Little Terrors Origins #2 Release!

I still remember when Jon Scrivens asked me to write the script for this issue. The idea was that the Origins sideline for Little Terrors would feature a guest writer and a guest artist for each issue, but that Jon would reap the true reward by getting to slap his name on the cover and claim all of the proceeds. Little would the guest creators know that they were to have their brains removed and consumed by the dark entity known as Scrivens, allowing him to become even more talented and creative.
I was in horror when Jon asked me to visit him in person to discuss the details. “This is it,” I thought to myself, “He’s going to consume my brain.” I was collected by one of his cybernetic drones and taken to his fortress on the dark side of the moon. The fortress was the single most foreboding sight I’ve ever laid eyes upon. Its turrets bore sculptures of a most hideous sort, creatures which appeared to be some sort of combination between a gargoyle and George Wendt. If you don’t know who he is, just google him and imagine him crossed with a gargoyle. Then imagine that Jon spent many a moon sapphire to have these sculptures made. Sheer, unbridled terror.
Now, many people think they know Jon. They think they know the sort of person he is. But they’re wrong, because they think he’s a person. What greeted me in its throne room was not human in the least. The creature’s tentacles dripped some sort of green-brown slime. Its four eyes made it impossible to know where to look when speaking to it. It had but one giant, jagged tooth. It was then that Jon, or Quartl as he’s known to his people, surprised me by not only refusing to assimilate my brain into his own, but instead offered me a job as the ongoing writer for Little Terrors.
I, of course, accepted. Not because I was in fear of being devoured by that hideous tooth if I refused, but because Jon offered to pay me with my own castle on the moon and a free burgers for life from the best burger joint the moon has to offer. I didn’t know at the time that I would soon decide to stick to this whole diet and exercise malarkey and swear off of those moon burgers for good, so I guess he got the better of me in the end.
Still, it is my great honor to be a part of this series. Jon has worked hard on it for many years, and the trust he’s shown in me to handle the writing of his characters and the telling of his story is not taken lightly. I have worked hard to stay true to the hidden message of Little Terrors, which is clearly that so long as your pockets are filled with relish and you have a song in your heart, the world cannot stop you from achieving your dreams. Or is that no matter how good a person you are the red moon can still shine down on you after a rift across dimensions occurs and transform you into a hideous monster struggling to retain some semblance of humanity in a world that is overrun by hordes of the undead? I can’t remember.
Also, I’d be remiss in forgetting to mention Brett and his insanely amazing art work. The man is a legend, and it is my great privilege to work with him once again, this time in a full issue format. The first time was a short story for our Dead Universe Year One anthology on an introduction to a title that still hasn’t taken off. Don’t rush me, I’m working on it.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the book. We'll be releasing it this weekend through Dead Universe Publishing in time for London Film and Comic Com. If you're out here this weekend, come and check us out!

Pick of the week March 20th, 2013

Yes, I know this is being written on the 25th but is labeled as 20th. Well, long story short, I've been battling a horrendous cold/flu nasty. Getting better now, I think, but never mind that now. The important thing is my pick of the week has yet to be published (and I think I forgot to do one the week before) so here we are.

Captain America #5 from Marvel. I'd like to say that it's because of great writing or superb artwork, but my reason is far more self-serving. This month's issue of Captain America has my letter to Rick Remender published in the letters section! What's more, he wrote back! My first published letter, and it's in my favorite comic. How cool is that?

Right, I suppose to be fair, I have to dig a bit deeper. Rick Remender's writing has always been a outstanding, and the current story arc (albeit a bit bizarre for Cap) is no exception. Even in the sci-fi setting Remender still manages to keep Cap significant and tell an interesting story. Spanning over a decade and featuring his long time enemy, Dr. Arnim Zola. Flashbacks to Steve Rogers' childhood are my favorite part, each one adding to a very rich character background.

The artwork was a struggle for me at first. I'd be lying if I said I was a fan of John Romita Jr's artwork. Even now I see so many panels that bother me for one reason or another throughout the book that it sometimes seems a struggle to finish reading it. However, there are some panels where it becomes obvious that Jr has taken his time and put some real feeling into it. This issue of Cap ends on such a panel, and I'm quite happy that this is the issue which contains my letter.

Ever have a letter published in a comic? Want to sound off with your opinions on the current Cap run? You know what to do.

Marvel's Big News

Last week it was announced that Marvel would have 5 big announcements on March 10 at the SXSW Gaming Expo. The aforementioned teaser images led to a lot of speculation. One included many title and character names forming the shape of a large number 1 accompanied by a caption that simply said, "First." Next, we got a teaser of a tally countdown.... Numbering 52. This seemed to spell it all out for Marvel fans. We were going to have to endure a universal reboot similar to the DC New 52 relaunch, which would make no sense given that Marvel NOW has already given new readers a universal jumping on point. Last was a teaser that simply said, "Project Gamma," on a briefcase with some sort of frequency wave in the background.

Marvel's 5 big announcements have come to pass. First, an announcement regarding more exclusive video content on their website. Cool. Next, we have some innovations being done with their digital unlimited subscription, a monthly or annual fee that grants users access to over 13,000 digital comics, but not as a hard download. This differs from the Marvel digital copies that accompany nearly all of their $3.99 comics now, a copy that once downloaded to your account is yours forever. Still, it was the other 3 stories had me excited and relieved.

The 52 tallies were for Marvel's Infinite Comics. The infinite comics are strictly digital format comics that are only available online. They can be found on Marvel's website with your Marvel account, or through the Marvel app on Apple devices or Android devices. Coming soon, there will be a new Infinite Comic available every Tuesday for one year. All of these comics will be relevant to ongoing Marvel stories and characters. For a taste of what these comics will read like, check the app now for their Guardians of the Galaxy: Drax the Destroyer special (free, of course, though the 52 to come I believe will require purchasing). So no, not a hint at a DC style reboot. Thank Thor for that.

The teaser with the big number 1? Yeah, Marvel's app and digital comics store has now/will have in total about 700 FREE comics, including #1's, annuals, specials, one-shots, etc. This includes most of the Marvel NOW #1's that have been released since November. Tying in with the mentality behind Marvel NOW, this is meant to attract new readers, get readers interested in more titles, and just generally share over 70 years worth of #1 comics. I currently have about 300 of them downloading to my iPad (I think 50 or so have already finished).

Last, we have Project Gamma. Again, this is an initiative targeted towards the digital side of things. Imagine that while you are reading your digital comics, there is accompanying audio. Music that fits the characters, stories, and adapts to the reader's reading pace. Yeah, I don't know quite how it's going to work. Only Marvel really knows at the moment. I think this could be cool, though, but we'll see what it's like when it launches later this year.

So that's it, really. What does this mean for a guy who works in a comic shop? Marvel are giving away a bunch of comics and promoting the digital format side of things. Are comic shops in danger? Not even a little. Having a digital copy of a comic book is vastly different from having the print copy. For comic collectors and long time readers, the print format will never lose its magic. Sure, we may take our digital copy codes from our Marvel books, and may even read a good deal of our comics on a tablet or phone while on the go. But it's just not the same. Having the stacks of comics, having the boxes tucked away under a bed or in a closet, hunting down that one issue you need to complete a story, digital comics can't replace these things.

Having over 700 free comics to me means that people who download them from Marvel this week may show up at our store saying, "I read a #1 (fill in the blank Marvel title) from (fill in the blank year). I loved it, and I want to read the rest of it! I don't want to buy a digital copy, though, I want to collect the issues in print. Do you have them?" It means some very busy weeks ahead as we rifle through our 25,000+ back issues at Dead Universe Comics to try and help every customer find what they are looking for, and that is more than okay. Marvel is generating interest in the old as well as the new, and that should have comic shops everywhere jumping for joy at the chance to sell the often neglected back issues.

So jump onto your iWhatever or your Galaxy-Thingy and get to downloading free and LEGAL copies of over 700 comics. Try whatever, and start reading. Figure out what you like, then come see us with any questions and we'll be there to help, as always. Happy reading!

Pick of the Week March 6th, 2013

No surprises here! This week's pick is Marvel's Age of Ultron #1. Not because we have loads of copies to sell, not because I'm simply a huge Marvel fan, and not because it's one of the few books I got a chance to fully read so far this week. Why? Read on!

Brian Michael Bendis is very much the architect of the Marvel universe at the moment. His story telling has always been brilliant, and Age of Ultron is no exception. We are brought into the story knowing that Ultron, one of the all-time greatest Avengers villains, has returned. He has waged war on humanity and won. Much like Uncanny X-Force's Age of Apocalypse, Age of Ultron is set in the near future of the Marvel universe. This sets AU apart from other Marvel events, as it is currently has nothing to do with anything else going on in the Marvel universe.

The world is bleak, the Avengers are hiding underground, and it's every man for themselves. We encounter Hawkeye very early on, but he's not quite the same trick shooting archer we remember. For one thing, he's armed with real arrows, not his trick arrows. I'll leave that thought with you for a moment.

Like all comics, art is more than half the battle. Brian Hitch, well known for being one of the architects of the Ultimate Marvel universe alongside Mark Millar, grabs our attention straight away with a two page cityscape revealing the ruins of New York. The attention to detail is astounding, and the books's quality stays constant throughout.

I can't spoil any of the story, but let's try something new. If you've read Age of Ultron #1, sound off with your thoughts in the comment section. Warning: comments may contain spoilers!

Pick of the week x 2!!!!

Last week was fun! So much so, I never got around to doing a blog for pick of the week! All is well, though, because it just so happens that I have had extra time I prepare for this week's entry. I have 3 comics to recommend to cover this week and last. 3 comics for 2 weeks? No, my math skills aren't off, trust me. Read on, you'll see what I mean.

Last week we published and reprinted several new comics where I work, Dead Universe Comics. That means Dead Universe Publishing, now officially a separate business, is off to a great start for convention season! Amidst re-printing issues long sold out and printing exclusive sketch variants and what not, DUP also launched two new titles: The Vale by Brett Uren and Bertie Bear and the Dagger of a Thousand Souls. Two titles, each getting a pick of the week. How does that total to 3 comics? Easy. The Vale released issues 1 & 2 at the same time.

The Vale is a tale about Jan Czerkowicz, a goth guy who has survived the end of the world at the hands of the Elder. The Elder, a race of Lovecraftian squid-headed demon gods from another dimension, have won their war on our world, yet have simply inserted their own personal to run society using its existing infrastructure.

We first see Jan, who has jet eyes and cries blackened tears along with the rest of humanity's survivors, in line at the Aylesbury job centre. Being human, he finds it difficult to get a job legally. What Jan doesn't tell his job advisor is that he secretly does sorcery on the side and gets paid for it under the table. Sorcery which he learned from his pub frequenting Elder friend, Shugg, who happens to be the human loving rebellious son of Aylesbury Vale's new ruler. Shugg speaks an incomprehensible dialect of English called, "Chav," making the character difficult for an American reader like myself to understand at first.

Chav speak aside, The Vale's brilliance is that, like Aylesbury Dead (one of DUP's first titles about zombie apocalypse in, well, Aylesbury), it is set locally. The settings and landscapes are familiar, even with the demonic makeover that some readers may consider to be an improvement on Aylesbury Vale's actual current condition. It's a buddy story about two guys who spend most of their time at the pub while also plotting to overthrow the Elder's grip on our world. It's mad, it's genius, it's £2.50 each for issue one: Council State and issue two: The Wycombing.

Pick two is Bertie Bear and the Dagger of a Thousand Souls, written and drawn by Andy Clift. Imagine a treasure seeking badass like Indiana Jones crossed with a suave secret agent like James Bond. Now make him a Teddy Bear. Now gouge one of his adorable eyes out and cover it with a Nick Fury patch. This is Bertie Bear.

When we first see Bertie, he is being interrogated by a vampire cult led by a femme Fatale wannabe in a red dress named Rose. Bertie takes his licks, spitting blood on the floor after being knocked around a bit, before making a hardcore escape using a mystical size-changing machete. Next, we see him being asked by the US government to aid in hunting down a Mayan artifact which, in the wrong hands, could doom all of humanity.

Bertie Bear is a little bit of everything that people should love about comics. It has a badass hero, it's action packed, and it's just a little bit crazy and silly with its premise. For £3.95, this is one of the best comics on shelf at the moment, and it's written by one of our proudly sponsored creators.

While we're at it, I'm also going to just recommend the rest of our line to any Aylesbury locals out there. Aylesbury Dead (issue 2 now available), Apes 'n' Capes, Little Terrors, Mystery Boys, Kaiju Steel and Nowhereville are all available right here at Dead Universe Comics. Find us on facebook, as well as the Dead Universe Publishing page. For those reading this not local to Aylesbury, post your intererest on our pages and I'm sure PayPal and delivery can be arranged!

Pick of the Week 13/2/2013

Okay, so it's the only book I've actually read from this week so far, but I was so excited to read this one that I had to choose it. Assuming, of course, that it wasn't going to disappoint.

Marvel's Secret Avengers Volume 2, #1 has seen a new creative team take over, just like many of the other Marvel NOW! books. Nick Spencer has taken over on the writing from Rick Remender, and Luke Ross has done the artwork. The art has a different quality and feel to it, very characteristic of Luke Ross's style. That style contributes very well to the feel of the story.

The story has taken a new twist from the previous volume, in that the Avengers Hawkeye and Black Widow have been asked to join a new SHIELD initiative. Contrary to what the Avengers film has led some people to believe, the Avengers don't work for SHIELD, but occasionally work WITH them. The other interesting twist is bringing Agent Phil Coulson, the popular film character, to life in the comics world. What many Avengers film fans unfamiliar with comics may not know is that Phil was created for the films. He has never, until recently, been a comic book character.

Now some people will feel differently on this, but I like the Coulson angle. He's a very cool character, and including him in the new Secret Avengers was a smart move. Maybe not so necessary is the new Nick Fury. In a story arc called Battle Scars, we were introduced to the son of Nick Fury, Sgt. Marcus Johnson. Ironically, this is also where Phil Coulson had his first comic book appearance. Sgt. Johnson is of mixed race, but definitely took on an apeqrance by the end of the story strikingly similar to Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury in the Marvel films. This seems a bit forced.

Including Coulson made sense, as he was a character embraced by long time comic fans and movie-goers alike. Creating a new Fury was unnecessary, however. We already have a Nick Fury, and he's the only one we really need. The Ultimate Marvel Universe, however, contains the Nick Fury that the film character was based from. In fact, Marvel openly based his appearance on Sam Jackson back in 1992, even making a joke out of it within the pages of the story of Mark Millar's, "The Ultimates."

Clearly, the inclusion of a black Nick Fury in the standard universe is an attempt to snag more new readers by making the comics feel closer to the films. This isn't a bad thing, but in the case of Fury, it is just too forced. The character is very cool, and feels just slightly different from his old man, but I still don't think it needed to be done this way.

That major gripe and diatribe aside, Secret Avengers was pretty much what I hoped for, making me a satisfied customer. Oh, there is another nod to the Avengers film in the title of the new story arc: "Budapest." Will Hawkeye and Black Widow remember it differently (or at all, minor spoiler)? Buy it, read it, love it. On sale now.

Iron Man vs Superman

Today I feel awful. This is day three of being sick, day two being home from work. It's given me time to think, though, and I've reached a conlusion: I really, really want to see Iron Man 3 far more than I would ever want to see Man of Steel. Minor spoilers below as to why.

Having seen trailers for both, Man of Steel already looks like it's diverged significantly from the source material. The trailer depicts a teenage Clark Kent saving a bus load of kids from certain death, thus risking outing himself for having superhuman abilities. When he is then shown talking to his Earth Dad, played by Kevin Costner, Clark asks, "Should I have let them die?"

Clark's Dad gives the single most UNcharacteristic response one could imagine, "Maybe." What?!? Clark becomes Superman because his Earth parents teach him the value of being a good person and helping others, not because they taught him that protecting his identity was more important than saving people. Yeah, that deflated pretty much any excitement I had to see the film. I'll still give it a fair chance, but I am unsure, to say the least.

Iron Man 3, on the other hand, is the next film in an already massively successful franchise. Well, two. Iron Man 1 & 2 were both amazing films, and both led into the Avengers along with the other Marvel Phase One films. I want to see how Tony Stark copes with the fallout from the Avengers movie. I want to see Iron Man prove that he can still carry an independent film without his super buddies there to help him. I want to see him face his Arch-Nemesis, the Mandarin, at long last. Mostly, I want Phase Two to be underway so that we can get to the next Avengers film.

I want to see Marvel continue to deliver the goods on their films, but I'm also curious to see if Iron Man 3 will have any lead-ins to the new SHIELD TV series coming this fall.

Maybe I'm biased, but feel free to weigh in on the comments, DC fans.