Crickey, I'm tired! My life has been an endless circle of work, taxes, work, taxes, and more work. That and taxes. >:( (Since when did I become everyone's go-to person for tax forms & information, dammit.)

Anyway, NYCC is coming and I HIGHLY recommend that you check out the site. If you are in the northeast, try to get here, because the sheer volume of things to do is mind-boggling!! Not to mention

• Show exclusives,
• Swag,
• Previews,
• Premieres,
• Panels,
• Gaming, and
• Celebs from movies, tv, and comic books.

It’s the most epic Take Ten of all time as the Secret Cabal cuts a list of the great mullets in Marvel history.

From Marvel: With summer in full blaze, the House of Ideas turns up the heat on some of your favorite Marvel heroes this June! Between a certain Skrull invasion and a gamma-irradiated blockbuster smashing its way to the big screen, green seems to be the color du jour... but don't think that means we've forgotten everyone else! For the full list, head over to the June catalog!

MS. MARVEL #28
For two years, Ms. Marvel's insecurities have plagued her every step. But now, with the "Secret Invasion" in full swing and the battle for Manhattan raging on, she must put every last one of them aside in order to push back the invading Skrull forces and save the island she calls home in MS. MARVEL #28! Plus, we just look for any opportunity to showcase awesome Greg Horn cover art.

Meanwhile, the invasion brings two groups of titanic teens together once more in SECRET INVASION: RUNAWAYS/YOUNG AVENGERS #1. You ever notice both teams just happen to have a Skrull on their rosters? Well, it figures that some other people have as well, and that can only spell trouble for our favorite turbulent teens.

ETERNALS #1
Jack Kirby's Eternals return in their own ongoing series, with co-writer Daniel and Charlie Knauf plus artist Daniel Acuna picking up the threads from the smash-hit 2006 limited series by Neil Gaiman! With a giant Celestial standing in judgment of all humanity in Golden Gate Park, the Eternals must stave off his eventual ruling and keep him from destroying the world. And you thought your problems were bad…

"Team CIVIL WAR" reunites with WOLVERINE #66! Writer Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven kick off "Old Man Logan," a story taking a look at the future of our favorite Canucklehead…and a rather bleak future, at that! With Earth's heroes gone, evil has triumphed. 50 years since the night the heroes disappeared, an old man known only as Logan enters the spotlight to help an old friend, and maybe kick some villain tuchas in the meantime!

CAPTAIN AMERICA #39
Wait a minute, why in heck are there two Caps on this cover? And doesn't the one look an awful lot like the original Captain America?! Y'know, the dead one?!! Yep, he certainly does. What's that? You're tired of rhetorical questions and want some answers? Then check out CAPTAIN AMERICA #39 for one doozy of a confrontation, folks, 'cause you ain't getting any more info out of us!

And speaking of Captain America reappearing, AVENGERS/INVADERS #2 continues the team-up 60 years in the making. The Invaders, America's premier line of defense during World War II, find themselves displaced in the present and the Avengers must bring them in before anyone hears about this! But what would happen if the WWII heroes were to discover their future fates? Earth's Mightiest Heroes don't want to find out, so get ready for the battle of the century, True Believer!

NEW AVENGERS #42
Who orchestrated the breakout on the Raft waaay back in NEW AVENGERS #1, and what does that have to do with the Skrulls' invasion? The answers you've longed for start appearing, so expect the unexpected! All this, plus the artwork of Jim Cheung to boot, makes NEW AVENGERS #42 a can't-miss for any devotee of intrigue, action and Skrugly invaders.

If you need even more answers to sate your ravenous gullet, look no further than AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #14! The infiltration of Camp Hammond has succeeded, but no one knows how deep it goes. If that cover proves any indication, however, Yellowjacket might have a little bit of explaining to do.

THOR: AGES OF
THUNDER: REIGN OF
BLOOD
The second part of the millennia-spanning THOR: AGES OF THUNDER comes booming to shelves with "Reign of Blood." Taking a look at Thor's present, this one-shot continues to look at Thor's evolution as an Asgardian god, reborn with every new Ragnarok to experience the world anew. Matt Fraction and Patrick Zircher bring you a vision of Thor too epic for a blurb this short to do justice, so pick up the book already and experience it for yourself!

