So… how many of you watched the big football game this past Sunday?

Did you watch it for the game, or did you watch it for the commercials (unless you live in Canada)?

I watched it for both.  (Side note here, I don’t think it’s fair that in Canada we have to be subjected to promos for shows coming to CTV, and miss out on the American commercials, but that is a completely different debate for another time and place)… (Side side note here… I was cheering for the Patriots and they just didn’t look their best on Sunday… but Tom Brady is still the best Quarterback of all time.  3 Super Bowl rings with 5 appearances, that’s not too shabby).

Ok, time to get back on track.

As I said before, in Canada we don’t get to see the same commercials that our friends south of the border get to see.  But thankfully there is a website called http://www.superbowl-commercials.org/.  They post links to each Super Bowl.  It has been the site I’ve gone to after every year’s game so I can check out the commercials.

Over the past couple of Super Bowls, it dawned on me, there are a lot of comic book based movies commercials being debuted during Super Bowl.

This year we got to see the trailers for The Avengers, John Carter and G.I. Joe Retaliation.

But last year was a huge year for comic commercials.  Last year we got the trailer for Thor, Captain America, Cowboys and Aliens and Pirates of the Caribbean (I know it’s not a comic book movie, but it has a comic feel to it).

Those are pretty big movies, and they get to be seen by the largest viewing audience every year.  I think it shows that the Super Bowl is more than just a football game, it is a media event.  With having the most eyeballs on tv screens on one day, that is a great place to showcase these comic book movies and generate interest for them.

Here are some of the movie trailers that premiered during this years Super Bowl.

I know a lot of comic fans were waiting for this one.  Marvel and Paramount were tweeting up a storm just after the game about the new trailer.  I think it is a great trailer, because it leaves a lot to the imagination.  We get to see the stuff we need to see like Cap’s new costume, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Quinjets and The Hulk.  We know that Earth is under attack, and we need Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to protect us from this evil.

But… we don’t know what the evil is.  We know Loki is involved, but we don’t know in what capacity.  We know the enemy uses aircraft, but we don’t know their origin.  Could it be the Skrulls?  Could it be some other conquering alien race?

Who knows, but I am anxiously waiting for May 4th, for the Avengers to come to theatres.

You know I was going to include this commercial.  G.I. Joe Retaliation is the movie I am waiting for this summer.  I can’t wait.

This trailer shows us more Roadblock (The Rock) and more Joe Colton (Bruce Willis).  We only get a glimpse of Cobra in this one.  Unlike the original trailer where we have a better idea of what Cobra is up to, this trailer just shows G.I. Joe kicking ass.

Missing from this trailer as well is Duke.  There are many rumours floating around about the fate of G.I. Joe’s “head honcho”.  Some rumours I’ve read say that he’s been killed.  Some others I’ve read say he’s in hiding and will show up at the end of the movie.  I am excited and can’t wait to see what happens this summer.

John Carter (formerly known as John Carter From Mars) has a lot of people confused.  One review I read of the trailer says “We have no idea what it’s about, and with a name like it sounds almost historic, but this trailer certainly makes it look amazing.”

Maybe Disney has dropped the ball on this one a bit.  If fans have no idea what the movie is about (even though the character has been around for 100 years), I don’t think they’ll be flocking to the theatre to see it.

When we saw the trailer, my son turned to me and said “Is it a sequel to Avatar?”

Hopefully fans of Avatar will grab on to John Carter, and the film is successful for Disney, like Prince of Persia (which John Carter has that sort of feel to it).

I’m surprised Warner Brothers didn’t take the opportunity of Super Bowl to showcase a commercial for The Dark Knight Rises.  As it has been proven in the past, Super Bowl is the best place to showcase a comic book movie.  It gets people thinking about the big movies coming out.

I can’t wait for Super Bowl XLVII, because I am pretty sure we will get to see the commercials for Iron Man 3 and Thor 2.

Oh… one last thought.

