11am-12pm Seamus Patrick Burke http://ohgoodie.net/

12pm-1pm Alejandro Rosado http://sofakingdomstrip.blogspot.com/

1pm-2pm Neko Pilarcik – http://lulucthulhu.com/
& Randy Field -http://problemtown.com/

2pm-3pm Robert Burns http://www.brutally-frank.com/

4pm-5pm Brian Crowley from Hamster Rage – http://www.hamsterrage.com/

5pm-6pm The Creators of P.I. Jane http://pi-jane.com/

& More than likely Ryan Browne from God Hates Astronauts – http://www.godhatesastronauts.com/

ALSO….The Incredibly Awesome, Kitty Zombie, will be joining us to…well to be truthful I’m not sure what he’ll do. He’s Zombie whose had pieces of his mind replaced by bits of dog brain. SO bring him a treat and perhaps he won’t piss in the shop!!

http://kittyzombie.com/

PLUS Decapitated Dan (From ComicAttack.com) will terrorize us with his natural ability to bring out the inner fanboy in all of us and help us answer the question…what is art? LOL….I’m kidding, he’s not quite that serious, but he will be there to chat you up about Free Comic Book Day and anything else you want to chat about.

We’ll update as more people confirm for Free Comic Book Day. It’s going to be a fun and crazy day!!

It’s sad when a good series gets buried under piles of rubbish brought on by mass producing crap books. At the beginning of 2009 Deadpool was everywhere. The bastard version of him in that horrid Wolverine movie (I’m not bitter) sparked interest in the main stream and of course Marvel was ready to please with an ample amount of Deadpool stories for everyone. Unfortunately, Marvel likes to ride on the tidal waves of pop culture, when something is hot it ends up in their comics and not just a few books! That’s when they seemed to focus on quantity instead of quality which caused them to pass off unnecessary reprints and stories that read like horrible audition stories in books that were high priced and touted as “Special Edition”.

We all bought it. I’ll be the first to say that I can get caught up in the hype and need to read every story attached to a loved character. When there are events I try to read every book to them even if there are a million, which is usually the case for Marvel and something I’m not opposed to if they turn out a worth reading product, but I never hold my breath. Too many times I’ve had to tell someone the awesome book they were looking forward to is kind of crappy. Most Marvel Zombies will go ahead and buy it anyways. They need to complete their collection, but I do occasionally get to lead them to the better books at Marvel that are ignored.

Which brings me back around to Deadpool Team-up; a book that was doomed from the start. It was launched at a time when most of the “Main” Super-Heroes had at least three on going books out and if they didn’t have that going for them there were at least a mini series or two to read besides their In-Continuity comic. What a perfect time to release a special anniversary edition Deadpool Comic that is numbered 900 for no other reason than they can! Then after that issue let’s start to countdown from #899 with the launch of Deadpool Team-Up. THEN let’s release a few more so so Deadpool titles (Deadpool Corps, My Ass!) so no one will know which books are good and which are the stinkers, which Team-Up was not.

Sure it was outlandish and sure it had lavish guest-stars like Hercules, Machine Man & Galactus from Marvel’s C-List celebrities, but it was funny, brightly colored and almost kid friendly. Seriously, it was the answer for all the 13 year old’s coming in asking for Deadpool Comics, it’s Deadpool light (which could also have been an issue with Deadpool fans, but I truly believe one reason for the cancellation of this over saturation and that sucks!!

Okay, let’s start with the important news….

PHYREXIA WINS!!!!

Now, with the obvious (and slightly delayed) news out of the way, let’s celebrate with a drink and draft this weekend. That’s right, Saturday is going to be this month’s drink and draft. Additionally, we are using FACTION PACKS! So, you can draft out the war to end all wars all over again this weekend.

Now, to tie in where it matters: You can now pre-order your New Phyrexia.

Booster Boxes for $94.99 right now. Because we care, we are also giving you the option to pre-order your box and pay for the Sealed pre-release event at the same time for $124.99 and we will take care of the tax. We are also taking pre-orders for Fat Packs this time around. Pre-order price for Fat Packs is $34.99 and of course will include all of the fatty goodness you love, just $5 cheaper.

Knights vs Dragons were an instant sell out. The next special release products are the multi-player Commander decks due out in June. There are 5 Commander decks being released. Between them all there will be 51 new cards spread across them (averaging 10 unique new cards pre deck). While I know there are a couple people hoping for “snow-covered Dual lands” or reprints of the entire Sword Cycle, I am aiming a little lower. I am just hoping they print enemy wedge tri-color tap lands like they did ally colored ones for Alara block.

I am going to end with a thought on Phyrexian mana payments. How busted is it that on turn two, you can play a functional moat in a mono-green deck for the low cost of 4 life and three mana? It may be about time we start main decking the artifact removal and not playing black anymore.

Verdell

Fear Itself is Action Packed!!!

Fear Itself is a Marvel Event that is NOT written by Brian Michael Bendis and that is ok by me.

Marvel has been closed lipped about their latest event and I don’t really blame them, the past few have turned out to be stinkers. We had the never ending Civil War, the death of Janet and rise of Norman Osborn in Secret Invasion and when Asgard fell in Siege nobody really seemed to care; but now we have Fear Itself featuring the return of a forgotten villain of the Marvel U…..

….and that’s all Marvel let people know about their newest event written by Matt Fraction with art by Stuart Immonen. I think they actually made a great choice by being vague, when I opened it all I knew was from Brubaker’s interesting prologue; Sin was looking for a hammer, she had a book and she’s absolutely power hungry. While I was reading the prologue I did wonder why even bother with this…but there was something about intriguing about a story I really knew nothing about.

Fear Itself did opens with  Steve Rogers and Sharon are trying to keep the masses under control during a protest at Ground Zero. The masses are pissed and they don’t want a Mosque built anywhere near Ground Zero. Just as a reporter starts to interview Rogers a riot erupts and Rogers is knocked down. While the panel slowly pulls away Sharon wonders how to stop the riot; cut to Sin.

She’s got the book, she’s got the look (sorry I have had Roxette in my head for days) and she sure wants to get this special hammer guarded by Nazi’s that have been kept alive by Nazi Super Science. Right there I was hooked. LOL If you mention Nazi’s in any context (and they’re the villains) you instantly have my attention. Where were you…Oh ya, Nazi’s. Sin arrives at the her Father’s Fotress Null up in the Antartic and she’s not leaving there without the hammer, no matter  how many Nazi’ have to be killed to get it, does she succeed?? Well i don’t want to give anymore of the plot away….

I will tell you I was pleasantly surprised by Fear Itself. It takes the state of the world today and successfully plants it front and center in the Marvel universe. From intolerant bigots to the effects Siege had on the small town of of Broxton, Oklahoma’s economy, Matt Fraction causes me to believe that the people in the Marvel U have the same problems that we do.

Of course you have the incredibly brilliant art of Stuart Immonen to set the mood for Fractions kick ass story, but will it keep it’s pace. It’s always been a standard for Marvel events to fall apart at the seams. Hopefully with Matt fraction driving this time we’ll have a winner!

When DC relaunched Green Lantern years ago with Reborn Geoff Johns wrote Hal Jordan as a cheeky bastard with a gentle side that added to his adorable self (Ya I said that! Wanna make something of it?). Johns easily caused Jordan’s past to be forgotten, after all how does one make a mass murder likable again? He reintroduces us to what made Hal important, Jordan had human flaws, but was truly a great guy with a heart of gold. He always wants to do good, no matter what it takes…..Then the Sinestro Corp War started and Hal had to be a Green Lantern.

IN fact Hal Jordan had to be the best damned Green Lantern out there and he was a non stop locomotive. Jordan battled through the Sinestro Corp Wars and dived head first into Blackest Night. After saving the universe he jumped at the chance to continue his adrenaline adventures and search out Krona, but after reading issue after issue of High Action Hal Jordan I’m not in the mood to join him.

I want Hal Jordan to take a vacation like his fellow heroes could after Infinite Crisis. I want to see the lovable Jordan flirting with Carol and taking an afternoon flight in a test plane. I want Hal Jordan to be Hal Jordan and I think after reading Emerald Warriors #8 Geoff Johns wants him to be as well.

