NEWS
2-8-10: Toy Fair 2010 Hits New York
Starting next Sunday, the world of fun and games invades the greatest city in the world! Toy Fair 2010 is a four day event that brings the world of toys to a world stage. Happening at the JavitsConvention Center (home of New York Comic Con) Toy Fair is the show where toy manufacturers, both small and large, introduce their brand or new line to an audience that could reach over 20,000 attendees! Two in attendance this year will (hopefully) be our own Matman and Brian.
Secret Identity recently brought back the toy segment ‘Plastic Fantastic’ to their Second Helping rotation. Joining Matman in each installment is toy expert (and shark hunter) Lou Pisano. “Getting together with Matt and talking toys is so much fun,” says Lou. “It’s like we always do when we hang out, but now we just record it. We pick a topic and just go! It’s exciting for me to be part of the Secret Identity family.” And it’s been great for Secret Identity as well. Lou has quite a following with the ‘fin heads’ and his Jaws Fest DVDs.
At the show, the floor plan is broken down into Product Zones like Action Figures, Board Games and Outdoor Toys. This will make it easier for folks to find exactly what they are looking for. The four days will also be filled with panels, demonstrations and other events. There will be something for everyone. “Of course Brian and I have our targets set on the action figure and ‘geek’ toy lines,” adds Matman. “But having kids and a wife who is a teacher will shift my focus in other areas as well. It’s not all about me!”
“Matt and I both grew up with Lego and Milton Bradley in our back yards,” says Brian, “so toys and games are a big part of our lives. And just because I love video games doesn’t mean I don’t love the board games as well. Give me a good board game and I’m just as happy.
For more information on this years Toy Fair 2010, just go to http://www.toyassociation.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Toy_Fair&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=193&ContentID=3538
Secret Identity recently brought back the toy segment ‘Plastic Fantastic’ to their Second Helping rotation. Joining Matman in each installment is toy expert (and shark hunter) Lou Pisano. “Getting together with Matt and talking toys is so much fun,” says Lou. “It’s like we always do when we hang out, but now we just record it. We pick a topic and just go! It’s exciting for me to be part of the Secret Identity family.” And it’s been great for Secret Identity as well. Lou has quite a following with the ‘fin heads’ and his Jaws Fest DVDs.
At the show, the floor plan is broken down into Product Zones like Action Figures, Board Games and Outdoor Toys. This will make it easier for folks to find exactly what they are looking for. The four days will also be filled with panels, demonstrations and other events. There will be something for everyone. “Of course Brian and I have our targets set on the action figure and ‘geek’ toy lines,” adds Matman. “But having kids and a wife who is a teacher will shift my focus in other areas as well. It’s not all about me!”
“Matt and I both grew up with Lego and Milton Bradley in our back yards,” says Brian, “so toys and games are a big part of our lives. And just because I love video games doesn’t mean I don’t love the board games as well. Give me a good board game and I’m just as happy.
For more information on this years Toy Fair 2010, just go to http://www.toyassociation.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Toy_Fair&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=193&ContentID=3538
2-7-10: Absolute Justice Gets An Absolute Review!
Like many geek boys, Matman spent Friday evening being immersed in ‘Absolute Justice’, the mega Smallville event! In this episode we get to see Hawkman spread his wings and Dr. Fate cast ankh influenced spells.
So did our resident JSA lover enjoy it? Did he like the way they brought Stargirl to the little screen? Will this make him watch Smallville again?
To read all about it, click here.
So did our resident JSA lover enjoy it? Did he like the way they brought Stargirl to the little screen? Will this make him watch Smallville again?
To read all about it, click here.
2-6-10: Bob Heske Interviews Brian About Secret Identity
Our friend Bob Heske ("Bone Chiller," "2012: Final Prayer") does a twice-monthly interivew column over on the InvestComics website called 'IndieCreator.' This week he interviewed Brian about Secret Identity. In the interview they talk about everything from the Secret Identity origin story to what 2010 may bring for the podcast. To read the interview, just click here.
Also stay tuned for upcoming news about some cross-promotion that SI will be doing with the InvestComics guys.
Also stay tuned for upcoming news about some cross-promotion that SI will be doing with the InvestComics guys.
2-5-10: Matman Talks Roxy, J. Scott and Gen 13!
For those of you new to the world of ‘solid gold ear candy’ let me explain one of our favorite segments; Out Of The Longbox! Each week, following the new reviews, Brian and I take turns talking about older comics. Since I’ve been collecting almost 40 years (and amassed a collection over 23,000 comics) this is a time I get to go back and relive some great and not so great moments in my comics history.
This week I dive headlong into the first issue of Gen 13 from early 1994. The episode is ready to listen to right now so have at it!
On the show you’ll hear me discuss how cool I thought the book was. Gen 13 hit on so many levels; incredible story telling, compelling characters and beautiful art by a then unknown (to me at least) J. Scott Campbell. His art fit the ‘Image Mold’ at the time, but unlike Rob Leifeld, Todd McFarlaine and Jim Lee, J. Scott had a certain flair that as time went on, blossomed into an original look that is fun to read and very recognizable. In the first issue you met Grunge, Fairchild, Burnout and my favorite of the team Roxy. In fact, when my oldest Rebekah talks about wanting to color her hair she refers to the look as the 'Roxy'! Later, Rainmaker would join the team and with her opinions, her constant lecturing and confused personal issues helped form the team into a easy to read and compelling comic book. As the series went on, other characters were introduced to round out the team but it was and still remains the original 5 that kept the series interesting.
Did I mention the first issue was lettered by the one and only Chris Eliopoulos?
Following the original series, Gen 13 # 1 (the regular book) was released with 13 different covers. The team of Brandon Choi (writer) and J. Scott Campbell (and sometimes Jim Lee and Al Rios) went on for some 20 issues until J. Scott left to co – create the ‘wicked awesome’ Danger Girl. Following his departure, the series was then drawn by Gary Frank, Ed Benes and written by John Arcudi and Scott Lobdell. All did a great job on their own but the series began to lose its steam and eventually ended, only to be brought back and ended a few times more.
If you can’t find original issues, you need to seek out Gen 13 collections (I highly recommend ‘Starting Over’) and see for yourself. The series still stands up very well and is better than most of the books today trying to capture the Gen 13 formula.
You can still see the brilliant work of J. Scott Campbell on covers of Amazing Spider – Man, Justice League and many other current books.
And did I mention Danger Girl? In a few weeks I’ll be attacking that series in ‘Out Of The Longbox’ as well and wondering why did I sell my Absolute Hardcover Oversized Edition a few years ago? Man, I want that baby back!
To check out the works of J. Scott Campbell, go to www.jscottcampbellstore.com.
This week I dive headlong into the first issue of Gen 13 from early 1994. The episode is ready to listen to right now so have at it!
On the show you’ll hear me discuss how cool I thought the book was. Gen 13 hit on so many levels; incredible story telling, compelling characters and beautiful art by a then unknown (to me at least) J. Scott Campbell. His art fit the ‘Image Mold’ at the time, but unlike Rob Leifeld, Todd McFarlaine and Jim Lee, J. Scott had a certain flair that as time went on, blossomed into an original look that is fun to read and very recognizable. In the first issue you met Grunge, Fairchild, Burnout and my favorite of the team Roxy. In fact, when my oldest Rebekah talks about wanting to color her hair she refers to the look as the 'Roxy'! Later, Rainmaker would join the team and with her opinions, her constant lecturing and confused personal issues helped form the team into a easy to read and compelling comic book. As the series went on, other characters were introduced to round out the team but it was and still remains the original 5 that kept the series interesting.
Did I mention the first issue was lettered by the one and only Chris Eliopoulos?
Following the original series, Gen 13 # 1 (the regular book) was released with 13 different covers. The team of Brandon Choi (writer) and J. Scott Campbell (and sometimes Jim Lee and Al Rios) went on for some 20 issues until J. Scott left to co – create the ‘wicked awesome’ Danger Girl. Following his departure, the series was then drawn by Gary Frank, Ed Benes and written by John Arcudi and Scott Lobdell. All did a great job on their own but the series began to lose its steam and eventually ended, only to be brought back and ended a few times more.
If you can’t find original issues, you need to seek out Gen 13 collections (I highly recommend ‘Starting Over’) and see for yourself. The series still stands up very well and is better than most of the books today trying to capture the Gen 13 formula.
You can still see the brilliant work of J. Scott Campbell on covers of Amazing Spider – Man, Justice League and many other current books.
