Lucid Comics August 13th
Written by Adam A. Donaldson
Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:29
Table of Contents:
Fan Expo Preview
Obama Vs McCain: The Comic
McFarlane: Venom must be “creepier”
Dark Horse Sweeps Eisners
Reviews
New Releases
Fan Expo Preview
If it’s the end of August, then that means its time for Fan Expo. It’s Canada’s largest fan gathering and seems to just keep getting bigger every year. As if you needed another reason, here are 10 things to look for at this year’s event.
10) Meet Cult Favourites – Where else can you meet the first and best Boba Fett Jeremy Bulloch, or the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer Kristy Swanson? Get an autograph from the man behind the most banned movie in history: Cannibal Holocaust, Ruggero Deodato, or get your picture taken with House of 1,000 Corpses’ Capt. Spalding Sid Haig?
 | 9) Anime Karaoke – After a long day on the convention floor, why don’t you kick back and relax at the Holiday Inn on King for some Anime-related nightlife, including J-Pop Dance, Anime Name That Tune, and Anime Karaoke. For that last one, you’re free to bring a CD and lyrics for your favourite anime tune and regale the crowd with your rendition. 8) Evil Dead the Musical – It’s the musical so great they just can’t decide when it’s ever going to end its Toronto run. Much like the Toronto Comic Con, look for the Evil Dead booth and meet cast members or come out to the Q&A to see a live musical number. 7) Back Issues – This short film will receive its Canadian premiere screening at Fan Expo. In a plot that will certainly appeal to the fanboy in everyone, the short follows Peter as he tries to make an important life choice after being given an ultimatum by his girlfriend: marry her or keep pursuing his dreams of being a comic book letterer. 6) Sketch Duels – Fan Expo is frequently attended by some of the best and brightest in comic book artists. The Sketch-Off is always a highlight as artists talk about their talent and then show it off, with a few lucky fans walking away with the goods. 5) Frag Premiere – There’s been a lot of talk about the rise of professional gaming in the last few years, and the documentary, Frag, hopes to shed some light on the world of competitive gaming and the players there in. This is the documentary’s Canadian premiere. |
| 4) Made in Canada – At this panel, you can learn all about the boon of Canadian talent working in the comic book industry. The panel will discuss working in Canada and how that influences their work. 3) Brian Bolland – As The Dark Knight continues to reign, it’s apropos that the artist behind The Killing Joke, should make an appearance. The book was one of the film’s influences in its depiction of the Joker as played by Heath Ledger. 2) American Monsters: An Evening with Tobe Hooper – Legendary director Hooper will appear in-person, along with a 35 mm print of his masterpiece The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to answer audience questions. It’ll cost you something extra, but this presentation by Rue Morgue represents a one of a kind opportunity. |  |
1) Buzz Aldrin – Typically at the Sci-Fi Expo you only tend to meet people that have pretended to be in space, rarely, if ever, do you get to meet a guy who’s actually been there. Of course, it’s a VIP-only session, but if you can spring the 330 bucks, then it truly is a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”
For more information, including schedules and a list of exhibitors, go to: http://www.hobbystar.com/fanexpo2008/
In the News
Obama Vs McCain: The Comic
Well, that’s kind of simplistic. But the fact of the matter is that IDW Comics, the studio that brought you 30 Days of Night and numerous licensed comic properties, is now delving deep to bring comic readers the true life story of US Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. "We're not doing anything that is sensational here," said IDW special projects editor Scott Dunbier, adding that neither campaign was involved in the development of the books. "We're sticking to the facts." The stories will be independently researched developed by the publisher, with novelist Jeff Mariotte authoring Obama’s story and History of Violence writer Andy Helfer penning McCain’s. J. Scott Campbell will be drawing the covers for both issues, which will be available in print and online on October 8th. Learn more about the books here: http://www.presidentialcomics.com/
