My Halloween Twilight Fanfic

It was cloudy that day. It's always cloudy in Knives, Washington. Even in the damp gloom of that day, he seemed to sparkle in his dirty coveralls. Something about him screamed in my mind, "Run" I knew that he was dangerous. He is the perfect predator. What else was there for me to do, but walk away. He is drawn to me, as I am to him, yet we are doomed to be apart. As the bronze-gold-blood-stained mane on his mask blew in the wind, and his dark-black-onyx eyes gazed into me, no, through me, I could barely manage to whisper, "I...I've got to get going. My father is incompetent and can't make himself dinner." As I turn to leave my destiny behind me, I realize that this won't be the last time I see him.. At that moment I understand that I am hopelessly, irrevocably, unequivocally going to be murdered by Michael Myers.

-This has been a Halloween Twilight Fan Fiction by Greg Deaner.

I just realized something...
Michael Myers....Stephanie Meyers....coincidence? I DON'T THINK SO!

SUPER SAYAN LEVEL 2 MICHAEL MYERS!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN YA'LL!

Happy Halloween! Here's some shitty comic covers!

 

Nothing that Malibu published wasn't frightening.

 

Have a happy HaLOBOween!

 I don't know what's scarier. The cover or the knowledge that this volume of Ghost Rider lasted over 33 issues.

Digital comics - Why I refuse

I have collected comics for years. I have hundreds of dozens of comics. I love having comics. So why would I want to pay for comics that I don't get to have as a part of my collection. I see the purpose of buying books that can be read digitally, but a comic is a physical commodity. For some very specific reasons for why the digital format just doesn't appeal to me ad a collector.

1. I can't collect digital comics.
I can read them, but I can't put it in a longbox when I'm done. I like seeing the legions of bags and boards that I have stored and horded away. Why would I forego the thrill of collecting? Which leads me into my next problem.

2. No hunt.
The hunt is the greatest thrill when it comes to comics. Sometimes I like going home disappointed, because then I thirst for it even more. There's no merit in scoring that comic that is sold out at every shop in town. Another segue here.

3. No need for a comic shop.
I like going to the comic shop. I get to talk to other people about comics and browse various covers and trades and figures and such that would otherwise go unseen and never peek my interest. I can't look through a comic to see if I like it. Leading me, yet again, into the next point.

4. I can't sell shitty digital comics on eBay.
I bought Teen Titans #1, read it, hated it, and sold it for profit on eBay in a matter of three hours. I can't sell a comic that I bought in a digital format. I'll be stuck with it forever. The full price of a comic down the drain, never to be recouped, which leads me to one last very valid point.

5. Digital comics are full cover price.
What the hell? This is like paying for decorative lattice or a golden calf on Farmville. I am literally paying for a commodity that is virtually unlimited to the provider. When I buy a printed comic, I get a physical item for my money. I hate the idea of paying for the right to look at something. Once, I paid a dollar at the Larimer County Fair to look at a 1100 lb pig. I felt dirty and used afterwards, and that's how I would feel if I read a comic and couldn't bag and board it and add it to my collection. What these publishers need to do is sell the digital comics at a discounted price. I'd pay to read the ongoing stories of my favorite superheroes for, oh, a buck a comic. Then if I enjoyed the story and artwork, I would probably purchase the print copy. BOOM! You just made more money, Marvel and DC. Better yet, offer me a trade promotion that includes an entire story arc consisting of five to six issues for $8-$10 bucks. BOOM! You just made money on me. It's that simple. I don't really care about the so-called convenience of reading comics on an iPhone. I don't have one. Offer me a decent deal on comics that I can read without actually owning, and you can have my money. Until then, several of your comics will continue to get cut from my pull list due to budget issues, and if you think you can get $5 out of me for 22 pages of Wolverine and The X-Men and 10 pages of Chris Evans selling me Orbit that I don't have the pleasure of dipping in acetone when I'm done, you're going to be disappointed. I wonder if I get the 8-page preview of Castle with my overpriced digital copy.

