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Home , Alex Maleev, Andy Diggle, Don Rosa, Jock (cartoonist), Lucifer (Marvel Comics), Mike Carey (writer)

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Volume 11 #4 “News, reviews and opinions from the world of comics” July 2007 Bendis a boon for Master Chief world to Marvel’s willingness to Halo: Uprising #1 (of 4) make us wait for his return, it’s Comics based on toys, cartoons, been a little too long. You got the bands, TV shows, movies and sense that Marvel was ready to video games are risky business. pull the trigger on a new For every successful adapta- series several times over that last tion like Star Wars, you get five couple of years, but that plans failures like the Wu-Tang Clan would fall through and the comics. There are just so many Son would be put back on the things that can go wrong between shelf. Then we got the the original material and Thor clone (or “Clhor”) the creation of the actual comic. in and gasps Sometimes a franchise just isn’t of horror were heard meant to be made into comics. from fans all over the world. So Other times, companies spend so it’s a great relief to finally the much money obtaining the rights real Thor back in action. Making to do the book, they’re left with the homecoming even better is nothing to hire the right creative that the new series is written by J. team to make the project any Michael Straczynski and features good. There is a very incorrect art by Oliver Copiel. Say what you mentality out there that you can will about some of the twists and put any kind of crap between the turns along the way, but remember pages as long as the big recogniz- that Straczynski totally revamped able logo is on the cover. Scores of Spider-Man when he took over on cancelled books and silly amounts Amazing and his other work in of wasted money can be directly be something special. In addi- have to know a thing about who comics has been some of the stron- traced to simply not having the tion to being a massively popular the Master Chief is or why he’s gest in the industry for quite some creative juice to carry a series – it’s video game, Halo also has the battling against Covenant forces time now. the same basic rule that applies to right story elements to make for in space. Expect Halo: Uprising to Thor will pick up on some all comics. an interesting comic. Add that to read just as well to fans as it does hints Straczynski dropped in So if this ranting is all true, the fact that Bendis and Maleev to newcomers. about where the then why are we putting the new have been allowed to write the God of Thunder has been hiding Halo comics on the cover of the series as the official connection Thor #1 out. It’s also going to be pretty newsletter? The answer is two between the end of the last game The advertisement for this series interesting to see what Thor words: Bendis & Maleev. Brian and the upcoming Halo 3 and proclaims: “Not a dream, not thinks about Civil War, Captain Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev you’re pretty much set. a hoax, not a clone…Thor hath America being dead and that are the -winning Ah, but you don’t care returned!” Well thank goodness little thing where Reed Rich- team that made Daredevil into about video games? It doesn’t for that. It’s been ages since Thor ards and Tony Stark created a a legend again, and their Halo: matter. Bendis and Maleev are apparently met his demise, and murdering clone version of him. Uprising mini-series promises to so good together that you won’t while I give all the credit in the Get ready – this should be a great 2 | www.bigplanetcomics.com Hotline: 301.718.1890

