Here’s the first week of strips! They’re about coming back to school and finding the U of I a much needed mascot, because without a rallying figurehead, what is the purpose of our education? But beware, the story about Cold becoming the mascot does not end this week! Tune back in next week, or in Tuesday’s paper, to see this ongoing drama!
Hot & Cold © Matt Knicl 2008
courtesy DC
I was excited about this issue when I heard about it in San Diego. I’m less excited about the Page sisters, and more interested in the forgotten Fables - the legends and stories erased from the collective unconsciousness.
The cover and interiors are riddled with these invented legends, like Captain Scurvy the pirate and the bipedal camel. Writer Bill Willingham continues to amaze me with his crazy, off the wall stories that still have a touch of humanity to them (which is really the crude and campy humor).
I’d say at the beginning the series would only be fun to read for fans of Fables, but now Willingham has put enough time and development into these past few issues that Jack of Fables is something non-Fables fans can enjoy.
courtesy DC
While many of you know about Alan Moore’s V For Vendetta and Watchmen, no one outside of comics will have heard of Moore’s sub-imprint of DC’s Wildstorm imprint, America’s Best Comics.
These stories are the best comics have to offer. What Moore did was instead of write a single title, he wrote a dozen series all part of the same universe. With each title, he could use different artists to tell different stores. Tom Strong was a campy Superman/Doc Savage pulp hero, while Promethea was a dark fantasy exploration of Moore’s religious philosophy. Each title had a different theme, but the characters shared a central universe.
America Best Comics’ was Moore’s attempt at saving comics. He gave different writers and artists the chance to play in a unique toy box of characters that homaged the wonderfully stupid legacy of comics. But, all of the series were eventually canceled, and ABC was left on hiatus.
Hopefully, with this trade paperback that reprints all the title’s first issues and the announcement of a Top Ten (the super hero police title) sequel, ABC may be back on the rise. If sales and interest justify it, these brilliant series may soon return.
Plus, this book is only $5.
It’s a new semester which means new classes, new books and new friends. Most importantly, it means new comic strips! I’m fortunate enough to have a new strip and a new artist, the fabulous Sara Jahn.
illus. Sara Jahn
Capes & Cowls is proud to announce Hot & Cold, the next generation of free college newspaper humor! Hot, a demon from Hell, and Cold, a penguin from the ever-melting Arctic, star in this neverending romp of tomfoolery. They go to the U of I for some reason, and are pretty much Cape & Cowl, only they are a demon and penguin, not super heroes. Yay for creativity!
I figured these first two issues of the DI needed to address the transition from Cape & Cowl to Hot & Cold, so I unartistically axed Cape. It was funsies.
Tune back every week for the complete run of Hot & Cold for those five days!
Hot & Cold © Matt Knicl 2008
Solomon Kane #1
While most people know of Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Cimmerian character, due to the movies, comics and recent video game, some of Howard’s other creations get left in the dark. Solomon Kane is one such character. Written in the pulp style Howard is known for, Solomon Kane’s stories were about the puritan warrior set to vanquish evil in all its demonic forms during the 1600s. And while Conan has a strong fan base, I find that the franchise has made itself into a cliché, and have always found Solomon Kane to be a more unique character.
Dark Horse comics, best known in Howard terms for its Conan series, will so release a miniseries written by editor Scott Allie. Mr. Allie was kind enough to speak to me again about this new series and his love for the character.
Matt Knicl: What do you like about Solomon Kane?
Scott Allie: The main thing that draws me to what Howard did is the solitary figure, in a real scary wilderness, going up against very old fashioned monsters. I love the drama and the darkness of it.
So, I started playing WoW at the behest of my friends, and have to say it’s addicting as hell. For those unfamiliar with the game, it’s an online world based on questing and co-op play with other players.
I was skeptical at first about playing, having watched my friends and thinking it was boring as hell. But once you start playing, it will be a good time, especially if you have friends that play as well (they’ll let you in their Guild at level 1 and give you money).
I do have to say though, make sure you have free time to play. I ended up pulling an all-nighter when i first got the game a few days ago. This’ll consume you.
When “Jokers” Go Wild In A Full House
There’s a point when a comedian stops being funny and starts being crude. In last night’s Roast of Bob Saget, the traditional group of roasters - like Jeff Ross - crossed the line, as they usually do in these shows. Bob Saget has reportedly taken offense to how the Olsen twins were ridiculed by these acquaintances, and I’m inclined to agree with him. Read the rest of this entry »
I Love The Smell Of Humor In The Morning
I went into this movie thinking it would be racist and offensive, and yes, it was. The movie has sparked controversy over the use of the word “retard” and of course, Robert Downey Jr. playing a stereotypical African-American. The movie was offensive and slightly racist, but it had a point.
This movie was mocking Hollywood. The trailers at the beginning were an indicator of how the movie would satirize every genre of movie and every type of actor. The film covers directors and corporate backers, and even talent agents by tacking on Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey’s characters awkwardly into the plot.
The use of offensive terms and stereotypes was meant to show how Hollywood uses those elements un-artistically all the time. Ben Stiller poked fun at the very industry he works for, and you might find that circular logic troublesome, but this movie is a sort of reality check to show America how dumb and pointless entertainment actually is in our country today.
Plus the scene after the credits when Nick Fury showed up and invited Ben Stiller to join the Avengers was great, too.
courtesy DC
Gail Simone’s Wonder Woman is one of the few DC titles I still read, having dropped the majority of them when Final Crisis started and continuity went to hell. Wonder Woman herself is a character apart from other DC heroes. She has a secret identity, but her powers and costume are less about the super hero trend and more about mythology. She’s a mythical hero for the modern age.
Simone understands this uniqueness inherent to Wonder Woman. Her past few arcs have dealt with Wonder Woman’s mythological origins - her birth - and this current arc that just ended dealt with her life and possible future. But comic traditionalists don’t fret! There are still several DCU elements present in the comic that don’t detract from the integrity of the myth stories being told. Talking Gorillas are the way to go.
I think the thing I most respect about the series, beside its ability to stand on its own, is how the story propels itself from issue to issue without skipping a beat, organically setting up characters and future plots. There is a respect for the current story being told and foresight to plan for more. If you only read one DC book monthly, read this one.
My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.