SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGINS?

Above: Artwork from the cover to SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGINS #1.

DC Comics is retelling Superman’s origin… again… with SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGINS. Major Spoilers has an excellent review of the first issue:

While the changed universe following the most recent Crisis is probably a good enough reason, that nagging lawsuit concerning the title character and his younger self seem more likely a reason to retell some of the events in a way that is similar but uniquely original. So is this new telling really a derivative work?

That’s a question that is best left to the lawyers and the judges who are much more knowledgeable regarding these issues, but from what I see, there are plenty of attempts to do something original, but it just doesn’t come off quite right. On the plus side, Johns avoided all mentions of Clark Kent being rocketed to Earth to escape an exploding Krypton – no really, read the Jor-El segment again, and you’ll see no mention of an exploding planet was made. Likewise, the young Christopher Reeve doesn’t have superpowers from the moment he reaches the planet’s surface, but instead starts to gain powers near puberty.

In SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGINS, the young Clark Kent does look like a young Christopher Reeve. Kinda creepy.

I don’t have a problem with the Jerry Siegel family owning the Superman property. They already own half of the copyright to ACTION COMICS #1. They may end up owning Superboy, as well. And I think they own Krypton, too, now, don’t they?

Anyway, this is all unnecessary. I think John Byrne did an excellent job with the MAN OF STEEL mini-series from the 1980s. Other than what was mentioned in the Major Spoilers review, I don’t see the purpose to SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGINS. This new series seems as pointless as the previous Superman origin retcon, SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT.

ATOMIC ROBO and "The Yonkers Devil"...

Above: Scott Wegener’s artwork from page one of "The Yonkers Devil."

By now, everyone should know that I think that ATOMIC ROBO is a rockin’ comic! Why read comics that stink of poo when ya can read an excellent comic like ATOMIC ROBO!?! Anyway, when I found out that there was a new seven-part ATOMIC ROBO webcomic titled "The Yonkers Devil," I just had to ask ATOMIC ROBO artist and co-creator, Scott Wegener, some questions…

P.I.C News: How did "The Yonkers Devil" come about?

Scott Wegener: It was an experiment. I wanted to draw Robo using blue-lead and graphite, rather than blue-lead and inks. So we just decided to have some fun and see how it would look.

P.I.C News: Was this story always intended to be a webcomic?

Scott Wegener: Yup!

P.I.C News: "The Yonkers Devil" will be a daily webcomic, one page per day, for seven days?

Scott Wegener: Yes. After seven days we run out of pages. =)

P.I.C News: Will the webcomic be collected in a future trade paperback? For that matter, will the two ATOMIC ROBO stories from Free Comic Book Day ever be collected in a trade paperback?

Scott Wegener: That's a good question. Right now we don't know. FCBD 2008 is reprinted in the Vol.2 TPB, and FCBD 2009 will be reprinted in the Vol.4 TPB

P.I.C News: What’s Atomic Robo’s favorite television show?

Scott Wegener: Good question. I don't think Robo has time to watch TV. (much like his creators).

P.I.C News: What new Atomic Robo projects are you working on now?

Scott Wegener: We just started working on ATOMIC ROBO Vol.4: ATOMIC ROBO & OTHER STRANGENESS.

Links to each page of "The Yonkers Devil" can be found at nuklearpower.com under the "Some Stuff That Was Said" heading. For more on ATOMIC ROBO stop by atomic-robo.com.

Happy Birthday, Martin!

Above photo: P.I.C. member and artist, Martin.

Hey! It’s Martin’s birthday today. Happy Birthday, buddy!

Stop by Martin’s website to see some cool artwork: http://martinschneebalg.com/illustration/.



Above photo (left to right): Scan, Joey B, and Martin having a good time with fellow P.I.C. members in Manhattan last December.

Kirby vs. Mickey...

Above: Jack Kirby’s unused piece titled "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

Several sources, including the Los Angeles Times, are reporting that the estate of Jack Kirby is attempting to terminate Marvel and Disney’s copyright to characters created and/or co-created by Jack Kirby.

This is very interesting news, of course… especially to those of us that support comic book Creator’s Rights.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

Kirby, who is widely considered to be one of the most influential comic book artists of all time, served as penciler and a co-plotter with writer Stan Lee on most of the Marvel characters in question. If Marvel, Disney or any of the other companies challenge his claims, it may be a complex legal process to determine what exact role Kirby played as creator or co-creator of various characters who first appeared nearly 50 years ago.

