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Marvel Needs Joss Whedon to Stay Relevant

Jun. 21 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

Have you noticed how often Joss Whedon is in the spotlight these days? Do you notice that entertainment sites and entertainment shows have been revolving so many of their reports around him, or at least quoting him whenever possible? There is a reason for that.

Joss Whedon

Robert Downey Jr. Rumors

Most of the news sources which were running the now-over Robert Downey Jr. rumors were quoting Joss Whedon. They would ask the director/producer about how the actor might not come back or about how he might be asking for more money for his costars or about how he might have tension with this star or that. Great pains were taken to keep Joss Whedon relevant.

Much Ado About Something

Did you know that Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing debuts this weekend? The movie has been done for well over a year, but is just hitting theaters now. Why would they want to have the movie hit this weekend in theaters? Could it be to take a small bite out of Man of Steel and get entertainment shows, reporters, and bloggers talking about Joss Whedon when they would have been talking about Man of Steel? If you have been following Much Ado About Nothing, you already know that Clark Gregg plays an important role in the movie. This leads to my next point.

Agents of Marvel

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. begins to air within a matter of months. Marvel is banking everything on the show because it could cause the company to have a strong foothold in primetime. By keeping Joss Whedon in the limelight, Marvel can manipulate them into mentioning the upcoming show. With Clark Gregg being in Much Ado About Nothing, the entertainment company gains another chance at a push in the media.

Joss Whedon – Superstar! (To the tune of Jesus Christ Superstar)

When we talk about the Marvel movies, our minds automatically point out the superstars involved. Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, and Scarlett Johansson were major stars before the Phase 1 movies, but Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evens, Chris Hemsworth, Clark Gregg, and Jeremy Renner have all become bigger stars as well. Marvel needs as many huge names attached to the project and by lifting Joss Whedon to a higher level, they gain another star on the Avengers project and on S.H.I.E.L.D. They need him to stay “in the papers” to continue to have his star shine brighter.

Don’t Believe the Robert Downey Jr. Rumor Hype

Jun. 21 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

I am sure that you know by now that the geek world is ecstatic with the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. would be back as Iron Man for Avengers 2 and Avengers 3. There were rumors about people wanting to back out of the project if Robert Downey Jr. was not involved, disputes over pay, and whispers about cast members who did not get along. I have a strong feeling that the hype was planned.

Iron Man 3

The Timing of the Hype

Note that all of the rumors about Robert Downey Jr. and his future as Iron man happened in the space between the release of Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel. This took some of the attention away from the new DC Comics movie and placed it on Marvel. In business, it is a smart move to get people talking about your product during times when they should be talking about your competitor’s. Corporations have planners who try to decide when the best time is to steal thunder from competitors.

The Timing of the Announcement

Also take note about the timing of the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. is back online for Avengers 2 and Avengers 3. It was just days after Man of Steel raked money in at the box office and as the movie was prepping to make another strong weekend run. Yet another time for Marvel to steel thunder from DC Comics.

Controversy Adds Character

Now that we have some controversy surrounding Robert Downey Jr., he gains a little more character away from his character. You might see him as someone who is fighting for the other actors in the Marvel franchises. You might see him as someone who can put aside differences for a project (or for money). You might see him as someone who everyone wants to work with. Either way, he gains more distinction in the role than just being the person who is in the roll. Don’t believe the spoon-fed hype.

Popping over Locke & Key Movie Announcement

Jun. 20 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

I am excited by the thought of Universal bringing Locke & Key to the big screen. Dread Central has given some of the details, and they have me popping.

Locke & Key

The Long Road

Those of us who have followed the Locke and Key story are happy to see the quest towards a media adaptation finally come to fruition. After a failed TV pilot, and multiple studios looking at the project, Universal is finally moving forward.

Ted Adams Producing

I love the idea of Ted Adams (CEO and Lead Publisher for IDW Publishing) being one of the producers on the film. Too many studios don’t want creators or anyone associated with the publication of a work having anything to do with a movie adaptation. This disdain is how we get Brad Pitt starring in World War Z which is a movie which uses only the name of a great zombie story. I am sure Ted Adams will make sure the movie version of Locke & Key has something for the fans which have made the storyline a success.

Anything Lovecraft

As a huge fan of H.P. Lovecraft and his contemporaries, I am always excited when I hear about a project either involving his work, or influenced by his work. Well, as long as former cast members of 90210 are not involved. Locke & Key might “open the door” for more Lovecraftian movies in the future. We can only hope.

Horror Comics

One of the larger portions of my comic book collection is my horror comics collection. Anything project which could bring more attention to horror comics gets me popping again. Horror comics are often overlooked for superhero comics, but the creators of horror in comics have done much and they should not be ignored. Locke & Key might even turn new creators on and make them consider using comics to tell their stories or as a medium for their twisted art.

Thoughts on Age of Ultron #10

Jun. 20 Comics, News Comments Off

I am going to assume that you have either read Age of Ultron #10, or have heard all of the spoilers out there. Since it has been 24 hours since the comic has come out, I guess it is time for me to talk about where Marvel can go NOW with the revelation of the space time continuum being borked by the characters in the story.

Age of Ultron #10

Interesting Note

We should start out by pointing out how Age of Ultron #10 gives us a moment when we realize that all of the universes in the Marvel Megaverse are crossing. We have Earth 616’s Galactus apparently in the Ultimate Universe, we have Angela zooming around the galaxy, and we have characters having visions of other characters from throughout the megaverse. This grand-scale crossover means almost anything can happen over the next few months.

Another Interesting Note

At least Marvel had the gumption to realize that the story it created in Age of Ultron should have negative ramifications other than simply changing a few characters here and there. Not only will the characters have to deal with all the changes, they are going to have to figure out how to fix the problem so that it does not happen again.

Yet One More Interesting Note on Age of Ultron #10

Can anyone think of a major crossover which potentially dealt with every universe in the Marvel Megaverse at the same time?

Dead No More?

One aspect I would love to see is for characters to reappear who have been presumed dead for a long time. While I am not expecting Uncle Ben (as bringing him back is a sacrilege), there are many other characters who have died over the years who could be brought back. Abomination, Baron Mordo, Baron Zemo, Cheetah, Maggot, Nightcrawler, Professor X, Peter Parker, and Wraith are just a handful of characters I would love to see brought back to life now that time and space are so screwed up after Age of Ultron #10.

The Grand Swap

We have seen Galactus head over to the Ultimate Universe so what is to say that there will not be more swaps in the near future? How about sending Zombie Hulk or Zombie Spider-man into the normal universe? Age of Ultron #10 opens the door for almost any character from another universe to be sent into any other. Marvel can play this one up very will with a swap month which could send the megaverse on its ear.

Send Someone Somewhere?

After Age of Ultron #10, Marvel could take a character with mediocre sales and send them to another time or place. The story could follow the character (or even a small team of characters) as they try to figure out a way home from the strange world they are now part of.

Please Don’t

Please Marvel, don’t simply allow the Scarlet Witch or Doctor Strange to will reality back to normal. This is too easy of a trick that most of us would not be happy seeing. Age of Ultron #10 should be harder to overcome than with a simple wish.

New Green Lantern Replica Rings Do Not Measure Up

Jun. 19 News, Toy Collecting Comments Off

I was excited when I found out that DC Comics was going to reissue the plastic Green Lantern replica rings because these are good sellers in the store and many fans have tried to collect each color for their shelves are mantles. When we opened the packages of the reissued Green Lantern replica rings, we noticed that something was very wrong. These are not reissues. These rings are different.

Green Lantern replica rings

What is a Reissue?

Typically, when you are talking about a product being reissued, you are talking about a product which is going back into production using the same molds and dyes. Sometimes, the packaging is slightly different (such as when a second print run happens in a comics), but that should be the only difference.

The Differences in the Green Lantern Replica Rings

In the picture, I placed one of the new Green Lantern replica rings next to an old one. The one on the left is darker and has a glossy finish. This makes the ring appear to be some type of metallic alloy instead of simply plastic unless you are very close to it. Because of the crisp appearance, it is a bargain at the low price point they are sold at.

The one on the right is the new Green Lantern replica ring. Notice that it is a light color of green and has a matte finish. You can tell right away that this is a plastic piece of costume jewelry from across the room.

This is Not a Reissue

The new Green Lantern replica rings are not a reissue of the popular collectible many stores have sold out of. It is a cheap knockoff of the original and should not be passed off by DC Comics as anything but. This is the sad second place replacement for those Green Lantern fans who were not quick enough to pick up the original.

Hey ComiXology – Do You Really Want This Fight? (Updated)

Jun. 19 Comics, News Comments Off

I received a personal email from ComiXology today because obviously the company does not have any clue who its enemies are. I don’t even know how they received my email address because I have never signed up for their service or given anyone there my personal email address. For some reason, ComiXology believes I would want to know that they just expanded their catalogue to include French comics from French publishers. As someone with French roots, this does not surprise me since the French give up fights so easily.

The death of the comic book industry will be caused by digitally downloading comic books.

I sent the following email back to ComiXology:

Please refrain from sending me any updates about your product in the future. I am not interested in purchasing digital comics from Comixology or any other digital company. I am also not interested in suggesting my readers purchase a product which could eventually lead to the elimination of print comic books.

I see ComiXology and other digital comics distributors as a hurdle in the comic book industry which must be overcome. Even though you have the support of many comic book publishers, you do not have my support. I hope Marvel, DC Comics, and other publishers wake up to the fact that digital comics will bring down the comic book industry through the elimination of the mom and pop comic shops across the country (and the world). It is on the backs of those owners that all companies have sold their products and gained the followings they have today. The progression of digital comics through ComiXology and similar companies is not a stride into the future but a stab in the collective back of the supply chain which has made said companies billions.

Please take me off any email listing you have as any further mass emailings from your company will result in negative feedback on my part. Know that I will continue my fight against ComiXology and any other digital distributorship who would try to take money out of the pockets of those who helped to make comics what they are today. I will also continue my plight to force the publishers to wake up before they have collapsed the industry for a third time.

Larry Poupard

Update

After my initial email back to ComiXology, I received a reply that I would be taken off the mailing list. In the same email, though, the high-ranking representative of ComiXology attempted to win me over the to digital medium. He tried to pint out how print comics are up to their best numbers in a long time and that this is the first time we have seen a transition to digital in which the traditional medium was up. This was my second reply:

As the Web Content Director for WonderWorldComics.com, as someone who followed the comic book industry for multiple years for Yahoo!, and as someone who has collected comics for over three decades – I know what the statistics are and know that the statistics would me better if digital comics did not exist. The comic book medium is different from the movie and book industry in digital format because more people collect comics than books or movies.

Marvel, DC, Image, IDW, and many of the smaller companies have had a streak of good products in the last few years which have spiked with collectors. They are demanding more from their writers, artists, and editors than ever before and the success has spread from top-tier titles to middle and lower tiers as well. The economy is up, so people are able to purchase more comics than they were a few years ago. The companies have been able to tap into the collector’s market but have been kept in check by retailers who worry about the overproduction of variant covers and a repeat of the market crash in the late 1990s. There are many factors that go into why print comics are up, and there is one reason why print comics are not up even more.

What is interesting is that it is not illegal downloaders who will but the biggest dent in the digital comics market. It is people like me who are willing to point out the reason for digital comics. It is (the creation and sale of digital comics) not to move into the future. It is people like me who point out how Marvel and DC would love to have digital comics take off so that they could eliminate Diamond and all of those pesky comic book stores. Marvel and DC could increase their bottom lines without having to pay out for a supply chain.

Sure, the comic book companies are charging less for most digital comics than for print comics, but how long is that going to last? Do you remember when you could buy the latest album on iTunes for $4.99 as an incentive to go digital? Now, it would be a miracle to find a five-year-old album for under $7. If digital comics ever eliminate the supply chain, fans should expect to pay out the ears for their digital comics.

Be leery, though, of the hands that feed you today. What happens when Marvel and DC Comics come to the realization that they can sell digital comics on their own? Do you think they will think twice about stabbing ComiXology in the back when they are trying to stab companies they have partnered with for decades?

Age of Ultron #10 is My Pick of the Week!

