I said yesterday that Secret Invasion #8 changes everything for everyone in the Marvel Universe, and I meant it.  By now I'm sure you know what I mean: people thought dead were alive, people we though would live forever have died, and people who were actually dead are back among the living.

Of course, none of this compares to the aftermath of the Skrull attack:  Dark Reign.  We also have the Dark, New and Mighty Avengers,  while over in the Ultimate Universe Magneto is ripping the world a big one with Ultimatum.  What's next, where is Marvel going from here?  There are very few people who could answer that question than Brian Michael Bendis, the brains behind Secret Invasion and the architect of an enormous amount of the Marvel and Ultimate universes.  He's not giving any secrets away, but he's teasing us with just enough to get me really pumped for what's next.  Here he is, fresh from writers' retreat, with a hoarse voice to prove he's been talking through stories for several days.  Now that's writers' cred.

Oh my sweet lord, I just finished Secret Invasion #8 and it kills me that my fellow U.S. citizens won't read it until tomorrow, because I so want to talk about it!! I won't give any spoilers, but I will say this: Dark Reign will be more dark than you could possibly have imagined. We might have been better off with the Skrulls.


This comic packs more story into a single issue than the entire last two years of Countdown and Final Crisis. Not to dis DC, it's just a fact. Brian Michael Bendis has set a new high water mark for himself with this issue, and justified the years he spent building up to this incredible moment. The Marvel Universe has - really and truly - changed profoundly by the end of this book.

And, of course, comics and mega-crossover events are now synonymous with one another, for better or for worse. We'll find out as the new Dark Reign era begins. At the risk of crossover fatigue, I have to admit - I'm really looking forward to it.

Ever since the news broke, there's been a lot of anticipation for Frank Miller's upcoming film adaptation of Will Eisner's classic hero The Spirit. That anticipation turned to excitement once the trailer was unveiled. It's fantastic that this character is finally getting the recognition he deserves, seeing as he is one of the first and greatest comic book heroes, the signature character of one of comics' first and greatest creators.



Of course, you should get acquainted with the Spirit anyway - his earliest adventures still contain some of the greatest art and storytelling in comic history, and the new Spirit series from DC Comics keeps the character on the comic racks, and although nobody will ever replace Eisner, the series is consistently handled by top writers and artists.

Before you see the movie, I strongly suggest you bone up on your Spirit history, both classic and modern. Here are a couple of my favorites (one each from the classic and modern eras):


Written by: Will Eisner Art and cover by: Will Eisner

DC Comics collects some of the most memorable stories pitting The Spirit against his most sultry opponents! Featuring 23 selected tales of mystery originally published between 1940 and 1949, these stories star P'Gell, Sand Saref, Saree, Silk Satin, Thorne Strand, Autumn Mews and many others.

Joss Whedon's brilliant Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog delighted fans of Whedon, musicals, and all things cool and funny. Originally available only as downloadable webisodes, the Doctor (well, his creators, actually) terrified the television industry, who fear that something as critically and commercially successful as Doc Horrible is a sign that television itself could easily become obsolete within a decade or so. Who needs stodgy old programmers when we can buy great content on the web, straight from the creative team?


And you know - they're right to be scared. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog was better than anything I saw on television this year. Until now, the brilliant show/movie/web thingie has only been available as a download from iTunes. The brilliant soundtrack is also available for download as well, both from iTunes and Amazon.com.

But let's face it - we're not always at our desktops, laptops or iPods (although I'm rarely far from my sweet, sweet iPod Touch), so Dr. Horrible is being released on DVD. Starting December 19 - just in time for a last minute kick-ass stocking stuffer - Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog will be available on DVD from Amazon.com. In keeping with the DIY spirit of the project, this ain't no mass production studio production. The DVDs will be manufactured on demand, which of course will be high. It's already #50 on Amazon's Movies & TV bestsellers list. As the cover makes clear, the disc will feature commentary, and presumably other extras. After all, the DVD is 100 minutes, and the actual 3-act show clocks in at just under 45 minutes.


