Mysterio! The Gauntlet! Dan Slott! Oh my!

After not reading comics for almost two months, I finally went and picked up all of the comics I hadn’t bought and in this monstrous stack was Amazing Spider-Man #618. Penned by Dan Slott with art by Marcos Martin, this was the issue I have been looking forward to for months (since I heard word of it back in August) that was apart of Spider-Man’s “The Gauntlet.”

In case you haven’t been keeping up with Amazing Spider-Man, what’s been happening is this: all of Spidey’s old villains have been coming back… with a vengeance. The thing is, they’re not coming back to get Spider-Man, but they’re coming back to do what they do best: do selfish things. So far, we’ve had Electro, Sandman, Rhino (2.0) and this weeks baddy–Mysterio.

It’s been all very good so far, but this week’s issue… I wasn’t feeling it so much, which is a huge surprise since I have an absolute love for Dan Slott’s Spider-Man. But let’s talk more after the break.

*some minor spoilery after the break*

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Just got this in our e-mail over here:

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Mohawk Media

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release: Thursday 3 December 2009

PUBLISHER PUTS OUT CALL TO COMIC ARTISTS

Mohawk Media launches talent search

Publisher Mohawk Media has today announced that it is in search of artists for upcoming comic book and graphic novel projects.

Having had success with its Mr. T graphic novels, the publisher is readying to get new projects underway in 2010.

To help spearhead this search, Mr. T author, Christopher Bunting, has been appointed as Editor-In-Chief.

Bunting says: “As a freelance writer, one in the early stages of his career, I know just how tough it is to break into comic books.”

“I’ve often heard aspiring artists say there are no openings. I’m therefore proud to be part of this Mohawk Media initiative to give artists the opportunity to become published, and be involved in some of the coolest titles of 2010!”

The publisher recommends the following:

• A brief email about yourself and any published experience, accompanied by a minimum of 5 sequential pages
• Story pages only (no pinups, paintings or portraits)
• Your strongest – and preferably, recent – work
• A variety of genres if possible
• Samples in jpeg or PDF format only. Links will not be opened
• All submissions to chris@mohawkmedia.co.uk

Bunting continues: “Remember, comics are a storytelling medium. Those are the skills that you need to demonstrate.”

“We’re excited to see what comes in. Good luck!”

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Do you buy comic books?

That’s my question for you today. Do you buy comic books? If so, why? What keeps you coming back each month to each book you buy?

I’ve stated on many occasions that I’m an avid X-Men fan and each month I come back to my X-books knowing that the story is going to go forward to something great–and also, small hopes that Gambit will make an appearance. Marvel has (pretty much) had solid writing on the part of X-Men for the last 10 years or so and since I started picking up single issues instead of trades (which started roughly a year and a half ago) I’ve been buying at least one X-book a month because they’re that good. Of course, as of right now I’m buying almost all the X-books (Uncanny X-Men, X-Force, X-Factor, X-Men: Legacy, Cable)… because I’m a super nerd.

But I also pick up a lot of non-X-books.

Invincible Iron Man, for instance, is a book I’ve been buying since I read the first issue of “World’s Most Wanted.” Combining the art of Salvador Larroca and the writing of Matt Fraction, the 12 issue story arc has kept me wanting more and more each month. Both the plot and the art are above and beyond what I ever thought possible for a story focused on Iron Man. This is one of the books I’m going to classify as “I’m glad I started reading/buying when I did.”

Incredible Hercules. I have been reading Incredible Hercules since it’s first issue after World War Hulk, but I didn’t start buying it until issue #125 or so. Since then, I have bought the back issues of the comic (back to #112). This is a comic that when I read it, I don’t want it to end. The story and the writing in general is simply fantastic. It drives the comic beyond what I would ever expect from a Marvel comic. It’s strange to say, but this comic is so good, I’m surprised it hasn’t been canceled yet. Do you know what I mean?

Marvel aside, I do grab some DC/Vertigo comics as well as some independents.