One of my favourite Super Bowl commercials of all time, is this one.  I know when you watch it, you’ll smile.

Agnes Garbowska has made a name for herself in the Toronto comic scene for her cute renditions of popular characters. So much so that she has done a few pieces for Marvel Comics. But she has now launched three webcomics of her own. Yes, three.

Waking Up Abbey is the story of a young girl who wakes every day to discover she has some sort of power. The first day she is sticky. The next she has become half monkey, the next ver voice has destructive power. It sounds cool and exciting, but for Abbey, it just brings trouble. It’s a bit of a Dial H for Hero, but with less of the cool crime fighting and more of the embarrassed at school.

Imagination Station is the stories of three young girls. By that I mean the adventures they imagine. It’s very Walter Mittey, or for the younger reader, Calvin and Hobbes. The girls are space adventurers who start off the tale by crash landing their rocket on a strange planet. (Actually the flower garden) It’s light and cute, and if you ever had an active imagination and played out grand adventures, you’ll feel right at home.

You, Me, and Zombie cause what we really need is another zombie story. Okay, this one stars, another little girl. (Are you sensing a theme?) But that’s what sets it apart. It’s Olive and her dog, versus a hoard of shuffling undead. And it’s not even a german shepherd. Elevator pitch would be Dora’s Zombie hijinks. And I don’t actually mean that as a negative. Just the idea of a cute young girl and her zombie neighbourhood is fun. Her mission? Get to her Dad the scientist in the city. (Hopefully not Racoon).

Agnes works in a small body big eye manga inspired style. Her art is ink with watercolours, some of the strips start in colour and switch to black and white as time challenges arise. There is a sameness about many of her characters, they are all little girls after all, but it’s this cute, wide-eyed look that has driven her popularity. The use of watercolours is uncommon, and Agnes really does some neat things with her colour, shifting between candy colours when the Imagination Station girls are in their make-believe world and more subtle tones when back to the boring real world. Olive’s world goes the opposite, starting out colourful and moving to monotone once the zombies move in. And she does great broken glass.

So now you are thinking, 3 comics at once? Plus kids books, Illustration work and freelance comic work, is she nuts? Super human? Well, let’s put it this way. She’s also now doing Boo Bear & Flo for the recently launched Saturday Morning Webtoons. Yeah.

If that’s not enough cute comic action for you, look into Katie Cook’s Gronk. An adorable strip about a woman and her monster.

The cover for 'Smallville - Season 11' as drawn by Cat Staggs

In 2001 Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk and Michael Rosenbaum first appeared on our television screens as the hallmark characters Clark Kent, Lana Lang and Lex Luthor. Feel free to cue up Remy Zero’s “Save Me” for nostalgia’s sake. For ten seasons, despite cast departures, Superman fans tuned in to watch the “Man of Steel” endure his trials and tribulations as he walked a hero’s path towards the destiny set forth for him while battling the likes of Zod, Lex Luthor, Doomsday and Darkseid. It wasn’t always positive, and there were surely as many downs as there were ups over the decade Smallville was on the air. Certainly, the series was tired and drawn out at times, often staggering through repetitious stories in the middle seasons concluding with Rosenbaum’s departure. Yet there were just as many seasons which were inspiring, heroic, and true to the form of the character. Some periods were memorable, some were completely forgettable.

When the show began, Miles Millar and Alfred Gough said the mission statement of the show was quite simply, “no tights, no flights.” It’s a credo the show stuck by even after both left the series. That of course came to an end in the series finale where not only did Tom Welling don an oddly similar costume to the one worn by Brandon Routh in Superman Returns, but we finally saw Superman flying and in action. Although you could argue viewers were altogether shortchanged considering it was actually done using CGI, those last moments of the series were the culmination of ten years worth of work, which had to satisfy fans whether you were perturbed by not really seeing Tom Welling in the suit or not. In the end, through better and worse, the show’s writers told their story of Clark Kent’s rise from mild mannered farm boy to inspirational superhero. That is why I feel the idea of continuing the series, albeit as a comic book, is unnecessary.

