Michael D Hamersky On Comics Wishes A Happy Birthday To.... Julie Newmar! a.k.a. 'Catwoman' in Batman TV Show, 'Yellowbird' in F-Troop, 'Eleen' in Star Trek -TOS, 'Ingrid' in Get Smart, and too many more to list here! -  - All Three Photos Shown In This Section:  Were taken at the 2011 Wizard World Anaheim Comic Con by either Michael D Hamersky or Tina LoSasso.  More photos can be found in the special album at my Facebook Fan Page, 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics'!

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3486:

This is a 'Happy Birthday' message blog to Ms. Julie Newmar, who I met once again recently! This time I saw her and others at the 45th Anniversary Panel of the Batman TV Show held at the  2011 Wizard World Anaheim Comic Con, as seen at the 2nd photo of the top right of this blog post! (More photos at this special photo album at my Facebook Fan Page.)

Ms. Newmar has lighted up the Big Screen, the Small Screen, and countless Comic Cons & Pop Culture Cons with her presence these many years of her career.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to wish her a 'Happy Birthday' today!

Here is a link to her latest book, 'The Conscious Catwoman', where you can get it signed and personalized to you!

Here is a link to her bio.

Here is a link to her acting credits!

Here is a link to her personal web site, JulieNewmar.com

Here is the link to the Official Julie Newmar Facebook Fan Page.

Here is the link to 'my book' Gotham City 14 Miles can be purchased at!

Again, my thanks to Ms. Julie Newmar for being gracious enough to pose recently with 'my book'.

 I promised her a 'shout out' when her new book, 'The Conscious Catwoman' was published... I've done it before at my Facebook Fan Page, (Michael D Hamersky On Comics), And here I am doing it again!  

Happy Birthday, Ms. Newmar, from one of your many fans!

~Michael D Hamersky - who is asking you for your vote in the current voting going on over at The Shel Dorf Awards web site. I was nominated for 'Comic Blogger of the Year' on Monday, August 8th!   While being honored to be nominated, I'd also like to win! The competition has some other good nominees for the same category I was nominated for, so I'm asking for your help on this!

If you have enjoyed this blog or any of the others in the now over 3,482 blogs in this series of mine, I'd appreciate your vote!

Here is a direct link to the voting page. 'Comic Blogger of the Year' is the category, and 'Michael Hamersky On Comics' is the name I'm listed as to vote for.

Here is a link to blog #3481, where I went more into depth on this topic.

My thanks to any of you that take the time to vote for me!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,521 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button! 

And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

~ Michael D Hamersky

If I have it... You can find it 'Under The Big Top Of Comics' at:  

http://www.ComicBooksCircus.com/ 

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up differently, sorry about that!

The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  As of Monday, June 27th, 2011, I'll be using my new laptop, where the default resolution is 'higher', so there may be some temporary glitches until I am used to the new resolution.

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works!

To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:

Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page! 

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents... Tina LoSasso's Take On... Conspiracy Of The Planet Of The Apes! By Andrew E.C. Gaska / Published by Archaia Entertainment! Top Photo Right Column: The Front Cover to the new book, Conspiracy On The Planet of the Apes' with cover by Jim Steranko! - Bottom Photo Right Column:  This is just one of several illustrations printed in the book... This one by Joe Jusko! -  -

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3485:

Review: Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes by Andrew E.C. Gaska

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" took the top spot at the box office this weekend just as I was finishing reading the new apes story by Andrew E.C. Gaska.

It seems we can't get enough of those wacky talking, horseback riding, gun-toting apes.

Me? I like the sci-fi aspect of how the apes came to dominate (the "Rise" story) and how the humans fell (the original story).

Gaska's novel, with detailed illustrations by top comic book artists, explains what happened to the rest of Charlton Heston's crew, at least those that made it through the crash. "Bright Eyes" as the apes call him is still with us but off in the periphery getting Zira and Cornelius in all kinds of trouble with the ape tribunal, just like in the original movie.

