The New Warriors Continuity Conundrum Comics Collection is going on sale! (Again!)

Instead of ebay, I’m now doing an Amazon store. Shop at The Hindsight!

The New Warriors Continuity Conundrum Comics Collection is going on sale!

You can own a part of my personal comics collection. I’ve started to list them for sale on ebay. Every auction starts at just 25 cents, regardless of how many comics are in the lot.

Visit my ebay store and start bidding.

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve updated the site. Unfortunately it seems what I’ve felt was coming for a couple of years has finally arrived. The New Warriors Continuity Conundrum is going on hiatus.

This really has nothing to do with the actual comics coming out now, and more to do with my evolving life, which has allowed less and less time to making it to the comic shop, reading comics, and updating this site in some sort of timely fashion.

My curiosity is shifting to new endeavors. While I’m sad to let the NWCC go, I’m extremely excited to be entering what feels like a new phase in my life. I’ve been devoting more time to original content for my new blog. As many know, I’m an actor and writer. I’m cooking up a lot of videos and other fun stuff that I hope you’ll check out. There’s not too much there yet, but there’s a lot in the works.

I’ll keep the existing information up. The Comments sections on each character’s page will allow you to add new appearances, if you are so moved. I won’t say I’ll never jump back in, or maybe sneak in an update here and there, but for now I must put it to rest. To keep up on all things New Warriors, I highly recommend any of the links below in my long and tedious thanks.

And here goes. I would feel remiss if I didn’t toss out some thanks. First, I really must thank my wife, who has probably been more understanding of the time this site has eaten up than she had a right to be. Really it comes down to the Crash Pad Mailing List Yahoo Group. Several stand out for their help and friendship since the NWCC started back in 2000. If I forgot anyone, or misappropriate something to someone, I apologize and blame my awful memory that was eaten up long ago with New Warriors trivia. Jeremy “Pen” Schwennen, thank you for the in-person meeting (must happen again!), the phone calls, NEWS, Page-by-Pages and Roundtable Reviews. Flank McLargehuge, thank you for NEWS and Roundtable Reviews, and good luck with the Doctor and all that comes of it (how far you’ve come and how much further you’ll go!). Doug Smith, thank you for your generosity, your patience on the web-project that never was, and for constantly raising the bar at the Nova Prime Page. PaxHouse, thank you for always being on the look out for anything New Warriors-related and frequenty beating me to the punch. James Hunter, thank you for the Roundtable Reviews and for asking questions. Jeph York, for being a helpful and resourceful smart@ss (look out, Marvel!). Liam Gibbs, for being a mighty fine bloke. Craig Watson, for remembering Speedball. Tawmis, for creating the New Warriors Dot Com and Crash Pad Mailing List community. Seth “speedbaldwin” for creating the New Warriors Source website and message board, which has become a great new home for NW fans. Also much thanks to David Gallaher, Danny Donovan, Tim O’Shea, and Don Lund, for the industry side. Tons of thanks to all of the comic book creators past and present who have worked and are working on these characters. My interest in and enjoyment of these characters is what started this silly obsession and it is what will keep me reading.

And finally, thank you to everyone who has visited this site and benefited from it. I’ve gotten a lot of emails from people saying how helpful the site has been for them when back-issue shopping. That’s really what’s kept me doing it for this long. I wish I could keep it going for you. There just aren’t enough hours.

Thank you. It’s been a blast.

Marvel.com recently posted an interview with Avengers: Initiative writers Dan Slott and Christos Gage about the roster of the newest New Warriors team, consisting of former members Justice, Rage, Ultragirl, Slapstick and Debrii. Some excerpts:

Slott on Justice:

“Vance is a complex character, but above all he’s a man of principle and a true hero. He’s proud to be both a New Warrior and an Avenger. The man’s got many facets. He joined the Initiative to be there for the young recruits, the way [Captain America] was there for him. But even Steve Rogers fought the system and became Nomad when he didn’t agree with what was going on. Maybe it’s time for Vance to take a chapter from that book. Maybe that’s the kind of person the kids need looking after them?”

Gage on Rage:

“Rage is young, much younger than he looks. He clearly [feels the New Warriors got] a raw deal from the public and the government. There’s [also] some regret there. Maybe he feels things were left unsaid [between him and] those who passed away.”

Slott on Slapstick:

“I think that Steve Harmon is starting to realize that being Slapstick is more than having toon-like powers. It might also mean having toon-like thoughts. And that’s kinda dangerous. Would you want your friends acting like Bugs Bunny in real life?”

Gage on Ultragirl:

“We’ll see in [Avengers: The Initiative #12] that Ultragirl has a lot more to her involvement with the Initiative than just her feelings for Justice.”

Gage on Debrii:

“See Avengers: The Initiative #12!”

For more on each character plus two pages of Avengers: The Initiative #11, read the full article.

You may have noticed the site has slowed down in the updates department. I also haven’t been posting when I add new issues to chronology pages or character pages, which I kind of feel like I should but no one seems to have noticed so maybe it’s not such a big deal. Anyway, as some of you may know, I live a rather busy life outside of this website. Pardon the self-indulgence, but there’s three things that I’m pretty excited about that I’d like to share. And if it gives you something to read and watch instead of noticing the site is about 3 weeks behind and missing a review, then all the better. I don’t want to push down the recently posted news too far, so I hope you’ll click through if you’re curious about THE SECRET LIFE OF A BLOGGER. See you on the other side?

Oh good! You clicked through! Thanks, you’re awesome!

The first thing I want to mention is that on April 6th, I’ll be participating in the MS Walk here in Los Angeles (well, Pasadena technically). I would be immensely appreciative if you could find it in your heart to sponsor me, sign up to walk yourself, and/or pass on this plea to others to help raise awareness and maybe even money to find a cure for multiple sclerosis. So, here’s the pitch:

My wife was diagnosed with MS in 2002, and since then she and I have become more aware than either of us would ever want about this disease. On Sunday, April 6, we’re going to participate in the Greater Los Angeles MS Walk in Pasadena. Can you make a tax-deductible donation? If you can pledge to donate any amount, you’ll help make each step of our 5K (~3.2 miles) walk build to something better for the hundreds of thousands that struggle with MS.