 | McFarlane: Venom must be “creepier” There’s been a lot of talk in the last few weeks about the creation of a Venom solo movie to be spun-off from Spider-Man 3. Now, Venom’s co-creator Todd McFarlane has spoken out about the idea saying that if Sony proceeds then thy need to make the villain creepier. "When I created him, he was a monster first, then a guy underneath," McFarlane said in an interview with Newsarama promoting the upcoming Image United. "He should be creepier than what he was in Spider-Man 3." McFarlane went on to say that when he first designed the character he didn’t even know that there was supposed to be a guy in the symbiotic suit. "I didn't realize until afterward that it was Eddie Brock underneath... which is why the proportions are the way they are [in the comics], with the big jaws and the hunching. I pictured him as a creature, and not a human being in a costume." |
| Dark Horse Sweeps Eisners Milwaukee-based publisher Dark Horse took home half the hardware that could be won at the recent, 21st annual Eisner Awards ceremony in San Diego. Dark Horse took home several top awards including Best New Series (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8), Best Writer/Artist (Humor - Eric Powell, The Goon), and Best Limited Series (The Umbrella Academy). “Our performance this year at the Eisners is another indication of the level of talent now working with Dark Horse,” said company President Mike Richardson. “It is particularly rewarding to see these committed creators, who have invested so much of themselves into their work, being recognized by our entire industry.” Canadian publisher Drawn and Quarterly also came away a winner with the nod for Best Graphic Album (New) for Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan. |  |
 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #17 Joss Whedon and Karl Moline Dark Horse Comics The world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer managed to skirt that fine line between the real and the fantastical much better than most. Case in point: the latest storyline from Buffy Season 8, which brings our modern day slayer together with her far-future counterpart Fray, who was born in the comic book of the same name, also created by Whedon. More than a gimmick, Whedon seems to be tying the fates of the two worlds together, propelling some of the key themes of this “season” of Buffy forward, while doing it in the fan-pleasing package of resurrecting Fray’s future. If I have a complaint, it’s that the revelation of the future puppet master was a more than a little obvious, but maybe I just know Whedon too well. |
 | Hulk #5 Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness Marvel Comics Perhaps my feelings on the new Hulk would be different if the pace was picked up. You know, if we were on the eighth issue rather than the fifth. But I’ll give the book this much: it certainly looks great. Story-wise though, the glacial pace of the narrative combined with the fact that this feels more like an Avengers spin-off than a Hulk book, and you have something that kind of gets a little more underwhelming with each passing issue. Does it even matter who the Red Hulk is at this point? It doesn’t seem to matter to Loeb, who just keeps throwing the monster into one cool fight after the other, like Thor, for example, from this issue. Still, at least it looks cool. |
 | No Fear Shakespeare: Hamlet Neil Babra from the play by William Shakespeare Spark Notes I kind of wish we had these back in high school. No Fear Shakespeare is a collection of graphic novel adaptations by a company called Spark Notes, who created the series for Barnes & Noble as study guides. The art has a great indie look and a dark mellow tone, perfect for the Bard’s most famous tragedy. Of course it’s not a straight up adaptation, which is the real shame of this experiment. The key to “getting” Shakespeare is to see it with a visual element, but these books update the language slightly so that lines are using modern English words while their substance is still the same. Still, it does kind of fiddle with a good thing. The rhythm’s just not the same, but it’s an enjoyable way to read an old favourite. |
 | The Authority: World’s End #1 Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning and Simon Coleby DC/Wildstorm Gone are the days of Ellis or Millar’s Authority, the superhero team book that took the manual and threw it out the window. This Authority is part of the “World’s End” crossover, a relaunch for the Wildstorm books as they attempt to recover from the last failed relaunch. Ah, well. I don’t know all the details from this crossover event, but it apparently involves the collision of realities and the destruction of London, which is now called Un-London. I can’t pretend I completely understand what’s going on, but I kind of still dug the book. Little things anyway, like how Apollo can’t spend a lot of time on the ground because pollution makes it too hard to absorb the sun. Still, the issue left me a little lost in the wilderness, which is kind of hard to take because first issues should be a little clearer. |