"Conspiracy" shows us what happened to second in command, John Landon after he and the others are captured during the big hunt.

The first-ever novel set during the continuity of the original story, "Conspiracy" fills in the holes and fleshs out the gaps of the movie series. You want answers, you'll get answers.

You'll learn why the astronauts crashed in the first place, how the simians raised the ship from the dead sea for "Escape From The Planet of the Apes," what dinner time is like in an ape household (just what you'd think it'd be like if your kids really were monkeys), the astronauts' life on Earth, and even a previous mission.

Anyone who is into the "Apes" saga, should eat this up like a ape on a rutaberry. Anyone else might become as confused as Landon by the sheer volume of story lines. Why we even get a soap opera drama with a cuckold chimpanzee and his gorilla-loving wife.

Gaska does a great job of delving into simian society, their hierarchy, and mythos. As in all great sci-fi, "Conspiracy" isn't just a story set in another world reached by space travel, it's an opportunity for the author to comment on our society and caution us on our warring ways, how we seek to control information and how we treat the least of us.

The one sour note for me was the element of the bizarre mind-controlling force controlling Landon. I still have no idea who these entities were, what their purpose was, whose side they were on, and what the heck they did in the end. But, then, I've been on a lot of sudafed this weekend!

I'd strongly recommend "Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes", giving it a 8.5 on a comic book grading scale of 10. 

Now Michael is going to comment on the amazing illustrations in the book. My fav was one you'll find toward the end. It's by Erik Gist and shows poor Milo making an unfortunate  discovery in the submerged spaceship.

~Tina LoSasso

--------------------------

Thanks, Tina, for the above review! 

I took a look for the illustration you mentioned above, and found that although the 2 page spread illustration makes for a good representation on what goes on in the book... It hasn't been reproduced for the web as of yet.  Plus, I believe that this illustration is one that should be seen while reading the book, so I won't attempt to copy it from our reviewer copy.  But you are right, it is one of the best illustrations in the book!

When I saw this book in our reviewer package, I asked Tina if she wouldn't mind reading this one first, to see if she'd like to review blog it.  As it isn't a 'graphic novel', but instead a prose fiction novel with illustrations!

Here's what the story is about, and the illustrators that have their work in the book: 

"Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes is the first-ever original novel set in the continuity of the classic 1968 movie. Conspiracy tells the story of what happened between the scenes of the first film, exploring the adventures of the Astronaut John Landon, Chimpanzee scientists Dr. Milo and Dr. Galen, and Gorilla Security Chief Marcus.

Written by Andrew E.C. Gaska, and adapted from a story by Gaska, Rich Handley, Christian Berntsen and Erik Matthews, the book contains illustrations from the top talents in the industry, including:

Jim Steranko, Andrew Probert, Timothy Lantz, Joe Jusko, Mark Texeira, Dave Dorman, Chris Scalf, Brian Rood, Chandra Free, Dan Dussault, Ken W. Kelly, Colo, David Hueso, Miki, Matt Busch, Dirk Shearer, Barron Storey, David Seidman, Sanjulian, Chris Moeller, Thomas Scioli, Scott Hampton, Leo Liebleman, Lucas Graciano, Erik Gist, and Patricio Carbajal."

Readers of this blog will recognize several of the the names listed above, especially the illustrator of the black & white cover repro shown at the immediate above top, Jim Steranko!  I have blogged about many of them, plus several are comics industry giants! So this first effort by Archaia Entertainment into the illustrated novel format, through its new book trade distributor Publishers Group West (PGW), is not lacking in star power!

Note: There are 30 full-color paintings and another 19 black-and-white illustrations in this book. If you aren't familar with all of the names shown, here is a more detailed listing as to their other credits:  the cover by Jim Steranko (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and then the interior art pages from... Ken Kelly (Conan, KISS), Joe Jusko (Savage Sword of Conan, Tarzan), Sanjulian (Eerie, Vampirella), Mark Texeira (Ghost Rider, Wolverine), Leo Leibelman (Heavy Metal), Matt Busch (Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica), Brian Rood (Indiana Jones, Star Wars), Tom Scioli (Godland), David Hueso (G.I. Joe: Storm Shadow) and then newcomers Dan Dussault (Critical Millennium) and Dirk Shearer (Mice Templar)!

