The Sky’s the Limit

Have fun with an Ellen Noel Art Museum puzzle!

The current thing in certain circles is to disparage Wizard Magazine. Of course, they bring it on themselves when Wizard Entertainment does things like present the same tired How To Draw booklet for every Free Comic Book Day.

The instructional comic is well laid out and the information useful, but it’s stained by the same crude humor found in the monthly mag. Also, would-be artists are admonished not to draw women in too tantalizing a manner because it diminishes their credibility. This, from the same guys who who pride themselves on stuffing their magazine with near-pornographic images of buxom vixens.

Speaking of well-endowed females, Worlds of Aspen offers three volumes this year, covering six titles — Soulfire, Shrugged, Fathom, Soulfire: Chaos Reign, Soulfire: New World Order and Executive Assistant: Iris. Volumes 1 and 2 are reprints of previous FCBD comics, but volume 3 showcases some new material.

T & A abounds throughout the preview book. Executive Assistant, the story of a high-dollar whore / assassin, depicts a totally nude woman from behind.

Michael Turner’s concepts and writing carry the bulk of the book, and the creative teams put out quality work. But it’s difficult to get interested in the stories when constantly confronted with sexually-charged images.

Where Wizard Entertainment drops the ball, TwoMorrows Publishing grabs it and runs. Comics go Hollywood presents the material one expects from a comics magazine, pulling from five different industry mags. And these are only a cross-section of what the company offers.

The free comic gives glimpses of movie storyboards, an interview with Heroes Co-Executive Producer Jeph Loeb, a gallery of Jack Kirby’s artwork and more. Its best feature is an article revealing the Joker’s evolution from his first appearance in the Batman comics through today.

Visit TwoMorrows’ website for more about their publications, including a favorite of mine and my son’s — BrickJournal.

 On the afternoon of May 17, 2007 the Wichita, Ks Police Department responded to a call at a parking garage when someone found a foot locker behind a parked vehicle.

Authorities closed the garage and the surrounding streets for more than two hours before detonating the “suspicious device.”

“The times we live in, I’d rather be safe than sorry,” said Capt. Sam Houston. “I know we inconvenienced a lot of people today, but you just never know.”

After destroying the foot locker, the officers discovered the real danger.

Comic books.

Free Comic Book Day is an annual event in which comics retailers around the world give away comics absolutely free. The industry puts its best face forward in hopes of attracting new readers.

My excursion this year turned up 50+ different titles and two tiny figurines — a much larger haul then last year.

I also discovered Thunderstruck Comics and Collectables. Entreprenuer Keely Newton and his partners are new to the comics retail business. So new, in fact, they’re still looking for a storefront. I was surpised to find myself in fromnt of a house.

Keely was extremely helpful, gathering the titles for me and placing them in a box to accomadate my herniated disk. “Service …. Like Lighning!” their card proclaims. If you live in the Midland/Odessa area, you wouldn’t go wrong to try their servive — danewton@juno.com.

Hasting’s in Odessa also took part. And a special “theank you ” goes to DCP, a.k.a. Dale’s Planet Comics, in Midland. Dale didn’t participate this year, but he did give me a couple of books gratis.

So now it’s time for me to crack a few spines and see what 2008’s dangerous free comics offer. The times we live in, you just never know.