Comics | Wayne's Worlds

Category: Comics

New ‘Futurians’ Comic Released Today

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July 28, 2010

When something is really good, I want to share that find with others. And that’s how I feel about Avatar Of The Futurians #1 by David Miller, which will be available tomorrow at comics stores here in the States.

I’m lucky enough to have a copy of this comic in my possession–it helps to know the creator personally! The book is fast-paced, well drawn, has excellent dialogue and art, and could easily be produced by DC Comics or Marvel. It’s not–it is self-published, but is professional enough to put some of the “big” comics offerings to shame!

Let me get to the vital statistics right away: Avatar Of The Futurians is a full-color comic costing $3.99 in the U.S. If you’re a fan of Highlander, Harry Potter, King Arthur and, of course, The Futurians, then this series is for you! For more information, you can check out the website for David Miller Studios.

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Tags: Captain Britain, Dave Cockrum, David Miller, Futurians, Highlander

The Future Of Comics?

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July 26, 2010

Now that the San Diego Comic-Con is history for 2010, it is time to look forward. Where will comics be in five or ten years?

Every once in a while, someone comes along and announces they are going to “save the comics industry.” They usually start up a company that does well for a while. But comics are an expensive proposition, and eventually even the wealthiest of investors cuts his or her losses, then disappears.

Also, occasionally the word is that comics are all going digital. One comic I can think of in particular is only available online. And some of the older comics have been available on PDF for a while now. Will we make our weekly trek to the local comics shop to pick up a disc of the comics we want on it? Or will we download them from an FTP site and save ourselves the trip?

Predicting the future is always a tricky thing. I’m always amazed at the project that appears “out of the blue,” taking people by surprise, and being a big hit. I always refer to the Harry Potter books as a good example. Since most of you know that story, I won’t repeat it again here. Let’s just say that J.K. Rowling went from abject poverty to being the richest woman in the U.K. And no one expected it.

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Tags: computers, Marvel, ocs. iPad, PDF

No Bad Characters …

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July 25, 2010

Only bad writers. Or at least, writers who don’t know what to do with the characters.

How many times have we seen comics characters go down in flames, even die, only to see them rise up again “because you demanded it?”

My favorite examples of this come from the DC Comics universe—Green Lantern, The Flash, and the Justice Society of America. (We’ll ignore Superman and Batman for the moment.)

It was about 20 or so years ago that the good folks at DC decided that nobody could write The Flash. After all, he’s so incredibly fast that he could solve any problem as soon as it happened. It was impossible to challenge him. Or so we were told.

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Tags: Avengers, Flash, Green Lantern, Heroic Age, Justice Society Of America, Marvel, Superman

Why I Read Comics!

Filed Under: Batman, Comics, SciFi Pulse by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment

July 24, 2010

In honor of the San Diego Comic-Con, I thought I would revisit some of my articles from SciFiPulse.Net, which recently was voted one of the top 45 Sci-Fi Book Blogs. This was one of my first “Comix Portal” columns on the site:

I spend a fair amount of my time and income on comics and comic-related merchandise. For example, as I write this, my computer screen is surrounded by Justice League Unlimited figures, staring at me intently. And I can’t let them down–or else!

Ever since I was young, I’ve been fascinated by the possible. Even if something is very unlikely, it could still take place. And that has always tickled my imagination and drawn me to things beyond the commonplace. This is also probably why I love science fiction so much.

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Tags: George Perez, Justice League Of America, Justice League Unlimited, SciFiPulse.Net

San Diego Comic-Con 2010 Is Underway!

Filed Under: Comics, Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment

July 23, 2010

For fans of comics and genre-related television and films, this weekend is literally Christmas in July. Now, I’ve never been to the San Diego Comic-Con, but I hope to get there next year, if I’m at all lucky. I do understand it takes over a huge portion of the city, and trying to drive is a big mistake … better to use the local cabs and buses.