And did I mention Danger Girl? In a few weeks I’ll be attacking that series in ‘Out Of The Longbox’ as well and wondering why did I sell my Absolute Hardcover Oversized Edition a few years ago? Man, I want that baby back!
To check out the works of J. Scott Campbell, go to www.jscottcampbellstore.com.
2-4-10: Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne Review
Brian recently read the first prequel novel to the hit video game "Dragon Age: Origins." Click here to see if he thinks it's worth picking up for fans of the game.
2-3-10: Aliens, Ninjas, Samurai And Jorge... Oh My!
Our friend Jorge is at it again! And here he is to tell you about it!
“Hey folks! This is going out to everyone who supported me back in July when my comic BLOODY PULP was up at Zuda.com. Well, I've got another comic in the competition. It's called Aliens vs Ninja vs Samurai (the title negates the need for an in-depth synopsis). It's a fun, animated, action-adventure written entirely in haiku. The story's by me with art by Darrin Stephens. Like July, the rules are the same. We need people to vote, rate, favorite and comment on the comic. The comic that gets the most votes (and everything else), earns a contract with DC Comics! And (the creators) get paid to continue their story online. I believe all of you registered at the site the last time around so if you have a moment and like what you see, please throw us some support. Thanks! - Jorge Vega
To find out more, head on over to www.KidKong.com
“Hey folks! This is going out to everyone who supported me back in July when my comic BLOODY PULP was up at Zuda.com. Well, I've got another comic in the competition. It's called Aliens vs Ninja vs Samurai (the title negates the need for an in-depth synopsis). It's a fun, animated, action-adventure written entirely in haiku. The story's by me with art by Darrin Stephens. Like July, the rules are the same. We need people to vote, rate, favorite and comment on the comic. The comic that gets the most votes (and everything else), earns a contract with DC Comics! And (the creators) get paid to continue their story online. I believe all of you registered at the site the last time around so if you have a moment and like what you see, please throw us some support. Thanks! - Jorge Vega
To find out more, head on over to www.KidKong.com
2-2-10: Galacta: Daughter of Galactus #0 Review
This week Brian read a tale about the offspring of one of Marvel’s biggest characters—literally. Click here to read his review of “Galacta: Daughter of Galactus” #0.
2-1-10: Add $30.00 To The 2 Billion Made By Avatar
Matman and his wife Amy left the kids at home and went out for date night! The destination was the long awaited viewing of the James Cameron film Avatar! So with red hot 3D glasses on, they watched the film that is now the most successful film ever!
What did they think? Amy loved it, especially the way it drew her right in with the effects and compelling story. Matman? Well, his review is about 600 words longer than Amy’s.
To find out what he thought, click here!
What did they think? Amy loved it, especially the way it drew her right in with the effects and compelling story. Matman? Well, his review is about 600 words longer than Amy’s.
To find out what he thought, click here!
1-31-10: More Silber Minicomics Reviews
Brian recently read the latest round of minicomcics from Brian John Mitchell. Click here to see what he thought of “Lost Kisses,” “Ultimate Lost Kisses” and “Marked.”
1-30-10: The British Are Coming! Welcome To 2000 AD!
In 1977, the year 2000 seemed to be so far away! We thought we’d be walking on moving sidewalks and all have jet packs. In the 1980’s, due to the cold war we all wondered if our future would be a post apocalyptic nightmare. To the publishers of 2000 AD, the combination of the two fueled the storytelling that was featured in this British comic book pioneer!
2000 AD was a magazine that not only introduced the world to some incredible characters; it was also the launching pad for some of comic’s most prolific writers and talented artists. Judge Dredd made his debut in the second issue and became a British institution. Created by writers John Wagner, and artist Carlos Ezquerra, both had success in the American market.
Writers like Alan Moore, Alan Grant, Mark Millar and Alan Grant all found massive success and acclaim in the states after their time in 2000 AD. Artists who cut their teeth on the comic are still very active and sought after in the industry. Names like Brian Bolland, Frank Quitley, Dave Gibbons and Alan Davis have influenced an entire generation of artists and created the look of British comics. Many fans have never seen or read an issue of 2000 AD and that is a shame. Like British music and comedy it has its own style and charm that will not only entertain, but expand your horizons.
Thanks to the great folks at Drive Thru Comics, you can read the incredible adventures of Judge Dredd, ABC Warriors and a whole host of incredible sci fi comics! Single issues can be read for under $2.00 or a full trade sized adventure for under $10.00. Not bad!
To check out the action, just go to http://comics.drivethrustuff.com/
And while you’re there, download a free classic episode of Secret Identity!
2000 AD was a magazine that not only introduced the world to some incredible characters; it was also the launching pad for some of comic’s most prolific writers and talented artists. Judge Dredd made his debut in the second issue and became a British institution. Created by writers John Wagner, and artist Carlos Ezquerra, both had success in the American market.
Writers like Alan Moore, Alan Grant, Mark Millar and Alan Grant all found massive success and acclaim in the states after their time in 2000 AD. Artists who cut their teeth on the comic are still very active and sought after in the industry. Names like Brian Bolland, Frank Quitley, Dave Gibbons and Alan Davis have influenced an entire generation of artists and created the look of British comics. Many fans have never seen or read an issue of 2000 AD and that is a shame. Like British music and comedy it has its own style and charm that will not only entertain, but expand your horizons.
Thanks to the great folks at Drive Thru Comics, you can read the incredible adventures of Judge Dredd, ABC Warriors and a whole host of incredible sci fi comics! Single issues can be read for under $2.00 or a full trade sized adventure for under $10.00. Not bad!
To check out the action, just go to http://comics.drivethrustuff.com/
And while you’re there, download a free classic episode of Secret Identity!
1-29-10: Drive Thru And RPG Publishers Come Together For Haiti Victims
As we’ve talked about on Secret identity before, there are a lot of places that have been organizing and encouraging donations for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. We’ve talked about how Drive Thru Comics and Drive Thru RPG were matching $5 and $10 donations, and they had raised good deal of money with that promotion.
Well, a lot of the RPG publishers wanted to help out as well and give free copies of some of their products to those who made donations. That desire to help ballooned into something amazing. For the past several days, Drive Thru has been offering a bundle of almost $1500 worth of RPG products (in PDF format) to anyone that makes a $20 donation through them to Doctors Without Borders.
They have raised $160,000 dollars so far through this promotion. One hundred and sixty thousand.
Secret identity would like to congratulate Matt McElroy and the staff of Drive Thru, as well as all of the publishers for this amazing effort. We’d also like to let people know that this bundle of products will only be available until January 31st, so if you’d like to make a donation, head over to www.drivethrurpg.com.
Well, a lot of the RPG publishers wanted to help out as well and give free copies of some of their products to those who made donations. That desire to help ballooned into something amazing. For the past several days, Drive Thru has been offering a bundle of almost $1500 worth of RPG products (in PDF format) to anyone that makes a $20 donation through them to Doctors Without Borders.
They have raised $160,000 dollars so far through this promotion. One hundred and sixty thousand.
Secret identity would like to congratulate Matt McElroy and the staff of Drive Thru, as well as all of the publishers for this amazing effort. We’d also like to let people know that this bundle of products will only be available until January 31st, so if you’d like to make a donation, head over to www.drivethrurpg.com.
1-29-10: Robotika Review
Brian recently took a strange trip through Alex Sheikman's world of Robotika and ancountered cyborgs, samurai and mercenaries, oh my! Click here for his review.
1-28-10: Lazerman Gets A Shock(er)!
One of the top toy manufacturers in the industry have teamed up with some good friends of Secret Identity! Chris and Alan Hebert, the creators of Lazerman have teamed up with Shocker Toys to manufacture, distribute, market and sell action figures based on their series Lazerman! The figures will be part of Shocker’s Indy Spotlight line which have featured some incredible characters like Jack Staff, SCUD, and Kabuki!
“The Indy Spotlight line is a perfect blend of well known mainstream favorites, characters with more of a cult following, and "rising stars" you might not have heard of yet,” Chris Hebert of HBComics noted on the publisher’s production blog. “I couldn't imagine Lazerman being in better company.”
The prototypes for Shocker's first Lazerman figures, which will include a 6” action figure and a Designer Vinyl “Mallow”, will be on display at Shocker Toys booth at TOY FAIR 2010, February 14-17 at the Javits Center in New York City. Both Chris and Alan will be on hand on the 17th to help promote the figures, and the toy line.
For more on the incredible toys from Shocker Toys, click here!
