Yesterday I blogged about receiving a package of comics for possible review...  from Bluewater Comics.  A couple of titles jumped right out at me, including this one, 'Ray Harryhausen Presents Wrath Of The Titans' #1, the 2nd Printing, which featured a new cover. 

Ray Harryhausen's film 'Clash Of The Titans' was his last film and was released in 1981.  Harryhausen has since licenced Bluewater Productions to create six comic book follow-ups to some of his most famous movies.  The first three were "Sinbad: Rogue Of Mars", "20 Million Miles More" and this one that I read... "Wrath Of The Titans".

Ray has achieved international fame since his early start in films back in the 1930's. His name on this project was the main reason I chose this comic to read second, after the 'Legend Of Isis' that I reviewed yesterday.

The writers, Darren G. Davis and Scott Davis did a good job on this story, keeping my interest and wanting me to come back for more.  Nadir Balan's artwork was fitting for this genre of story... only the last couple of pages was a little 'cartoony', not totally fitting the style of the earlier pages in my opinion. The colors by Joey Campos was in keeping with the pencilling and the time period for this story.

The 'extras' included in this comic book included four pages of original sketches by Ray Harryhausen. They were from the 'Sinbad' project that Ray had done earlier.  Also included were two pages from Nadir Balan's Sketchbook, which were for this 'Titans' comic book concept.

For those that are fans of Ray's 'Clash of the Titans' film, this is a good read. 'Wrath of the Titans' continues the story of Perseus, who was the child of Zeus, King of the Grecian gods.

Bluewater's mini-series starts the story arc with the pending birth of Perseus’ child, and the ramifications that it will cause.  Zeus decrees that the soon to be born child will become the ruler of mortals!  Hence the rest of the Pantheon will need to pay tribute!  Well, Hera the Queen of the gods fears that such a chosen child would eventually rule the rest of the heavens as well as earth.  Thus she works to destroy Perseus, his wife Andromeda, and their soon to be born child!

If this storyline grabs your attention, and you are a fan of Ray's earlier film 'Clash of the Titans', you might watch for the upcoming film remake! 

Set to be released March 26th 2010, this is the remake of Ray's 1981 film version of the myth of Perseus and his quest to battle both Medusa and the Kraken monster in order to save the Princess Andromeda!

Because this film stars Sam Worthington, who I think 'stole' the film 'Terminator: Salvation', I will definitely keep an eye out for this release date! (For my film review on Terminator: Salvation, Click here.  For Tina's review on same film, click here.)

For more info on this comic book series and the rest of the issues, please see the Bluewater Comics web site at:  http://www.Bluewaterprod.com

BTW, Bluewater Comics is also the publisher of the 'Female Force' comic book series featuring special issues on Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Caroline Kennedy and more to follow!    

(Please Note: A complimentary item for this mention / review  was provided by the publisher.)  

I received a package of comics for possible review...  from Bluewater Comics this week.  A couple of titles jumped right out at me, especially this one, 'The Legend of Isis' #1, which is the first of an on-going series.

Since I have blogged about the Isis TV Show here in the past, plus the 'new' DVD set for the show, as well as mentioning other Isis comics, I thought I would delve into this comic book first. 

There is definitely interest in 'Isis', no matter what version or concept you may find in print, TV or film format.  The readership in my archived blog posts on Isis attest to that!   (Click Here to see one sample post.)  

Reading this first issue of what stated on the front cover to be a "new on-going series", I would have thought I would be reading a beginning or introduction or maybe an origin to the character(s).  However a few pages into the storyline, I realized I wasn't.  It was like I was coming into a continued story that had already introduced the main characters...  

Since I had already started the story, I continued reading it till the final page.   The pencils by Ivan Barriga fit the story genre. Colors by Kirsty Swan also went well with the finished art.  The lettering by Wilson Ramos Jr was placed well within the panels.

I just felt that I had missed something in the beginning of the storyline, and thus went searching through the Bluewater Comics web site, and then my own usual search sources for more data on this title.

It turns out that this 'Isis' was originally published in the February 2002 one-shot issue by Image Comics.  Then Isis later appeared in 'The 10th Muse' #10 and 'The Odyssey' #1  both of which were published by Tidal Wave Studios and Avatar Press.

It was later in 2005 that this Isis would return in her own ongoing monthly series titled 'The Legend of Isis' at Alias Enterprises by creator Darren G. Davis and writer Ryan Scott Ottney.  

