send out updates as we refine our plans -- and as we respond to your questions and suggestions. If you think something has been overlooked, let us know! What's next on our travel schedule? The DC Entertainment team will be at Comic-Con International: San Diego, and we'll be part of the ComicsPRO retailer programming track on Friday, July 22. Please join us at 11:30am PT in Room 18 for another retailer update on The New 52. (We'll also be taking part in Diamond's retailer lunch on Friday in San Diego, at 12:30pm PT in Room 31ABC.) After San Diego, our next scheduled retailer meeting will find us in London on Monday, August 8th for a UK-centric update on The New 52. Hold that date, and look for additional information via Diamond UK next month. As always, please email me or my team with any questions. Thank you for your enthusiasm, your patience, and your partnership. Bob Wayne SVP - Sales
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY Key Messages - "DC Comics - The New 52" is the DC Entertainment publishing initiative that is an aggressive undertaking of launching the entire line of 52 DC Comics character series with all-new #1 first issues in September, accessible to both new and current readers. - The lead book is Justice League, written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Jim Lee, in-stores August 31st. - Timely delivery of our books - top titles, week in and week out - is paramount to this new publishing initiative. - As partners, our goal is to provide brick-and-mortar retailers with world-class product (books with innovative stories and artwork that feature iconic characters) and world-class service (unrivaled marketing support, the industry's only co-op program, personal account service, etc.), and that is what we're going to continue to do. - 48 of the 52 titles in September are $2.99, the standard price for a 20 story-page art & editorial book, showing our unrivaled commitment to making comics affordable for new and existing readers alike. - DC Entertainment is diversifying its distribution platform by being the first major publisher to launch same-day digital - making periodical titles available digitally the same day as print, at the same price, beginning August 31st. GENERAL Why do it? There is a lot of speculation out there, are you "rebooting" the titles? This is an epic and ambitious initiative that ushers in a new generation of comics for DC Comics and will set the tone for storylines and characters for years to come. With all of the titles starting at #1, our creative teams have the ability to take a more modern approach - not only with each character, but with how the characters interact with one another and the universe as a whole, and focus on the earlier part of the careers of each of our iconic characters. A time when they didn't have as much experience defeating all their nemeses. A time when they weren't as sure of their abilities. A time when they haven't saved the world countless times. It's this period that is rich with creative opportunity as we show why these characters are so amazing, so iconic and so special. We think fans will be excited by this approach and The New 52 will provide DC Entertainment an opportunity to aggressively reach the widest possible audience worldwide, through captivating stories and an accessible entry point. We see great opportunities to tell new, contemporary, cutting edge stories building off the best known, classic stories that make up each of the title's back histories. DC Comics has had a number of reboots, what makes this one different? This is not a reboot, it's a launch. This is a historic initiative for DC Entertainment and the DC Comics characters - and a first in the company's publishing history. This next era of DC Comics characters will see 52 all-new #1 issues of its super hero titles at the same time AND same-day digital across the board. In addition to the number changes, our talented creative teams are working behind the scenes to create compelling storylines and new costume designs for many of our iconic DC Comics characters. Why not call it a reboot? It's not a reboot. A reboot is typically a restart of the story or character that jettisons away everything that happened previously. This is a new beginning which builds off the best of the past. For the stories launching as new #1s in September, we have carefully hand-selected the most powerful and pertinent moments in these characters' lives and stories to remain in the mythology and lore. And then we've asked the best creators in the industry to modernize, update and enhance the books with new and exciting tales. The result is that we retained the good stuff, and then make it better. Does The New 52 undo events or continuity that I've been reading? Some yes, some no. But many of the great stories remain. For example - Batgirl. The Killing Joke still happened and she was Oracle. Now she will go through physical rehabilitation and become a more seasoned and nuanced character because she had these incredible and diverse experiences.