Posts Tagged ‘ idw ’

Sunday Review: Locke & Key Volumes 1 and 2

July 17, 2011
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There was a time in my life when I really liked the horror/slasher genre. I consumed everything. I snuck into the Punch & Pudy movie theater to see Friday the 13th, Halloween, Terror Train, Poltergeist and more. I read the Stephen King and Clive Barker books and read a few comics. But now that I’m older I have fallen out of late. Sure I’ve kept up on it reading 30 Days Of Night and I’m enjoying Hellraiser from Boom! Studios (both the classic Marvel reprints and the new series), but what has me interested in horror and adult violent comics is Locke & Key from Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. If you didn’t know already, Hill is the son of Stephen King.

I should correct myself, Locke & Key isn’t so much horror as it is violent, dark fantasy that is set in the “real world” of Lovecraft, Massachusetts. There is blood, profanity and a bit of sex, so is is not intended for a younger audience. The story centers around a family that has lost there father to a brutal murder and moves out east to a old, mysterious mansion. Keys are found by the kids and they soon open doors to wonder, imagination and even your even head! In every chapter in the first two books, Welcome to Lovecraft and Head Games, I found myself drawn into this strange place and I even had empathy for all the characters, something that isn’t easy for me to do. As with any good tale, secrets abound but with the right key anything can be let out, but some things should be locked away forever.

The extras in these two books are very good. Volume 1 includes an introduction by detective fiction author Robert Crais (Hill Street Blues, Elvis Cole/Joe Pike), a 10 page art gallery by Gabriel Rodriguez, creator biographies, character sketches, and Lovecraft Island and Keyhouse sketches. Volume 2 gets even better with infold sketches of all four faces (north, south, east and west) of the Keyhouse house, an introduction by Warren Ellis, the 6vknows keys including the Omega key, the 12 step process of one page – page 8 from issue #6. I liked the simple description at the end when Rodriguez states, “Repeat 22 times and you get a comic book”. There is also a 9 page art gallery including creator biographies similar to the first book.

There are two more Locke & Key Volumes available; Volume 4 was just released a few weeks ago.

Volume 1: Welcome to Lovecraft
Collects Welcome to Lovecraft #1-6 (2008)
Volume 2: Head Games
Collects Head Games #1-6 (2009)
Locke & Key
Written by Joe Hill
Art by Gabriel Rodriguez
Colors by Jay Fotos
Letters by Robbie Robbins
$24.99, 152 pages, IDW

Recommended reading:
The Barry Windsor-Smith Conan Archives Volume 1-2
Dark Tower Omnibus and Companion Omnibus Slipcase HC

My Summer Reading List

June 15, 2011
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As busy as my summer is, I always find more time to read now then at any other point in the year. I guess it’s because I like to sit out on my back porch, relax with cold drink and a good book. I also bring along books when I go up north for long weekend with the wife and kids. Even with a baseball game on TV every night (my other passion) I find the time.

What I don’t have is a ton of money. And the money I do have I try to spend it on collected editions that I want to keep and reread at a later date or for reference purposes. But I consider myself very lucky especially when it comes to the area that I live in and the great amenities it offers. I’ve talked on the podcast about how great my local library is and the selection of comics, graphic novels and collected editions it has. It’s also so easy to reserve and renew books online. Here is a short list of what I plan on reading so far and doesn’t include my To Read Pile or pre-ordered books from Discount Comic Book Service. Yeah, I have about 10 years of reading to do. I hope to fly through these books at a good rate and post reviews on each bullet point below every Sunday.

  • Locke & Key Vol. 1: Welcome To Lovecraft and Locke & Key Vol. 2: Head Games by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
    • I read volume 1 as it came out in single issue form. I’m eager to reread it along with volume 2. Locke & Key Vol. 4: Keys To The Kingdom HC is due out at the end of June.
  • Adventures of TinTin: Land Of Black Gold, Destination Moon, Explorers On The Moon by Hergé (Little, Brown)
    • I plan on reading every TinTin story before the movie hits this Christmas. I’m a bit surprised that we haven’t seen any indication of a Complete TinTin Omnibus yet.
  • The Contract With God Trilogy: Life On Dropsie Avenue and New York: Life In The Big City by Will Eisner (WW Norton)
    • Ever since I read the The Spirit Archives Volumes 1-27, I’ve been meaning to read Eisner’s other work. I’m already halfway through Trilogy.
  • Frank Frazetta’s Johnny Comet (Vanguard Productions)
    • I bought this book at the Motor City Con in May and it’s still wrapped in cellophane – but not for long!
  • Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel (Hyperion Book)
    • Not for me, but my 11-year-old son. My wife actually bought this book for his school summer reading program. Perhaps you’ll get to see Patrick’s review on this site.