Now with creator Darren G. Davis being the Publisher of Bluewater Comics, the title has moved there!

OK, I wish I had known that prior to choosing this issue first to read.  Or had a brief intro on the inside front cover explaining what had gone on prior in this Isis' publishing history.

Other than that, I found this issue to be a good start on a new story arc.  Within the 22 pages printed here, the players have been shown and the stage is set for the next issue! 

I believe that fans of 'Isis' should take a look at this series as 'The Legend of Isis' itself has been optioned for a major motion picture by Paramount Studios and Grammnet Productions.  So if you enjoy this new story arc, you should go back and read the earlier published stories also...

For more info on the series and upcoming issues, please see the Bluewater Comics web site at:  http://www.Bluewaterprod.com

BTW, Bluewater Comics is also the publisher of the 'Female Force' comic book series featuring special issues on Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Caroline Kennedy and more to follow!    

(Please Note: A complimentary item for this mention / review  was provided by the publisher.)  

This morning I signed on as usual...  checking my Facebook Wall and opening up my email accounts.

Immediately I noticed several mentions of the passing of Dave Simons, who had become a 'Facebook Friend' back at the end of 2008.

Like many of my Facebook Friends, Dave was a 'regular guy' in corresponding with me even on a limited basis. He was quick to acknowledge mentions I made of him in my blogs and replied as quickly to questions I asked of him.

Dave was a well known artist in the comics and animation fields.  So I thought a lot of his comments and messages to me, and that he would take the time to comment or write.  

Matter of fact, my first mention of Dave in my Blog was back on January 4th, 2009 when I blogged about the fact that Chic Stone would have been 86 years old and posted the cover to Journey Into Mystery (JIM) #72 with the blog.  Dave added his comment on my FB Wall about my post.  Here's the mention from that blog: 

Dave Simons said "I think that issue of JIM was the first Marvel comic I ever read. Bought it coverless at the local store when I was about 7 years old."

A little later in the month I blogged about Dave's attending the NYCC 2009, (New York Comic Con), in a post that mentioned earlier works of Dave's and what he was then currently working on.

I also mentioned in the same post that 'The Dave Simons Appreciation Society' had been recently started on Facebook by Daniel Best for Dave.  Which had been started because Wikipedia had rejected the initial entry for Dave Simons.

Daniel's header for the group page on Facebook started with...  "Since the Wikipedia site wants to believe that Dave Simons is 'not inherently notable' I think it's now the right time to show people how important, and loved, Dave really is. Let's spread some good cheer to our favourite inker of all time!"   That  group can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=1300067983&share_id=90113658385&post_id=90113658385&comments#/group.php?gid=47188527707&ref=share. 

I of course joined that group, as well as the Facebook Comic Con Artist Table set up by Michael Netzer for Dave at that ongoing virtual comic con.   See the following link for the FBCC Table: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61183184136&ref=nf#/group.php?gid=61183184136

By the way, Wikipedia later relented and allowed an entry for Dave, which you can see here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Simons, and just look at all Dave was involved in during the years! And to think that they thought an entry for Dave was 'not inherently notable'...

I mentioned Dave attending the NYCC a few more time in blog posts concerning others that were also attending the same con. 

Then I included him in a post about the April 2009 Boston Con:  http://blogs.ebay.com/make_it_so_marketing/entry/Bret-M-Herholz-Appearing-At-The-Boston-Comic-Con-2/_W0QQidZ773804011.

Dave later submitted Sketch Cards for a charity auction that I blogged about here:  http://blogs.ebay.com/make_it_so_marketing/entry/Special-Sketch-Cards-Benefit-Auction-Listings-Endi/_W0QQidZ777784011.  The auction was the 'Comics For Cures' for the American Cancer Society.

All during this time Dave was fighting for his life.  I hadn't known about it earlier, and just a passing mention was made.  However it was more serious than Dave let on to casual friends.  As Daniel Best said last night in his blog, "the cancer was back, with a vengeance and the doctors had given him anywhere from six months to two years to live". 

Yet Dave still made time to help support projects that he thought worthwhile, including the upcoming Inkwell Awards, as seen at this post:  http://blogs.ebay.com/make_it_so_marketing/entry/The-Inkwell-Awards-Are-Returning-For-Their-2nd-Yea/_W0QQidZ807380011.

Stacey Aragon sent me the link to Daniel Best's blog from last night, which was informing his blog readers of Dave's passing, which you can view here:  http://ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/2009/06/dave-simons-1954-2009.html. 