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY So will all titles be entry points or will you need to know back-story for some? Each title will read as a #1 issue that will make jumping into the story extremely accessible for all types of readers. The stories are designed in a way that new fans will be able to pick up a book and immediately be drawn into the story, while at the same time existing fans will be engrossed by the new and epic moments that take place. Do the new #1s mean that the previous stories didn't take place? Our creative teams have a firm understanding of the storied heritage of characters and titles. The new #1 issues will introduce readers to a more modern, diverse universe of DC Comics characters, with some character variations in appearance, origin and age. All stories will be grounded in each character's legend - but will map to real world situations, interactions, tragedies and triumphs. Overall, DC Entertainment is focused on putting out the most innovative storylines, featuring the most iconic characters, created by the most creative minds within the industry. Might you just introduce a new DC "Ultimate" line and give it the spotlight for a few months, then have the opportunity to bring back the other continuity? Will this all be put back to "normal" after a few months? No - this is the new universe of DC Comics characters. This is an epic and ambitious initiative that ushers in the next era of the DC Comics characters and will set the tone for storylines and characters for years to come. This is not an "event," because events expire. Why are you changing the costumes? DC Entertainment is led by some of the biggest fans of comics out there. We know that if Geoff and Jim are excited about the stories and artwork, we're on to something big. While there may be some naysayers, when we thought about starting the entire DC Comics universe line of comics with #1/first issues we looked at the benefits for the long haul, not just a year or two. Our goal is to create a watershed moment for DC Entertainment - and the industry as a whole - where fans will remember this as a time of innovation while maintaining DC Entertainment's commitment to creating entertaining and masterfully created stories. Do you not care about your company's history? If you do this right, what do you want your legacy to be 75 years from now? The legacy of DC Entertainment, and DC Comics before it, is based on the creativity of our editors and our creative talent, and our commitment to the best storytelling possible. DC has always been about character development and growth. Take Batman for example. In the early days he was a vigilante who brandished a gun. Then he morphed into a whimsical character and then in the 1960's he became more of the gritty, grim avenger of the night. We can all agree that we are glad Batman evolved. Our goal is to create a watershed moment for DC Entertainment - and the industry as a whole - where fans will remember this as a time of innovation while maintaining DC Entertainment's commitment to creating entertaining and masterfully created stories.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY Specifically why end Action and Detective before they reach their 1,000th issues? Action Comics is the longest running American comic book, followed closely by Detective Comics, the company's namesake. Isn't renumbering these series actually a retreat from the love of "comics as comics"? Our Co-Publishers and editors thought long and hard about this. It was an extremely important decision that was not taken lightly. But executing this unprecedented event meant taking creative risks on every level and pushing forward with big, new ideas. A partial renumbering would not have had the impact we needed to showcase the amazing changes and direction we have planned for the new DC Comics universe of characters. Counting issue numbers is focusing on the past, not the future. Can this event fix/undo an event I don't like from the past?/ Can this event bring back a character from the past that I miss?/ Does this event change the status of (insert pretty much any character here)? What would you say to someone whose favorite superhero no longer exists? Characters are always evolving in the DC universe and part of the evolution means that characters come and go. While not all current characters will be part of the new DC Comics line of books, we are confident the ambitious plan we are creating will introduce a new generation of protagonists and antagonists that will captivate readers. We are kicking things off with our best and brightest characters and what makes them so compelling and great. Simply because you don't see a personal favorite in the September launches doesn't mean your favorites are gone. This is just the beginning. SALES INCENTIVES What about returnability? We are backing up our commitment to you and this launch, by putting our copies where are mouths are. We will be offering 100% returnability on 41 titles. Returnability