Fans who saw and loved the show on download will love getting this DVD in their stocking (cough! hint!). Anyone who somehow didn't see the show online, or fans of Joss without broadband or iPods - this is your chance. Drop the Hammer, grab your freeze ray and go buy!

So, I've started a tumblog, as an experiment in short attention-span blogging. Yeah, because clearly I haven't done nearly enough of that. But I want to take the free-form, whatever you want to post thing to the next level, and to have a place to post random stuff that wouldn't comprise a full Groovy Superhero post on its own, but that there is still a place for - you know, random pics and clips, a quote or two, that sort of thing. I will still be posting here every day, my tumblog - Groovy Superhero on Tumblr - is strictly a companion site. Groovy Superhero is still, and will always be, my home base. It's a place for Groovy Superhero readers to go if they want to see what other goofy stuff I'm doing, or cool stuff I've found online. The only post I've tumbled so far is a link back here. I don't yet have any idea yet how often, or what sort of content, I'll be tumbling. That's where you come in.

Since I really have no solid mission statement for the tumblog (that's kind of an annoying term, I admit), I want to hear from you what you'd like to see on it. Pictures of silver age comics, out-of-context comic panels, videos (check out these power tumblers - I think you'll be especially impressed by "Fart og Kraft") - or anything else that strikes your fancy.



To be honest, the real reason I started the tumblog is because it's really easy to post from my new iPod Touch 2G - which is my new best friend and one true love. And there is nothing creepy about that. Come on, you know where Apple is going with this - slim, sexy machines that do fun stuff when you rub them gently? I think we all know what the iPod Touch 3G is going to look like:


I'm just jumping on board a little early, is all. In a few months you'll be calling me a trendsetter.

So send me comments, requests, what have you - and I'll do my best to tumble for ya.

OK, so far the British Batman is off to a slow start. So far he's made coffee; we'll see how much farther he takes his quest to dish out rough justice on the mean streets of his little village. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, here's a superhero for whom action truly is his reward.

Check out this talented and/or insane Spider-Man surfing the Mentwai Islands. And dig that reggaeton remix of the classic Spider-Man '67 theme song!

I warned you. Granted, people like myself and, I'm guessing a lot of people reading this, have been accused at one time or another of taking comics and superheros too seriously. Like Jason Lee in Mallrats, we've all at one time or another imagined real life superheroes, and if you're anything like me you believed you would grow up to be Batman at at least one point in your life. But at least in my day (Can't believe I just said "in my day" - such a crotchety Grandfather phrase), we had teachers and parents explain to us that if we tried to swing over a rooftop with our little toy Batarangs, we would become Street Pizza Man, whose super-power is being a big stain on the sidewalk.

Nowadays, we're actually taking this stuff seriously. Some of us, anyway. Have we learned nothing from Hank Venture?



Apparently, we have not. This book - which I have to admit is damn good and even has me thinking about how a cowl would work for my jawline - is selling like hotcakes.


Admittedly, it's all good fun and it would be soooo cool if we could be Batman. But I fear for our friends in the UK, who are taking the concept to frightening (but funny) new heights.

I present Becoming Batman, Episode One, in which our hero is born. Yes, this is a series, and I'll keep you up to date on Brit Batman's progress. As you'll see, he's off to a bit of a slow start.

Here in New York City, even though it's already well into November, it has been surprisingly warm until fairly recently. Between the weather and the fact that I live in a pre-war apartment - that means no central heating, just a single unit blasting out massive heat waves - I'm only now beginning to need some new clothes for the winter. I'm actually kind of glad, because of been dying for some Dethklok hoodies ever since I saw the Metalocalypse Season 2 episode "Dethcarraldo." In the episode, Nathan Explosion plans a band trip to the Amazon, and Ofdesen suggests sending the natives hoodies instead. Nathans reply? "It's always hoodies with you." When I looked online and found out that there actually are Dethklok hoodies available, I knew I was going to be rocking the DethMerch come wintertime.

