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COMIC BOOKS AT THE GATE |
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Growler
on Superhero Comic Books >
INDEX
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The
superhero comic book is banging at the gate of popular entertainment.
Too
long kept out by self-doubt and historical misconceptions.
A
new vanguard of talent is forging a permanent legacy, soon to be embedded
in everyday life.
Are
you ready for conquest?
The
Return...
If
this is the first website you've ever visited, welcome!
This
site is read in the U.K., the U.S., China, Spain, Guyana, Canada
and many other countries worldwide.
If
you like what you read please tell a friend or two.
For
the regulars among you, apologies for the wait.
If
you’ve been wondering why the long gaps between articles,
fear not. All will be revealed.
You
may have noticed constant changes throughout the site. This is because
I'm striving to bring you the best website possible. It’s
a project that will take up a lot of my time and is a work in progress.
Click
here to check out Secret Invasion TPB (Marvel Comics) by Brian M
Bendis and Leinil Yu |
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Due
to the time involved in building up Growlersworld.com, I’m now only
reading Wizard magazine, Previews and the odd graphic novel (or trade
paperback) as they come out.
As
well as checking out the comic book news websites for the latest info.
This
summer (2005) looks to be a big one for the two largest publishers.
Marvel Comics has its eight issue ‘House of M’ storyline
which centres on the New Avengers and the X-Men teaming up to fight
a common threat which threatens the entire planet.
Written
by Brian Bendis and drawn by Olivier Coipel this will be a classic
and I’m looking forward to the trade of this.
The
New Avengers is the result of the previous storyline Avengers Disassembled
(available in a trade).
This
new team consists of Marvel's best, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iron
Man, Captain America, Luke Cage, Sentry and Spider-Woman.
Written
again by Brian Bendis and drawn by David Finch you have to read
this.
These
are comics at their best and well worth your time. It's
now the number one best selling superhero comic book out there!
Click
here to check out Thor By Dan Jurgens & John Romita Jr. Volume 1
TPB (Marvel Comics) 
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Read
it to see why!
The
trade of the first six issues will be out soon.
Marvel’s
Ultimate line of books are growing ever stronger with The Ultimates by
Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch, Ultimate Spider-Man by Brian Bendis and Mark
Bagley, Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four all having solid stories.
These
titles give Marvel’s characters a harder edge and a movie-like
feel.
High
in widescreen action and riveting drama, these are all recommended
and are available in trades. DC
Comics however, in my opinion, have the more eagerly awaited Infinite
Crisis running through their titles.
This
giant epic started with Identity Crisis, a storyline that served
to darken and mature its line of superheroes including Batman, Superman
and Wonder Woman. This
is a stunning tale and highly recommended.
This
was followed by Countdown, a one off prologue to the whole saga,
and jointly written by Geoff Johns, Judd Winick and Greg Rucka.
These
are three of the best writers in the DC stable.
Each
author has a considerable body of work to their name and all destined
to become classics in the fullness of time. Remember their names...
Click
here to check out Thor: Ages Of Thunder HC (Marvel Comics) by Matt
Fraction
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This
again was a great story with a shocking ending.
It
had the effect of making their lesser-known characters more credible and
popular.
And
there’s more!
It
just gets better and better!
This
story continues in four limited series.
The OMAC Project by Greg Rucka and Jesus Saiz promises to change
the status quo between Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman and causing
the break up of their once solid alliance and friendships.
Villians
United by Gail Simone and Dale Eaglesham follows the formation of
a team led by Lex Luthor, called the Secret Society of Supervillians
designed to protect it’s members from harm.
Day
of Vengeance by Bill Willingham and Justiniano focuses on the mystical
side of the DC Universe. The
Rann/Thanagar War by Dave Gibbons and Ivan Reis is a cosmic epic
which re-establishes the Outer Space aspect of the DC Universe.
Click
here to check out Thor Volume 1 TPB (Marvel Comics) by Walter Simonson
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The
Rann/Thangar War follows the recent Adam Strange series by Andy Diggle
and Pascal Ferry.
All
the above will be available as trades and are by some of the most talented
artists and authors out there.
Later in the year there will a five-issue arc of the JLA beginning in
issue #115 and jointly written by Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg (who
writes for the TV series The OC).
This
series opens the door to Infinite Crisis, a 7 issue limited series
starting in October 2005.
This
will serve to streamline the entire DC Universe and make it’s
titles even more accessible and relevant to new audiences.
By
bringing top talent to produce their best work to date you will
be spoilt for choice.
Whether
you pick these up as individual issues or get them as trades (like
I will do in time) you will have timeless, entertaining reading
material that you won’t forget in a hurry.
Grant
Morrison, one of the all time great writers in the field, is writing
The Seven Soldiers epic at DC. He
is producing a 30-chapter masterpiece consisting of seven, four
issue miniseries and two bookends (prologue and epilogue).
The
mini-series will feature seven previously minor characters in the
DC Universe that have been re-imagined and re-vamped for a new age.
Click
here to check out Thor Volume 2 TPB (Marvel Comics) by Walt Simonson
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They
are, Klarion the Witch Boy, Mister Miracle, Frankenstein, Zatanna, The
Guardian, Bulleteer and the Shining Knight.
Each
series has a different artist and it is described as “A mystery
spanning generations and millennia. A story unlike any other.”
Grant
Morrison rarely disappoints and early reviews are raving about this so
far.
I
will, again, wait for the trades to read the complete story.
I have
every faith in Mr Morrison to deliver quality.
Believe
it or not, this is just a fraction of the total output of monthly,
superhero comic books by various publishers.
The
quality of which is now unsurpassed.
The
only downside is that it would be almost impossible to get them
all.
What
do you do when almost every comic book is good? There
is something for everyone, a story for every taste.
Choose
wisely and enjoy the ride.
Click
here to check out Thor Volume 3 TPB (Marvel Comics) by Walt Simonson
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Over
here in the U.K there’s a new TV series of Dr.Who that's just started
after a long absence.
This
is our premier sci-fi drama series and it is quality.
Starring
Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor and Billie Piper as his assistant
you must see this!
It’s
good and very British.
Our
very own ‘superhero’.
The
final Star Wars film is almost upon us and I’m looking forward to
the ‘birth’ of Darth Vader.
One
of the greatest 'supervillians of all time'.
May
19th can’t come soon enough for Revenge of the Sith!
Go
see it!
This
was an extra special, bumper sized edition of Comic Books at the Gate.
See
you next time!
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