on nearly 80 percent of the line allows retailers to order more boldly on these titles giving the books their best opportunity to reach new and existing consumers. To qualify for returnability, your total post-FOC September orders (including Justice League #1) in retail dollars for DC periodicals must be 125% or more of your May post-FOC orders for DC periodicals. On retailer invoices dated 7/13/2011, retailers will receive their returnability target number. It will appear on the parent account invoice as: MAY118215 DC THE NEW 52 RETURNABILITY TARGET NUMBER (NET). We're working with Diamond to establish a tracking system so that retailers can monitor their progress towards reaching their target number. Retailers will be required to return stripped covers from the returnable issues along with an affidavit of destruction to Diamond Comic Distributors at a date to be named later. The return fee will be $.20 per cover. Also returnability will start one month after the date the issue goes on sale, but will be valid through mid-December 2011. Graphic novels and DC Direct purchases are not included in the target.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY The 41 titles eligible for returnability during the months of September, October and November are: - ALL STAR WESTERN - ANIMAL MAN - AQUAMAN - BATGIRL - BATMAN AND ROBIN - BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT - BATWING - BIRDS OF PREY - BLACKHAWKS - BLUE BEETLE - CAPTAIN ATOM - CATWOMAN - DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS - DEATHSTROKE - DEMON KNIGHTS - DETECTIVE COMICS - FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. - THE FURY OF FIRESTORM - GREEN ARROW - GREEN LANTERN CORPS - GRIFTER - HAWK AND DOVE - I, VAMPIRE - JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK - JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL - LEGION LOST - LEGION OF SUPER HEROES - MEN OF WAR - MISTER TERRIFIC - NIGHTWING - OMAC - RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS - RED LANTERNS - RESURRECTION MAN - THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN - STATIC SHOCK - SUICIDE SQUAD - SUPERBOY - SUPERGIRL - SUPERMAN - VOODOO What are the incentives for the other 11 titles? Variants For variants, we chose our core iconic titles, the ones that you tell us your consumers want most. And of course, we sought out those titles with the most compelling visuals. This variant program will continue for September, October, and November at least. We will be offering variants on five different titles, effectively one each week. Some specifics so far:
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 VARIANT EDITIONS - For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition ordered, you may order 1 Variant Edition with a cover by David Finch - For every 200 copies of the Standard Edition ordered, you may order 1 Variant Edition with a pencil cover by David Finch VARIANT COVERS One title featuring a variant cover edition each week in September (plus a 1 in 200 pencil version). The quantity of variant editions you may order will be determined by your lowest ordered of title of The New 52 on FOC in the same week: - ACTION COMICS #1 VARIANT EDITION - Cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams - BATMAN #1 VARIANT EDITION - Cover by Ethan Van Sciver - GREEN LANTERN #1 VARIANT EDITION - Cover by Greg Capullo - THE FLASH #1 VARIANT EDITION - Cover by Ivan Reis and Tim Townsend Deep Discounting For deeper discounts, we chose those break-out titles which can help you focus your staff and customers. Books that have real potential that is arguably hidden potential to-date, a real compelling creator, a real obvious jumping-on point for your readers, etc. We will be offering an additional 15% discount on six different titles. This deep discounting will continue for September, October, and November at least. - BATWOMAN #1 - GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1 - STORMWATCH #1 - SWAMP THING #1 - TEEN TITANS #1 - WONDER WOMAN #1 Which of the 52 titles are not $2.99? Four of The New 52 are $3.99 with additional pages of content. They are: - JUSTICE LEAGUE - ACTION COMICS - ALL STAR WESTERN - MEN OF WAR Why didn't you tell us about this earlier this year at the ComicsPro meeting in Dallas, at the Diamond Retailer Seminar in Chicago or anytime prior to when the news broke? Our plans have been evolving all year, and most of our planning occurred after both of those meetings. Once our idea developed, we didn't want to spoil the surprises we have planned. In order to make sure we can tell the best stories possible, we needed to keep initial details under wraps. We value the relationships we have with our retailers and we'll be sure to continue working as partners over the course of the launch, and beyond. You'll be getting news in advance moving forward, as you should.