So, I've got myself a badass new official Dethklok tour hoody. Here's a close-up of the front art:

Truly, brutal clothing for the brutal winter ahead (February is when it usually starts to get really nasty in NYC, but it's already kinda nippy). Just remember, brutal fashion is cool up to a point - but make sure you stop short of looking like this:

Not quite what you expected, eh? This is the woman who provides the voices for the sultry super-spy Molotov Cocktease - as well as the creepy/sexy/semi-invisible Sally Impossible - on the Venture Bros. Yes, like you, I was surprised to see the relatively normal adult face behind beautiful, deceitful, treacherous one-eyed Molotov.

I know that she is a professional adult, making a living as an actress and voice talent, but to me she will always look like this:

Why? Because I choose not to differentiate between cartoons and real life. Cartoons are funnier and sexier. But Mia Barron, the voice of Molotov and Sally, is a real woman with a real career, and right now she's performing on stage here in my hometown of NYC. She is starring as the title role in the waaaay off-Broadway show HILLARY: A Modern Greek Tragedy With a (Somewhat) Happy Ending. The show runs through December 20, in a downtown theater on... a-hem.... Clinton Street. Seriously. I may just go check it out, being a Venturoo and a big fan of Ms. Barron's work on the show.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Smile - it's Thanksgiving, after all, and that means more than just stuffing your face and pretending you get along with a bunch of family members you haven't seen in 20 years since they went down for that drug bust. Or maybe that's just my family.

Anyway, Thanksgiving gives way to the Christmas season, which means Friday is Black Friday. Sounds like a crossover event starring the Spectre, but it's actually a day of ridiculous savings for early-bird holiday shoppers. And comic superstore Things From Another World is having a ridiculously great Black Friday sale from now (yes I know it's Wednesday - they started the sale early!) through the weekend, and then starting a new sale after the weekend with Cyber Monday, which kicks off at 12:01 a.m. on Monday. The cool thing is, you can click on the Black Friday link on Monday, and it will take you to Cyber Monday. So, you only need the one link, it will direct you to the right sale at the right time on the right date.

I don't have the details about Cyber Monday yet, but TFAW's Black Friday page is already up and running, and the sale started early: all the sale prices are in effect as of right now, and will last at least through the weekend, after which Cyber Monday kicks in and a whole new bunch of stuff goes on sale. As for Black Friday, here are just a couple of highlights:

• Watchmen TPB: Does this even need an introduction? You know, best comic ever, soon to be a ground-breaking movie? Ah, now yo remember. Well, the trade paperback is 50% off, so you can get it for $9.99.

• Joker HC This is an amazing graphic novel, and as I've pointed out is is the perfect bridge between the world of Dark Knight and the DC Universe. Helluva Book, helluva good deal: 50% off, $9.99.

There are tons of more deals on TFAW's Black Friday/Cyber Monday page, so I suggest you check it out. There is a recession on, after all, so between that and the holidays now is a pretty good time for great deals on cool stuff.

TFAW also has two sales running from now through the end of 2008, on some really cool stuff. Like, some things that weren't technically in my price range before, I just bought a bunch of 'em. Some are gifts for friends, some are gifts for me. If I don't treat myself, who will?

Take 25% OFF Hundreds of Statues and Collectibles through 2008

This is one of those headlines that kind of explains itself. Just click the link, you won't be sorry. Kotobukiya Star Wars, Serenity, Conan, Hellboy - some of the coolest collectibles around.

And if you're like me, and you also go in for the eclectic stuff:

All Designer Vinyl Toys are 25% OFF through 2008!

What can I say? They're weird, they're cute, and your girlfriend won't laugh at you for having them (matter of fact, she'll think you're much cooler than you really are - speaking from experience here, folks). TFAW has about 150 of the best designer toys on the market, and every one of them is on sale through the end of the year.

It's shopping season, and it starts off about as cheap as it's gonna get - after this, you can expect to see prices rise every day until it's almost Christmas, stuff is selling out everywhere, and suddenly you're paying double retail because you waited too long. Don't let this happen to you. Get your gifts now, and forget about the holiday rush. And be like me - get yourself a few presents for being so responsible.

I've been re-reading DC's 1980s crossover event Millennium, not just because it's quite good, but also because it's strikingly similar in plot and execution to Marvel's Secret Invasion. The writing and art are top-notch in these books - they come from an especially glorious moment time in modern DC history. Post-Crisis, The JLI was just forming, Captain Marvel was being integrated into the DC Universe, and some of the greatest talents of the modern era were just hitting their peak.