Jun. 19 Comics, News Comments Off

Age of Ultron #10 comes out today and it easily became my Pick of the Week. Simply put, you need to read this issue. Even if you have not read Age of Ultron up to this point, there are a series of events in Age of Ultron #10 which will have you amazed. If you are thinking that the introduction of Angela is the watershed moment in the issue, you are only partially correct.

Age of Ultron #10

Spoilers for Age of Ultron #10?

As per usual, I will do everything I can to avoid giving spoilers in this article. If you are looking for spoilers, you have come to the wrong website. Age of Ultron #10 is so strong that a spoiler will ruin the moments of shock and awe you will experience while reading the issue. I would not be able to sleep at night if I robbed you of that experience.

Talk About Universe-Changing Events?

Marvel has spoken about universe-changing events for many years now. Every year, they come out with a crossover event or two which they say will change everything we think about the Marvel Universe and how their new event will change everything. Compared to the universe-changing moments in Age of Ultron #10, all of Marvel’s former crossover events are like comparing a Little League game to the World Series. This is Marvel’s New 52 event!

Don’t Get Me Wrong

Age of Ultron #10 does not reboot the Marvel Universe like the New 52 did for DC Comics. Instead, we have a new evolution like Marvel has been working on since Marvel NOW was launched. Age of Ultron #10 has moments we are going to be talking about for years and debating about as well. Marvel has just opened up Pandora’s Box and every “What If?” scenario we have thought about could become a reality. Hopefully, Marvel can turn this universe-changing event into something epic.

Why You Should Attend Tyler Mane’s Appearance at Wonderworld Comics

Jun. 18 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

As you probably know by now, Tyler Mane of Compound Fracture, Rob Zombie’s Halloween series, and X-Men, will be appearing at our Detroit area comic book store on Tuesday, June 25. There are many reasons why you should plan on stopping in.

Tyler Mane will be at Wonderworld Comics on June 25, 2013!

Not as Crowded as a Convention

Since there will not be as many people in Wonderworld Comics as would be at a convention, you should expect to have at least an extra moment or two with Tyler Mane. We have all been to conventions where the lines are so long that we can only spend a few moments with our favored stars. With the store appearance, you will not have to flash by his table in a matter of seconds before being ushered along. This type of opportunity with a star does not happen often.

Learn About a Movie Before Others Do

With Tyler Mane stopping by the store, you have the opportunity to learn about Compound Fracture before the mainstream viewers do. You can be that gal or guy who knows intimate details about the movie others might not because you were able to hear a star of the film talking about it.

It Supports a Good Cause

Scares that Care is a non-profit which helps sick children and women with breast cancer. You can rest well on Tuesday night knowing that you helped make a sick child’s life a little more manageable. You can rest easy knowing that there is a woman out there who is getting the support she needs to fight her battle with breast cancer.

The Cosplay

Yes, there will be cosplay at this event. While cosplay is not a requirement, you are encouraged (if you want to) to dress up as one of your favorite characters from one of Tyler Mane’s movies. Who will you be?

You Know Interesting Things Happen

Those of you who have been at Wonderworld Comics during one of our events know that they are a ton of fun. Tyler Mane’s promotion of Compound Fracture in support of Scares that Care will not be an exception to our rule that everyone who attends should have as much fun as legally possible. Stop by, have some fun, and go home happy knowing that you did something good for someone.

Please take a moment to RSVP to the event through Facebook.

Should Comic Book Creators Advise on Comic Book Movies?

Jun. 17 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

Should comic book creators be advisors on comic book movies? This is a question I was asked many years ago and I find that I have a different answer to this question than I once did. After reading both sides of this argument, you might have a definitive answer as well.

What I Once Answered

A handful of years ago, I was asked to write about comic book creators taking an advisory role in movies about their characters. At the time, I felt that a creator would be too attached to the version he or she worked on to be able to move forward enough for a movie. I remember stating that a comic book movie needs to change a character so it will meld with the current times and the current market. Small changes would have to be made and this would alienate creators and some fans along the way. I argued that the studio had every right to do this in an attempt to make a comic book movie as mainstream as possible.

Today

After hearing what I heard about the Superman movie, Man of Steel, and reading Mark Waid’s blog post about his impressions of the movie, I thoroughly believe comic book creators should advise movie studios on comic book movies. You see, movie studios do not have a direct connection to the characters they are showing on the screen. Even if the movie is done by Warner Bros., the big wigs at the top are only looking at the botton line and not the actual characters involved. Maybe if someone like Mark had been in an advisory position, Man of Steel might not have veered so much from the traditional understandings of the character.

Someone needs to keep filmmakers grounded in their “representations” of comic book characters. The creators might have the chance of keeping new films away from being like World War Z which promises to only share a name with the book. When I go see a movie, I expect to see a representation of what the director sees in the story, but I do not expect to see the remnants of the abortion of the original story.

I Vow to Never See Man of Steel

Jun. 17 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

I have spoken to many people over the weekend about Man of Steel and have found that I have to add the movie to the list of movies I refuse to see. It is not because I don’t especially care for Superman. It is because there are aspects of the movie which I do not wish to condone.

Man of Steel

My Refusing to See Certain Movies

There is a short list of movies which I refuse to ever see. They are on the list for various reasons. Days of Thunder is on the list because I hate NASCAR and just about anything to do with racing. Dead Man Walking makes the list because I despise Susan Sarandon and her inability to keep her politics to herself. The same goes for any movie by Sean Penn. I have never seen Top Gun, and never will simply for the fact that there are so many people that say I “have” to see the movie. The last one is simply a personal goal.

Trying to Make this Spoiler-Free

I am going to do everything I can to keep this article spoiler-free, but there are a few aspects which I have to allude to so you understand why I refuse to see Man of Steel.

Superman Not in Man of Steel

If I was going to see Man of Steel, I would be going under the assumption that it was a Superman movie. The main character would be the suit-wearing character which everyone grew up with. Even if DC Comics had decided to insert more of the New 52 aspects of the character, I would at least be going to see a Superman movie. Instead, from everything I have heard and read about the movie, there is a character in a red suit that does not exhibit the characteristics one should have expected to see in Man of Steel.

Not Superman You Say?

Even though Superman has never been one of my personal favorites, I have to commend the creators who have worked on him over the years for establishing that Superman will do everything he can to keep human life sacred. This aspect of his character in Man of Steel is outshone by a character who will do anything to get to his target, including fighting in the middle of a city.

Displacement vs. Destruction

Another aspect which I hear is lacking in Man of Steel is Superman’s famous act of displacement. Instead of destroying an alien ship, the Superman everyone grew up with would cast the alien spacecraft out into oblivion and far from the Earth. How many times did we see Superman kick unbeatable foes off into space instead of rendering them in half?

The Moment

There is a moment in which Superman takes the opportunity to do irreparable damage to another character’s body. This is not something Superman would do. He would find a non-lethal way of dealing with the foe. He would do everything he could to end the issue without ending the person causing the issue. Making a non-lethal decision is something which makes Superman into a super man. This is not present in Man of Steel. Since the movie is about a character we have never seen before under the guise of one we are familiar with, I find I cannot willingly give DC Comics a dime of my money in support of the movie.

While it had a great opening weekend, I hope Man of Steel crashes and burns from here on out.

The X-Files: Season 10 – I’m Popping Over Here!

Jun. 14 Comics, News no comments

I am looking forward to the launch of The X-Files: Season 10 which will hit shelves in a matter of days. As a die-hard fan of the show, I am looking forward to seeing what IDW Publishing does with the property and what direction the project goes in.

The X-Files: Season 10

Hasn’t This Been Done Before?

Yes, there have been X-Files comics before, but there is a unique aspect of The X-Files: Season 10 which should be touched upon. In the past, comics based on The X-Files have either covered the “monster-of-the-week” style storylines or have hinted to the greater government conspiracies. They were not part of the true canon of the show, so creators of the comics had to stay clear of adding anything to the government conspiracy storylines.

IDW Publishing’s Difference with The X-Files: Season 10

Since The X-Files: Season 10 is not competing with a show on TV, or an impeding movie, canon can be explored, altered, revised, or added. Note, issue #3 has an appearance by the Cigarette Smoking Man. Isn’t he dead? If IDW Publishing is going to bring back CSM, what else might they have in store as the issues progress?

Chris Carter’s Involvement

In IDW Publishing’s initial release about The X-Files: Season 10, note how it states that, “The entire project will be executive produced by THE X-FILES creator Chris Carter, who is returning in an active role to help steer his characters back to the forefront of popular culture once again.” This means that many of the ideas will be coming from the mind of the creator of the show so fans can accept the changes as canon. This is key for the story as die-hard fans like myself will not want to miss the comic which will progress the story in an official capacity.

Even though the release of The X-Files: Season 10 is still days away, I have already added it to my pull list. Have you?

King Kon is Just in Time for Father’s Day

Jun. 13 Conventions, News Comments Off

King Kon is only a few days away and it is fitting how this quarter’s show falls on Father’s Day weekend. Saturday will be a fitting day to visit King Kon.

As a Father

Silver Age comics

As a father, I love when my daughter finds enjoyment in something I like. Sometimes that comes in the form of looking in my rearview mirror while driving and seeing that she is singing along to a song I have enjoyed for twenty years or more. Other times, I might get a warm feeling when I am reading her a story I grew up with. One special bond we share, though, is a love of superheroes. Shows like King Kon can give a father and child the opportunity to share their love of a particular character or superhero series without dealing with the hustle and bustle of a major convention.

Sharing the Memories

Some of my favorite moments in our Detroit area comic book store come when I see a father pointing out toys in the store he grew up with. Kids are often amazed how their parents played with the “old” toys we have on our shelves. The youngest generation wonders how we managed to get enjoyment out of these little action figures or vehicles which did not have automatic parts or controllers. They must think we lived in a simpler time (well, we did…but that is another article). I am looking forward to seeing those moments this weekend at King Kon.

What Might You Find?

You might be surprised by some of the items you find. Maybe you can find that old board game you and your father used to play with years ago. Maybe you will find a copy of a comic your dad picked up for you during a quick run for milk. You might find a toy you used to play with as he read the paper. You might even find a gift for Father’s Day at King Kon for the old man or even for yourself.

For more information about King Kon, please follow this link.

Man of Steel Needs to Carry All the Weight of Failures and Botches by DC

Jun. 13 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

Interesting article over on Yahoo! today about how Man of Steel holds the key to the future of DC Comics movie franchises. I have to agree with the point of the article about how we should expect more superhero movies out of DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. if the new Superman movie does well. There are a few points that the article did not touch upon which should be mentioned.

Man of Steel Must Carry All Weight

We have talked about Guillermo del Toro’s Justice League Dark project with Constantine and other members of the group, but even that might not come to fruition if Man of Steel falters. The project is the closest one to a definite on the Warner Bros. docket outside of a sequel to Man of Steel. The studio can talk all it wants about movies about the Justice League, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Batman, and anyone else all they want. If the Man of Steel does not shatter the box office this weekend, the execs at Marvel are going to laugh themselves to sleep.

A History of Planning

We all know about how many years DC Comics, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. have dragged their feet when it came to creating a Justice League movie or exploiting other potential movie properties other than Superman and Batman. We all know how they have planned this movie and that movie just enough to get fans to roll their eyes whenever an “announcement” comes about another movie franchise. Is it fair to rest all of this past planning on one movie? It should rest on the shoulders of the planners who could not exit the board room without a deal.

A History of Failures

The last Superman movie was horrible. Green Lantern was not much better. The “I-lift-things-up-and-put-them-down-on-my-knee” version of Bane in the last Batman movie was a disaster. If we take a look back over the past franchises, DC Entertainment has a strong history of not being able to make more than two good movies in a row. Superman 3 – whatever were all fluff as where any Batman movie which had a number higher than two attached with it. Can Man of Steel erase all of those failures and the history of discouragement?

My Hope

I have made it clear on this site and in our Detroit area comic shop that I am not a fan of Superman. I do hope, though, that Man of Steel is a resounding success. I hope that it redeems DC Comics, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. in the minds of comic book fans and of the general public. I want to see great movies in the future from DC, and if I have to push strong in support of a Superman movie in Man of Steel to get a Justice League, Justice League Dark, Wonder Woman and other movies…I will.