Quite honestly, I haven't read this prose fiction novel with illustrations yet, but wanted to mention and point out the great artwork inside, so that this blog of Tina's could be posted while still timely!  The book was just released on July 25th, and the latest of the Planet of the Apes films just hit theaters recently, 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes', which is #1 during its 2nd week of release at the Big Screen.  See this link for the current status of all films for the weekend of August 12th - 14th!

Lastly, here is the info you will need to find this book from Archaia Entertainment:

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Archaia Entertainment; 1st edition (August 16, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1936393360
ISBN-13: 978-1936393367
Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.1 x 0.9 inches

Archaia's web site doesn't yet show this book for sale, but this is the company web site, so this is the link to their book listing.

Archaia has a Facebook Fan Page, that I suggest you 'LIKE'.

PLUS:  There is a new Facebook Fan Page just for the book itself!

For other 'Planet of the Apes' comics, magazines, and movie items, you are welcome to check out my own Online 'Local' Comic Book Shop at: ComicBooksCircus.com!

Again, my thanks to Tina LoSasso for a timely review of this illustrated prose fiction novel!  

~Michael D Hamersky - who is asking you for your vote in the current voting going on over at The Shel Dorf Awards web site. I was nominated for 'Comic Blogger of the Year' on Monday, August 8th!   While being honored to be nominated, I'd also like to win! The competition has some other good nominees for the same category I was nominated for, so I'm asking for your help on this!

If you have enjoyed this blog or any of the others in the now over 3,482 blogs in this series of mine, I'd appreciate your vote!

Here is a direct link to the voting page. 'Comic Blogger of the Year' is the category, and 'Michael Hamersky On Comics' is the name I'm listed as to vote for.

Here is a link to blog #3481, where I went more into depth on this topic.

My thanks to any of you that take the time to vote for me!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,521 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button! 

And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

~ Michael D Hamersky

If I have it... You can find it 'Under The Big Top Of Comics' at:  

http://www.ComicBooksCircus.com/ 

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up differently, sorry about that!

The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  As of Monday, June 27th, 2011, I'll be using my new laptop, where the default resolution is 'higher', so there may be some temporary glitches until I am used to the new resolution.

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works!

To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:

Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page! 

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Is Getting Ready For... The 2nd Annual So Cal Comic Con!  Being Held ONE DAY Only In Oceanside, California, On Saturday, August 27th, 2011! -  - Topmost Photo: Rey Reyes is one of the two So Cal Comic Con promoters.  Here he is at his dealer table at the 2010 Con! - Above Bottom Photo:   My youngest son, Vinnie, with 'Spider-Man' at last year's So Cal Comic Con!  Thumbs up for that show, indicated Vinnie!   Who also added back issues to his Amazing Spider-Man collection! Top Photo At The Left Column.:  Guest of Honor, Bob Layton, with Michael D Hamersky at the 2010 SoCal Comic Con!

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3484:

Yesterday, my youngest son Vinnie and I worked on getting ready for the second annual So Cal Comic Con, being held at the Boys & Girls Club in Oceanside, California.

I haven't set up at a comic con or show for over 15 years now, (being an online comic book dealer only!), and it was an opportunity to show Vinnie the difference between setting up at a convention versus being set up for online sales.

In addition, out of the twenty boxes of dollar comics we will bringing to the show, six of those boxes will be his own comics, accumulated by his older brothers, and that he will be selling on a commission basis for them.  I like how his young mind thinks when an opportunity arises.  He can learn the business without buying inventory to resale, just invest his time, and learn from my knowhow from first setting up during my own college years at the San Diego Comic Con back in 1972!  

