SUPER DINOSAUR #1

They had me at Super Dinosaur.
They had me at armored rocket launching T-Rex.
They had me at talking dinosaur people from the middle of the earth.
They had me at Robert Kirkman has a new comic book out called Super Dinosaur.

I wasn't expecting this comic book . . . hell I didn't even know that it was coming out until I saw a video by Jason and Monty of BSI Comics where they talked about it. Well I went over to the store and bought it and it was soooooooo worth it. This comic is what I'd like to call crazy . . . good crazy . . . fun crazy. You've got mad scientist, a talking T-Rex, a bunch of dinosaur men that can also talk, a genius kid that helps his scientist dad figure out how to make things work and some robots just for fun. Oh and before its over there is a work crew that reminds me of some sort of modern day Speed Racer pit crew.

The basic plot is that Super Dinosaur and young Derek Dynamo (son of Doctor Dynamo) and his robot Wheels are a team that each day set out to stop the evil plans of the evil Dinosaur Men created by Max Maximus. They do pretty well with this but the armor Super Dinosaur is not quite strong enough to do the job and the new "Pit Crew" comes in and helps fix all the problems making Super Dinosaur and super bad-ass missile shooting talking T-Rex. Oh and lets not forget the rebellion amongst the dinosaur men.

The book is fairly fast paced and makes great strides in its efforts to include a little bit of the many directions this book will go and introduces a cast of characters that all seem to have unique personalities. The book knows its crazy and all about a Super Dinosaur but I think Kirkman and the gang have set themselves up to have great fun and play as if they were 8 year old's. It seems I'm never in on that comic that is really cool and everyone loves and just a few months later its all sold out and the 1st issue is marked up to $20. Well I don't know if it'll be like that but it feels like a special title that everyone should read if they like having fun with comic books.

If you don't believe me that its is awesome you better be sure to pick up the FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2011 - SUPER DINOSAUR ORIGIN SPECIAL! Get it on Saturday May 7, 2011 at your local comic book store. It'll be free.

Story by Robert Kirkman, Art & Colors by Jason Howard, Letters by Rus Wooton, Cover by Jason Howard, Publisher - Image Comics, Cover Price - $2.99, 28 pages, full color.


Thanks for reading,

Kevin P. Johnson

Copyright © 2010 Kevin P. Johnson
Images are copyright © 2011 Image Comics are used as Fair Use Review images only. Images will be removed upon the request of Image Comics.

SCUD The Disposable Assassin : The Whole Shebang! Beginning - Middle - and End

This image is copyright © 2008 Image Comics and Rob Schrab and is used as Fair Use Review images only. Image will be removed upon request of Image Comics or Rob Schrab.

Ok so its not Friday and barely Saturday anymore but it is an update!
SCUD The Disposable Assassin by Rob Schrab can only be described with one word and that word is WEIRD! But weird is good. The Whole Shebang! takes the entire twenty-four issue SCUD comic book series and puts it all in one massive book.
I have currently read eight issues worth of the book and I have to say that I wish I had bought this when it was coming out in issue format but am more than happy to have it in this nice thick book. SCUD is a robotic assassin who comes from a vending machine and his only mission is to carry out and assassination of your choice and upon completion of this task the unit will self destruct. SCUD figures out that he will die if he kills his target and decides he doesn't want to do that. I won't spoil what he does to stay alive but it is quite interesting.
The world SCUD lives in is not typical and that is the real fun of this book. Rob Scrab creates creatures out of what seems to be any random thought that enters his head . . . I love it! There are humans, robots, dinosaurs and the things I'll call the WTF's. My two favorite WTF's are Drywall and Jeff. Drywall is the sidekick of SCUD who seems to be a burlap sack with a ton of zippers he doesn't talk words (yet) but SCUD undestands him and he has an endless supply of everything inside of him. Jeff is the target SCUD is supposed to eliminate this guy is awesome he is a monster that has a plug for a head, a large squid tied to his chest, arms for legs and hands for feet with knees that have mouths that say the craziest things and are often pop culture references. Jeff also has mousetrap hands and the ability to take random thing and add it to itself for weapons or new appendages.
The story is odd and a little hard to read a lot of in one sitting but reading an issue at a time and taking a few days off (as I'm doing) helps it sink in more and has you ready for more. The artwork is what I love most about SCUD it is simply amazing black and white drawing that I wish I could look at every day and I don't think that it ever would need color even though I've seen plenty of color covers and images of SCUD.
I don't know how this book ends and I'm in no hurry to find out because I'm enjoying the adventure so much that I wish it could go on forever.
Kevin P. JohnsonCopyright © 2009 Kevin P. Johnson

Backing Boards #4 - SPAWN

Spawn #185 came out with the news that Todd McFarlane would be back on the book. Now I have not read Spawn in quite a while #119 was the last issue I bought after a run from #88 -119. I missed out on a lot of Spawn over the years before #88 and after #119 but always wanted to read the entire story. Anyway I heard McFarlane would be on and Whilce Portacio would be penciling and longtime Spawn writer Brian Holguin would be writing along with McFarlane. This seemed like a great team to me. So I got in #185 and on the inside cover it say Todd McFarlane digital inks this made me happy because Todd doesn't do much art anymore (for published comics anyway) so this is a nice thing for me because I always liked his work and will take what I can get.

I read the issue and it was a pretty fast read but eventful and I'm excited to get the next issue. I had heard that this issue was the start of a reboot for Spawn and it would be a great jumping on point so I wasn't worried about being lost or anything (I had a few questions) but it seems like this is going to be a fun comic again. If you have not read Spawn #185 yet I promise you will be blown away by the end of the issue and wondering what's going to happen next.

I'm ready to be a Spawn fan again and as long as Image keeps it coming out every month I'll stay on this book for a while.

- Kevin P. Johnson

Copyright 2008 Kevin P. Johnson

My Current DCBS Order October 2008

These are the comics I have on order with DCBS for the month of October 2008, feel free to discuss what you are excited about.

I got back to my budget this month and sold some stuff on eBay to make up for last months over doing it whew! The only extra I got this time around is the Hulk 100 Project...I love art books so this should be pretty nice to have.

Here's the new order:
Action Comics #872
Amazing Spider-Man #579
Amazing Spider-Man #580
Amazing Spider-Man #581
Batman #684
Captain America #45
Detective Comics #851
Green Arrow and Black Canary #15
Hulk #9
Hulk 100 Project
Justice League Of America #28
Justice Society Of America #22
Ms. Marvel #34
Moon Knight #25
New Avengers #48
Patsy Walker Hellcat #5 (of 5)
Spawn #187
Terry Moore's Echo #9
Uncanny X-Men #505
Usagi Youjimbo #116
Wonder Woman #27
X-Factor #38
X-Men Legacy #219

Breakdown:
Marvel - 13
DC - 7
Abstract Studio - 1
Dark Horse Comics - 1
Image - 1


Breakdown of comics ordered from DCBS as of October 2008:
Marvel Comics - 273
DC Comics - 238
Abstract Studio - 7
Dark Horse - 7
Ape Entertainment - 4
Archaia Studios Press - 3
Image - 3
Boom! Studios - 1
Evil Twin Comics - 1
Super Real Graphics - 1
Unknown Publisher - 1

Marvel Comics now leads with 50.65% of the comics ordered from DCBS and DC Comics drops to 44.15% all other indie's move up to 5.2%.

- Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright 2008 Kevin P. Johnson

My Current DCBS Order September 2008

These are the comics I have on order with DCBS for the month of September 2008, feel free to discuss what you are excited about.

I went a bit over budget this month...better sell some stuff on eBay.

Action Comics #871
Amazing Spider-Man #576
Amazing Spider-Man #577
Amazing Spider-Man #578
Batman #682
Batman #683
Captain America #44
Detective Comics #850
Final Crisis #6 (of 7)
Green Arrow and Black Canary #14
Hulk #8
Justice League Of America #27
Justice Society Of America #21
Mighty Avengers #20
Ms. Marvel #33
Ms. Marvel Special Storyteller
Moon Knight #24
New Avengers #47
Patsy Walker Hellcat #4 (of 5)
Secret Invasion #8 (of 8)
Spawn #186
Terry Moore's Echo #8
Thor #12
U Is For United 2008 Comic Geek Speak Listener Anthology
Uncanny X-Men #504
Wonder Woman #26
X-Factor #37
X-Men Legacy #218

Comics Now Magazine #4

Breakdown:
Marvel - 16
DC - 9
Abstract Studio - 1
Image - 1
Unknown Publisher - 1

Went way over budget this month with 2 extra comics and a magazine. Next month a few things will drop off and I'm going to have to maybe drop a few titles.

Breakdown as of September 2008:
Marvel Comics - 260
DC Comics - 231
Abstract Studio - 6

Dark Horse - 6

Ape Entertainment - 4
Archaia Studios Press - 3
Image - 2
Boom! Studios - 1
Evil Twin Comics - 1
Super Real Graphics - 1
Unknown Publisher - 1

Marvel Comics now leads with 50.4% of the comics ordered from DCBS and DC Comics drops to 44.8% all other indie's move up to 4.8%. The Comic Geek Speak Book is bieng published by someone unknown to me at this time and I almost missed it on the order I'll updated this if and when I find out who the publisher is.

- Kevin P. Johnson

Copyright © 2008 Kevin P. Johnson

My Current DCBS Order August 2008

I'm a bit late with this I've been working on my website and had to put this blog on hold for a while. So anyway here's the update.

These are the comics I have on order with DCBS for the month of August 2008, feel free to discuss what you are excited about.

Action Comics #870
Amazing Spider-Man #573
Amazing Spider-Man #574
Amazing Spider-Man #575
Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1
Batman #681
Captain America #43
Detective Comics #849
Final Crisis #5 (of 7)
Green Arrow and Black Canary #13
Hulk #7
Justice League of America #26
Justice Society of America #20
Mighty Avengers #19
Monster Size Hulk #1
Moon Knight #23
Ms. Marvel #32
New Avengers #46
Secret Invasion #7 (of 6)
Spawn #185
Terry Moore's Echo #7
Uncanny X-Men #503
Usagi Yojimbo #115
Wonder Woman #25
X-Factor #36
X-Men Legacy #217

Breakdown:
Marvel - 15
DC - 8
Abstract Studio - 1
Dark Horse Comics - 1
Image - 1

2 less comics this month and again Marvel dominates the month holding number 1 spot. As you can tell I mostly "Make Mine Marvel" always have probably always will. I haven't bought anything from Image in a while but with Todd McFarlane back involved with Spawn I thought I'd check it out for a while.

Breakdown as of August 2008:
Marvel Comics - 244
DC Comics - 222
Dark Horse - 6
Abstract Studio - 5
Ape Entertainment - 4
Archaia Studios Press - 3
Boom! Studios - 1
Evil Twin Comics - 1
Image - 1
Super Real Graphics - 1

Marvel Comics now leads with 50% of the comics ordered from DCBS and DC Comics drops to 45.5% all other indie's move up to 4.5%. I really want to see how far ahead Marvel gets over time. I enjoy all brands of comics but Marvel is where my heart is I guess. Someday I'm going to get a complete list of all of my comics and really get an accurate count.

- Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright © 2008 Kevin P. Johnson

The Walking Dead Book One - Hardcover - Sorta Reviewed

This image is copyright © 2007 Image Comics and is used as Fair Use Review images only. Image will be removed upon request of Image Comics.
The Walking Dead - Book One
Cover Price: $29.99
Publisher: Image Comics
Creator, Writer, Letterer: Robert Kirkman
Penciler, Inker, Gray Tones: Tony Moore

Penciler, Inker: Charlie Adlard
Gray Tones: Cliff Rathburn

AWESOME

So I got this gift card for $25.00 to Borders and I went an had hoped to find two Graphic Novels and maybe only have to pay five bucks or so but the stuff they had was either way too expensive or just wasn't what I wanted to read right now. So I kept looking at the thing I've wanted for a long time now The Walking Dead in hardcover. For some reason I have refused to buy this series unless I get the hardcovers...I think its because I love the design of the cover that repeats on book two and three with different images. Finally I decide I gotta get it it $29.99 and I have $25.00 on the card so it'll be cheap and I'll finally have it. So I get to the register and the lady ask's if I have a Borders card and I say yes (It's free and you all need to get one - they always send great coupons) and she says oh great you get to use this coupon I have sitting here and I perk up and am like wha? Coupon? Sweet! So the coupon is 40% off and now the book is $19.56 so that means I got the Walking Dead for FREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't get to read this yet but I have read the first six trade paperbacks because my co-worker and friend Heather Green loaned them to me we have this thing I buy the DMZ trades she gets The Walking Dead and we swaop for a few days.

Anyway The Walking Dead is a Zombie book that is really about the people who survive and the relationships they build with each other and has become one of my favorite comic book series of all time and is definitely among if not the best non-superhero comic I have ever read. Book One reprints issues number one thru twelve and I can hardly wait to read them again.

What is so cool about the hardcover? Well the previously mentioned cover for one great thing but the bonus section includes a six page story featuring Morgan and Duane the father and son from issue number one, a sketchbook section featuring cover ideas, a few random new drawings, head sketches, and fourteen full color, full bleed pages of cover art for issues one thru twelve and the cover for the first two trade paperbacks.

A most excellent book that I can hardly wait to read again.

-Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright © 2008 Kevin P. Johnson