Click here to visit my personal page.

Click here to view the team page for teamMS – GLA.

Your donation goes to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, which is dedicated to creating a world free of MS, and they need our help. It’s faster and easier than ever to Join the Movement! Simply click on the link at the bottom of this message. Or, if you prefer, send your contribution to the National MS Society, Walk MS: 2440 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 115, Los Angeles, CA 90064. If sending a check, please make the check out to the National MS Society and be sure to put my name on the Memo line.

Your contribution will allow the Society to fund research, help people with MS lead powerful lives, and advocate for change. I appreciate your support. Please don’t hesitate to post comments or email me with any questions.

For more information about the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, how proceeds from Walk MS: Greater L.A. are used, or the other ways you can do something about MS now, please visit nationalMSsociety.org.

Thank you for Joining the Movement!

-Corey Blake

Click here to visit my personal page.

Click here to view the team page for teamMS – GLA.

Okay, so that was item 1. Next item:

Typically I’m an actor. But technically I went to school for behind-the-camera stuff. Recently, I was fortunate enough to re-use that old muscle and I am extremely proud of the results. Here’s the blurb:

Voices From Chornobyl is a dramatization of the words spoken by the people and workers who lived to talk about the nuclear power plant disaster of April 26, 1986.

Voices From Chornobyl, directed and adapted by Cindy Marie Jenkins, is a stage production based on a book by Svetlana Aleksievich. A demo video has been produced by Nahleen Blake and associate produced by Corey Blake. The video debuted at the Remember Chernobyl Conference in the UK on March 8th.

To watch the the 10-minute demo video in its entirety, please visit the Voices From Chornobyl official site or click here.

And finally the third item. Currently I am in rehearsal for a show that will only have two performances. So if you’re going to be in the Los Angeles area at the end of March/beginning of April, I would be honored if you stopped by to check this out. Here are the details:

needtheater presents
the Workshop of
Ten
by Cindy Marie Jenkins

Set in the near-future, Ten revisits Ancient Greek mythology…

A ruler’s daughter is killed on her wedding night…

A brother escapes brutality in the war his sister fights…

A dramatic exploration of the individual’s role in the destiny of a nation…

Come see the newest and most ambitious work by the internationally recognized writer of Voices from Chernobyl…

March 30th and April 6th–
Two Performances Only

Written by Cindy Marie Jenkins Directed by Ms. Jenkins and Jennifer Kenyon
Produced by Matt B. Wells Stage Managed by Adele Dodds
Original Music Written and Performed by Stephen GC

Featuring:
COREY BLAKE * ADAM BURCH * LISA CASSANDRA * DOUGLAS DICKERMAN *
ENCI * MICHELLE GIACOPUZZI * WILLOW HALE * CONOR LANE *
WILLIAM KNIGHT * BARBARA PASSOLT * RENIE RIVAS * PATRICK SEITZ *
KATIE SWEENEY * MAX THAYER * TONY WILLIAMS * KAPPA VICTORIA WOOD

When & Where
MARCH 30th- 7 PM
@ the FAKE Gallery
4319 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Tickets- $10
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
Or call 323-654-6698
FOR COMPLETE INFO, VISIT WWW.NEEDTHEATER.ORG

APRIL 6TH- 2 PM
Excerpts to be performed
@ the Arlington West Memorial
on Santa Monica Beach,
just north of the Pier
This show is FREE.

So that’s me recently. And believe it or not, there’s about 2-3 other things in the works that aren’t ready to be announced yet. And if you made it this far down to find out that last bit, I thank you very much for being that interested and/or that bored. If you’d like to find out more about me, I actually have a message board believe it or not. There you’ll find links to my official site, my Facebook and MySpace pages, and news about other things I’ve been doing. Probably more interesting to you, there’s a small but growing group of comic fans and friends building at the message board, so if you’d like to stop and chat about anything at all, please feel free.

Well, I think that’s enough of all that. I thank you very much for allowing me this little aside. Hopefully my schedule will let up soon and I’ll be able to update the site soon. Thank you for hanging in there.

-Corey

Marvel Comics assistant editor Nathan Cosby announced last week on his Hey! Kids! Comics! blog at Marvel.com that the publisher intends to release a new mini-series called Skrulls vs. Power Pack.

Details were limited but it seems likely that this will be the next mini-series in the ongoing run of all-ages Power Pack mini-series. No release schedule was announced but it will probably follow Power Pack: Day One, which concludes in June. No creative team was announced, although there is a look at four sketches for a potential cover.

Despite the Skrull connection, the book will not tie into Marvel’s next big summer event Secret Invasion. This will be the first time the Power Pack kids will be starring in their own mini-series without a co-starring Marvel hero since the 2005 Power Pack mini-series by Marc Sumerak and GuriHiru.

To read the full blog posting, which includes an amusing ‘appearance’ by Katie Power and the ability to vote on your favorite cover sketch, click here.

To read previous Hey! Kids! Comics! blogs with Katie Power appearances, click here, here and here.

Marvel Comics released solicitations for comics shipping in June. The highlights: New Warriors concludes its third story arc, “Thrashed,” as the team’s leader is missing when they need him most. Nova’s clash against Galactus and the Silver Surfer continues. Power Pack: Day One concludes the brand new origin of the youngest super-heroes! Plus, the Thunderbolts, a new Official Handbook hardcover edition, and more new collections. Read on…!

