DC Comics announces changes for SHOWCASE PRESENTS

You can read the full press release at Newsarama.

Current orders for the following SHOWCASE PRESENTS titles are cancelled. These titles will be resolicited at a later date:

• SHOWCASE PRESENTS: CAPTAIN CARROT VOL. 1

• SHOWCASE PRESENTS: THE GREAT DISASTER FEATURING THE ATOMIC KNIGHTS AND HERCULES VOL. 1

• SHOWCASE PRESENTS: THE SUICIDE SQUAD VOL. 1

• SHOWCASE PRESENTS: SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER VILLAINS VOL. 1

• SHOWCASE PRESENTS: JONAH HEX VOL. 2

Honestly, the only one of these I was getting was THE GREAT DISASTER, but since I know how much it sucks that I'm not going to get it now, I sympathize with those who were looking forward to those other 4.

The same press release also announces:

TALES OF THE SINESTRO CORPS PRESENTS: THE ANTI-MONITOR #1 will arrive in store with the title TALES OF THE SINESTRO CORPS PRESENTS: SUPERMAN PRIME #1.

Well, that answers one question. But the other one is -- is this a completely different story now? I mean, the Anti-Monitor and Superman Prime aren't exactly interchangeable characters. Is this going to have nothing to do with the Anti-Monitor now? What's it all about? I'm so confused!!!!

The New-Look Legion! Part 2

Oh I forgot, here's a teaser commercial for the second season of Legion of Super Heroes. The new season begins September 22.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zb4bRT9aqkQ

The New-Look Legion!

When the Legion of Super Heroes returns to the Kids WB! this fall, they're going to have a new look. They're going to be older, and apparently the show is also going for a slightly older audience. That's kinda interesting.

Phantom Girl is pretty much just getting a costume tweak.
Young Superman is looking a little less young (and what's up with the "S"? I could draw that with my eyes closed when I was 9. A paid professional artist can't be bothered to even try? Sheesh.)

But Lightning Lad is getting a major overhaul.

And (at least) two new characters added to the mix: Chameleon Boy (or whatever they'll be calling him) and Superman from the 41st Century.

I liked the show already, but this seems like it's going to be very interesting...

News Blurbs - "Aw yeah, Titans!"

A couple o' news bits from Newsarama:

Newsarama has a couple of previews from some of this week's DC Comics. Including a page of George Perez art from TEEN TITANS 50:


They also have an interview with Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani, the creative team of TINY TITANS from Johnny DC.

My almost-tribute to Mike Wieringo

Okay, so Project: Rooftop was doing a sort of tribute to Mike Wieringo this week. The object was to redesign a costume for Bart (Impulse, Kid Flash, Flash) Allen, a character co-created by Wieringo. I thought that it sounded like fun and wanted to play. But after I spend 2 and 1/2 days on it, I realized that it wasn't quite what it should have been. I didn't really do a whole lot of "design" work on a costume. In fact, I was almost just self-indulgent, doing my own thing. In the end, I decided not to send it in. It just wasn't what I felt it was supposed to be. But I decided to put it here anyway. It didn't turn out as well as I wanted, but the idea of what I was going for is there. Anyway, here it is:


And for anyone who may be unfamiliar, here is the source of inspiration that I used:

FLASH COMICS 1. JANUARY 1940

Wonder Woman has no pockets!!

Being a superhero isn't always glamorous:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ_zModF-RI

Not a good week to be Zatanna

Here's what Zatanna was doing the week of 8.22.07:

COUNTDOWN 36.
AUGUST 22, 2007

SUPERMAN 666.
OCTOBER 2007

I'm just saying...

Mike Wieringo Tribute at Project: Rooftop

From Project: Rooftop:

In memory of our friend and fellow fanboy, Mike Wieringo, Project: Rooftop is announcing an open call for redesigns of Bart Allen, the super-speedster sidekick (and later mantle-bearer) of The Flash. Bart was co-created by Mike Wieringo and writer Mark Waid in the mid-90’s. ‘Ringo recently wrote some interesting stuff about Bart over on his blog.