New Releases
August 13th
Dark Horse
B.P.R.D.: THE WARNING #2
CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #2
FEAR AGENT #23
THE GOON #27
HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN #2
DC Comics
ACTION COMICS #868
BATMAN #679
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #20
THE BATMAN STRIKES! #48
BOOSTER GOLD #11
CHECKMATE #29
FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS #1 (OF 5)
GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY #11
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #27
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOL. 2
THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES IN THE 31ST CENTURY #17
MILLENNIUM
ROBIN: YEAR ONE
SIMON DARK #11
SIMON DARK: WHAT SIMON DOES
SUPERGIRL: BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL
TINY TITANS #7
TRINITY #11
WONDER WOMAN #23
Image Comics
FIREBREATHER #2
FRANK FRAZETTA’S DRACULA MEETS THE WOLF-MAN
GOLLY #1
HYPERKINETIC #2 (of 4)
SPAWN #181
TRANSHUMAN #3 (of 4)
Marvel Comics
AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL # 23
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 567
ASTONISHING X-MEN # 26
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI: 13 # 4
FANTASTIC FOUR # 559
GENEXT # 4
HALO: UPRISING # 3
HULK CHRONICLES: WWH # 2
MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK # 14
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN # 42
PUNISHER # 60
PUNISHER KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE ONE-SHOT # 1
SECRET INVASION # 5
SECRET INVASION: INHUMANS # 1
SECRET INVASION: RUNAWAYS/YOUNG AVENGERS # 2
SECRET INVASION: THOR # 1
SECRET INVASION: X-MEN # 1
THE LAST DEFENDERS # 6
UNIVERSAL WAR ONE # 2
X-MEN ORIGIN: JEAN GREY # 1
Collections
MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK VOL. 3: STRONGEST ONE THERE IS
MARVEL ILLUSTRATED: PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
MOON KNIGHT VOL. 3: GOD & COUNTRY
NEW EXILES VOL. 1: NEW LIFE, NEW GAMBIT
NEW X-MEN BY GRANT MORRISON ULTIMATE COLLECTION BOOK 2
SPIDER-MAN: KRAVEN'S LAST HUNT TPB
SPIDER-MAN: ONE MORE DAY
THUNDERBOLTS: CAGED ANGELS PREMIERE
WOLVERINE: GET MYSTIQUE
August 20th
Dark Horse
EMILY THE STRANGE #4
THE HELM #2
REX MUNDI #13
STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC #32
DC Comics
ALL STAR SUPERMAN VOL. 1
BATGIRL #2 (OF 6)
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #10
BIRDS OF PREY #121
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #16
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD VOL. 2: THE BOOK OF DESTINY
CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #28
COUNTDOWN PRESENTS: LORD HAVOK AND THE EXTREMISTS
DC SPECIAL: CYBORG #4 (OF 6)
DC/WILDSTORM: DREAMWAR #5 (OF 6)
FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #1 (OF 5)
THE FLASH #243
JLA VOL. 1: DELUXE EDITION
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #24
METAL MEN
RANN/THANAGAR: HOLY WAR #4 (OF 8)
ROBIN #177
SCOOBY-DOO #135
SHOWCASE PRESENTS: THE ATOM VOL. 2
THE SPIRIT #20
SUICIDE SQUAD: FROM THE ASHES
SUPER FRIENDS #6
SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 5
SUPERMAN/BATMAN #51
TANGENT: SUPERMAN'S REIGN #6 (OF 12)
TRINITY #12
Image Comics
CHARLATAN BALL #3
THE ROBERTS #1 (of 2)
THE WALKING DEAD #50
YOUNGBLOOD, VOL. 1: FOCUS TESTED TP
Marvel Comics
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 568
CAPTAIN AMERICA # 41
FOOLKILLER: WHITE ANGELS # 2
GHOST RIDER # 26
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY # 4
IMMORTAL IRON FIST: THE ORIGIN OF DANNY RAND # 1
INCREDIBLE HERCULES # 120
IRON MAN: DIRECTOR OF S.H.I.E.L.D. # 32
MARVEL 1985 # 4
MARVEL ADVENTURES TWO-IN-ONE # 14
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: SPIDER-MAN - BRAND NEW DAY # 1
MOON KNIGHT # 21
PUNISHER # 61
SKRULLS VS. POWER PACK # 2
SQUADRON SUPREME 2 # 2
TRUE BELIEVERS # 2
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR # 57
UNCANNY X-MEN # 501
X-FACTOR # 34
X-FACTOR: LAYLA MILLER # 1
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS # 15
YOUNG X-MEN # 5
Collections
LOGAN BLACK & WHITE PREMIERE
LOGAN PREMIERE
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 10
MIGHTY AVENGERS VOL. 1: THE ULTRON INITIATIVE
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL CLASSIC VOL. 1
SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE VOL. 2
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VOL. 20: U S-M AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS
X-MEN: DIVIDED WE STAND
X-MEN: DIVIDED WE STAND
YOUNG INHUMANS
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