NEW WARRIORS #13
Written by KEVIN GREVIOUX
Penciled by PACO MEDINA
Cover by NIC KLEIN
“THRASHED” Conclusion!
Night Thrasher. He’s vanished during the heat of battle. Disappeared while the rest of the team is training. And now he’s left members of his team trapped in the lair of a super-villain who’s way out their league. And Jubilee is fed up with it. But is she willing to walk out on Night Thrasher when her teammates’ lives are at stake?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
On-Sale 6/25/08

NOVA #14
Written by ANDY LANNING & DAN ABNETT
Penciled by WELLINTON ALVES
Cover by ALEX MALEEV
Continuing one of the wildest Galactus and Silver Surfer stories ever! He’s got the power of the entire Nova Force. He’s faced down the likes of Sphinx and Annihilus. But is the Human Rocket even in the same league as the Devourer of Worlds and his most famous herald? And what the blue blazes can Nova do when he finds himself the only thing standing between the big G and his next super-sized mega-meal? So, c’mon all you Silver Surfer & Galactus fans, take a chance on this book and find out why IGN.com says “NOVA has become one of Marvel’s best new series.”
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
On-Sale 6/4/08

POWER PACK: DAY ONE #4 (of 4)
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by GURIHIRU & COLLEEN COOVER
Cover by GURIHIRU
The Pack’s first twenty-four has come to an end, and they’ve got make sure it’s their finest — not their final hour! But to do that they’re going to have to stop the Kymellians from blowing up Earth, thwart a full-on Snark invasion, and break into the heavily-guarded Project: PEGASUS to destroy their dad’s out-of-control invention! All at the same time!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
On-Sale 6/25/08

Penance probably in…
THUNDERBOLTS #121
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Penciled by MIKE DEODATO
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
As the quartet of villainous telepaths in the basement of Thunderbolts Mountain delivers their final assault against the T-Bolts team, Norman Osborn’s already fragile psyche may have cracked for the last time. The Goblin is ready to emerge!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
On-Sale 6/25/08

Justice in…
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE VOL. 2: KILLED IN ACTION PREMIERE HC
Written by DAN SLOTT
Penciled by STEFANO CASELLI
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
Training is almost over for our cadets. Some will graduate. Some will washout. And, yes, some WILL die! And with the clock ticking on the first class of recruits, get ready to meet the next batch! Including new Marvels, old Marvels, at least one SKRULL and…THE IRREDEEMABLE GIANT-MAN!? Also, with the Gauntlet out of commission, just wait until you meet Camp Hammond’s new Drill Instructor – he’s a real Taskmaster! Collecting AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #7-13 and ANNUAL #1.
208 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-2868-7
On-Sale 7/2/08

Penance in…
HULK: WWH – DAMAGE CONTROL TPB
Written by DWAYNE MCDUFFIE & GREG PAK
Penciled by SALVA ESPIN & RAFA SANDOVAL
Cover by GREG LAND
World War Hulk is over. But the Aftersmash has just begun. Heroes and monsters rise and fall as the events of World War Hulk reverberate through the blasted ruins of New York City with goliath impact in a massive story featuring the Warbound, the Renegades, Heroes for Hire, Iron Man, Tom Foster and Damage Control. And yes, smashing will be involved. Plus: We don’t know if you heard, but Hulk came back to earth and made a HUUUUUUUUGE mess. Who’s S.H.I.E.L.D. gonna get to clean it up? DAMAGE CONTROL, the roughest, toughest dilapidated dirt dogs this side’a the universe. If anyone can clean up the aftereffects of World War Hulk, they can. But while they’re picking up the pieces, they find that the war…may not be over. Collecting WORLD WAR HULK: AFTERSMASH and WWH AFTERSMASH: DAMAGE CONTROL #1-3.
112 PGS./Rated T+ …$12.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-2388-0
On-Sale 6/18/08

House of M versions of Cloak, Darkhawk, Rage, Speedball, Turbo and Zero-G in…
HOUSE OF M: AVENGERS TPB
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
Penciled by MIKE PERKINS
Cover by MIKE PERKINS
Return to the world of the hit House of M series, where mutants rule the earth and familiar heroes lead shocking, unfamiliar lives! See the history of this alternate reality revealed for the first time! Follow Luke Cage as he goes from wrongly-convicted prisoner to super-powered fugitive – and assembles the band of rebel freedom fighters who will come to be known as the Avengers! Featuring Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Moon Knight, Tigra, Mockingbird and more than a few surprises! The team behind the acclaimed Union Jack, Christos (World War Hulk: X-Men) Gage and Mike (Captain America) Perkins, reunite to bring you Marvel’s heroes and villains in a world where anything can happen – and does! Collecting HOUSE OF M: AVENGERS #1-5.
120 PGS./Rated T+ …$13.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-2750-5
On-Sale 6/25/08

Profiles of Dagger and Darkhawk in…
OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z VOL. 3 PREMIERE HC
Written by JEFF CHRISTIANSEN, SEAN MCQUAID, STUART VANDAL, MIKE FICHERA, MADISON CARTER, MICHAEL HOSKIN, RONALD BYRD, MARK O’ENGLISH, ERIC J. MOREELS, CHAD ANDERSON, DAVID WILTFONG, JACOB ROUGEMONT, AL SJOERDSMA, CHRIS BIGGS & RICH GREEN
Cover by TOM GRUMMETT
Continuing the most exciting and comprehensive Marvel Handbook ever assembled! This twelve-volume guide to the Marvel Universe features more than 100 huge entries in each tome! This issue – from Crimson Dynamo (Gennady Gavrilov) to the Elements of Doom! Spotlighting people (Crystal, Cyclops, Daredevil, Dazzler, Deadpool, three Deathloks, three Death’s Heads, Dr. Doom, Dr. Octopus, Dr. Strange, Domino, Dracula, Drax, Dust, Echo, Elektra), places (the Daily Bugle, District X), teams (the Defenders), species (Demons, Deviants), alternate realities (Days of Future Past, Earth-A, Earth X) items (the Darkhold) and more!
240 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-3100-7
On-Sale 6/4/08

The Nova Prime Page speaks with Nova co-writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (collectively referred to as DnA).

Regarding the upcoming storyarc with Galactus and the Silver Surfer:

“We’ve not tackled Galactus and his herald properly before, and this will be their first major appearance since the aftermath of the original Annihilation event. We are going to play around with scale, and try to portray Galactus in a way he’s not been seen before. We want to remind people how awesome he is. Imagine a story about a lone cop on duty in a city when a huge hurricane hits town. Rich is the cop, Galactus is the hurricane.”