HB Comics Official site can be accessed by clicking here!
“The Indy Spotlight line is a perfect blend of well known mainstream favorites, characters with more of a cult following, and "rising stars" you might not have heard of yet,” Chris Hebert of HBComics noted on the publisher’s production blog. “I couldn't imagine Lazerman being in better company.”
The prototypes for Shocker's first Lazerman figures, which will include a 6” action figure and a Designer Vinyl “Mallow”, will be on display at Shocker Toys booth at TOY FAIR 2010, February 14-17 at the Javits Center in New York City. Both Chris and Alan will be on hand on the 17th to help promote the figures, and the toy line.
For more on the incredible toys from Shocker Toys, click here!
HB Comics Official site can be accessed by clicking here!
1-27-10: January Comic Headlines--SI's Take
As much as Matt and I like to believe we’re on top of all the news that’s fit to talk about, we are merely two men. Not to mention that we’re so focused on what’s going on at Secret Identity that we don’t always pay enough attention to what’s happening in the comic industry at large. With that in mind, each month we’ll be combing the interwebs to grab some of the biggest headlines from that month, and giving you our take on them. We also want you to go to the boards and let us know what you think. Without further ado, here are some of the stories from the last few weeks in the comic world:
1. It seems the Marvel’s Avengers lines will all be coming to an end in April of 2010. According to solicits, in April we’ll see the 64-page “New Avengers: The Finale” along with final issues of Mighty Avengers, Avengers: Initiative and Dark Avengers.
SI’s Take: Obviously Brian’s a little sad to see Initiative and Might go, but we all know that at least two of the books will come back in some form or other, especially with the Heroic Age that Marvel keeps alluding to.
2. Also starting in April will be DC’s “Brightest Day,” a twice-monthly series spinning out of “Blackest Night.” Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi will be sharing the writing duties, and Johns said the series was about “taking characters and concepts that have been around for a long time and reintroducing them in big ways and with new elements.” Atom and Mera will be two of the characters in the series.
SI’s Take: Johns and Tomasi sounds like a great writing team, but the series sounds like it could be another “52.” Without top-tier characters, the stories will have to be really good to keep this one from petering out like “52” did. On the upside, 26 issues instead of 52 should mean less filler and a more streamlined story.
3. DC is bringing back “Birds of Prey” this Spring, with Gail Simone and Ed Benes coming back together to launch the new series. Simone described it as "Black Canary putting her boot in bad guys' faces and the Huntress taking no *&^% from anyone and Oracle being smarter than anyone else in Gotham.”
SI’s Take: DC is doing an excellent job with the female characters in the DCU right now, and with the creative team behind this book, we expect that trend to continue. Bring it on!
4. News from Image is that artist Ryan Ottley’s last issue on their new title Haunt will be #5. Ottley apparently has gotten a little “bogged down” and will be turning over penciling duties to Greg Capullo, who has been doing layouts for the book up to this point.
SI’s Take: It’s kind of early in the book’s run to be having lineup changes already. Seems like a bit of poor planning on the part of the creative team, but time will tell how this plays out. Delays would definitely hurt the book, so perhaps this will turn out to be a good decision in the long run.
1. It seems the Marvel’s Avengers lines will all be coming to an end in April of 2010. According to solicits, in April we’ll see the 64-page “New Avengers: The Finale” along with final issues of Mighty Avengers, Avengers: Initiative and Dark Avengers.
SI’s Take: Obviously Brian’s a little sad to see Initiative and Might go, but we all know that at least two of the books will come back in some form or other, especially with the Heroic Age that Marvel keeps alluding to.
2. Also starting in April will be DC’s “Brightest Day,” a twice-monthly series spinning out of “Blackest Night.” Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi will be sharing the writing duties, and Johns said the series was about “taking characters and concepts that have been around for a long time and reintroducing them in big ways and with new elements.” Atom and Mera will be two of the characters in the series.
SI’s Take: Johns and Tomasi sounds like a great writing team, but the series sounds like it could be another “52.” Without top-tier characters, the stories will have to be really good to keep this one from petering out like “52” did. On the upside, 26 issues instead of 52 should mean less filler and a more streamlined story.
3. DC is bringing back “Birds of Prey” this Spring, with Gail Simone and Ed Benes coming back together to launch the new series. Simone described it as "Black Canary putting her boot in bad guys' faces and the Huntress taking no *&^% from anyone and Oracle being smarter than anyone else in Gotham.”
SI’s Take: DC is doing an excellent job with the female characters in the DCU right now, and with the creative team behind this book, we expect that trend to continue. Bring it on!
4. News from Image is that artist Ryan Ottley’s last issue on their new title Haunt will be #5. Ottley apparently has gotten a little “bogged down” and will be turning over penciling duties to Greg Capullo, who has been doing layouts for the book up to this point.
SI’s Take: It’s kind of early in the book’s run to be having lineup changes already. Seems like a bit of poor planning on the part of the creative team, but time will tell how this plays out. Delays would definitely hurt the book, so perhaps this will turn out to be a good decision in the long run.
1-26-10: Why You Should Be Reading Booster Gold!
Time Travel is such a cool thing! You can right wrongs, screw up the future or just travel to past events in history and watch them play out…again and again and again. Doctor Who and Quantum Leap have made incredible TV from this and in the comic world it’s Booster Gold!
The origins of Booster Gold go back to the 1980’s and the 25th century. Writer / Artist Dan Jurgens created a character who was a disgraced athlete from the future who stole a Legion Flight Ring and came back to the then present. He would save the day as Booster Gold and then cash in on his celebrity; endorsing products and running Booster Gold International. Following bankruptcy he tried to become a legit hero joining the Justice League. But even then he was written (along with Blue Beetle) as a bumbling buffoon who was just the butt of jokes. Following the death of Blue Beetle, 52 and Countdown things changed. The character became relevant and interesting and in his own series is a man determined on making a difference.
Currently Booster Gold is teamed up with Rip Hunter and trying to repair the time stream that was damaged in 52! And this is where the fun is. Here, Booster makes stops in many of the DCU’s pivotal events. He’s battled the Enemy Ace, fought along side Jonah Hex but it was trying to save Barbara Gordon from the Joker (The Killing Joke) that put the emotion into this series. Booster Gold is not the same character he used to be and fans need to check this out!
On the creator side, Dan Jurgens is writing and drawing better than he ever has. His storytelling (which was always good) has matured to the point where he can tell complex stories, yet still make everything still accessible and easy to follow. And his pencils (mostly inked by Norm Rapund) have never looked better. Dan has always had a certain recognizable style but recently has broken away from that and really made the book beautiful and fun just to look at.
With almost 30 issues in and 4 collected editions, there is no reason you shouldn’t be reading the new Booster Gold (with Blue Beetle back up). '52 Pickup' collects the first 6 issues of the series and is a great way to get headlong into a character you may know nothing about or stopped caring about since their days on Kooey Kooey Kooey!
1-25-10: Dragon Age: Origins Review (XBox 360)
Brian recently rose from his humble origins as a simple thief to become a Grey Warden and fight an epic battle to save the land of Ferelden. Click here to read his review of “Dragon Age: Origins.”
1-24-10: Gumby Creator Art Clokey Passes Away
It is with a sad heart that we report of the death of Art Clokey! Art was the creator of the incredible world of Gumby!
Art (born Arthur Farrington) was born in 1921 and is considered a pioneer in the technique of stop motion animation. He and his wife created Gumby in the 1950’s and without realizing, created one of the most recognizable characters in history. “I was and still am a huge fan of Gumby,” Matman tells sadly, “There was something about the look and style of the adventures that drew me in…and kept me in. The adventures were simple and he and Pokey just did all sorts of cool stuff.” As careful as he was of the Gumby image and brand, he was reportedly very pleased with Eddie Murphy’s portrayal of Gumby on Saturday Night Live. He loved his performance and was glad it was on late at night, so no kids could see it.
But not only did Art Clokey create Gumby, he also help create the show ‘Davy and Goliath’ for the Lutheran Church. Clokey helped develop this series into an entertaining, yet moral filled show that every kid in the 1970’s watched, despite what they may say.
Art passed at his home in Los Olos, California at the age of 88.
1-23-10: The Secret Identity Book Club Starts February 9th!!
We've been talking about doing this for a while, and now it's finally coming together--the Secret Identity Book Club will kick off in February! We'll be reading classic "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud, and we'll be recording four Book Club segments that will air in the podcast.