Superman Day at Wonderworld Comics

Jun. 12 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

Everyone who stopped into Wonderworld Comics today for Superman Day was apparently happy they came. It was a blast today with cake, costumes, cute kids, comics, captivating discussions, complimentive customer service, commissioned art by comic creators, and Jay Towers. Below, you will find many of the pictures taken during the event.

Photos courtesy of Amber Palmer

Less of Age of Ultron #10 Coming Than Ordered

Jun. 12 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

Our Detroit comic shop has been notified that we will not be receiving as many Age of Ultron #10 issues as we initially ordered. Diamond has reduced our order of Age of Ultron #10 by 13 percent. Luckily, our orders for variants have not been impacted.

Age of Ultron #10

Why is this Happening?

Chances are good that there were more orders for Age of Ultron #10 than Marvel was expecting. While I have not heard conformation, I would believe that other store’s orders will be impacted by this allocation as well.

Importance of Age of Ultron #10

If you have forgotten, or if you have not been following the Age of Ultron story, Age of Ultron #10 wraps up the story which has been building for a few months and will introduce Angela (from Spawn) to the Marvel Universe. We have already been told that she will become a major player in the universe, so there are many collectors which will want to get their hands on the issue. Marvel is trying to keep the story so secret that they have taken the step of polybagging each issue to keep the readers in suspense to the last possible moment.

What does this Mean for Me?

Well, if you are planning on getting Age of Ultron #10, you had better make sure you come to our Detroit area comic shop as early as you can. Apparently, supply is not on par with the demand so there is a good chance this crucial issue in the Marvel NOW continuity is going to go fast. It might mean that those who wait will not have the opportunity to have a first printing of the comic they have been waiting for throughout the first nine issues I the series. Age of Ultron #10 poses to be one of the most critical issues published by Marvel this year. Will you be able to pick one up?

Importance of the Shel Dorf Awards

Jun. 12 Conventions, News Comments Off

The 2013 Shel Dorf Award Nominations are now open. The Shel Dorf Awards are special to me and I want to share a little bit about them with you. You can nominate your favorites by following this link, but I encourage you to read about the importance of the awards first.

Nominations for the 2013 Shel Dorf Awards now being accepted!

The Difference of the Shel Dorf Awards

Most award nomination processes are run by guys with suits who nominate based on sales, potential future deals, or on perceived popularity. This is true from the Oscars down to many of the “industry awards” granted in various industries. Not so with the Shel Dorf Awards. The nominations and eventual votes are completely determined by the fans.

The Importance of the Shel Dorf Awards

Since the nominations and votes for the Shel Dorf Awards are cast by fans, the creators involved are given an extra confidence push they might not receive from other awards. They know that it was the fans that got them where they are, and not just some dealmakers in a smoke-filled room. Creators realize the fans like what they are doing and that the fans are pledging to continue to support them in the future.

I Remember…

I remember being at the first Shel Dorf Awards at the first Detroit Fanfare in 2010. There was talk at the ceremony about there being a revolution coming where Detroit Fanfare and the fans of the convention would take back comic book conventions. This movement would grow and that the industry would have to realize that we (the fans) wanted comic book conventions that were about comic books, comic book creators, and comic book fans and not about forgotten sitcom stars, wrestlers, and porn stars. I remember becoming invigorated and determined to pay close attention to the progression of this movement and to the growth of Detroit Fanfare.

The Movement of the Shel Dorf Awards

The following year, all of the Shel Dorf Award nominees were determined by the fans. We were not given a long list of people to choose from which were determined by someone. We were given the opportunity to choose who we wanted to win a Shel Dorf Award and who should be given the “fan’s recognition.” So too was the process in 2012 and so too is the process for the 2013 Shel Dorf Awards.

Symbolism of the Shel Dorf Awards

Note, the awards are named after Shel Dorf who was the founder of the Detroit Triple FanFair. He realized that it was time for someone to create a show for the fans where we could come and hang out with other people like ourselves and have the chance to meet some of the creators who gave us joy through our favored form of media. He gave the fans what they wanted and it is through his legacy that we show who we believe deserves recognition at the Shel Dorf Awards.

Particular Connection

I was honored to be nominated for the Comic Book Blogger of the Year award at the 2012 Shel Dorf Awards due to my work in following the industry for Yahoo!. That nomination (even though I did not win) is one of the highlights of my writing career. Hopefully, that opportunity will come again sometime in the future (hint hint hint).

The Shel Dorf Awards is not a stuffy ceremony with awards decided upon by a select few. It is determined by you, and me, and anyone else who decides to vote. This is our comic book awards and we should take every opportunity we can to promote it and to encourage our friends to have their voices heard as well.

Batman #21 Zero Year is My Pick of the Week

Jun. 12 Comics, News Comments Off

Batman #21 Zero Year is such a strong offering that it had to be my Pick of the Week. Any casual fan of Batman in the New 52 or of classic Batman should pick this title up.

Batman #21 Zero Year is my Pick of the Week!

The Psychology of Bruce Wayne/Batman

Batman #21 gives a look into the mind of Bruce Wayne in the days between when he decided to fight crime and when he actually becomes Batman in the New 52 continuity. While the story does not have much action, it sets the stage as to why Bruce Wayne has decided to prevent crime in Gotham City and why he hunts down those who commit crimes. This is an important story in the Batman lineage from any continuity.

The Psychology of Alfred

Without telling too much, if you read the story closely, you will note that Batman #21 Zero Year is also an exploration into the story of Alfred. While it might not tell his background, the astute reader will pick up signs about the relationship between the most famous butler in comics and the man he serves. Alfred is often taken for granted and the character was given moments to shine with great dialogue.

A Villain Comes to Light

A particular classic villain is shown in the last few pages of Batman #21 Zero Year which has not been explored very much in the New 52. I will not say who it is, but it will be interesting to see how his near future plays out. We know that he is [Deleted Spolier] during [Deleted Spoiler], so I am looking forward to see how the character got to that point.

Of course, this month is dedicated to Superman. That does not mean that the creators behind Batman should take a step back and coast through the month. Batman #21 Zero Year proves they did not rest on their laurels for another time to grab the spotlight.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Rumors Hurt the Show

Jun. 11 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. rumors have been circulating for months, but I am nervous that may cause issues for some viewers. I have spoken against rumors before, but the issues are becoming more apparent with this show right now. Hopefully the Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. rumors will die down sometime soon.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. rumors have to end

Basis of the Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Rumors

As ABC releases more trailers and teasers for the show, the Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. rumors escalate. People speculate about every unannounced character on the show and every piece of technology they see in the background. Speculation points to this character or that and people become excited that speculation points to a favored character. If the speculated-about character never materializes, disappointment usually follows.

Ultimate Killer of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Rumors

Who ever said that Marvel and ABC had to pull characters directly out of the comic books? The House of Ideas can create characters for the show which may or may not make it into the comic book pages later. Marvel can stay one step ahead of the Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. rumors by creating characters we have never seen before with powers we have never imagined.

Remember Back

Remember back to when The Walking Dead first came out and we speculated about the characters and events we would see in the first season. Many people became upset a few episodes into the first season when they realized the show was not following the comic exactly. These people argued about how the show was not “following the script” as if the show was supposed to be an exact transference of the comic. They were wrong and I have a feeling they will with Marvel’s new show.

Worst Case Scenario

I always have to think about the worst possible cases. What happens if the big wigs at ABC get wind of Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. rumors and interpret them as what all the fans collectively want? They you get too many cooks in the kitchen as the pepole commanding the ABC ship think they can give us what we want. Oh, the horrors of non-comic book people trying to give comic book people what they want.

Tyler Mane Will be at Wonderworld Comics on June 25!

Jun. 10 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

Tyler Mane, who played Michael Myers in both of Rob Zombie’s remakes of Halloween, will be appearing at Wonderworld Comics in Taylor, MI on June 25, 2013. He will sign autographs from 5:00pm – 7:00pm and will be promoting his upcoming movie entitled Compound Fracture. Proceeds from this autograph session will support the Scares that Care charity.

Tyler Mane will be at Wonderworld Comics on June 25, 2013!

Tyler Mane will star as Michael Wolffsen in the 2013 movie Compound Fracture. The character takes his family to visit his estranged and eccentric father (played by Muse Watson) who is building an unassailable compound to calm his unsetting dementia. As the film progresses, the stars will learn of a ghost named William (played by Derek Mears) which haunts the compound as carnage of the characters begins. Escaping the compound will become as much of a menace as the spirit. To find out more about Compound Fracture, please follow this link to the movie’s official website.

Tyler Mane has also stared as Michael Myers in Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Rob Zombie’s Halloween II. He is also known for his portrayal of Sabretooth in the first X-Men movie and for his portrayal as Ajax in Troy. To learn more about Tyler Mane, please follow this link to his IMDB posting.

Scares that Care is a non-profit organization which utilizes the horror fan base to help various charities. The organization provides money, toys, and other items to help sick children. Scares that Care is also the primary supporter of “Scares for Pairs” which helps women fighting breast cancer and I Helped Kane (partnered with Kane Hodder of Friday the 13th) to help children suffering from serious burns. You can learn more about Scares that Care by following this link to their website.

New Comic Book Book Club Coming to Wonderworld Comics

Jun. 10 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

Wonderworld Comics will now be hosting a comic book book club!Oh, you read that right.

Thanks to a fortuitous Facebook post and subsequent ramblings, Wonderworld Comics is going to be hosting a book club: comic book style!

Wonderworld Comics

What and When?

Our first meeting will be on Sunday, July 6 (time TBA). We’ll be discussing Hawkeye: Volume 1. If you don’t already have a copy of the trade paperback, stop by Wonderworld Comics and pick it up at a very special, book club member discounted price. Just stop in, let one of the fantastic workers know you’re interested, and they’ll lead the way to the comic book of the week.

If you’ve never been in any sort of book club before, don’t worry. And if you’ve never really been into comic books before, don’t worry about that, either! You’re going to be in great company.

Here’s the way it works

You show up.

People will be there.

You’ve all read the same thing, so everyone knows what everyone else is talking about.

You discuss the comic book. ANYTHING you want to talk about, talk about it!

The First Session

For this first session, I’ll put together a list of discussion points to start out on. It’s definitely not a required talking points list, and varying from the list is not only expected, it’s encouraged. The list will just be our diving board; the pool is Olympic-sized!

If you have any questions, just stop in or call. We’d love to get a great group together and discuss a new comic either every week or every two weeks. And as the club grows, so will our guest speakers! Any suggestions or requests for discussion? Leave ’em in a comment and let’s get this going!

DC Entertainment Retailer Roadshow is a Bad Joke

Jun. 07 Comic Book Collecting, News Comments Off

DC Entertainment has sent emails out to retailers about a Retail Roadshow. When I first got wind about this Retailer Roadshow a few days ago, I was hoping the schedule was wrong. Come to find out, the schedule I initially heard is correct that that DC Entertainment is ignoring a large majority of the comic book community.

DC’s WTF Certified

Where is the DC Entertainment Retail Roadshow Going?

There will be four dates in which retailers can meet with executives from DC Comics and DC Entertainment. They will be in New York City on Monday, June 17, and in Orlando on Thursday, June 20. They will then fly over the entire middle of the country and have a presentation in Burbank, CA on Saturday, June 22. They will travel up to Portland on Monday, June 24. There will not be any stops in any of the middle portions of the country.

Your Argument is Invalid

Someone might make the argument that those of us in the Midwest had the opportunity to speak with the biggies from DC Comics and DC Entertainment during C2E2 in Chicago. That would be correct. That does not mean retailers in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, or Colorado had an opportunity to meet with them. When will they have the opportunity for a meeting with the people at DC Entertainment?

Travel Time

On top of that, if the DC Entertainment Retailers Roadshow is important enough to send emails out to all retailers across the country, why isn’t DC Entertainment/Comics allowing all retailers to have the chance to attend? I would like to attend one of the Retailer Roadshows, but two weeks is not enough time to set travel arrangements. Of course, since the people at DC Comics and DC Entertainment have the Warner Bros. money behind them, travel plans can simply be made by a secretary on a moment’s notice. Not so for the average mom and pop comic shop in the country. Budgets would have to be rearranged and store schedules would have to be reset.

If DC Entertainment is going to give an opportunity to some retailers, it should be fair and give the same opportunity to all retailers. In turn, DC Entertainment should give the readers of all retailers the same opportunity to hear about what is coming up next from the owners of the stores they make their weekly purchases from. What I see is DC Entertainment attempting to force the perception of communication while staying as distant as ever.