DC announced through its Source Blog Feb. 9 that it would be continuing the series’ story through digital format, later releasing the books as a print serial. The series, which will be written by former Smallville writer Brian Q. Miller, will debut April 13, 2012 and promises new digital chapters released weekly. Meanwhile the issues will be released in print starting May 16. Season 11 will essentially pick up right where the series left off, including many of the characters we came to know from the series.

“Six months after Clark Kent donned the cape and took to the skies to save Earth from Apokolips… enter Season 11!” Miller said in the press release.  “New allies abound!  New enemies afoot!  And old friends return where they’re least expected!  Pere (Perez) and colorist Chris Beckett have done a fantastic job of capturing the look of the show and the players, and Gary and Cat are knocking it out of the park on covers. I couldn’t be more excited to help give seasoned viewers and new readers an all-access pass to Clark’s first year in the cape.”

While there is surely a fan base for this series, I question the necessity of it. There are already a number of Superman related titles available, one of which specifically focused on Superman’s early days in Metropolis, not to mention the wealth of Superman origin stories currently available such as Superman: Earth One. Is there a need to revisit this? Considering the premise of the series was to explore Clark’s early years as he flies towards his destiny, what mission statement can they possibly adopt that hasn’t already been explored regarding the character, and isn’t being explored right now in the existing titles in both Action Comics and Superman? Smallville – Season 11 runs in the same vein as the Buffy and Angel series published by Dark Horse and IDW respectively, leaving it fairly obvious that DC Entertainment is looking to capitalize on the phenomenon with its own property.

Whether I agree with it or not, facts are facts. Even in its tenth season, the series drew over three million viewers for its finale. If even five per cent of the show’s fans who tuned in for that episode buy the issues digitally or in print, that instantly puts it near the top of Diamond’s top titles. In that respect, it’s a smart move with huge upside for DC. Creatively however, I can’t help but feel like the universe that was created for the show is barren for new ideas. But that’s not the point, is it?

Did you miss me?

Well I missed you guys or at least I began to.

As you may (or may not) have noticed, I’ve been on sabbatical for a few weeks due to a combination of personal dealings (I’m moving), other work (I’ve added two other writing gigs in the past month) and the time of year I call the dead season.

Right now we’re a few months before convention season and nothing really huge in terms of news will really appear before then.

Yes, yes, I know all about Before The Watchmen. Been talking about it for months as has Bleeding Cool. Other then Len Wein and JMS, the suspects are pretty much as predicted.

But beyond that, we aren’t hearing much until convention season gets going.

Which to be honest, was kind of fine for me for a bit. I needed sometime off from the column and comics. And then I started to miss the writing of the column and it led to this.

That being said and with little in the news to go on, I figured it was time for another grab bag of opinions. Ready? Set? GO!

Sandman #1 cover

Saw this on Bleeding Cool’s site. I’m not sure if this is the actual cover to The Sandman #1 but I do know a lot of the covers were constructed as opposed to just drawn. Keep in mind kids, this was how things like this were occasionally done before we had Photoshop.  Either way, this is pretty sweet and a reminder of the creative talent that is Dave McKean.

The Amazing Spider-Man

I’m torn. Spider-Man doesn’t need a reboot, doesn’t need to be all emo but the wise-cracking in the cab kind of grabbed me. And Dennis Leary is a favorite of mine. But I still loathe 3D.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

I may see this, the trailers are suckering me in.

Before The Watchmen

I don’t really have much to say about it to be honest. The creative teams are pretty good. I’m not as into it now that I know Dave Gibbons isn’t on board but I’m willing to give it a shot.

Speaking Of Alan Moore Books…

The next volume of The League of Extraordinary Gentleman: Century is done and headed to the printers apparently. I loved the first volume but the second volume kind of lost me so let’s see if the third volume is the tie breaker.

