IDW & Humble Bundle Want You To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before (and Stay For a While)…

Posted on September 11, 2014 by geelw

Yikes. With all these digital books in this great IDW/Humble Bundle teaming, you’d better hope to heck you live long and prosper. Get up to 14 graphic novels based on classic Trek to the more modern movies all for a song. Well, not “Highly Illogical”, but something less catchy and with no words because you can’t sing all that well and it’s a pain in the neck (literally) when your significant other keeps Vulcan Death Gripping you to shut it already. $325 worth of digitally delivered illustrated tomes for a mere $15? That’s like getting a Doomsday Machine visit for free and your planet eaten as a bonus!

Er, well… hmmm. Perhaps a better Trek analogy would be more fitting, but all I can think of are bad ones. It’s that sort of day and my material has been sitting out in the sun so long that it’s all dried up. Anyway, go beam yourself up some deals and crank up those warp engines so the time factor zaps you back far enough that you can read everything here and get back to your normal time when it’s all done. DISCLAIMER: Humble Bundle and IDW aren’t responsible for what the mirror version of you does while you’re away catching up on the fake future.

Batman Arkham Knight Is Now A June Bride. It’s Worth The Wait For That Wedding…

Posted on September 8, 2014 by geelw

Yeah, I’m sure fans all around the internet are raaaaaging about having to wait even longer to get this game, but I say let them. I don’t mind at all that developer Rocksteady needs more time to make this one the best Batman game it can be and yep, I’m sure while WBIE would love to see this one ship earlier just for the financials and such, it’s clear that the game needs to cook longer. GOOD, I say. I hate this age of massive day one patches, games that don’t run properly out of the box or worse, games that DO run, but end up not pleasing reviewers who sink it with low scores before it can get a patch. I’m thinking both developer and publisher want NONE of that noise, so the delay is on and I coudn’t be happier. Well, I could be happier if I could actually see this in person and play it at some media event here in NYC before it ships out next year, but that’s up to WBIE’s PR team, I suppose.

Oh, if you’re drooling at those collector’s editions, let me let you in on what’s in the box in case your fingers are trembling too much to click on either image and see them full size (they’re MASSIVE):

Batman: Arkham Knight Limited Edition will include:

· Custom Art Book – 80 Page, Full Color Art Book Showcasing the concept art of Batman Arkham Knight

· Limited Edition SteelBook™ – Unique SteelBook™ case and game disc

· Comic Book – Limited Edition DC Comics Batman: Arkham Knight #0 Comic Book

· Exclusive Character Skin Pack – Three Unique Skins from DC Comics – The New 52

· Batman Memorial Statue – Imposing statue commemorating Gotham’s Protector, the Dark Knight

· SRP:

o Console – $99.99 / 119.99 € / 89.99£

o PC – 99.99€ / 74.99£

Batman: Arkham Knight Batmobile Edition will include:

· Custom Art Book – 80 Page, Full Colour Art Book Showcasing the concept art of Batman Arkham Knight

· Limited Edition SteelBook™ – Unique SteelBook™ case and game disc

· Comic Book – Limited Edition DC Comics Batman: Arkham Knight #0 Comic Book

· Exclusive Character Skin Pack – Three Unique Skins from DC Comics – The New 52

· Transforming Batmobile Statue – Fully transformable Batmobile statue realised in exquisite detail by TriForce

· SRP: $199.99 / 199.99€ / 169.99£ (Console only)

Hmmmm.. it would seem North America doesn’t get a PC edition with all that swag, but these games sell better on home systems anyway. Granted, those running beefy rigs will be griping a lot about this, but most people who don’t have a computer that costs as much as a decent car part won’t care because they’ll be playing this on their PS4 or Xbox One with hopefully no trouble. Anyway, with this game now nine months away, you can concentrate of completing some of the other blockbusters rolling out from this year to next June, right? RIGHT. Now stop jamming out your whining on some message board and get back to doing something more interesting with your time, I say…

CREEPY Is 50 Years Old! Dark Horse Comics Is Having A Little Reading Party…

Posted on September 8, 2014 by geelw

And guess what ladies and germs? You’re allllllll invited! Well, provided you read at home or wherever you’re allowed to these days and just so happen to buy your very own copy of the upcoming celebratory tome, Creepy #18 (on sale October 8th at your favorite comic emporium in the physical or digital realm!). Hmmm, now that I think about it for a second, I’m actually creeped out because that damn magazine is as old as I am. Eeeeeeeeyaaaaaaaaghh!. I think I’m more consistent and less scary than that old rag is, but I have my moments. Just you try to get in my way before I’ve had my coffee and you’ll see for yourself. Er, anyway… This special issue will feature the following content:

Cover: Dustin Nguyen (Batman Eternal)
Frontispiece: Arthur Baltazar (Itty Bitty Hellboy)

The Executor:
Script by Fred Van Lente (Conan the Avenger, Archer and Armstrong)
Art by Alison Sampson (Genesis)
Weird, supernatural goings on surrounding the death of Edgar Allen Poe and the posthumous editing and publishing of his work.