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY Isn't there now a "dead stock" issue on all previous comics and books that are made stale by this move? We feel consumers buy and look for quality. That means the backlist that was and is popular will continue to be so. And that the best new stories will get readers excited about reading and finding all the great stories and comics which preceded September. The months leading up to September are the set up for the incredible changes we have planned. We feel readers will want to see how the current stories conclude and new stories play out as we ready the pipeline for the best to come. Retailers who believe their customers will skip some of our titles prior to The New 52 have the option of reducing their orders pre-FOC. Will DC Entertainment be able to get comics to us on-time for Wednesday sales on 9/07, the Wednesday after Labor Day? We are working with Diamond to insure timely delivery of our comics that week. We hope to have details to you pre-FOC. Any way we can read copies of the comics earlier? In today's digital world it is extremely difficult to release advance copies of books because of piracy issues. We have seen advance copies get immediately scanned and released wide on the Internet - which in the end only decreases your ability to sell hardcopies. In the past we have sent advance black and white issues, but that was in the pre-digital era. We are speaking with Diamond about previewing technology that gives retailers a secure first-look at comics. We will provide you more information as soon as we have it. MARKETING What concrete plans are there to promote this to the general public? With the launch of this epic event, DC Entertainment is implementing a proportionally ambitious marketing plan to share this news with current fans, lapsed fans and non-fans (what we consider "fans-to-be"). You've seen part of this initiative at work with all the media coverage that has been generated since the announcement was made earlier this month. In addition, we're going to be implementing an aggressive paid advertising campaign and word-of-mouth program to ensure we're sharing the excitement we have over this news with the rest of the world. Also our 75%-reimbursement co-op program will help retailers use new contemporary ways to market their stores and our books locally. Related marketing content and promotional information will be packaged and highlighted in millions of Warner Home Video DVDs will be going out 4th quarter. We have a lot of exciting plans in the works so you'll definitely be hearing from us leading up to September. How is DC Entertainment going to market their September books for new readers? DC Entertainment is going to position September as the best jumping on point to read monthly comics in a generation. With comics at the forefront of pop culture right now, we believe there are tens of thousands of consumers waiting for this moment.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY Which advertising channels will we use to promote the September books? Since we are seeking a multi-tiered, multi-faceted audience, we will be using a variety of marketing channels to spread our message. We have already seen the enormous publicity response to The New 52 and how that has driven consumer awareness; we anticipate that will continue through launch. On the advertising side, we will be using a mixture of television advertising (both targeted network placement and co-op), Facebook advertising and targeted Search Engine Buys to seek out specific stripes of consumers. Hugely important as well are our on-line efforts, as we use the growing strength of social networking to build a new fan base for our books. Each of these platforms allows us to focus on consumers with specific pop culture and reading preferences. When will the logos for all of The New 52 be available for promotional use? The logos will be posted to the DC Entertainment retailer page on diamondcomics.com on July 13th. Will we be able to order extra copies of the promotional book for The New 52 that's going to arrive at retail on July 20th? Retailers will receive copies of DC COMICS - THE NEW 52! # 1 PREVIEW BOOK on July 20 in quantities equal to five times orders at FOC on FLASHPOINT #1, providing you ordered at least five (5) copies of FLASHPOINT. These copies will be provided to retailers at no charge by DC Entertainment. (Retailers will be responsible for the cost of freight.) Additional copies will be available for reorder in limited quantities at a price of $.25 US net. These copies will only be available for reorder after the initial free allocation arrives in-stores on 7/20. When will co-op materials for The New 52 be available? The co-op materials will begin being posted to the DC Entertainment retailer page on diamondcomics.com on July 13th. The page will be updated as additional items are completed. What type of co-op ads is DC Entertainment doing to support the launch of The New 52? - Facebook - Print - Website / Banner - Radio - TV - Movie Theatre - Newsletter (print and digital) - Large vinyl banners and standees (new and exclusive to Sept) Will we be able to have a midnight sale for JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 and FLASHPOINT #5? Yes, we'll offer a sale that begins at 12:01am (your local time) on 8/31. We'll be announcing further details on this soon. This will be open to all accounts currently receiving comics on Tuesday for Wednesday on-sale. UK retailers please note: Due to the Monday, August 29 Summer Bank Holiday, the midnight sale option will not be available to UK retailers.