So, we don't know if you've heard, but the Hulk kind of has a movie coming out June 13. And to celebrate, we've got more Hulk books than you can shake a gamma-irradiated fist at! First up, Hulk's son makes his debut with SKAAR: SON OF HULK #1, written by WORLD WAR HULK scribe Greg Pak and drawn by the inimitable Ron Garney! Meanwhile, Bruce Banner's lovable cousin, Jennifer Walters, runs into a few problems of the godly variety when Hercules guest-stars in SHE-HULK #30. And speaking of Hercules, the irascible deity must face off against the Skrulls' gods in THE INCREDIBLE HERCULES #118. Finally, the emerald anti-hero himself tackles the warrior known as Thundra in HULK: RAGING THUNDER #1!

Head over to the June catalog for the full list!

Dark Horse will make publishing history with the release of the first volume of this critically acclaimed manhwa series in a new weekly online publishing program.

Shaman Warrior is a dramatic fantasy series with a kinetic style that will appeal to fans of Blade of the Immortal and Vagabond! From the desert wastelands emerge two mysterious warriors, master wizard Yarong and his faithful servant Batu. On a grave mission from their king, they have yet to realize the whirlwind of political movements and secret plots which will soon engulf them and change their lives forever.

When Yarong is mortally injured, Batu must fulfill a secret promise to leave Yarong's side and protect his master's child. As Batu seeks to find and hide the infant, Yarong reveals another secret to those who have tracked him down to finish him off–the deadly, hidden power of a shaman warrior!

The first volume of this top-selling series will be released weekly, exclusively on Dark Horse’s website. “We're happy that Haksan Publishing has allowed us to do something spectacular. It should be noted that nothing like this has ever happened in the U.S., much less Korea,” commented Dark Horse Director of Asian Licensing, Michael Gombos.

“We’re pleased to be a part of such a tremendous event, and happy to share one of Korea's most renowned series with the English-speaking world.”

“We are looking forward to some positive results in promotion of the ongoing series,” said Ms. Yina Kwon from the Korean-based Haksan Publishing.

The first and second chapters are online now at: www.DarkHorse.com

From Shakespeare to Geek Moments, a pack of links for your enjoyment:

Shakespeare Gets the Graphic Novel Treatment by Evan Maloney and Something Wicked This Way Comes by John Mullan

The Launch of TOON Books and One of My Geek Moments: The Graphic Novels Guy discusses the "geek moment", his meeting Francoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman, and their new graphic novel endeavor for young readers.

Manga Review: Harukaze Bitter Bop Vol. 1 by Court Betten by Katie McNeill

Graphic Novels Fill Crossman Gallery by Ben Carrel

Top 100 Graphic Novels & TPBs for January 2008 from Captain Blue Hen

New York Comic Con (NYCC) has announced another Guest of Honor for the show which will be taking place at the Jacob K. Javits Center, April 18 – 20, 2008.

British comic book artist Bryan Hitch, the co-creator and artist of WildStorm’s The Authority, and famous for his work on Marvel’s The Ultimates, will be joining previously announced guests Mike Mignola and Alex Ross for a Guest of Honor appearance at the show. Convention organizers have also announced several additions to the show’s roster of Featured Guests.

“The list of guests who will appear at New York Comic Con is growing day by day,” notes Lance Fensterman, the Event Director for New York Comic Con. “I’m ecstatic that Bryan Hitch has agreed to come to our show, and I couldn’t be happier with all the other talent that has come on board already. Stay tuned! We will be making lots more announcements about other guest appearances over the next couple months.”

In addition to his work on The Authority and The Ultimates, Bryan Hitch’s artistic talents are evident in JLA, The Sensational She-Hulk, X-Men, Superman and Stormwatch. For Marvel UK, he contributed to Action Force, Doctor Who, Mys-Tech Wars and Death’s Head. Hitch was also a character design artist for Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Avengers 2 animated films, as well as character design artist for the video game Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. In 2008, Hitch will reunite with Mark Millar, with whom he worked closely on The Ultimates, to take over the new run of Fantastic Four for Marvel.

As for the Featured Guests who have been added to the schedule, Fensterman adds “New York Comic Con’s 2008 guests will span the history of comics, featuring some of the best in the business from the Silver and Golden legends to independent up and comers.” To help develop the artist program, NYCC is working closely with Spencer Beck of The Artist’s Choice, who has joined the show as Artist Coordinator to insure a quality program.

