I’ve been typing my fingers down to the bone these days, working on exciting new book and column ideas. One of the projects I’m passionate about is my new book of Super-Hero puzzles and brainbusters. I’m halfway through!
For example: Spider-Man is traveling on a train with 10 cars. When the train leaves the station, the Hulk jumps from midtown trying to squish the train. If the Hulk will land on the train in 10 minutes, and the train travels at 40 miles per hour, how come Spidey gets to date Shadowcat in the Ultimate Marvel U, but never got to date her in the 616 Marvel Universe?
Or how about this one: With over 50 years worth of comics under his belt, understanding the current continuity to Superman can be difficult. What is the best book to read first in order to understand the complicated world of Superman.
I suspect the answer to that one is “A Dictionary,” though I’m not sure. When I say I’m halfway done with this project I really mean it: I write the questions first and then go back and try to write the answers. Anybody who has a clue on how to answer that first questions should send their response my way.
FUNNY BOOKS
Turkey Day looms like an evil bat above a hair salon. Not only will it be harder to cut through Union Square to get to the beloved Forbidden Planet now that the Christmas market is up, but our own comic needs might have to take a back seat to the holiday shopping needs of our friends and families. Bummer.
Still, the publishers are going to do their fair share to snatch your holiday cash. Dark Horse has THREE amazing books out this week. Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson’s instant classic about ghost hunting pets, Beasts of Burden #3, is finally out, as is Creepy #2, Dark Horse’s exhilarating retro horror anthology!
Fans of Eric Powell’s the Goon will be chuffed stupid this week with the arrival of Eric’s first Goon book in months: Goon #33. Do you know who likes the Goon? Every single man, woman and child who knows anything about anything, that’s who. DON’T get left out on one of the best books around.
UNDEAD
DC has the latest issue of Blackest Night (#5) out, and speaking of the undead, Image is finally releasing Image Unleashed, the big blockbuster comic reuniting Rob Liefeld and other Image founders with the characters they created for Image’s initial run. Todd will draw Spawn. Robb will draw Badrock. It promises to be… interesting.
Also on the slate for this week’s releases are Hulk #17 from Marvel, as well as New Avengers #59 and the new ongoing Powers #1 series!
Powers is Brian Michael Bendis’ smart n’ sassy cop book that showed the rest of the comics industry how to keep things funny but compelling, gritty but enjoyable. I feel it was Powers that REALLY got him his stint on Ultimate Spidey and eventually lead to him taking over Marvel.
DC Vertigo is reprinting some classic material this week with two volumes of Shade the Changing Man (Shade the Changing Man Vol 1 American Scream and Shade the Changing Man Vol. 2 Edge of Vision). Vintage Vertigo and vintage weirdness form the crazed creator of the X-Statics!
NEXT WEEK I’ll be back with some holiday shopping ideas, though this week’s slate of incredible books should keep you mighty busy till then!