Problem is - nobody seemed to think that anyone would go back and read these comics again someday. The writers, and/or DC editorial, date themselves at least once in every issue of the event that I've read so far. I had to cringe when I came across this panel of Obsidian's Internal Monologue from Infinity Inc. Vol. 1, #46:

Yeah, we don't really envy Michael J. Fox all that much nowadays. The lesson? Be careful with your pop culture references - or someday a fan of yours may look back at your seminal masterpiece and chuckle!

I'm finding tons of other examples of dated references as I read through this, one of DC's first mega-crossovers, I'll post some more in the future. It really kills the suspension of disbelief when you read a story and Superman starts talking about Iran-Contra. We all want our stories to be contemporary, and relevant to the time we first read them. But we also want these stories to sustain their relevance, that's why we have ret-conning and hypertime and all that fun stuff. It's a fine line, writers - tread carefully.

DK Publishing has done it again - the kings of books about comics, they already set the bar quite high back in 2006 with the Marvel Encyclopedia. DK's latest release is another instant masterpiece, not to mention a must-have for a comic fan's library and a great Christmas present.

In addition to the Marvel Encyclopedia, DK has published several other highly-respected books about characters and teams from both Marvel and DC Comics. With their latest release, they have truly outdone themselves with the beautifully designed, impeccably researched Marvel Chronicle. The Chronicle is a thorough guide through the entire 80-year history of Marvel Comics, from the Timely years all the way up through Secret Invasion.

This is one of the most amazing books about comics I've ever laid eyes on. The definitive history of a company, and a universe, and the people behind it all. It's astonishing how much history lies behind both the company, and it's comics and characters, some of which faded into obscurity and others of which became pop culture legends.

In addition to the internal workings of Timely/Marvel (and briefly, unofficially, Atlas - in the pre-Marvel Age years of the 50s the company sported the logo of publisher Martin Goodman's Atlas Distribution Co.), this is the history of how Marvel impacted the world around them, and vice-versa. Comics changed the world, and the world changed comics during the great comic book witch hunt which nearly destroyed the industry itself.

Authors Tom DeFalco, Peter Sanderson and Tom Brevoort establish themselves as incredible researchers and authorities on Marvel history, and it's all wrapped up in beautiful packaging. The 352-page hardcover comes in a deluxe, box with a carved "M", revealing the book cover art by Jim Cheung. The box also includes two prints of the cover art; one in color and one in black-and-white.

The Marvel Chronicle is easily the best book about comics since the Ten-Cent Plague, and it's a great holiday gift for any comics fan, including yourself. And yes, to any friends and family who are reading this, I am dropping hints.

Yeah, you won't be seeing this footage in any ads from the Gotham City Tourism Bureau. Behind the glamor and the glitz of Gotham, there is an insidious criminal underworld. And when the thugs, loonies and criminal masterminds get taken down by Batman, they go the supervillain nut-hatch. To prepare you for the awesome-looking Batman: Arkham Asylum video game, due out early 2009, take a tour of the house where half-crocodiles, killer clowns, and calendar fetishists call home: Ladies and gents, welcome to Arkham!



Oh yes, Arkham is a nasty place for nasty people. And you're going to be spending some time there, fighting the super-crazies, when the game is released in a few months. If you want to prepare for the experience, check out master Bat-writer Grant Morrison's classic Batman: Arkham Asylum graphic novel, an amazing read and a chance to see Arkham through Batman's eyes.

Have Yourself a Brutal Little Christmas

I didn't think it was possible, but Metalocalypse Season 2 was soooo much better than Season 1 - which was damn good! This season had everything you could ask for: the guy with the silver face, the creepy council spearheaded by Mr. Selatcia, plus new threats to the band. As if they didn't have enough enemies, Dethklok is now facing grave danger from terrorist squad The Revengeancers and a group of crazy ladies called Succuboso Explosion who want something very personal from Nathan.