Secret Identity Issue #208, which will air on February 9th, will be the first Book Club segment. Anyone who wants to participate should read the first two chapters by then, which total about 60 pages. There are nine chapters in all. Here are the four chinks we'll be breaking them up into:
Chapters 1-2 (60 pages)
Chapters 3-4 (58 pages)
Chapters 5-7 (67 pages)
Chapters 8-9 (33 pages)
We'll record a Book Club segment every two weeks for the show, so the whole project will be 8 weeks overall. At least one of the segments will be a roundtable discussion on Skype that will include anyone who wants to join in on the discussion via Skype. There will also be a dedicated thread on the SI message boards for everyone to discuss the book.
Ok, now go out and get the book! You have until February 9th to read the first two chapters!
Secret Identity Issue #208, which will air on February 9th, will be the first Book Club segment. Anyone who wants to participate should read the first two chapters by then, which total about 60 pages. There are nine chapters in all. Here are the four chinks we'll be breaking them up into:
Chapters 1-2 (60 pages)
Chapters 3-4 (58 pages)
Chapters 5-7 (67 pages)
Chapters 8-9 (33 pages)
We'll record a Book Club segment every two weeks for the show, so the whole project will be 8 weeks overall. At least one of the segments will be a roundtable discussion on Skype that will include anyone who wants to join in on the discussion via Skype. There will also be a dedicated thread on the SI message boards for everyone to discuss the book.
Ok, now go out and get the book! You have until February 9th to read the first two chapters!
1-22-10: The Birds Are Back In Town!
Exciting news for fans of the ‘super gals’!
DC Comics have confirmed the return of one of the most original and exciting comics; Birds Of Prey. If that isn’t enough, the book will be written by Gail Simone and drawn by Ed Benes. The duo had an incredible run than only lasted about 20 issues. And if that isn’t enough, the picture on the right clues you in to who will be on the team. Oracle, Black Canary, Huntress, and Lady Blackhawk are visible but hiding in the shadows are two others. Who? Let the guessing begin!
“This is one book that I can’t wait for its return,” and excited Matman said. “I was a big fan of the original series by Chuck Dixon and Greg Land as well as Gail Simone and Ed Benes run. When done right, this book is one of the best going and a place that the entire DCU can center around.”
So much of the appeal of the team is the heroes involved and how they interact with each other. Plus, not one character outshines the other. Black Canary and Huntress might not be able to carry their own monthly books (not a bad thing), but together along with Lady Blackhawk and Oracle, the skies the limit!
To make your guess to who the new team members may be (or your general thoughts about the book), click here!
Birds Of Prey # 1 will be released in Spring of 2010!
1-21-10: EXTRA! EXTRA! Secret Identity Has Big News!!
2010 has started off with a bang for us here at Secret Identity HQ. We've talked on the show many times about wanting to grow the SI audience, and this week we took two big steps in that direction.
First off, Secret Identity is now part of the Comics Podcast Network. This means we are being showcased with a lot of other great podcasts like DaFixer's Hideout and Alternate Reality over on the CPN website, www.comicspodcasts.com. If you head over there, you'll see that Secret Identity is now listed among the members of CPN. You can either check the CPN homepage whenever we post a show, or you can select 'Secret Identity' from the list of podcasts on the left side of the page and you'll find all of our future episodes there. You're also allowed to leave comments, so let people know if you like what you're hearing. And don't forget to check out some of the other great podcasts there as well, which you will definitely hear more about on SI in the future.
As far as our second big step, we want to thank Matt McElroy over at Drive Thru Comics for helping us solve a problem we've had for a long time. As you know, we can only keep so many episodes of Secret Identity in circulation at one time, which means a lot of older episodes have never been heard by people who listen to the show now. Well, thanks to Matt McElroy and Drive Thru, that will no longer be a problem. As of today, you can now get issues of Secret Identity over at www.drivethrucomics.com. By selecting 'Secret Identity' from the publisher list on the left side of the Drive Thru homepage, you'll find both old and new issues of the podcast available to download for free (you can also search for 'Secret Identity' and find us). Select the one (or several) you want, put them in your cart and check out. As soon as you do, your downloads will begin. Right now, issue #200 of the podcast is available for download, as well as our very first 'zero' issue from back in 2006. Expect new episodes to go up around the same time they do everywhere else, and we'll have the very first 12 issues of Secret Identity up within the next week. And please, please, please, support Drive Thru and check out some of the great comics they have while you're on the site, as they have been nothing but awesome to us from the start.
So, big news, huh? We think so too. It's exciting how fast 2010 has started, and we hope this means great things for Secret Identity in the coming year. Thanks to everyone for your continued support, and thanks to everyone who is helping Secret Identity grow!
First off, Secret Identity is now part of the Comics Podcast Network. This means we are being showcased with a lot of other great podcasts like DaFixer's Hideout and Alternate Reality over on the CPN website, www.comicspodcasts.com. If you head over there, you'll see that Secret Identity is now listed among the members of CPN. You can either check the CPN homepage whenever we post a show, or you can select 'Secret Identity' from the list of podcasts on the left side of the page and you'll find all of our future episodes there. You're also allowed to leave comments, so let people know if you like what you're hearing. And don't forget to check out some of the other great podcasts there as well, which you will definitely hear more about on SI in the future.
As far as our second big step, we want to thank Matt McElroy over at Drive Thru Comics for helping us solve a problem we've had for a long time. As you know, we can only keep so many episodes of Secret Identity in circulation at one time, which means a lot of older episodes have never been heard by people who listen to the show now. Well, thanks to Matt McElroy and Drive Thru, that will no longer be a problem. As of today, you can now get issues of Secret Identity over at www.drivethrucomics.com. By selecting 'Secret Identity' from the publisher list on the left side of the Drive Thru homepage, you'll find both old and new issues of the podcast available to download for free (you can also search for 'Secret Identity' and find us). Select the one (or several) you want, put them in your cart and check out. As soon as you do, your downloads will begin. Right now, issue #200 of the podcast is available for download, as well as our very first 'zero' issue from back in 2006. Expect new episodes to go up around the same time they do everywhere else, and we'll have the very first 12 issues of Secret Identity up within the next week. And please, please, please, support Drive Thru and check out some of the great comics they have while you're on the site, as they have been nothing but awesome to us from the start.
So, big news, huh? We think so too. It's exciting how fast 2010 has started, and we hope this means great things for Secret Identity in the coming year. Thanks to everyone for your continued support, and thanks to everyone who is helping Secret Identity grow!
1-20-10: 2012 Review
Brian recently saw Roland Emmerich's latest disaster film “2012.” Is it a film worthy of the end of the world? Click here to read his review and find out.
1-20-10: Wizard Adds Atlanta To 2010 World Tour!
Press Release
Gareb Shamus announced today that he acquired and will produce the Atlanta Comic Convention, now renamed Atlanta Comic Con Wizard World Convention.
“The spirit of the Atlanta convention was very much in line with our own shows. The fans in Georgia appreciate the festival feel of this show,” Shamus, CEO of New York-based Wizard Entertainment said. “The fans here are savvy, and they are ready for the evolution of their con.”
Founded in 1994 by 20-year comic veteran Wes Tillander, the Atlanta Comic Convention showcases comics, cards, prints, gaming artwork, videos, toys, manga, anime, statues, new artists, book signings and much more.
“Giving fans a little of everything is something I've been doing for years,” said former owner Tillander. “There are so many facets of this industry that comics fans appreciate and expect to see as part of a show. With Wizard producing the show, I know that mixed presentation idea will really thrive.”
Tillander will consult on Atlanta Comic Con to maintain the local traditions of the event. Wizard will expand the show from a one-day format to a three-day weekend format, while many aspects of pop culture will continue to be represented. Atlanta Comic Con fans can expect a high-energy show with a festival atmosphere recognized and enjoyed by fans everywhere.
Dates and venue will be announced shortly.
For information on all Wizard events, visit www.wizardworld.com.
Wizard World Comic Con Tour:
March 26-28, 2010,Toronto Comic Con, Direct Energy Centre
April 16-18, 2010, Anaheim Comic Con, Anaheim Convention Center
June 11-13, 2010, Philadelphia Comic Con, Philadelphia Convention Center
August 19-22, 2010, Chicago Comic Con, Donald E. Stephens (Rosemont) Convention Center
October 7-10, 2010, Big Apple Comic Con, Pier 94
November 12-14, 2010, Austin Comic Con, Austin Convention Center
Atlanta Comic Con, TBD
New England Comic Con, TBD
Gareb Shamus announced today that he acquired and will produce the Atlanta Comic Convention, now renamed Atlanta Comic Con Wizard World Convention.
