Google+ The Geeks Menagerie: 2010

Friday, December 24, 2010

DC Universe Online

This is my first Villain for the new DC Universe Online game. I've been playing the Beta for about a week now, its a lot of fun!

Dr. Eclypse! Master of the Magical arts and destroyer of do-gooders! BWA Ha HA HA!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Jeff Butler!

Jeff Butler is a very extraordinary artist, working for TSR back in the 80's, he did most of the interior and cover art for the Marvel Super Heroes RPG game books. Along with alot of other projects for TSR, I hope to do an interview with him soon.

SpringCon 2010! - Jim shooter and Jeff Butler!

After a long weekend I'm finally getting around to updating the blog on SpringCon here at the fair grounds in St. Paul MN. It was one heck of a show with alot of creators.  Jim Shooter and I had a great conversation about the legal issues with VEI and him starting at Dark Horse, more on that later. heres a video clip I shot of Jim doing a signing:

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Cool Books from Titan books

After listening to the Raging Bullets Podcast today I went over to the Titan books website. They have some of the most amazing comic related books - Simon and Kirby, Jim Lee (Icons),. graphic novels and much more. Highly recommend you go check it out:

Titan Books

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Brightest Day - C2E2 Panel


http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25802

Fan applause greeted representatives of DC Comcis at the start of the publisher's "Brightest Day" panel at the Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo. DCU Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler led the panel that included writers Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi, JT Krul and James Robinson as well as artists David Finch and Pat Gleason along with editor Adam Schlagman. CBR is on site with LIVE updates from the panel, so keep refreshing your browser for all the talk on DC's new bi-weekly event and series branding initiative!
"We're going to be talking on this panel about life post-'Blackest Night' and we're assuming you've all read 'Brightest Day' #0," Sattler said as a spoiler warning to kick things off. He moved on to spotlight some fans in the audience who were wearing not the popular colored Lantern t-shirt, but shirts featuring Johns' face on a coin saying "In Johns We Trust" to which the writer joked, "DC will be releasing those coins soon."
Gail Simone, who's return to "Birds of Prey" falls under "Brightest Day" soon arrived.
Johns asked Tomasi to explain how they were working together on the bi-weekly series, to which the latter said, "We've had a lot of burning the midnight oil and yapping away." Johns replied "That's not how you pitch a book" to laughter before explaining that the comic will follow the 12 characters that came back to life at the end of "Blackest Night" while their lives also reach into other monthly books. For example, Jade takes the spotlight in Robinson's "Justice League of America" as the writer explained "She's going to be the Green Lantern element to my Justice League, and what I'm going to be doing is establishing where the starheart energy [fits into the Green Lantern mythos]...how it all makes sense within the world now. Clarifying it, making sure it's easy to understand." The new arc of the series also serves as the traditional crossover between the JLA and JSA, starting in issue #44 of "Justice League."
Simone spoke on how Hawk of Hawk and Dove fits into "Birds of Prey" saying "Hawk is still a jerk." The Birds will introduce a new feature to the Gotham Skyline while "Hawk brings an interesting dynamic to the Birds of Prey, and we're going to learn exactly why the Birds of Prey need to be there and why Batman absolutely needs them to do what they do."
Rather than a resurrected character, Krul's new "Green Arrow" series focuses on the star-shaped forest that grew in Star City thanks to Deadman's actions at the end of "Brightest Day" #0. "It's essentially going to be a lot of gardening," joked Krul of what happens in the book while Johns added "There's stuff going on in that forest."
The panel explained that Max Lord is the resurrected character who is featured in "Justice League: Generation Lost" where only Booster Gold, Fire, Ice and Captain Atom remember his past. Meanwhile, Osiris will be featured in "Titans."
Finch expressed that his favorite character to draw in the covers fo the series is Green Lantern thanks to him being inspired by the GL work of Kevin Nolan and Gil Kane.