Additionally Stacy is the Co-ordinator of the 'Inherently Notable - An Art & Writing Jam in Appreciation of Dave Simons"   which can be found here:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=54828152653&ref=ts.  The event itself started back on March 12th and ends this Friday, June 12, 2009 at 11:55pm.  Please note it in Your Calendar to attend as it is a virtual event and can be attended at any time.

Special Note:  You don't have to travel to see all the entries submitted and the appreciation for Dave Simons! Just go to the link shown above at any time!  

The following description for the above event was written prior to the death of Dave Simons.... "(This) is the second virtual Art and Writing Jam event @ Facebook Comic Con, dedicated to and in appreciation of veteran comics artist DAVE SIMONS. Please help us in honoring Dave Simons, by sketching your rendition of him and/or any of the many characters which he has worked on, or writing about them. Sketches should be accompanied by the tagline "Inherently Notable" where possible".  

My 'Facebook Friendship' with Dave Simons was of short duration, but a rewarding one for me.  I am the better for 'knowing' him even for this short while, although I had enjoyed his works for several years earlier.  Thanks to magic of the FaceBook social network I was able to get to 'know him better', and I for one will miss the opportunity to correspond with him, or see him at Cons closer to our immediate area. 

Dave's works will continue on in print / online in some format for decades to come.  His works will be appreciated by those that first read it when they were published like myself, and by those that will be following us in the future and just finding out about Dave Simons...  Thanks Dave for Your Legacy of Work!

Please Note:  Because of all the links leading to non-eBay pages, and with eBay's policy of not allowing those 'hot' direct links,  this will be another one of our blog posts that will not be found in our eBay formatted Blog. 

This Blog, at http://www.comicbookcollectorsblog.com/ is our main Blog, and you should 'Favorite Place' or 'Bookmark' it for future reference. You may notice that several of the links included in the above paragraphs are directed to our eBay formatted posts, which are easier indexed for retrieval of topics.  

Sometimes I get reminders for topics to run in my Blog...  which are appreciated!  They come in the forms of emails, messages, calls, hard copy requests, TV Show mentions, etc. 

Well, yesterday morning I had an email from Tim Brown, Webmaster- Superman Celebration and host of the Superman Celebration Fan Film Competition, reminding me that this is the week for the Annual Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois.

Then late yesterday afternoon, while driving I was station punching on my car's radio buttons, and happened across Brad Meltzer talking about the same topic on the Glenn Beck Radio Show! 

OK, enough hints! LOL!   Today's topic is this week's THE Superman Celebration taking place, starting on June 11th and ending June 14th, 2009!  

  Of course there are media guests and comics guests at this Celebration!  One guest that I have seen before, and always worth listening to, is Noel Neill, who will be at this Celebration.  Matter of fact, there will be a 'Tribute to Noel Neill' on Friday, June 12th, 7:00 pm at the Artists Alley.  Seating is limited, so be sure to get there early!  

  Another guest, (and Facebook Friend), is Gail Simone!  She is a comic book writer best known for her work on DC Comics' Birds of Prey series.  Would you believe she is also the first female ongoing writer for the character Wonder Woman?!

  Well, I mentioned that I heard Brad Meltzer on the radio talking about the Celebration.  Last year he was on the same radio program stating that there was a fund raising for saving "Superman's House".  He was pleased to state that the fund raiser grossed over $100,000 last year!  Brad is a writer of comics and novels. He is well known for the 'Identity Crisis' for DC Comics, and has now taken over the Justice League of America for a relaunch.  It is not known by this blogger if Brad will be attending the Celebration or not, but I wanted to include him because of hearing about his work for the Superman House and mentioning the Celebration Week.

  Oh... and I did mention that Tim Brown reminded me first, right?!  Well Tim is the Owner and Executive Producer of Inked Monkey Productions.  His company is returning for a third year at the Superman Celebration after successfully hosting Fan Films in 2007 and 2008!   Tim is also a film editor and videographer who has done work for Coca-Cola, Maw Productions, Pencil Neck Studios, and for the Superman Celebration produced a tribute video to Christopher Reeve!  

Please Note:  For a schedule of events you need to look at the following - http://www.supermancelebration.net/index.php/schedule . The guests mentioned above may not be there all days and times or not be on any programs or panels.  Times, guests, and programs subject to change!

Tina and I can't make this great Superman Celebration Week in Metropolis, but for all those of you that are or could... Have Sum Fun!