
Review | Steranko Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist’s Edition
Stunning, jaw-dropping gorgeous work presented in its original size, Steranko Nick Fury Agent Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist's Edition is without peer.
Discussing the minutiae of comic book collecting.
Discussing the minutiae of comic book collecting.
Stunning, jaw-dropping gorgeous work presented in its original size, Steranko Nick Fury Agent Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist's Edition is without peer.
With the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie coming out on August 1st, I thought I would revisit one of my favorite stories from the B&W magazine, Marvel Preview. Star-Lord was first introduced in Marvel Preview #4 by Steve Englehart…
James Stokoe's Godzilla episode is both loyal to its Toho origins and a goofy fun Stokoe romp.
On July 6th I had the opportunity to attend the Toronto Comic Book Show (TCBS) for the first time. This was the second TCBS after its inaugural show in May. You won’t see any cosplay or signings at TCBS—the show’s organizers are 100% focused on serving those who just want to get their hands on books (both raw and graded). The admission person I spoke with said they expected over 400 people throughout the day. While that’s a far cry from some of the bigger Toronto shows or US shows, it’s a pretty respectable number considering TCBS is a collector-first show.
On Saturday I attended Con Bravo. It is a show I haven't been to before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Con Bravo is the "Festival Celebrating Everything Geek" and the focus of the show is "indie media, gaming, and cosplay". Unfortunately I do not follow the indie scene, so I was at a loss when it came to the special guests and panels that were featured at the show. But the convention goers were going nuts for the guests. There were long lines waiting to interact with the celebrities. Which is the real focus when it comes to the celebrities at Con Bravo - the personal interaction with the convention goers.
In 1986, at the height of the 80's comic boom, DC comics published Watchmen and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DKR). If you were to ask any comic fan which books are considered to be the “best” the medium has to offer, these two titles would top most lists, even today. Terms like “best” or “great” are blanket expressions of course. They are meant to communicate affection but in reality are kind of meaningless. There are so many genres, tastes and interests that any meaningful response should be more specific. As well, comics have such a long history..., to continually reference the same books over and over and over again, I feel does a disservice to all the other “great” stories out there. But, I do find it very curious how amongst all the great stories, amongst all the many fickle tastes… how is it that these two stories are universally appreciated?
A gathering of wonderful art spotted by yours truly from the collection of James Halperin, founder of Heritage.
It’s time for another update from BIFF SOCKO, TWO-FISTED NEWSHOUND. Biff Socko covers Comic Book News like zits on the A-V Club. Faster than Perry White! Stronger than J. Jonah Jameson! Hotter than Cat Grant. He is…BIFF SOCKO! DEADLINE:…
A completely different take on the end of the world, Snowpiercer Volume 1: The Escape delivers a harsh look on society in a frozen hell.
The comic book world is still spinning from the news this week that Marvel is shaking things up a bit, and changing some of their major characters. Originally I was going to write this article about the power of Thor being transferred from Thor to a new female character. That is a column within itself. But this week we hear more news that the mantle of Captain America is being passed from Steve Rogers, to his friend and ally Sam Wilson.
You see kids, once upon a time before the Internet and cell phones we kept all phone numbers in a large newsprint tome that was not only informative but also gave circus strongmen something to rip in half with their bare hands. All joking aside the phone book was a pretty important part of tracking down new comic books for your collection.
When I started collecting comics in the early 80s your comic shop purchases were slipped into a brown paper magazine bag and it was taped closed. There was no mention of bag and boards, just fresh new comics in your…
A few weeks ago, I attended a local comic convention here in Vancouver and I heard about the new company Comic Book Certification Service (CBCS). This company was started by Steve Borock, the former president of CGC so he definitely…
For this column I’ve chosen to step outside of my normal mandate and talk a little about that period that came after the WECA Period (Robin Hood Comics Vol. 1 No. 1 and Better Comics Vol. 1 No. 1 in…
YOUNGBLOOD #1 (Image Comics, April 1992). This week’s pick came to me as I was examining recent Direct Market numbers. Slowly but surely Image Comics is cementing a dominant and distinctive 3rd place in our industry. At their current rate, Image’s share of the market may top 10% real soon and this is significant news.
This past Sunday I attended the final day of TF Con (Transformers Convention) held in conjunction with the Collectible Toy Expo. It was held at the Delta Hotel and Conference Center in Mississauga. I was unable to attend the convention…
A coloured reprint of early work, Paul Pope's Escapo is a gripping look into the heart and mind.
A gathering of wonderful art spotted at All-Star Auctions San Diego Event auction.
It’s time for another update from BIFF SOCKO, TWO-FISTED NEWSHOUND. Biff Socko covers Comic Book News like zits on the A-V Club. Faster than Perry White! Stronger than J. Jonah Jameson! Hotter than Cat Grant. He is…BIFF SOCKO! DEADLINE:…
If you love Transformers, I don’t have to tell you that there is a convention in Canada for everything Transformers. But if you are excited for all the Transformer action from the latest blockbuster (Transformers: Age of Extinction) and want…
Arcs & Runs #9: Lo! A Beast is born! Amazing Adventures #11-17 We will continue on with my Days of Future past hangover and the X-Men’s hidden or lost years, when the title only produced reprints. In this period of…