And guess who's back? Snakes N Barrels, in a two-part episode no less! The band is suffering from writer's block after the harrowing experience at the end of the first season, but eventually Ofdensen and producer Dick "Magic Ears" Knubbler get the band into the studio - wearing armor and swinging maces, and instead of a submarine, this time around some of the sessions arre recorded while skydiving - with a group of Clocketeers in the air to carry the amps. Even Murderface and Toki get to write a song. Whether or not it actually appears on the album, well you'll just have to see for yourself. Oh, and Dr. Rockzo's back, baby!

Plus, the boys in the band almost learn a new trick - but don't try this at home!



I can't wait to get my hands on this DVD set -it hits stores December 2, along with a box set containing seasons one and two, in case you still don't the first season on DVD.

As one of the lucky ones with generous friends in Logan's native Canada, I have been lucky enough to watch new Wolverine and the X-Men episodes every week, despite the fact that some cruel network executive decided to roll out the show everywhere but in the Unite States, so it's airing in Canada and Brazil and Machu Picchu but not here. Which is a shame, because it really is as awesome as it looks. It is in the running for my favorite comics to animation adaptation ever.


It debuts in the U.S. on Nicktoons Network, January 23 at 8:00 p.m., and I suspect the reason for the delay is to have the show air closer to the premiere of the X-Men Origins: Wolverine premiere in May. In the meantime, to give you a taste of just how cool this show really is, check out this latest promotional trailer.

The Warner Bros./DC Universe series has announced it's next original animated release: Wonder Woman, which will debut on March 3, 2009. The movie, the fourth in the DC Universe original home movies series (the previous releases were Superman: Doomsday, Justice League: The New Frontier, and Batman: Gotham Knight), will be released simultaneously on DVD, Blu-Ray, Video on Demand, and Pay-Per-View. It hasn't been specified where the movie will be available for on-demand download, but it's almost certain to be iTunes, Amazon.com, or both.

Wonder Woman is a sort of mash-up origin story (she has had a lot of different origins over the years), involving her attendance to Princess of Themysicara, a romance with Steve Trevor, and an all-out battle with Ares.


As with the previous DC DVDs, Wonder Woman has assembled an all-star cast of voice actors. Keri Russell (Felicity) plays the title role, and other notable cast members include Nathon Fillon (Firefly/Serenity), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), Virginia Madsen (Sideways), Rosario Dawson (Sin City), Oliver Platt (The West Wing) and David McCallum (NCIS). The DVD will be available as a single disc, a 2-disc set, and in hi-def Blu-Ray format. For those who buy the 2-disc or Blu-Ray editions, there will be exras and featurettes galore, plus a few of producer Bruce Timm's favorite episodes of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited featuring Wonder Woman in action.

If that's not enough to get you psyched for what looks like the best original DC DVD yet, check out this bad-ass trailer.

So the X-Men film trilogy started off with 2 great movies and kind of ended with a downer of a finale. It happens. But in movies, as in comics, continuity is a flexible thing, especially for superheroes. We can go back, and tell new stories about old characters in a fun new context. Like, for instance, the fantastic X-Men: First Class comic series.

First Class was originally an eight-issue mini-series by writer Jeff Parker and artist Roger Cruz, documenting untold adventures of the five original X-Men (Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman and Jean Grey). The series was a refreshing combination of old-school nostalgia and new-school sophisticated storytelliing, and it was a hit. It was such a success, in fact, that the eight-issue run was followed by a one-shot special, and was soon after resurrected as an ongoing series.

In fact, the whole "First Class" concept has become a phenomenon, leading to the spin-off series Wolverine: First Class and Weapon X: First Class. Now, X-Men: First Class has made it to the big time: a movie adaptation is in the works, to be written by Josh Schwartz and produced by Lauren Shuler Donner. My feeling about this one is cautiously optimistic; Schwartz has only written material that I despise - he is, after all, the creator of both The OC and Gossip Girl. On the other hand, producer Shuler Donner has proved her worth again and again. Not that she hasn't had some dogs, too; her ratio is best summarized by the fact that she produced all three X-Men movies. The final movie, as I said, was kind of a let-down, but in the immortal words of Meatloaf, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.