Submissions should be emailed to editors@projectrooftop.com by Sunday, August 26th, with the subject line “Impulse,” “Kid Flash,” or “The Flash” depending on the era of Bart’s life you decided to build on. Be sure to include your name and website with your submission. We’ll showcase the best entries all next week. In addition to the Bart Allen fun, we’ll also be talking about some the best superhero costuming work from Mike Wieringo’s career.

Mike had a timeless appreciation for these awesome characters and enjoyed the heck out of online costuming/drawing events, so I think he’d really dig this kind of fun being held in his honor. Whether you consider yourself a friend, fan, or both, come join us in remembering Mike Wieringo, whose incredible artwork and unfailing kindness continue to serve as a source of unending inspiration and joy.

Dean Trippe
http://projectrooftop.com/

Teen Titans Movie Dream Cast

On May 31, the Hollywood Reporter announced that Warner Brothers Pictures was giving the big screen treatment to the Teen Titans.
On August 11, Ray, over at Super Underwear Perverts, put together a dream cast.


I'm not necessarily saying I agree with it 100%, but his reasoning (name recognition, getting people into the theaters, movie budget, salaries, etc...) is very sound, and I think he actually did a great job. A couple of these people I would never have considered, but I don't think any of them would ruin the film. I actually think the casting of Matthew Bomer, Zac Efron, Scott Kaan and Kristen Kruek would work spot on.

That's my opinion. Check it out for yourself.

DC Highlights for November

COUNTDOWN PRESENTS: THE SEARCH FOR RAY PALMER: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT #1 & RED RAIN #1
What's really cool about these (besides starring Donna Troy) is that they're getting some of the original creators from the Elseworlds stories to work on them! Writer Brian Augustyn on Gotham by Gaslight and artist Kelley Jones on Red Rain. That just kinda rocks. It almost gives them a little more cred. It would almost be cool if they had a different artist drawing the Challengers of the Beyond characters on these books. It would really make them sort of stand out as not belonging on those worlds. But maybe that would make the whole thing kinda stupid. I don't know. It was just a thought.

COUNTDOWN PRESENTS: LORD HAVOK AND THE EXTREMISTS #2
This one kinda irritates me. I really have zero interest in this mini series. But if the Challengers of the Beyond (read: Donna Troy) are guess-starring, I guess I have to buy this issue. DC sucks, LOL!

GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY #2
The soliciation for this one reads: "Black Canary and Speedy head to Amazon Island, where a job offer from Athena seems to be the perfect opportunity for Dinah to focus some of her frustrations over what’s happened to Green Arrow." Which begs the question: What happened to Green Arrow? The covers of the first two issues of this series have featured Connor Hawke as GA not Ollie. Things that make you go hmmmm.
Plus, what the heck is Amazon Island? Do they mean Themyscira...or is this some new addition to the DC Universe?

BOOSTER GOLD #4
Based just on the first issue and the solicitaions of the next 3, this is turning into one of my favorite books. I've never been a big Booster Gold fan, but I love the angle they're taking with this series. It's just fun.

SUPERMAN/BATMAN #43
Teen Titans. Mike McKone. What's not to love?

SUPERGIRL #23
"The Teen of Steel embarks on a brand-new direction as writer Kelley Puckett joins forces with acclaimed art team Drew Johnson & Ray Snyder as the new SUPERGIRL creative team!" I thought Tony Bedard and Renato Guedes were the new creative team. They just started with issue #20. 3 issues later there's another one? This book isn't even 2 years old and it's had more creative team changes than Uncanny X-men!! Consistancy would be nice, but as long as the book gets good, I can deal. Plus, I like me some Drew Johnson.

THE ALL-NEW ATOM #17
Wonder Woman. Gail Simone. What's not to love?

WONDER WOMAN #14
Wonder Woman. Gail Simone. What's not to love?

TRIALS OF SHAZAM #10
"Art and cover by Mauro Cascioli" WTF? Did I miss something? What happened to Howard Porter?

THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: AN EYE FOR AN EYE TP
I'd be more excited about this if it was collecting the original Levitz/Giffen run from the beginning, instead of the Baxter series. I mean this is good, but I like the older stuff. There's so many trades coming out this month, I'll probably pass on this one. I'm sure I still have the originals around someplace.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN: SAGA OF THE SUPER SONS TP
This is billed as the complete saga of the Super Sons, but I think I read somewhere that one of the stories is left out. I don't know which one, or if it's maybe been fixed, but this is one that I'm going to get.

