“news, reviews and opinions from the world of comics” · avengers disassembled! so all the...

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“News, reviews and opinions from the world of comics” Volume 12 #1 April 2008 Secret Invasion The Skrulls are coming! Bendis has been building this up for a while, and it should actually pay off. We’re gonna get flashbacks to infiltrating Skrulls — seeing recent events through their eyes- -and this will be the conclusion of the ongoing story begun in Avengers Disassembled! So all the quality Avengers comics recently (man, remember when the Avengers was a crappy comic?) have something to do with the Skrulls, from the start of Illuminati’s secret battle with them, to “someone” ordering all the super villains busted out and Nick Fury getting forced underground. Should be a lot of action, but also some inter- esting revelations! But sorry, I doubt that Iron Man is a Skrull. Apparently he’s just a big jerk. Publishers Make Fun and Educational Comics for Actual Kids! Maybe this headline doesn’t sound as revolutionary as it really is. There have always been comics for kids. From the earliest days of Famous Funnies to the fantastic new Tiny Titans series from DC, children have devoured comics like candy. But the folks at Toon Books: Little Lit Library (Francoise Mouly & Art Spiegelman!) are releasing three new books tailor-made for emerging readers. The first, Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons, by French children’s author Agnes Rosenstiehl, takes readers through the seasons in a series of short strips perfect for 4-5 year-olds. I haven’t had a chance to read the other two, Otto’s Strange Day, by Frank Cammuso (Max Hamm) & underground legend Jay Lynch, and Benny and Penny, by children’s author Geoffrey Hayes; but if Toon Books can keep it up maybe some kids can fill in that empty space next to Owly on their comic shelves!

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Page 1: “News, reviews and opinions from the world of comics” · Avengers Disassembled! So all the quality Avengers comics recently (man, remember when the Avengers was a crappy comic?)

“News, reviews and opinions from the world of comics”Volume 12 #1 April 2008

Secret InvasionThe Skrulls are coming! Bendis has been building this up for a while, and it should actually pay off. We’re gonna get flashbacks to infiltrating Skrulls — seeing recent events through their eyes--and this will be the conclusion of the ongoing story begun in Avengers Disassembled! So all the quality Avengers comics recently (man, remember when the Avengers was a crappy comic?) have something to do with the Skrulls, from the start of Illuminati’s secret battle with them, to “someone” ordering all the super villains busted out and Nick Fury getting forced underground. Should be a lot of action, but also some inter-esting revelations! But sorry, I doubt that Iron Man is a Skrull. Apparently he’s just a big jerk.

Publishers Make Fun and Educational Comics for Actual Kids!Maybe this headline doesn’t sound as revolutionary as it really is. There have always been comics for kids. From the earliest days of Famous Funnies to the fantastic new Tiny Titans series from DC, children have devoured comics like candy. But the folks at Toon Books: Little Lit Library (Francoise Mouly & Art Spiegelman!) are releasing three new books tailor-made for emerging readers. The first, Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons, by French children’s author Agnes Rosenstiehl, takes readers through the seasons in a series of short strips perfect for 4-5 year-olds. I haven’t had a chance to read the other two, Otto’s Strange Day, by Frank Cammuso (Max Hamm) & underground legend Jay Lynch, and Benny and

Penny, by children’s author Geoffrey Hayes; but if Toon Books can keep it up maybe some kids can fill in that empty space next to Owly on their comic shelves!

Page 2: “News, reviews and opinions from the world of comics” · Avengers Disassembled! So all the quality Avengers comics recently (man, remember when the Avengers was a crappy comic?)

dard hype except for two key words: “Grant” and “Morrison”. Nuff said.

Titans #1The original Teen Titans reunite in this new series by Judd Winick and Ian Churchill. Not to be confused with Teen Titans, Teen Titans: Year One, Tiny Titans, Teen Titans: Raven, or Teen Titans: Cyborg.

Pigeons From Hell #1Fan favorite Joe Lansdale adapts fan favorite Robert Howard’s story about a haunted house in the deep south. It would seem that this book also contains actu-al pigeons from hell in it, so buyer beware.