“The spirit of the Atlanta convention was very much in line with our own shows. The fans in Georgia appreciate the festival feel of this show,” Shamus, CEO of New York-based Wizard Entertainment said. “The fans here are savvy, and they are ready for the evolution of their con.”
Founded in 1994 by 20-year comic veteran Wes Tillander, the Atlanta Comic Convention showcases comics, cards, prints, gaming artwork, videos, toys, manga, anime, statues, new artists, book signings and much more.
“Giving fans a little of everything is something I've been doing for years,” said former owner Tillander. “There are so many facets of this industry that comics fans appreciate and expect to see as part of a show. With Wizard producing the show, I know that mixed presentation idea will really thrive.”
Tillander will consult on Atlanta Comic Con to maintain the local traditions of the event. Wizard will expand the show from a one-day format to a three-day weekend format, while many aspects of pop culture will continue to be represented. Atlanta Comic Con fans can expect a high-energy show with a festival atmosphere recognized and enjoyed by fans everywhere.
Dates and venue will be announced shortly.
For information on all Wizard events, visit www.wizardworld.com.
Wizard World Comic Con Tour:
March 26-28, 2010,Toronto Comic Con, Direct Energy Centre
April 16-18, 2010, Anaheim Comic Con, Anaheim Convention Center
June 11-13, 2010, Philadelphia Comic Con, Philadelphia Convention Center
August 19-22, 2010, Chicago Comic Con, Donald E. Stephens (Rosemont) Convention Center
October 7-10, 2010, Big Apple Comic Con, Pier 94
November 12-14, 2010, Austin Comic Con, Austin Convention Center
Atlanta Comic Con, TBD
New England Comic Con, TBD
1-19-10: Incorruptible #1 Review
The first issue of BOOM! Studios' new series "Incorruptible" hit stands a few weeks ago, and Brian finally had a chance to read it. How does it compare to its sister series "Irredeemable?" Click here to find out.
1-18-10: Drive Thru Comics/RPG Team Up To Match Donations For Haiti Reflief
Drive Thru Comics and Drive Thru RPG are teaming up with customers and the Doctors Without Borders program to send aid to those affected by the Haiti disaster. Over on the Drive Thru homepage, you can donate either $5 or $10 to relief efforts, and Drive Thru will match the amount of your donation. Altogether almost $3000 has been donated already.
If you're interested in taking part, head over to www.drivethrucomics.com and follow the links for donating.
If you're interested in taking part, head over to www.drivethrucomics.com and follow the links for donating.
1-17-10: It's Alive...New Parents Beware!
In the early 1970’s Matman and his sister used to scare themselves by going to the local theatre and look at the old horror movie posters. The one that scarred little Mattie the most was the one for the film It’s Alive! Once he got to see the film, he realized the poster was waaayyyy better.
This weekend, Matman went to his local Blockbuster and rented the remake of It’s Alive. Although he liked it better tha the original, what did he really think?
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to see a trailer for the original!
This weekend, Matman went to his local Blockbuster and rented the remake of It’s Alive. Although he liked it better tha the original, what did he really think?
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to see a trailer for the original!
1-16-10: First Wave--The Return Of Pulp And Rags!
Batman fans who know and understand his history know he started out more pulp hero than super-hero! In his earliest adventures he flew a plane with a machine gun mounted on it, carried a pistol and on occasion, killed a thug or two! In the early days Batman had more in common with The Shadow and Doc Savage than Superman. So it is with excitement that fans get ready for the six issue series First Wave.
First Wave is a pulp universe filled with heroes of a bygone era. Last year DC wet the appetites of fans with the Batman / Doc Savage Special and now it will be further developed in First Wave. The series is written by Brian Azzarello who knows a thing or two about stylized writing. His work on 100 Bullets and Batman should fire up this new direction. But the most exciting news about the project is the return of Rags Morales on art! It’s no secret Rags is a favorite of Matman (as well as his daughter Rebekah) and Brian and are excited that his incredible style will stamp this book.Rags is also no stranger to deep, visual storytelling. He was the artist of choice on Identity Crisis.
First Wave # 1 hits the shelves March 3rd (40 pages $3.99) and tells the tale of a secret organization called the Red Right Hand! Join Batman, Wildcat and Black Canary as they work in the shadows of World War Two with Doc Savage, The Spirit and the Blackhawks! Haaawkkkaaaa!
Following the establishment of this ‘pulp’ world, DC announces the return of Doc Savage and The Spirit into this world.
And in case you need to know, the term ‘pulp’ as in ‘pulp fiction’ came from the type of paper used to print these types of magazines. Pulp was the cheapest of the paper to use, with the glossy good stuff being used in magazines like Life.
First Wave # 1 is in Previews now, so tell your store to get you one! Don’t be left out!
First Wave is a pulp universe filled with heroes of a bygone era. Last year DC wet the appetites of fans with the Batman / Doc Savage Special and now it will be further developed in First Wave. The series is written by Brian Azzarello who knows a thing or two about stylized writing. His work on 100 Bullets and Batman should fire up this new direction. But the most exciting news about the project is the return of Rags Morales on art! It’s no secret Rags is a favorite of Matman (as well as his daughter Rebekah) and Brian and are excited that his incredible style will stamp this book.Rags is also no stranger to deep, visual storytelling. He was the artist of choice on Identity Crisis.
First Wave # 1 hits the shelves March 3rd (40 pages $3.99) and tells the tale of a secret organization called the Red Right Hand! Join Batman, Wildcat and Black Canary as they work in the shadows of World War Two with Doc Savage, The Spirit and the Blackhawks! Haaawkkkaaaa!
Following the establishment of this ‘pulp’ world, DC announces the return of Doc Savage and The Spirit into this world.
And in case you need to know, the term ‘pulp’ as in ‘pulp fiction’ came from the type of paper used to print these types of magazines. Pulp was the cheapest of the paper to use, with the glossy good stuff being used in magazines like Life.
First Wave # 1 is in Previews now, so tell your store to get you one! Don’t be left out!
1-15-10: Dekker Gives A State Of The Swass Address
From our pals over at Reckless Sidekick Productions:
Just wanted to give you guys and gals a quick update on RSP Productions. We have decided to take a small break from the "Swass Adventures" for the next few months. We are not done with the series, instead we are re-focusing our energy on our upcoming comic book mini-series.
This small break will allow us to catch up and finish these 3 issues that have been in the works for the last couple of years. This comic is one of the best things we've ever done and I can't wait to get it out to stores and to you fans.
What does this mean for the podcast, webisodes, etc??? We will still continue to put out Swass-Casts because they are easy to shoot and edit so be on the lookout for those once or twice a month. The next few months feature the Mego stretch toys and Thundarr the Barbarian.
We will be continuing the webisodes as well but we probably won't see any new ones until late spring or summer, We still have plenty of stories to tell in the alternative universe and we will be adding a new cast member (can you say Dekker puppet?)
I wrote this because I Just wanted to keep everybody in the loop as to our plans and that taking this small break is a good thing for us, so we can bring you our best work.
More to follow soon,
Your friends at Reckless Sidekick Productions
Keith, John, & E-trane
To check out current episodes of the Swass-Cast and Swass Adventures, head over to www.swassadventures.com.
Just wanted to give you guys and gals a quick update on RSP Productions. We have decided to take a small break from the "Swass Adventures" for the next few months. We are not done with the series, instead we are re-focusing our energy on our upcoming comic book mini-series.
This small break will allow us to catch up and finish these 3 issues that have been in the works for the last couple of years. This comic is one of the best things we've ever done and I can't wait to get it out to stores and to you fans.
What does this mean for the podcast, webisodes, etc??? We will still continue to put out Swass-Casts because they are easy to shoot and edit so be on the lookout for those once or twice a month. The next few months feature the Mego stretch toys and Thundarr the Barbarian.
We will be continuing the webisodes as well but we probably won't see any new ones until late spring or summer, We still have plenty of stories to tell in the alternative universe and we will be adding a new cast member (can you say Dekker puppet?)
I wrote this because I Just wanted to keep everybody in the loop as to our plans and that taking this small break is a good thing for us, so we can bring you our best work.
More to follow soon,
Your friends at Reckless Sidekick Productions
Keith, John, & E-trane
To check out current episodes of the Swass-Cast and Swass Adventures, head over to www.swassadventures.com.
