Secret Identity--What's New?

Justin Gray At New York Comic Fest

5/31/2014

by Matman

Brian and I spend a lot of time talking about Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Connor, but if you mention those two you gotta mention writer Justin Gray.

Justin first started working with Jimmy as an editor on 'Painkiller Jane' and a few years later he was co-writing with Jimmy some incredible books like '21 Down', 'the Monolith' as well as a nice run on 'Hawkman'. But it was his work on 'Jonah Hex' that really made me take notice of his talents.

From there, Justin (and Jimmy) brought new life to 'Freedom Fighters' and 'G.I. Combat' proving that no matter what the genre or the property, Justin could help tell amazing stories.

On June 14th, Justin will be appearing with tons of other awesome creators at New York Comic Fest in White Plains, New York. For more information go to www.nycomicfest.com

For a complete list of Justin's work just go to http://www.comicbookdb.com/creator.php?ID=190

Review--Justice League 3000 #6 (DC)

5/30/2014

by Brian LeTendre

Justice League 3000 is a book I’m really glad I stuck with, because it’s turning out to be a very entertaining series. As a huge fan of Batman Beyond as well as Marvel’s 2099 universe, I love the future timeline premise. And the creative team of J.M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen and Howard Porter is an all-star one.

The basic premise of JL3000 is that the universe has been subjugated by a group of godlike beings called The Five. As a last resort, Project Cadmus tried to re-create the Justice League of our time by taking the DNA of the originals and bonding it with human hosts. The results are a bunch of headcases with some of the powers and limited memories of their previous versions.

From the outset, the new versions of Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern and Batman are way out of their league when it comes to battling The Five. Flash literally gets torn to shreds at one point, and Project Cadmus has to make another one, sacrificing another human host in order to do so. This new Flash has to try and rescue his counterparts, who are being pursued by The Five. When he gets captured along with them, it’s up to Green Lantern to save the day, as he’s managed to escape and has set about freeing his teammates before The Five realizes they’re gone.

Issue #6 sees the story finally hitting its stride, as things started out slow and moved along in fits and spurts for the first few issues. Flash and Green Lantern are emerging as the two likable characters of the bunch, which is something this book lacked initially. I feel like Giffen and DeMatteis made such a point of showing us how flawed the new League is that they overplayed it a bit, giving us no one to root for. But the characters are starting to feel distinct now, and I’m now invested in seeing how they actually become heroes.

So, if you jumped off after an issue or two, now might be a good time to get back onboard. Justice League 3000 is coming together.

3.5 out of The Five

Superheroes Go Union

5/29/2014

Press Release

Kyle Higgins (Batman, Nightwing), Alec Siegel (Captain America, Avengers), and Rod Reis’ (Justice League) all-new ongoing series C.O.W.L. has garnered early praise across the comics community and sold out instantly at the distributor level. In order to meet customer demand, Image Comics is pleased to announce a second printing of the new superhero comic will be available on 6/25.

Set in 1960s Chicago, C.O.W.L. begins the story of a labor union of superheroes who must work together to regain the confidence of the public and ferret out threats inside and outside their offices.

C.O.W.L. #1 has completely sold out at the distributor level, but may still be available in comic stores. It is currently available digitally on the Image Comics website (imagecomics.com) and the official Image Comics iOS app, as well as on Comixology on the web (comixology.com), iOS, Android, and Google Play.

Image Comics is pleased to announce that this issue will be going back to print to meet customer demand. The second printing of C.O.W.L. #1 (Diamond Code APR148351) will release on 6/25.

C.O.W.L. #2 releases 6/25 as well and will be available for pre-order with Diamond Code APR140562.

Review--Revival #20 (Image)

5/28/2014

by Brian LeTendre

What I love most about Tim Seeley and Mike Norton’s Revival is that it’s a story about two sisters. Of course, it’s also a story about the recently-returned dead, a mysterious murders and a city full of people who have more dirty secrets than the citizens of Twin Peaks. But for me, it's the sisters' story that is the core of Revival.

Dana and Martha Cypress are two sisters who are lost. Martha is a “reviver,” recently returned from the dead and desperately searching for the piece of her she knows is missing. Dana is a police officer who’s trying to solve her sister’s murder and deal with the new status quo and the problems that have arisen since “Revival Day.”

Dana is just as lost as her sister though, and in this issue, we see that her job and her quest to find Martha’s killer are taking her farther away from her own son. She is losing another of the only connections that ground her, and it sets up this great dynamic where both she and Martha are in a very similar place. Martha is trying to find something, and Dana is trying to hold on to what’s left of her “normal” life.

The farther I get into this series, the more it reminds me of Twin Peaks. Seeley and Norton are not afraid to let the story breathe, and there are no throwaway characters. The pace is methodical, and each issue begs to be reread, as there’s a reason for everything you see and read. Norton’s art is such a good fit for Seeley’s storytelling, and vice-versa. Revival is a shining example of how great comics can be when the creative team is in sync, and if you haven't jumped on board yet, you are missing out.