Young X-Men #1Way better than the Old X-Men.

Omega the Unknown #7So if the combinat ion of Jonathan Lethem, Farel D a l r y m p l e , and Paul Horn-schemeier isn’t enough to get you indie folks to read this book, I don’t know what it would take. Maybe … Gary Panter?! Wish granted, hipsters!

Thor: Ages of ThunderYup, Thor’s back, and he’s no clone. But even better, Ages of Thunder is all old-school Simonson/Kirby-like Norse myth Thor — kicking frost giant butt, fighting armies of skeletons, rainstorms of blood, and a gore-

streaked Mjolnir smashing teeth across the panels of the comic. Matt Fraction is writing the mythic violence,

and apparently, Thor can be a bit of a violent jerk. Sold!

American Splendor: Season Two #1

More adventures of Ameri-ca’s favorite curmudgeon, Harvey Pekar. Note from

Harvey: “I’m not really a curmudgeon.

2 | www.bigplanetcomics.com Hotline: 301.718.1890

Batman R.I.P.DC’s being pretty tight-lipped about this one, but it kicks off in Batman #676. “Beginning the epic story that will change the legend of the Dark Knight forever! Everything in Grant Morrison’s ground-breaking run on Batman has been leading to this story, and nothing will ever be the same again.” Now you know as much as we do. Sounds like pretty stan-

Everybody thinks I am, since that guy put me in his documentary about curmudgeons.”

Number of the Beast #1For any of you who tuned out when WildStorm crash-landed most of their so-called “relaunches” (where’s my Wild-CATs and Authority, man??), or gave up when they did a weird cross-line one-shot crossover (Armageddon), it may have actually been leading to some-thing. For one, Chris Sprouse, the awesome artist of Tom Strong, is drawing it. For two, it brings back some old characters from Ellis’ StormWatch days…and it might actually have some violent Arma-geddon.

Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titans ClashTelling you about this one is too easy — I’ll just let the Hulkster himself tell how it’s gonna go down: “Bah! Hulk need bigger book! Hulk smash puny beard skirt man!” Hmm, yes, if I was going to fight the Hulk, I would not wear a skirt. I’d probably shave, too. Cuz really, as much as I love Red Hulk, Girl Hulk, Son of Hulk, and Greek-Demi-God-Fill-In Hulk, I wanna see the original back at it... Oh, I guess that’s what this is!

Anna Mercury #1Not sure what this one’s all about, cuz Ellis is sneaky. But Anna Mercury does carry two guns, John Woo-style. Plus she’s in some crazy ‘50s-era American city. Which may not really exist. So his blurb of “weird pulp action” sounds pretty dead on. She apparently fights an insane technocratic society and lives in a different world. Sounds like Ellis alright. (Extra fun – new weekly sci-fi euro-manga by Ellis for free at www.freakangels.com

Countdown #4-3-2-1, DC Universe #0The Count-down is finally ending, and leading straight into DC Universe #0 (only 50 cents!), which in theory will re-define DC continuity for the next 10 years or so ... That and Grant Morrison & J.G. Jones’ Final Crisis, starting next month.

Angel: After the Fall #6Even if you’re not following this comic, you might want to pick up #6 to find out what the heck happened right after the TV series finale. I can’t wait to see how they write their way out of this one...

Iron Man: Legacy of Doom #1Iron Man vs. Dr. Doom by the team that brought you the classic alcoholic disco Tony Stark comics 25 years ago. Hopefully they’re not too old to deliver. All we need now is a Dazzler re-launch. The sad thing is that disco is prob-ably hipper now than when those comics were published.

Page 3: “News, reviews and opinions from the world of comics” · Avengers Disassembled! So all the quality Avengers comics recently (man, remember when the Avengers was a crappy comic?)