What are you reading this summer?

In the USA…
Top Sellers this week! In Stock Trades
 In the UK and Europe…
Pre-order books from Forbidden Planet International
DC for October
Batman And Robin Deluxe HC Vol 3 Batman Must Die
American Vampire HC Vol 02 (MR)
Justice League International TP Vol 06
Thor By Walter Simonson Omnibus HC
Y: The Last Man Deluxe Edition HC Vol 5 (MR)
Buffy Season 8 TP Vol 08 Last Gleaming
Witchblade Vol 10 Witch Hunt TP – 100% off!
Fables TP Vol 15 Rose Red (MR)
Invincible TP Vol 14 Viltrumite War
Secret Six The Reptile Brain TP
Marvel – 40% off Special until June 29 – Siege HC
DC – 40% off Special until June 29 – Green Lantern Omnibus Vol 2 HC
Indie – 40% off Special until June 29 – Space Family Robinson Vol 2 HC
Manga – 40% off Special until June 29 – Bleach 3-In-1 Edition Vol 2
Classic – 40% off Special until June 29 – 2000 AD Offering Stickleback
Marvelman Classic Volume 3 Premiere HC
American Vampire Vol 1
Hilda and the Midnight Giant HC
Mark Twain’s Autobiography 1910-2010 HC
The Unwritten Vol 4 Leviathan

CCL Podcast #309 – 6×9 for Two

May 26, 2011
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Collected Comics Library Podcast #309
33.6 Mb; 36m 39s

Every day when I look at my books, I’m reminded of the wonderful words and art that has been published throughout the years. But I’m also reminded of the packaging of these comics; hardcover, softcover, oversized, regular sized, digest, thick or thin, you name the format and it’s sitting before me. As a man on the go, I can’t always take my Omnibus with me and sometimes one trade paperback isn’t always enough to satisfy me if I’m held over at the airport, getting my car fixed or lounging in the backyard. I, like you, can read 128 pages at a good clip and being that the majority of the books I read are from DC and Marvel, I think it’s high time they offer us readers a new format, but one that’s been in circulation for sometime and one that I’m very fond of – the 6×9 inch softcover.

Dark Horse and IDW have been publishing these handy trades for a few years now. Not only do they have more pages then the standard, but for the amount of comics you get they usually come at the very affordable price of $24.99 and perhaps best of all they are heavy duty and can take a beating. I dive into this topic and tell you what comic runs would be a great trial for this format.

Also on the show today, a quick Motor City Comic Con wrap up , my adventure at the Thor movie and the return of Shipping and Product changes.

Cheers!

Chris

Links of note:
Collected Editions Blog – Trade Perspectives: DC August 2011 Solicitations: JLA and other concerns

Please visit my site sponsors: In-Stock Trades and Forbidden Planet International (UK)

In the USA…
Top Sellers this week! In Stock Trades
 In the UK and Europe…
Pre-order books from Forbidden Planet International
Y: The Last Man Deluxe Edition HC Vol 5 (MR)
Invincible TP Vol 14 Viltrumite War
Thor By Walter Simonson Omnibus HC
Batman And Robin Deluxe HC Vol 3 Batman Must Die
Captain America Trial Of Captain America Prem HC
Fables TP Vol 15 Rose Red (MR)
Witchblade Vol 10 Witch Hunt TP – 100% off!
Brightest Day HC Vol 2
Secret Six The Reptile Brain TP
Shield HC Architects Of Forever
Marvel – 40% off Special until June 1 – Fantastic Four By John Byrne Omnibus Vol 1 HC Cover B
DC – 40% off Special until June 1 – 100 Bullets Book One HC
Indie – 40% off Special until June 1 – Strange Girl Omnibus HC
Marvel – 40% off Special until June 1 – Infinite Kung Fu
Classic – 40% off Special until June 1 – Civil War
Judge Dredd: Tour Of Duty – Mega-City Justice
Criminal Macabre Omnibus Vol 1
Flash: The Road to Flashpoint HC
X-Men: Prelude To Schism Premiere HC
Spider-Man: The Fantastic Spider-Man Premiere HC