Emerald Warriors #8 Finds Guy and Hal meeting up at “The Greenhouse” to form a plan B since Krona has infected the Corp with Parallax. Guy and Hal are one of the lucky few who have already been infected by Parallax and has built up an immunity to it’s grasp. A heated arguments ensues for the naturally conflicted pair until they both reach an agreement to go “Off The Grid”; this is when my faith was restored in Green Lantern. “Off The Grid” means they’re ditching the rings and have to rely on their on resources to save the Green Lantern Corp. We’re going Back to basics and I like this.

Guy and Hal are just two ordinary men; without the rings I have no clue how they can pull it off, but now I’m more inclined to read it when it comes out instead of the bottom of the read pile and I thank Geoff Johns for that!

Great issue, that has restored my faith in the Green Lantern Series and it came with my favorite phrase of the week,”Beware My Freakin’ Power…Guy Gardner’s MIGHT!!!” Sweet!!

Butcher Baker has “retired” and is living the life of leisure. He has the sex drive of One Hundred Young Men during their first time in a whore house and he has no plans on going back to a government that doesn’t appreciate him.  Can a trip from “Dick Cheney” and “Jay Leno” change his mind and convince him to help his nation or will Joe Casey ruin this comedic concept and turn it into something heavy and serious?

After reading the first issue I think the latter is more likely, but I am going to give Butcher Baker another try. Anyone who has the balls to fuck in front of the former Vice President deserves a second chance!

Half way through the comic I’ve had to stop and regroup. Rick Remender’s style is fast paced and jerky with art to match by Rafael Albuquerque, it helps bring the frantic and violent comic to life, but to a new reader I’d rather be able to identify all the characters instead of panel after panel of groups fighting. I know who all the good guys seem to be, but the only reason I can easily identify the villains is the artist tends to darken the panels the “bad guys” frequent.

By the time I got to the end of the comic I was frustrated, confused and really curious about Psylocke. She seemed bad ass and was really getting into killing people….sounds like a winner to me. I will admit Uncanny X-Force #5.1 did do it’s job though; I was frustrated and confused, but it also left me wanting more. I didn’t think it as a good introduction issue though. There was no real introduction of cast or primary goals set for the next main story line (or was there, it was all happening so fast, I was dizzy)so to say this issue is a good jumping on point is a bit of a joke. It felt more like a non sequitur issue that leaves a foreshadowing for events to come, but not a very good lesson on what makes X-force tick.

If I had a rating system I’d give it 2.5/5 Points.

After reading the prologue I realized I needed to do a bit more research into Fear Itself. I found it a so so opener for a Universe Stretching Saga and wondered what Marvel had in store for us. Searching on the internet I didn’t find many spoilers besides it being about the return of the God of Fear. Then I read it would involve the current God of Fear in the Marvel U Phobos, The son of Ares (A personal Favorite of mine), a book made out of the skin of Atlanteans and the main book is penned by Matt Fraction, it all peeked my interest a little more.

I started to wonder about this book of skin that Sin is searching out; what will it do, is this the book they’re going to use to bring back the God of Fear? Is this how Sin can finally become the ultimate evil herself and be a host for this absent God? Or will Zemo make good on his promise and get his revenge on Sin?

Why is the main part of the prologue a drawn out fight scene that is only semi cool; does Namor’s prowess need to be justified once again? We know you’re a bad-ass Namor you wear a friggin bikini 24/7. Only bad asses can pull that look off!

And whose fancy Hammer had The Red Skull been hiding encased in his fortress? It must be something of great importance; no one can move it and to build a gigantic castle around it seems like a lot of work. I’m going to assume from the two page spread about Fear Itself #1 some light will be shed on it, they promise us a fight between Thor and his Father, Odin.

Either way Fear Itself’s prologue left me with some questions I want answers to, so I will continue on Marvel’s journey in to Fear with slight excitement over a possibly thrilling event.

Though I will warn you…..All of these titles are already the announced Cross Overs:

Prologue

• Fear Itself: Book of the Skull #1

Tie-ins

• Fear Itself #1-7
• Fear Itself: The Amazing Spider-Man #1-3
• Fear Itself: Black Widow #1
• Fear Itself: Deadpool #1-3^[10]
• Fear Itself: Fearsome Four #1-4
• Fear Itself: Homefront #1-7
• Fear Itself: Sin’s Past #1
• Fear Itself: Spotlight #1
• Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt #1-6
• Fear Itself: The Worthy #1-8 (Digital only)
• Alpha Flight #1-8
• Avengers Academy #15-19
• Avengers #13
• Herc #3
• Iron Man 2.0 #5
• The Invincible Iron Man #503-504
• Journey into Mystery #622-623
• Secret Avengers #12.1
• Secret Avengers #13
• Spider-Girl #8
• Throne of Blood: Birth of a Vampire #1
• Thunderbolts #159-163

(I’ve added Comixology.com links for all you Comixology users….)