So this show should be a good learning experience, as well as a good financial one.  For both him and myself... Plus, Vinnie's step-mom, Tina, will be setting up for the first time also! She has been to many comic cons and shows, but never been on the other side of the table! So this will be a new experience for her also!

So enough about us getting ready for this comic con... What else is going on there?

Well, in addition to having a dealers table at this con, I'll also be blogging prior to the con, as in this 'weekend edition' of my blog, blogging the day of the con, and posting here afterwards as well, as to how it went.

In addition, I'll be mobile Facebooking from the con itself, and uploading those pics to my Facebook Fan Page, 'Michael D Hamersky On Comics'. Those pics, probably after the con is over, not during, will be placed in a special 2011 So Cal Comic Con album, which has already been set up for that purpose!

The So Cal Comic Con's Facebook Event Page can be found at this link.

The So Cal Comic Con's Facebook Fan Page is found here. You don't have to be coming to this year's comic con to 'Like' it.  Feel free to 'Like' it even if you aren't coming so that your Facebook Friends can see it!

Both of those Facebook pages are prime resources as to who will be guests, exhibitors, and attendees. Plus you can be interactive with the con promoters and other attendees as well, prior and possibly during the con?! 

I suggest you 'LIKE' the Fan Page, and click the the 'Attending' / 'Maybe Attending' / or even the 'Not Attending' links!

Here is the 'Press Release' so I don't miss posting anything in this 'weekend edition' of my Blog:

"The So Cal Comic Con is proud to announce that the Guest of Honor for the 2nd show will be none other than fan-favorite artist and creator J. Scott Campbell! A previous resident of San Diego while working at Wildstorm Productions, Campbell is known throughout the world for his artistic rendering of attractive women and dynamic pencilling on titles such as Gen 13, his creator owned titles Danger Girl and Wildsiderz, and his stunning covers for Amazing Spider-Man and other popular Marvel Comics titles.

In addition to Mr. Campbell, the So Cal Comic Con is also hosting comic creators such as Keu Cha (Hex), the Garage Art Studios team (Tony Fleecs, Chris Moreno, Tone Rodriguez, and Mark dos Santos), penciller Joel Gomez (Flashpoint: Reverse Flash), local artist David Miller, and inker Joe Weems. Blogger Michael Hamersky (ComicBook Collectors Blog) will be broadcasting LIVE from the event! Comic books can be autographed and receive the prestigious CGC Signature Series label designation for any guest at our show.

Admission to the show is only $5, or $4 with a flyer from your local Southern California comic book shop. Kids 13 and under get in free with a paid adult admission. Buy your tickets at the door. Free gift bags will be provided to the 1st 100 fans in attendance, filled with donated comics and posters from our sponsors (IDW, Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Top Cow/Image, and more)
 
The 2nd annual So Cal Comic Con will be held on Saturday, August 27th, 2011, from 10 am to 5 pm, at the Oceanside Boys and Girls Club, located at 401 Country Club Lane, Oceanside, CA 92054. Raffles will be held throughout the day for amazing prizes like a copy of X-Men #1 from 1963 signed by Stan Lee! We are hosting over a dozen vendors, including Southern California Comics, Super-Con/Steve Wyatt, Terry's Comics, Comic Madness,  The Comic Cellar, Echo Base Toys, Comic Gallery, GoDaddyO's Comic Book Hideout, Mike's Collectibles N' Stuff, Angelo's Comics, Desert Wind Comics, FVF Comics, and more!"

Okay... That should do it for this pre-con blog!

I've posted about my personal interest in this upcoming one day show, that Vinnie, Tina & I will be having a dealer's table. Plus that I will be mobile Facebooking / blogging from the event itself.  So stop by, say hello, get your picture taken, and enjoy yourself at the rest of the con! 

Last year's 1st Annual So Cal Comic Con was a fun event, both for attendees, dealers, and comics creators.  Vinnie & I, who attended last year, are definitely looking forward to this upcoming show, only two weekends away from now... On Saturday only!  See you there???!!!

