This comic book introductory issue...  came from Bluewater Comics this past week.  Because I noticed it was based on the Lionsgate Film Series, which I have not seen, I thought I would read it before checking out what the films were about.   Which is a switch in reading / viewing habits for me!

The films, of which there are three, first started in 1989.  New World Pictures produced this HoRRoR film, which was distributed by Trimark Pictures.  A sequel was released in 1993 called Warlock: Armageddon.  The third film, Warlock III: The End of Innocence, was released in 1999. Since then there has been a video game released based on the franchise.

Not having seen the films, I wondered if I would be 'lost' while reading the comic book.  Well, I am pleased to report that that was NOT the case!

In this first issue, the Warlock is introduced as a being on a mission to destroy a 'book' that contains a spell which had already imprisoned six other Warlocks.

The premise of this first issue is... "If the book manages to be destroyed, the dangerous Warlocks would be released back into the world free to cause chaos and destruction. It's up to a rag-tag group of people to prevent the Warlock from carrying out his plan".

Well, I enjoyed this introductory issue, as it was well written by Nick Lyons!  The pencilling by Jacob Bear fit the story genre, and the colors by John Hunt complemented the whole issue.  Nice job on an introductory issue, setting up the issues to come!  Cover price to this first issue is $3.99.

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 'Political Power' comic book series featuring special issues on Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Colin Powell, and more to follow!    

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

Sorry about the late notice for this event...  but I just received it from Robert Sikoryak, whose mailing list I am on.

I have already blogged back in January 2009 about Danny Hellman's anthology series 'TYPHON'.  (Click here for that archived blog post.)

This week you can see that comics anthology TYPHON colliding with the comics performance series CAROUSEL for a unique, once-in-a-lifetime multimedia comics extravaganza at MoCCA on Thursday, June 18th!
 
As the press release states:

You'll laugh! You'll scream! It's not for the squeamish!
 
Please join the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, (aka MoCCA) for an evening of dazzling cartoon slide shows featuring work from the critically-acclaimed comics anthology TYPHON Volume One.
This exclusive event is brought to you by TYPHON editor Danny Hellman and Carousel host R. Sikoryak.
 
A select group of TYPHON contributors will be on hand to read their strips, including:
 
Gregory Benton
Rupert Bottenberg
Victor "Bald Eagles" Cayro
Nick Gazin
Hawk Krall
Hugo
Pshaw
Hans Rickheit
plus Hellman and Sikoryak.
 
Come meet the artists whose cutting-edge artwork
brings the pages of TYPHON to life!
 
MoCCA Thursday, June 18, 2009. 7 pm
Admission: $5 (Free for MoCCA Members)
Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art
594 Broadway, suite 401
New York, NY 10012
212-254-3511
 
For more information about MoCCA please visit
http://www.moccany.org
 
For more info on TYPHON visit
http://www.dannyhellman.com/typhon.html
 
This event is intended for Mature Audiences!
(In other words, don't bring your kids unless they're already hopelessly warped!)

Again, my apologies for the lateness in mentioning this, but I wanted to blog about this event in case you were a MoCCa member or just in the NYC area this week!  Individually both Typhon and Carousel are good on their own, but this combined effort could be a great one to see in person! 

Currently I'm still reading several source books and documents...  for a chapter I am writing in an upcoming book.

One book that grabbed my eyes just from the cover alone was the above pictured book, 'The Ten-Cent Plague' by David Hajdu!  Visions of HoRRoR and MoNSTer comics ran through my head, as I was that kid at one time, although it was a few years after the 'Comic Book Burnings' of the early to mid 1950's!

What enticed me to read this whole book in just a few sittings, was that it gave me, the reader, a valuable history lesson in what led up to this 'Plague' and what was done to stop it!

Yeah, I've been around long enough to know most of the story, but in this new book, (the hardcover is from 2008), I learned even more, as it was well researched!

From the earliest beginnings of the comic books to the first inklings of resentment toward the new format, this book lays out a great foundation on how the comic book detractors laid out their case against the comics. 

Those publishing the Crime and HoRRoR Comics in the comic book industry themselves first ignorned the warnings signs of the first outward offensive against the 'low brow' comic books.  It was only after several of those artists, writers and others creating the comics for the industry were castigated for even working in the industry that the warning signs were finally believed by the publishers of these comic books.

Indeed it was those who worked for the industry that were hurt the most when in September of 1954 the Comics Magazine Association of America (CMAA) came into being. Charles F Murphy, the Administrator of the 'Code' actually put more than 'teeth' into the enforcement of the 'Code', and between 1954 and 1956, more than half of the comic books on the newstands disappeared.  Indeed, the number of titles published went from approximately 650 to only 250 titles during that time!

Of course EC Comics with its' HoRRoR Comics are a major focus of this book.  Since Bill Gaines was the major publisher that was on television during the hearings on comic books, it was only natural that any book about this topic would include him and his company.

However, there are more stories about other publishers, and comics creators in this book, and enough that are not widely known to lead me to recommend this book.  Plus it has an extensive notes and bibliography section for reference.  I give it a 9.6 (comic book grading) rating!

Whereas I read the hardcover version there is now a Paperback format: 464 pages
Publisher: Picador; 1 Reprint edition (February 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312428235
ISBN-13: 978-0312428235
Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 12 ounces . 

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.)