I do have a friend who has gone to Comic-Con several times, and he enjoys himself. He remembers when Comic-Con only dealt with … comics. Now it is a huge media event, with trailers and promos for upcoming film and television programs turning into big business. A good example of this was the first Iron Man film, which got a huge boost from word-of-mouth publicity, and that’s largely credited for making it a franchise for Marvel. Of course, others took notice of that, so there will be trailers and preview footage for Green Lantern from DC and Tron: Legacy from Disney as well as the upcoming Thor film for Marvel.

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Tags: Comic-Con, Green Lantern, Iron Man, Marvel, San Diego, Thor, Tron: Legacy

DVD Review: ‘Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths’

Filed Under: Comics, Science Fiction, SciFi Pulse by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment

June 28, 2010

As SciFiPulse site Head Honcho Ian Cullen likes to point out, “Wayne will admit himself that his all-out favorite team of heroes is The Justice League, and to him, they are the gold standard.” So I obviously was interested in the recent Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths direct-to-DVD movie.

Synopsis: “In a parallel universe, the lone survivor of Earth’s Justice League—Lex Luthor—travels through other-world dimensions to join forces with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash and J’onn J’onzz in a desperate attempt to save his world and its people. But the villainous Crime Syndicate controlled by Ultraman, Owlman and Superwoman will stop at nothing to maintain their domination. It will take wits, might, and a sacrifice to defeat these unforgiving enemies in this spectacular DC Universe Animated Original Movie with a stellar voice cast headed by Mark Harmon, James Woods, Chris Noth, Gina Torres, William Baldwin, Bruce Davison and more. Two Earths, two Leagues and one epic battle collide for a thrilling experience that will leave you breathless!”

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Tags: Bruce Timm, DC Comics, Dwayne McDuffie, Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths

What I Don’t Like!

Filed Under: Comics, Science Fiction, SciFi Pulse, Star Trek by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment

June 27, 2010

I’ve been found out!

Both Ian Cullen and BenJGrimm are always after me on the SciFiPulse podcast to talk about things I don’t like instead of things I do. I prefer to be a positive person, so I usually don’t focus on the negative. And I also don’t buy things I don’t like, so it is hard for me to rate them. However, this week I will endeavor to talk about what I know I don’t like.

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation. As a huge fan of Deep Space Nine, I never really warmed up to TNG. In fact, I hated the “galactic reset button” that was hit at the end of each episode. I guess one can tell when I don’t care for something—I laugh at jokes about it. For instance, there was a guy on AOL way back when the show started who used to post about Doctor Beverly Crusher’s hips swinging so far in the hallway that she would knock unsuspecting ensigns to the ground. I still smile or laugh about that one. Then there was the joke about Captain Picard coming down with a terminal disease, which caused Counselor Troi to ask him how he wanted to be buried. “I want to be buried with my buttocks in the air,” he said. Puzzled, Troi asked him why. “All my family ride bicycles, and they need a place to park them when they visit my grave,” he responded. Stuffy “Old Baldie” saying that killed me when I first read it. Yes, I still smile or laugh about that one, too.

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Tags: Black Knight, comicx, SciFi Pulse

I’m In Comics Hardcover Heaven!

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June 26, 2010

Every once in a while, some trend comes along and changes how I buy comics—most likely, forever.

It wasn’t that long ago we started seeing trade paperbacks in the “mainstream” bookstores. I was worried that the local comics shops would go under when the “trades” (as we call them in comic-book fandom) caused a mass exodus to the nearby Borders or Barnes & Nobles. I was happy to discover that my fears had been unfounded. Instead, the local stores did better because readers who hadn’t read some issues could catch up by reading this compilation. Also, those folks who preferred to read these “extended stories” would stop by every few months to pick up their “trades” and catch up with those of us who are weekly addicts. I even could sample comics I hadn’t read before, so I bought my share of “trades.”

But there has been a new development in the last few years that has significantly altered how I buy comics, and for the better, I think.

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Tags: Comics, hardcovers

iPad, iPhone 4G Take World By Storm

Filed Under: Comics, Computers/The Web by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment

June 12, 2010

If you haven’t heard about the new iPad or iPhone 4G, you will be soon! They’ve been all over the media, and I thought I’d share some of my favorite moments with you today. Here goes!

First up, Steve Jobs briefs the Rebel Troops on the iPad: