Comic Book Critic

Marvel: “The Direct Market is still our #1 source” or is it?

August 16, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

iFanboy recently ran an interview with Tom Brevoort, Executive Editor and Senior Vice President of Publishing, and David Gabriel, Senior Vice President of Sales, about Marvel: Season One; a series of original Graphic Novels that feature The Fantastic Four, Daredevil, The X-Men, and Spider-Man.

The interview included a very interesting answer from David Gabriel:

iF: With the recent demise of Borders, there’s a bit of fear around the book store market. Assuming these books are being positioned outside of the Direct Market, how do you feel about introducing this type of book to the book store market as it exists now?

DG: I understand why you might make that assumption, but I want to be clear that the direct market is still our #1 source for getting this type of material out to all consumers. It’s up to us and our retail partners to work on methods of driving new faces into those stores. This content in every Season One story is what we believe is perfect for bringing new readers into both comics and comic stores.

Women of Cosplay Gallery

August 16, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

This gallery of comic book cosplay features the women who choose to dress up as their favorite comic book hero and act it out in public. These costumes are great and have probably required weeks, if not months, of preparation and hard work.

If you’ve put that much work into something, the last thing you want is to have a small audience see it. So here we feature some of those fantastic costumes and women to a broader internet audience.

These images were acquired from Women of ComicBook Cosplay. This is only a small sample of what they have to offer – If you like what you see, please visit their site for much more!

Walt Simonson – Cover and Art Gallery

August 15, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

Walter Simonson is an iconic artist in the realm of comic books. He has that distinctive style, that once you see it, you will never forget it. Those of you familiar with Walt will know his unique brontosaurus-like signature that he places on the covers he draws.

Simonson has worked for several publishers including Marvel and DC where he was most famous for his run on Thor, Fantastic Four, and Orion. While his early work in Detective Comics with Archie Goodwin garnered a few awards, his notoriety didn’t take off until his work on Thor in the mid-1980’s. Walt Simonson’s Thor run which was just recently collected in Thor by Walter Simonson Omnibus Hardcover is some of the finest storytelling in all of comics. The epic Ragnarok and Surtur War stories, Thor Frog, and Beta Ray Bill; they all stand the test of time!

Jim Steranko Marvel Covers and Art Gallery

August 13, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

Jim Steranko was one of the great comic book “Pop” artists that enjoyed notoriety in the late 1960’s. Although he worked in the industry for a relatively short time, his impact on the style and design at the time was enormous.

Steranko combined both a dynamic and surreal style that was rather unique and instantly identifiable. His influence can still be seen today in artists like Paul Gulacy and many others.

He is clearly one of the great influencers of modern comics.

Here are just some of the fantastic covers and pages he created during his brief tenure at Marvel Comics. If you know who Steranko is, this will bring back fond memories. To those who have never heard of him, now is the time to discover some of his great work!

Comic Books – Is Digital the Future of a Niche Market?

July 23, 2013August 12, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

DC Comics’ newest marketing strategy to energize their sales and possibly make them the top comics publisher not only includes a relaunching of their Universe, but a strong push into digital distribution as well. Their day-and-date publishing – releasing digital copies of print books on the same day of release – is their current foray into digital distribution. While a few other publishers currently do day-and-date digital, their main competitor, Marvel Comics, delays their digital copies by at least 9 months in deference to comic book retailers who had feared that this policy would hurt their print sales.

With this new tactic, DC hopes to increase their previously waning market share and capture a market that is beginning to grow since the introduction of the iPad and other tablet devices. They are hoping that the convenience of purchasing books digitally at the same time as print releases, will put them at the forefront of the digital market.

Review: Spider Island: Cloak & Dagger #1 (Marvel)

August 11, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

Writer: Nick Spencer
Artist: Emma Rios
Colorist: Javier Rodriguez
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Cover: Mike Choi
Editor: Alejandro Arbona, Stephen Wacker
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: October 2011
Cover Price: $2.99

Having read and enjoyed Cloak & Dagger in the 1980’s, I was worried that this would be another lame attempt at bringing the duo back into the limelight. It turns out Nick Spencer has a good grasp of the characters and does a great job of making them interesting.

The issue starts off with a quick origin montage to bring everyone up to speed. We then find Ty & Tandy about to be evicted from their place of residence in Holy Ghost Church so it can be demolished. From there the duo have to figure out where they’re going to stay and how they’ll support themselves. While they’re trying to do just that, the Avengers come along to enlist their help in keeping order in the Spider Island segment of the story.

Review: X-Men: Schism #2 (Marvel)

August 9, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Frank Cho
Colorist: Jason Keith
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover Artist: Frank Cho, Jason Keith
Production: Irene Y. Lee
Editor: Jordan D. White, Daniel Ketchum, Nick Lowe
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: September 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

Title: “Schism” Part Two

Let’s see, last issue we had Kade Kilgore kill his father by shooting him after he falls out of a flying limo, Kade becomes the new Black King of The Hellfire Club, Quentin Quire renews humans’ hatred of mutants causing them to declare war on Utopia, and The Sentinels are taken out of mothballs to fight mutants. So you can expect this issue to be pretty hectic.

We learn a few things in Schism Part Two: old Sentinels just don’t hold up over time, don’t make deals with the Badoon, Kade Kilgore’s young friends and NOT to be trifled with, why go looking for someone when they’ll eventually just come to you, and if Steve Rodgers is calling… just act like everything’s under control!

X-Men: Regenesis teaser covers

August 9, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

Marvel Comics has been busy preparing teasers for us this week. We had already shown you the two teasers for the Fantastic Four coming out in November, now it’s time for the X-Men: Regenesis titles. Wolverine and the X-Men #1 will be on sale October 2011 by the creative team of Jason Aaron and Chris … Read more

Review: X-Men: Schism #1 (Marvel)

September 5, 2011August 7, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

Writer: Jason Aaron
Penciler: Carlos Pacheco
Inker: Cam Smith
Colorist: Frank D’Armata
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover artist: Carlos Pacheco, Cam Smith, Frank D’Armata
Production: Irene Y. Lee
Editor: Jordan D. White, Daniel Ketchum, Nick Lowe
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: September 2011
Cover Price: $4.99

Title: “Schism” Part One

In this issue, Scott Summers and Wolverine travel to Switzerland to address an International Arms Control conference on behalf of Utopia. Scott appeals to the Nations of the world to decommission all of their mutant hunting Sentinels; The X-Men would assist in their dismantling. This does not go over well though.

During this discussion, they are interrupted by Kid Omega, who somehow has gotten free from his containment by the X-Men. He uses his telepathic powers to compel the leaders to reveal their darkest secrets on live television. Deeming this an attack, security then releases several Sentinel robots to take down the mutants.

First Look at Henry Cavill as Superman

August 4, 2011 by The Comic Book Critic

Today Warner Bros. released the first still from Zack Snyder’s upcoming The Man of Steel film. It features Henry Cavill as Superman in front of a bank vault that’s been broken open as sparks shoot from severed power lines.

One thing that’s immediately apparent is that the coloring on the suit seems to be darker than the bright blue and red we’re used to seeing on Superman. It also has that glossy, textured look similar to the Spider-Man costume in the newly rebooted The Amazing Spider-Man.

It’s hard to tell from the still if Superman is wearing his trademark red shorts, but we do know that he’s wearing a belt. Although DC is currently relaunching their DC Universe with altered costumes, it looks as though they are staying true to the character’s original look for the film.

Just yesterday, Warner Bros. announced that Laurence Fishburne was cast in the role of Perry White, Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Planet. Fishburne will join an all-star cast led by Henry Cavill and including Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Diane Lane (Martha Kent), Kevin Costner (Jonathan Kent), Michael Shannon (General Zod), Christopher Meloni (Colonel Hardy), Julia Ormond (Lara Lor-Van), Russell Crowe (Jor-El), and Antje Traue (Faora).

The Man of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder is set for a June 14, 2013 release date. Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.