September War: Why September is So Important

Jun. 07 News, September War Comments Off

Many of you have commented about liking the new September War section on this site, but do you know why September is so important to the comic book industry? I had a long discussion about this topic last night and want to share some of the more important points with you.

The September War is coming!

The September War is Coming

Marvel will be pushing into September with the Age of A.I. and Infinity. DC Comics will wage war with Villain Month and Forever Evil. IDW will make a strong stand as well (more about that here). Image…well, let’s talk about them in a minute.

September from a Business Standpoint

The fourth quarter is possibly the most important quarter of the year for business. No matter how poorly a company is doing during the year, a strong fourth quarter makes investors happy and makes them optimistic about the future. Optimism brings more investor money and more investors. From a retailing perspective, September kicks off the holiday season push and determines if the year’s push was worth every penny or a waste of money. This, though, is not the main reason for the September War in comics.

Let’s Go Back to 2010

During the summer and early fall of 2010, there was only one major piece of comic book industry news which was not cornered by Marvel or DC Comics. Image was in the spotlight because The Walking Dead was going to be making its television debut on AMC at the end of October. Marvel and DC Comics did not like the idea of a “lower company on the totem pole” receiving so much attention. They knew the buzz would be too big during the month of October, so they chose September to steal some of the thunder away and hopefully continue stealing thunder well into October.

The First Shot of the September War

2011 saw the first full shot in the September War when DC Comics launched the New 52. It was one of the boldest moves ever in comics and was geared through the media to take some of the headlines away from Image and The Walking Dead. Most people thought that Marvel was the intended target of the New 52, but it was only a bystander caught in the crossfire with Image.

The September War Today

The Walking Dead reigns supreme on cable and is sure to grab every headline possible throughout the tenth month of the year. Image has grown and is flirting with the 10% mark in market share. DC Comics is scared because it is being threatened by an enemy from the rear. Marvel is afraid because it is better to battle with the enemy you know than the one you never paid attention to because you never felt it was a legitimate threat. IDW Publishing sees an opportunity to strike when the headlines will be on the comic book industry. Image needs to hold its own and wait for the month to pass. It simply needs to sit out the storm and then unleash its own fury.

The September War is the most important event in comics this year. Age of Ultron, Infinity, the deaths of Peter Parker and Damian Wayne, Guardians of the Galaxy, Villain Month, Forever Evil, every new release, every relaunch, Iron Man 3, Man of Steel, and every storyline is secondary to what will happen during September. This single month will make or break the year for each of the top four companies. A loss of market share during the September War will be a disaster for the losers and the greatest of victories for the winners.

Milestone For WWC – Next Contest Coming Soon…

Jun. 06 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

WonderWorldComics.com has passed a major milestone, and I am going to celebrate this victory with you, because this milestone was passed because of you.

Wonderworld Comics

When We Started WonderWorldComics.com

When we first converted WonderWorldComics.com to a comic book news and information site, the site was rated at over 18.8 million in the world and was unranked in the U.S. which means we had a national rank of over 2.5 million. This site ranking (provided by Alexa, which is a website ranking site), meant that there were 18.8 million websites in the world which had more traffic than we did.

The Challenge

Over the years, I have met many online writers and correspond with many of them. They told me that it would be next to impossible to raise a website’s rank up to 100,000 in the U.S. without spending thousands of dollars on advertising.

Where We Stand Now

After a little less than four month of running WonderWorldComics.com as a comic book news and information site, our rankings came in this morning. We are currently ranked at 711,692 in the world and 99,756 in the United States. This site did what many believed was impossible.

Why We Are Here

The growth and increased popularity of WonderWorldComics.com is because of the customers and fans who check it out every day and look forward (for some odd reason or another) to seeing what we have to say. I thank you for this continued growth and look forward to the growth in the future.

The New WonderWorldComics.com Poll

Over the next few days, you will see a poll on the side of the site. Let me know what type of prize you would like to have. I will officially announce the next contest at the Superman Day events.

Superman Day Events at Wonderworld Comics

Jun. 06 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

The theatrical release of Man of Steel is quickly approaching. Wonderworld Comics is celebrating a special Superman Day on June 12, 2013. Here is an excerpt from the press release about the event.

Man of Steel Day is June 12, 2013!

Wonderworld Comics in Taylor, MI will be celebrating the theatrical release of Man of Steel with Superman Day at the store with special guests, special events, and giveaways.

Jay Towers and Fresh 100.3 will be appearing at the Wonderworld Comics Superman Day events on June 12, 2013. Jay Towers and his crew will be live from 12:00pm until 2:00pm, but the Superman Day events will be going on all day at the Detroit comic shop.

Prizes will be given away at various times throughout the day.

Free Superman comics will be given away.

The day also marks the release of Jim Lee and Scott Snyder’s Superman Unchained #1.

Representatives from the U.S. Army Soldiers of Steel Campaign will be at Wonderworld Comics and hold a push-up contest.

Comic book artists and sketch artists will be on hand selling prints and taking commissions for special artwork.

Customers and visitors are invited to come in costume to celebrate Superman Day with the staff at Wonderworld Comics. Guests are encouraged to wear Superman costumes, or costumes of characters associated with Superman, but it is not mandatory.

September War: IDW Publishing Might Be Surprise Winner

Jun. 06 Comics, News, September War Comments Off

We are all talking about the moves DC Comics should make in the September War with Villain Month and Forever Evil, but what about IDW Publishing? The smaller company has a good chance of picking up some extra percentage points and moving into the third-place spot as Image and Marvel both direct their eyes towards DC Comics. It could be an interesting month indeed.

IDW Publishing in August

August is going to be a big month for IDW Publishing. The month will see the release of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1, which Diamond Previews rated as a GEM of the Month. We will also be able to get our hands on Locke & Key: Alpha #1, the second and final issue will follow in September. We will see the suspicious return of the Cigarette Smoking Man in The X-Files: Season 10 #3, the introduction of KISS Kids #1, and another upswing for titles such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, G.I. Joe, and Transformers.

The Holdover

The strong month IDW Publishing has for August should hold into September as new readers become invigorated by the company they just “discovered” and longer-term readers become invigorated by the month IDW Publishing just had.

IDW Publishing is hitting multiple home runs with the new selections coming out of their agreement with Cartoon Network.

The BIG Release in September

If the holdover from August was not enough, the release of The Powerpuff Girls in September is sure to pop IDW Publishing. The cartoon it is based on is not only something fresh for young readers, it also has a strong cult following among readers of older generations who want to introduce their children to a franchise they grew up with. The greatest possible upset for the month of September would be if The Powerpuff Girls did not debut in the Top 100 in the Diamond Industry Statistics.

As of this writing, the release of the Diamond Industry Statistics for May is still a few days off. The Market Unit Share for April showed Marvel with 37.95%, DC Comics with 25.98%, Image Comics with 9.04%, and IDW Publishing with 7.54%. While I do not see IDW taking the lead in September, I would not be surprised at all by it passing Image for the #3 spot in Unit Share. Once the numbers come out in October, I will be very surprised if I am wrong.

The Toy Market and Female Superhero Movies

Jun. 06 News, TV & Movies no comments

This content is missing.

Can Marvel Bounce Back After September?

Jun. 05 Comics, News, September War no comments

On Monday, DC Comics made their lead announcements about DC Comics Villain Month and Forever Evil, but where does that leave Marvel? September will be a huge month for the company holding second place in market share and DC will probably take over the standings that month. What will Marvel do to battle back?

Marvel’s market share is dropping

Could DC Comics Lead for One Month?

There is a good chance that DC Comics will only lead during the month of September and Marvel will simply have to wait until October to take back over. I see this as an unlikely chance, though.

Villain Month Could Be Biggest Month Since the New 52

I see Villain Month being the biggest month for DC Comics since the launch of the New 52. I know that I am going to pick up some extra titles since there are villains I like in comics I don’t traditionally read. Also, since Batman, Batman Detective Comics, and Batman & Robin are on my pull list, I am going to have to pick up extra copies of each since those comics will have multiple .1 issues in September. I have recently been getting into Flash and Justice League of America, so I will have to pick up their multiple issues as well. I am sure many other people will have the same problem. My readership of the comics I regularly follow will expand, and my readership of a few other titles I pick up for the villains may expand as well.

Forever Evil

With Forever Evil following Villain Month, DC Comics has a good chance of holding onto their lead as people try to see what the first major crossover event of the New 52 can offer. I see DC Comics continuing to hold higher market share into October and possibly November.

Is Infinity Enough?

Marvel’s Infinity is launching soon, but will that be enough to pull share from DC Comics and the independents? Realize, major crossovers are the status quo for Marvel and we have seen them pull off major crossovers year-in and year-out. Are people going to become tired of what Marvel gives us every year? Infinity needs to be one of the strongest crossovers in the last five years if Marvel wants a chance of staying on top this year.

Worst Case Scenario

Villain Month and Forever Evil have been rumored about for months. There is a strong chance Marvel has had more than enough time to plan. What makes me nervous is that Marvel is going to try to pull out extra stops in the fourth quarter. Could they make massive changes just to try to stay on top? Could they kill off characters out of desperation to hold the coverage on comic book sites like this during October? Only time will tell.

Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #9 is My Pick of the Week!

Jun. 05 Comic Book Collecting, News Comments Off

Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #9 is my Pick of the Week! I know…I know…some of you are going to wonder about me picking the comic of one of my favorite characters as my pick of the week. In all honesty, this was one of the best issues for the character in his 61 year history.

Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #9 is my Pick of the Week

The Meat of the Story

As you well know, I am not interested in giving spoilers. The meat of Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #9 story is about what we (specifically the Phantom Stranger) will do for those we love. What type of Hell would we put ourselves through? What types of sacrifices would we make? While many storylines have touched up on these age-old questions, Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #9 takes these questions in more of a literal sense than we are used to reading.

The Cameos

There are many cameos in Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #9. Get ready for an issue where you will see Etrigan, Sin-Eater, Justice League Dark, Doctor Thirteen, The Question, The Spectre, and some of the forgotten enemies from past iterations of the Phantom Stranger.

Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #9 Needs This Honor

While my Pick of the Week is a small honor, the issue in question deserves it. Even if you are not a fan of the Phantom Stranger, you will understand the pain he is enduring and the storyline he was put in this month. I am sure that many of the statements made within will be reflected in the upcoming months during the Trinity War and/or Forever Evil. We will have to wait and see.

Have You Seen Wonderworld Comics’ Eisner Nomination Video Yet?

Jun. 05 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

By now, you might have already seen the Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award nomination video from Wonderworld Comics. If you have not, you can see it by following this link.

Wonderworld Comics

The staff at Wonderworld Comics had a ton of fun making this video and are proud to have the opportunity to submit this video in the first place. To me, the Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award could be likened to a Comic Book Store Hall of Fame. This an extreme honor not only to the ownership and staff of a comic book store, but to the customers and fans as well.

I was proud of the job my daughter did (Maia – the little girl with glasses). I am also happy that any speaking part I had was edited out of the video. I may not have a problem typing whatever comes to mind, or speaking before crowds, but I have never liked being on camera.

At Wonderworld Comics, we do what we can to make sure your shopping experience is as enjoyable as possible. Many of you have become friends of the store or of particular workers over the years. We thank you because you make the store a living, breathing, and growing entity which is being globally recognized.

Dan DiDio of DC Comics is a Sick and Twisted [Censored]!

Jun. 03 Collector's Corner, News Comments Off

After reading the announcements about the DC Comics Villain Month and the Forever Evil crossover event, I was reminded about how I think Dan DiDio is a sick and twisted [Censored]. How dare he help to oversee a company which would make me rethink my life-long claim of being a Marvelite? How dare Dan DiDio help make DC Comics a [Censored] company which I am interested in giving my hard-earned money to?

This content is censored.

Before the New 52

When I was young, the first three comics I read were The Defenders, Spider-Man, and The Phantom Stranger. These three comics started off a lifetime of loving comics. Over the years, I expanded to more titles, but found myself expanding more in Marvel because I could connect with those characters better. Sure, DC Comics still gave me Batman, the Phantom Stranger, and Flash – but that was about it. I always thought of DC Comics as a lackey behind Marvel. I expanded more into the independents than I did with DC Comics because the company always left a dry taste in my mouth instead of satiating or creating a hunger like Marvel did.