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY What has the press said about The New 52 so far? "Epic" - USA Today "Audacious" - New York Times "Audacious...Seismic" - LA Times' Hero Complex "Fascinating" - NPR's Monkey See "Unprecedented" - Gawker's io9 "Tantalizing" - The Hollywood Reporter "Game-changing" - Big Shiny Robot "Bold" - Popmatters "Can't wait" - ScreenRant "Sets a precedent" - Blastr "Historic" - PSFK "Radical...bold move" - Publishers Weekly "The ballsiest move of the decade" - Comics Alliance "Dramatic" - The Onion AV Club "The comic book world is a-buzzin'" - Ain't It Cool News DIGITAL Why are you going to same-day digital if digital is just "dental floss"? To recall the analogy, same-day digital is dental floss compared to a sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper representing brick-and-mortar (i.e. over 95% of our business now and in the foreseeable future). Our goal is to expand both the size of the paper and the floss. We believe the excitement we build through our marketing and promotional campaign benefits greatly from having immediate access to our content from every kind of reader. This exposure will benefit the sheet of paper more than the dental floss, so to speak. For decades, the industry has bemoaned the fact we are not striving to bring in new readers. We feel day and date will bring the level of online chatter and excitement about storylines and books to new highs and having same-day digital titles will allow every kind of fan to participate in that excitement. In the end, more readers of comics whether in print or digital benefits the entire industry.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY What time will same-day digital releases go on sale? Will they be available to consumers before my store opens? We are working with ComiXology to change our "go live" time each Wednesday to 2:00pm ET/11:00am PT. We expect to be able to make this adjustment prior to the 8/31 in-store date for Justice League #1 with ComiXology and the DC App. Apple sets their own release times for the iTunes stores, as does Sony for their PlayStation Network. We will attempt to have their release times in harmony with the ComiXology release times, but that may not be possible. When comics are delayed due to snow and ice/road conditions, will the release of the same-day digital titles also be delayed? If not, will all of my purchases that week be returnable since DC Entertainment was unable to maintain the same day digital schedule? If the delay is system-wide, for example if no comics were shipped out on the scheduled day from our printer to Diamond, we would attempt to delay the digital release to match. If the delay is regional, we would not have a way to delay digital releases for only one region of the country. When comics have a scheduled delay due to holiday shipping delays, and DC Entertainment and/or Diamond announce that Thursday will be the in-store day, will the release of the same-day digital titles also be delayed? Yes. Will the $4.99 JUSTICE LEAGUE polybagged combo have the same cover as the standard edition or will it have a variant cover? The cover on the polybagged Justice League will feature the same art as the standard edition, however it will have a different color scheme and a color burst calling out the digital code inside. Is the $4.99 JUSTICE LEAGUE polybagged combo pack only for JUSTICE LEAGUE #1, or will this continue to be offered each month? Each month. Is DC Entertainment going to offer the polybagged digital combo option on any titles other than JUSTICE LEAGUE? We are only rolling this out on JUSTICE LEAGUE for now. Are the print and digital the same price? Yes, for the first 4 weeks, a $2.99 print comic will be a $2.99 digital comic. After 4 weeks, the digital price will drop to $1.99. Following that pattern, for the first 4 weeks, a $3.99 print comic will be a $3.99 digital comic. After 4 weeks, the digital price will drop to $2.99. DC Entertainment's DIGITAL RETAILER AFFILIATE PROGRAM When will additional details of DC Entertainment's Digital Retailer Affiliate Program be available? Additional details are expected to be rolled out on or around July 20th. Many retailers accept pre-paid preorders two months in advance from our customers prior to Diamond's initial order due date, and we need to be able to make those transactions now to meet the needs of those preorder customers, not some indeterminate time between now and when Justice League #1 goes live on 8/31.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