Over the River to Charlie:
Script by Corrina Bechko (Star Wars: Legacy, Planet of the Apes)
Art by Drew Moss (In the Dark)
Young girls are haunted throughout their childhood by a hanged man who’s taken up residence in their dollhouse.

Keeping Up with the Creepys:
Script and art by Peter Bagge (Hate)
Uncle Creepy and Cousin Eerie’s attempts to outdo each other with their classic rides escalates into neighborhood-destroying hilarity.

The Man Who Walked Through Walls:
Script by Dan Braun (Creepy consulting editor)
A man who discovers a way to become intangible takes his revenge on the neighbors who have wronged him.

Gallery:
Kevin Ferrera (Dead Rider)
Kelley Jones (Batman)
Eric Powell (The Goon)
Pete Woods (Terminator Salvation)
Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man)

Feel free to reserve this at that comic shop near you or just plop in and pick it up. Uncle Creepy will wait for you, you know. He KNOWS he’ll be haunting your dreams at some point, so he’s got all the time in the world…

IDW Gets All Throwback With Its November Lineup…

Posted on September 6, 2014 by geelw

The clever folks at IDW Publishing have wisely figured out that just about any modern professional comic that’s been hand-drawn the old fashioned way just looks more interesting because it’s really intriguing for comic art and illustration fans to see each artist’s technique and style before all that hard work is buried under modern computer coloring. This November, they’ll be issuing a bunch of comics with these “throwback” original art covers, so keep an eyeball out for the following titles:

Borderlands #5
Edward Scissorhands #2
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #208
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #18
Judge Dredd #25
The Maxx: Maxximized #13
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #25
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters #2
Transformers: Drift: Empire of Stone #1
The X-Files: Season 10 #18
V-Wars #7
Winterworld #5

As for me, I’m all about the classic stuff, so if anything, I’m closer to drooling over the absolutely gorgeous Enemy Ace Artist’s Edition, as well as some of the other Joe Kubert Artists Editions, Tarzan of the Apes and TOR. There are a couple of other Artist’s Edition books I’m drooling over, but I’ll stop here before my wallet gets the idea and throws itself into my screen a few too many times…

OBEY: Funko Wants Your Money… And You’ll Gladly Give It To Them!

Posted on August 26, 2014 by geelw

Wow, I can’t even keep up with all the email Funko sends my way (that’s a good thing), but here’s a few of their upcoming products you’ll want to free your wallet from the cage it’s in for (oh, nice logo change, guys!):

SF Mystery Minis are coming in September and yeah, I WANT A BOX OF THESE! Just to give away to random readers, surprise someone by adding one to a holiday or other gift, you know, silly stuff like that. Okay, I’ll keep an Alien here on what little remaining shelf space I actually have, but all the rest would get gone somewhere and get some people smiling for sure. These are coming in September to your favorite Funko retailer, so keep an eye out, Okay?

December brings you Dancing Groot from The Guardians of the Galaxy and the return of Howard the Duck (!), which I may also need to clear a space for, as I’m an old fan of that character from his initial run in the 70’s and that oddball black & white mag Marvel published in the 80’s. Hmmm… Funko, you’re trying to seduce me, huh? Well, we’ll see about that. I’m allegedly immune to such blatant BUY ME shenanigans, but it’s been getting tempting seeing all this really cool stuff.

Oh, annnnd speaking of really cool stuff:

Yeah, that’s the Pop! Rides Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Van, with the special Michelangelo Pizza Pop! only available with this package. This one’s coming in September, by the way. Hmmm… i there’s a Pop! Mystery Machine, that would make quite the pretend race, huh?

Yeah, I Want To Get Into Ditko’s Shorts, Too!

Posted on August 25, 2014 by geelw

Yeah, I want IN, dammit. Some of Steve Ditko’s horror work used to scare the crap out of me as a kid, so getting the chance to see a bunch of it (along with other genre quickies) in one collection is a great thing for me. And YOU, if you’re also a fan of the man’s work. No, I’m NOT scared of it now, but it’s that brushwork I want to ogle until my eyeballs pop out.

Thanks to Yoe! Books and IDW Publishing, you can grab your own copy of Ditko’s Shorts soon online or from your favorite comics emporium. Buy a second copy and surprise someone with it why don’tcha? Yeah, it’s a SHORT post, too. Ha!

Comics: Concrete Park Preview (Or, A Hotter Time In The Old Alien Town Tonight)…

Posted on August 7, 2014 by geelw

I’d leafed through the first volume of Concrete Park a while back and liked the art, so I made a mental note to point you folks in the direction of the new issues when they arrive at your favorite comic emporium, so here you go. Writer/artist Tony Puryear and Erika Alexander are back on the case in this sci-fi action series. Check out the preview pages below the jump and mark your calendars for September 3, 2014 when volume two goes on sale!

Continue reading →

SDCC 2014: IDW Gets All Nostalgic & Modern On You With A Slew of New Titles

Posted on July 26, 2014 by geelw

As you can see, IDW is certainly going all out with these new titles set to arrive in 2014 and 2015. I’m not a huge a fan of these sorts of comics as I used to be, but the title Star Trek/Planet of the Apes: Primate Directive made me laugh for a bit longer than expected, so I’ll have to peek at a few issues when it launches. That Edward Scissorhands book has my attention for the art style, as I’m a fan of the film, so again, I’ll be checking out a few issues over time. I was probably the only person my age who wasn’t terminally obsessed with the Garbage Pail Kids, so I’m a bit ambivalent about this new book. That said, I know fans of those old trading cards are grinning like mad at this announcement.

Angry Birds Transformers? Eek. Yeah, yeah… both are hugely popular franchises, but I’m of the mind that time-eating games like AB should stay in that realm and not cross streams with other media (although the multiple millions made in AB merchandising outside games proves me incorrect). Finally, Orphan Black seems like a fine enough choice for a comic series, but I’d prefer to see the show as the show and not need to dive into other media unless it’s going places the show hasn’t by exploring side stories for each of the clones. Of course, that would mean I’d need to buy some issues or a collection at some point down the road. In other words, I guess IDW will be seeing some of my money at some point in the not too distant future…

SDCC 2014: Sideshow Collectibles Wants That Girl From Drakulon To Drain Your Wallet…

Posted on July 24, 2014 by geelw

Hokay, I haven’t read a complete issue of Vampirella in years, but I can very safely say that this Sideshow Collectibles Premium Format Figure Vampirella is quite possibly the best sculpted version of the character I’ve ever seen. It’s not the “cutest” one out there (Sideshow’s Tooned Up Vampi takes that particular crown), but fans who want a more realistic figure to stick on a shelf or in a collector’s cabinet need look no further.

Amusingly enough, this sculpt also reveals how awesomely impossible that Drakulon one piece non-swimsuit is (without the strategic application of body tape and carefully choreographed movement, I can’t see any real life lady strutting around in this without something popping out for all the world to see). But I’d bet you’re not dropping $399.99 on this just to wonder about physics and pneumatic movement and such. Anyway, this over-sized monster-piece isn’t out until May 2015, but Sideshow will gladly take that money you’re throwing at the screen and send you one of these once they’re ready to ship.

This one’s going to be on display at San Diego Comic-Con and until August 5, Sideshow is still running a giveaway on their site where you can snag a Harley Quinn Premium Format Figure with a rocket-fast entry. I saw this one at a comic shop here and it’s pretty awesome. And huge. I guess it’s a good thing I have no room for these big figures and I’m saving my money for that working time machine that pops up on eBay every so often or I’d have a room full of Premium Format Figures and a sleepy security guard to watch over them…

The Humble Transformers Bundle Will Change You Into A Charity-Giving Digital Comics Reader…

Posted on July 23, 2014 by geelw

I’m not the world’s biggest Transformers fan, but this is one of those cool deals I have to let those of you who are know all about. Hop on over to the Humble Bundle site and pay what you want for four volumes (48 issues) of IDW’s classic Transformers reprints and feel free to boost your contribution up a few tiers for even MORE classic Transformers reads. You’ll also be supporting the Hasbro Children’s Fund and yes, just about anything you can read something digital on can be used to peruse whatever you buy.

You may want to step on it, though. This deal only lasts two weeks before it vanishes, so make like an educated raccoon and go get yourself some comics to keep you busy on some hot summer days, I say…