Asked whether Hank Hall (AKA Hawk) remembers being the villain Monarch, Simone said, "See 'Birds of Prey.'"
On the Superman front, a fan wanted to know why Robinson "put Mon-El back in the Phantom Zone so soon" the writer said he wanted to help Paul Levitz and the Legion ongoing book by freeing up the character, but nothing ruled out more stories of a modern day Mon-El. "If there's demand, I can always bring him back out in the present."
In GL movie news, one fan asked about rumors of a "Sinestro Corps War" animated movie. "I haven't heard anything about that," said Johns. "But would you guys want to see the Sinestro Corps animated movie?" The audience cheered the idea with Robinson adding how much faith he has in actor Marc Strong to play Sinestro in the "Green Lantern" movie.
Later, an audience member asked for new teases that Johns could drop from the movie which he hadn't said on Twitter. The writer said he'd just recently seen the filming of the scene where Abin Sur dies and gives his ring to Hal Jordan.
Later, an audience member asked for new teases that Johns could drop from the movie which he hadn't said on Twitter. The writer said he'd just recently seen the filming of the scene where Abin Sur dies and gives his ring to Hal Jordan.
The Spectre will in "Brightest Day."
Several fans asked after the status of the "new" Firestorm and Atom now that Ronnie Raymond and Ray Palmer had come back. The panel played coy on the issue of the Atoms and how many there would be, though Johns noted that in terms of "Brightest Day," "Jason and Ronnie don't like each other."

Fans jokingly asked about changes to characters including whether there'd be an explanation for why the Martian Manhunter now has pants (Tomasi teased an upcoming "Ralph Loren tie-in" issue as a joke) and where Captain Boomerang's fat went (Johns said, "The Black Lanterns kept it.")
Asked if he would soon write more episodes of "Smallville," Johns said, "Well...I'm pretty busy right now" to laughter. He added that he would return if he could maybe think of another DCU character to introduce into that world. Fans called for him to put Green Lantern in "Smallville" though he said, "I think I'll let the movie do Green Lantern."
Captain Boomerang will appear in "Flash" #2.
Asked which characters will end up in which Green Lantern books with a third monthly joining the franchise, the panel said that Ganthet and Boodikka would be in "Green Lantern Corps" while the new "Emerald Warriors" would include Guy Gardner along with Kilowag and Arisia with Tomasi adding, "There will be a Red Lantern in it too."
A fan confused as to whether there were two Zooms in the Flash franchise due to recent appearances by the classic villain across titles had Johns explain to him that "If you look at Reverse Flash, I try to do everything in reverse" so when he appeared in "Rebirth" from the future to prophesize his own return, it may be confusing but hopefully looking at the specific timeline will make sense.

The topic of characters NOT brought back to life in "Blackest Night" went across the panel and the crowd, and Sattler asked if there was anyone fans were hoping would be brought back "other than Ralph and Sue Dibny and Ted Kord." Several fans noted Damage and one asked for Aztek. When it came to the Blue Beetle, Robinson said that it was because he died a dramatic heroes death and because people liked Jaime Reyes so much, they decided it was best to leave it be. "I love Ted Kord too, but to resurrect that character would be a terrible thing."
Later, a fan asked what the reasoning was for not bringing the Dibny's back, even in the so-called "ghost detectives" concept introduced in "52." Sattler said the two died "deaths we felt were important to the DCU." Johns soon added "They're together" which was what was important the the "52" writers who wanted to "give those characters the happiest ending we could with the stories being told."

In upcoming story lines, Agent Orange moves into a junkyard to continue to collect as many things of earth as he can, with panelists noting his interactions with Lex Luthor in "Action Comics" by Paul Cornell would be a highlight for both characters. Johns fortold Luthor undergoing "An urge for more power" and that he'd ask "Is it the ring that did this or my personality?"
In dealing with the Shayera/Kendra issue where the memories of both Hawkgirl and Hawkwoman were in the resurrected body of the latter, Tomasi said, "That really opens the door into a lot of conflict. It has a lot of inherent drama, and we want to get into that at some point."
Krul explained that the new "Green Arrow" series would not feature the extended GA family like Speedy, Black Canary and Connor Hawke so he could "let Ollie take center stage." However, when it came to Hawke, the writer said "There's a story to be told there, and I'd like to tell it at some point, but I don't know where that would be."
A fan gave a very reasoned and passionate explanation for why he thought the death of Roy Harper's daughter in "Justice League: Cry For Justice" was a bad story, focusing mostly on how the little girl showed how a superhero could have a normal child in their life with all the story potential held in that idea. The man said that such relationships were too rare in comics. In response, Robinson said he very much felt what the fan has said and promised, "In the next two years, you'll see another hero or heroine have a normal child" and that those dynamics would be explored in full.
One last piece of Green Lantern movie news hit when a fan asked whether "Gossip Girl" actress Blake Lively would be a brunette as Carol Ferris. Johns confirmed she would, sayin, "She looks great. Trust me."