In conclusion, until someone presents a valid argument as to why I should forego my print comics and buy digital, I'm staying with my print versions.

X-Men comics that YOU should buy

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230690357437
This is a shameless plug for my own eBay listing of awesome comics that you NEED to buy.
You're welcome.

Fear Itself fallout and continuity in general

SPOILERS, but at this point, who cares?

So, everything that happened in Fear Itself #7 was spoiled for me. Not that I didn't see it all coming. As soon as I saw promo art of Cap's shield shattered, I knew he'd lift Mjolnir. As soon as we were told of the prophecy of Thor and the Serpent, I knew Thor would perish by the end of the event. As soon as Iron Man went to Odin to ask him for weapons, I knew we'd see some Asgard-empowered Avengers. I think this is the problem with Marvel events. They are self-fulfilling and predictable. I enjoyed the dialogue and art of this whole series, but by the end, it was too anti-climactic. It was everything an end-of-event battle should be, but it was just too late in getting to us. I missed Fear Itself #3 and #6, and I got the whole story. Basically all that is needed is bits and pieces of all seven books, but Marvel is here to make money. Tell you what, Marvel. If you'd spend less time gouging us on comics and events and more time being mindful of your content and issue counts, maybe more of your comics would disappear from the shelf.

I know DC's New 52 was a scam to make huge dollars for a single month, but I didn't have to buy every one to get some good content. I'm now loyal to 5 DC books and had to drop some Marvel, all because the cover price and production value drew me in. Maybe Marvel's heavy hitters are not the way to go. Maybe I should drop all the Avengers and X-Men books, and start collecting Moon Knight and X-Factor exclusively, because I won't have to deal with this event bullshit and just have some good stand-alone ongoing tales. If everyone thought this way, you would lose customers for 10 titles a month, because that's how many I read and ask myself why I bothered to.

Let me make one thing clear.

I love Matt Fraction and I love all of the work he has done. I just hate that Marvel forces him to write events that leave us exhausted and pissed.

I give Fear Itself one fallen Asgardian down and three sighs of relief to be over up.

Power Horse update

Well, I have a few drawings that I would like to finish for a class my wife is teaching next Thursday, so I will probably not work on Power Horse all that much this weekend. I have 5 pages penciled and I'm starting to think I may go the completely digital route for the inking and coloring. The drawings I'm doing for my wife require me to dust off the Prismacolor markers I got last Christmas and never learned how to use, so maybe that will inspire me to change my mind about the digital plans for Power Horse.
In other words, that cover will have to sate you for awhile. I don't want to reveal it page-by-page until I have an entire issue done, and at the rate I'm going that will be a few months.
Be patient my ponies. Power Horse is not a force to be denied!

A nice surprise

So, I arrived at work today to find a nice surprise. Two silver-age comics were sitting on my desk!

They're a little aged, to say the least, but damn! What a cool gift! It turns out that a woman I work with had them in storage and thought of me when she found them. Being an outspoken comic nerd in public is finally paying off!

Power Horse #1 cover!

Here it is! The cover of my comic Power Horse! Yes, this is a tribute to Fantastic Four #1.

Comic Book Day! - Sans comics

Ok, so I'm broke and didn't actually pick up my books today, but these are the ones I had pulled.

Batwoman #2
Anticipation:      7/10
I liked the first issue solely for the art, but I may have to read it again since I was a little overwhelmed by the layouts in it. I'm hoping that this story makes sense to me as I read more. I feel as though I am joining the game late, even though this is a relaunch. This is the only book that I've picked up of the New 52 that I've had any sort of 'had to be there' feeling from. I am new to reading the DC universe proper, so I was hoping to avoid the feeling of needing to read back issues. In any case, the art is what sates me.