Detective Comics. This is the one comic book I never thought I’d see myself reading a year ago. To me Detective Comics and Action Comics are the definitive DC comics and a year ago I wanted nothing to do with DC. I was a fool. On a whim I picked up Detective Comics #854 after a buddy of mine recommended it to me. This is another one of those “I’m glad I started reading/buying when I did” comics as I can not stop loving every piece of this comic. The art alone keeps me coming back each month.

The Vertigo comic I read right now that keeps me wanting more each month is DMZ. A comic I started buying back around issue #35, I wish I owned #1-34 because Brian Wood’s story is just fan-flipping-tastic. This is probably the best non-super-hero comic I have ever read in my life. Period.

Outside of Robert Kirkman’s plethora of sexy-time comic books, I read some random independent comics because I always like to try out the indie publishers here and there to see if there is greatness out there. Warren Ellis‘ torrent of comics that he releases tend to keep me buying every month (most recently Supergod and Ignition City), Garth Ennis‘ Crossed, and Mark Waid’s Irredeemable keep me wanting more every month. With these indie comics, it’s a sick hunger I get for more story each month. Wendigo style.

There are a few others in there I buy but the comics above are the ones I always look forward to the most. But again, I have to know, why do you buy comics? What keeps you coming back to your favorite titles? Let me know in the comments.

More info about the comics reviewed after the break.

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More info about the comics covered this week after the break.

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More info about this video after the break.

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Die Hard: Year One #1 cover

People always ask me, “Mike, why do you read those crappy indie comics?” or “There’s a comic book based off of that TV Show/Movie?” and every time, I give those people the middle finger. Mind you, I do realize these are my friends I’m flipping off but nevertheless, this comic is one of those ‘crappy indie comics’ that I read: Die Hard: Year One. But to my surprise, this comic is anything but crap; it’s fantastic.

With writer Howard Chaykin and artist Stephen Thompson, this comic surprised me at how well put together it was. I mean, when someone thinks of a prequel to a movie in a comic book form, all hope becomes lost for it because, in all seriousness, how many good comic books have been released that were in relation to a hit blockbuster series (here in the US that is)? I can’t say I know of any.

And here we have Die Hard: Year One #1. Let me explain why this comic was so great after the break. (pseudo-spoilers abound)

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Well! We had no response from our winner in the first giveaway… which means the stakes have changed!

If you recall, we’re giving away a snazzy package of things:

The Middleman: The Complete Series PLUS The Middleman: The Doomsday Apocalypse Armageddon GN–the unfilmed season finale in graphic novel format.

To enter the contest, send an e-mail to: cyborg@destroythecyb.org (only one e-mail per will be valid per person). We will close the contest next Thursday (October 8, 2009) and will announce the win winner sometime Friday (October 9, 2009).

All the thanks for this giveaway goes to our staff writer Daniel Palacio as he took the time to get these items at SDCC this summer as well as the time to get the graphic novel signed.

More info after the jump.

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We have… a winner!

After a nice little random number generation thanks to Random.org, we have picked an official winner of our Middleman DVD/GN giveaway…

Ian! (aka this comment) You’ve won!

All we need from you is an e-mail with your name and shipping address and we can have your DVD out to you as soon as possible. Please e-mail cyborg[at]destroythecyb[dot]org.

Thanks again to everyone who commented and participated!

The Middleman: The Complete Series

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we at DestroyTheCyb.org! are giving away a once-in-a-lifetime DVD/graphic novel combination!:

The Middleman: The Complete Series PLUS The Middleman: The Doomsday Apocalypse Armageddon GN–the unfilmed season finale in graphic novel format.

To enter the contest, simply make a comment on this post (only one comment will be valid per person). We will close the contest on Sunday at 9 PM EST.

All the thanks for this giveaway goes to our staff writer Daniel Palacio as he took the time to get these items at SDCC this summer as well as the time to get the graphic novel signed.

More info after the jump.


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