Cooke and IDW announce Parker: The Martini Edition

April 2, 2011
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Media Release — At WonderCon today, IDW Publishing announced that Darwyn Cooke’s first two adapted Parker books, THE HUNTER and THE OUTFIT, will be collected in a tremendous, oversized hardcover edition, with an additional 65 pages of Cooke content. Packaged in a beautiful slipcase, The Martini Edition debuts in July and features a brand new Parker short story by Darwyn Cooke.

“The first two Parker graphic novels have been met with such overwhelming praise,” said series editor Scott Dunbier. “It’s almost been an embarrassment of riches. With this Martini Edition we’re really trying to up the bar and give the fans something extra special—I think we’ll succeed!”

Adapted from Richard Stark’s classic crime noir novel, Darwyn Cooke’s PARKER: THE HUNTER graphic novel debuted in July 2008 to instantaneous popular and critical acclaim. It made the New York Times best-seller list and won coveted Eisner and Harvey awards. The second graphic novel, THE OUTFIT, was released last year and was met with similar response, and is currently under consideration for nominations in this year’s awards season. Parker: The Martini Edition will be a very special collection in that it will also feature an expansive section of sketches and preliminaries by the artist, with commentary accompanying. Also included is a brand-new 8-page Parker story by Darwyn Cooke, unique to this volume.

The Hunter and The Outfit tell the story of Parker, Richard Stark’s classic anti-hero, as he returns to New York to settle the score with his wife and partner in crime after they betray him in a heist gone terribly wrong. After evening the field and reclaiming his prize, the Outfit decide to do some score settling of their own… and learn much too late that when you push a man like Parker, it had better be all the way to the grave.

PARKER: THE MARTINI EDITION ($75.00, partial color, 344 pages, 9″x13″) will be available comic and book stores in July 2011. ISB 978-1-60010-980-5.

Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling book.

My thanks to iFanboy for the pic.

CCL Podcast #303 – Six Year Anniversary – I’ve Fell-en and I Can’t Get Up

March 2, 2011
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Collected Comics Library Podcast #303
15,040Kb; 15m 56s

Wouldn’t you know that I go record my six year anniversary podcast and it turns out that I get a bad sore throat. Not to worry, it’s a quick show today as I go over some collected edition news from IDW, DC, Marvel, Fantagraphics, Flesk, Boom, and Dark Horse (and even more) that has caught my eye and is worth commenting on.

I want to thank everyone who has come by this blog and downloaded a podcast from the past six years. It truly means a lot to me and your support keeps me going from week to week.

If you are gong to C2E2, please let me know, I’d be happy to meet with you.

Chris

Please visit my site sponsors: In-Stock Trades and Forbidden Planet International (UK)

In the USA…
Top Sellers this week! In Stock Trades
 In the UK and Europe…
Pre-order books from Forbidden Planet International
Daytripper TP
Morning Glories Vol 1 For A Better Future TP
Witchblade Vol 10 Witch Hunt TP
Batman The Return Of Bruce Wayne Deluxe Ed HC
Absolute All Star Superman HC
Starman Omnibus HC Vol 6
Witchblade Vol 11 Awakenings TP
Flash Dastardly Death Of The Rogues HC
Scalped TP Vol 7 Rez Blues
BPRD Plague Of Frogs HC Vol 1
Marvel – 40% off Special until March 16 – X-Men: X-Tinction Agenda HC
DC – 40% off Special until March 16 – Justice HC
Indie – 40% off Special until March 16 – Vampirella Archive Vol4 HC
Manga – 40% off Special until March 16 – Death Note Black Edition Vol 3
Classic – 40% off Special until March 16 – Signal to Noise (New Edition)
Deadpool MAX Nutjob Premiere HC
Trouble by Mark Millar Premiere HC
7 Billion Needles Vol 4
Angel: Illyria – Haunted
Batman: Red Hood – The Lost Days