The other reason I'm on the fence about this concept is that, in classic comics-to-film tradition, they're taking a successful formula and drastically altering it. The general concept of the film is to ditch the original five X-Men as the stars, and replace them with various younger X-Men from the ages. Almost certain to be included are Kitty Pryde and Jubilee, and in all probability they will feature the most recent additions to the X club, like Dust, Blindfold and X-23. It hasn't been confirmed, but there's chatter that suggests Shawn Ashmore might return to reprise his role as Iceman.

What we have here, ladies and gentlemen, is a movie that can only be an instant classic or an absolute disaster. The recipe doesn't leave room for anything else; however this movie turns out, it will almost certainly be extreme, as in extremely good or extremely bad. Despite my disdain for Schwartz, I'm betting on the first option - I think they're gonna do this one right. I've already been enjoying seeing the younger generation of mutants in action on Wolverine and the X-Men, and I'm betting that they'll make great movie material, too.

It had to happen sometime: we love the Battlestar Galactica TV show, toys, and, of course, comics. So, I wasn't surprised (but I was psyched) when Tokyopop announced plans for an OEL Galactica manga at Anime Expo. Now, some of the details of the project are starting to emerge.

The manga, titled Battlestar Galactica: Echoes of New Caprica, will be an anthology of stories, each by a different writing and art team. One of the writers is the original Apollo and current Tom Zarek - Richard Hatch, who has written several novels based on the original Battlestar Galactica series. The creative teams for the manga will be working closely with writers and producers from BSG, who will consult on maintaining plot and character consistency.

It's been a while since we've heard any more details from Tokyopop announced the project, but now they have released the cover art, by Udon Studios, the same group who did their Warcraft and Starcraft manga covers. We also have a release date - April 14, 2009. Amazon has it available for pre-order, along with this brief synopsis:

Culled from storylines that didn't make it past the cutting room floor, the Battlestar Galactica manga takes place in Season 3 of the popular television series. In these interstellar tales, Baltar goes on trial after being falsely accused of massacre, Roslin refuses to implement a new curriculum that is sympathetic to the Cylons, Zarek faces a mutiny after being elected vice president, and Kacey learns something about true maternal love.

The manga looks awesome - one more Battlestar Galactica project I'm excited for. We already have the release of Season 4 on DVD and the beginning of Season 4.5 in January, as well as the upcoming Caprica spin-off series. In the meanwhile, if you want BSG comics, they're available American style from Dynamite Entertainment. As for Season 4, while you're waiting for the DVD you can buy episodes from Amazon's Video on Demand.

Like you, I'm still reeling from from the news that David Tennant is stepping down as Doctor Who after this year - a year without a proper season, to boot, just a few specials and then someone new is going to fill Tennant's Converse All-Stars.


I find it helps to focus on the positive - not on the loss of Tennant, but on the cool specials we have to look forward to, and the anticipation of a new Doctor good enough to take over for Tennant. He's gonna have to be stellar, and knowing the standards that the franchise adheres to, I'm sure he will be.

Here's a preview of David's last Christmas special. It looks great, and we might just be getting a sneak peek at the next Doctor! Also, we'll definitely see a return of the best metal monsters since the Daleks... you know who I mean, the funny-head guys. Alright, fine, I'll say it - Cybermen!

Today's the official release date for the game I've been waiting for: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe has arrived! Of course, I don't have it yet - I pre-ordered the Alex Ross Kollector's Edition, but if UPS tracking can be trusted the game will be in my hands this time tomorrow.




Check out my earlier post for a video of Ross at work, creating this beautiful box set cover.

And while we're on the subject if video, check out the latest clip that has me foaming at the mouth for what looks like it just may turn out to be the best superhero game of the year. As you'll see, this super smash 'em up game actually has a cool storyline, to boot.

Come on, UPS man, put on those brown shorts and bring me my gaming goodness...