1-14-10: Brian Interviews Peter Milligan About Army of Two Comic
Hey folks--
This week for CBR I interviewed long-time comic scribe Peter Milligan ("Hellblazer, "Greek Street") about the new "Army of Two" series he's writing that's based on the popular game franchise. As mentioned in my review of Issue #1 yesterday, this is the first comic to be published under the new EA Comics banner from EA and IDW. Peter talked about what drew him to the project in the first place, and what people can expect from the series.
Here's what Peter had to say when I asked him if he was a gamer himself:
"I'm not really a gamer. For some reason, I got into "Duke Nukem"(!!) some time ago. And I also got pretty hooked on a few racing/rally games. I had the whole steering wheel kit going on. I found that racing while completely naked, with a bottle of good Scotch whiskey by your side, just added to the thrill. But I soon found that this kind of game becomes too addictive and takes up way too much time."
You can read the rest of the interview over at Comic Book Resources by clicking here.
This week for CBR I interviewed long-time comic scribe Peter Milligan ("Hellblazer, "Greek Street") about the new "Army of Two" series he's writing that's based on the popular game franchise. As mentioned in my review of Issue #1 yesterday, this is the first comic to be published under the new EA Comics banner from EA and IDW. Peter talked about what drew him to the project in the first place, and what people can expect from the series.
Here's what Peter had to say when I asked him if he was a gamer himself:
"I'm not really a gamer. For some reason, I got into "Duke Nukem"(!!) some time ago. And I also got pretty hooked on a few racing/rally games. I had the whole steering wheel kit going on. I found that racing while completely naked, with a bottle of good Scotch whiskey by your side, just added to the thrill. But I soon found that this kind of game becomes too addictive and takes up way too much time."
You can read the rest of the interview over at Comic Book Resources by clicking here.
1-13-10: Army of Two #1 Review
Launching alongside the new “Army of Two” game this week is an ongoing comic series penned by Peter Milligan (“Hellblazer,” “Greek Street”). Brian’s got a review of the first issue here.
1-12-10: I Pity The Fool That Don't Like The A - Team!
In the 1980’s there was no one cooler than Mr. T! From his incredible appearance in Rocky 3 or his appearance in Wrestlemania, Mr. T was so the man! But it was his time on the A – Team that made him a household name. For 3 years (and 98 episodes), Mr. T, Dirk Benedict, George Peppard and Dwight Schultz were soldiers for hire, helping the common folks as they tried to clear their name with the US Army.
Good news geeks… The A – Team is back!
Starring Bradley Cooper (as Faceman), Liam Neeson (Hannibal), Sharlto Copley (Murdock) and Quinton Jackson as B.A. Baracus, The A – Team hits theatres June 11, 2010. How will fans of the old show feel about the new take by director Joe Carnahan? If you can’t wait, check out the cool trailer by clicking onto the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh0bLHnmG4M&NR=1
And in some more incredible news, our friends at IDW have announced FOUR A – Team comics…
Shotgun Wedding – A two issue series written by film director Joe Carnhan and Tom Waltz with art by Stephen Mooney.
War Stories: Hannibal and B.A. – When did it go wrong for these two? Read the pre story here! Written by Chuck Dixon and Eric Burnham with art by Hugo Petrus (Hannibal) and Casey Maloney (B.A.). Covers on both by Michael Gaydos.
Check your Previews guide (page 263) for info and tell your local comic shop (or on line retailer) you want (no need) your A – Team!
Good news geeks… The A – Team is back!
Starring Bradley Cooper (as Faceman), Liam Neeson (Hannibal), Sharlto Copley (Murdock) and Quinton Jackson as B.A. Baracus, The A – Team hits theatres June 11, 2010. How will fans of the old show feel about the new take by director Joe Carnahan? If you can’t wait, check out the cool trailer by clicking onto the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh0bLHnmG4M&NR=1
And in some more incredible news, our friends at IDW have announced FOUR A – Team comics…
Shotgun Wedding – A two issue series written by film director Joe Carnhan and Tom Waltz with art by Stephen Mooney.
War Stories: Hannibal and B.A. – When did it go wrong for these two? Read the pre story here! Written by Chuck Dixon and Eric Burnham with art by Hugo Petrus (Hannibal) and Casey Maloney (B.A.). Covers on both by Michael Gaydos.
Check your Previews guide (page 263) for info and tell your local comic shop (or on line retailer) you want (no need) your A – Team!
1-11-09: Tor.com Launches Red Light Properties
Our friends over at Tor books reached out to elt us know about a new webcomic and a new digital reader that have premiered over at Tor.com. Here's the details:
Last week Dan Goldman, the artist behind 2007’s smash hit graphic novel "Shooting War," began a six-month gig on Tor.com with the webcomic "Red Light Properties." Goldman’s comic is also the first created for Tor.com’s new comics viewer, designed to take full advantage of the online comics experience by allowing the reader to progress through a comic panel by panel or page by page, at a pace set by the artist.
You can find the comic, specifically created for reading in this panel-by-panel format, here.
"Red Light Properties" tells the story of a small Miami Beach real estate office that lists and exorcises haunted houses, and if that doesn’t immediately pull you in, the category tags alone will tell you what a crazy ride you’re in for: hauntings, real estate, miami, cuban, Jewish, santeria, yemanya, santero, dmt, salvia, psychedelics. And this is just week one: Tor.com will release 8 new pages a week, all formated specifically for this comics viewer, for the next six months.
So head over and check out the comic, then head to the boards and discuss!
Last week Dan Goldman, the artist behind 2007’s smash hit graphic novel "Shooting War," began a six-month gig on Tor.com with the webcomic "Red Light Properties." Goldman’s comic is also the first created for Tor.com’s new comics viewer, designed to take full advantage of the online comics experience by allowing the reader to progress through a comic panel by panel or page by page, at a pace set by the artist.
You can find the comic, specifically created for reading in this panel-by-panel format, here.
"Red Light Properties" tells the story of a small Miami Beach real estate office that lists and exorcises haunted houses, and if that doesn’t immediately pull you in, the category tags alone will tell you what a crazy ride you’re in for: hauntings, real estate, miami, cuban, Jewish, santeria, yemanya, santero, dmt, salvia, psychedelics. And this is just week one: Tor.com will release 8 new pages a week, all formated specifically for this comics viewer, for the next six months.
So head over and check out the comic, then head to the boards and discuss!
1-10-09: The Doctor Feels 'Empowered' ...(Sigh)
Brian and Matman do a ton of reviews! Between the podcast and the website, they do six to eight reviews a week. So anytime a friend can step in and help out, the boys are more than willing to take the assistance. Today is a review by Doctor Michael Finger on Empowered from Dark Horse Comics. When he’s not writing his own comics or being real mart (he’s a real doctor, not like a Doctor Of Comic Books), the Doctor reads a ton of comics and felt inspired enough to put fingers to keys and bang out a review.
To read what he thought, click here!
Sincere thanks to the Doctor for taking time out of his life and helping us out with the review. Nice job!
To read what he thought, click here!
Sincere thanks to the Doctor for taking time out of his life and helping us out with the review. Nice job!
1-9-09: Secret Identity Turns 200!!!
After almost four years, we finally reached the bicentennial milestone! Secret Identity has been putting out shows for 200 straight weeks now, and we feel like we're just hitting our stride. You can listen to Issue #200 on the embedded player of the SI site here, download it from iTunes, or head over to www.secretidentity.podomatic.com. When you're done, head over to the talkback thread on our boards here and let us know what you think.
Stay tuned for the Second Helping later this week, when we'll be looking back at some of our favorite moments in SI history. And thanks for listening!
Stay tuned for the Second Helping later this week, when we'll be looking back at some of our favorite moments in SI history. And thanks for listening!
1-8-09: Secret Identity Chats With Tony DeZuniga
In 1971, comic readers were introduced to the western bounty hunter Jonah Hex in All Star Western # 10. The man responsible for the look of the character was co creator Tony DeZuniga! Tony has been drawing comics for over 50 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Matman (thanks to the magic of Facebook) tracked down Tony for a little on line chat
As you can see from the sketch, Tony likes his characters a little unstable!
To read it, click here.
As you can see from the sketch, Tony likes his characters a little unstable!
To read it, click here.
1-7-10: Sneak Review--G-Man: Cape Crisis #5
Brian got a sneak peak at the conclusion of “G-Man: Cape Crisis” this week. How did things turn out for G-Man and Great Man? Click here to read the review and find out.
1-6-10: Weinstein Gives SI An After-School Update!
Our good friend Scott Weinstein reached out this week to update us about "After-School Agent" and another project he’s got coming up.