Dan Didio has Gone Too [Censored] Far!

It was bad enough that Dan DiDio took one of my favorite characters of all time (the Phantom Stranger) and changed him for the New 52. It was even worse when I realized that I liked all of the [Censored] changes he oversaw. Now, that [Censored] is working on two projects (Villain Month and Forever Evil) that I am looking forward to. Dan DiDio has gone too [Censored] far!

Dan DiDio Costs Me Money!

Every month, I find myself going through the racks at our Detroit area comic book store and picking out some different comics to try out. 3 out of 5 times, I find myself floating over to those [Censored] DC Comics titles and giving one a try. My [Censored] pull list is full of those [Censored] DC Comics titles. [Censored] Dan DiDio and his ability to direct a company towards storylines that I enjoy reading! The damn DC Comics titles in my pull outweigh the Marvel ones by an average of 2 to 1!

Don’t Argue With Me!

Some of you might say that some of the blame could be placed on Jim Lee or on the writers or on the artists or on other people at DC Comics. Wrong! Dead [Censored] wrong! Anger is easier to deal with when it is directed at someone you can connect a name or a face with. Anyone who reads comics should [Censored] know that! Everyone needs one arch nemesis. My arch nemesis is Dan DiDio and I will not [Censored] rest until the day he personally apologizes for making a [Censored] product that would pull me away from Marvel!

Update

Dan DiDio has personally apologized to me for making such a good product. I will continue to keep my eye on him, though.

My Opinions on Villain Month and Forever Evil

Jun. 03 Comics, News, September War no comments

So, the announcements were made today about the DC Comics Villain Month and the Forever Evil crossover event. This might come as a surprise, but I have some definite opinions on the announcements made.

DC Comics Villain Month

Note

I am writing this under the assumption that you have read the news statements so far. If you have not, you can read the news about DC Comics Villain Month by following this link, and read the statements about the Forever Evil crossover event by following this link.

My Thoughts on DC Comics Villain Month as a Whole

Personally, I love the idea of DC Comics Villain Month. The company has done a very good job over the years of making memorable characters we shudder over. They have also done a very good job in modernizing many of these characters. Give us the opportunity to look into the heads of these baddies in their updated form. September will remind us that a great superhero story is made up of a great superhero and a great villain. Give the baddies the time to shine.

The 3D Covers for DC Comics Villain Month

During the interview, it was stated that this type of cover has never been done before. Really? I have seen 3D covers before and know that they can either be impressive or annoying. The specific format for creating these covers might be new, but I have 3D covers in my collection from the 1990s. As someone who will usually have a few adult beverages while reading comics in the evening, I am a little nervous that the motion might cause undesired impacts.

The Prices of Comics During September

You might not have noticed this but the cover price on all of the DC Comics Villain Month titles are $3.99. This is a good way to squeeze an extra few dollars out of people during the month. From a retail aspect, I think it is great. From a collector’s stance – I see it as an annoyance. Unless there is a huge push for these covers in the future, I don’t see the price automatically increasing in value over the sort or long term. Obviously, DC Comics wants to reign supreme in all of the possible industry ratings over at Diamond. Too bad that “Drawing the Line at $2.99” was talking about a squiggly line.

The Printing of the Title

When I first started hearing about the possibility of villains taking over the comics during September, I was a little nervous about how the titles would be printed. Take Justice League for example. Would Darkseid’s name be the only title appearing that month, or would DC Comics use another method? I am happy that they are imprinting the name of the villain over the traditional title. This will help retailers and help fans know for sure which comic is for which line. Thanks, DC! You got that part right!

Why So Scared DC Comics?

Notice that there was not an announcement about the titles of DC Comics Villain Month coming out later in some type of trade format. I understand why. It might discourage some collectors from buying as many of the comics as they can carry. Smart move from a corporate aspect, but not from a comic book community aspect. Rumors have circulated about all of the covers being in one book or an omnibus collecting all of the DC Comics Villain Month issues. I don’t see that option as feasible because if each comic was 26 pages long, we would have an omnibus with over 1350 pages. A series of trades might be the most likely.

The Idea of the Forever Evil Crossover Event

I HATE company-wide crossover events that go into dozens of different titles. I hated it when they did it for Secret Wars II, and I still hate it all of these years later. The Trinity War crossover is one thing since it comprises about five titles each month. I am fine with that. I don’t like when companies decide that you car payment should go to them for a few months straight. Some people like it, but it is a Marvelish formula which has turned me off even more in the last few years. I was hoping we would never see it at DC Comics, but my nightmare is now a reality.

The Redeeming Factor of the Forever Evil Crossover Event

The one redeeming factor of the Forever Evil crossover event is that the focus will be placed on the villains of the DC Comics Universe (according to the original interview). I have always been a sucker for villain crossover and issues which take the focus away from the superheroes and give it to the bad guys and gals. I might end up having to start saving money now.

DC Comics Forever Evil Crossover Event is Coming

Jun. 03 Comics, News, September War Comments Off

Buzzfeed posted an interview with Dan DiDio and Jim Lee where the two minds at DC Comics discussed the upcoming Forever Evil crossover event. Some very interesting points were made which you need to know.

This is Big News people!

What is the Forever Evil Crossover Event?

The Forever Evil crossover event will be the first major crossover event of the New 52. DC Comics Villain Month will lead into the Forever Evil crossover event and the event will focus on many (if not most) of the major villains in the DC Comics Universe. Forever Evil will be a seven-issue miniseries. There will be three other major events taking place in other titles which will draw these other titles into direct connection with the Forever Evil crossover event.

Who Will Be in the Forever Evil Crossover Event?

While DC Comics has months to announce the players in the Forever Evil crossover event, Dan DiDio did confirm that Joker and Lex Luthor will be present in the series and that Hush will also be appearing later on the event. I would go on the assumption that many of the villains used in the DC Comics Villain Month would also play some role in the event. The two DC representatives stated that the focus of the series will be on the villains and that some might not make it out alive. At least one major character will be changed forever.

When

While the definitive date for the Forever Evil crossover event has not been officially announced, we do know that it will happen sometime after Villain Month which would put it (at earliest) in the October time frame. We also do not know if the miniseries Forever Evil will be monthly, biweekly, or weekly. My assumption would be that it would either be biweekly or monthly. Only time, and DC Comics will tell.

DC Comics Villain Month is Official

Jun. 03 Comics, News, September War no comments

Dan DiDio and Jim Lee sat down with Buzzfeed and discussed the upcoming DC Comics Villain Month. They confirmed many of the rumors about the month and cleared up many of the points of speculation.

DC Comics Villain Month

DC Comics Villain Month is a Reality

After months of rumors and speculation, it can be confirmed that the DC Comics Villain Month will be coming in September. I received confirmation about the event a few months ago from someone at DC Comics, but was asked not to discuss anything until the official announcement was made. Remember, I am against posting spoilers on this site, so I had to live and die by the sword I wield.

The Focus of DC Comics Villain Month

During September, DC Comics will focus on the motivations and psychological inspections of the villains we have come to know so well. The goal will not be to humanize them (according to the interview) but to give us a deeper understanding of them.

What Will Happen During the DC Comics Villain Month?

Each of the New 52 titles will be taken over by a villain and will be renamed as a #1 issue for that particular character for the month of September. In the lineage of the comic, though, this will be a .1 issue. Hence, Grood #1 will actually be Flash #23.1.

The Interesting Covers of DC Comics Villain Month

The covers of DC Comics Villain Month will all be 3D. Jim Lee explained during the interview that the covers will be two-layer 3D motion covers.

The Titles Announced for DC Comics Villain Month

The titles officially announced so far for DC Comics Villain Month include (regular title in parentheses):

Two Face #1 (Batman & Robin)

Desaad #1 (Earth 2)

Creeper #1 (Justice League Dark)

Darkseid #1 (Justice League)

Ventriloquist #1 (Batman The Dark Knight)

Relik #1 (Green Lantern)

Cyborg Superman #1 (Action Comics)

Bizzaro #1 (Superman)

Grood #1 (Flash)

Poison Ivy #1 (Batman Detective Comics)

DC Comics Villain Month is a Transition

According to the interview, DC Comics Villain Month will be set up by the final events of the Trinity War crossover series. The events of the DC Comics Villain Month will lead into the first major crossover of the New 52 and will be entitled Forever Evil.

Who is Larry Poupard from WonderWorldComics?

Jun. 02 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

When I published Kelly and JD’s bios, a handful of you sent me messages asking if I was going to publish mine. Well, you wanted a bio for Larry Poupard, now you have it.

Larry Poupard

Larry Poupard, the Writer

Some of you know my history of writing. Prior to joining WonderWorldComics and turning it into a comic book news and information site, I was a freelance writer. My major clients have included Yahoo!, CNN, Dodge, AOL, and Men’s Magazine. I spent time as a travel writer, an event reviewer, a news commentator, movie reviewer, and analyst. My favorite niche was writing about the history and symbolism of the horror industry and comic book industry. These are two areas of which I hold I high level of passion for.

Larry Poupard, the Geek

Where do I start when talking about my geeky life? I am an avid fan of classic Dungeons & Dragons, World of Darkness, and G.U.R.P.S. I have collected classic gaming books for years. It may have been a long time since I played, but I still enjoy reading those old books.

Of course, you know about my passion for comics and comic book history. I love hearing about older storylines people remember and how they interpreted what they read. I think my passion for comics comes from how ten people can read the same comic and all have ten different interpretations of the same characters or story.

Some of you might have known about my passion for horror, but it is almost as equal to the level of passion I have with comics and classic gaming. I have lectured on the history, significance, and symbolism of horror. My favorite writer is easily H.P. Lovecraft followed by many of the other authors who added to the Cthulhu Mythos over the year.

Larry Poupard’s Favorite Reads Right Now

While I have more comics that I read each month, these are my personal favorites. They are not in any particular order:

Batman

Batman and Robin (or whoever in the hell he is teaming with this month)

Hoax Hunters (surprised?)

Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger

Justice League Dark

Suicide Squad

All New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men (two sides of the same story, both sides awesome)

Dislikes:

Superman (surprised?)

Digital comics (oh, you didn’t know about that? Give me an hour)

The perception that digital comics are the end of print comics (not while I can breathe)

The word “slacks”

Crossovers that force me to ready comics I don’t want to buy to get the full story

Unending lines of crossovers

People who think there is something wrong with adults reading comics

People who stand in line for a superhero movie who think they can tell you the entire damn story of a character even though he/she has never read the comic and would not understand the true significance of a character if it were to slap him or her.

Denver Comic Con Lines – Another Convention Plagued With Long Lines

Jun. 01 Conventions, News no comments

News out of Denver is that fans are waiting in very long lines to get into Denver Comic Con. Some reports are placing the wait is up to four hours to get into the convention center. This is a dangerous trend with comic book conventions which needs to be taken care of immediately.

Comic book convention lines. Ain’t nobody got time fo dat! – This is not actually a picture from Denver.

The Recent Past

Both Dallas Comic Con and Motor City Comic Con have made headlines recently due to long lines which have kept fans at bay for hours. With Denver Comic Con having the same issues, how many fans are going to become discouraged about coming to future comic book conventions?

Denver Comic Con Issue

According to Channel 9 News in Denver, the promoters and management of Denver Comic Con were not prepared for the long lines they were experiencing today. While having more guests than you would expect is a good thing, not being prepared for the numbers is something different. Comic books are in an upswing, the top movies each year are typically related to comics in some way, and more people are heading to conventions than ever before. It would be better for conventions to overstaff the front door than to automatically expect the status quo will work year-in and year-out.

The Damage Long Lines at Conventions Can Cause

First off, we have to take a look at the health risks involved with excruciatingly long lines. Issues such as exhaustion, heat exposure (in the summer) and hypothermia (in the winter) are issues which comic book convention promoters have to be concerned about. A comic book convention is supposed to be a happy event and it is the job of the staff to make sure health concerns never come into play.

Another issue is the short-term issue of people turning around and going home disappointed because they did not want to wait in line. This takes money out of the pockets of the convention itself, the vendors, and the guests.