Last night the Cartoon Network aired the debut episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and if I had to sum it up in a single word it would be: anachronism. It was very interesting but very weird to see such a very Silver Age Batman and Green Arrow in a new series, and weirder still that they would exist in the same universe as Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle. Weird, but fun. It is also interesting that the series is clearly less about Batman than about his team-up partner of the week, which is one of the most original ideas I've seen in a comic based television show to date. When you think about it, it's pretty remarkable that after decades of successful team-up books from both Marvel and DC, Brave and the Bold is the first time that genre has been translated to other media (to the best of my knowledge).

Also, Clock King (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, Klaus from American Dad, showing a lot of talent but not a lot of range) - he summed up the Silver Age vibe right away, with his hysterical costume, his silly exposition and bad puns, and his cliche death-trap. I could have sworn I was reading a comic from 1961, and it was easy to forget that in the comics Clock King is currently a mentor to kids and dogs at the art of grotesque serial-killing. Thanks, Sean McKeever. DC, please fire him? In today's economy, do you really want to charge $3.99 for comics written by someone with such little imagination?

If you need convincing, check out this quote from a recent article in the New York Examiner, as writer Brian Steinberg sums up the changes he has made in his comic buying habits. The first book he mentions?

For my part, I can tell you that in the last several months, I stopped buying "Teen Titans," which really began to bite...

I couldn't have said it better myself. And these are the Teen Titans, for crying out loud! Franchise heroes! Two regular series and several specials and mini-series based around these characters over the past year - all of them barely readable. I'm lookin' at you too, Judd Winick. Just because the new Titans series you're writing is superfluous and pointless doesn't excuse your writing. You're the guy who wrote Pedro and Me, everybody knows you're a good writer when you want to be. Show a little pride and put in the effort, or just quit already.

But back to the Brave and the Bold. The Blue Beetle was fun, but a very odd choice for the debut episode of this series in light of the fact that his book has been canceled and we'll probably see Prez back in the DCU before we see Jaime again. Bottom line: very original new approach to Batman animated. As I've said, I doubt any comic based show will ever top the outstanding Batman: The Animated Series - that show simply set the bar too high. But the Brave and the Bold is something different, and that's OK. I certainly enjoyed it much more than the recently-canceled series The Batman, which I never really liked that much. It wasn't bad, and I wanted to like it, but it was just one of those shows that tried way too hard to appeal to a youthful audience as imagined by the Warner Bros. marketing department. Sometimes its better to put on a show that you'd enjoy if you were a kid, which is just what the Brave and the Bold sets out to be.



I only hope that the show's originality doesn't sink it - today's television landscape isn't exactly drowning in original shows, and B&Bs target audience of tweens may be confused by a Batman so different from the one they know from the current comics and movies. I'd love to see it stick around, if only to see Batman team up with all the great characters named in the very cool opening credit sequence.



Check out the cool music and the awesome list of supporting characters in the opening credits!

The long-anticipated Batman: The Brave and the Bold animated series kicks off its premiere episode tonight at 8:00 p.m. on the Cartoon Network. It's a fun-looking show, although it looks as though it caters more to the kiddie set, which is interesting since it seems to derive so much of it's style, source material and general atmosphere from the Silver Age. That makes sense in that those were simpler, more innocent times, and its refreshing to see DC Animation draw on that for what is essentially light-hearted fun and adventure. I don't have to tell you that DC - and Warner Bros. in general for that matter - have typically gone for more condescending approach for other recent shows aimed at a younger audience. Recent animated series like Teen Titans and (shudder) Loonatics came across like they were based on research groups and PowerPoint presentations, by people in suits studying how to appeal to the kids.


Taking the old school approach is a much more sophisticated method, and a good way to make the show appealing for older audiences as well. The show's first episode sees Batman and the current Blue Beetle Jaime Reyes taking on Kanjar Ro (like I said, Silver Age). I know this is great news for fans of the current Beetle who not that long ago feared for the character's longevity. It also seems to be a source of pride for El Paso - the El Paso Times ran an article yesterday touting the headline El Paso superhero appears in Batman TV series. Caution: I advise you not to click the link to the article until after you've watched the show, since it is pretty much a beat sheet summarizing the entire episode from start to finish. Spoiler city. The paper seems equally annoyed and proud at the portrayal of their hometown hero, as the author notes:

Though the newer Blue Beetle comic books are set in the Sun City, Friday's series premiere neither mentions El Paso nor shows any obvious landmarks. About the closest it comes to that is setting a scene in Jaime's bedroom, where he talks to his friend, Paco.