5 out of 5 Dana Cypress has the Same Initials as Dale Cooper and Her Son's Name is Cooper (Twin Peaks References!)

Countdown To Hartford Comic Con

5/27/2014

In less than one week Hartford welcomes the FIRST Hartford Comic Con!

HCC features top celebrity talents like:

Michael Massee, Spiderman/ Spiderman 2
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad/Revolution
Katrina Law, Spartacus/Arrow*NEW*
Liam McIntyre, Spartacus*NEW*
Kyla Kenedy, Walking Dead*NEW*
Ellen Hollman, Spartacus *NEW*
Steven Dunlevy, Spartacus
*NEW*Anna Hutchinson, Spartacus/Cabin in the Woods/Power Rangers
Brando Eaton, Dexter/Cabin Fever/ Zoey 101
T
OP COMIC CREATORS!
We have the comic industries top talents including special guests X-Men's Ed McGuinness, Tim Sale from Batman, Jimmy Cheung from Original Sin, Eisner winning cover artist: The Reverend Dave Johnson, Kaare Andrews from Iron Fist, Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb from Adventure Time and the Midas Flesh, Sam Ellis from Archer, David Rodriguez from Skylanders, Matthew Dow Smith and Blair Shedd from Dr. Who, Sara Richard and Agnes Garbowska from My Little Pony, Craig Rousseau from Batman 1966, the crews from Big Dog Ink and Station Studios and so many more!

Game ON!
League of Legends live tournament is available! Shout casted by Brando Eaton and guests. Magic Draft Events and Yugioh Box Tournaments are also available for sign up. Sign up now for chances to win fantastic prizes and get your game on!

KIDS rule at HCC!
Introducing a full KidConn to happening during the two days of fun.

Cosplay your thing?
Bringing their creative skills are Riddle1, BelleChere, Nadyasonika, Nikkinevermore, Echo Endless, and Miggy Jagger!We offer fun for the whole family!

Special events!
Gallery Show at the Tobacco Shop, Drink and Draw at McKinnon's Irish Pub, and the after party at City Steam Brewery!http://hartfordcomiccon.com/event-schedule/after-hour-events/

Expected attendance will reach 12-15 thousand our first year!
You can buy tickets online here! http://tinyurl.com/q6pk4hw

Thank you from the Hartford Comic Con Team;Bob, Mike, Scott, Elaine, Kim, Pat, Adam, Will, Melissa, Tom, Bea, Lita, Alexandra, and Derek

For more information contact: Epic Productions epic@hartfordcomiccon.com
561-756-0732
www.hartfordcomiccon.com

The SI Community Comes Through Again!

5/27/2014

by Brian LeTendre

I have said before that I believe the community of listeners that has formed around the Secret Identity podcast is nothing short of amazing. Whether on our Facebook page, over on the forums or in the emails we get for the show, the SI community is a positive, welcoming group that have made this show worth doing for the past eight years.

This week, I have another reason to boast about how great our listeners are. When we heard about the recent passing of comic legend Dick Ayers in early May, I remembered that Matt had interviewed him at a Big Apple comic show in New York years ago. I went digging through my digital archives for the episode, and as my bad luck would have it, I had an incomplete version of the episode in question, that was missing the interview with Dick.

So, I took to the forums and the airwaves to see if any of our listeners had saved old episodes. This one in particular was number 81.5, and it was from around October of 2007. Lo and behold, one of our longtime listeners David Anderson came through. He had the episode, sent it to me, and now we’ll be able to share it with everyone who may have missed it when we first aired it seven years ago.

So, a huge thanks to David, not only for coming through, but for being a loyal listener of the show from the very beginning. David has supported us all the way, from coming to live recordings, to connecting with us at shows, to emailing in on a regular basis after all these years. He is another reason I think we have the most amazing community around. And because of him, you will be able to hear our Dick Ayers interview again soon.

Stay tuned to the podcast for details!

Remembering Our Heroes

5/26/2014

by Matman

Since America's fight for independence, men and women have served our nation with honor and scarified so much... including their lives.

The picture above is my grandfather (Stanley) at Forest Park in Springfield, MA. the day he returnded from serving in World War II. My dad (another Stanley), was born in November of 1942 when my grandfather was already in the Pacific. This picture is so special to me because this was the day they first met in the fall of 1945. For over three years my grandfather fought for our country and kad the knowledge he was a father but wasnt there until he was almost four.

This is the kind of sacrifice our men and women in uniform make for us every day! I always thank anyone in uniform for their service and when I see an older vet selling poppies, I'm getting one to support them, thank them and maybe strike up a conversation.

Thank you!

