The first time I wrote something for TheCelebrityCafe.com, it was a look at ‘some of the comics coming this week’, published on July 24, and for comics going on sale July 25th, 2012. It’s hard to believe a year’s passed.
That first column sucked! It was so dry and I had no thought process at all which is funny because I got this gig on the strength of my reviews on my own site. I don’t know what I was afraid of, but I didn’t offer opinions other than what I highlighted and tried to be “super professional.” I haven’t missed a single week. I was late a few times, trying to figure out my schedule and my habits, but I got that article in every week.
I did some side stories and features and learned that when doing something ‘extra,’ like the current “Web Slinging” series, I need to be prepared.
My second effort at above and beyond writing “Top Ten Comic Book Properties that should be Movies” was scheduled to start four or five times, and then delayed, before I finally got it going. “What Every Collector should have on their shelf” was also delayed once or twice. My memoriam on the great Joe Kubert however, was # 1 on the topic for Google News Entertainment and that’s something I’m immensely proud of.
I’ve come out of my shell, as it were, and started writing from the heart. I offer my opinion, good and bad, and this little exercise has afforded me the opportunity to find some gems that I’d overlooked during the ordering process, finding items in my weekly hunt that are well and truly interesting.
I’ve referred to books as “sold out” and I know intrinsically that “Sold Out” doesn’t mean what it did 20 years ago. In this new environment books are printed to order. Many books sell out regularly and go into second, third, and fourth printings. I spend time highlighting every week either what excites me as a fan or what excites my customers. One week I highlighted only what I wouldn’t touch if you gave it to me for free.
The comic conversation is the best part of the whole process, and while you’re reading this there’s no give and take in this conversation, but I have challenged you readers, twice, to either send your thoughts on various topics or to justify less than better grades; those little votes on how I did at the bottom of this column. If you gave me a 2 or a 3 (or any number for that matter) I wanted to know why.
In the first year I’ve received no comments or messages from any of you. That’s fine. I have enough to do and people here to converse with, but I’ll keep writing and I’ll keep offering my thoughts and sharing my opinions and telling you what I think. What I think right now is “Thank you for sharing your time with me.” Thank you for reading my thoughts, visiting my site, liking my Facebook page… Comics is a wonderful medium. Comic books are a very personal journey. Yet talking about them, writing about them, sharing is the reward that gives them strength and power. That makes them great. Here’s to another year of making comics great and here’s a look at what I hope is great this week…
I’ve found Archaia Entertainment to be very interesting and I’ve been looking to them a lot just to see what they’re doing. This week they’re shipping The Reason for Dragons hardcover, $19.95, by Chris Northrop and Jeff Stokely. Wendell is a lonely boy losing himself in books to avoid his motorcycle-driving stepfather, Ted. When the school bullies convince Wendell to go into the long-abandoned Renaissance Fair grounds they believe to be haunted, he’s surprised to find a man living in the barn, who believes he’s a medieval knight named Sir Habaersham, tasked with the duty of slaying the dragon he insists is wandering the woods. Wendell's new acquaintance seems the definition of crackpot but when Wendell starts hearing rumblings - and listening to Habaersham's stories - he starts to wonder if perhaps it could all be true. In a heartfelt coming-of-age story, Wendell must defy logic in order to follow his heart... and face the dragon of the forest! Done right, this has the potential to be a masterpiece. I’m interested to see how it’s done…
Wars in Toyland hardcover, $19.99, from Oni Press, Joe Harris, and Adam Pollina looks like their own variation of Bill Willingham’s Fables. Toyland was once a place of wonder and beauty, at least until the teddy dictator Roxbury took over. After Matthew's brother and playmate, Alex, disappears, Matthew soon finds himself carried into Toyland by his own loyal toy soldiers. Matthew learns that Alex has been there too and is now being held captive by Roxbury. Leading an attack on the teddy bear's fortress, Matthew never considered that his brother might not be able to be saved...
Top Shelf Productions and Rob Harrell have an interesting looking product arriving in stores this week in Monster on the Hill graphic novel, $19.95. In a fantastical 1860s England, every quiet little township is terrorized by a ferocious monster - much to the townsfolk's delight! Each town's unique monster is a source of local pride, not to mention tourism, except for Stoker-on-Avon. Unfortunately their monster isn't quite as impressive. It's up to the eccentric Dr. Charles Wilkie and plucky street urchin Timothy to get him up to snuff and get him a monstrous makeover to become a proper horror before a greater threat turns the whole town to kindling…
I seriously can’t exclude Valiant Entertainment! Some of you may be sick of seeing me list them every week and, I have to admit, sometimes I feel biased highlighting every comic they publish. Did you notice how I didn’t say embarrassed? This was something I was planning on going on about on my own site, and I may still do that, but Valiant, right now, is the reason I buy and read comic books! I know that the law of averages says that eventually they’ll make something I’m either not into or don’t just quite get. At some point they have to make something I’m not happy with or don’t agree with. It hasn’t happened yet. Valiant stories are so solidly good and entertaining that there’s absolutely no question, every week, they’re the first things I read. Normally they get read before I’m done checking in the week’s inventory. They’re smart, high quality, fun, and exciting efforts and it’s a joy to read them. There’s talk of a Valiant movie and I can’t think of one I wouldn’t want to see. All of the books stand fine on their own but knowing that Unity is coming… I can’t tell you how on edge I am to see what they do to bring everything together. After the events of the Harbinger Wars I’m trying to imagine a world with both Master Darque and Toyo Harada. I shiver in anticipation of that! I could rewrite all of the quotes from IGN and CBR and Aint It Cool, but you already hear me say it every week… Check them out, see if you’re not impressed!
Bloodshot #13, $3.99, by Dwayne Swierczynski and Barry Kitson has the Harbinger Wars going out in a bang. As Bloodshot finds himself square in the center of the battle for Project Rising Spirits escaped Psiot children, once the dust settles around Peter Stancheck and his Renegades, Toyo Harada, and H.A.R.D. Corps will the children choose to stay with Bloodshot? …
Harbinger #14, $3.99, by Joshua Dysart and Khari Evans is the other flip of the coin there as Peter and his team of Renegades struggle amid the mounting casualties to decide what part they’ll play in the epic finale to the Harbinger Wars. Choosing sides isn’t easy but an ally appears from an unexpected source and the Renegades find themselves with a new team member…
And there are plenty more that are not listed. For a more complete list, feel free to visit your local comic store or favorite site. If you’re interested in more of what I think, follow me on Twitter at Mycomicstore001 or like my Facebook page.
Michael R. Murray is a full time Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service who swears that he does not work for or is affiliated with Valiant Entertainment in any way. He actually sent them a message volunteering to pay the cost of their booth at the Boston Comic Con but they still won’t come (not enough manpower, they said. He told them he’d bring manpower and pay for that too) That’s how excited he is about those books!