X-Men Days of Future Past

One of the benefits of discussing movies after their release date is that you can actually talk about things. So, as is custom, here is your spoiler warning: do not read any further if you haven't seen X-Men Days of Future Past yet and would like to be surprised when you get a Bluray in your stocking at Christmas. For everyone else I thought I'd share some thoughts on the flick, the franchise, and comic book movies in general.

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Clayton Dexter

Few people know, however, that Clayton Dexter is a pseudonym for Howard Buchanan Cowan; thanks to Howard’s son Glen for this information and other biographical details. He was born in 1918 in Toronto to a well-known Dentist Father, William A. Cowan, who practiced on Bloor Street. Howard received some art training at Humberside College and after graduating in 1939 wanted to pursue further art studies but received no support from his father who seemed not to see much of a future in this and ideally wanted his son to become a dentist.

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Conan The Rogue

One of the best examples of Big John Buscema's Conan is probably the one that has been seen by fewer fans than any other. In 1991 Marvel released the graphic novel "Conan the Rogue" which was a story that was plotted, penciled, inked and coloured by Big John Buscema. He got his long time collaborator Roy Thomas to script the story, which he had plotted and oh what a job these two did on this book! It had a relatively low print run and was never really promoted from what I understand.

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Burlington Toy Show – June 1, 2014

Yesterday I attended the summer edition of the Burlington Toy Show (presented by RPG Events). This edition of the BTS featured a wide variety vendors selling all sorts of toys and collectibles from new to vintage classic toys.

Actually... a lot of vintage and classic toys. There seems to be a trend at the local toy show circuit of late 80's/early 90's toys making an appearance. I have been finding more and more C.O.P.S., Dick Tracy and MASK toys. Dick Tracy wasn't as popular as expected in the 90's, but the toys are very stylistic and cool. Plus you can collect the complete series of figures right now at various shows, for as little as $5 each.

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Meet Beta Ray Bill: Thor 337-340

Thanks to Walter Simonson every time I see a horse my mind invariably drifts to a super hero with a similar appearance and many of the same qualities of those Clydesdales - Beta Ray Bill. Walt Simonson’s critically acclaimed run on Thor ran from issue #337 thru issue #382. He started with this Beta Ray Bill story and followed it up with the introduction of Malekith the Accursed Ruler of the Dark Elves (issue #344), who was the villain in the second Thor movie. Not a bad way to start your new job! Simonson’s run really breathed new life into this title and the many accolades he received are justified.

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Joseph Hillenbrand

I’ve already discussed the work of Sid Barron, one of Educational Projects main artists, elsewhere and in this post I’d like to look at another, Joseph Hillenbrand, even though there is little information available about him apart from the comic book work he left behind.

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Epic Illustrated

Last week I came across an almost complete run of the 1980's Marvel Magazine Epic Illustrated in ultra- high grade raw shape. So I bought them all! Now Epic Illustrated has been on the radar ever since it was announced that Marvel was doing a movie version of Jim Starlin's Vanth Dreadstar character from Metamorphosis Odyssey.

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Undervalued Spotlight #202

Jungle Action #6, Marvel Comics, September 1973. Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966) featured the 1st appearance of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's the Black Panther (T’Challa), comicdom’s 1st African American super hero. The Black Panther followed comicdom’s 1st African American hero Lobo, D.J. Arneson’s creation published by Dell Comics a year earlier, click here for my Lobo post.

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I am Wolverine; X-Men Days of Future Past

The latest installment of the X-Men film franchise hit theatres this past weekend. To help celebrate the event, Big B Comics had a table set up at the Cineplex Odeon Galaxy in Barrie.

My cosplay teammate Stephanie and I showed up at the theatre to help out Big B, dressed as X-Men. This was going to be a challenge for me. Stephanie has many costumes in her repertoire - Rogue being one of them - but I don't have much stuff when it comes to X-Men.

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