Friday, April 16, 2010

Dc Nation panel C2E2!

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25783


DC Comics' DC Nation panel Friday evening at theChicago Comic and Entertainment Expo found panelists DC Co-Publisher Dan DiDio, Peter Straub, James Robinson, Scott Snyder, Geoff Johns, Brain Azzarello, and Jim Lee discussing developments throughout the DCU, as well as in the Wildstorm, Vertigo, and First Wave universes.
The panel began with DiDio announcing changes to the usual DC Nation panel format. "As Executive Editor, I'd stacked the deck with DC Comics people," DiDio said, before saying that he would be bringing Vertigo and WIldstorm people to DC Nation as Co-Publisher.
Peter Straub is working on "Green Woman" for Vertigo, a story about "where stellar serial killars go, their retirement home." He's working with Michael Easton, who is also an actor on "One Life to Live."
Following introductions, DiDio asked fans whether anyone was here attending their first convention. The first fan to speak said she began reading comics last year, by way of "Fables." Another was in town from Australia, while the third wanted to submit artwork.
Next, DiDio asked for reactions to this week's "Brightest Day" #0, and following applause, a fan called it "the best thing since '52.'" Several fans appreciated the return of characters like Osiris and Maxwell Lord.
This week's other big release was "Flash" #1, and DiDio asked whether any fans bought it just for the ring. One fan said she was disappointed that the ring did not pop open, like Barry Allen's. There was some dissent, though, about Barry's return vis-a-vis Wally West's tenure as the Flash. Most fans, though, were enjoying the ride.
DiDio asked for fan comments on Robinson's controversial "Cry for Justice" miniseries, which received a good amount of applause. Robinson said he was asked to put Starman (Jack Knight) on the team—"I wasn't going to do that, so I put Mikaal on instead." Regarding Congorilla, the character was the first Robinson thought of when asked to add an obscure character.
DiDio then opened the floor to questions.
Asked whether "dead means dead" in the DC Universe now, Azzarello said, "dead means dead in the First Wave universe."
"Working the Spirit into this has really been great," Azzarello said, continuing discussing "First Wave." "There's something about that character that really resonates."
"Justice League: Cry for Justice" is still controversial
The next question dealt with event fatigue. "How many people read 'Blackest Night?" DiDio asked the room. "How many of you enjoyed the storytelling of 'Blackest Night?'" He added, though, that there needs to be a balance, and the current raft of 'Brightest Day' books are more about building up the DCU than being an event in itself. "But if you want to buy it as an event, feel free."
A fan asked whether the new entity of DC Entertainment changed the way Vertigo was perceived within the company. "Vertigo has always been Karen Berger's baby," Jim Lee said, noting that the imprint has opened up new readers and brought New York Times best-seller attention.
"There's a flavor, there's a need, there's a tone to those type of stories, and we're going to make sure we keep doing them," DiDio added.
In response to a question, Johns said that "Brightest Day" would serve as Hawkman's "Rebirth" series, adding "there might be other plans."
The next question was about Rucka's departure from the upcoming 'Batwoman' title. "Greg has an open door at DC," DiDio said. "He's decided to move on. Sometimes to you need time to refresh."
Red Robin will be "heavily involved" in the return of Bruce Wayne, DiDio said, answering a fan question.
"Young Justice" characters will appear in "Teen Titans" soon, according to Johns, "and some of them might get their own books."
Will we see Grant Morrison's "Multiversity" before the end of the year? "Sure!" Jim Lee said, cheerfully but perhaps uncertainly.
James Robinson said that Gentleman Ghost is one of his favorite characters, "and you may well be seeing him soon."
A fan expressed disappointment at the end of Steve Niles's "Simon Dark," and the character's fade to obscurity. "It's interesting, because we put out a lot of product," DiDio began, noting that some books "struggle for attention, but we are intensely proud of." He noted that DC gave "Simon Dark" a generous eighteen issues, but it didn't catch on. "I'm sorry that didn't work, I thought it was a beautiful book."
Next, a question about the new "Earth One" graphic novels starring Superman and Batman, and how these iterations would differ from previous incarnations. DiDIo noted differences in Batman, from "Dark Knight" to Adam West to Paul Dini's animated version.
After a discussion of "Birds of Prey" and female heroes, Robinson said, "the Justice League is going to have more females in it than males."
