I miss my old comic shop of Big B Barrie but my new shop, Big B Hamilton is starting to rank up there.
Their used section for instance has been mountains of joy to my bookshelf and a bit of misery for my wallet. So far I’ve managed to score the entire trade run of 100 Bullets, a Grendel hardcover I was missing and a few other treasures, including Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter.
It’s been out of print for a little while but this was the sequel to a previous mini series called Stormbreaker which pits Beta Ray Bill against the threat of Galactus. It’s also a series that really brings everything I love about a character that shouldn’t work.
He’s an alien with a horse head that has all of the powers of Thor.
But yet, it works really well.
For whatever reason, Bill embodies to me everything that everyone always mentions that is awesome about Silver Surfer (a character I’m not a fan of). He’s a noble and slightly tragic figure. Bill gave up his looks and a place among his people. And while the costume design is a variation on Thor, the creature design is just striking. Walt Simonson has said that he wanted to make Beta Ray Bill a monster so the reader would automatically think “bad guy” when seeing him on the covers. It’s this look that seems to lend a lot to his nobility.
If you haven’t already, check out Simonson’s run on Thor. You will not be disappointed.
The Dark Knight Rises
What can I say that hasn’t already been said? It’s a great movie but needed a little more Batman and maybe a little less police stuff. Overall it was good but it was a bit too long and not as good as The Dark Knight. I think the series was closed in a rather interesting way and I’m curio we get a total reboot or if it will continue where Dark Knight Rises leaves off.
Fan Expo
The prep work has began. I’m studying up for possible interviews and kudos so far to the Hobbystar crew on guests. While there is a good chunk of returning faces, it’s good to see a bunch of new ones as well.
I know there is some griping from some about the guests that have returned but I really think some of my fellow nerds should really get a handle on how a con like Fan Expo works. In order to keep running year after year, a profit has to be shown. That’s not to say the whole enterprise is aimed with the sole purpose of only making a buck but the more money the con generates, the more big name guests they can bring in the following year. Every year the Fan Expo team have a rough task of balancing commerce along with new guests and guests they want to bring. Comics have to be especially hard. Last year I got to work a little with them as a moderator and I don’t know how they can do it year after year without burnout or murder. And this is not saying I’m a huge fan of Hobbystar. They do do some things that irk me or I just plain don’t agree with but I honestly think that the guest list is a great mix and some decent work was done in these regards.
That being said, next year I’d like to see Walt Simonson and Kevin Eastman.
If you need me, I’ll be the one stalking John Carpenter.
BETA RAY BILL!!!!
Now that is out of the way, there is no denying that I love Beta Ray Bill as a character. I picked up my copy of Godhunter at Big B Barrie, then I started my search to find Stormbreaker. I was finally able to track down a copy at Fan Expo (you were there Brent).
It was a great series and I wish it was a monthly book. I picked up Annihilators Earthfall because BRB was on the team, sadly he wasn’t used enough for my taste.
I agree with you about Beta Ray Bill. It is his sense of honour that draws me towards that character. He has been dealt a deal in life, but he always persists. Godhunter is the first time we really see Bill take revenge on someone for what has happened to him during his life, but he just can’t cross the line that would change who he is.
I hope with whatever happens with Marvel Now!, Beta Ray Bill is still a character who will appear from time to time.
Now I just have to wait, patiently (not really), for the Marvel Universe figure to come out of Beta Ray Bill.