Over the long-term, many fans could easily become discouraged by seeing stories about comic book convention lines and decide to stay home. Instead of taking another huge upswing in attendance, conventions might start losing attendance spikes because fans are too scared about the possibility of standing in line for three or four hours.

Comic book convention promoters and their staffs need to sit down and plan for dealing with lines which would boggle their minds. Comic books are the going thing, and comic book conventions need to make sure they stay high on as many lists as possible. Nipping this problem with long lines is the first step.

Why No Comic Book Spoilers?

Jun. 01 Comics, News Comments Off

Why won’t WonderWorldComics.com publish comic book spoilers? This is a question I am asked on a regular basis by readers who believe we might be missing an opportunity in the comic book market. There are reasons why I refuse to publish comic book spoilers.

One of the Goals of WonderWorldComics.com

At WonderWorldComics.com, we want to make sure you enjoy reading and collecting your comics. Comic book spoilers take much of the wow factor out of reading. Comic book spoilers take out the element of surprise. If I were to publish spoilers, I would take some of the fun away. If you really want spoilers, there are hundreds of other sites out there which will give you all of the information you need.

What I will Do

Sometimes, a story will come along with such a surprise twist, I will decide to tell you about it. Instead of giving comic book spoilers, I will simply suggest you pick up the issue to see what is going on for yourself. From time to time, I will have to give you a little bit of the backstory as a setup, but try to make sure that I do not spoil the big reveal. If you ever think I am giving too much information, let me know.

For the New

If you stumbled across this article while looking for comic book spoilers, I would like you to check out the spoiler-free content on this site. I think it is a breath of fresh air for the industry.

Robert Kirkman Should Be Off the Walking Dead Comic

Jun. 01 Comics, News Comments Off

Many of you are probably going to blast me for saying this, but I do not think that Robert Kirkman should still be writing The Walking Dead comic. The last year and a half have been fairly bland and the comic needs fresh life blown into it.

The Walking Dead Comic

Yawning at The Walking Dead Comic

I remember jumping on to The Walking Dead comic and reading it from the first issue on. Up until the around issue #90, I could not wait to see what Rick and the other survivors would do next. As the issues of The Walking Dead comic progressed through the 90s, I grew less and less satisfied. By issue #100, I had gotten to the point where I was ready to drop it off of my pulls. Instead, I held on for another six months and finally decided to walk away from what had been one of my favorite comics of all time. I have tried a few issues since and found that I just did not care anymore.

What is Wrong with The Walking Dead Comic?

Comics have what you might call a “story life.” This is similar to shelf life for food. Once the story life is over (typically once a story has been completely told), the comic becomes stale. That is where The Walking Dead comic is for me, and for many of the readers I have spoken to in the last few months who have decided to walk away as well.

Robert Kirkman Needs to Step Back

What I think is happening is that Robert Kirkman is spending so much time on the TV show, the comic has become an afterthought. The issues read as if they are written by someone simply going through the motions. Don’t get me wrong, issues #1-#90 tell one of the greatest stories ever in comics. The story should have ended there, but the comic continues to sell and the demand continues to be there.

Questioning the Demand

The Walking Dead is the top show on cable, but has troubles breaking the Top Ten for the Diamond Industry Statistics most months. A large majority of customers that I see who buy The Walking Dead comic, only buy The Walking Dead comic. Many have jumped on with the comic because of their fandom. I would not be going out on a limb by saying these people might not realize how the story has digressed and been elongated over the last twenty issues.

What the Story Needs

Either The Walking Dead needs to have an exit point (read: Final Issue), or Robert Kirkman needs to bring in another writer. He can still be listed on the front page, but most of the work should be given to someone who has the time for the project. There is something wrong when I read a particular issue and said “Oh, Glenn died” instead of “OMG! They just killed Glenn!”

The Wake #1 is My Pick of the Week! – Spoiler Free

May. 30 Comics, News Comments Off

My Pick of the Week returns this week with The Wake #1 which is written by Scott Snyder with art by Sean Murphy. I have a strong feeling this 10-issue series is going to be one we remember for a long time and talk about for years.

The Wake #1

The Opening of The Wake #1

Snyder and Murphy decided to start out The Wake #1 with something which would not be considered as traditional. They started with a prologue 200 years in the future. This adds to the mystery surrounding the story and starts out like many Lovecraftian stories in structure. More on that later.

The Story in The Wake #1

Dr. Archer is a marine biologist specialized in whales. She used to be a government researcher and is approached by a ranking member of the Office of Homeland Security about doing some work for the government. She agrees and follows him to Alaska. There, she meets other people the government has recruited to investigate strange sounds possibly coming from whales in the area. There is an amazing epiphany in the last few pages of the issue which adds to the dread which is built in the previous pages. You know I would never ruin that for you.

The Lovecraftian Aspects of The Wake #1

First off (as you know from previews), The Wake incorporates creatures which dwell under the ocean. While some might say this is automatically a point to H.P. Lovecraft, they would partially be wrong. Granted, Cthulhu, Dagon, and many other gods are associated with water, any creature awakening from the deep is not a nod to Lovecraft.

Instead, a potential nod to Lovecraft comes in the formation and structure of the story. Many Lovecraftian stories begin in the future and recollect the past as a scientist describes how he became insane or an investigator talks about how his life crumbled months before. I could not say for sure if The Wake #1 is definitively a Lovecraftian tale because I would then have to assume the intentions of the creators. Instead, I would say that it is written in the Lovecraftian style.

The story builds an atmosphere of dread from the early pages to build up to each peak at the true evil at work. The last few pages of The Wake #1 just hint at the evil and the final, and true, reveal might not happen for months down the road. A Lovecraftian story builds fear from the very beginning and gives hints here and there that the great reveal will be something so mind-bending that the reader might have to go back and read parts of the story again to fully comprehend what just happened. The writing and the artwork in The Wake #1 both add to the dread and will being me back for the second installment.

Convention Hotels Need to Treat Us Better

May. 28 Conventions, News Comments Off

Why do convention hotels discount genre convention attendees? I have attended dozens of conventions across the country and in Canada, and have found a similar problem at most of the hotels I have stayed in. As someone who has worked as a travel writer, there are certain aspects of how convention hotels discount their guests which the average person might not ever notice. Even though you might not have noticed these issues, it does not mean they should not be changed.

WTF Certified

The Restaurants

First off, restaurants inside convention hotels will often try to change their menus to “accommodate” conventiongoers. Sometimes this is a good thing as with the time that I covered a convention made up of mostly rabbis who wished to discuss the future of the Jewish faith. The hotel restaurants made sure the food being prepared was kosher. This was an understandable change.

On the flip, we have the Hyatt Regency McCromick Place, where we stayed this year during the Diamond Retailer’s Summit and C2E2. This is a 4-Star restaurant which is known for having delicacies and food which is high above what might be found at other hotels in the city. Why in the hell would they have a buffet made up of cheese nachos, chicken fingers, and pizza? For $13 (the cost of the buffet), I would have rather eaten pizza at one of the pizza joints the city is known for. Why would I want to get cheese nachos at a top-of-the-line hotel restaurant?

While attending the Up in the Aether steampunk convention, I had dinner at the Doubletree Hotel Dearborn/Detroit restaurant. I was told that the chicken in my chicken Caesar salad was prepared fresh. My Grandma was a chef and I can tell the difference between fresh and heated meat. I overheard one of the waitresses say “We can tell them whatever we want. These geeks won’t know the difference.”

The Pool and the Staff

Have you ever noticed that hotels do not have lifeguards on duty at the pool during conventions? You might not know this, but many four and five star hotels pay lifeguards but lay them off or reassign them during weeks of conventions. This is a way they cut their costs to make more money from the conventions. The same goes for many of the other types of members of the staff from room service to front desk moderation. A key area you might notice this is the empty valet parking or coat check rooms during a convention. Now, this is not the case with all upper tier convention hotels, but many of them.

Comped Rooms

I have found it more difficult to receive a comped room due to some type of issue during a convention than during any other time of the year. I went to a horror convention a few years ago and overheard a girl complaining about how there was mold in her shower. She stated that she did not notice it until the morning after she had spent all night in the room. The person at the front desk first told her that he would send someone up to clean her room. I stepped in an pointed out how simply cleaning the room might not remove the mold particles from the air.

The gentleman suggested moving her to another room. I whispered to the guest that she should be comped for the inconvenience and the possible health risk she faced. She spoke up and the person at the desk said he was not authorized to give her a free night and that there was not someone on staff who could authorize that. I stepped up and gave the person behind the desk my card which gave my press and travel writing credentials. Amazingly, the clerk remembered that he was authorized to give her a free stay at the hotel that weekend.

The next time that you stay at any of the convention hotels in the country, remember that you should be allowed the same privileges and should be treated with the same amount of respect as any other guest staying the hotel during the year. Convention hotels need to realize they need to keep us as satisfied as their regular guests. If not, we will not be back in the future.

Review of Up in the Aether Steampunk Convention 2013

May. 28 Conventions, News no comments

I had the opportunity to attend the Up in the Aether steampunk convention at the Doubletree Hotel Southfield/Detroit. What did I think?

Here I was hunting Steampunk fans in their natural environment – Up in the Aether Steampunk Convention 2013

Broken Misconceptions

I went into the Up in the Aether steampunk convention with certain misconceptions about steampunk conventions. Don’t blame me as I had never attended a steampunk convention before. I expected everyone to be talking in strained and feigned European accents and to be in character the entire time. I found this was not the case as there were only a few people who attempted to hold perception of character. The fake accents, though, could not be missed.

The Overall Feel of the Up in the Aether Steampunk Convention

Most of the guests at the Up in the Aether steampunk convention appeared to be having a good time. They were in their element. If you are a steampunk cosplayer, or someone who has a deep love for the genre, I could see you having a blast at the convention. I have been to many different types of conventions and can usually pick those people who are simply there because they have to be or because they believe they need to be to make it through the motions of tradition. I was hard-pressed to find those types of individuals at this convention.

Up in the Aether Steampunk Convention 2013

The Casual Attendee

I am a fan of steampunk literature and media adaptations, but have never considered following the “steampunk lifestyle.” I know this is a genre convention, but I am sad to say that I did not gain the level of excitement at the convention that fans of the “steampunk lifestyle” did. I am not making a suggestion that they make the show more inviting to non-genre fans as that might take from the magic enjoyed by the traditional attendees of a steampunk show. As with most genre-strict conventions, non-genre fans are not catered to and should not expect to be catered to. If you are considering the “steampunk lifestyle,” the Up in the Aether steampunk convention would be a great convention to check out. If you are a casual fan of the literary genre, you might not find very much to do.

The Convention Itself

I have to commend the planners and promoters of the convention for having a constant schedule of events for attendees to participate in. Panels on attire creation, historical classes, and weapons displays filled the roster of events. Live bands, DJs and a marionette animation could also be experienced. There were very few dead times during the convention.

One Area for Improvement

There was only one area where I could say that the promoters and planners of the Up in the Aether steampunk convention needed to improve upon. While this is a hurdle created by the layout of the Doubletree Hotel, it is something the convention’s minds need to figure out.

The hallways on the first floor of the hotel are fairly narrow. If something is going on in one of the hallways, maneuvering around can be very difficult. They had a live mermaid perform, and whenever she would be swimming in the pool, the hallway would fill up with people trying to see her swim. This made it difficult for hotel guests to get to their rooms as they had to pass through that particular hallway. As someone who has covered conventions for years for various sites, areas of congestion are a pet peeve of mine, but still believe they can ruin an event or an evening for conventiongoers.

All-in-all, I would say that the Up in the Aether steampunk convention gave a great showing for the first time out. I wish them many years of success. You can learn more about the convention by following this link.

You can see pictures of the costumes in our Cosplay Photo Gallery.

This is a steampunk stroller – Up in the Aether Steampunk Convention 2013

Up in the Aether Steampunk Convention 2013

Introducing Our New Cosplay Photo Gallery!

May. 24 Detroit Area Comic Book Store, News Comments Off

Introducing the WonderWorldComics Cosplay Gallery! Many of you have asked for a cosplay gallery on the site, so I am happy to oblige!