Speaking Of Other Books Alan Moore Doesn’t Want To Talk About…

Steve Bissette is doing a revival of his share of the 1963 characters. For those who have only foggy memories of the project, 1963 was an Image series that was an homage to the 60′s era Marvel comics. Alan Moore was the writer and Steve Bissette and Rick Veitch were on pencils.  It was a solid and fun series, which at the time, comics were sorely lacking.

Then it fell apart when it came to the Annual. And then apparently Alan Moore to umbrage with something Bissette stated in an interview and any ending or reprinting of the project was subsequently torpedoed by the lack of Moore’s involvement (unlike Watchmen, Moore did have actual ownership in some of the characters). Until Bissette decided to revive the characters he owned, along with some other concepts he had for a print on demand book. It’s an interesting idea and I can’t think of any name creators that have given it a go (I’m probably wrong, just don’t know any off the top of my head).

I’m glad Bissette is working on this book as I for one want to see it. It looks like it will be a combination comic and fake history book. It will cover different incarnations of the characters and the “history” of their publications.

Speaking of which, if you’ve never checked out his blog, I highly recommend it. You can go to it here.

That’s it for this week, hope you some back for another round next week. I promise I will be wearing pants next time.

In the lead up to London’s Super Convention, I’ve had the privilege of speaking to one of the show’s organisers.  Please visit the Con’s website again (if you haven’t recently) to find the latest updates to schedule/guest appearances etc.  It’s on.

Is there any news on Stan Lee’s involvement? Has anyone in your office had any direct dialog with him or his PA’s?
- Ensuring that Stan Lee’s appearance is structured in a way that the attendees are able to have the greatest opportunity to meet him, have comics signed and listen to him speak in panels has meant we have been working very closely with his team.  Since asking these questions we have posted on the website details of Stan’s appearance at the show and a video where Stan indicates his excitement at coming to London.  Please check our website for details http://www.londonsupercomicconvention.com/

Do you anticipate any visitors coming from France and beyond? Will their inevitable European tastes be catered for?
- we have attendees coming from France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Croatia, Romania and even Hong Kong to name a few.  While the focus in terms of creators has been mainly US and UK focused there are creators from Italy, Spain, Romania and Greece.

Are there any Scoops or exclusives you can share with CBD at this point?
- We have been working on so many things.  Make a point of visiting the website this weekend as we have just agreed on the prize for the Super Hero Cosplay competition and its one not to be missed.  I wish I could enter as I would love this opportunity.

Are there any guests/creators whom are yet to confirm their attendance?
- we have added a number to the website in the past week – we currently have 48 guest creators listed and don’t forget our small press contingent as well.  There may be a couple of late additions.

What are you most excited about at the convention as a whole?
- personally its seeing how the attendees view the convention.  When setting up the convention we looked at our experience both in the US and UK as attendees and exhibitors to determine how we would want a convention to work.  The weekend will determine whether our view has been validated.  To date the response from the public has been fantastic and we will be proud to see this flow through the weekend.

Can you share anything on the Panel schedule at this point?
- We have just released the panels.  Please check the website to plan your day accordingly.

Whom are you most excited about flying the flag for British/UK Comic scene?
- We have 2000AD and Markosia attending so the UK comic scene is well presented and I’ve always wanted to meet Brian Bolland.

How many visitors are you expecting at the Con?
- Tickets keep on increasing so it’s very difficult to say.  As we allow children under the age of 12 to attend free with a ticket holder we are hoping for a good mix between adults and children.

Is there anything particular you can offer UK based CBD fans as an incentive to come along?
- The Super Hero Cosplay prize being finalised currently will offer the winner an opportunity that I haven’t seen matched before.  Check the website this weekend.  

In your opinion, which day would be better to visit?
- I think the panel and signing sessions on both days are such that it is difficult to decide which day is best.  They both offer a variety of choices that make each day entertaining.  If offered a choice of either I would say both and buy a weekend pass.  Now that details are up on the website I would suggest attendees look at each day’s entertainment and choose if they have to the day that suits them best.