The Los Angeles Times also reports:

Kirby's children would be eligible to claim their father's share of the copyright of the Fantastic Four in 2017, while the Hulk would come up in 2018 and X-Men in 2019. The copyrights would then run for 39 more years before expiring, after which the characters would enter the public domain under current law.

A representative for Marvel declined to comment. A Disney spokesperson said, "The notices involved are an attempt to terminate rights seven to 10 years from now and involve claims that were fully considered in the acquisition."



Above: This Jack Kirby piece was used in "The Art of Mickey Mouse."

Got ATOMIC ROBO?

I really enjoyed ATOMIC ROBO AND THE SHADOW BEYOND TIME #5. This was an excellent issue that capped off this mini-series quite nicely. Atomic Robo discussing the improbability of time travel was interesting. The way the various versions of Robo interacted while trying to defeat the Cthulhu-like alien was hilarious. I also enjoyed Scott Wegener’s artwork on this one. Scott’s art and linework (like with the first ATOMIC ROBO series) looked really sharp.

I give ATOMIC ROBO AND THE SHADOW BEYOND TIME #5 four out of five NM’s:

Remembering 9/11...

BACK ISSUE #39...

Above: Cover to BACK ISSUE #39 by Mike Wieringo and Karl Kesel.

Above is the cover to BACK ISSUE #39, which should be out in March 2010. The mag includes my Forbush-Man article. For more on BACK ISSUE magazine, stop by TwoMorrow Publishing’s website.

BACK ISSUE editor, Michael Eury, gives the skinny on the cover:

Presenting, the cover to BACK ISSUE #39 (shipping mid-March 2010), our "April Fools" issue, starring Spider-Ham by Mike Wieringo and Karl Kesel.

Mike Wieringo penciled this as a Heroes Con sketch (with a black-costumed Spider-Ham) back in 2007. Karl Kesel recently inked it, altering Spidey's suit to the traditional red-and-blue. And Glenn Whitmore's colors are dazzling, aren't they?

We're honored to remind readers of the sorely missed Mike Wieringo with this one.

Special thanks go out to our designer, Rich Fowlks, who located this piece of art and suggested the April Fools theme.

Covering Archie... with all-new colors!

Below are the colored covers to ARCHIE & FRIENDS #137 and #138. They were inked by me and penciled by the great Fernando Ruiz. The interiors will be inked by some other fella. Keep a lookout for ARCHIE & FRIENDS #137 and #138 in November and December.

Got comics?

I finally got around to visit my local comic book store… been busy inking comics and writing about comics. Anyway, some of the following comics came out in the past several weeks. They seem to be the only print comics that I read now-a-days. So, here’s what I thought of them…



ATOMIC ROBO AND THE SHADOW BEYOND TIME #4

I love me ATOMIC ROBO. In 1971, Atomic Robo and Carl Sagan fight a time-travelling Cthulhu-like alien. And who knew that a robot could be afraid of tiny, little bugs? And does Atomic Robo have a girlfriend in 1971? Looks like…



I give ATOMIC ROBO AND THE SHADOW BEYOND TIME #4 four out of five NM’s:




INVINCIBLE #65

As we learned last issue, someone who was thought dead ain’t so much dead now. This was quite an excellent surprise, though, and well thought out. This is certainly not your typical dead-does-not-mean-dead gimmick that we often see in comics.

Cecil Stedman is still up to his old tricks. He’s the kind of character that you enjoy hating. Is Cecil good or evil? Do the ends really justify the means?

INVINCIBLE is always great. I know I keep saying so, but would I lie? Don’t believe me? Then, check out INVINCIBLE #65… still the best super-hero comic book around.

I give INVINCIBLE #64 four and a half out of five NM’s:






BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SEASON EIGHT #27 & #28

Oz is back. The Slayers are on the run from Twilight, the wicked witchy Amy Madison, the skinless Warren Mears, and Buffy’s ex-flame Riley Finn. Xander makes smoochies with his new girlfriend. And guess who she is… it ain’t Buffy.

I still enjoy BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SEASON EIGHT… especially since the stories are canonical and written by the creators from the television series.

I give BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SEASON EIGHT #27 & #28 three and a half out of five NM’s:




POWER GIRL #4

I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be picking up POWER GIRL. It’s remains a fun super-hero book, but issue four has Power Girl fighting some dopey environmental elf chick who wants to turn New York City into a forest. When the fisticuffs are over and done with, Power Girl lets the crazy villain go… despite the damage and chaos caused by the mad girl and her rampaging monsters. I suppose this comic book tells us that if you want to end global warming, then you can do whatever you want… including terrorizing people, destroying private property, and damaging New York landmarks.

I give POWER GIRL #4 two and a half out of five NM’s: