Friday, April 29, 2016

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY ALL STAR COMICS ARTIST ALLEY 2016 at 333 COLLINS ST WALKWAY


Anyone who has been to any of our previous FREE COMIC BOOK DAY celebrations will know we love to use the day as a chance to showcase the incredible skills and talents of the local comic creating scene. Each year we are fortunate enough to host a stellar line up of local creators, all ready to draw FREE sketches for you at the same time giving you the chance to meet and greet the creators and perhaps sample some of their work from our Artist Alley Merch Table!


Once again our Artist Alley line up is so massive we've had to move it out of the store to have enough room to host everyone! This year the All Star Artist Alley will be returning to the stunning and opulent surroundings of the 333 Collins St Walkway.


Entry to the Walkway can be found on either Collins St or Flinders Lane and has ramp access on both sides for ease of prams and wheelchairs. It really is a beautiful space and we couldn't be more honoured to be able to present to you this incredible group of talented folks there on the day!


ALL STAR YOUNG ARTIST SUPERSTAR!

One of the main reasons this aspect of FCBD is so important to us is the opportunity to spotlight and showcase just a small example of both new and established local creators, while highlighting the range of styles and skills from Melbourne's comic scene. 

We realise it's not enough to bring you talent of today, as we also see the importance of trying to foster the new and upcoming talents of future comic book storytellers. 

So we are greatly honoured to announce that the creative mind behind The Fabulous Tree Frog, artist/writer Ned Collett will be appearing in Artist Alley from 1pm-2:30pm. We are super excited to give you the chance to meet Ned and walk away with an original piece of art from one of Melbourne's next comic booking greats!

#KICK BRAIN CANCER FUND TIP JARS AND CHARITY FUND RAISING


Earlier in the year the Melbourne comic book community suffered a great loss in the passing of Michael Bradshaw. Mike was a truly gentle soul, always in high spirits, never a bad word to say about anyone or anything. Mike was an outstanding well loved champion of the local comic book community, through his efforts in podcasting, community TV presenting, charity fund raising and comic work of his own. Michael recently lost his short but brave battle with cancer. Still in that time, with the help of others he set about creating and becoming the figurehead for the Turtles For Tumours charity group, now renamed Kick Brain Cancer, to help raise money for the research into curing and treatment Brain Cancer.

Besides naming the last time slot of creators on the day, The Michael Bradshaw Hour of Power, (as that had been Mike's spot in previous years) we thought we could also introduce the Kick Brain Cancer Tip Jars on the artist's tables during the day as a nice way to pay tribute to Mike's memory.

The sketches are still most definitely for free BUT each artist table will also have a Kick Brain Cancer Tip Jar on it. The hope would be that you fine folks might throw in a couple gold coins to help support this worthy cause once you get your finished sketch. All money raised on the day will be donated directly to the Kick Brain Cancer group.


ARTIST ALLEY FREE COMICS!


As an added bonus for Artist Alley we will also have two FREE local titles available to pick up at the Artist Alley Merch Table, being Indie Comic Previews from Boy In A Box Productions and Witches Trine from Movierockets Entertainment.

Indie Comic Previews from Boy In A Box Productions is a website and comic used to bridge the gap between independent creators, shops and readers, showcasing a number of different local releases. 

Witches Trine from Movierockets Entertainment is a preview of the graphic novel about three immortal witches and their struggles in modern day Los Angeles as well as 19th century England.

Both books will be available in limited quantities from the Artist Alley Merch Table on the day.

And finally the moment you've been waiting for...

THE ALL STAR ARTIST ALLEY TIMETABLE

10am-11:30am 90 minute slot


11:30am-1pm 90 minute slot 


1pm-2:30pm 90 minute slot

Ashleigh Beevers

SPECIAL GUEST
NED COLLETT

2:30pm-4pm 90 minute slot 


MICHAEL BRADSHAW HOUR OF POWER!
4pm-5pm 60 minute slot 


That’s nearly 50 fantastic artists offering up their time to draw for you!
AMAZING and we couldn't be more thankfully for their time and effort.


SPECIAL NOTES FOR ARTIST ALLEY ETIQETTE. PLEASE READ!

-Please keep in mind that when you ask for your sketch that you might need some reference for the artist to draw from, so keep those smart phones handy!

-Please to not take advantage of the artists good and generous nature when getting sketches. Obviously one or two sketches for anyone coming on the day is more than fine but please remember that the event hasn’t been created to grow your original art collection and there will most likely be others there on the day that have yet to get one sketch.

-To assist in moderating the quantity of sketches, any adult attendees of the All Star Free Comic Book Day Artist Alley will be invited to get 2 FREE sketches if they wish, any children attendees are invited to get 4 FREE sketches if they are keen.

-Also again in the spirit of the day if you are waiting for a sketch and a younger fan is waiting behind you for one too, it would be amazing if you can let them in front of you.

It goes without saying that this again is one of the most impressive line ups of artists outside a major convention. Again a massive thank you to the lovely folks at 333 Collins Street and of course none of this would of been possible without the time and skills of all the artists involved. We can not thank this fine folk nearly enough and we hope you enjoy the day and the art they provide for you!


The ALL STAR CREW
Posted by All Star Comics Team at 7:45 PM 3 comments

Thursday, April 28, 2016

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR IMAX 3D GROUP TICKET GIVEAWAY!


It's super-hero against super-hero as Captain America and Iron Man lead two teams of heroes in a clash that will change the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Thanks to the battle ready folks at IMAX Melbourne and the release of Captain America Civil War, showing at IMAX now, we have an one ADMIT 10 GROUP PASS to give away that might have your friends and family fighting each other to see who you'll take along!

All you need to do to enter for your chance to win the ADMIT 10 GROUP PASS to see Captain America: Civil War at IMAX Melbourne is tell us in 25 words or less why you are on #TeamCap or #TeamIronMan.

Only entries made on our Facebook page will be included and competition closes midnight on Sunday, so make sure to pick a side soon!

Terms & Conditions: 
All terms and conditions can be found at
bit.ly/1N0NYCw

Thanks again to IMAX Melbourne and Captain America Civil War, screening at IMAX now!
Posted by All Star Comics Team at 12:05 PM 6 comments

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY ALL STAR COSTUME CONTEST 2016


FREE COMIC BOOK DAY is nearly here again, so it's time to dust off the spandex and get ready to dress in your Saturday superhero bests! Not only does Saturday May 7th see us celebrating our sixth FCBD, it also means it's our sixth FREE COMIC BOOK DAY ALL STAR COSTUME CONTEST! 


It's always a buzz for us to see the effort people go to dressing up for the day to help liven our celebrations, so this is our way of saying thank you and a chance to reward your hard work! Due to the sheer number of costumed characters on the day we found it best to have an  All Ages Division, along with a Kids Division (for entries under 12 years old)!


The rules are simple and the same as last year:
  • Anyone in costume can enter. Anyone over 12 will be entered in ALL AGES contest, anyone under 12 will be included in our KIDS Contest.
  • All you need to do is find our in-house photographer, who this year will be taking the costume contest photos instore, on the ground floor in front of the New Release Trade Paperback Wall.
  • If you can't find our photographer there, just ask for your photo to be taken by someone at the front counter.

MUHAMMAD I, Resident Photographer

  • Just strike your best character pose and then tag yourself in your photo once we get the pictures up on our Facebook page.
  • Once you are tagged the public can vote for you along with your friends and family.
  • The entries with the five highest counts of "likes" at the end of the week after we post the photos up will be our finalists, then a panel of All Star Staff will pick the 3 best costumes!
  • This year we'll have a $100 All Star Gift Voucher for 1st place, $75 All Star Gift Voucher for 2nd and $50 All Star Gift Voucher for 3rd.
  • The KIDS contest will have a $50 All Star Gift Voucher for 1st place, $30 All Star Gift Voucher for 2nd place and a $25 All Star Gift Voucher for 3rd place.


Of course we are super keen to see what you guys have planned and can't wait to see you bring some costumed comic justice to the streets of Melbourne while celebrating the best comic event in the world, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! MAY THE BEST COSTUME WIN!

The ALL STAR CREW
Posted by All Star Comics Team at 10:34 AM 0 comments

ALL STAR COMICS MELBOURNE'S FREE COMIC BOOK DAY COMIC SELECTION 2016!


FREE COMICS!!! 
Hundreds and thousands of FREE COMICS!
The idea alone is exciting but once you are in the presence of a FREE COMIC BOOK DAY EVENT, the atmosphere is electric!  

But exactly which titles will be on offer for FREE and what are the store details on the day? It really helps make the process of waiting for your turn to pick go faster if you arm yourself with the greatest free gift of them all, KNOWLEDGE!

If you want to find out more about the books just click the links to check them out.

Firstly let's look over the KIDS SELECTION that we'll have on the day. The Kids Selection will be available in two ways. The All Star Kids Showbag featuring a great choice of kid friendly reads from this year and last to help take the stress out of making the hard decisions on the day. Also there is the Kids Picks, a small list of titles to make sure the young ones still feel involved in the day!

THE ALL STAR KIDS SHOWBAG



The All Star Kids Showbag is limited to one per family with kids under 12. The Showbag contains the listed and pictured above 13 TITLES!

Since we only have a limited number of the showbags, it will only be available to families that come in on the day with kids under 12 with a limit of one showbag per family. Both kids and adults can choose a couple of titles from the list of Kids Picks as well, which are listed and shown below.
THE KIDS PICKS


ARCHIE #1 FCBD 2016 EDITION #1
BOOM! STUDIOS SUMMER BLAST FCBD 2016 EDITION


Next up is the main collection of books, the All AGES AND MATURE READERS SELECTION pictured and listed below.

THE All AGES AND MATURE READERS SELECTION









Then lastly, thanks your help by voting for them earlier in the year, here is the selection of extra FCBD titles we'll have on the day!

BONUS ALL STAR FCBD SELECTION :
ALL STAR BATTLE ROYAL WINNERS!




NUMBER OF BOOKS YOU CAN PICK FROM THE All AGES AND MATURE READERS SELECTION:

Stock levels permitting, we hope to give everyone at least the choice of 5 to 7 titles.

We strongly recommend that you have an idea of what titles you want to pick up on the day. Click the links, see what you like and write a list. Doing this we can help cut down your time in line and give you more time to look around the store or get a sketch from one of the artists we'll be hosting at our Artist Alley on the day.

PLEASE NOTE: 
Judging from FCBD in the past, there most likely will be lines. Possibly a line to first get into the store, then a line once you are in the store for the comics. The day has only gotten bigger and bigger and we will be doing our best to get you your FREE COMICS as quickly as possible. One way you can help is by making a list of the titles you might want to check out and hopefully it will help keep lines moving quickly on the day. Please be mindful that there could be a wait but rest assure there will be something for everyone!

FAMILY ONLY FIRST HOUR: 9AM-10AM
The idea is families with kids under 12 get the chance to get in early while the store is still somewhat more relaxed. Hopefully this we will make younger fans more comfortable, while parents can also grab some free books for themselves without needing to wait in line for ages. This also gives us the chance to get out from behind the counter and take a few more photos with folks if they are after them!

REGULAR TRADING HOURS: 10AM-5PM
After the Family Only First Hour, the store will be open for regular trading to the general public 10am-5pm.
At this time we will have representatives downstairs to let a limited amount of people into the store at once as a way to control the crowds so it makes for an easier browsing experience. Although this might create a line outside the store , we'll be doing our very best to get FREE COMICS into your hands as soon as possible.

FREE COMIC BOOK STOCK AND STORE LAYOUT:
The all ages and mature reads tables will be located on the first floor, in front of the vintage toy cabinets, while the KIDS SELECTION table will be found on the ground floor, easily accessible for families just to the side of the New Trades display wall.

The idea here is to make it as easy as possible for people that might be coming in especially with kids and aren’t wanting to wait around in line for too long

If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask us via our social media platforms or look for a marked staff member on the day but most of all have an amazing FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!


The All Star Crew.


Posted by All Star Comics Team at 10:06 AM 0 comments

Monday, April 25, 2016

ALL STAR RECOMMENDS FOR APRIL 26TH



ITEM! Free Comic Book Day is next Saturday, May 7th! Whhhaaaaaaa---?? Yes, it’s Festivus for the rest of us time again. Next week I shall gamely be breaking down previews of EVERY SINGLE FREE COMIC BOOK on offer. Well, that’s the plan anyway.

ITEM! But before that, this coming weekend is Homecooked and All Star’s own Cazz will be on hand to MC giveaways on Sunday. She’s great. So is Homecooked, so get down there.

ITEM! DC fires Shelly Bond and everyone from Neil Gaiman to Becky Cloonan voices genuine thanks for her many years of service to the struggling Vertigo brand and even more voice their outrage at the decision. If I were a Marvel honcho, I’d call her up, bring her in and relaunch the Epic brand in a bid to woo some talent away from Image and to really stick it to the competition. (Disclaimer: It’s decision-making skills like this that have led me to be the outstanding success I am today in life.)

Here’s a personal fact: Shelly Bond is at least partly responsible for my comics reading taste (so blame her). I was reading Vertigo from literally day one, back when she was Shelly Roeberg. Her presence behind many a title through some real formative years, ups and downs, cannot be understated. And I’m one of a legion of readers, I’m sure. Where Vertigo seems to have gone a bit wrong of late, aside from the whole unfavourable creator contracts thing (not her fault) is that its titles once formed a perfect ladder between the mainstream and the underground comix worlds. It doesn’t feel like that at all anymore. Vertigo really was a comics gateway drug and lately things seem a bit desperate, a bit high-concept driven in an effort to claw back some market share, like someone took that whole “It’s HBO for comics!” thing a little seriously. 

Anyway, if you are somehow like, “who dat?” then here’s a sampling of titles Bond, Shelly Bond, worked on over the years:

· The Sandman

· The Invisibles

· John Constantine: Hellblazer

· Lucifer

· Shade The Changing Man

· Swamp Thing

· Deadenders

· The Unwritten

· iZombie

· Daytripper

· Young Liars

· Heavy Liquid

· 100%

· Sandman Mystery Theatre

· American Virgin

· Fables

Imagine, for a moment, that this is just part of your resume…and you were just fired.
Mind-boggling.



COMIC OF THE WEEK : CRIMINAL: TENTH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION
By Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips & Elizabeth Breitweiser
Published By Image Comics

Jesus Christ. Ten years. Way to make me feel old(er), guys. Following on from last year’s stellar Criminal: Special Edition, which celebrated the move of Brubaker and Phillips’ beloved noir title from Marvel/Icon to Image, and following up the conclusion of the creative teams biggest hit to date, The Fade Out, comes yet another stand alone Criminal tale…this time commemorating the title’s first decade of existence. As with last year’s special, Criminal: Tenth Anniversary Special is available in two editions, regular comics size and magazine size and, again like last year, it’s well worth springing for the upgrade. 

Criminal fave Tracy Lawless is a young boy, hitting the road with his dad, fellow series regular Teeg, presumably as Teeg’s skipped bail. Again. Tracy’s hunch is off, however – Teeg’s on a job, searching for someone for reasons we’ll keep quiet about here. Arriving up in a small town, Teeg goes on the hunt, leaving his young son holed up in a run down hotel with nothing but eight bucks and an old copy of Kung Fu comic Deadly Hands that Teeg stole from a gas station attendant, along with the day’s takings, at gunpoint. At first, Tracy’s not too happy with this “old” magazine but he quickly gets sucked into the adventures of its star protagonist – Fang, The Kung-Fu Werewolf.

How could he not, right?

The story follows the same format as last year’s special where Teeg was in lock up, counting down to release and trying to lose himself in the pages of a comic called Savage Sword. Here, Tracy just wants to read Fang’s adventures, but is constantly pulled back to the real world by various things including his dad getting him to run errands and the sudden arrival of a local girl named Gabby. Gabby, despite at first being a prime annoyance, and Tracy quickly strike up a friendship and Gabby’s keen to help hunt down more Deadly Hands issues at a local second hand store. It all sounds rather charming, and it actually is, but Criminal being a noir book, things inevitably darken and darken and darken again and Tracy, even as street smart as he is, will be exposed to a side of his father he is in no way ready to see.

It’s quite a balance – the craziness of Fang’s adventure, hunting down a villain named Mystiko, (drawn with an extra cartoonish bounce by Phillips) against the realness and darkness of Tracy’s story (featuring possibly Phillips’ most photo-realistic art to date – ably enhanced by Breitweiser’s colours). But we all know the creative chops this team has and this effort is no exception: its construction is seamless. There’s something desperately sad about poor Tracy, so worldly (he even drives his father around at times, as regular readers would remember), so exposed to his father’s reality, trying to lose himself in the pages of possibly the most ridiculous (but awesome) ‘70s –themed superhero ever created. But it works so well. A page where Fang, unable to change back into his alter-ego of mild-mannered college student Dane Draven, has his identity exposed to love interest Mona foreshadows the “real world” reveal to Tracy of just how monstrous his father is, demonstrates just how well Brubaker’s paced his story. The friendship between Tracy and Gabby, also, is made extra sweet for its obvious and inevitable fleetingness. 

If I could nit pick, and I will, I’ll say that I really wish the Deadly Hands pages were hand lettered to give that extra layer of both authenticity and distance between the craft of the Silver Age and the modern era, but really, that’s a minor quibble. Criminal has returned, as compelling, as clever and as accomplished as ever. Here’s to the next ten and let’s have one of these a year, please, it’s great fun seeing Brubaker and Phillips give their comics world its own comics world.


WEBCOMIC OF THE WEEK : TIT WINDOWS WITH CLOAK AND DAGGER
By Kate Beaton

Last week, the always-hilarious Kate Beaton turned her comedic attention to Marvel’s superhero duo Cloak & Dagger after learning of the characters’ upcoming move to television. The pencils for Beaton’s little strips, scathingly mocking Dagger’s outfit for its general design perviness and total impracticality for crime fighting, were posted on Twitter to howls of both laughter and fanbro outrage. Now here they are, inked up and all in the one spot just for you. If you didn’t follow the debate that ensued after Beaton took to the internet with her justifiable cries of “What the hell...?” you should look into it. “But she’s a dancer and dancers wear costumes as revealing as this!”came one of my favourite idiotic retorts.

In case you think any different, I’m actually a real fan of the characters, seriously, they are amazing cartoon metaphors for drug dependence. I bought their first ever mini-series as an impressionable lad and they are actually on a mental shortlist I call, Marvel Comics I’ll Never Get To Write (along with Night Nurse, Doctor Strange and Werewolf By Night, for the curious). Anyway, Beaton brings the funny and slams home her point perfectly here. Go take a look. Warning: contains boob. Cartoon boob. Cartoon boob repeatedly flopping out of a nonsensical superhero outfit. 

http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=398





COMICS VIDEO OF THE WEEK : BILL HADER INTERVIEWS ED BRUBAKER

Four years old, but still oh so good, here’s Bill Hader interviewing Ed Brubaker about Criminal, noir, Sean Phillips and more. It’s funny, funny stuff. Well worth four minutes of your time.



See you next week. Love your comics.



Cameron Ashley spends a lot of time writing comics and other things you’ll likely never read. He’s the chief editor and co-publisher of Crime Factory (www.thecrimefactory.com). You can reach him @cjamesashley on Twitter.
Posted by All Star Comics Team at 4:27 PM 0 comments

Sunday, April 24, 2016

New Comics For Wednesday 27th of April


Four shipment month mean another MONSTER week and boy, oh boy is it a good one!
Oh and it's only a couple of weeks until FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, on Saturday 7th of May...so start getting ready!
OH AND CIVIL WAR STARTS THIS WEEK! WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

ALIENS DEFIANCE #1 no messing around is not only a must for fans of the films but anyone that enjoys atmospheric horror and suspense. With the added bonus of local, Tristan Jones best art to date and written by Brian Wood don't miss this release! Hopefully Stephen has what to takes to turn the tide against the destruction of magic in the Marvel U but going on DOCTOR STRANGE LAST DAYS OF MAGIC #1, things aren't sounding to promising but then again there is also DOCTOR STRANGE #7 and DOCTOR STRANGE PREM HC VOL 01 WAY OF WEIRD to help with this magic jam.

After a little break since the previous issue, Miller, Azzarello and Kubert are back with that hard edged Batman with a heart of gold in DARK KNIGHT III MASTER RACE #4. MICRONAUTS #1 is the latest trip down childhood toy memory lane on offer from IDW, with the new adventures of the heroes from the Micro-verse with hopefully a little touch of Kirby. Do not be confused, ASTONISHING ANT-MAN TP VOL 01 EVERYBODY LOVES TEAM-UPS, is in fact the second collection of the Nick Spencer's Ant Man and it's a scoundrel heroes delight, showing us all again that some times doing thinks with the best intentions just isn't enough. Follow that with the collection about heroes in hock and in debt to a vicious and powerful super villain loan shark in PAYBACKS TP VOL 01 PAYBACKS A BITCH and you've got yourself quite the double bill.

SPACE MULLET TP VOL 01 ONE GAMBLE AT A TIME, we don't know much about this release beyond we hope it stars a hero with a Jack Burton hairstyle and attitude...but in space. We think it's worth a look in for that alone. The hype is strong around releases from Black Mask Comics and their latest, 4 KIDS WALK INTO A BANK #1 is no different. Join a group of awkward pre-teens as their world of fantasy gaming quickly changes to their involvement in a bank heist. The hard cover collection of BARTKIRA NUCLEAR ED HC pays tribute to both the classic Akira story being re-worked with Simpsons characters in the leads all while raising money for charity.

Nicola Scott and Greg Rucka see the release of their stunning Ledger winning, mystic cop drama BLACK MAGICK TP VOL 01 AWAKENING PART ONE. Follow the exploits of the convicts as cannon fodder for off world war conquest in BOOM's CLUSTER TP VOL 01. The ridiculous super hero wannabe antics continue in the next latest ONE PUNCH MAN GN VOL 06. And finally we get our hands on the new STEVEN UNIVERSE ORIGINAL GN VOL 01 TOO COOL FOR SC! 

 Also the new PREVIEWS for MAY also means plenty of new books to look at including the first ever IMAGE PLUS #1 magazine that not only features all of Images new titles but also an exclusive new Walking Dead story!

Anything else you spot that you need, just make sure to ask us about it before Wednesday! 

MARVEL
A YEAR OF MARVELS AMAZING
ALL NEW WOLVERINE #7
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #11
ANGELA QUEEN OF HEL #7
AVENGERS STANDOFF ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL OMEGA #1 ASO
CARNAGE #7
DAREDEVIL #6
DOCTOR STRANGE #7
DOCTOR STRANGE LAST DAYS OF MAGIC #1
DRAX #6
GUIDE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIV IRON MAN THOR DARK WORLD
INTERNATIONAL IRON MAN #2
MARVEL UNIVERSE ULT SPIDER-MAN CONTEST CHAMPIONS #2
MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #6
MS MARVEL #6
OLD MAN LOGAN #5
PATSY WALKER AKA HELLCAT #5
SPIDER-WOMAN #6 SWO
SPIDEY #5
SQUADRON SUPREME #6
STAR WARS #18
STAR-LORD #6
ULTIMATES #6
UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #7
VENOM SPACE KNIGHT #6
X-MEN WORST X-MAN EVER #3 (OF 5)

DC COMICS
BATGIRL #51
BATMAN #51 ROMITA VAR ED
BATMAN 66 MEETS THE MAN FROM UNCLE #5 (OF 6)
BLACK CANARY #11
CYBORG #10 ROMITA VAR ED
DARK KNIGHT III MASTER RACE #4 (OF 8)
DEATHSTROKE #17 ROMITA VAR ED
GRAYSON #19 ROMITA VAR ED
HARLEY QUINN #27 ROMITA VAR ED
JUSTICE LEAGUE #49 VAR ED
JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #11
OMEGA MEN #11
SECRET SIX #13
SINESTRO #22 ROMITA VAR ED
SUICIDE SQUAD MOST WANTED DEADSHOT KATANA #4 (OF 6)
SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #28 ROMITA VAR ED (SUPER LEAGUE)
TEEN TITANS #19 ROMITA VAR ED
WE ARE ROBIN #11 ROMITA VAR ED

VERTIGO
ART OPS #7
JACKED #6 (OF 6)
LAST GANG IN TOWN #5 (OF 6)
SUICIDERS KING OF HELLA #2 (OF 6)

BOOM
ADVENTURE TIME ICE KING #4
BILL & TED GO TO HELL #3
MUNCHKIN #16
STRANGE FRUIT #3

DARK HORSE
ALIENS DEFIANCE #1
CONAN THE AVENGER #25
HELLBOY & BPRD 1953 BEYOND THE FENCES #3
HOUSE OF PENANCE #1 (OF 6)

IDW
GHOSTBUSTERS INTERNATIONAL #4 (OF 4)
HOT DAMN #1 (OF 5)
INSUFFERABLE ON THE ROAD #3
MARS ATTACKS OCCUPATION #2 (OF 5)
MICRONAUTS #1
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE #1
STREET FIGHTER X GI JOE #3 (OF 6)
TMNT ONGOING #57
TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS EYE #52
TRANSFORMERS SINS OF WRECKERS #4 (OF 5)
X-FILES (2016) #1

IMAGE
CIRCUIT BREAKER #2 (OF 5)
FOUR EYES HEARTS OF FIRE #4 (OF 4)
INJECTION #9
LOW #13
MYTHIC #8
OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #18
POSTAL #12
POWER LINES #2 (OF 6)
ROCHE LIMIT MONADIC #2 (OF 4)
SAGA #36
SEX #27
SEX CRIMINALS #15 LOS BROS HERNANDEZ XXX VAR
VELVET #14

VALIANT
FAITH #4 (OF 4)
IMPERIUM #15

MISC
4 KIDS WALK INTO A BANK #1
ARCHIE COMICS ANNUAL DIGEST #268
ASSASSINS CREED TEMPLARS #2
DEUS EX #3 (OF 5)
DISNEY DARKWING DUCK #1
FOURTH PLANET #1
INSEXTS #5
IRWIN ALLEN LOST IN SPACE #2
SABRETOOTH DAN #1 (OF 3)
VIKINGS #1
WRAITHBORN #3 (OF 6)

MAGAZINES
IMAGE PLUS #1 
MARVEL PREVIEWS #10 MAY 2016
PREVIEWS #332 MAY 2016

TRADES
AIRBOY DLX ED HC
ART OF TOMORROW KINGS HC
ASTONISHING ANT-MAN TP VOL 01 EVERYBODY LOVES TEAM-UPS
BARTKIRA NUCLEAR ED HC
BLACK MAGICK TP VOL 01 AWAKENING PART ONE
CAMP MIDNIGHT GN
CARNAGE TP VOL 01 ONE THAT GOT AWAY
CLASSIC ILLUSTRATED TP ARGONAUTS
CLASSIC ILLUSTRATED TP BEN HUR
CLASSIC ILLUSTRATED TP COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
CLASSIC ILLUSTRATED TP GREAT EXPECTATIONS
CLASSIC ILLUSTRATED TP TALE OF TWO CITIES
CLUSTER TP VOL 01
DC COMICS DARK HORSE ALIENS TP
DOCTOR STRANGE PREM HC VOL 01 WAY OF WEIRD
DOCTOR WHO 10TH HC VOL 04 ENDLESS SONG
EGOS TP VOL 02 CRUNCHED
ELFQUEST FINAL QUEST TP VOL 02
ELIAS THE CURSED HC
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK TP VOL 02
EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN TP VOL 01 X-HAVEN
FACTS IN CASE OF DEPARTURE OF MISS FINCH HC
FICTION TP
GOON TP VOL 15 ONCE UPON A HARD TIME
HE MAN THE ETERNITY WAR TP VOL 02
INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US YEAR FOUR HC VOL 01
INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US YEAR THREE TP VOL 02
JOJOS BIZARRE ADV BATTLE TENDENCY HC VOL 03
LADY MECHANIKA TP VOL 02 TABLET OF DESTINIES
LAST DRAGON TP
LOBO TP VOL 02 BEWARE HIS MIGHT
MARSHALS HC
MY LOVE STORY GN VOL 01
OCTOPUS PIE TP VOL 03
ODDLY NORMAL TP VOL 03
ONE PIECE GN VOL 78
ONE PUNCH MAN GN VOL 06
PAYBACKS TP VOL 01 PAYBACKS A BITCH
PRIEST & BRIGHTS QUANTUM & WOODY TP VOL 04 Q2
PRINCESS JELLYFISH GN VOL 01
PUNISHER BORN TP NEW PTG
SNOW ANGEL TP
SPACE MULLET TP VOL 01 ONE GAMBLE AT A TIME
SPIDER-MAN 2099 TP VOL 03 SMACK TO FUTURE
SPIDER-MAN BRAND NEW DAY COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 01
STEVEN UNIVERSE ORIGINAL GN VOL 01 TOO COOL FOR SC
SUPERMAN SACRIFICE TP NEW ED
UKRAINIAN & RUSSIAN NOTEBOOKS LIFE & DEATH UNDER
USAGI YOJIMBO SAGA TP VOL 06
VELOCITY TP
WET MOON GN VOL 01 FEEBLE WANDERINGS NEW ED
WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR TP VOL 01 RISEN
X-MEN AGE OF APOCALYPSE TP TWILIGHT

BACK IN STOCK
BATMAN SUPERMAN #31 (SUPER LEAGUE)

WONDER WOMAN EARTH ONE HC VOL 01
Posted by All Star Comics Team at 2:03 PM 0 comments

Monday, April 18, 2016

ALL STAR RECOMMENDS FOR APRIL 19TH


Hi there,


With Countdown To Moz Metal ending this column, there will likely be a couple of weeks with no “extra” material, but in its place I have several little features planned that I’ll soon rotate around on a weekly basis according to my whims and reading habits and time constraints. One will be focused on some incredible untranslated manga and bande dessinees I own (Comics I Can’t Read), one focused on out-of-print gems to scour back issue bins for (Comics Trawl), and one focused on the late, great Epic Comics (Epic Reads). Pray for Mojo.




COMIC OF THE WEEK : 5000 KM PER SECOND

By Manuele Fior
Published By Fantagraphics

In Italian creator Manuele Fior’s beautiful 5000 Km Per Second we are introduced to Piero and Lucia, two young Italians whose intimate connection will remain unbroken across decades and continents no matter how hard they try to snap it. This is no Hollywood romance, however, as Fior explores the couple’s “almost love” story in this tale of two very human characters whose meeting defines who they are and partly who they will become, even as the years whizz by at blinding speed (particularly for the reader) and both the physical distance and emotional separation between the pair increases.

Piero and Lucia first meet as teens, Piero instantly smitten with his striking new neighbour. From this moment, however, Fior rips through the years, first picking up with Lucia in Norway and then Piero in Egypt before taking them both all the way back home again, wisely letting his readers fill in many of the narrative blanks along the way.

Fior’s watercolours and deft seemingly ‘60s inspired cartooning are simply gorgeous. The palate shifts as does the location and season, the characters living and breathing and ageing on the page, their expressions vividly captured in his panels in all the sweetness, confusion, enraptured love and ill will that occurs when a romance simply refuses to work but is never truly dissolved.

A feverish Piero’s fifteen-hour train journey across Egypt is a beautiful and hallucinatory highlight, with Piero’s nightmarish cross-country trip expertly told by Fior as real time and fever dream collide into a single reality. Peiro, given a sickly green pallor, vividly conjures Lucia before him as he longs for the comfort of her body, the peace of her presence at the time when he could literally not be further from her.

Lucia’s isolation in Norway is explored during another stunning sequence in a book stuffed full of them. Fior shows us a lone boat adrift in a sea of white, unmoored, seemingly drifting – the perfect visual metaphor for Lucia at this stage of her life. The boat docks as her decision to return to Italy is made, turning from a symbol of loneliness into a literal vehicle for her escape.

“I always think about you,” Piero confesses during a call that spans Oslo to Cairo as the inevitability of another meeting hangs in the distance between them. But with even more time and even more space separating them, it’s a meeting with inescapable sadness and even a degree of closure – as close to a goodbye as Fior could conceive for this couple, forever entwined, as shaped by their young love as they were by all the time, travel, experience, complication and journeying that life threw at them in the subsequent years.

5000 Km Per Second is honest and oh so bittersweet. It is real, cruel in how real it feels at times in its intimacy and heartbreak. We all could be either one of these characters, so much so that I daresay that if you find no connection with them or their circumstances whatsoever then you’ve got a great deal more life to live.

Sad but oh so, so beautiful, 5000 Km Per Second seems destined for year end lists, yep, it’s already on mine. It’s a triumph of the art form as well as a beautifully designed example of it (typical of Fantagraphics’ design standards) for readers to return to again and again. Scroll down to this week’s video to see this true artist at work.



WEBCOMIC OF THE WEEK : PLANNED PARENTHOOD
By Anna Sellheim & Tillie Walden

Proving once again that there is no topic that comics cannot handle with honestly, delicacy and humour are these two strips by Tille Walden and Anna Sellheim on Planned Parenthood centres. Covering everything from menstrual pain to possible cancer to being pro-choice, these two cartoonists share true life stories about their own experiences with Planned Parenthood and in the process drive home just how important these places are to all women of all ages suffering a variety of ailments or issues or, of course, pregnancy, wanted or otherwise. I cribbed this from Tom Spurgeon’s Comics Reporter (as I do with a bunch of these webcomics), so thanks to Tom for bringing it to an even wider readership beyond the confines of Tillie’s Tumblr followers including, of course, you and I.