acters. With the regular Green plot by Moore, you also get art by . Instead, let’s focus series on hiatus, we’re the mind-bending Travis Charest. on this special by Paul Jenkins getting these two mini-series in Don’t judge this book by its cover. that nicely complements the Ellis its place. : Year One series. Thunderbolts: Desperate is by creative team Measures focuses on Penance’s of and artist suicide mission to take down the (one word…like Madonna or brutal, rogue law-enforcer Amer- Ladronn…or Moebius…or Shaq). icop. Who the hell is Americop? I Birds of Prey fans will want to don’t know either, but it sounds take note of all of the League like there’s gonna be a big fight of Assassins action in the Black so I’m in. Canary mini. World War Update: We just wanted to pass along a friendly reminder that the super- fantastic World War Hulk event runs through O c t o b e r . What’s this mean? Well Criminal #7 & 8 it means that Green Lantern: Sinestro These issues feature the start of we’re getting Corps Special 1 a new story-arc in ’s five months This is the beginning of the big awesome crime series. Each arc of Hulk Sinestro Corps storyline that’s focuses on a new character and s m a s h i n g going to be running through a new set of messed-up circum- the hell out the Green Lantern titles stances (think Sin City), so don’t of the rest of this year. The set-up for feel like it’s too late to jump on the heroes in this one is pretty simple: board. Once you get hooked on the Marvel Sinestro puts together this series you’ll be happy to know Universe. It his own army of yellow that the first story arc is collected also means ring wielding psychopaths to in Criminal Vol. 1: Coward. that there put an end to the Green Lantern are some Corps once and for all. Expect : The Thunderbolts: Desperate crossovers total mayhem and intense action Complete WildC.A.T.S. TP Measures to keep up as only writer Geoff Johns can Holy crap, is this awesome! The new Thun- with. While deliver. Collecting Alan Moore’s run on derbolts series you certainly WildC.A.T.S. (#21-34 and a story by don’t need to Black Canary from issue #50), this TP is a must- is so awesome pick up everything to enjoy the 1 & 2 (of 4) have for pretty much everybody. that I can’t stop story, you might want to keep Green Arrow: I’m betting there are a lot of you talking about an eye out for #19 & Year One 1 & out there who haven’t read these it. I think I’ve 20, World War Hulk: X-Men #1- 2 (of 6) issues because you were put off mentioned it in 3, : The Initiative #4, Expect big things by the title or didn’t know the the last three and Incredible Hulk #107-110 this year from characters. You are totally missing issues of Orbit. I gotta stop talking in addition to World War Hulk these two char- out. In addition to an incredible about how great Warren Ellis is on #1-5.

