Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents His Take On...   The WonderCon Souvenir Program Book  From March of 2012!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3649 - This First, I want to say that this blog isn't a typo.  I became ill during the 2012 WonderCon and had to go in for emergency surgery right afterwards.

So no, this blog isn't a typo, it is just that I forgot to blog about the program book that was given away free to each of the attendees of the 2012 WonderCon that was held out of the Northern California area for the first time.   The WonderCon in 2012 was held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.

First, I want to say that although the front cover is pretty sharp looking, due to artist Ryan Sook, featuring the new versions of DC Comics New 52 heroes... I'm thinking that the cover probably should have been the 50th Anniversary of one of the Marvel Comics characters that started in 1962, say like the Amazing Spider-Man!

That aside, the inside front cover is a DC Digital Comics full page ad, and then the splash page is the 'welcome page' to WonderCon 2012.

Pages 2 & 3 are the table of contents, and the info you would need to know when attending the WonderCon that took place back on March 16th - 18th.

Page 4 started off the listing of the 'Special Guests' and that feature ran until page 13, along with a few ad pages.

Page 14 was the 'cover story' on Ryan Sook, which gave me what I wanted to know about him.

Around the Booths:  Exhibitor Listings started on page 18 and ended on page 38, along with some ad pages.

The full color feature section titled:  WonderCon 2012 Quick Guide was next, and was very helpful tucked in the middle of the program book!

Page 59 had WonderCon 2012 Games & Tournament Schedule. The next two pages had other gatherings during the weekend listed.

Page 62 started the Programming Schedule for Friday, and went through Saturday, ending with Sunday... Ending on page 80.

Page 82 had the Anime Schedule, which ended on page 85.

The 7th Annual Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival listings were shown from page 86 - 88.

The WonderCon / Robert A Heinlein Blood Drive page was on page 90.

Pages 92 & 93 had 'Welcome To Anaheim' with a map of the area.

The final pages were ad pages.

So what did I think of this program book?

Well.... It wasn't as big as the Comic-Con International: San Diego's annual program book for starters.  But then again this was only a three day con, and not a 4 day + preview night con.  Plus the program fulfilled all the major requirements that a program book should.

Maybe I was looking forward to full feature length articles like the San Diego con has each year...

But, considering that the program book was a 'freebie' given away to all attending guests... It did the job prefectly well!

So I'm giving it a Very Fine / Near Mint (VF/NM) 9.0 comic book grade, out of a possible 10.0 grading scale.

Check your usual sources for copies of this program book if you lost yours, or want one for yourself even though you didn't attend

BTW, for a more comprehensive review of the WonderCon, check out Tina LoSasso's review blog here, and / or my own blog on it as seen in this link. 

~ Michael D Hamersky!

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,649 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,740 '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!!!

Note:  My online 'Loca8' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com, including the book 'Gotham City 14 Miles' that I am shown holding to the left. I'm 1 of 14 essayists in that book! !     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly 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:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

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!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

---

Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents His Take On...   Art In Time  Unknown Comic Book Adventures, 1940 - 1980, by Dan Nadel!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3648 - This book was one that I picked up recently. What's the book about?   Here's the publisher's promo on it:

"Art In Time is a companion to Dan Nadel’s previous book, Art Out of Time. In this engaging and smart volume, Nadel focuses on the lesser-known comic works by celebrated icons of the industry, like H.G. Peter (the artist behind Wonder Woman), John Stanley (the writer and artist for Little Lulu), Harry Lucey (one of the artists behind Archie), Jesse Marsh (the artist for Tarzan), and Bill Everett (best know for his characters Sub Mariner and Dr. Strange)."

"Art In Time reprints a wonderful selection of complete comic book stories that represent some of the best, but obscure adventure stories from the 1940s through the 1980s. Each comic highlights the fully developed style unique to each artist and celebrate these little known comic gems. Art In Time is designed as a reading book, allowing fans to catch up on some of best, but forgotten, work in comics’ history."

So what did I think about this book...?

The front cover made me pick it up to browse further.  As you can see from the above top right photo, it is intriguing. 

The back cover stated:  "Featuring the Unheralded Work of... Pat Boyette, Bill Everett, Matt Fox, Sam J. Glanzman, Harry Lucey, Pete Morisi, John Stanley, John Thompson and others.  Which made me check out the interior pages of the book.

The interior front pages were covers from the stories that were reprinted within the book.  Not bad. Checking the back inside cover pages, I noticed that there were more comic book covers.

The Contents Page listed an Introduction: Their Worlds, Demand and Supply, and the list of the artists included in the book.  Along with a Sources section and an Acknowledgements section.

After reading the Introduction, I found out why Dan Nadel of PictureBox, Inc. wrote this book.  Interesting background as to why.

The 'Demand and Supply' page continued the background, and then came the first of several chapters, this one on Harry Lucey (1913-79/80).  There was a page on Harry and then two stories from Harry.

This was similar to the rest of the chapters.

I found that there were several stories I had never read before, and liked the fact that each comic book page was copied from a copy of the originally printed comic book.  Almost like reading the comic book!

Some of the chapters I found more interesting than others, like the chapters on Matt Fox, and Pat Boyette, but all in all, this was a pretty good / organized book.