COUNTDOWN TO MOZ METAL: FEBRUARY 1980 – THE GOODBYE!

As if sensing that this is the end of the road for Countdown To Moz Metal, the February 1980 issue opens with a letter from a regular reader, which sums up my essential thesis on the life and times of HM, its ups and downs and throughout it all, its driving, overarching aesthetic and probable manifesto:

“Being stoned and reading Heavy Metal – just can’t do one without the other.”

Thank you reader named T.H.C (no, I am not making that up) for such perfect brevity.

For the record, I have never written Countdown To Moz Metal high, which might actually surprise some. It’s been written, largely, in the lunchroom of a Southbank office in small, Rhodia reporter notepads, stream of consciousness style, as I rip through an issue a week and cherry pick its contents. The constant advertisements for rolling papers and the LSD-themed contents have silently mocked this writing method and venue each and every week.

Anyway, Richard Corben, about whom so much of this segment has been dedicated, appropriately kicks things off with part one of “The Beast of Wolfton.” Concerning villagers plagued by some woods-dwelling horror, this story features an arriving Sir Hornib, who vows to find and slay this mystery beast. Corben leaves us with this right before his cliffhanger, as Lady Chabita, Hornib’s wife, hopes that the monster “tears off his cancerous dong!” Farewell, HM Corben and thanks for the memories!

Moebius provides two chapters of the still ongoing, occasionally confounding “Airtight Garage,” creating an astounding cityscape and revealing that the garage itself is something of an elegant Death Star. All this does is whet the appetite even more for Dark Horse’s upcoming Library editions of Moebius’ work, for which we will have to sell organs to procure all of, but it will be oh so worth it.

Enki Bilal provides “The Road To Ruin” about an android in love (he seems to really like this theme) who goes to a kind of robot confessional (via TV screen). However guilt-plagued or conflicted he may me, his holy pardon is denied and he’s shipped off for repair. Love! The one thing the singularity cannot plan for! This is typically bleak but equally typically gorgeous stuff from Bilal, whose Nikopol Trilogy is the first of hopefully many releases Titan has got its reprinting mitts on.

Dutch artist Dick Matena’s “9 am” is one of two duelling-themed stories in this issue and the one we’ll close up shop with. Matena, who I’d never heard of before (one of the perks of doing this has been the encounters with artists either brand new to me or forgotten by me almost every week) gives us a kind of SF samurai knight riding his armoured donkey across an arid landscape, passing oddly art deco structures along the way to dual with a fellow warrior over a (presumably) kidnapped beauty who’s naked, bound and gagged and awaiting release.

The warriors duel elegantly across the page with oversized blades, but in the midst of their conflict, one loses his sword, the blade flies through the air and lands squarely in the forehead of the captive female. With her dead, the duel is over and the warriors go their separate ways. Well, it wouldn’t be an issue of HM without a dash of misogyny, but I’d be remiss to just write this off as a sort of spoof of sexist fantasy fare (which it is) without mentioning just how pretty it is. Matena’s art is just sensational – imagine Raphael Grampa going ligne claire and you’ll get some of the way there in your own brains, but screw it, let’s have a look at a couple of pages for old time’s sake:


So in conclusion, we’ve gotten through roughly 3 ½ years of HM, the glory years up until the present. Overall, the quality has been frankly ridiculous. This run of comics should be coveted, near-mythologised as sequential art objects for comics lovers. Every anthology, comics or prose, is hit and miss. I’ve likely completely ignored things in every issue you might have really loved, that’s how chock full of content they have been, even at their worst. With these issues you have arguably more quality than in any other comics anthology series ever, certainly in anything SF/fantasy based. To sustain this level over a three year period, material vastly plundered from Europe or not, is an incredible editorial feat, one that Grant Morrison, with his tenure beginning in next week’s brand new issue, will simply not be able to match. There’s just no way. If he gets anywhere close, he’ll have done remarkably, but these comics are just so good, I can’t see it happening. Thank you Tardi, Dionnet, Montellier, Corben, Moebius, Druillet, Bilal, Strnad, Kirchner, Vozz, Caza, Marrs and so, so many more for filling these pages with such mind-blowing material month after month. I can only imagine what it must’ve been like to pick these issues up as they came out…




COMICS VIDEO OF THE WEEK : MANUELE FIOR: UN PORTRAIT

Yes, it’s in French but with drawing this stunning just let the musicality of the language flow over you as you watch the incredible Manuele Fior at work for five minutes. It’s a video more relaxing than a float tank session. He’ll be at TCAF this year, Fior will, another reason why our Canadian cousins trump us.


See you next week. Love your comics.



Cameron Ashley spends a lot of time writing comics and other things you’ll likely never read. He’s the chief editor and co-publisher of Crime Factory (www.thecrimefactory.com). You can reach him @cjamesashley on Twitter.
Posted by All Star Comics Team at 2:33 PM 1 comments
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