C2E2 Cosplay

When looking for cosplay pictures, some readers have stated that they do not want to search the site for cosplay pictures WonderWorldComics has taken at various conventions around the country. To bypass this issue, I have created a gallery of cosplay pictures which will be updated with pictures from any convention this site attends.

New pictures will automatically be placed at the top of the page so that you do not have to search the page for something new every time you want to see what pictures we have. Of course, you can always go through the site at your leisure to remind yourself of some of the beautiful costumes (and women and men) we have taken pictures of over the course of our coverage.

WonderWorldComics continues to grow at a lightning pace and is quickly becoming one of the top sources for comic book news and information. Want something else on the site? Let me know. I will do my best to try to work in your requests.

You can view the Cosplay Photo Gallery by selecting the tab above or by following this link.

The Girls are Taking Over Comic Cons – A Guest’s Perspective

May. 24 Comic Book Collecting, Conventions, News Comments Off

While attending the Dallas Comic Con, I happened to notice the abundances of female visitors. It’s one thing to hear that women are just as into comics as men, but another to actually see it. Moreover, where the guys will talk shop about their favorites; the girls are more prone to dress up.

The stereotype of the unwashed comic con fanboy is also coming to a close. The guys are starting to realize that girls are there, and they don’t want to be caught blowing one off for a ‘fake geek girl’.

And who started that insane slight on the girl nerd? I need not point any fingers. We all know where it started. That’s unimportant. The part that should be paid attention to is a that a mob of high school girls are showing up at the convention dresses up, and not just to get attention. I’m not sure how sexy a red-head dressed like she’s homeless with a mock busted lip and a sign “The end is nigh” alongside a female, cigar chomping, armored up Comedian is.

Here is the reality of it: like games, girls are not afraid to love comics; I suppose much in the same way Bronies exist.

This is not what we are seeing in the comic book world though. In DC Comic’s new line-up, we find noble she-warrior turn into a nymphomaniac with the memory of a gnat (Starfire), transitions from sex-symbol-to-woman-breaking-the-mold with empowerment get demoted to a second (or third) stringer girlfriend (Power Girl), and the culling of the female creative staff at DC from 12% to 1%. It’s time for comics to reflect the audience better.

But maybe Amanada Conner (former artist for Power Girl) had pointed out at the Dallas Comic Con: “I think in 10 years, you’re going to see way, WAY more female comic creators”

My mind goes back to the group of 16 year-old girls dressed like prominent DC characters, whom collectively named “Nightwing’s ass” as one of their favorite characters and “just died!” when they saw Neil Patrick Harris voicing Nightwing in “Under the Red Hood”. These are the girls that will make their way into the industry in the next decade.

Are we ready for this? I sure am. I’m mildly humored at the notion of the sexism boot being tried on a different foot. I am hopeful that once the girls try it on, we can all meet in the middle for a deeper level of mindless entertainment, fantastic adventure, new twists on old noir storytelling, and most of all: diversity.

Welcome to the club, ladies!

Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past Opinion, Interpretation, Concern

May. 24 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

So we will see Quicksilver in The Avengers 2 and we will see Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past. I will let that soak in for a moment because it boggles the mind how one character will be in two movies from different ends of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Why yes…I do have an opinion and a few concerns.

Quicksilver in The Avengers 2! Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past!

What Happened?

Recently, Joss Whedon acknowledged that both Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch would be in The Avengers 2. On Thursday, director [of X-Men: Days of Future Past] Bryan Singer tweeted: “Before he was an #Avenger, he was just a REALLY fast kid. Thrilled to say #EvanPeters is joining #XMen #DaysOfFuturePast as #Quicksilver.”

No Legal Issue

Legally speaking, there is not an issue with this as Fox has the rights to use Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch since they are mutants. The company can also reference the fact that they are Magneto’s children. On the flip, Marvel can use the characters since they are Avengers but cannot reference them as mutants or reference that Magneto is their father. So legally, we can see Quicksilver in The Avengers 2, and we can see Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Interesting Concerns

Since we will see Quicksilver in The Avengers 2 and see Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past, we have to be concerned about how he will be portrayed. We should expect fission in the comic book community over how he will be portrayed. We should also be expecting both Marvel and Fox to attempt to outdo the other in his portrayal.

Let’s Say…

Let’s say Marvel expects to use Quicksilver in The Avengers 2 as a background character who simply makes an appearance. Fox will have to answer that by using Quicksilver in X:Men: Days of Future Past as more of a secondary character. Marvel will have to respond by making Quicksilver a primary character. Foxwill have to…

Neither company is going to want to be outdone by the other on the portrayal of the character. Both know they will be fighting for the Quicksilver fans. They know there will be fissure in the comic book community over how Quicksilver is delivered and the companies will want their side of the fissure rooting harder, and as pleased as possible.

Quicksilver in Both Movies is Good

Fissures in the community cause opinions. Opinions cause discussions. Discussions in the comic book community are a good thing. Anything which will keep people talking about our favored form of entertainment is a good thing and it should be encouraged. On the negative side, a battle for attention could hurt both movies if overplayed in the media.

Precedence?

I am wondering if the use of the character in both movies could set some type of crossover precedence. While I highly doubt Fox will allow Wolverine to cross into the Avengers movies without a fight (even though he was an Avenger on many levels, there are slightly smaller X-Men who have been on the team composed of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Could we see Beast in one of the Marvel-made movies? How about Storm, Cannonball, or Rogue? Most importantly – SQUIRREL GIRL!!! Remember, the most powerful mutant ever (she did defeat MODOK, Terrax, and Thanos) was a recruit of the Great Lakes Avengers.

Give us Squirrel Girl!

It will be interesting to see who this whole battle plays out. Will we be talking more about Quicksilver in The Avengers 2? Will we be talking more about Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past? Who cares? Controversy creates cash and that is all that matters in the end for the industry. Well, that and sustained income – but that is a story for another day.

Man of Steel Day is Coming on June 12

May. 22 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

June 12, 2013 will be Man of Steel Day in comic book stores across the country as the comic book world celebrates the release of the new Superman movie. I think this is a smart move by the comic book publisher and should give DC Comics a strong chance of gaining back some of the market it has lost recently.

Man of Steel Day is June 12, 2013!

What’s the Big Deal with Man of Steel Day?

Of course, many (if not most) of the comic book stores across the country will have free promotional bags to stuff your orders into, they will also have free copies of All-Star Superman #1 Special Edition which will reprint the first chapter of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s famous tale about Superman. Many comic book stores will also have special posters to promote the movie.

What Else is Going On?

Some comic book stores will have special promotions on Man of Steel Day to promote the movie. Wonderworld Comics is putting on the finishing touches right now and we should have more information posted on this site and on our Facebook page very soon. Keep your eyes open for more information.

The Idea of Man of Steel Day

DC Comics needs to do something outside of the box to increase sales and gain back some of the lost market share. By making Man of Steel Day into as big of an event as possible, the publisher can get fans talking about the movie and about Superman in general. Will Man of Steel Day bring in shoppers who have never been to a comic book store? Not sure. Either way, it should make some news and turn some more heads towards comic book stores in general, towards DC Comics, towards the new movies, and towards Superman.

Uncanny X-Men #6 is My Pick of the Week

May. 22 Comics, News Comments Off

While there are many comics coming out this week, Uncanny X-Men #6 is my Pick of the Week! Sorry that there was not a Pick of the Week last week, but as some of you know, I did not have any pulls last week. It was an odd week when nothing I was reading came out. As per the first Pick of the Week article, this will be free of spoilers.

Uncanny X-Men #6 is my Pick of the Week!

What Initially Excited Me About Uncanny X-Men #6?

As a Doctor Strange fan, the revelation (from Uncanny X-Men #5) that Dormammu would be going after Magik was exciting. Uncanny X-Men #6 finds Cyclops’ team forgetting about the division in the X-Men and takes them away from crossover issues with the team we follow in All New X-Men. The team finds itself face-to-face with one of the most powerful otherworldly entities in the Marvel Universe.

A Little Bit of Information

There is a second story going on in Uncanny X-Men #6. Maria Hill is trying to figure out a way to get into the heads of the mutants. While talking with Agent Coulson, she decides to recruit a mutant to help S.H.I.E.L.D. understand mutants better by understanding the mutant mentality. On the final page of Uncanny X-Men #6, that recruit is revealed.

Not Going to Spoil it for You

I do not like giving spoilers on this site, and I am not going to start now. DC Comics hyped up (and then dropped) their “WTF Month,” but the final page in Uncanny X-Men #6 gave me the biggest WTF moment in months. The mutant S.H.I.E.L.D. recruits is so surprising, I have been trying to figure out why (s)he was picked to be an agent. I have been trying to wrap my head around how Marvel is going to play out using this particular character and what the motives would be to bring her/him back after not using her/him on a regular basis in…well, it might be a spoiler if I tell you how long.

Head out and pick up Uncanny X-Men #6 and see how the story plays out. See if you can wrap your head around the new recruit. You can thank me later.

Dallas Comic Con 2013: A Guest’s Review

May. 21 Conventions, News no comments

This isn’t the comic book world I thought it would be when entering Dallas Comic Con. I’ve known it was changing, but I hadn’t realized just how far behind the comic world was to the real world. The male dominated industry should pay closer attention to the conventions. There were almost equal parts of men and women at the Dallas Comic Con, and the women are coming alone more than not, as well as coming younger.

Dallas Comic Con 2013

Big Sellers at Dallas Comic Con

Big sellers in the comic department are Walking Dead, New 52 titles, Blackest Night, Spidey, and any number of the Gotham titles (mostly Nightwing and Batman). The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles seem to be on the upswing still despite the controversy surrounding Micheal Bay vs. the fans. Classic title sales went to any of the older Marvels and Batman selections.

What Was the Top Attention-Getter at Dallas Comic Con?

The overall Dallas Comic Con winner for popularity in costume, fan paraphernalia, people’s choice, and vendor sales would have to be Deadpool.

Top WTF? Product at Dallas Comic-Con

The popular “WTF?” product was PopHeroes. These weird little figures are clearly the next “MiniMates”. MVP dolls were the Dallas Comic-Con exclusive Reverse Flash, the Black Flash, and Deadpool color swap version.

Biggest Letdown of Dallas Comic Con

Nathan Fillion had canceled at the last minute due to health issues. He made the announcement on his twitter, apologizing to his fans.

Biggest Crowd-Pleaser at Dallas Comic Con

Kevin Conroy was more than happy to pick up the slack of the missing writer/space pilot/pompous musical superhero. Batman saves the day once more.

The Ratings for Dallas Comic Con

The Location (4.5): I give the Irving Convention Center credit for being fresh, artistically appealing, and very accommodating for fantastical photos. The points deducted are for lack of sensible mobility upward. You can’t comfortably traverse floors without congestion unless you use the massive outside stairs… in Texas.

Dallas Comic-Con 2013

Access (2.5): The “merry-go-round” the ticket booth was a bad move. You stand outside and wait to get your wrist band, then go back out side and wait after you get your wrist band. Access to the main room on the first floor was also the same 10 feet of area that you needed to go on or come off the escalator. Five points of access to the main hall and they chose the access next to the escalator to be the only entrance.

Merchandise (4): With the number of people coming into this convention, I didn’t see much in the way of freebies for convention goers. BigFanBoy had a freebie room set up; but all they had was a few old movie posters, one or two new movie posters, and 3 different Tyler Perry movie posters. Do not bring Tyler Perry movie posters to a comic book convention. There was a Dallas Comic Con exclusive booth, but nothing free.

On the flip side, there was plenty to be sold and within reasonable prices. Nearly every comic was half off. T-shirts were $20 or less. Nearly every vender was motivated to empty out their backstock. VIP members had access to a small cache of loot for visit.

Dallas Comic Con 2013

Side Shows (3.5): There was a “Sunday Funny Paper” exhibit at Dallas Comic Con – neat historically, but falls flat with the modern crowd. Robotech Theater was also kind of cool but would have been a much bigger hit with all of the direct to video DC Animated movies.

The “Face-Off” workshop and booth at Dallas Comic Con with Heather Henry was an excellent idea with the constantly growing cosplay crowd. Comic book related or not, Darth Vader and Boba Fett from the 501st Troopers charity group went over well. Bigfanboy was bogus considering the extensive number of comic movies on the big and small screen alike recent and in the future yet nothing to feature. Again, whose bright idea was it to drag Tyler Perry posters into a comic book/sci-fi convention?