Could I tell if Fear Itself will be the Blockbuster sell out of the summer? Ya I could. It’s going to be action packed and has the word Fear in it. Everyone knows it’s going to be fun. Is it going to be good?? I hope so, Fraction rarely disappoints and truthfully it’s about time someone else took the reigns away from Bendis for an Event or two. Love you Bendis, but once in awhile you need Caramel instead of Chocolate on your Ice Cream and you’re the chocolate.

Anyways, I’m going to go have an Ice Cream Sunday now while I move onto my next comic…..

Weird Worlds is an odd title to pull out of the closet. It was a short lived Science Fiction series from 1972-1974 that lasted only ten issues. Originally a vehicle for Edgar Rice Burroughs stories that DC had the rights to (including the “John Carter” side stories from Tarzan #209 written by Marv Wolfman) Weird Worlds sold decently until John Carter was returned to the Tarzan Family books and Howard Chaykin’s Iron Wolf began. Cancellation is not blamed on poor sales, but rather DC’s Explosion of titles from the late 70′s to compete with Marvel Comics.

So why bring it back after a nearly 40 year hiatus?? I Imagine it’s cause they have these Kick Ass odd ball characters to write about that don’t quite fit into the regular DCU. One could call each of them weird in their own rights and they definitely are not of THIS WORLD so BAM…we have bizarre stories from Kevin Vanhook & Jerry Droway (Lobo), Aaron Lopresti (Garbage Man) and Kevin Maguire (Tanga) about three misfits on their own personal journeys.

Lobo find himself quite dead at the beginning of his venture. An over enthusiastic bounty hunter thinks he has the up and up on Lobo when he luckily blasts half his skull off, but I don’t think he was counting on Lobo’s healing power to regenerate the one thing Lobo barely uses….his Brain. After Lobo “clears the air” with his assailant and finds his “mark” things start to look up, but has Lobo got into more than he can bargain for?

Kevin Vanhook brings out the fun in what is ultimately a bloody bathe of a tale. He’s captured the cruel essence of Lobo and the humor of cocky bounty hunters perfectly. How he has Lobo defeat his “killer” is purely inventive and quite gross and that is OK with me! Droway’s art is on pair with the gritty and violent story, sparing no blood or guts, which adds the gross-factor and humor of the story.

Next we have Aaron Lopresti’s Garbage Man. A new edition to the DC Universe, Lopresti creates a cross between Swamp Thing and the Toxic Avenger into the DCU. A law firm representative is taking hostage and is forced into a crazy experiment by a mad scientist. When it goes wrong the scientist decides to clean the slate and burns the project to the ground. Little did he know his experiment was a success and from the rubble and sewage of the “accident” Garbage Man is born.

I really have no clue where Lopresti is going with this creation, but I’m totally willing to take the ride. It’s not an original concept, but his art style is always appealing I bet this is going the way of bad Sci-Fi movies from the 50′s. SQUEE….excited.

Lastly, Tanga-Distrait. Tanga was created by artist/scribe Kevin Maguire. A story about a “Space Girl” that floated around his head, Maguire was ecstatic when Dan Didio stopped at his table on comic con to tell him his “Space Girl” concept was green lite. Originally conceived as a back up story in R.E.B.E.L.S., Tanga finds a perfect home in Weird Worlds as she searches the universe for something important. We don’t know what it is yet, but it’s out there and she’ll know it when it happens.

In the mean time she’s dodging aliens and hoping Lobo doesn’t come to collect on the money she swears she doesn’t owe him. She’s sassy, purple and kinda hot and I think I love her. Kevin Maguire, I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us with Tanga!

Like I said at the beginning I think Weird Tales was written just for me. I really enjoyed it and hope you give it a chance as well, cause I’d like to see more of it!

Admission is $30/$25 Earlier Admission

Registration starts when Shop Opens

Game Starts at 1pm