"We've got more books with female leads than ever before," DiDio continued, noting "Batgirl," "Powergirl," and others, nearly omitting "Wonder Woman" before being prompted by a fan.
DiDio said he received over 700 postcards for the "Wonder Woman" #600 campaign, and said J. Michael Straczynski's run would begin with the destruction of Paradise Island "and it gets worse from there."
Asked what happens to Dick Grayson once Bruce Wayne returns as Batman, DiDio said, "we'll leave that to the story--but you're assuming Bruce returns as Batman."
"Brightest Day" began this week
Next was discussion of the Milestone characters and the lengthy time it took to bring them into the DCU. This was down to legal issues, DiDio said, and Johns added that he had wanted Static for "Teen Titans" #1, but the character wasn't yet available.
A fan asked what Johns would do "to save 'Teen Titans'" and "'Titans, villains for hire--why?" Johns said that "Teen Titans" is a very personal book for him and he wants to get it back on top, while DiDio added that the current "Titans" direction is not necessarily permanent.
Similarly, DiDio discussed the return of Batman and how fans never really thought Bruce Wayne was dead. "Somebody at DC once tried to kill Dick Grayson," DiDIo said, referring to his infamous wish to do away with the character in "Final Crisis." The current direction allows DC to play with the idea of Grayson as Batman for an extended period.
Johns was asked what other characters were considered for return in "Brightest Day." His initial list circled back through multiple discussions and, "these characters all came back because there was a story to tell."
DiDio asked who fans wanted to return. Ted Kord (Blue Beetle) and Ralph and Sue Dibny were popular choices, while others included Garth (former Aqualad) and Terra.
Johns said Deadman—or "Aliveman"—would be the lynchpin of "Brightest Day," and that "Boston Brand is now realizing he has to eat and stuff. Being alive sucks."
The next fan commented about "Cry for Justice" and questioned the wisdom of using "the death of a little girl" as a catalyst. "We never said we were getting rid of grim and gritty," DiDio said, addressing another of the fan's complaints, "and I don't think we're doing grim and gritty--we're doing storytelling." He said that the emotional reaction means the story worked.
"It's absolutely one of the darkest Justice League stories ever written," Robinson said, "and it was supposed to be." He also said that there was a purpose to everything--the rubble of Star City being star-shaped, taking everything away from Roy Harper, and so on.
"J.T. Krul, when he writes this material--he's very much a family man--it's going to be very heartfelt," Robinson continued, referring to the writer of "Fall of Green Arrow," "Rise of Arsenal," and the upcoming "Green Arrow" relaunch.
Johns added that Star City "is going to become one of the most important cities in the DC Universe, it's going to have a personality." DiDio added that all of DC's made-up cities should have identities, otherwise it would be best to use real cities.
Robinson then said, "I promise to make 'Justice League' into big, exciting adventures of the kind you like, and it will be nothing like 'Cry for Justice.'"
In a discussion of sales and trades, Lee said, "I would like to see more focus on the periodicals," which might help series at the lower end of the sales spectrum, like the previously-mentioned "Simon Dark" and "Manhunter."
"There's a major turn to" the Riddler in Paul Dini's "Gotham City Sirens," DiDio said, in response to a comment that the character had been under utilized.
"You'll see the Spectre in 'Brightest Day,'" Johns said in response to a young fan's question. "He's kind of messed up right now."
Asked whether he and Geoff Johns would collaborate on a Green Arrow Secret Origins series, Jim Lee said they have discussed working together. "I'm busy with 'Dark Knight: Boy Wonder,' and Geoff's got all his stuff; but eventually, I think there's a good chance." Not, specifically, for Green Arrow, then.
Now discuss this story in CBR's DC Universe forum.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Blackest Night additions and more!

Well I went and did it, I said I wasnt going too.... I went out and bought all of the BN tie in issues. Egads! I have to admit there are alot of cool stories in those books and a couple crappy ones. But thats ok, its all for my upcoming blackest night binding projects. I'm hoping to make two large volumes out of the event.

Currently getting together my nick fury vol. 2 bind, which consists of Nick fury agent of shield (vol. 3) issues 21-47. I was also debating adding the Nick fury vs. Shield mini series. Needs a bit of prep then off to the post office.

Also, confirmed my trip to Chicago for C2E2 next month.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Spring is so close... yet so far away!

Its been a long time since I have posted, but I hope to get back into it soon.