In response to which scenes in Nova Annual #1 recounting Nova’s origins are actual memories and which are distortions:

“All and all! The Phalanx had clearly affected his memories of the past, but we were also trying to gently modernize those moments, whilst paying respectful homage to the original creators. As to the veracity of the future vision, we (and Richard) will have to wait and see what the future holds. If that is the future, there are going to be an awful lot of questions to answer!”

Regarding Nova’s involvement in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy spin-off series:

“He won’t be joining the team, but he will play a part into its creation and work with it when necessary. The Guardians are going to be Peter Quill’s brainchild, and Rich will back his friend’s efforts all the way.”

On the possibility of Nova’s involvement in this year’s Marvel event Secret Invasion:

“Yes. It’s in the planning stages now. We don’t think he COULDN’T be. He’s a cosmic champion, the last centurion, and he’s from Earth. The Skrulls will make sure he’s involved.”

Read the full interview.

CORRECTED & UPDATED: Variety reported yesterday that actor Dominic Monaghan, known for his performances in the TV series “Lost” and the three Lord of the Rings feature films, has been cast for the part of Barnell in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a spin-off movie from the X-Men films.

Variety describes the role as “a mysterious character from Wolverine’s past who has the ability to manipulate energy and electricity”. Barnell is the first name of Beak and is speculated to be an adaptation of the same character, currently known as Blackwing of the current New Warriors team. Due to the power description, some have wondered if Variety got the character’s name wrong. However, E! Online today posted an article that seems to confirm Monaghan will be playing Barnell Bohusk. It is still unknown, however, what form of the character will be used (Beak or Blackwing), and to what extent the character will be adapted.

This will mark the first second time a member of the New Warriors has appeared in a theatrically-released feature film. (Jubilee had several cameos in X-Men, played by Katrina Florece, and then by Kea Wong in X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand.)

Additionally, South Korean actor Daniel Henney has been cast as Agent Zero a.k.a. Maverick, Bolt’s former mentor. Variety describes Agent Zero as “a member of the Weapon X program and an expert tracker with lethal marksman skills”.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine stars Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. The cast also includes Liev Schreiber (as Sabretooth), Danny Huston (William Stryker), Lynn Collins (Silver Fox), Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Taylor Kitsch (Gambit), and will.i.am (Wraith). Gavin Hood (Rendition, Totsi) is directing from a screenplay by David Benioff (Troy). Jackman is also serving as producer along with Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter and John Palermo. Kevin Feige is executive producer. The film is currently scheduled to debut in US theaters on May 1, 2009.

Read the full Variety article

Read the full E! Online article

Thanks to Straight Edge for the Barry pic.

Marvel Comics has released their listings for comics to be released in May 2008. The New Warriors #12 ends the first year and third story arc of the series with the team in peril and only Night Thrasher able to help. Nova #13 begins the 3-part story pitting the Human Rocket against the world-eater Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer. Power Pack: Day One #3 continues the new origin. Plus, another Thunderbolts one-shot, more recruits for Avengers: The Initiative and several reprint collections of note. Read on…!

NEW WARRIORS #12
Written by KEVIN GREVIOUX
Penciled by PACO MEDINA
Cover by NIC KLEIN
“THRASHED” Part 4
When Night Thrasher offered them the opportunity to become super heroes once more, they leapt at the chance. They placed their trust in him. Even when one of their own fell at the hands of the Zodiac, they trusted him. And this is where that trust has led them: Powerless. Beaten. Running scared, trapped in the lair of a super-villain who’s out of their league. And the only man who can save them is Night Thrasher. But if he forsakes their trust this time, it’s their lives.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
On-Sale 5/28/08

NOVA #13
Written by DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING
Penciled by WELLINGTON ALVES
Cover by ALEX MALEEV
Beginning a three-part adventure – starring Galactus and the Silver Surfer! Nova has received an emergency call from a planet in peril – but how do you save a world being devoured by a force of nature? Is there any way to stop the big G from eating, or do you instead try to save as many refugees as possible? And do you reach out to your former ally – who is once again a feared Herald? Whatever Nova decides, nothing will prepare him – or you – for the horror known as Harrow! With all these awesome ingredients (Galactus! Silver Surfer! Nova! A new villain! A killer creative team!), this is your chance to jump onboard the book that Wizard calls “one of Marvel’s most consistently entertaining monthly books!”
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
On-Sale 5/7/08

POWER PACK: DAY ONE #3 (of 4)
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by GURIHIRU & COLLEEN COOVER
Cover by GURIHIRU
C’mon, do we even need to tease this cover? Seriously, just buy it. In the future, when comic books are valued solely on the basis of cuteness, Power Pack: Day One #3 will be worth more than Amazing Fantasy #15.
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
On-Sale 5/28/08

Penance may be in…
THUNDERBOLTS: REASON IN MADNESS
Written by CHRISTOS N. GAGE
Pencils by BEN OLIVER
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Who’s crazier – Venom or Norman Osborn? The Thunderbolts are about to find out, as one of Venom’s old partners in crime makes him an offer he can’t refuse…and all he has to do is betray Norman. But bad things happen when you cross the man who was the Green Goblin….
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
On-Sale 5/7/08

Justice, Rage, Slapstick and/or Ultragirl could be in…
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #13
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
Pencils & Cover by STEVE UY
There’s a contract out on The Taskmaster, and no shortage of villains willing to fulfill it. But what’ll kill him first — the bad guys, or his latest class of recruits? Welcome Annex, Prodigy, Gorilla Girl, Sunstreak and Batwing to the Initiative. But are they — is anyone — ready for the coming of…Butterball??
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
On-Sale 5/21/08