Hello, Indyvillians! How’s it going? wiched in the middle is a Rosa Oh yeah? Awesome! Lot’s of commentary about the Barks great stuff out recently, and story! Amazing! A must have for a bunch of awesome any fan of the ducks. looking stuff on the way (I’m looking Re-Gifters TP at you, Incredible This book is not an independently Change-Bots!). On published . It is, with the books! though, an indy comic through and through! Dixie loves hapkido. Phonogram TP (don’t we all?) Unfortunately for I talked about this before, but now her, of late she also loves Adam. it is available for all you floppy He’s all she can think about and monthly pamphlet haters. If you her hapkido and everything else don’t know about Phonogram, is getting all screwed up because it’s a story about people who can of it. The same team that brought make music (or, more specifically, us My Faith in Frankie (Mike Brit-Pop) into magic. So, pop Carey, , ) in your Manic Street and DC have put together a fun cassettes and enjoy! romantic comedy that wouldn’t look out of place with an Oni logo Adven- Big Planet. And as far as Scrooge ) has two long-form on it’s spine. tures: The Barks/Rosa goes it doesn’t get better than Scrooge stories. The first story Collection Volume 1 or . This is a Barks classic, the second, That’s all from me this month. Scrooge gets plenty of love from first in a series of many (fingers a newer story by Rosa. Sand- L8er sk8ers. Hotline: 301.718.1890 www.bigplanetcomics.com | 3 ’s Florida adventure remember the good old days when this section of the newsletter was just a space for me to make fun of unintentional innuendos on the covers of old comics. But these days, there are a bunch of blogs and a certain magazine that rhymes with “Tizard” using that format. Some Iof them do a nice job and others really suck at it. So while I wrestle with the idea of whether or not I’m going to keep using old comics covers in this spot, I’ve been substituting other things that I find equally hilarious. This month I find Dr. Raymond Adamcik hilarious. The good doctor lives in Melbourne, Florida, and he was arrested a few months back for drug possession and groping a few women at a pub crawl. Now, I’m sure arrests like this happen on a nightly basis all over the country, but it turns out that Dr. Raymond was dressed like Captain America when the cops busted him. For some reason, he also had a burrito and some drug paraphernalia stuffed down the front of his pants, which must have come as some surprise to the cop that did the cavity search. But wait – that’s not even the strange part. When the police arrived on the scene they had to do an impromptu line-up outside of the bar because so many people were dressed like Captain America. What the hell is going on down in Melbourne? Cap’s death must have had a deeper effect on the country than I expected. I’m also off burritos for a while. Interview: The Pride of Niko Henrichon Friend of Big Planet Chris McCall two nominations so congratula- people. We’re used to seeing people caught up with Pride of Baghdad tions for that. die, you know, in movies and kind artist Niko Henrichon to talk about NH: Yeah, I saw that. Two nomina- of getting used to it. Smurfs and Spider-Man. Here’s tions, that’s great. CM: Do you have a favorite scene how it went down: CM: You were also recently nomi- in Pride? CM: What did you grow up nated for an Eisner award as best NH: It’s very difficult to….I like the reading? artist. Did you start getting a lot of fight between Zill and the bear. I NH: I grew up reading more real calls from publishers after that? think it’s a very intense scene. It’s a books, without pictures, [laughs] NH: Not specifically. No, I started big confrontation. I think this might and a few comics, but from Europe, getting calls after Pride of Baghdad be the more intense scene for me. like you call them the Smurfs. was released. The nomination, CM: Since Pride you’ve been doing CM: The Smurfs…right. yeah, some publishers called me. mostly work with NH: I think they were the first Well, I can’t say it was because of although Pride was with Vertigo. comics that I’ve read. And after that the Eisner nomination. I think if How in the world did DC let you there was Asterix and Tintin and all you win an Eisner, probably you get get away to work for Marvel? the Franco-Belgian stuff. So I was many people suddenly interested NH: Well, DC didn’t really let me more into these kinds of books. by your work. A nomination is get away. After Pride of Baghdad And I discovered superheroes a probably not enough to get the big I’ve been called by Marvel and they lot of time after that when I ….. interest. made me an offer that I could not Actually, I discovered superheroes CM: As to the story itself, there has identifies with them rather than refuse. I wanted to try superheroes approximately at the moment that I been a lot of debate, I think, about with human beings in the story. and, well, Marvel gives me that decided that I wanted to do comics the political aspect of the story. But It seemed like it was very inten- chance so I took it but I’m definitely for a living. So I got interested in it also reads a story of animals with tional to make the reader identify not closing the door to DC and I all the kinds of comics that were some very recognizable human with the pride. Were there any probably will work again for them available. emotions. How do you prefer to specific things you did artistically because they have so much good CM: Were there any particular think of the story? to accomplish that? projects and good writers. comics artists or works that influ- NH: Well, for me it’s more a story NH: Well, we wanted to give the CM: What do you have coming enced your artistic style? about the people that live in Iraq lions a very human feeling without out next? NH: First, there was Moebius. more than the political thing. It’s being too much human. Certainly NH: I just finished the Spider-man Yeah, definitely Moebius at the more about what the people live we know that the readers all funda- Fairy Tales book. I don’t know if start. When I discovered him, I was there. How they discovered that mentally like animals so we think you’ve heard about that. like blown away and I didn’t think suddenly they were given freedom that giving animals the principal CM: I hadn’t heard about the that it was possible to do comics in and I think of it as a very, very subject of the book, it gives to the Spider-man Fairy Tales issue that way because it’s very free and human story even if it’s not humans reader a sentiment of, how can I before you mentioned it. When creative and it’s very original and he that are in the story. I think it’s really say, everybody likes the animals in does that come out? has a very distinctive style and that about the violence that these people a general way. NH: It’s coming out in July actu- was the kind of comics that really are witnessing and are experiencing CM: I thought they were a very ally. Next month. I just finished it. sparked my interest from the start. every day in a very dramatic way. effective allegory. There was not a big publicity show CM: I wanted to talk a bit about CM: One of the things that made NH: Yes, that’s it. People get more… about that. It’s an underdog series Pride of Baghdad. First of all, the me realize what a good story it was When the animals are experiencing for Marvel, not like Ultimate X-men, nominations were just how strongly connected the violence you can see that people are Ultimate Spider-man and all the big just announced and Pride received reader becomes with the Pride and probably more affected by it than things. 4 | www.bigplanetcomics.com Hotline: 301.718.1890 Come Meet !