What’s the interest been like from other press members?
- Huge – we have had mainstream TV channels, radio and newspapers to the smallest blog asking for press accreditation and interviews.

What can we expect at the Con from a retail perspective?
- A wider choice than ever put together at a UK convention before.  In terms of back issue comics we have major US comic dealers attending (e.g. Metropolis Collectables, High Grade Comics, Superworld comics, Bedrock City, Harley Yee, Terry’s Comics), to the best UK dealers (A Place in Space, Orbital Comics, Scott’s collectables, etc).  We also have Hotfllips attending who are in my view the best supplier of comic supplies in the US.  There is of course a vast array of publishers (IDW, 2000AD, Markosia etc) and small press to sample a vast array of comics across the comics spectrum.

This should be a great show.  I’ll obviously report back with any new developments in the coming weeks.

Initially this kind of product was only available retailers so they could get their orders in, but a good while ago Diamond and Capital (a competitor since gone) saw the opportunity to offer these previews as a retail item and it was win-win: fans could get a good look at what was in the pipeline and those fans could pre-order these items from their local comic shop, who now had a better idea of what would sell. Life was good.

Then along came this internet thing. It took a while but publishers released that same publishing information to comic news sites like Comic Book Resources and Newsarama; fans could get their info before Previews published it and for free. Unfortunately those news site posts lacked the fit and finish of the published Previews catalogue. Enter Comixology.

I was a little behind in setting up a Comixology account, but once I did I started a virtual pull list based on concise and searchable material; the same as is provided by Previews. I’m guessing they get the info from Diamond since there’s a banner that says “Previews Catalog” when you log in. As well you can enter your tax rate and any discount received so you can see what you’re going to be spending that week or month on comics. Get an email every Wednesday with your list of books and you’ll never miss a thing. Install the mobile app, I use the iOS version, an all that information is always with you. It’s slick and very useful; here’s what I get today.

Comixology is the main platform for digital comics and as such has become the focus of their site. Recently the subscriber aspect I enjoy moved to a new section called Print Comics, which seems reasonable. They offer tools for retailers as well: cover galleries, subscriber pull lists and more. The retailers I’ve spoken with seem hesitant to take part since inevitably there will be some cross promotion or linking to Comixology’s digital offerings. Whether this is real or perceived it’s a sticking point for retailers to take advantage of this wonderful service.

It recently dawned on me that perhaps I was selling Previews short, so I headed to their website and perused. No comparison. A jumbled and difficult to navigate site greets you, offering previews and shipping lists in a blog format. Clicking on New Releases brought me to a text list of title names, prices, Diamond codes and a few covers. The site is a supplement to the print Previews and doesn’t offer the same content.

In the end Comixology is the best choice for managing your comics purchases. Previews does a decent job as a print catalogue but cannot compete in this digital age.

I’ve had this discussion before with people, what is more important “The Chase” or “The Grail”?  Or to put it in other words, is it more fun to track down your elusive item or is it more rewarding to have that item in your collection?

In case you are asking yourself what do we mean by “Grail”, it is in reference to The Holy Grail.  The Holy Grail is that one object that many searches and crusades have been launched to find that artifact (Scott adds: supposedly the cup Christ used at the last supper, and/or to collect his blood on the cross).  King Arthur, Indiana Jones and Monty Python have searched for the Holy Grail.  As comic book collectors, our crusade isn’t different than the search for the real Grail.

To each of us, our Grail is a different object.  You may be searching for Amazing Fantasy #15 or an Action Comics #1 (or it could be one of last week’s new 52 that wasn’t put in your box at the comic shop and is now sold out).  It doesn’t matter what it is, it is something you desire which now you will search out.

In one discussion I had about “Grail” collecting, someone brought up the issue that there was only one Holy Grail and only one person could wind up with it.  They also brought up the example of the G.I. Joe aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Flagg.  They said it couldn’t be a Grail because there were many of them in production and it is easy to obtain it you are properly motivated.  I quickly dismissed this person.  I like using the Holy Grail as an example.  As a collector, you wouldn’t start on your quest unless it was important to you.  What could be more important than the Holy Grail?  Also putting that object on very high regard, makes the chase and reward more exciting.

Sometimes the object you are looking for, isn’t readily available.  If it was, it wouldn’t be a chase.  Sometimes your quest for your “Grail” could take months, years or dare I say decades.  There are several items I’ve been looking for have taken decades to find (but I’ll elaborate on that later).

Your chase can take you anywhere as well.  You could be searching through back issue bins at a comic shop, checking a dealers table at a toy show or come across what you’re looking for at a garage sale.  And don’t dismiss garage sales too quickly.  You never know what you will find there (often for a really cheap price… and sometimes in unbelievable condition).

For me, I enjoy having the “Grail”.  Most times I enjoy having my object, more than I enjoy the chase.  The chase can get frustrating at times.  Especially when you get very close to your object but lose it at the last second.  Sometimes I’ve been at a toy show and seen a specific G.I. Joe figure I wanted, but someone scooped it up before I could get my hands on it… or there have been times where I’ve had my Grail in my hands and sadly like Indiana Jones I’ve had to let it go because Henry (or my wife in those instances) has told me to let it go because the price was too high (not figuratively, I mean literally.  $28 for a G.I. Joe figure is insane).

But when your quest is long and arduous, the reward is ever so sweet.

Now you may be asking yourself, Ed, what are some of the “Grails” in your collection?  I am glad you asked, because I have some examples for you.

U.S.S. Flagg

The U.S.S. Flagg is the “mamma jamma” of all G.I. Joe toys.  It is the biggest.  It is by far the coolest.  It is ”THE” G.I. Joe vehicle every kid wanted.

When I was a kid I would dream about getting the Flagg.  At the time I knew it would never happen.  It was just too expensive in those days.  Plus the sheer size of it didn’t help either. Interesting note about the Flagg.  The bridge section is removable so you could store it under your bed.

I eventually accepted the fact that I would never own a Flagg.  I rarely came across one while at garage sales or toy shows.

Several years ago I came across an ad on Kijiji where someone was selling his G.I. Joe collection.  I browsed the ad quickly because I find when people are selling their G.I. Joe collection, their price is high because they think it’s worth something.  In the list of items for sale, I saw the words I’ve always looked for… U.S.S. Flagg.  My jaw dropped.  I immediately responded to the ad and after talking back and forth for several days, we eventually came up with a price for a portion of his collection.  But included in that portion was the Flagg and the Cobra headquarters… The Terrordrome.

I finally had my Flagg.  There were a few pieces missing and the owner was a smoker, but that was easy to fix.  The Flagg has some age to it, but I don’t care.  I own a “bleeping” G.I. Joe Flagg.

Shipwreck (1985)

photo courtesy of Yojoe.com

I know what you may be thinking, the orignal Shipwreck figure was very popular in the mid 80′s, he should be easy to find.  Well… sort of.

I bought my Shipwreck in the summer of 1985.  At the time I was debating over two figures.  In one hand I had Snake Eyes.  In the other I had Shipwreck.  I was debating between both because they came with animals.  I ended up buying Shipwreck.

I didn’t have Shipwreck long.  I took him to school one day and he was taken out of my desk.  Since then I’ve been on the hunt for Shipwreck.

Over the past couple of years I have pick up 3 Shipwrecks, but they’ve been in poor condition and missing their weapons.  I did find one at a show, and it was in mint condition.  But I left it there because of the price (as I mentioned earlier).

This past weekend I was at a toy show.  I found a Shipwreck, with his weapons (alas… missing Polly), for $5.  I paid for it quickly then moved on to the next table.  When I got home I inspected it.  The paint is perfect and the joints are very tight.  The only flaw I can see on it is a small crack at one of the elbow joints.  I have an extra Polly (the parrot) from another Shipwreck I bought, that I will give my new Shipwreck.  So after searching for 27 years I have finally replaced my missing figure.  That doesn’t mean I’m going to quit buying Shipwreck.  I’m still going to keep buying him.  I have an aircraft carrier that needs a crew.

What’s my current Grail?

There isn’t much that I am desperately looking for right now, except for a Marvel Legends Beta Ray Bill.  I’ve been looking for it at different toy shows and expos I have been at.  I did find it online, but unfortunately the website turned out to be a fraud and I lost the money on the transaction (Paypal was awesome and refunded it).  I have found it on eBay at another retailer, but after getting stung on my first transaction I am leary on trying it again.  I know I’ll find it at a future show.  But like all chases for a Grail, it takes time and work but it pays off in the end.

Now I want to hear from you.  What is your “Holy Grail” in your collection?  Have you found it yet or are you still on your quest?  Let us know in the comments below.

DC will be returning to the world of 'Watchmen' with a series of prequels to be released in 2012.

Now with a day to have completely digested the announcement of DC’s decision to move forward with a collection of Watchmen prequels, not to mention an extended discussion with a friend, I’ve ultimately concluded I dislike the move.

With various mini-series focusing on Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach, The Minute Men, The Comedian, Ozymandias, Nite Owl and Silk Spectre, the summer releases will touch on and interpret the lives of these characters for the first time (outside the film) since Alan Moore wrapped up the original series over two decades ago. Watchmen is one of the most revered comic books in the medium’s history, one which has been included consistently on lists compiling the top literary works. And it’s completely warranted. At its core the book was a character analysis of the superheroic idealization and depiction of the modern superhero, breaking down their motivations for becoming a vigilante while highlighting their virtues as well as their vices. Moore’s work humanized each of them, while concurrently celebrating their shortcomings as individual characters. It forced us to look at heroes through another lens which in turn forced us to really look hard at their ethics and morality as it relates to their actions. The book(s) grounded those characters in reality, and despite the story being rooted in the fantastic, his analysis of heroism, vigilante psychology and the moral/ethical implications of action  have not been met since. The story itself was a complete work which told its story to perfection.

Rorschach will join his teammates in a series of prequels in 2012.

So I must posit the question. Why revisit their universe? What do these books add or do to enhance the content? What will the creative teams do in so far as paying homage to Moore’s graphic novel? While I can’t go so far as to decisively state they won’t, to presume this decision wasn’t economically motivated due to the state of the industry is naive. I have a friend who characterized the Watchmen prequels as DC’s big red panic button, the button encased in a glass covering, accompanied by the message, “In case of emergency, break glass,” that would be pressed by DC editorial as a last resort. I believe he’s right, and considering the nature of the relaunch of DC titles, this should have been expected. Regardless, this is a delicate project, which despite the inclusion of Brian Azzarello and J. Michael Straczynski as part of the creative teams, I’m unsure whether this is necessary. In fact, it’s not and the more I contemplated these books the more agitated I became.

“The flip-side to that question, then, is ‘Why do anything based on something that was well done?’ It’s weirdly counter-intuitive: the characters are great, the world is terrific, we created something amazing here, so, God — let’s never ever do that again,” Straczynski said in an interview with Comic Book Resources.

While I can see his point, I find his conclusion disagreeable. Not only does it feel like a writer toeing the company line, but I challenge the mentality seemingly possessed by JMS that they should do it because they can. I doubt that any of the writers truly have something to add to any of their characterizations, much less a way to present the material in a way that enhances the purpose of Watchmen. They can try, but in the end I can’t help but feel a degree of pretension at the thought of the effort. This simply isn’t a matter of DC looking to move the story, this is a matter of the company hoping to boost sales with a move that, regardless of fan reactions to the prequels, will be picked up by all, all the same. This will be a lucrative move for the company, yet I can’t help but consider the absence of creativity in the move and the stories that may be produced where the purpose doesn’t seem so much the need to tell a story as it is the need produce a story to increase total revenues.

Mr. Straczynski spoke of logical thought in relation to the decision to move forward without Alan Moore’s blessing, however his logic fails say, if we use his own Superman example. The difference being, as far as Superman and Watchmen is concerned, is that by the time Alan Moore wrote his Superman stories, the ongoing title had been in publication for nearly 50 years. Its continuing nature lends itself to creative changes, not to mention, that as a serial, the book will never end. Watchmen is a different matter, as it’s a 12 issue maxi-series which was written with the intent of telling a story about the nature of the superhero and the humanity buried underneath the perception of their godliness. It’s a complete work without the need for re-visitation. This move is what it is, and it smells of desperation.

“God help us all.”

Don Ahe has created something truly charming. Road Apples Almanac is like a trip to the past. Visually striking chords of Herriman’s Krazy Kat, feeling like something out of a time when comic strips were a selling feature for newspapers, it yet somehow doesn’t feel dated or stodgy. Maybe it’s the surfer lions. Or the candy machine in the pasture. The talking trees are a mystery.

Aldous is a farmer. We’re just starting to learn the extent of his former life, but now he leaves a mostly peaceful life with Shep the dog, (Shark Dog?) and Doc, the rooster who plots to kill him. There’s also a pair of sheep who take great pleasure in poo flinging. The strip varies in length and composition, sometimes a three or four panel strip, other times multitiered. There are some one-off gags, but by and large it’s ambling stories like the aforementioned poo flinging or the current story of Aldous’ early years. And there’s the Switch, the story from 5 years earlier when they were the superheroes Dark Ink and Shark Dog. Yeah.

The humour is light, although at times sarcastic or wry. There’s a certain contemplative or philosophical tone at times, like the more thoughtful of Calvin and Hobbes strips. Don is aware of his influences, making nods to not only Herriman, but also Windsor McCay and perhaps Escher. The strip is primarily black and white, but he intersperses colour now and then.

Don’s art itself is confident. It’s not slick by any means, but it has a rough edge of somebody who doesn’t second guess each mark. And at times, those scratchy little lines, or the watery colours are truly beautiful.

I had the pleasure of sitting next to Don at a small local con last year, and he is much like his strip. Welcoming and neighbourly with a humour that sits lightly and delivered with a deft hand. The strip is called Road Apples, but the journey is pleasant.

We’ve had our fair share of speculation regarding a Watchmen prequel, but now we know for sure. DC is on a roll and they want to keep the momentum building. How better to do that then resurrect one of their best selling properties.

Without a doubt that’s an impressive list of creators: individually they can all carry a series with their name alone and combined it’s a sure thing. Can’t say I’ve seen anything but colours from John Higgins, but using him DC gets to have one of the original creators involved. Unfortunately a lot of these A list creators are known for excessive lateness, and with DC’s new rules on keeping to schedule it may cause issues. This series cries out for digital and casual readers so keeping on track is paramount to its success. The plan looks to have one book a week shipped for 35 weeks. Brilliant strategy: keep the comic fan coming every week for their Watchmen fix. With that kind of return DC and comic shops should be able to interest these customers in more comics. Unless they miss a few weeks here and there. DC should give another go at their “if you liked Watchmen then try…” campaign. Retailers, dig out all that old Watchmen movie material, including the action figures, and re-merchandize them.

We all knew Moore’s position over all things Watchmen, so that was expected. Of course he was reusing Charlton characters for Watchmen so the ideas weren’t all his, but he’s glossed over that. Twenty five plus years means there’s at least one generation of comic readers who don’t remember the initial run, and if movies have taught us anything it’s that great properties can be wonderfully reinterpreted for every generation.