Wait, what? You haven’t been to the All-new All-Different Shots in the Dark Forums yet? That’s alright, I’ll wait. Check it out. You back yet? Great! As you can see, we relaunched with an all new #1, with 9 variant covers that link up to show a picture of a middle finger pointed at anyone you want. That’s all a lie, of course, but hey, I’m trying to be overtly satirical here! Shots in the Dark, Shotgun Reviews’ internet radio show, is already bringing you the best conversation about geek/pop culture out there. Now, we want you to get in on the conversation. We have a super-speedy forum set up, and we’ve invited some of our friends along for the ride. First, we have Jim Beard and Co’s Super-Articulate! They put out a great regular column on Newsarama about the ins and outs of the action figure industry, and now, between columns, you can get more insight from them on their forum hosted by Shots in the Dark!We’re also VERY pleased to announce that Raven Gregory, EIC of Zenescope and writer of such fine comics as Return to Wonderland, The Gift, and Se7en, is our first creator to have his very own forum at our site. So come by and show Raven that Shotgun readers are the best sycophants in the comic industry!So, whether you’re looking to chat with radio hosts, columnists, or creators (more on that to come, btw), or if you’re just looking for a douchebag-free zone of the internet where you can talk about your geek/pop culture, head on over to Shots in the Dark’s all new forum.P.S. Don’t forget to check out our latest episode, and all the back episodes. Our latest episodetackled everyone’s favorite comic topic, One More Day, and we’ll have a new episode this week explaining the ins and outs of Intellectual Property. All that, plus all the news you need from MacWorld Expo and from all around the geeky globe. 

Wow.

Just wow.

I’ve long since realized that Marvel went from general huckster-ism to outright lying, but I’m constantly amazed by how much they’re putting the spotlight on their own lies.

From a Newsarama interview: 

Tom Brevoort: McNiven’s involvement with the Spidey launch actually predates Steve Wacker’s involvement, and goes back to Civil War. As we were wrapping up that series, McNiven and I had been chatting about what he should do next (he was looking for a gig with a single lead character, to no one’s surprise), and I was beginning to plan the Spidey relaunch.

It had been Marvel’s public position that Spider-Man was being unmasked to stay unmasked for a very long time. Joe Quesada was adamant about that in his New Joe Fridays interviews. But they were already planning the Spidey relaunch at the end of Civil War? So…they already knew they’d have a magic fix ready for it, when Joe said there was no magic fix ready for it. Mind you…they may not have been sure they were going to do it, but they knew were ready to do away with this aspect that had so much potential for great stories, according to editorial.

THEY.

LIE.

FREQUENTLY.

The most recent issue of Checkmate is the finale of a two part focus on Josephine Tautin, the current Mademoiselle Marie. It is, to be sure, a very interesting story.

In two issues, Rucka and Trautmann have filled in the Mademoiselle Marie legacy very well, in addition to building up a very interesting back story for Tautin, the Black Queen’s Knight. It is all done pretty seamlessly, where you’re not conscious of it TRYING to multi-task within the confines of the story. It plays to Rucka’s apparent strengths: strong female operatives.

But as impressive as this issue was (and the arc overall), I can’t help but wonder if it is the sort of story that helps the longevity of the series. Two issues that focus on a relatively new supporting character, practically to the exclusion of all other characters? Always a risky proposition.
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CNNMoney.com reports that “global markets plunge on U.S. recession fears.”

Of course they’re afraid of an American recession . . .

They just watched a giant monster tear the shit out of New York City.

Wouldn’t you be afraid to invest, too?

It is the closest thing to rapid fire that I get when I review four books in a ten minute vlog. So, within this vlog, you get reviews of the most recent Incredible Hercules, Countdown, JLA, and Flash.

With the latest issue, I find myself heaping praise on Brubaker, Fraction, and Aja, once again. If only I could have included the work of Kano and Pulido in the praise, it would have been a perfect book. Still, it easily is my pick of the week.

A fairly recent fan of Jason’s work at Fantagraphics Books (yes, he is a one name artist, like Madonna, Cher, etc), I take a look at his newest offering. I find that expectations may have been set a little too high.

I take a look at the second issue of Brand New Day because, hey, people click on YouTube videos about Spider-Man and I’m a YouTube ratings whore. But I found the issue surprisingly entertaining, even if I still can’t let go of the OMD animosity completely.