Mike Carey, renowned writer of Lucifer, X-Men, Re-Gifters, , and many more, will be appearing at Big Planet Comics in Vienna , VA on Thursday, July 12th from 1 to 2 pm! He will also have copies of his brand new novel, The Devil You Know. For directions or questions, call 703-242-9412. Celebrating 10 years of Top Shelf his summer, Top Shelf Craig Thompson (Blankets, Carnet De Incredible Change-Bots! Leaving spy continues to serve his country Productions is celebrating Voyage), Andy Runton (Owly), Jeffrey their war torn planet, the Change- even beyond death. A gorgeous their 10th anniversary. This Brown (Clumsy, Unlikely), Alex Bots arrive on Earth, where their full-color graphic novel that not Tis quite an awesome accomplish- Robinson (Box Office Poison, Tricked), battle continues -- BUT AT WHAT only reveals the nature of espio- ment for an independent comics James Kochalka (American Elf), Renée COST?! nage, but how an individual can publisher. What makes it extra French (The Ticking, Micrographica), Part parody, part nostalgic be lost in a world of lies and awesome is that Top Shelf is run by and many more. tribute, part moral fable — with deception, and still manage to find some of the best people you’ll ever The Incredible Change-Bots, redemption. meet, and their books personify Known for excellent produc- Jeffrey Brown re-invents the shape Coming this June from Top quality and dedication. I rarely do tion values, our handsomely changing robot genre into a heart Shelf – and probably cool to read this, but I’d like to use this section crafted editions combine the best in stopping action comedy that’s full after you watch Willy Wonka: to make you a little more reproduction techniques with of romance, half-drama, and epic aware of Top Shelf and all a unique, inspired design battles! The first FULL-COLOR Death By Chocolate the cool stuff they do. sensibility. Never limiting graphic novel from Jeffrey Brown – Redux Check it out, because ourselves in format or is an all-ages friendly (one guy and Agent Swete -- an unlikely hero no matter what type content, our catalogue some robots die) immersion into comprised of organic chocolate of comics fan you includes all-ages mate- sci-fi fun. and a member of the FBI’s Food are, I guarantee that rial and cutting-edge Coming this August from Top Crimes Division -- and his sharp- they publish a comic erotica, genre fiction and Shelf — and not really related to the tongued partner, Anderson, that you will love. So, autobiography, and all that new Bourne Identity movie: investigate a series of bizarre, without any further noise exists in-between. The recip- food-inspired crimes. Along they from me, here’s a quick run- ient of dozens of awards, we Super Spy way they encounter a variety of down of Top Shelf and a few of the continue to bring stories Super Spy is a super-deluxe, full- characters including an extrater- books they having coming out soon and ideas to the ever-growing audi- color collection of 52 interwoven restrial canine named Geoffrey, — all of which you can find at Big ence of the comics medium. spy thrillers about cyanide, pen- writer Ernest Hemingway, an Planet Comics. In this, our tenth year of guns, heartbreak and betrayal. organized crime lord intent upon publishing, the Top Shelf brand Spanning the countries of Spain, finding the life-enabling ‘ From www.topshelfcomix.com: stands as a hallmark of quality -- a , and during pasta,’ and an eerie, all-devouring TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS fine addition to any connoisseur’s World War II, each story follows trio known as The Metabola- publishes contemporary graphic novels library. the everyday life of a spy, exploring tors. This collection includes the and comics by artists of singular Coming this July from Top Shelf their small lies and deceptions, Xeric-grant awarded tale . Dedicated to championing — and just as rad as the Trans- as well as the larger secrets they of Agent Swete, a never-before veteran creators as well as finding formers movie: hide. A children’s book is some- published Death By Chocolate and developing emerging talent, the thing more than it seems; a woman tale, and an essay by Yurkovich Top Shelf library is anchored by such Incredible Change-Bots swims the English Channel to on the creation of the series. masters of the craft as Alan Moore Far away in space, there is a planet deliver a deadly secret; a German Every page has been reworked (From Hell, with ; full of robots able to change from spy desperately seeks escape for by Yurkovich, making Redux the Lost Girls, with Melinda Gebbie), robot form to vehicle form --- the herself and her daughter; and a definitive edition of these stories.

Big Planet Orbit Volume 11 #4; July 2007 is published by Joel Pollack, Peter Casazza and Jared Smith for Big Planet Comics. www.bigplanetcomics.com.

Big Planet Comics, Inc. 4908 Fairmont Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814, 301.654.6856

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