COVER STORY What steps has DC Entertainment taken to help us bridge this cash-flow problem and consumer budgeting problem? While we are not currently set up to offer digital pre-orders and/or digital subscriptions, ComiXology is working to be able to add this functionality. Is ComiXology the only source for retailers to participate in DC Entertainment's Digital Retailer Affiliate Program? Yes. Does ComiXology have a beta version available for retailers to view? ComiXology plans to have a demo of the beta version ready for view by July 20th at San Diego. Prior to that date, you can look at read. dccomics.com and comics.comixology.com for mirrors of the content and layout they will have. How long will it take ComiXology to contact me after I apply at retailers.comixology.com? ComiXology's goal is to respond to all retailer information requests by the next business day. By July 20th we expect ComiXology to begin emailing additional details to retailers who have signed up for the service. Is ComiXology adequately staffed to handle this potential influx of affiliates? They've partnered with icV2.com to help roll out and support the affiliate program. Will ComiXology be able to meet a deadline of 8/31 to have a dedicated DC Entertainment digital store running on my website? Yes, that is their goal for accounts who sign up now. Who pays me the 30% of the cover price on a DC Entertainment digital purchase made through my website? DC Entertainment? ComiXology? The payment will come from ComiXology, however the extra percentage for operating a dedicated DC Entertainment digital comics site comes from DC Entertainment's margin. When will I be paid my share of the digital sale? How often? How will I receive? ComiXology is working towards monthly direct payments to retailers' accounts, after retailers meet a benchmark amount of sales. Details of the payment method are being worked out by ComiXology. If taxable in my area, am I collecting sales tax on the digital sale? No, ComiXology will be taking care of all sales-related concerns. Is DC Entertainment participating in the Diamond Comics digital initiative? No, not at this time. Is there a way for retailers without websites to sell DC Entertainment digital comics? Retailers will need a website in order to develop a dedicated DC Entertainment digital comics site.
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Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
PREVIEW Press Release ULTIMATE FALLOUT #1-3 (OF 6) Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Jonathan Hickman & Nick Spencer Art by by MARK BAGLEY, SARA PICHELLI & MORE Issue #1 Cover by MARK BAGLEY Issue #2 Cover by Bryan Hitch Issue #3 Cover by ED McGUINNESS Issue #1-6 Variant Covers by MARKO DJURDJEVIC The End before The Beginning. 32 PGS./Rated T+…$3.99
EVENTS
Comic Con 2011 – What to expect… Much has been made online and offline that this coud be the end of Hollywood’s interest in the San Diego Comic Con. Reasons have been suggested in the range of movies failing to keep the hype after the event (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) to it becoming increasingly more difficult for studios to organize talent for the days they will need to be at the convention. I have even heard theories that because Disney has it’s own D23 Expo to showcase and control everything they want for fans and the fact they will not be upstaged by another studio, that more studios might hold their own convention eliminating the need for Comic-Con being a hype driver for them. For the time being, two weeks out until the largest pop culture event every year, it seems the demise of studio’s SDCC participation has been greatly exaggerated. So as we gear up for this year’s event we have decided to let you know with some help from THR and their great SDCC pre-coverage and the fact that SDCC has just released it’s official Thursday (July 21) schedule. What Is Disney/Dreamworks Bringing? Things seems to be pointing at a presence from The Avengers.
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It will be a lot of viral stuff supposedly ranging from SHIELD set pieces abound including a Hellicarrier. We also heard that some of the cast, including Chris Evans (Cap), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), might show up for signings at Marvel’s booth. Of course, with any actor, their availability changes in an instant (especially considering they’re all still shooting Avengers) and I’m sure we’ll hear more closer to Comic-Con. Perhaps the biggest news is a possible Avengers teaser trailer reward coming from the viral marketing. The only other piece we know that is coming is from the Dreamworks side with Fright Night, getting it’s release on August 19, it fits the right into the promotional window and talent (Colin Farrell, Dave Tennant, Anton Yelchin) is available. Unfortunately no Muppets and I have that on confirmation from Disney. Sucks because we were hoping to hang with Kermit and Fozzie and do some fun videos. Other possible shows could be John Carter but we aren’t going to bet on it.