~Michael D Hamersky - who is asking you for your vote in the current voting going on over at The Shel Dorf Awards web site. I was nominated for 'Comic Blogger of the Year' on Monday, August 8th!   While being honored to be nominated, I'd also like to win! The competition has some other good nominees for the same category I was nominated for, so I'm asking for your help on this!

If you have enjoyed this blog or any of the others in the now over 3,482 blogs in this series of mine, I'd appreciate your vote!

Here is a direct link to the voting page. 'Comic Blogger of the Year' is the category, and 'Michael Hamersky On Comics' is the name I'm listed as to vote for.

Here is a link to blog #3481, where I went more into depth on this topic.

My thanks to any of you that take the time to vote for me!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,521 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button! 

And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

~ Michael D Hamersky

If I have it... You can find it 'Under The Big Top Of Comics' at:  

http://www.ComicBooksCircus.com/ 

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up differently, sorry about that!

The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  As of Monday, June 27th, 2011, I'll be using my new laptop, where the default resolution is 'higher', so there may be some temporary glitches until I am used to the new resolution.

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works!

To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:

Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page! 

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Celebrates... The 50th Anniversary of the... Fantastic Four! First Seen On the Newstands This Week 50 Years Ago! Topmost Photo: A Date Stamp Was Quite Often Placed On The Front Cover By Newstand Dealers For Return Purposes, As Publishers Would Stretch Out The 'Published Month' As Far Out As They Could, To Keep 'Returns' As Low As Possible! - Top Photo Right Column:  Stan Lee Signing My Reader Copy Of The Fantastic Four #1 back at the 1993 San Diego Comic Con International.  Having Comics Signed In The Early 1990s Was The 'Thing' To Do! Nowadays, CGC Considers That 'Scribbling'...! Bottom Photo Right Column:  'Scribbling' Or Not... This Personalized Signature By Stan (The Man) Lee To Me Is Staying In My Personal Collection And Is Not For Sale, Period! -  -

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3483:

You know... I wish I could say that I saw a copy of the The Fantastic Four #1 on the newstands this week back in August of 1961!

Heck, I was alive back then, at nine years of age... But no, I didn't see it on the 'spinner rack' at my convenience store in Southern California...

How could I expect to, being on the West Coast, with spotty distribution to stores that carried comics out here?!

Sure, I would have probably recognized it as being one of those 'monster comics' that grabbed my attention, and made me realize that there were 'real people' that created comics book, see my blog about Journey Into Mystery #72, cover dated September of 1961, being the one that opened up my eyes to that fact, but there wasn't a standout 'brand name' on this comic book, nor any of the other comics this publisher printed at the time.

Most of my 'funnybooks' were published by 'Dell Comics' who proudly had their 'Dell Comics' logo box at the top left of the front cover! And so did the westerns with their photo covers... 'Dell Comics' right there on the top left of the front cover. And weren't "Dell Comics Are Good Comics"? My earliest comics were bought for me by my Great-Aunt & Great-Uncle, who must have been influenced by that slogan! 

Sure there was a 'MC box' above the 10 cents cover price, but what did that mean to a nine year old kid?!  Heck, the IND at the top left of the front cover could have been the publisher as far as I knew, (Like the Dell Comics)! Besides it was Canam Publishers Sales Corp. that was indicated as the Indicia Publisher, not Atlas Magazines, Inc. which was listed as the Indicia Publisher for Amazing Adult Fantasy, which is what 'Marvel Comics' had been originally known by, but ran afoul of the Comics Code Authority, (CCA), like so many others!

(Side note:  'MC' was the first 'Marvel Comics' brand in what we collectors think of in the modern day.  But did you know there were only 177 of these comics with the 'MC' on the cover?!  Here's a link to them! And FF #1 was not the first to display this.  Journey Into Mystery #69 and Patsy Walker #95 were the first two to do so in June of 1961!)

 Heck, the Dell TV western comics I coveted had photo covers and also 'publisher recognition', and the 'funnybooks' I was reading had recognizable names from cartoons!  

