THE WEDNESDAY COMIC REPORT FOR 9/9/09

Actually it's a Tursday report for this week.

WOW! What a week! It seems that everything I've written about recently seems to have just exploded, full circle. Let's start with the digital future of comics; If you read my column (check somewhere below) on this topic, you'll have read about my predictions for the future of comics and I didn't expect to be so right so fast. This December, Apple will be realeasing the Apple Tablet, a 5x7" digital reader that's similar to Amazon's Kindle, that will support full color graphics for things like comics, and it doesn't end there! Sony will also be releasing the PSP digital comic reader, made specifically for comics, and of course Marvel is on board. Sony's player will be much smaller, but hey- it's starting. Anyone want to take bets on when comics go fully digital?

Director Guy Ritchie will be directing a big-screen version of DC's LOBO, which leads us into the next big story:

So, right on the heels of the Disney acquistion of Marvel Comics, DC just went through a major shake-up this week. DC Comics has been owned by Time Warner or Warner Brothers for years and now the parent company has changed DC's name to DC Entertainment and put new DC President Diane Nelson in the place of Paul Levitz (Levitz claims to have resigned to return to being a comics creator and will assume writing the LEGION, which he has long been applauded for in the past). DC will now report more to its parent company, but Nelson (who spear-headed the most successful Harry Potter marketing franchise for the films) claims that she is not there to control any of DC Comics' creative content at all, but rather it will now be her job to make all DC properties marketed heavily into other areas to make the company and its characters more visiable and viable in other mediums. This includes a new film division that Nelson claims will now take the Flash and Wonder Woman film rights back to get these movies made. My opinion? Good idea! In this economy, moves like this can only assure the future of the comic medium and finally we might get a Wonder Woman film which has been in development hell for a decade under producer Joel Silver. So now Marvel versus DC, Disney versus Warners, ie: Mickey Mouse versus Bugs Bunny again!

COMICS THIS WEEK INCLUDE:... another day late because of the Labor Day holiday in which Diamond Distributors once again can't figure out to ship books a day early (bastards), but hey they're here. RED ROBIN #4 takes Tim Drake's search for Bruce Wayne one step closer as he sees the Bat Symbol that Bruce left painted in a cave in the past. Makes me wonder how Dick Grayson is gonna feel considering that Tim and Dick are not getting along now, which you can see in this issue as the two share a fight in costume. BLACKEST NIGHT BATMAN #2 is out and most of the Batfamily is together in what is one satisfying crossover with the main story of BN. Especially loved Barbara Gordon's portrayal in this story. Speaking of the former Batgirl, if you look at the current issue of TOYFARE, there's a "Spoiler" of what Stephanie Brown's new Batgirl costume looks like. It sucks! ... Kyle Rayner has to deal with the dead in his past in the new issue of GREEN LANTERN CORPS, another BN tie-in, which of course is great as thankfully all BN-related stuff has been. Patrick Gleason continues to amaze me with his art. .... In the Superbooks this week we have WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #7, and I am enjoying the twists and turns in this story as Superman is now made military commander of the planet in Zod's absence. However, artist Pete Woods is not his usual great self this time out as some pages looked rushed and sloppy. Superboy also has some tender moments in ADVENTURE COMICS #2/505 as he has a bittersweet reunion with Wonder Girl. I like how writer Geoff Johns is trying to make Connor readjust to his life before starting a major story and the art by Francis Manapul is a bit inconsisitent too this month. It's sometimes gorgeous and sometimes too sketchy. He needs an inker! Over on the Marvel side of things, THE MARVELS PROJECT's second issue came out with the story of the beginnings of Marvel's heroes unfolding in a fluid way with an incredible story by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Steve Epting, who also made CAPTAIN AMERICA the best comic that Marvel currently produces, and they continue to work their magic here. So that's it for now, and I'll see you this coming Sunday for first of my "top ten" lists!

Go read some comics!

THE WEDNESDAY COMIC REPORT FOR 9/2/09

I'm sure just about everyone's heard the news: DISNEY BOUGHT MARVEL! I'm also sure that speculation on what this means, buth good and bad is running rampant, so allow me to throw in my two million cents (inflation, y'know). This can only mean good things for Marvel and comics in general. DC has benefitted by the financial backing of parent company Warner Communications and has pretty much been allowed to operate as its own entity with no interference from "Daddy Warner Brothers." Now Marvel has the backing of an equal financial powerhouse which will pretty much grant Marvel much stability for its future and I'm sure that Disney will allow Marvel to operate on its own the same way the Warner/DC coupling does. The odd thing is that Marvel's two main cinematic properties (SPIDERMAN and X-MEN) will not benefit from the Disney film division because Sony and Fox have indefinite theatrical rights to those franchises, as long as they keep films coming. Go figure!

As for our beloved comics, I didn't buy that much this week. BATMAN #690 came out (man, I can't wait til #700, which is my guess for Bruce's return), and I'm starting to like Dick Grayson as Batman less and less. I don't like seeing someone "play" the role as oppesed to being the role, and Dick is just too laid back and good natured to be the dark avenger of the night. This whole Bat-mess has been getting a lot of good press, but it's not working for me and I've said in past columns that I can't wait for Grant Morrison's influence to be forever removed from Gotham City and its residents.Judd Winick, who has never been a good writer is doing better than normal here, but still it involves a bad mix of character and costume. Mark Bagley however, shines on the art! Speaking of shiny art, JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #3 is also available now with painted style artwork by the incredible Mauro Cascioli. While not quite in Alex Ross' league, he is still really good, but the script by James Robinson once again doesn't resonate with me because the characters are.. out of character, which starts to make sense when you read Robinson's text piece and how he reveres Grant Morrison. Man, what information is Grant holding on people? Read past colums, Grant sucks and he needs to be gone from comics!

SUPERGIRL ANNUAL this week gives some interesting backstory on the origin of Superwoman, and of course, do I need to even mention that Superwoman's story is far from over? Writer Sterling Gates takes lemons and makes great lemonade with the whole current Krypton saga, which I admit is starting to go on a bit long for me. RED TORNADO's first issue of his new mini came out. Take a pass on this. 'Nuff said there.

See you on Sunday for a lighter hearted column on comics, where I'm going to play favorites!