Some of the notable recent Featured Guest announcements include:

Chris Batista
Chris is a comic book artist and penciller whose work includes Steel, Spider-Man 2099, Spaceknights, Thunderbolts Vol. 1, The Legion, JLA as well as several issues of DC Comics’ weekly comic book epic 52.

Olivier Coipel
Olivier Coipel came to prominence as the artist of Legion of Super-Heroes and he continued to draw the series when it was re-launched under the new title The Legion. He is currently working as the artist on the new Thor series with writer J. Michael Straczynski.

Steve Epting
With a career stretching back to First Comics, Steve Epting made his name with Marvel fans everywhere with an eminent fifty-issue run drawing Avengers in the mid '90s. Steve is currently back with Marvel where he has embarked on his first collaboration with writer Ed Brubaker, in what is shaping up to be one of the all-time great Captain America runs in the character's history.

David Finch
David is a Canadian-born comic book artist who got his start working for Top Cow Productions and has enjoyed a successful career collaborating with some of the industry’s top talent including Matt “Batt” Banning, David Wohl, and Brian Michael Bendis. He is currently working with writer Joseph Loeb on Ultimatum for the Ultimate Marvel Line.

Rob Liefeld
Self-taught artist Liefeld became prominent due to his work on Marvel Comics' The New Mutants and later X-Force. In 1992, he and several other popular Marvel illustrators left the company to found Image Comics, which rode the wave of comic books owned by their creators rather than by publishers.

Ivan Reis
Ivan Reis is a Brazilian comic book artist who began his international career for Dark Horse working on titles such as Ghost. Through the years he has worked on many notable projects, both for DC and for Marvel. He is now working exclusively for DC where he is currently penciling Green Lantern, Vol. 4 and Sinestro Corps War together with Geoff Johns.

Walt Simonson
Best known for his work on Marvel Comics titles in the 1980s and 1990s such as The Mighty Thor and X-Factor, Walt Simonson has maintained a high profile in the industry, spanning many years, and including major works right up to the present. He is the recipient of numerous Shazam Awards.

Jim Steranko
Jim Steranko is an illustrator, musician, art director, magician, photographer, fire-eater, designer, escape artist, filmmaker, pop-culture lecturer, and publisher, who has cut a ferocious path through the entertainment arts. Steranko has worked with film directors Lucas, Spielberg and Coppola and was cited by Michael Chabon as an inspiration for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. He has also been cited by Wizard as one of the Top Five Most Influential Comicbook Artists of All Time.

Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan is an American comic book artist and penciller, currently doing interior art for the DC Comics title Green Lantern. Other comic book titles he has contributed to include Cyberfrog, Bog Swamp Demon, New X-Men, The Flash: Iron Heights, Impulse, and Batman.

Other notable Featured Guest appearances at NYCC which have already been announced include: Neal Adams, Kyle Baker, Mark Buckingham, Amanda Conner, Dale Eaglesham, Ron Garney, Dean Haspiel, Robert Napton, Steve McNiven, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Paola Rivera.

Robert Downey Jr.'s stint on Ally McBeal made me hate him.

Gweneth Paltrow can't sing, but daddy bought her a movie anyway.

I swore I would never see another Downey or Paltrow movie.

As it turns out, they still may be getting my $10, because the trailer and stills on the upgraded Iron Man site look AMAZING!!

Damn them!

Amazing News from Marvel!! For a limited time, you can have access to over 250 Marvel Comics. Read on for more from Marvel.com.

Welcome to the new Marvel Age of Comics.

Just as Marvel revolutionized comics over four decades ago with the creation of the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, the X-Men and countless others, the company that sets the trend has done it again with the launch of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.

Marvel has put the power in the hands of the fans by making thousands of comics—ranging from Golden Age classics to the most recent Marvel masterpieces—available online, including the first 100 issues of FANTASTIC FOUR and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN plus so much more.

And don't worry, no additional software is needed to view Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited's full library. All you need is a computer and an Internet connection; you can view Marvel Digital Comics anytime, anywhere! Each issue has been reproduced directly from the original files used to make the comics, but with none of the ads to interrupt your reading enjoyment.

Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited also comes with FAQs and tutorials to help you maneuver your way around. Plus, enjoy several specialized Fan Favorites categories to help you plan your journey into Marvel history, including…

GREATEST VILLAINS: Dr. Doom, Magneto, the Kingpin and more shine with the spotlight placed on their most dastardly schemes and groundbreaking stories.

SPIDEY'S GREATEST BATTLES: Relive Spider-Man's most memorable struggles as the Webslinger takes on the Green Goblin, the Sinister Six and more of his fiercest foes.

HULK INCARNATIONS: From gray to green and back again (and again), follow the Incredible Hulk through his various stages, featuring classic tales by Peter David, Jeph Loeb and more.

MONUMENTAL TALES: Travel back in time to the biggest events in Marvel history, from Secret Wars to the Infinity Gauntlet to House of M and beyond.

MILLER'S MILESTONES: Find out why people still talk about Frank Miller's epic run on Daredevil 20 years later by experiencing this classic period in the life of the Man Without Fear.

WOLVERINE'S GREATEST BATTLES: The most dangerous X-Man of them all throws down with his nastiest rivals, including Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike and even the Hulk!

CLAREMONT'S CLASSICS: Legendary writer Chris Claremont reinvented the X-Men into comics' most popular franchise and now you can be there from the beginning to experience the rise of Marvel's mighty mutants, plus other seminal stories by the super scribe.

MARVEL CLASSIC NO. 1'S: From FANTASTIC FOUR to ASTONISHING X-MEN, get on the ground floor with the seminal issues that started it all!

That's just a small taste of the all you can eat buffet of comic book goodness you'll get at Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited. If you're still not convinced, head to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited right now where you can sample 250 comics for free! After that, you can sign up for a monthly subscription as low as $4.99 a month (based on the annual subscription rate)—for all the comics you can read! And with new comics introduced to the collection every week, you'll never run out of awesome comics to read!

So what are you waiting for? Join Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited today and be a part of the new comic book revolution: Make Mine Marvel... Digital!

Search the Marvel Universe with the Marvel Universe Search Extension

Finding Your Favorite Character Just Got, like, 10,000 Times Easier!

Marvel.com has released a nifty search extension for Firefox versions 1.5 and higher and Internet Explorer 7.0 and higher.

Clink here.

From Marvel.com:

The most acclaimed series of the year arrives in the most anticipated collection of the year—it's DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN PREMIERE HC, in stores now!




Collecting all seven issues of the top-selling DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN limited series, this hardcover explores the past of Roland Deschain, hero of Stephen King’s epic Dark Tower novels. Written by New York Times best-selling author Peter David and Dark Tower expert Robin Furth, visualized stunningly by Jae Lee & Richard Isanove and overseen by the watchful eyes of Stephen King---this graphic novel is a must-have for Dark Tower fans new and old! Readers will peer into the explosively thrilling world of Stephen King's Dark Tower—filled with action, intrigue, adventure, and suspense!

Early reviews for the collection are in and everyone can't stop raving about DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN. "It is, without a doubt, a beautiful piece of work," said Augie De Blieck, Jr. of ComicBookResources.Com. "This is another visual masterpiece on all levels for Jae Lee."

Richard George of IGN.Com called the collection "incredible" and gushed, "Not only is this book one of the best in the non-hero genre, not only is it one of the best comics put out this year, but it's also one of the best mini-series to be released by Marvel - ever."

"It's a very, very auspicious beginning for The Dark Tower in comic book form," asserted Adam Swiderski of UGO.com. "Lee's work is excellent throughout… maintaining a sweeping, cinematic feel to every image."

You can't afford to miss DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN PREMIERE HC, in stores NOW! Also, make sure to visit Marvel.com, featuring an exclusive interview with Stephen King by Joe Quesada, EiC of Marvel, and exclusive video of the Dark Tower crew from New York Comic-Con 2007!

DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN PREMIERE HC (SEP072167)
Written by Peter David & Robin Furth
Penciled by Jae Lee & Richard Isanove
Cover by Jae Lee & Richard Isanove
Parental Advisory …$24.99
ON-SALE NOW!

© 2007 Stephen King. All rights reserved. All characters featured in this issue and the distinctive names and likenesses thereof, and all related indicia are trademarks of Stephen King.