ComiXology Giving Away 20 Free Comics In 20 Days

5/25/2014

Press Release

Summer is getting more fun as comiXology – the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform available across the Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone, Android, Windows 8 and comixology.com – gives away one new free comic every day for the next twenty days starting Memorial Day, Monday, May 26th! Dubbed “The ComiXology Summer Reading List” event, comic fans around the globe visiting comixology.com each day will find a new surprise free comic!

Not only will there be a great new comic from a surprise publisher every day, but customers can also gift these awesome comics to friends, family, co-workers or whoever they want to share the gift of comics with – absolutely free!

“ComiXology fans deserve an amazing line-up of outstanding comics to discover from top publishers so they can read and share with everyone they know,” said comiXology’s VP Communications & Marketing Chip Mosher. “We know nothing beats a sunny day reading comics, except twenty days and free to boot! By the end of the promotion comics fans will have a great summer reading list.”

The ComiXology Summer Reading List event begins Monday, May 26th and will run until Saturday, June 14th with one new free comic released every day for download or to gift to anyone you choose. Check back each day starting Monday on comixology.com to find the new free ComiXology Summer Reading List comic!

With over 50,000 comics and graphic novels from more than 75 publishers, comiXology offers the widest selection of digital comics in the world. ComiXology’s immense catalog and cinematic Guided View reading experience is available across the Kindle Fire, iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows 8 and on comixology.com – making it the best digital platform for comic and graphic novel fans worldwide.

For more information visit www.comixology.com.

Archie History Covered

5/24/2014

by Matman

As I was flipping thru the 'greatest hits' collection called Archie Comics Super Special # 5 (still available at comic stores and newstands) and saw some ads for several books that are must have for comic historians, Archie fans and lovers of good books.

But the book that got me scrabling for the debit card is 'The Art Of Archie - The Covers.' This hardcover book collects over 70 years of covers featuring the talents of Dan DeCarlo, Harry Lucey, Bob Montana, Dan Parent and so many more in a deluxe, oversize hardcover edition. This book is the perfect companion to 'The Art of Betty and Veronica' and is brought to you by the same team of Victor gorelick and Craig Yoe.

And if you order this weekend, you can save 30% of any orders made at www.archiecomics.com in celebration of Memorial Day. So thank a vet and order some amazing books.

The Summer Reading and Watching Projects Start June 6th!!

5/23/2014

It’s that time again--the Summer Reading and Watching Projects are here!

For those that aren't familiar, the Summer Projects replace the Out of the Longbox and Saturday Morning Special segments of the podcast for the summer. We read and watch issues and episodes of the projects each week and discuss them on the show.

We are getting a bit of a late start this year, so we didn’t get to do the polling that we usually do regarding our Summer Projects, but we have a couple of great ones that we think everyone will be excited about.

Summer Reading Project--Uncanny X-Men: Dark Phoenix Saga and Days of Future Past

Given that the latest X-Men movie is tackling one of the most famous X-Men storylines ever, we figured it would be appropriate to check out the comic version of Days of Future Past as well. But DoFP flows directly out of the Dark Phoenix Saga, so we figured it would be a better idea to start with that.

Both storylines cover issues #129-143 of Uncanny X-Men and X-Men Annual #4. Each of these storylines are also available in trade as well as Kindle versions, so everyone should be able to get their hands on them. Here's the Amazon links:

Dark Phoenix Saga
Days of Future Past

ComiXology also has them both:

Dark Phoenix Saga
Days of Future Past

Summer Watching Project--Attack on Titan (Season 1)

A little over one hundred years ago, a race of giant-like humanoids appeared on earth and began devouring people, to the point of almost wiping out humanity. Those that are left now live inside a walled city, and things have been relatively quiet for the past century. That changes one day when a towering 60-foot tall Titan shows up and smashes through the city wall, bringing a horse of smaller Titans with it as well.

Some of the remaining humans join a fighting force to strike back against the Titans before humanity is completely wiped out. Check out a clip below.

Our good friend Sarah Hodge-Wetherbe (the “Anime Librarian” as she’s known to SI listeners) will be joining us for some of the Summer Watching Project segments, and she may even bring some off the voice cast from the show along with her!

When do we start?
We will be kicking off the Summer projects on June 6th with the first two episodes of Attack on Titan. On Monday June 9th, the first issue of the Dark Phoenix Saga will kick off the Summer Reading Project. So you've got about two weeks to get access to the materials and read/watch the first installments. We’ll be covering two episodes of Attack on Titan at a time, so we can get through the first season of 25 episodes in a reasonable time frame.

So get reading and watching!

<<Previous

Justin Gray At New York Comic Fest

Review--Justice League 3000 #6 (DC)

Superheroes Go Union

Review--Revival #20 (Image)

Countdown To Hartford Comic Con

The SI Community Comes Through Again!

Remembering Our Heroes

ComiXology Giving Away 20 Free Comics In 20 Days

Archie History Covered

The Summer Reading and Watching Projects Start June 6th!!

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