After a hard fought game, the New York Giants are going to the Super Bowl. The NFC championship game was back and forth, with the Eli Manning and Bret Favre battling through a close first half. The Giants outplayed the Packers in the second half, but Lawerence Tynes missed two potentially game-winning field goals. In overtime, following a Favre thrown interception, the Giants got into field goal range again, and Tynes kicked a 47 yard field goal to end the game and send his team into the big game. Now it’s Giants vs. Patriots. This makes the Giants only the second NFC Wild Card team to go to the Super Bowl. Congrats, Eli.

At long last, the Bad Robot (JJ Abrams) delivers a film that has had quite an interesting bit of promotion, or should I say, commotion, around it. First, there was the hoopla at Comic-Con 2007. Then we saw a smattering of viral marketing websites. Slusho!, anyone? How about some fun with photos? The big question is, of course, does Cloverfield live up to all of the viral and “alternative” hype? I’d say probably, but with some caveats. This is definitely not a film for everyone. Some of us might find it a bit hard to suffer through. But there are certainly some folk, like myself, who will find it refreshing and immersive. However, if you are prone to motion sickness, seizures or regularly suffer from eye fatigue, DO NOT SEE THIS FILM! Well, I suppose you could, but you may want to bring a Dramamine or barf bag to the theater, just in case.

If you don’t think you suffer from any of the aforementioned maladies, then stop reading this review and get yourself to the nearest theater, ASAP, and see this film.

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT! Stop reading now if you plan to see Cloverfield! (more…)

There is a certain site I know of that has a critic that LOVES to attack and rip to shreds issues by reading nearly every book that comes out from his LCS in California. When OMD came out, all he said was:

“Something bad got into the Kool Aid at 417 Fifth Avenue this week too.”

Then that site did a five part interview with the EiC, using such softball questions that it should have been called “Pardon the Teabagging”. It felt like things couldn’t have been more intimate if they had been held in a secluded room in a private yacht in San Diego over the summer.

Weeks later, it is finally reviewed somewhere on the site…and by a creator who works at a different company that all responsibility for can be shrugged off.

A site that is THAT far in the pocket of publisher still has people viewing it occasionally? Can’t Believe Readers, I guess. ;) Why Land your browser at a site like that when they don’t even provide a thread to honestly discuss the article?

Update: Not that I doubt the fella, but I’m guessing that unethical book shredder (who posted details about how he was supposed to have edited the book he was reviewing) has started hearing whispers:

Before you ask, Diamond shorted Comics Ink their entire order of “Amazing Spider-Man” #547. No shipment means no sales which means no review. Sorry.

People must be hounding him.

Press Release

The Phoenix Comic-Con 2008 Presents:
Win A Lunch with Mark Waid
Bidding Starts today!
Proceeds to benefit The Hero Initiative!

Phoenix, AZ - January 18th, 2008 - Lunch with Mark Waid! What could be cooler than that? Maybe a perpetual motion machine, but that’s about all! This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will earn you bragging rights for the rest of your life! Think about it: Mark’s the writer of The Flash! Kingdom Come! Captain America! And the newly minted editor-in-chief of BOOM! Studios! Yea, verily! The Waid is a font of great knowledge and anecdotes about the comics biz, and said knowledge and anecdote could be imparted to YOU, along with chili fries!

And think on THIS as your appetizer: If you’ve ever dreamed of getting into the comics biz as a writer or artist, you can have an entire lunch’s worth of advice, mentoring and tutoring from a guy who’s been in comics for 20 years and somehow lived through it! He’s seen and done it all

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As part of her community service, Lindsay Lohan
will have to work in a morgue.

QUICKLY now! A prize to the first person who returns with an original high-quality YouTube mash-up that places Lindsay in an episode of CSI: Miami with David “I can’t stop taking my fucking sunglasses off!” Caruso.

A Democrat…saying that Reagan effected more/better change appealing to what the people wanted than Clinton? With the endorsements of unions, he praises Reagan? Right before a caucus where those unions now have an easier time voting?Any union member who votes for someone who praised the biggest union buster of our times should scald the skin off their hand in the Hobart machine.

Don’t take my word for it…watch Obama:

He’s playing politics worse than a long time Washington politician. Conventional wisdom suggests he’s saying this to appeal to independents and shaky Republicans in California…that it might bring them in to vote for him during their open primary. More “saying whatever it takes to get elected, whether you believe it or not” politics. That’s at least as bad as Hillary or anyone he’s indicated our country needs a CHANGE from.