The good folks at Sega have delivered unto us 5 new screenshots for the video game based on 2008's "Ion Man" movie. Feast your eyes upon the red and gold glory!

From Marvel.com:
Hey True Believers! Think that comic book professionals don't get scared once in awhile by the frightening features of their favorite funny books? Think again!

We polled some of the best and brightest writers, artists and editors from the House of Ideas to find out what moments from Marvel Comics history sent them crying for their mommies. Here's what they came up with…

Marvel's Scariest Moments

Comic Book Goddess, Blair Butler gives us her newest reviews in this week's Fresh Ink.

www.g4tv.com
www.g4tv.com/freshink

From Marvel.com:
Those familiar with the comic will not be overly surprised by the title of the new Wolverine spin-off movie set to be released on May 1, 2009. X-Men Origins: Wolverine brings back Hugh Jackman as the mysterious, adamantium-clawed mutant, and will be directed by Gavin Hood ("Tsotsi", "Rendition") and written by David Benioff ("The Kite Runner").

According to Variety, the film delves into Logan's past, his involvement with the Weapon X program, and includes the return of the characters Sabertooth and Stryker. Variety, also reports that Liev Schreiber is in talks to play the younger William Stryker, while IMDB.com lists Brian Cox, who played the character in X2: X-Men United, to be "rumored", as well.

With one of the film's locations to be New Orleans, it's believed that a certain sexy, "card"-carrying mutant may make an appearance...

A girl can only dream....{sigh}

www.marvel.com

Scream 2007

The Best in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror and Comics voted by you! Tune in Tuesday October 23rd at 10pm for the Scream 2007 only on Spike

CHECK OUT THESE GREAT SIGNINGS

If you're in the area, come on down to one of these great signings! See you there.

November 2nd:2:00-7:00 PM Eric Joiner (Robots & Donuts) and Greg Preston (The Artist Within) gallery show and book signing. Trifecta Gallery, Las Vegas, NV.

November 3rd: Georges Jeanty (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) signing at Criminal Records. Atlanta, GA.

November 11: 3:00-6:00 PM Paul M Sammon and Bill Stout (Conan the Phenomenon) signing at the Hollywood Book & Poster Shop, Hollywood, CA.

www.darkhorse.com

From Marvel.com:
Two villains and a sidekick cast for Punisher movie sequel.

It seems that there's no rest for the powers behind Marvel Studios and Lionsgate's highly anticipated Punisher sequel, "Punisher: War Zone." Following up on her first four casting choices, director Lexi Alexander dropped details for a trio of new roles on her official blog.

Every good hero—even the merciless Punisher—needs a great villain, and Alexander's found the "perfect Jigsaw" in Dominic West ("300" and HBO's "The Wire"). Can he handle the scarred and sadistic criminal? You betcha.

And what's better than one enemy for Frank Castle? Two, of course. And while West suits up as the film's big bad guy Jigsaw, Martial arts master and action movie veteran T.J. Storm also joins "War Zone" as the savagely vicious Irish gangster Maginty.

And though it's still unclear how the character will fit into Castle's war, Punisher's sometimes sidekick—and frequent weaponsmaster—Microchip will be played by Wayne Knight, known far and wide for his role as Newman on "Seinfeld"!

The film is set to shoot in Montreal this October so check back in with us regularly for the latest updates on everything "Punisher: War Zone"!

www.marvel.com

From Marvel.com:
With a hail of bullets and the roar of revenge-heavy gunfire, a slew of new details have emerged for 2008's "Punisher" sequel.

First up, there's a new warrior donning Frank Castle's iconic skull shirt: Ray Stevenson, star of HBO's acclaimed "Rome" series. With a new star comes a new director, German auteur Lexi Alexander ("Green Street Hooligans").

The Irish-born Stevenson, most known for his role as Titus the callous warrior on HBO's "Rome," clocks in at a hulking 6'4" and judging by his work on "Rome" is probably the absolute perfect choice to play the skull-clad vigilante.

Lexi Alexander is a former karate and kickboxing world champion known for writing and directing the gritty film "Green Street Hooligans."

The film is currently in pre-production and shooting is scheduled to start this September in Montreal for a 2008 release.

www.marvel.com