There was nothing that would have made this comic book stand out from the rest on the spinner rack at the time, and probably would have been placed at the bottom of the rack because of that...

So I missed this issue #1, and then #2 also of the Fantastic Four series.

It wasn't until sometime in December of 1961 with issue #3 (cover dated March of 1962), that the Fantastic Four came into 'existence' for me!

Why?!

That issue of Fantastic Four had costumes AND what looked like a flying bathtub!  Now that was a cover that grabbed my attention!  And what was that about at the top of the comic book cover, right after the FF masthead... "The Greatest Comic Magazine In The World!!". That alone would have made me pick it up just to see why!

It took a while for me to purchase a 'reader copy' of issue #1, which I had Stan Lee personalize / sign for me at the 1993 San Diego Comic Con International, as seen above in the top right photos.

Yet all these years later, I've go to admit that the first 100 to 150 issues of the Fantastic Four from 1961 - 1974 were the ones that kept me collecting comics and actually started me selling my duplicates, first to a local San Diego comics dealer, Richard Alf, and then in 1972 at the El Cortez Hotel during that year's SDCC!

The 'breakup' of Stan & Jack in 1970 affected me more than the 'breakup' of the Beatles!  Seriously!  And I had a great record collection at one time, (which I started selling off at the Capitol Records Collector Meet in Hollywood in the mid 1970s, see this blog #3296 for details).  So that breakup which came first was tough...

Today, it is hard for me to imagine that the Fantastic Four has turned 50 years old this week...

And that just a couple of weeks ago I attended the 50th Anniversary of Comics Fandom party at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con International.  See this link for blog #3468   and this link for additional photos from that party not used in the blog.

I do know this though...

If it hadn't been for the FF with Stan & Jack & Dick & Joe & Chic & Vinnie & Wally & on & on... I woould have probably given up on 'funnybooks' a long time ago!

You might not know that during the 'old days', pre-Silver Age of Comics, that comics editors would recycle comics stories every five (5) years.  Because that was how fast kids would 'outgrow' them at the time... So the editors could reuse a storyline because the new crop of kid readers likely had not seen the story before!

For me, it was because Stan Lee & Jack Kirby created this comic book series and others following it for an 'older crowd', i.e. high school & then the college crowd in the mid 1960s, that I continued buying the FF for all these years, well, until the 3rd time when Marvel Comics rebooted the FF with a new #1 issue.  That 'turned me off'...  

And now, I don't read the FF anymore, especially the 'new FF',  titled 'FF' or 'Future Foundation'.  Don't get me started...!  And no, 'Ultimate Fantastic Four' that ran for 60 issues from February of 2004 - February of 2009, didn't keep my interest either... When I gave up being an FF 'completist', I stopped buying titles that I only bought to have a 'complete' collection of the FF...

But I don't want to end on that note here today...

I want to thank and remember those comics creators that brought me so many years of enjoyment, starting in 1961!   I wasn't able to meet in person all of those that helped make the Fantastic Four what it became.  Basically because I was on the West Coast, and didn't travel back East for comic cons.  So I only had the pleasure of seeing those that made it to SoCal comic cons, including Stan Lee, as seen to the left, as well as Jack Kirby, John Buscema, John Romita Sr., and more.

It has been a fun ride through time, and I was pleased to finally see on the BIG SCREEN... The Fantastic Four that I grew up with, no matter whether or not the writers or directors got it right or not.  I never thought I'd see the day that those 'funnybooks' characters would be all over in mass media.  I've enjoyed seeing seeing my favorite comic book title of all time finally make it to the movies!

Happy Anniversary to the Fantastic Four AND to those that had a hand or two in creating and keeping it going strong for so many years. 

I for one am glad that The Fantastic Four #1 hit the newstands 50 years ago this week! 

~Michael D Hamersky - who is asking you for your vote in the current voting going on over at The Shel Dorf Awards web site. I was nominated for 'Comic Blogger of the Year' on Monday, August 8th!   While being honored to be nominated, I'd also like to win! The competition has some other good nominees for the same category I was nominated for, so I'm asking for your help on this!