IRON MAN AND POWER PACK: ARMORED AND DANGEROUS DIGEST
Written by MARC SUMERAK
Penciled by MARCELO DICHERIA
Cover by GURIHIRU
Everyone’s favorite super-powered siblings – Alex, Julie, Jack and Katie – join forces with the Armored Avenger to bring down the mega-sized metallic monstrosity known as Ultimo; Marvel’s fastest villain, the Speed Demon; and the cryogenic criminal called the Blizzard! Does the action ever end? Not for Marvel’s youngest heroes! Someone is using stolen Stark Industries technology to take control of Marvel’s most high-tech heroes and villains. Sounds like the perfect time for Power Pack to attend an exhibit of old Iron Man armor! Nothing could possibly go wrong there…right?
Collecting IRON MAN AND POWER PACK #1-4.
96 PGS./All Ages …$7.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-2830-4
On-Sale 5/14/08

Blackwing, Skybolt and Tempest’s first appearances in…
NEW X-MEN BY GRANT MORRISON ULTIMATE COLLECTION BOOK 1 TPB
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Penciled by FRANK QUITELY, ETHAN VAN SCIVER, LEINIL FRANCIS YU, IGOR KORDEY & TOM DERENICK
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
Sixteen million mutants dead – and that was just the beginning! In one bold stroke, writer Grant Morrison (All-Star Superman, Batman) propelled the X-Men into the 21st century – masterminding a challenging new direction for Marvel’s mutant heroes that began with the destruction of Genosha and never let up. Regarded as the most innovative thinker of the current comic-book renaissance, Morrison proceeded to turn the mutant-hero genre on its ear. Gone were the gaudy spandex costumes – replaced by slick, black leather and an attitude to match. Now, his entire Eisner Award-nominated run on NEW X-MEN is collected across three titanic trade paperbacks! Collects NEW X-MEN #114-126 and ANNUAL 2001.
376 PGS./Rated T+ …$34.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-3251-6
On-Sale 5/14/08

X-MEN: THE COMPLETE ONSLAUGHT EPIC BOOK 2 TPB
Written by WARREN ELLIS, LARRY HAMA, HOWARD MACKIE, TODD DEZAGO, TOM DEFALCO, JOHN OSTRANDER, TERRY KAVANAGH & JEPH LOEB
Penciled by CARLOS PACHECO, VAL SEMEIKS, JEFF MATSUDA, STEFANO RAFFAELE, HERB TRIMPE, MIKE WEIRINGO, MARK BAGLEY, JOSHUA HOOD, JOHN ROMITA JR., TOM LYLE, STEVE SKROCE & ANTHONY CASTRILLO
Cover by ADAM KUBERT
You all know about Onslaught Reborn, now see how it first got under way! Professor X hasn’t been himself lately – moody, inscrutable – but the psionic armor and army of Sentinels are the real tip-offs! It’ll take every super hero New York has to face the Onslaught – including not only the X-Men, X-Factor and X-Force, but also forgotten stars of the nineties like Phil Urich, the Green Goblin; Nate Grey, the X-Man; and Ben Reilly, a.k.a. Spider-Man! Also guest-starring the Punisher, S.H.I.E.L.D. and others! Collecting EXCALIBUR #100, WOLVERINE #104, X-FACTOR #125-126, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #415, GREEN GOBLIN #12, SPIDER-MAN #72, PUNISHER #11, X-MAN #18 and X-FORCE #57.
248 PGS./Rated T+ …$29.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-2824-3
On-Sale 5/28/08

EXCALIBUR CLASSIC VOL. 5 TPB
Written by SETH KRUCHKOW, MICHAEL HIGGINS, DANA MORESHEAD, SCOTT LOBDELL &
CHRIS CLAREMONT
Penciled by CHRIS WOZNIAK, DAVE ROSS & RON WAGNER
Cover by STEVE LIGHTLE
Britain’s brightest face more than mutants in a collection of short and startling sagas! The nastiness of Nightmare! The Spawn of Krakoa! And behold: the Cheerleaders from Heck?! Guest-starring Doctor Strange and Power Pack! Collecting EXCALIBUR #29-34 and EXCALIBUR: WEIRD WAR III.
216 PGS./All Ages …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-3122-9
On-Sale 5/28/08

New Warriors-related profiles in…
ESSENTIAL OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE – MASTER EDITION VOL. 2 TPB
Written by LEN KAMINSKI, JAMIE TOST, MARK GRUENWALD & GLENN HERDLING
Penciled by KEITH POLLARD
Cover by KEITH POLLARD
Heroes, villains, gods, demons, sorcerers, scientists, monsters, mobsters and a talking duck: more than one thousand dynamic dossiers, collected in alphabetical order for the first time across three volumes! From mutants to martial arts, street crime to space opera, espionage to other dimensions, horror to humor, the past to the future, no corner of Marvel is left untouched! Super-team rosters and histories, alien race outlines and so much more! Get to know the Universe now! Collecting material from OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE – MASTER EDITION #1-36, with the characters/profiles in alphabetical order.
592 PGS./Rated A …$16.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-2731-4
On-Sale 5/14/08

The December 2007 sales estimates have been out for several weeks now. In fact, January 2008 estimates should be coming out soon. So instead of trying to quickly cobble together a feeble analysis, I’ll defer to Paul O’Brien’s December 2007 edition of his Marvel Month-to-Month Sales column at The Beat, the comics blog for Publisher’s Weekly. O’Brien uses a different source for his figures than I do, but the difference is less than +/- 100 copies and usually less than +/- 50 copies, and so is rather negligible for these purposes. Of course, take everything with a grain of salt. Neither my analysis or O’Brien’s should be translated into factual statements on a given title’s success or lack thereof.

With that, here are some New Warriors-related excerpts from O’Brien’s column.

30 Avengers: The Initiative #8 – $2.99 – 58,091
31 Avengers: The Initiative Annual #1 – $3.99 – 57,586

The monthly series continues to bleed readers at a terrifying rate. On the bright side, for what it’s worth, the Annual manages to sells quite close to the core title. Normally they lag further behind.

But realistically, this is a book with serious problems. This is the third straight issue to drop by more than 10%, and there’s no sign yet of the book leveling out. It literally cannot carry on like this.