Hotline: 301.718.1890 www.bigplanetcomics.com | 3

Starman Omnibus 1He didn’t want to be a hero like his dad, his older brother did…and died for it. Developing a huge new supporting cast, regular conversa-tions with his dead brother, and incorporating every person to ever bear the name Starman, this amazing series finally is back in print in the first of 5 hardcovers. (Editor’s note: If you have not read Starman, you must. This book is fantastic! And unlike a lot of recent series, you will be hooked in the first 8 pages.)

Absolute Sandman Vol. 3 This thing will probably look

Thoreau at WaldenWhoever put this one together is a genius! John Porcellino (King-Cat Comix) is possibly the perfect choice to be adapting Thoreau to comics form — his sensi-tive tone and spare art style fit perfectly with Thoreau’s writing (if not his actual life).Waldo’s Hawaiian HolidayThe official sequel to Repo Man written by filmmaker Alex Cox! Not sure how you do a sequel to

Repo Man, but I guess we’ll find out...

MetronomeI’ve never heard of Veronique Tanaka before, but this is the

coolest looking silent comic I’ve ever seen--set

to the beat of a metronome, which makes for a really cool reading experience. Recom-mended!

Glamourpuss #1 Ah, Dave Sim, your (for the most

part) awesome Cerebus comics and crazy misogynistic rants have kept us entertained for years and now you are back with a weird spy/fashion comic that’s actu-ally a study of fifties comic strip artists. How unoriginal!

Kaput & Zosky Three ShadowsTwo new offerings from First Second — one by Lewis Trond-heim(!) featuring his wacky space aliens, Kaput & Zosky, and one by somebody I’ve never heard of — but it looks awesome!

Ganges #2 Kevin Huizenga is back! Ganges #2 is a look at Glenn Ganges time at a dot com in the nineties and mostly takes place inside of a first-person shooter called Pulverizer. Huizenga gets better all the time and this is not to be missed.

Echo #1Rasl #1 Two new #1s from Jeff Smith and Terry Moore? I don’t think anyone needs to be told that these new series are the talk of the town...er, ‘ville.

when the more cynical Superman from that universe shows

up in the current one, they’re pulling out some big guns. How does this all tie in to Death of the New Gods and Final Crisis? Stay tuned, DC True

Believers!

Walking Dead Vol. 8I keep talking about this book, even though I hate horror comics. It’s still one of the best, and this volume is truly about the horror of what people can do to each other, with the Governor’s men assaulting the prison with a tank, and many many bullets flying. Terrible cliffhangers, and lots more people die.

Jack Kirby’s OMAC More Kirby weirdness from the 1970s. ... Seriously this book used to give me nightmares when I was a kid. Truly weird and scary stuff!

Spirit Archives Vol. 24I don’t think that Eisner even really worked on these, other than as editor, but who cares. It’s the Spirit in outer space written and laid out by Jules Feiffer and drawn by Wally Wood — when both were at the height of their talents! Buy it!

UniqueRemember when Dean Motter used to do Mister X? No? Well trust me, it was awesome. Now he’s taken another break from his busy day job designing album covers to bring us this strange little book. Check it out.

Batman: Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul HCBatman, Talia, Ra’s Al Ghul...as conceived by Grant Morrison & Peter Milligan. You know you want it--and it’ll be at least six months until DC releases the TP...

pretty great on your bookshelf next to your other Absolute Sandman volumes, so I can recommend it solely on the basis of its bookshelf looking-pretty-greatness. Thankfully, though, it also includes some of the best comics of the past twenty years.

Booster Gold: 52 Pick-Up This is a hard cover about Booster Gold traveling through time to different big events in the DC Universe. It is much more awesome than that description, though. Think Exiles before Chuck Austen turned it into a Chuck Austen comic. (Editor’s

note: If you’re hankering for more Booster Gold adven-tures, check out the new Showcase Presents: Booster Gold TP.)Exterminators Volume 4The Bug-Bee-Gone crew goes all Ghost-busters when they meet up with the Giant Mayan Hisser. If you have no idea what I’m talking about go buy Extermi-nators Volumes 1-3, please.

Spider-Man: One More DayThat’s right. From the publisher who brought you the Clone Saga and Norman Osborn’s O-Face comes One More Day! Maybe the biggest comics disaster of the year, One More Day has to be read to be believed. That being said, Spider-Man comics are at least seventy-four times better now than they were before this train wreck.