If you have enjoyed this blog or any of the others in the now over 3,482 blogs in this series of mine, I'd appreciate your vote!

Here is a direct link to the voting page. 'Comic Blogger of the Year' is the category, and 'Michael Hamersky On Comics' is the name I'm listed as to vote for.

Here is a link to blog #3481, where I went more into depth on this topic.

My thanks to any of you that take the time to vote for me!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,518 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button! 

And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

~ Michael D Hamersky

If I have it... You can find it 'Under The Big Top Of Comics' at:  

http://www.ComicBooksCircus.com/ 

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up differently, sorry about that!

The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  As of Monday, June 27th, 2011, I'll be using my new laptop, where the default resolution is 'higher', so there may be some temporary glitches until I am used to the new resolution.

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works!

To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:

Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page! 

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Reviews... Royden Lepp's RUST: Visitor In The Field Published by Archaia Entertainment! -  - Top Photo: Royden Lepp holding 'Rust: Visitor In The Field' at the Archaia Entertainment booth during the 2011 Comic-Con International: San Diego, (aka SDCC). - Bottom Photo:  While looking for additional material for this blog post... I came across the fact that 20th Century Fox has acquired the screen rights to Royden Lepp’s graphic novel Rust!

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3482:

I spent some time during different days at the Archaia Entertainment booth during the 2011 Comic-Con International: San Diego, (aka San Diego Comic Con), as it was very close to the Indy Press Section.  I would go by it enroute to the other booths I had not yet seen in Indy Press.  

What Archaia did this year was similiar to previous years, in that they had different comics / graphic novel creators stationed at tables within one end of the Archaia booth for signings. I didn't try to stop by at certain times for signings, as that is too hard to navigate at such a large convention!

So my running into Royden Lepp when he was signing on Friday, July 22nd was just luck on my part.  Why?  He presented me with a copy of his new graphic novel after posing with it, (seen at the top right of this blog), after finding out about this #1 followed blog of mine on Facebook.

My wife Tina, says that Royden did tell her and myself that it was one of a series at that time, but I had forgotten that until Tina reminded me about it last night when I told her what my blog topic for today was.   (She is reading another Archaia book for an upcoming blog to be posted.)

She told me that Royden had mentioned it was a first book in a series, but nowhere on the book or inside did I see it was a volume one of a series before reading it. Nor did I know at the time that 20th Century Fox had acquired the screen rights.  And that "Simon Kinsberg (X-Men: First Class) is producing the Rocketeer-esque adventure flick". That I found this morning!

So what is this graphic novel, 'Rust: Visitor In The Field' about?  Per the promotional info:

Written by Royden Lepp
Illustrated by Royden Lepp
Cover by Royden Lepp
Format: Hardcover (paper over board), sepia-toned
Trim Size: 6″ x 9″
Page Count: 192
ISBN-13: 978-1-936393-27-5
U.S. Price: $24.95
Rating: All Ages

Rust is a high-octane adventure set in the prairie lands of an unknown time. Life on the Taylor family farm was difficult enough before Jet Jones crashes into the barn, chased by a giant decommissioned war robot! Oldest son Roman Taylor struggles to keep his family’s small farm afloat as the area heals from a devastating world war. While the rest of his family may not trust the mysterious boy with the jetpack, Roman believes the secrets of Jet’s past may be the key to their survival.

Rust is Archaia’s next great All Ages book.

Available September 2011 wherever books are sold.

Okay... That is a lot to live up, being... "Archaia's next great All Ages book".

What's my take on this graphic novel?

First the front cover:  The graphic on the front cover definitely caught my eyes! A robot, a flying kid, and a farmer, along with a 'rust' / 'sepia' colored background and silver type colored font.  Very fetching, like I was holding something from another time period!

The back cover:  Very tasteful promo, with enough of what the story would be about to arouse my interest in reading this!

Inside front cover & what would be a 'splash page' in a comic book:  The sepia toned photos / illustrations evoked memories within me that this was somehow familiar...  Since I already posted above that 20th Century Fox is calling it a Rocketeer-esque adventure flick, I'm safe to say that that thought crossed my mind here, especially after seeing the front cover...

Flipping to the first page... The storyline immediately starts with a dedication page, and the opposite page is first page of the story.

The sepica tone is kept throughout the book, and I'm drawn into the storyline immediately! I'm watching a battle take place in the woods. It appears to be of World War I, but maybe I'm assuming too much, as there are machines that come in... Robot like machines... Then flying kids?! By the end of this first scene on page 29, I'm definitely drawn into this whole storyline, even if I don't know where or when it is / was!

Pages 30 & 31, a two page spread, brings me into a different time. The present?  The story progresses, yet references the past, which is what the first 29 pages were about.  

Several pages have illustrations only, no dialogue. It is good that the writer is also the artist!

Page 184 comes all too soon... But wait... What's this?! It's called the 'End'?! The story isn't finished?! 

Instead there is a section titled: Rust - Secrets of the Cell. "An exclusive preview of the next volume of Royden Lepp's Rust. With six pages from the next volume. I didn't bargain for this! Another volume? Nowhere on the book's front or back covers or the spine is there any mention that this is a first volume! I'm disappointed in that the story wasn't finished, and I had no inkling that it would be continued. But then again, I'm also interested in reading a volume two, after seeing the preview pages. If this was a marketing error... Okay, but there should be a mention somewhere... But then again, my copy didn't come with a slipcover for the book which may have stated this.  But I don't see it mentioned as such on Archaia's web site either...

After the preview, there is an 'About the Author' page with a 'Special Thanks' box.  On the next page is Archaia's credits page. The last two pages are another sepia toned photo similiar to the front inside two pages, starting with the inside front cover.

Okay... I read this graphic novel with great interest, and had a minor let down at the very end, because I found I was reading the first of a series; a series that is supposed to be comprised of four volumes, after reading an article elsewhere while researching just now for this blog before it is posted!

So what is my comic book grade for this first volume in the series?!

I'm giving it a NEAR MINT MINUS (NM-) 9.2 out of a possible 10.0 comic book grade, because of the minor letdown at the very end that it was a continued story.  This has nothing to do with the graphic novel itself, as far I can ascertain, so I'm assuming it is from the marketing / production end.  I'm still thinking this was a fine book, and I can see why a company like 20th Century Fox would pick up the screen rights to it already!   This could make a great franchise!  I'm not going to let a marketing situation marr my enjoyment of what I just read, so am knocking the final grade only half a grade!

My thanks again to Royden Lepp for bringing this graphic novel to my attention at the Comic-Con International!   And congrats on the upcoming film!

Here are a few links to follow up on:

Archaia Entertainment's Facebook Fan Page

Royden Lepp's Creator Page at Archaia.com

Royden Lepp's Blog

~Michael D Hamersky - who is asking you for your vote in the current voting going on over at The Shel Dorf Awards web site. I was nominated for 'Comic Blogger of the Year' on Monday! While being honored to be nominated, I'd also like to win! The competition has some other good nominees for the same category I was nominated for, so I'm asking for your help on this!

If you have enjoyed this blog or any of the others in the now 3,482 blog in this series of mine, I'd appreciate your vote!

Here is a direct link to the voting page. 'Comic Blogger of the Year' is the category, and 'Michael Hamersky On Comics' is the name.

Here is a link to yesterday's blog #3481, where I went more into depth on this topic.

My thanks to any of you that take the time to vote for me!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,518 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button! 

And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

~ Michael D Hamersky

If I have it... You can find it 'Under The Big Top Of Comics' at:  

http://www.ComicBooksCircus.com/ 

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up differently, sorry about that!

The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  As of Monday, June 27th, 2011, I'll be using my new laptop, where the default resolution is 'higher', so there may be some temporary glitches until I am used to the new resolution.

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works!

To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:

Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page! 

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