As ‘Somebody’ points out in the comments, the Annual was a Secret Invasion: Infiltration tie-in, with accompanying banner. This could have accounted for the Annual selling closer to the core title.

71 New Warriors #6 – $2.99 – 32,962
85 New Warriors #7 – $2.99 – 30,159

Another title with serious problems. The last five issues have seen an average drop of 8%, with the most recent issues being above that average. Once again, this simply isn’t sustainable beyond the very short term. If NEW WARRIORS carries on losing sales at 8% per issue, it’ll drop below 20K within six months.

83 Nova #9 – $2.99 – 30,451

Losing readers far too quickly for comfort. The drops should have levelled out by now, but there’s no real sign of it. Despite generally positive reviews, it’s hard to see NOVA sticking around in the long term if these numbers are anything to go by.

136 Marvel Holiday Special 2007 – $3.99 – 15,638

The annual Christmas anthology. The number is marginally up from last year.

245 Iron Man/Power Pack #2 – $2.99 – 4,852

As you surely know by now, these books are not aimed at the direct market, and they do most of their business elsewhere.

Read the entire article by Paul O’Brien

See the Sales Estimates figures dating back to 1996 and more information on what the numbers mean.

Also at this weekend’s Toy Fair, Hasbro displayed their expanding Super Hero Squad toy line. Among the Spider-Man focused characters was Ben Reilly in his Spider-Man costume. Superhero Times again has pictures.

See the Ben Reilly Spider-Man figure

At this weekend’s American International Toy Fair in New York City, Art Asylum debuted their next series of Marvel Minimates. Toy news site Superhero Times has pictures from the trade show which show that the line-up will include Cloak & Dagger, as well as Nova in his current costume. The Nova Minimate appears to come with a replacement head of Richard Rider without his helmet. A Minimate of Rich’s occasional girlfriend Gamora is also part of the line-up. Release dates are not yet known. (UPDATED with better pictures)

See the Nova Minimate (close-up of Rich Rider head)

See the Cloak Minimate

See the Dagger Minimate

Next week sees the release of New Warriors #9, the return of regular artist Paco Medina and the start of a new storyline. In the meantime, the NWCC Roundtable sits down for a close look at New Warriors #8, the conclusion to the two-part “Reunion”.

Flank, Jeremy and Corey compare notes to see how the issue held up. Be sure to share your own thoughts on the issue in the comments.

New Warriors #8
Writer: Kevin Grevioux
Penciler: Jon Malin
Inker: Victor Glazaba
Colorist: Marte Gracia
Letterer: Virtual Calligraphy’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Nic Klein
Production: Anthony Dial
Editor: Daniel Ketchum
Executive Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley

SYNOPSIS:
Night Thrasher confronts his predecessor’s greatest enemy Midnight’s Fire, while the rest of the team confronts their doubts over the subversive nature of their New Warriors organization. Also, former New Warriors watch the formation of a government youth group called the Junior Guardsmen.

FLANK:
Issue #8 was my least favorite of the new series.  In the middle I actually wanted to put it down and not finish it.  Much of that was the art — I couldn’t tell the women apart, there weren’t really anything resembling backgrounds, and Jon Malin draws full tier ‘wide-screen’ panels almost exclusively, no matter what the story calls for.  But unfortunately, the story had just as much to blame.

JEREMY:
Not much to say here but, “Yeah.” The art was not winning me over, and in this issue more than the last I really felt Medina’s absence and began to appreciate how much he brings to the book.

COREY:
Unfortunately, agreed. And after reading Young Avengers Presents #1 where Paco Medina and Juan Vlasco cranked out work better than any of their New Warriors material so far, I’m hoping they’ll return next issue stronger than ever. I’m still not wowed by Medina but there’s an ease to his style that I hadn’t really acknowledged before.

FLANK:
Half the issue was about the confrontation between the new Night Thrasher, his ex-girlfriend Silhouette, and his dead brother’s old nemesis Midnight’s Fire.  The art rendered the obligatory fight totally skip-able, and then we got into the meat of the scene.  The meat of the scene is that Donyell wants something Fire can give him, Fire wants something else that apparently only helping Donyell will provide, Silhouette doesn’t approve, and Fire turns out to be working for someone who’s plotting against the Warriors.  It’s all terribly mysterious.  “Terribly” meaning, it’s a terrible way to do a mystery, because we aren’t given enough hints at what these people might want to actually care about the conflict between them, and instead it was just frustratingly oblique.

JEREMY:
This scene was really muddy here, and I don’t think it was really the art that did it. The writing is vague to the point of gibberish, and the only thing that keeps me engaged is the mental gymnastics required to keep straight who is thinking what here. The mystery is bland (like most of the plot threads introduced in the last issue and this one) and the dialogue is… wait! The dialogue is… less awful! Well, at least THIS dialogue.

COREY:
At least the immense coincidence of Doynell, Silhouette and Midnight’s Fire all happening to visit Dwayne Taylor’s grave was addressed. Apparently Donyell, masquerading as Dwayne, invited Midnight’s Fire. This just leaves Silhouette’s arrival an only slightly less immense coincidence. But this is super-hero comics, so sometimes you just have to go with it when it comes to this type of stuff. Otherwise, yes. Donyell wants Midnight’s Fire to help him in some way, and since Midnight’s Fire will get something or other out of it, he’ll do it. I can’t help thinking the pay-off won’t be satisfying, but I would love to be proven wrong. I did like the mystery of the shadowed person in the back of Aaron’s car. That sequence was another common super-hero element, but was a bit more enjoyable. We’ll see where all of this takes us, but I agree the set up of it in this and the previous issue didn’t quite excite me.

FLANK:
Then there was also the non-debate the team had about whether people could consider them terrorists or not.  The initial scene of just the males on the team didn’t make any sense — hands up if you understood who thought they could be considered terrorists and who didn’t. Then it got worse when they brought it up with the rest of the team.