Hulk: Planet Hulk TPOkay, so World War Hulk ended with WAY fewer mass casualties than there should have been…but why did it start in the first place? Oh, right, a bunch of dumb super-genius heroes shot Hulk onto a new planet to keep him out of trouble. But then the planet was different than they thought, and he had to fight in a gladiator pit against super-tough aliens who could actually hurt him! It was like Spartacus meets Wrath of Khan! With much smashing of puny aliens! Really one of the best Hulk stories in a long-time, with a fine mix of classic smashing and Grey Hulk cunning.

JSA Vol.2: Thy Kingdom Come Part 1Kingdom Come is still one of the best “alternate world” comics ever, in the darker, more violent future of the DC Universe. So

Page 4: “News, reviews and opinions from the world of comics” · Avengers Disassembled! So all the quality Avengers comics recently (man, remember when the Avengers was a crappy comic?)

Big Planet Orbit Volume 12 #1; April, 2008 is published by Joel Pollack, Peter Casazza, Jared Smith, and Greg Bennett for Big Planet Comics. www.bigplanetcomics.com.

Big Planet Comics, Inc. 4908 Fairmont Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814, 301.654.6856

Big Planet Comics of VA Inc. 426 Maple Ave. East, Vienna, VA 22180, 703.242.9412

Big Planet Comics of DC Inc. 3145 Dumbarton St. NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202.342.1961

4 | www.bigplanetcomics.com Hotline: 301.718.1890

Big Planet Comics of College Park Inc. 7315 Baltimore Ave. , College Park, MD, 20704, 301.699.0498

It’s not often that a graphic novel gets considered for a major book award. It’s pretty much the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Maus” and ... well, very little else.

So it was surprising when Gene Yang’s graphic novel, “Amer-ican Born Chinese” was nominated for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in 2006.

And nobody was more surprised than Yang.“When I first started publishing ‘American Born Chinese,’ it

was a mini comic,” he said. “I would finish a chapter, take it to Kinko’s and Xerox it and sell it at different comic book conventions. My big plan was to just get it collected as a graphic novel and that would be it.”

The final product turned out to be a luxurious full-color graphic novel from the boutique publisher First Second Books. The book weaves together three story-lines together into a singular cohesive treatise on the Asian-American identity.

One storyline follows a Chinese fable, the Monkey King. Another inserts a rather blatant stereotypical Chinese character, Chin-Kee, into the life of his cousin, a popular Asian high school student. The third story deals with a Chinese-American student moving into a school where he’s the only Asian-American, which, while not directly autobiographical, has elements from Yang’s personal experience.

But it’s Chin-Kee who has drawn the most controversy, with his giant buckteeth and traditional, over-the-top clothing, which Yang drew to help him stand out among

white males.“I do get some reactions to the Cousin Chin-Kee that

worry me a little bit,” Yang said. “There’s some people that come up and tell me, ‘He’s so cute, so funny, endearing.’ That’s definitely not what I was going for,”

Yang believes that most people understood the purpose of a character like Chin-Kee — acting as the juxtaposition against

his popular, assimilated cousin.“I think the vast majority of the responses are positive, but I

have had some Asian-Americans and come up and tell me I was perpetuating the stereotype by explicitly showing it,” he said.

Yang, a high school teacher by day, has found that “American Born Chinese” has found an audience among some non-comic book readers as well as some scholastic venues.

“A decent number of classes in both high school and college are using it,” he said. “Maybe fellow educators are trying it a little bit more. I think since my style is relatively simple, a lot of non-comics readers find it less intimidating then some of the other books that may be more sophisticated.”

With accolades like a nomination for the National Book Awards pouring in, there’s no doubt that it’s going to be landing into the hands of a lot more readers.

Learning your ‘ABC’‘American Born Chinese’ cartoonist Gene Yang was just hoping to just get his comic collected. Now he’s getting nominated for awards. Go figure.

By Scott A. Rosenberg