This week begins a brand-new storyline for "After-School Agent," featuring up and coming artist Leanne Hannah. The story is new-reader friendly, and anyone looking for more about the previous storyline can read the whole thing from the beginning on www.afterschoolagent.com. Once you check out Leanne’s art, you want to head over to www.leannehannah.com to see some of her other work.
Scott’s also co-written an issue of “Perhapanauts” that will be coming out in February. Those not familiar with the series about supernatural beings who investigate the supernatural will immediately recognize Mr. Craig Rousseau’s art from our friend Joe Caramagna’s “Iron Man and the Armor Wars” series. You can find out more at www.perhapanauts.com.
Our thanks to Scott for checking in, and we can’t wait to check out his new stuff!
This week begins a brand-new storyline for "After-School Agent," featuring up and coming artist Leanne Hannah. The story is new-reader friendly, and anyone looking for more about the previous storyline can read the whole thing from the beginning on www.afterschoolagent.com. Once you check out Leanne’s art, you want to head over to www.leannehannah.com to see some of her other work.
Scott’s also co-written an issue of “Perhapanauts” that will be coming out in February. Those not familiar with the series about supernatural beings who investigate the supernatural will immediately recognize Mr. Craig Rousseau’s art from our friend Joe Caramagna’s “Iron Man and the Armor Wars” series. You can find out more at www.perhapanauts.com.
Our thanks to Scott for checking in, and we can’t wait to check out his new stuff!
1-5-10: The New Hot Bed For Comics...New England?
For those of us comic fans in the New England area, we always felt that the big shows (or even the little ones) passed us by! For whatever reason good quality shows have been lacking considering Boston is a major city.
For many years, Monkey House Entertainment / Primate Promotions (then the New England Comic Con) provided small shows that satisfied the comic fan. Over the past year or so, Boston Comic Con has been the show in Boston; exceptional guest roster, great vendors and a clean and spacious location. Well the big news (drum roll please) is the announcement that Wizard Entertainment has purchased New England Comic Con and will make it a stop on the Wizard World Comic Con Tour 2010! No dates have been announced yet (let’s hope for a summer one), but in the meantime here are some dates you need to save!
North East Comic Con – January 10th: This is one out of nowhere! Secret Identity pals Billy Tucci, Ethan Van Sciver and Bob Almond headline this incredible one day show. The fun is happening at the Boston Radisson Hotel, 200 Stuart Street in Boston. For more information on this one http://www.necomiccon.com/home.html
Boston Comic Con – April 10th and 11th: This show is going to be huge and not just because of the guests! Jim Lee, Mike Mignola, Eric Powell, Steve Rude, Scottie Young and a host of others usher in a new era in shows and a new location. This and future shows will be held at the Westin Boston Waterfront at 425 Summer Street in Boston. www.bostoncomiccon.com. Brian and Matman will be at this monster of a show on Sunday!
What a great opportunity for fans and Mass. based creators as well. Creators like HB comics (Lazerman and Vindication) now have more opportunity to hit shows without having to pay for travel and lodging! This is a win / win for everyone in New England. You’ve complained that there aren’t enough good shows in the area, now there are! So show your support!
For many years, Monkey House Entertainment / Primate Promotions (then the New England Comic Con) provided small shows that satisfied the comic fan. Over the past year or so, Boston Comic Con has been the show in Boston; exceptional guest roster, great vendors and a clean and spacious location. Well the big news (drum roll please) is the announcement that Wizard Entertainment has purchased New England Comic Con and will make it a stop on the Wizard World Comic Con Tour 2010! No dates have been announced yet (let’s hope for a summer one), but in the meantime here are some dates you need to save!
North East Comic Con – January 10th: This is one out of nowhere! Secret Identity pals Billy Tucci, Ethan Van Sciver and Bob Almond headline this incredible one day show. The fun is happening at the Boston Radisson Hotel, 200 Stuart Street in Boston. For more information on this one http://www.necomiccon.com/home.html
Boston Comic Con – April 10th and 11th: This show is going to be huge and not just because of the guests! Jim Lee, Mike Mignola, Eric Powell, Steve Rude, Scottie Young and a host of others usher in a new era in shows and a new location. This and future shows will be held at the Westin Boston Waterfront at 425 Summer Street in Boston. www.bostoncomiccon.com. Brian and Matman will be at this monster of a show on Sunday!
What a great opportunity for fans and Mass. based creators as well. Creators like HB comics (Lazerman and Vindication) now have more opportunity to hit shows without having to pay for travel and lodging! This is a win / win for everyone in New England. You’ve complained that there aren’t enough good shows in the area, now there are! So show your support!
1-4-10: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review (PS3)
Brian just finished traversing half the world in search of the legendary city of Shambala in “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.” Click here to read his review and see why this game is worth buying a PlayStation 3 for.
1-3-10: The Song Is Officially Over
The End Of Time Part Two has just finished airing in the US / Canada moments ago. Matman has just stopped crying and consoling his wife and daughters to put his emotions and thoughts into words for a review on the TV / Film page (click here).
In England, the final episode in the David Tennant era had 10.4 million viewers. Many thought the plot to be a bit complicated but enjoyed the ending. Did Matman agree? What were your thoughts?
To get a look into the future of Doctor Who, click here.
In England, the final episode in the David Tennant era had 10.4 million viewers. Many thought the plot to be a bit complicated but enjoyed the ending. Did Matman agree? What were your thoughts?
To get a look into the future of Doctor Who, click here.
1-2-10: 2012: Final Prayer Review
What better way to ring in the New Year than with stories about the end of the world? This week Brian took a look at the new anthology from Heske Horror entitled “2012: Final Prayer.” Click here to read the review.
1-1-10: Make 2010 The Year Of The 'Chew'
Tired of the same old thing when it comes to comics? One book you can’t call cliché or ‘the same old thing’ is Chew! Secret Identity has been raving about this book in the days before its release, but now the rest of the world is catching on. Written by John Layman and drawn by Rob Guillory, Chew has become one of the biggest hits of 2009!
According to Image Comics and distributors, Chew has just recently had its seventh consecutive sell out. Not bad since there has only been seven issues. Chew centers around a detective named Tony Chu who gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. If he needs to solve a murder all he needs to do is eat something or someone from a crime scene and he gets the whole story. This can gross but is also very funny… in a warped kind of way.
"WOW. Months ago, if you told me that CHEW would still be selling out by the seventh issue, I'd have asked what you were smoking," Guillory tells the media. "Thanks to everyone, retailers and readers alike, for making this book such an incredible success story well beyond anything John and I could've dreamed up. You guys are the ones that make CHEW a hit!"
Chew # 6 began a new story arc, ‘International Flavor’ that has as much fun and colorful characters as the first one ‘Tasters Choice’. If you were left out of the fun, the trade collecting the first five issues has been released and at a great price, under ten bucks.
Chew # 8 will be in stores on January 27th. And as an added bonus free of charge, a surprise will be waiting in the Chew letters page. No, not another Matman letter, but a picture of his cats; Tiki and Eli.
According to Image Comics and distributors, Chew has just recently had its seventh consecutive sell out. Not bad since there has only been seven issues. Chew centers around a detective named Tony Chu who gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. If he needs to solve a murder all he needs to do is eat something or someone from a crime scene and he gets the whole story. This can gross but is also very funny… in a warped kind of way.
"WOW. Months ago, if you told me that CHEW would still be selling out by the seventh issue, I'd have asked what you were smoking," Guillory tells the media. "Thanks to everyone, retailers and readers alike, for making this book such an incredible success story well beyond anything John and I could've dreamed up. You guys are the ones that make CHEW a hit!"
Chew # 6 began a new story arc, ‘International Flavor’ that has as much fun and colorful characters as the first one ‘Tasters Choice’. If you were left out of the fun, the trade collecting the first five issues has been released and at a great price, under ten bucks.
Chew # 8 will be in stores on January 27th. And as an added bonus free of charge, a surprise will be waiting in the Chew letters page. No, not another Matman letter, but a picture of his cats; Tiki and Eli.
12-31-09: The Happening Review (DVD)
Brian finally sat down and watched M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Happening” this past weekend. So what exactly happened? Click here to read his review and find out.
12-30-09: CBR's Top 100 Comics Of 2009 Includes Some Secret Identity Picks
Comic Book Resources has started their annual countdown of the top 100 comics of the year. Each year they have staff and freelancers put together a ranked top ten list, and each of their picks earns points for a certain title. They put all the lists together and add up all the points to come up with the final 100 of the year. This is the second year I've been lucky enough to be a part of their annual tradition, and some of my picks have made the top 100 this year. Over on the CBR now is the first article of the series, counting down #100-#76. Two of my, Madame Xanadu and G-Man: Cape Crisis are #92 and #91, respectively.
You can head directly to the CBR article and check out the rest of the list by clicking here. The rest of the top 100 should be getting posted in the next few days. For more "Best of 2009" goodness, tune in to Issue #199.5 of Secret Identity, where Matt and I will be talking about our favorites of 2009 in comics, movies, TV, games and toys.
--Brian
You can head directly to the CBR article and check out the rest of the list by clicking here. The rest of the top 100 should be getting posted in the next few days. For more "Best of 2009" goodness, tune in to Issue #199.5 of Secret Identity, where Matt and I will be talking about our favorites of 2009 in comics, movies, TV, games and toys.
--Brian
12-29-09: Playing Games With Chris Giarrusso
Press Release From Image Comics
While most comic books are taking a week off, Mini Marvels cartoonist Chris Giarrusso invites fans to fill that time with G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS: ESCAPE FROM DARK FOREST, the all-new video game featuring his beloved creator-owned superhero!
"I'm very happy to see that comics and gaming fans have been enjoying the classic 8-bit style G-Man video games we've been adding to chrisgcomics.com," Giarrusso said. "Long-time gaming fans dig that familiar old-school feel they grew up with, while younger fans are discovering the undeniable charm of these games for the first time. I personally couldn't be more thrilled with the way these games tie directly into aspects of the CapeCrisis comic series."
ESCAPE FROM DARK FOREST adapts the memorable chase scene from G-MAN: CAPECRISIS #4, where G-Man must stay one step ahead of the deadly forest monsters seeking to devour him. Once readers are finished being thrilled, they can head down to their local comic book store in January to pick up the shocking conclusion to G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS, as well as the currently available digest collection of G-MAN's previous comics, G-MAN: LEARNING TO FLY.
G-MAN: CAPECRISIS #5 (OCT090421), a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores January 13th, 2009. Printable order info can be downloaded here to help your retailer assist you in finding G-Man books. G-MAN: CAPECRISIS: ESCAPE FROM DARK FOREST is available for free online play right now by clicking here.
While most comic books are taking a week off, Mini Marvels cartoonist Chris Giarrusso invites fans to fill that time with G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS: ESCAPE FROM DARK FOREST, the all-new video game featuring his beloved creator-owned superhero!
"I'm very happy to see that comics and gaming fans have been enjoying the classic 8-bit style G-Man video games we've been adding to chrisgcomics.com," Giarrusso said. "Long-time gaming fans dig that familiar old-school feel they grew up with, while younger fans are discovering the undeniable charm of these games for the first time. I personally couldn't be more thrilled with the way these games tie directly into aspects of the CapeCrisis comic series."
ESCAPE FROM DARK FOREST adapts the memorable chase scene from G-MAN: CAPECRISIS #4, where G-Man must stay one step ahead of the deadly forest monsters seeking to devour him. Once readers are finished being thrilled, they can head down to their local comic book store in January to pick up the shocking conclusion to G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS, as well as the currently available digest collection of G-MAN's previous comics, G-MAN: LEARNING TO FLY.
G-MAN: CAPECRISIS #5 (OCT090421), a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores January 13th, 2009. Printable order info can be downloaded here to help your retailer assist you in finding G-Man books. G-MAN: CAPECRISIS: ESCAPE FROM DARK FOREST is available for free online play right now by clicking here.
12-28-09: The Man Of Steel VS. The Greatest!
It’s hard to imagine a sports figure as popular as Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan combined, but in the 1970’s no one could touch Muhammad Ali as far as marketability and iconic status. During his boxing career Ali went 56 – 5 with 37 knockouts. So in 1978 it was no surprise that Ali felt he could take on another iconic figure in the ring, Superman.
Released as a treasury sized comic, Superman vs. Muhammad Ali by writer Denny O’Neli and artist Neil Adams chronicles a tale of aliens and boxing. As a race of aliens look to invade earth, Superman and Ali decide to fight under a red sun (to make the battle even). The aliens (Scrubbs) wish to have Superman (earth’s champion) fight to defend earth, but Ali jumps in claiming Superman is an alien and shouldn’t fight for earth….he should! So the two battle and history is / was made!
The book was plagued by lateness issues as well as some demands from Ali. One was that he would discover Superman was really ClarkKent! The cover (originally done by Joe Kubert) by neil Adams featured a celebrity filled audience featuring famous folks of the day as well as cameos within the story itself. President Jimmy Carter, Joe Namath, and the Jackson 5 join Batman, Lex Luthor and a bunch of DC staffers.
The exciting news is that DC has announced a fall 2010 release date for two different versions of this collection. One will be a deluxe hardcover with additional sketches and a new cover by Adams. The second, a large size (like the original) with the books original cover.
So float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, still ain’t no one better than Muhammad Ali!
Released as a treasury sized comic, Superman vs. Muhammad Ali by writer Denny O’Neli and artist Neil Adams chronicles a tale of aliens and boxing. As a race of aliens look to invade earth, Superman and Ali decide to fight under a red sun (to make the battle even). The aliens (Scrubbs) wish to have Superman (earth’s champion) fight to defend earth, but Ali jumps in claiming Superman is an alien and shouldn’t fight for earth….he should! So the two battle and history is / was made!
The book was plagued by lateness issues as well as some demands from Ali. One was that he would discover Superman was really ClarkKent! The cover (originally done by Joe Kubert) by neil Adams featured a celebrity filled audience featuring famous folks of the day as well as cameos within the story itself. President Jimmy Carter, Joe Namath, and the Jackson 5 join Batman, Lex Luthor and a bunch of DC staffers.
The exciting news is that DC has announced a fall 2010 release date for two different versions of this collection. One will be a deluxe hardcover with additional sketches and a new cover by Adams. The second, a large size (like the original) with the books original cover.
So float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, still ain’t no one better than Muhammad Ali!
12-27-09: Celebrating The Holidays With The Parkers
Every family has their holiday traditions during this time of year. Getting together with family, going to church for that special midnight service, swapping gifts over Christmas carols. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, chances are there are some traditions that you've kept up with over the years.
We have a tradition in my family, too. For the past twelve years, we have invited Ralphie, Randy and Mr and Mrs. Parker to spend Christmas with us. For twelve years straight, Ralphie's quest to obtain the greatest Christmas present of all time, the 'official Red rider carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle,' has been part of our Christmas celebration. TBS airs "A Christmas Story" 12 times in a row between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and it's pretty much the only thing that graces a television screen in our house during that time. It's become such a mainstay in our Christmas experience that ir permeated the discussion had during our Christmas gatherings. Favorite scenes, favorite quotes, what the cast is up to now, etc.
Why do I love this movie so much? Perhaps it's because when "A Christmas Story" came out in 1983, I was nine years old, just like Ralphie. Maybe it's because I had a Daisy air rifle when I was a kid, and it was one of my most prized possessions. Or maybe it's because as the world gets crazier every year, it's nice to take a trip back in time to when things were simpler. Hard to say, but I know I couldn't imagine a Christmas without it. And I suppose that when Mr. Turner finally decides to stop running the marathon, we'll start holding one of our own at the LeTendre house.
So, what's you family's holiday tradition?
We have a tradition in my family, too. For the past twelve years, we have invited Ralphie, Randy and Mr and Mrs. Parker to spend Christmas with us. For twelve years straight, Ralphie's quest to obtain the greatest Christmas present of all time, the 'official Red rider carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle,' has been part of our Christmas celebration. TBS airs "A Christmas Story" 12 times in a row between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and it's pretty much the only thing that graces a television screen in our house during that time. It's become such a mainstay in our Christmas experience that ir permeated the discussion had during our Christmas gatherings. Favorite scenes, favorite quotes, what the cast is up to now, etc.
Why do I love this movie so much? Perhaps it's because when "A Christmas Story" came out in 1983, I was nine years old, just like Ralphie. Maybe it's because I had a Daisy air rifle when I was a kid, and it was one of my most prized possessions. Or maybe it's because as the world gets crazier every year, it's nice to take a trip back in time to when things were simpler. Hard to say, but I know I couldn't imagine a Christmas without it. And I suppose that when Mr. Turner finally decides to stop running the marathon, we'll start holding one of our own at the LeTendre house.
So, what's you family's holiday tradition?