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
EVENTS What Is Paramount Bringing? Heat Vision broke the news that Paramount and Marvel are doing a special Captain America event with star Chris Evans that salutes the soldiers. The movie will be released that weekend on July 22. Steven Spielberg‘s The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (December 23) will have a big presence since it has a lot of convincing to do as the studio is keen on explaining just how 3D motion capture was advanced for this project and it isn’t like other endeavors like Polar Express, Avatar or A Christmas Carol. Sitting out are Puss In Boots (thank God!) and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters from director Tommy Wirkola with Jeremy Renner starring. Fox Is Bringing? The obvious one here is Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which debuts in theaters this August so its right in the production window too. THR says that the star of the film will not be there as James Franco is off filming for a movie. My bet is he will do the traditional video greeting for the crowd. Another possibility is that Andrew Niccol’s In Time because it has a young cast (Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Alex Pettyfer, Olivia Wilde) and it’s a sci-fi concept. (In a not-too-distant future when the aging gene has been switched off, people must pay to stay alive. To avoid overpopulation, time
has become the currency and the way people pay for luxuries and necessities. The rich can live forever, while the rest try to negotiate for their immortality. A poor young man is accused of murder when he inherits a fortune of time from a dead upper class man, though too late to help his mother from dying. He is forced to go on the run from a corrupt police force known as ‘time keepers’.) I am still banking on a possible Prometheus show up with Ridley Scott, Damon Lindelof and the cast showing off. Warner Brothers Is Bringing? Final Destination 5 , A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas will be there. Confirmed also is Guillermo Del Toro and his cast will pimp Pacific Rim, Jeff Bridges is returning for a 4th year to talk about Seventh Son, while director Alex Proyas and star Bradley Cooper will hawk Paradise Lost and screenwriter Mark Protosevich will discuss Mass Effect at a Legendary Pictures panel. Man of Steel and The Dark Knight Rises will not be showing up but that doesn’t mean we won’t get a teaser like we did with The Dark Knight 4 years ago. Don’t out a Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows appearance though. Sony/Columbia Pictures is Bringing? The Amazing Spider-man is surely coming that is a no brainer. It would be a crime not to bring it to the place where they brought the first Spider-man film that turned SDCC into the Hollywood frenzy it is now. Attack of the Block is the only other one I am thinking will show up. As THR says, Girl with the Dragon Tatoo is just not ready and it might not be the right crowd. Some believe that Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance could show up as well being there is dedicated SDCC fans there.
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Summit Entertainment Is Bringing? Twilight Saga’s: Breaking Dawn Part I and The Three Musketeers will be live and upfront at the con. Universal Studios Is Bringing? Cowboys and Aliens will be premiering at SDCC and the fans will most likely get the royal cast and crew treatment with appearances from Jon Favreau, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof,Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde and Daniel Craig. Speculation of a Snow White and the Huntsman might make an appearance given the con experience from Kristin Stewart and Chris Hemsworth. Lionsgate Is Bringing What? Conan the Barbarian from director Marcus Nispel along with star Jason Momoa. We Also know they will be bringing Warrior from director Gavin O’Connor and Abduction from director John Singleton will all show up in force. Taylor Lautner will now be on hand to shill for Abduction and Twilight, and Dominic Cooper will be in San Diego to plug his violent Sundance drama The Devil’s Double(July 29). Others Coming to SDCC ? Killer Elite (September 23), Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (August 26), Lockout (February 24, 2012), Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World (August 19), Apollo 18 (September 2), Piranha 3DD (November 23), The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes (January 27, 2012), Shark Night 3D (September 2), Immortals (November 11).
Comic Book Therapy Magazine
July 2011
EVENTS
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On the cover: “Icons: The DC Comics & Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee” Courtesy of Dc Comics Check www.ComicBookTherapy.com for updates. Comic Book Therapy Magazine is published monthly by Otaku Entertainment Media. Subscription price: $00.00 per year. For Advertising information, email advertise@ comicbooktherapy.com. For a list of contributors, visit www.ComicBookTherapy. com. Visit www.ComicBookTherapy.com for more comics commentary, news and reviews. Comic Book Therapy Magazine is designed by Pedro Marques. Comic Book Therapy Magazine is © 2011 Otaku Entertainment Media. All images & text is © their respective holders. Unauthorized reproduction in part or whole of any of its contents is prohibited by law. Any statement made, express or implied in the Comic Book Therapy Magazine are solely those of columnists or persons being interviewed and do not represent the editorial position of the publisher, who does not accept responsibility for such statements.