Diedrich Bader stars as the voice of Batman, while Blue Beetle is voiced by Boy Meets World's Will Friedle.


Each episode will feature Batman playing straight man/mentor to a number of other DC Heroes, as you can see in this promo first shown at Comic-Con.



It sure isn't Dark Knight, and nothing is going to ever replace the landmark Batman: The Animated Series in my heart, but it looks like a fun show. I'll definitely be tuning in to the premiere.

Image Comics published the first edition of Liberty Comics, the anthology benefit book for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, back in July. The book sold out quickly, which was great for the CBLDF - who received all profits from the book, a total of nearly $27,000. Less fortunate were the fans, many of whom missed out on the amazing anthology with the woefully small print-run.


Fortunately for the fans (and the CBLDF), Image is issuing a second printing of the comic on December 3, complete with a new cover - featuring Thor, by definitive Thor artist Walt Simonson. Liberty Comics is the brainchild of editor Scott Dunbier, and includes stories and creators including:

• Hellboy by Mike Mignola
• Danger Girl by J. Scott Campbell
• The Boys by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson
• Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

And the list continues from there. Mark Millar, Darwyn Cooke, Art Adams... it's an amazing comic, and for a good cause yet. It's alredy listed at TFAW, but it's not available for purchase just now. I think, and hope, that they're just not taking pre-orders yet. I'm watching the listing like a hawk, because I want to make sure and get my copy before the second edition sells out. My suggestion is to do what I'm doing - bookmark the listing, and check back periodically between now and December 3.

I love alcoholic robots. The whole concept is kind of silly, yet I can't help but love watching man's creations mimic our weaknesses and neuroses. To the best of my knowledge it was Futurama's Bender, star of the just-released Bender's Game, who started the trend of the drunken machine. Probably the greatest alcoholic robot of all time is Col. Saul Tighe of Battlestar Galactica, who was recently outed as one of the final five Cylons.

But ever since Warren Ellis redefined the character for the short-lived series Nextwave: Agents Of H.A.T.E, the once-dull X-51, aka Machine Man, makes for a great angry drunk too. In fact, at this point, it's pretty much his defining characteristic. But you've gotta love how just like us, he can say just the wrong thing to the ladies when he's on the sauce. Check out this classic faux pas with fellow Metal-American Jacosta from Marvel Zombies 3 #2.

As I said before, I'm getting more excited for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe the more I see of it. One of my early concerns about the game was that it would sacrifice some of the famous MK finishing moves and fatalities for fear of too much violence in a superhero game. Those fears have officially been put to rest. Check out these awesome clips of finishing moves, fatalities, and "Heroic Brutality". This game looks amazing, and it's pretty fun to watch Deathstroke getting beaten like a red-headed stepchild. These clips were the last straw for me - I just ordered the Collector's Edition with the Alex Ross cover. I am vengeance. I am the Bat. I will lay the smack down on Sub-Zero!

As the year draws to a close, everyone is making their lists of the top ten comics and graphic novels of the year. I've already shown you Amazon's Editors' Picks and Readers' Choice lists. The other significant list of the year is the influential Publishers' Weekly top ten list. For the most part, PW's selections are more eclectic than either of Amazon's lists, although a couple of books appear on multiple lists. The big prize goes to Linda Barry, whose book What It Is is the only book to appear on all three lists.

Here are the top ten comics and graphic novels of 2008, as chosen by the comic literati.

1. Aya of Yop City by Marguerite Abouet (Author), Clement Oubrerie (Author)
2. What It Is by Lynda Barry (Author)
3. Treasury of XXth Century Murder: The Lindbergh Child by Rick Geary (Author)
4. Alan's War: The Memories of G.I. Alan Cope by Emmanuel Guibert (Author)
5. Kramers Ergot 7 by Sammy Harkham (Editor)
6. The Education of Hopey Glass by Jaime Hernandez (Author)
7. Slam Dunk, Volume 1