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #2
Anticipation: 9/10
Another case of picking up the first issue and having a ball. This is very much a Hellboy analogue, and I enjoy it. The art's good.  The writing is interesting. Jeff Lemire is on a role right now. It's a fresh read and helps me get away from my X-Men corner. Looking forword to it.

 The Unwritten #30
Anticipation: 9/10
The only reason this isn't a 10/10 for anticipation, is because I know I have 17 back issues to read before I can read this. Much like Sweet Tooth, I didn't read The Unwritten until the issues numbered over 20. I need to pick up the 3rd and 4th trades, and then I will get to read this. As much as I want to, I can't spoil this for myself.

X-Men: Regenesis #1
Anticipation: 8/10
I'm excited to see some actual reasons for who is going and who is staying and why. Other than that, it's really just me wasting money on another X-men book. I'm not happy about the renumbering of Uncanny, and I'm annoyed that my subscription is probably going to get screwed up because of it. Why is Uncanny getting renumbered and none of the other X-titles are? Why no X-Factor/New Mutants/Adjectiveless X-Men/X-Force/Legacy/Hope #1? I know why. It's because renumbering comic books is stupid and aggravating. That Juggernaut helmet on Colossus is the dumbest looking thing I've ever seen.

Fin Fang Foom underpants.

Comic Book Day! (belated) - What a haul!

Action Comics #2
Anticipation:  6/10
I didn't pick up the first issue, so I'm out of luck. But I've heard enough about it to warrant checking it out. Looking foward to it because it's something new and I'm having sadness about the end of the new #1's.

Animal Man #2

Anticipation: 10/10

Fuck yeah. I can't wait. The first one was so enjoyable. I can't wait to see where this story is going.

Journey Into Mystery #628
Anticipation: 7/10
Journey has been really great and I love what Gillen is doing with Loki. The only reason this is not a higher anticipation score is soley due to the name Portacio on the cover. I would rather see Greg Land draw Loki with moneyshot mouth and huge ridiculous boy tits than look at Whilce Portacio's crappy art.

 FF #9
Anticipation: 7/10
I've really liked this series and I'm getting a taste of the Marvel Cosmic that I have been afraid to venture into. I just want to see more Doom and Blackagar Boltagon.

 X-Men: Schism #5
Anticipation: 9/10
I have missed #2-4, so I'm considering not reading this till I catch up, but I know what's going on, and I've read the Generation Hope tie-ins. I just want to see Wolverine and Cyclops beat the shit out of each other and break up.

 Swamp Thing #2
Anticipation: 10/10
See Animal Man #2 speech. Same thing here.

 X-Men Legacy #256
Anticipation: 4/10
I have a subscription for this. I worked for years to complete my back issues of X-Men Volume 2, and I'm not going to let it lapse. I just don't care for what's going on or the art. I am generally bored by any Shi'ar stories and I don't care for Havok, Polaris or Rachel Summers. Rogue has really been played out for me, too. I'm looking forward to something fresh with Regenesis, but I know better than to get my hopes up.

 Venom #7
Anticipation 9/10
I have heard nothing but praise for this series and haven't read any of it yet. I started with #7 because I'm assuming 1-6 will eventually be available in trade. I ove what Rick Remender is doing on X-Force, and I'm looking forward to checking this out. The cover's badass, too.

Sweet Tooth #26
Anticipation: 7/10
I have only read the first trade of Sweet Tooth, so I will probably wait to read this until I catch up. Jeff Lemire hasn't done me wrong yet, so I'm excited to get caught up with Gus.

Hard at work

Just a quick update. I now have 3 pages penciled for my comic. I'll post some when I get the inks done.

Batwoman #1

I was really excited for Batwoman solely due to images I had seen of J.H.Williams' artwork on Detective Comics. I wasn't disappointed. I have to admit, however, I got a little confused. It could be because I am completely new to secondary DC characters and this book seems to be a continuation as opposed to a reboot. Another reason could be the layouts. Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful. The problem I had was with the amount of 2-page spreads and different art styles and media being used on each single page. The first half of the book is easier to understand than the second, due to the lack of intermingled flashbacks and such. Once the backstory started being explained, I just lost my way.

