Want to talk about a labor of love?  How about trying to catalog and document all of Marvel Comics’ graphic novels, trade paperbacks, prose novels, and children’s books ever published?  That’s exactly what Rob Weiner does in this thoroughly exhaustive reference book.  Over five years in the making, Weiner gives Marvel fans a one-stop shopping place for information on all of these books published through 2005.

As I paged through the book I was simply blown away by the amount of information inside.  I had no idea that there were so many books out there.  But of course, in the past decade, we’ve seen this trend towards preprinting story arcs of varying numbers of issue into book format.  Comic fans are no longer merely collectors and some are not collectors at all.  They still want to keep up with their favorite characters and buying one book every six months versus having to run to the comic store monthly is simply more desirable for a lot of people and for those people especially, this is a fantastic tool.

What I love about Weiner’s layout is that he didn’t just decide to list books in alphabetical order but instead he grouped the sections by subject matter or characters.  For example there is a section for Marvel’s Superheroes with subsections for individual heroes or groups of heroes such as The Avengers, Conan/Kull, Hulk and She-Hulk, Thor, X-Men/Mutants, Wolverine, etc…

Next is the section for special volumes and series like the Marvel Masterworks and Essentials lines and Epic Comics graphic novels, followed by sections for Children’s books, Prose novels, Marvel/DC crossovers, guidebook and indexes and more.  Nearly 400 page in all and it’s all backed up by a comprehensive index or indexes I should say as there are three of them:  one for title, one for artist/author, and one for subject making it easy to pickup and find exactly what book you are looking for.  There are even three appendices including one for all of the Marvel Superheroes game books and modules published by TSR.

Now if this were just a list that might be good enough but it isn’t.  Once you look up a book, Weiner provides the artist, writer, year of publication, ISBN#, the issues the book reprints if applicable and a comprehensive summary of the plot.  Now I don’t know if Mr. Weiner actually read all of these books but it doesn’t really matter…there is a wealth of information here that is indispensable for Marvel fans.   Extraordinarily researched and meticulously laid out, the book is well worth the $49.95 price tag.

 The fourth season for the Incredible Hulk TV show was the last full season of the show.  In fact, the fourth season had only 18 episodes due to a writer’s strike that year that shortened the TV season.  There would be a 5^th season however the show would be canceled after just seven episodes.  It’s clear that by the fourth season the show was starting to lose steam.  The major reason for this was budget cuts.  While the producers wanted to do more with the character, budget constrictions forced them to do even less.  In fact as noted during the documentary on the season three DVD set, studio bigwigs wanted only one Hulk appearance per episode compared to the usual two.  Good sense won out on that battle but the show was still one of the most expensive to produce at the time so things were not going to get any easier for the writers. 

Because of this, the fourth season lacks consistency.  It’s almost if rather than try to make a lot of good episodes the producers opted to put all their eggs in one basket and make a handful of outstanding episodes.  Of course, the downside to this was that this meant there were quite a few bad episodes as well.  One cool aspect in season four is that Lou Ferrigno was able to play a role other than the Hulk, appearing as a bodybuilder in the episode “King of the Beach.”   

Season four is highlighted by a pair of outstanding two-part episodes.  “Prometheus” and “The First” aren’t just two of the best episodes of the season but two of the best of the show’s entire run.  From a comic book fan’s standpoint, these episodes were both comic-esque in their plots as well as very exciting. 

In “Prometheus”, David is caught halfway through his transformation into the Hulk.  In a nod to the long-running battle between the Hulk and General Thunderbolt Ross, the Hulk is captured by the Military and placed into titanium holding cell so scientists can study and experiment on him.  This is truly a fantastic two-parner as it’s one of the few times during the series’ run that you ever felt the Hulk was in danger. 

“Dark Side” again shows the writers were at least paying a bit of attention to the comics.  David’s latest experiment goes awry resulting in his transformation into a savage, rampaging Hulk, and endangering all those around him. In

“Bring Me the Head of the Hulk” (directed by Bill Bixby) a rival tabloid to the National Register hires a mercenary to kill the Hulk, setting an elaborate trap for him.  Of all people, it is reporter Jack McGee who comes to Banner/Hulk’s aid. 

“The First” is the other outstanding two-part episode.  David Banner learns about Dr. Clive, another man who transformed into a Hulk-like creature but was able to find a cure.  David attempts to cure himself using Clive’s notes but Clive subjects himself to radiation and turns into an evil Hulk.  The pair of green behemoths battle for supremacy.  Dick Durock, who also played the Swamp Thing, plays the evil Hulk and while he doesn’t have Ferrigno’s muscle development, he’s a big guide and looked maniacal when made up in the green makeup.  One of the very few times we were treated to a comic book-style battle during the series. 

Other outstanding episodes in season four include “Interview with the Hulk” and “Wax Museum”.  But, as mentioned, this season had some of the worst episodes as well so this set is a mixed lot but well worth it for the episodes I mentioned above.  Grade B. 

The Weta workshop first came to worldwide prominence for its work on the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  Founded in 1987, Weta Workshop along with Weta Digital has become one of the premiere physical and special effects companies in the world.  Their latest undertaking is yet another fantasy epic, C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia.  Their incredible work on the first two films in the series are covered in a dazzling new book from Harper Collins, “The Crafting of Narnia”.  This 304 page hardcover treasure gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at Weta’s work on these films through photography, illustration, sculpture, and the crafting of models, costumes and props.   

The book is split into sections covering each film.  You’ll get the sense of just how much detail and planning goes into Weta’s work.  Their attention to detail is impeccable.  Sketches and paintings are composed long before any filming takes place.  Hundreds of black & white and color illustrations are created before the filmmakers decide on a final look to various settings.  The concept art alone is priceless!  In the design of costumes and armor, Weta begins the process with rough sketches first, before moving onto more detailed and finished pieces of art.  Literally dozens of different swords, helmets, shields, and other implements of war are created on paper first.  There are no cookie cutter pieces here… 

Creature creation is a Weta specialty and you get to see how creatures like the ogres, Boggles, Harpies, Hags, and assorted other beasties are made beginning with various concept drawings to the sculpting of maquettes.  These 3D maquettes are eventually scanned into a computer and digitized by Weta Digital so they can now bring these monsters to life on film. 

The sheer number of illustrations and props that have been created for the first two films is staggering!  It is this diligence that sets Weta apart from much of its competition.  I mean, who would think you’d need to created dozens of different types of quivers and shield crests but this is what makes Weta so special. 

This is a book designed not just for fans of the films but for collectors and fans of film in general.  It’s beautifully produced with brilliant photography and well worth the $35 cover price (although you can certainly find it cheaper at notable online retailers)  Simply a must have book for fans of Narnia. (Harper Collins)

Grade A

It’s been a while but Judgment Day is back with a look at two new titles from TokyoPop, the leader in Manga!

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Today I want to run through a few quick-hit reviews of some recent releases that I’ve quite enjoyed.

Aspen Showcase:  Grace #1 (Aspen MLT) Written by Vince Hernandez; Art by Sana Takeda.The Aspen Showcase titles will feature one particular character from Aspen’s various regular titles including Soulfire, Fathom, Shrugged, and their new properties to come. Think of it sort of like those old anthology titles from Marvel Comics like Marvel Spotlight or Marvel Premiere. This first issue feature’s Soulfire’s heroine Grace as she journeys throughout time from the period of the Crusades to the year 2200, looking for a return of the age of magic. Highlighting the issue is simply gorgeous artwork by Sana Takeda with a moderate Manga look. Grade B+

Halloween: Nightdance #2 (Devils Due) Written by Stefan Hutchinson; Art by Tim Seeley. I really love Tim Seeley’s art and have been a fan for some time now. His rendering of Michael Myers is very well done. Michael is cold and almost mythological in this series. Hutchinson is doing a nice job presenting Michael’s driving madness, particularly in the way be painted one victims face like a clown before cutting her throat. But I’m having trouble wrapping myself around the convoluted storyline. The running first-person narrative from multiple characters makes the storyline difficult to follow. This series has enormous potential but needs to pickup up the juice a little bit moving forward. It was a boon for Devil’s Due to nail down the rights and it would be a shame to toss it away. Grade C

Urban Monsters #1 (Image Comics) Written by Will Wilson and Joanne Moore; Art by Tone Rodriguez and Rick Ross. Combine monsters with a good ol’ fashioned buddies on a road trip, and you’ve got Urban Monsters. Monsters are real and live in our world but they are strictly second-class citizens, doing the kind of drudgery work that no one else wants to do. Randy is a fishman, Eddie is a zombie, Arnaud is half man half goat beast, and Bet is a Sasquatch-like creature. When Randy and Arnaud read about an open casting call for monsters in Variety, the four friends hit the road from New York, heading to L.A. for what they hope will be fame and fortune. The buddy road trip plot is usually always fun and toss in monsters and you’ve got yourself an enjoyable first issue. I was surprised by the art as I thought they might go for a more minimal, cartoony look, given the subject matter, but the art was a real strength. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the series. Grade A-

Like Santa Claus, Spectrum only comes around once per year and is always highly anticipated. This annual collection of the world’s best contemporary fantasy and Sci-fi art is always a favorite not only due to its sheer size and beautiful production, but also because of its diversity in scope. Spectrum presents the best art from the fields of books, comics, advertising, editorial, concept, and even sculpture into each year’s volume.

As always, the book begins with a look at the year in review and the trends in contemporary fantasy art before getting into the opening category of advertising art and presenting the first of its gold and silver annual awards to the best in each category. This year’s gold winner in the advertising category went to James Jean for his Retro-hip “Spacerace 2020” painting for Nike. This gorgeous pop-art piece is a tribute to Sci-Fi imagery of the ‘40s and ‘50s. (more…)

Spider-Man The Icon, $49.95 (Titan Books) Written by Steve Saffel.  There have been some fantastic books published over the past couple of years about comic books and comic book characters and the latest is Spider-Man the Icon from Titan Books.  This 320 page, hardcover tome traces the evolution of the character from his beginning in Amazing Fantasy #15 to his present day status as a blockbuster pop culture superstar.   The book follows Spider-Man’s development, decade by decade.  This is a character whose origins even pre-date Amazing Fantasy #15.  Uncanny Tales #26 from 1954 featured a character called the Spider Man, which looked like a giant spider with a human head.  Seems the seeds for Spider-man were planted many years before his first appearance.  Interestingly, Aunt May and Uncle Ben made their first appearance two months before Spider-Man, in Strange Tales # 97.  Here the elderly couple had not a nephew, but a niece named Linda who turned out to be a mermaid!  The issue was drawn by artist Steve Ditko, and there’s certainly no doubt that this is the same Aunt May and Uncle Ben who would raise Peter Parker.  (more…)

Bomb Queen III TPB $14.99 (Image Comics) Written by Jim Valentino and Jim Robinson; art by Jim Robinson.  Go ahead…I dare you to try and tell me that Bomb Queen isn’t one of the coolest, most kick-ass comics on the market today.  I triple-dog dare ya!  Robinson’s sarcastic and caustic Bomb Queen is sheer joy to read.  It simply pulverizes the standard superhero fare.  If you’ve never read the series let me quickly get you up to speed…New Port City is the Bomb Queen’s hometown and superheroes are strictly prohibited there.  BQ is the absolute ruler and doesn’t let anyone forget it.  Her battles with heroes who invade her turf are the highest rated shows on TV and the citizens of New Port City can’t get enough of their lovely Queen and her frequently shredded costume that displays her ample attributes.  Let’s get this straight…Bomb is one mean hottie, not above blowing up an annoying TV host or grabbing a kid to use as a shield.  Hey…wrong place wrong time!   Still, the Shadow Government keeps sending new heroes into the city to try and kill her.  This time it’s paid gun Red Cross who makes the mistake of trying to take out our anti-hero.  Cross will do anything to succeed, even if it means destroying the entire city with a small nuke.  The naïve but very powerful heroine Blacklight will try to intervene to prevent the catastrophe but will soon lead her into conflict with the Bomb Queen herself.   Bomb Queen is edgy, intelligent fun.  Bomb Queen is about as evil as they come and yet you can’t help but be infatuated with her.  She’s so bad she’s good!  This is the third Bomb Queen series and it keeps getting better and better.  Robinson’s art is outstanding…colorful and dynamic but it’s his witty dialog that really pushes this series above so many of its boring brethren.  Strictly for mature readers, though!  Grade A

Back Issue Magazine #26  (TwoMorrows Publishing) Edited by Michael Eury.  TwoMorrows is really one of the best publishers around, period!  For comic fans, especially for long time comic fans, their line of books and magazines are like dying and going to geek heaven.  From Roy Thomas’ longtime fanzine Alter Ego, to the wonderful Jack Kirby Collector, and one of the very best publications, Back Issue Magazine.  Each issue spotlights a different comic’s theme and #26 is a “Spies and Tough Guys” issue that features a Black Widow cover by Paul Gulacy.   The highlight of the issue for me is Dan Johnson’s interview with Gulacy and Doug Moench, the creative team behind one of my favorite comics from the 1970’s Shang-Chi, Master of Kung-Fu.  This title was unlike anything else produced in the 70’s when a title rarely survived more than a couple of years if it didn’t have a guy in a cape.  Moench and Gulacy talk about how the series was developed and their influences.  Evidently, Marvel got the rights to Sax Rohmer’s Fu Manchu character for a pittance and used the yellow menace as a backdrop for their James Bond-esque action/espionage series.  There is also an article about a proposed Nick Fury/Shang-Chi crossover that was to have been done by Moench, Gulacy, and Jim Steranko, but unfortunately the project fell through.   Another great interview is Mike Gagnon’s talk with Howard Chaykin about the now defunct Atlas Comics.  Not the Atlas of the 50’s that would become Marvel, but the Atlas started by former Marvel Comics founder Martin Greenberg in 1974.  Determined to beat Marvel at their own game, Greenberg hired some of the industry’s biggest talents, offering higher pay rates.  But almost as soon as it started, Atlas came crashing down like a house of cards and none of their titles reached beyond four issues.  As a young comic fan, I though I’d be selling those first issues for a gazillion dollars when I was older… Other articles feature a history of James Bond in the comics, the rebirth and death of Eclipse Comics’ Airboy, Michael Browning’s wonderful look at The Suicide Squad, the history of The Black Widow, and much more.  This is one of the most well written magazines around today.  Grade A