Fan Service (4): Shatner, Spiner, McFadden, and Burton were a nice turn-out for sci-fi lovers. John Romita Jr. owned the new generation of comic fans while nodding to the “old school” with reverence and legacy, while Jim Steranko commanded the respect of lovers of the “old school” of both heroes and horror in comics. The crowd demanded it, so Conroy managed to pick up 2 panels to address fans. Despite not being much of a Power Rangers fan, Jason David Frank was entertaining even for me. Adam Baldwin was a late add, and managed to prevent a full-scale riot for Firefly fans. The number of orange toboggans were insane.

Dallas Comic Con 2013 Cosplay

In the comic book alley at in the back of the Dallas Comic Con exhibition hall, Phil Noto stayed hard at work drawing fan requests, and could easily be named the hardest working fan server in the convention, second only to Romita jr. Amanda Conner couldn’t find much time for herself, even with her man – Jimmy Palmiotti – running assist along side her. The most approachable was John Lucas, making no bones about talking straight and frank to anyone opening their mouth his way. I even bought some Conan panels from him.

Also making a show, the infamous Delorean from “Back to the Future”, the Jeep from “Jurassic Park”, and the Dallas Ghostbuster’s Ecto PT Cruiser.

The down side it the lost their big hitter when Fillion bailed.

Bio Needs (3.5): This is an unspoken but highly important quality of a convention: bathrooms and food/drink. The bathrooms at Dallas Comic Con were regularly serviced, but occasionally I would find a facet that didn’t work. The concession stands had basic “ball game” food for slightly less than “ball game” prices, so I mark that as a slight plus. It was a rocky start on day one, but they picked it up and ran smoother on day two/three. Some food trucks showed up after opening, offering gourmet hot dogs and even a cupcakes. Great food, but also much more expensive.

Dallas Comic Con 2013

Final score: 4 (out of 5)

Dallas Comic Con isn’t the type of Con you travel out of state for without having an agenda. For us Texans, it is worth the time and travel. There are ways they can improve, such as the control of traffic and the method of dealing with tickets. There seems to be a need for more … not any particular “more”, but it seemed like the space wasn’t fully maximizes in some very slight ways. I was able to find unused rooms spread out here and there. Perhaps not banking the show on someone that has a history of bailing on events. Also, try booking in people that are more connected to the industry and happy to be there … not Andrew McCarthy.

Comics Alliance About to Rise from the Grave?

May. 20 Comic Book Collecting, News Comments Off

There is a new posting today on Comics Alliance after the site has been closed down for three weeks. Apparently, there is a heartbeat left in the site after all.

The blanket reason for AOL’s elimination of Comics Alliance was a disservice to the writers and to the readers.

What Happened?

An article entitled “Heartbeat,” appeared with a picture of Batman standing over the supposed grave of Batman giving a wink after he hears the Dark Knight’s heartbeat (see it here). Are we getting a glimpse into the future that Comics Alliance might soon rise from the grave?

Why Would Larry Be Happy?

I am sure you are wondering why I would be happy about another comic book news and information site coming back to life after supposedly being closed. While I would prefer you stop by this site for your news commentary and information, I am happy there are other comic book websites out there and hope Comics Alliance comes back online soon. We have worked hard here at WonderWorldComics.com to make our product different from what you would find on other sites, but the fact that you have a choice is important. Think about how boring the comic book industry would be if you only had Marvel or DC to choose from. Also, the stronger presence the comic book industry has online, the stronger it becomes in the physical world.

Justice League Movie: Too Many Hurdles for DC Comics

May. 20 News, TV & Movies Comments Off

We have been hearing about the possibility of a Justice League movie for many years, but with the continued success of the Marvel movies, DC Comics is getting a fire lit “down below” to produce a Justice League movie for the fans and for investors. There are interesting hurdles the company will face with this project which makes for a huge uphill battle which could have been avoided if DC Comics had come out with a Justice League movie four or five years ago.

Will we ever see a Justice League movie?

Coming From Behind

First off, DC Comics has to play catch-up with Marvel since the Marvel movies are consistently becoming the best at the box office when they come out. Movies like those in the Iron Man Series and The Avengers have set records which have raised the bar to such an amazing height that DC Comics would be David against Marvel’s goliath with a Justice League movie.

Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern

DC Comics has hurdles to overcome with four of the characters which would be expected for a Justice League movie. They are going to have to recast the best Batman and recoup the damages after a horrid Green Lantern. Man of Steel looks much better than the first new Superman move, so that character might have been redeemed (as long as the movie is as good as the preview).

A big hurdle for a Justice League movie comes when you look at Wonder Woman. The first recent attempt at creating a new Wonder Woman show was a complete disaster and the second is not putting hope in people’s minds.

The Rumor

I have heard people refer to a rumor that DC Comics will officially announce a Justice League movie in San Diego this summer. If they do not announce a movie, fans will become discouraged and mistake the rumor for being a rumor and take the non-announcement as a broken promise.

The Failing Market Share

I have discussed in other articles about the DC Comics loss of market share in the comic book industry. DC Comics needs a movie, or an actual hit TV show (Arrow is not a hit), to help restore market share. If they cannot deliver on either, I do not see the company having a chance to regain the top spot any time soon.

Note how all of these hurdles could have been avoided if DC Comics had not allowed Marvel such a lead and if they had tried to make a Justice League movie before all of the hurdles got into place.

Motor City Comic Con Facing Horrid Problems This Weekend

May. 18 Conventions, News no comments

Our Detroit area store is receiving phone calls today about severe issues at Motor City Comic Con centered on guests not being processed in time and excruciatingly long lines to get into the event. I made some phone calls to get to the bottom of the issues, and this is what I found out:

Disclaimer

I know that some of you might question this article because this site, and the store it is associated with, are sponsors of Detroit Fanfare Comic Con. Rest assured, my task with this article is to supply you with information about what is going on in the area as it relates to comic books and comic book collecting.

DC’s WTF Certified

What is Going On at Motor City Comic Con?

Callers to our store and people on Facebook have been complaining all morning about excruciatingly long lines to get into Motor City Comic Con. According to the calls and to posts on Motor City Comic Con’s Facebook page, people who purchased advanced tickets online are being forced to stay in the same line with people who are purchasing their tickets on-site. This is causing for lines to get backed up and has apparently caused a lag in processing tickets.

Easily Avoidable Problem

I hate to do this, but the long lines are something which could have been avoided by the Motor City Comic Con staff and by the promoters of the event. Many major conventions have separate lines for on-site ticket purchasers and for those which have already purchased their tickets in advance. For those of you who have read my reviews of conventions on this site and on previous sites that I have written for, will remember how I praised Detroit Fanfare, Motor City Nightmares, and other conventions for splitting the lines to make sure they move faster.

The Fire Marshall Rumor

A rumor began to spread around noon today that the Novi Fire Marshall had closed Motor City Comic Con down or that he had temporarily shut the event down. I contacted the Novi Fire Department to find out if this rumor was true. The representative of the Novi Fire Department told me that the rumor was not true. The Fire Marshall is working with Motor City Comic Con to get the staff to move through processing ticket holders faster to ensure the long lines outside do not become a safety hazard. Already, some people have passed out in line and human safety is a strong concern. Again, this is something which could have been avoided with better planning.

The Parking

The Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame Dinner & Gridiron Greats and Detroit City Sports Autograph Signing & Sports Memorabilia Show is current going on at the Suburban Collection Showplace along with Motor City Comic Con. That event, according to the sources which I have seen, have been offering free admission and free parking. This event is taking parking away from Motor City Comic Con and has forced at least one visitor to park over a mile away at a Kroeger’s and walk for 15 minutes to simply wait in line. It is the responsibility of a convention staff to advise visitors of events going on in the area which might case for backups and other issues such as this.

The story of mishaps and miscommunications at Motor City Comic Con is ongoing and I will update this article as more information becomes available.

(Added)

Both the Detroit Free Press and Bleeding Cool have picked up on this story.

Are you facing issues at Motor City Comic Con? What is your story?

Polybagging Age of Ultron #10 a Smart Move

May. 17 Comics, News no comments

I find it interesting how Marvel will be polybagging all issues of Age of Ultron #10. This is a rare step taken by comic book companies and is only saved for certain events. I think it is a smart move for Marvel to do it now.

Age of Ultron #10

First – A Word from Marvel

THE FINALE!

The biggest secret in comics will be revealed to you! An ending so confidential…even the artists of this book don’t know what lies on the final pages…! A surprise so big that comic book legend Joe Quesada himself returns to the pages of Marvel Comics to draw a sequence that people will be talking about for years.

*All covers of Age Of Ultron #10 will be polybagged

Product Update (4/4/2013): Has a regular cover by Brandon Peterson, not Peterson, Carlos Pacheco, & Joe Quesada, and has art by Bryan Hitch, Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco, Alex Maleev, & Joe Quesada.

Save the Story in Age of Ultron #10

Of course, the most obvious reason for polybagging Age of Ultron #10 would be to prevent people from just sitting in a comic book store to check out the last few pages of the issue. It keeps the air of secrecy which Marvel has been building around the issue. It is a smart move as a marketing tool which continues along with the steps the publisher has taken so far to keep the story in Age of Ultron #10 a secret so far.

Reduce Those Pesky Damaged Issues

If you own a comic book store, one of the inevitable issues you will have to deal with is damaged issues. Even though the great people at Diamond do their best when packing copies of your favorite comics each week, some issues end up getting damaged. As contents shift of boxes fall during shipping, accidents happen. By polybagging Age of Ultron #10, Marvel reduces the number of damaged copies which would not have made it to the shelf for the initial sales day. This helps retailers and it helps the end reader since there will be more on the shelves during the first day of sales.

Will Marvel Move Extra Units?

Marvel will definitely move extra units of Age of Ultron #10 because many people are going to want to have a copy to read and one to save in case the market takes an upswing on the issue in the days following release. Of course, this is going to put extra emphasis on variant covers (such as the Angela cover which is sure to be hot hot hot). Marvel might see a good portion of the market share it lost in recent months (but is gaining back) come back quickly.

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Category: News

Robert Downey Jr. Rumors

Much Ado About Something

Agents of Marvel

Joss Whedon – Superstar! (To the tune of Jesus Christ Superstar)

The Timing of the Hype

The Timing of the Announcement

Controversy Adds Character

The Long Road

Ted Adams Producing

Anything Lovecraft

Horror Comics

Interesting Note

Another Interesting Note

Yet One More Interesting Note on Age of Ultron #10

Dead No More?

The Grand Swap

Send Someone Somewhere?

Please Don’t

What is a Reissue?

The Differences in the Green Lantern Replica Rings

This is Not a Reissue

I sent the following email back to ComiXology:

Update

Spoilers for Age of Ultron #10?

Talk About Universe-Changing Events?

Don’t Get Me Wrong

Not as Crowded as a Convention

Learn About a Movie Before Others Do

It Supports a Good Cause

The Cosplay

You Know Interesting Things Happen

What I Once Answered

Today

My Refusing to See Certain Movies

Trying to Make this Spoiler-Free

Superman Not in Man of Steel

Not Superman You Say?

Displacement vs. Destruction

The Moment

Hasn’t This Been Done Before?

IDW Publishing’s Difference with The X-Files: Season 10

Chris Carter’s Involvement

As a Father

Sharing the Memories

What Might You Find?

Man of Steel Must Carry All Weight

A History of Planning

A History of Failures

My Hope

Why is this Happening?

Importance of Age of Ultron #10

What does this Mean for Me?

The Difference of the Shel Dorf Awards

The Importance of the Shel Dorf Awards

I Remember…

The Movement of the Shel Dorf Awards

Symbolism of the Shel Dorf Awards

Particular Connection

The Psychology of Bruce Wayne/Batman

The Psychology of Alfred

A Villain Comes to Light

Basis of the Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Rumors

Ultimate Killer of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Rumors

Remember Back

Worst Case Scenario

What and When?

Here’s the way it works

The First Session

Where is the DC Entertainment Retail Roadshow Going?

Your Argument is Invalid

Travel Time

The September War is Coming

September from a Business Standpoint

Let’s Go Back to 2010

The First Shot of the September War

The September War Today

When We Started WonderWorldComics.com

The Challenge