Marvel Mini-Comics free Comic Book Day 2009

These images are copyright © 2009 Marvel Comics and are used as Fair Use Review images only. Image will be removed upon request of Marvel Comics.


Last Saturday was FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2009 and there were some good things being given away this year. Among the most interesting were Marvel Comics two titles Wolverine and The Avengers. I read both of the issues this week and was happy they were both new comics the Wolverine was a retelling of his origin and seemed geared to a younger audience while the Avengers was a completely new story featuring the Avengers vs. the Dark Avengers vs. the Frost Giant Ymir. That was a fun story and I hope that it makes its way into future Avengers books and they left the ending open for such a story to happen.

The main thing about these comics are that they are smaller than normal comics by about 1/2 inch wide and about 3/4 of an inch in height. Now the thing is this doesn't bother me at all mostly we all want bigger comics to view the artwork but in the world we live in where everything is so expensive I think this format could make comics cheaper. I hope that Marvel and DC Comics try to experiment more with this maybe put out a few titles in the smaller format and see if it catches on. There would be less paper cost on the printing end and they still look great. I know some fans will rebel because the comics wont match their collections but if you put them in the same bags an boards you wouldn't even know the difference. I know that Marvel did this because they had to sell these comics to the stores cheaper than normal and that they had to cut their cost so that they wouldn't lose money in doing so. I personally think that they have stumbled upon something that can save everyone some money and make comics a little more afforable for everyone.


-Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright © 2009 Kevin P. Johnson

NOLA Comic-Con 2009 Review

Well last Saturday was the NOLA Comic-Con 2009 and it was a nice event. I was there promoting Strange City Heroes my webcomic/print comic. I took a few pictures and they can be found on the NOLA Comic-Con 2009 page. The convention was small but nice probably 600 people showed up and the age old saying that kids and women don't read comics is a falsehood. There were kids of all ages there and beautiful women all buying comic books . . . as well as all the boys. This was my first convention and it had its successes and failures but it was a good experience and I hope to do more of them. The highlight of the day was meeting Dave Pirner of the band Soul Asylum and having him buy my comics and ask me for my autograph.

The show was put on by Media Underground Comics , with several other dealers from the area including Magic Comics and Hobbies , Louisiana Doubleplay and from beyond the grave Crescent City Comics were there.

Mass Casualty Comics came and put on a great horror makeup display as they had people walking around bloodied and gross and they said it smelled like cinnemon.

The 501st Legion of Baton Rouge Redstick Rebellion, LA was there and had many awesome Star Wars costumes to display. And the characters walked around in full costume taking pictures with everyone and just being awesome.

Next year the show will probably be bigger and better I can't wait I hope they do this every year. Next year I hope to get to shop.

Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright © 2009 Kevin P. Johnson

NOLA Comic-Con 2009

Tomorrow April 25, 2009 will be the first Comic-Con in the New Orleans area in many years. I will be participating promoting my webcomic Strange City Heroes A full report coming next week. And hopefully I can read some comics too.


Media Underground Comics presents NOLA Comic-Con 2009.

$5 Admission (Children 6 and under Free)

Special Guest Derec Donavan Artist For: Youngblood, Conner Hawke, Robin Annual

Tim Lattie Artist For: White Picket Fences, Return To Point Pleasant

Kevin P. Johnson Artist and Creator: Strange City Heroes



- Kevin P. Johnson

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

DMZ Book 5 The Hidden War

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

DMZ is a comic created by Brian Wood for Vertigo Comics. The premise is what happens after a second civil war breaks out in the United States and New York City becomes the DMZ. The story follows reporter Matty Roth as he tries to tell the real story of the DMZ to the Free States of America.

I buy DMZ in trade paperback so I don't get the story right away and actually I'm one trade behind but I wanted to review this book because I found it an interesting choice that Brian Wood made and also kind of risky. The Hidden War reprints DMZ issues #23-#28 and up until this point it has been all about survival in the DMZ but these six issues flip the script and make the main characters background characters and introduce new characters to the story. This seems like an odd choice to put out 6 consecutive issues of a comic that has nothing to do with the main story from the main characters point of view. I liked the book but if I was reading it monthly I'd probably be kinda upset at the turn the book took. I think these issues would have worked better as a series of one shots.

The characters that are introduced are good and have a lot of potential and should help take the story into new and interesting places in the long run. "The Militant Mob Boss Of Chinatown" story is excellent and I hope that he becomes a major player in the series. The aging Graffiti artist story was very interesting too.

DMZ book 5 overall is good stuff but I just want to be back into the main story. Hopefully book 6 is in my near future.

Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright 2009 Kevin P. Johnson

My Return to the blog

So I've been away for a while and have neglected this blog completely. I've been working on my webcomic Strange City Heroes and have got things to a point where I can attempt to come back to this blog. The schedule for this blog will be to make a post every Friday (no set time) and if there is time post whenever possible.

- Kevin P. Johnson

Backing Boards #6 - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz #1

So I had heard abot this Wonderful Wizard of Oz comic coming out from Marvel Comics. Well I as a kid did not like the movie I think it was because I was forced to watch it because it always seemed to be on TV around Christmas time and all the other kids in the family seemed to want to watch it. I have not seen it in many years and didn't think I would be buying the comic book but I knew Skottie Young was doing the art and he's just so good. I didn't order it but I just happened to go into BSI Comics in Metairie, Louisiana and they had #1 so I picked it up and flipped through the pages. Man Skottie Young is good stuff and I bought it for the art alone.

So I just read #1 and its really good . . . given me new faith in the old Wizard of Oz story. The comic seems to be written for everyone, a child could read it or an adult and have fun with it and if the future issues are anything like #1 it'll be great when they release it in tradepaperback (I hope they do an oversized hardcover).

The characters look amazing and although we've only met Dorothy, The Witch of The North and the Scarecrow as for major characters I absolutely love the look of the Scarecrow and he's going to be my favorite character in the series. I'll have to hunt for #2 since I missed the order from DCBS on it but I will find it you can count on that.

Damn you Skottie Young it seems I like the Wizard of Oz now.

- Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright 2008 Kevin P. Johnson

My Current DCBS Order December 2008

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

I'm late on the blog again it's been pretty hard to work on the blog and do a webcomic at the same time but I'm trying.

Action Comics #874
Amazing Spider-Man #585
Amazing Spider-Man #586
Amazing Spider-Man #587
Batman #686
Captain America #47
Dark Avengers #2
Detective Comics #853
Green Arrow & Black Canary #17
Hulk #10
Justice League of America #30
Justice Society of America #24
Mighty Avengers #22
Moon Knight #27
Ms. Marvel #36
New Avengers #50
Spawn #189
Terry Moore's Echo #10
Uncanny X-Men #506
Usagi Yojimbo #118
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz #3 (of 8)
Wonder Woman #29
X-Factor #40
X-Men Legacy #221

Comics Now #5 (magazine)


Breakdown:
Marvel - 14
DC - 7
Abstract Studio - 1
Dark Horse Comics - 1
Image - 1


Breakdown of comics ordered from DCBS as of December 2008:
Marvel Comics - 300
DC Comics - 254
Abstract Studio - 9
Dark Horse -9
Image - 5
Ape Entertainment - 4
Archaia Studios Press - 3
Boom! Studios - 1
Evil Twin Comics - 1
Super Real Graphics - 1
Unknown Publisher - 1

Marvel Comics now leads with 51.02% of the comics ordered from DCBS and DC Comics drops to 43.12% all other indie's move up to 5.86%.


- Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright 2008 Kevin P. Johnson