I honestly can't tell if it was written well, because most of what I saw after the flashbacking started was non-sequential, albeit beautiful, artwork.

Since this is such an art-heavy book, let's look at a particularly gorgeous spread by the talented Mr. Williams. this happened near the beginning of the book, in the 2-pagers that weren't quite as confusing.

The motion that is captured in this sequence is exquisite. That's what really pulled me into the art. It's as if every shard of glass was mapped out and would fit perfectly as puzzle pieces into the broken window. As an artist myself, it's very clear to me just how much skill this artist brings to the table. I'm onboard for at least the first story arc, for the art alone, although I have heard that the art duties will be shared since co-writing and providing the art on such a detailed book would be too heavy a workload for Mr.(or Ms. I suppose) Williams to meet deadlines. It's understandable.

I give Batwoman #1 two ghostly pale, alternative heroines up and one scratching my head with a batarang in confusion to the side.

The Flash #1

All you need to know about how I feel about this comic is in in this image. I freaking loved it. I don't know much about Barry Allen except people seem to see him as having no personality. This Barry Allen is basically Peter Parker on speed. I liked it. I liked the dialogue. I liked the art. I liked the layouts. It was a good superhero comic book. That's really all that needs to be said. Art is by Francis Manapul (hehe) and it is written by Brian Buccellato. Good good good. These are the kind of pages that Chris Bachalo wishes he laid out.

My only complaint is that it was (ahem) kind of a fast read.

I give The Flash #1 two awesomely laid out pages up.

New 52: Aftermath Omega #0.1 Tie-In

What I've read so far:

Animal Man - Sticking with it
Swamp Thing - Sticking with it
Batwoman - Giving it one more issue
Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE - Sticking with it
The Dark Knight - Not buying #2
The Flash - Sticking with it
Justice League Dark - Giving it one more issue
Superman - Sticking with it
Teen Titans - Dipped it in acetone

Superman #1

*SPOILERS*

We get our main Superman title in the last batch of new 52's. The grand opening of the all new, all different Daily Planet. We get a burly Perry White complaining to Lois Lane about the lack of integrity of an all-online news publisher, and Lois, of course, wondering where Clark is. Pan over to Superman hovering above the ruins of the freshly demolished all old, all the same Daily Planet. Then a fire monster shows up, then Superman fights it, then he wins, then he goes to Lois's apartment, then he finds a dude there, then some other shit happens. I will go on record saying that this thing is one wordy sonofabitch. I don't think the bulk of the text was unnecessary, however. There wasn't very much campy dialogue, either. The narrative were not done in a point-of-view way. Instead they were exactly what they are supposed to be, narrative.
There was no;
      [I realized the fire wasn't igniting the metal]
It was more like;
      [Superman discovered that the metal was becoming fire]
It's not that big of a deal, but I liked the way they were done from a third person perspective.
      [Superman realized that because of the unfreezing process, he had no inner monologue]

 So, in regards to the writing and dialogue duties, I think George Perez handled them well. There was alot of action and alot of story. By the time I was done, it felt like I had just watched a season premiere, and that is why I liked this book. Good way to use a #1.

The art by Jesus Merino is well done. It's reminiscent of the actiony art of the late 80s mixed with the photoshop colors of the mid 90s. That may or may not make any sense. I thought it was good. Not my favorite style of art, but it suits a Superman book just fine.

I picked up Superman #1 expecting to be indifferent, and I put it down two hours later being excited for the next issue. There was plenty of setup and story. It successfully communicates the status quo of the characters involved. The art is comic-booky and exciting. It's all-in-all a decently rewarding read. I wasn't blown away in the same way I was with Animal Man and Swamp Thing, but I certainly put it in my 'buy the next issue' pile.

I do think the Super Manties need to come back.

I give Superman #1 two flaming Daily Planets to the face up.