One of the main problems was that the writer, like most of the American public and the current administration, seems to have a shaky idea of what “terrorism” means.  Terrorism, by its definition, is performed with the end goal of inspiring terror.  It’s right there in the name. Violence is a means to an end in terrorism, not the end itself.  So, no, the current Warriors are not terrorists.  Would today’s America perceive them as such?  In a political climate where popular talk radio hosts call for anti-war activists to be placed in detainment camps and charged with reason?  I gotta say, yeah, people would think they’re terrorists.

JEREMY:
I thought this was an interesting point, and was looking forward to the individuals taking a stance one way or another, but it quickly devolved into a sort of ramble without a point OR consistent characterization, so the potential “hot-button” sense of the issue was very much wasted.

COREY:
This could’ve been a really interesting discussion. Instead, I never got a sense of what exactly was being discussed beyond the fear of a label from public perception. No one really voiced exactly what they thought would come of such a label, aside from a generalized fear for their children. Consequences weren’t discussed. They never got into why this label is being applied to them, and whether their actions were influencing the perception, or if there was anything they could do about it by changing their actions. They could’ve discussed any number of more philosophical aspects of the topic, akin to the “freedom fighter” vs. “insurgent” debate. I don’t even see how they got to their hooray, go-team resolution. Everyone just decided to be cool to each other and act like a family, which wasn’t really addressing the concern. This was probably one of the most frustrating scenes of the series so far because the original series was so good at talking about social concerns despite being within a super-hero context. It’s tough type of scene to write and I think that was backed up here.

FLANK:
The solicits for this arc told us we’d get to see the reaction of former Warriors to the new team. We didn’t.  Instead, we saw Silhouette and Donyell talk obliquely about their history, and we saw Justice, Ultra-Girl and Rage — but none of them said much about the new team.  Instead, we got to hear three reactions to the Junior Guardsmen — or rather, *four* reactions, because Justice went to comparing them to Nazi Germany last issue to defending them when Rage compared them to Nazi Germany this issue.  I would’ve loved to see the old members address the new team, and I would’ve loved seeing them all interact even more.  Instead we got the Junior Guardsmen, who seem like a really strange, ill-conceived concept, especially in this book.  They’re too young and non-powered to be a counterpart to the Warriors, and what is the goal “justice by any means necessary” doing coming out of anything sponsored by the Initiative?

JEREMY:
I’ll finally disturb the agreement here and say I liked these scenes. The Juniors could be very interesting, and while I have no idea where that’s going, this may just be a case where Kevin is going to surprise us. Maybe. Plus, even with Vance’s wobbly ethics between this issue and last (which I hadn’t noticed until Flank pointed it out) I can’t bring myself to badmouth any appearance by a REAL Warrior in this book.

COREY:
There was something disjointed about this scene and Flank did a good job of nailing it down for me. Like I said last time, I think the Junior Guardsmen concept could be interesting. It isn’t yet. I’m not really sure how long I’m willing to remain optimistic about it.

FLANK:
All in all — for me, this one sucked.  I thought this was going to be the story arc that got me really engaged with this book.  Instead, after this story, I’m not convinced I still want to spend my money on this.

JEREMY:
Well, I’m not dropping it yet… but if this issue is an indication of the evolution of Kevin’s writing, I am definitely done buying double issues at #12. (Um, did I just out myself as one of THOSE people?) He’s patching up dialogue and leaving out the annoyances of the Diner and the police… but what is filling that space isn’t really any more desirable. My overall impression of these two issues is “Murky” and that word is pretty darn apt in both the writing and art departments.

COREY:
If I weren’t such a fan of the characters, and running this site, I would probably have passed on it by now, too. Honestly, I might’ve switched to trades or just not bothered completely after issue #6. It pains me to be this rough on the series. The interviews before the first issue’s release had me very excited. So far, the great concepts and themes discussed in those interviews haven’t coalesced into a great comic book. However, an about-face is always possible, so I’ll hold out hope.

Writer Steve Gerber died on Sunday, February 10, 2008 at the age of 60 from complications of pulmonary fibrosis.

Best known for creating and writing Howard the Duck, which eventually led to an industry-changing fight for creator rights, and Omega the Unknown (with writer Mary Skrenes), Gerber is best known among New Warriors fans for taking over the 1970s Sub-Mariner series following Bill Everett’s death. While never happy with his run on the book, Gerber was the first to shake up the status quo of the newly-created Namorita. Her storyline also crossed over into Gerber’s Marvel Two-in-One.

Gerber also co-wrote, along with Gerry Conway, Len Wein, Chris Claremont, Scott Edelman and Roger Slifer, Giant-Size Defenders #5, the first appearance of young Vance Astrovik, who would later become Marvel Boy, and later still take the name Justice.

Years later, Gerber and artist Rick Leonardi were brought in to try to rejuvenate Cloak and Dagger volume 3 in 1991. Unfortunately, the shift came too late to save the series from the weakening sales of the previous 13 issues of ‘Mutant Misadventures’.

In 1996, Gerber returned to Howard the Duck for Spider-Man Team-Up #5, which featured Ben Reilly as Spider-Man and a cover by New Warriors volume 1 artist Darick Robertson. The issue slyly interconnected with Savage Dragon/Destroyer Duck #1, also written by Gerber and published by Image Comics. The issue was illustrated by former Nova writer/artist Chris Marrinan. The two issues effectively removed Gerber’s original Howard the Duck from the Marvel Universe and replaced him with a double in a protest over Marvel Comics’ past mishandling of the character.

Despite his occasional New Warriors connection, Gerber is most known for creating Howard the Duck, the acerbic social satire of the 1970s. The unlikely main character won such a following that a presidential campaign in 1976 resulted in several hundred votes. A newspaper comic strip also spun out of the series, an achievement rarely obtained by Marvel Comics characters. However, a protracted battle over the rights of the character began in the late ’70s, resulting in the removal of Gerber from both the comic strip and the comic book. One Marvel executive allegedly proclaimed that Gerber’s name would never again appear in a Marvel comic. In the interim, the infamous Howard the Duck movie was released in 1986. Gerber’s involvement was limited and the movie’s success famously even more limited. The movie remains one of Hollywood’s biggest bombs. Many creators rallied around Gerber during the proceedings. Eventually a settlement over the ownership of the character was reached, and while the details are limited, Gerber stated he was “no longer angry”. The legal battle created a shift among comic creators in what they deserved and the worth of their work.

Gerber is also remembered for his quirky run on The Defenders and his imaginative series with co-writer Mary Skrenes Omega the Unknown. The latter was never completed. Marvel drew criticism from Gerber recently when they relaunched the story without consulting him.

Gerber was also involved in animation. In the 1980s, he was chief story editor for “G.I. Joe,” story editor and co-creator of “Thundarr the Barbarian” and story editor on “Dungeons & Dragons”. In the 1990s, he won an EMMY for his work on “The Batman/Superman Adventures”.

His creator-owned series such as Nevada and Void Indigo while less cited also drew praise from critics. The latter, however, was found to be objectionable by some distributors and retailers who refused to sell it. The more recent Hard Time reunited Gerber with writer Mary Skrenes. While it failed to make strong enough sales, perhaps hindered by a failing imprint, the series won positive reviews from critics and readers. At the time of his death, Gerber was working on the final issues of Countdown to Mystery, a mini-series relaunching Dr. Fate for DC Comics.

Gerber had a website at SteverGerber.com and had been writing an online journal, stevegerblog, covering his work and health struggles. Since Gerber’s death, friend and colleague Mark Evanier has been managing the blog and providing people with a place to share remembrances. If you have fond memories of any Gerber’s work or of Gerber himself, please stop by and share them.

Gerber’s friends and family have asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Hero Initiative.

Obituaries and remembrances: Los Angeles Times, New York Times, POV Online, The Comics Reporter, The Beat, Journalista

Also: Gerber interview from The Comics Journal #41, August 1978

Time once again to play catch-up from the last week of New Warriors news.

The Nerdage blog concluded its Nova Week theme with more interviews and articles:

• Nova Prime Page webmaster Doug Smith Interview Part 3 and Part 4
• Heroes for the 90s, an article about Nova in the New Warriors
• Reviews on What If? Annihilation and Nova Annual #1
• Nova editor Bill Rosemann Interview with a sneak peak at a page from Nova #11 by Paul Pelletier. Rosemann confirms that Pelletier’s run will be 2 issues (#11 & 12) and that Wellington Alves will return for a 3-issue run. No news yet on whether Alves will be the new regular artist or if someone will take over with issue #16.
  • Excerpt:
    • Rosemann: “Currently, a vicious virus is racing through Nova’s system. What’s fun about that (for readers, at least) is exploring the question: What good is the ability to soar through space and hurl massive force beams if your own body is betraying you? You can see how that fight is taken to it’s ultimate level in Nova Annual #1, on sale next week. Then he’ll confront the afore-mentioned Warlock in March and April. Will he help Nova in his current quest to take down the techno villains known as the Phalanx? After that…yeah, it’s time for Galactus and the Silver Surfer! What can our Human Rocket do against a giant who eats planets? You’ll have to come along for the ride in May to find out!”
• Nova Gets First Annual article from local newspaper The Oklahoman, which hosts the blog Nerdage
• New Warriors volume 2 writer Jay Faerber interview where he talks about his time writing Nova and the New Warriors
• Podcast reviewing Nova Annual #1

Nerdage, comic book blog of The Oklahoman newspaper, continues it’s Human Rocket celebration with the second part of their interview with Nova Prime Page webmaster Doug Smith, as well as a feature on how the Nerdage blogger came around to being a fan of Nova.

Read part 2 of the Doug Smith interview.

Read the Learning to Love Richard Rider article.

Nova Weekend at CBR may be over, but like a virtual relay race, Nerdage picks up the baton. Nova Week begins today at the NewsOK.com blog with a quick interview with Nova Prime Page webmaster and Rocket Boosters fanzine publisher Doug Smith.

Read the full interview.

CBR’s Nova Weekend wrapped up this past Sunday with an interview with Nova Annual #1 artist Mahmud Asrar. Four preview pages are included.

Some excerpts:

Naturally, I knew about him but I hadn’t read any of the Nova series before. It’s funny because despite not having read his books I’ve always had this positive opinion about Nova since, to me; he represents everything that a superhero comic should be about. As soon as I was assigned to this job a friend gave me his copy of The Essential Nova as a gift which was very cool since it helped as reference, but most importantly I’ve had the opportunity to finally read Nova comics. I really feel Marv Wolfman’s concept of Nova is a great example of a true Marvel character.

Working on the Nova Annual was heaps of fun.

What I wanted to achieve was to do justice to the script while staying true to the character and his world as best as I could.

What makes him special is actually that he’s not a special person at all. He’s very much like you or somebody you know very closely. In essence that’s something I tried to capture with my work. A normal college kid who’s experiencing something out of this world in his life, when he’s also forced to face the goodness and hero within him. So when trying to convey these attributes I really didn’t have too much trouble since I could consider my youth similar in some senses. I was never the popular kid nor was I the discarded outcast.

I’ve also had the chance to humbly pay homage to John Buscema, one of my oldest and greatest influences, which was without doubt the most rewarding aspect.

Read the full interview and see the preview pages.

Catching up from the weekend, CBR’s Nova Weekend series of columns continued on Saturday with an interview with Nova artist Paul Pelletier, who begins his run with issue #11. Seven preview pages are included.

Some excerpts:

I wasn’t too familiar with Nova, but I like the sci-fi adventure feel that this newest version of Nova has. I had tons of fun penciling Negation for CrossGen, so I figured this book could have some of that same flavor. I had heard great things about [writers] Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s writing on this book, which was a nice incentive for me to work on this title.

Besides the tight deadlines, everything about Nova [has] been great so far! I really enjoy working with Dan and Andy’s plots, and reuniting with [editor] Bill Rosemann has been a blast. I also get to work with my friend (and excellent inker!) Rick Magyar once again. All is good!

Read the full interview and see the preview pages.