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: TEEN TITANS VOL. 2 TP
(This isn't the actual cover, I took the solicitaion art and mocked up my own. I'm stupid like that, LOL) I'm holding out hope for a volume 3. The first 2 volumes each included 18 issues of Teen Titans, plus 3 other stories. Well, there are still 17 issues of the original series left (if you count the 70s revival with Titans West) and at least 2 Brave and Bolds from the 70s. Surely they can find something to fill out the rest (like the Joker's Daughter stories from BATMAN FAMILY). Hopefully they won't let me down!!

HEROES HC
If this weren't hardcover, I'd snap it up in a second. But I'll wait for the trade.

GEN13 #14
"GEN13 welcomes acclaimed writer Simon Oliver as he joins artists Carlo Barberi & Drew Geraci!" Is Gail Simone off this book? Then me, too. Don't love Gen13 that much.

NEW GODS ACTION FIGURES
Based on the art of Jack Kirby, on sale April 30, 2008. I've never been the biggest Kirby fan. In fact, as a kid, I didn't like his stuff at all. I thought all his people looked like Frankenstein monsters. As I've matured, I've grown to appreciate his stuff. And I actually think these figures look kinda cool. Although, you have to wonder about the thought process behind releasing a Lightray figure a year after they kill off the character. Why not a Big Barda to go along with the Mr. Miracle?

Okay, that's all.

Remembering Mike Wieringo

Newsarama has five pages of Mike Wieringo's friends and colleagues remembering him. I couldn't stop crying the entire time I was reading it. I'm sad because I'll never get to see any new art from him. But it's just not right for all these people to loose such a good friend.

by Frank Cho and Brandon Peterson

Batman and Robin the Dead Wonder

I hope being Batman's sidekick pays some big bucks, otherwise it just isn't worth it. At least Dick Grayson's deaths all ended up with him still being alive. Jason and Stepanie weren't so lucky. Well... until Superbrat-Prime punched Jason back into existence...

BATMAN 156. JUNE 1963	BATMAN 232. JUNE 1971
BATMAN 246. DECEMBER 1972	BATMAN 375. SEPTEMBER 1984
BATMAN 428. WINTER 1988	DETECTIVE COMICS 809. OCTOBER 2005

United States Super Hero Postage Stamps

Maybe it's because my main Marvel reading years were the 80s and early 90s and they aren't really represented much here. Or maybe it's just because I'm such a major DC freak/geek/zombie/junkie, but the Marvel stamps that came out this year just don't excite me like the DC Stamps did. I have sheets and sheets of the DC stamps, and haven't even bothered to go the post office and pick up any of the Marvel ones.

...

Oh well.

Detective Comics 151. September 1949

You kinda have to wonder -- just what exactly is Batman staring at?


He seems quite fixated...

Mike Wieringo - 1963-2007

Mike Wieringo passed away Sunday, August 12th, from a heart attack at the age of 44. I wish I could write something about him, but every time I think about it I just want to start crying. He's going to be missed.

MikeWieringo.com • deviantART
Mike Wieringo Passes Away • Remembering Mike Wieringo
Friendly Dolphins • Silent Kimbly • Bloggity-Blog-Blog-Blog • ComicMix
Wikipedia • Google

Wonder Woman - Ame-Comi PVC Statue

Surfing the web for interesting news from Wizard World Chicago.

I really, really don't want to like this. But I really kinda do. One reason I don't want to like it is because I'm not a big fan of anime.

...

The other reason I don't want to like it is because I don't want to have to buy it, LOL!

Teen Titans @ WWC

Surfing the web for interesting news from Wizard World Chicago.

From Toy News International: More New Teen Titans Minimates coming in Wave 8. Like the Starfire from Wave 7, these are the classic versions of Cyborg and Raven.


You can read through this article on Newsarama and this one to find out bits and pieces about the upcoming Johnny DC title TINY TITANS by Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani. It's apparently the DC Universe version of a Teen Titans animated series.

...

Check out that first picture. There are 2 Wonder Girls. That's kind of interesting. I'm sort of looking forward to this, I don't know why...