I would give this a Very Fine Plus (VF+) 8.5 out of a possible 10.0 comic book grading scale..

Here is more about the author and info you would need to order the book:

Dan Nadel is the author of Abrams' Art Out of Time and the director of the award winning visual culture studio and publishing house PictureBox, which produces The Ganzfeld, an annual book of pictures and prose.

Art in Time
Unknown Comic Book Adventures, 1940-1980
   
Authors: by Dan Nadel
Imprint: Abrams ComicArts
ISBN: 0-8109-8824-0
EAN: 9780810988248
Availability: In Stock
Publishing Date: 5/1/2010
Trim Size: 8 x 11
Page Count: 304
Cover: Hardcover with jacket
Illustrations: 300 full-color illustrations

Here is where you can purchase it direct from the publisher.

~ Michael D Hamersky!

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,648 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,738 '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!!!

Note:  My online 'Loca8' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com, including the book 'Gotham City 14 Miles' that I am shown holding to the left. I'm 1 of 14 essayists in that book! !     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly 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:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

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!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

---

Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents His Take On...   The 2012 Long Beach Comic Con Expo  That Was Held Saturday, May 12th at the Long Beach Convention Center!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3647 -  We are back from the 2012 Long Beach Comic Con Expo... The one day long mini-con that the folks at MAD Event Management put on at the beginning of the year, before their two day con near the end of the year.

This is the link to the special photo album for photos uploaded to my Facebook Fan Page from the Expo.

I'll be loading several photos to it as time permits.

Tina and I had great fun at this one day con, and it even had panels / programs!

Here is the web site for the Long Beach Comic Con Expo.

Here is the Facebook Fan Page for the Long Beach Comic Con (and Expo!).

The show expanded out into the lobby this year, with an expanded 3rd Artists Alley setup!

The panels appeared to be expanded also, and were held in two nearby rooms.

We took in a couple of panels and spent most of the day at the con.

It was a fun one-day show, and I suggest that if you are in the Los Angeles Metro Area, that you make note of it for next year... PLUS keep in mind that in November of this year is the much larger two day show!

I would give this one day show for 2012 a Very Fine / Near Mint (VF/NM) 9.0 comic book grade!

Again, don't forget to check out my link for more pics from the LBCC Expo in the link above!

~ Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,647 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,740 '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!!!

Note:  My online 'Loca8' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com, including the book 'Gotham City 14 Miles' that I am shown holding to the left. I'm 1 of 14 essayists in that book! !     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly 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:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

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!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

---

Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents His Take On...   Burt Ward - Boy Wonder!  As Seen On Free Comic Book Day!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3646 - This comic book was one of the 'Silver Comics' that were distributed at this year's FCBD (Free Comic Book Day) event.

Here is the promo from the publisher on what the comic book was about:

Publisher: BLUEWATER PRODUCTIONS
(W) Jeffrey Renaud (A/CA) Ramon Salas
(W) Jeffrey Renaud
(A) Ramon Salas
(C/A) Ramon Salas
"For the creators of the hit Misadventures of Adam West series, comes the out of this world spin-off featuring everyone's favorite Boy Wonder, Burt Ward.  After playing Robin oin the Batman TV show, Burt still needs to be a hero and along with a couple of friends saves the world again and again!"

I found that the front cover was striking, but could have used the logo running left to right, instead of up and down at the right side.  (The photo pictured at the top is from the FCBD web site.)I almost missed picking one up for myself at the six LCBS that my youngest son and I attended, (as seen in blog #3642).

The inside front cover was similar to other Bluewater Comics that I have read and reviewed.

The splash page was laid out properly, although there was a bit of reading to do there.

There were only twelve (12) pages of story for this story, which is why it is to be continued in 'Burt Ward: Boy Wonder' #1 in July of 2012!

That's because there is a flip side to this comic book... 'Wrath Of The Titans' Classic, which I am not going to review blog here.  Just mentioning that it had fiveteen (15) pages of story along with a credits inside cover page.

I found that I enjoyed reading the Burt Ward story... Starting in on today, and then his reverting back to his youthful figure. 

The story was cut short at 12 pages, but is to be continued in Burt Ward: Boy Wonder #1 in July.

The artwork was kind of 'cartoony', but I was fine with that. Ramon Salas was the penciler and colorist to this issue, and the artwork meshed with the storyline by Darren Garnick & Burt Ward.

I'm looking forward to the first issue of the series!

My comic book grade for this issue is  a Very Fine / Near Mint (VF/NM) 9.0 out of a possible 10.0 comic book grading scale.

You can possibly find it at your LCBS if any are left, or on an auction site, such as mine.

~ Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,646 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,736 '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!!!

Note:  My online 'Loca8' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com, including the book 'Gotham City 14 Miles' that I am shown holding to the left. I'm 1 of 14 essayists in that book! !     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly 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:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

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!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

---

Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents Tina's Take On...   The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo!  The Special Edition Preview Comic Book As Seen On Free Comic Book Day!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3645 -  Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Special Edition Preview of Upcoming Graphic Novel

Just in time for Free comic Book Day, Vertigo released a special 22-page preview of their upcoming graphic novel adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

Michael tells me that not all the dealers had it, but he managed to score me a copy because he knows I'm a fan of the trilogy.

The cover by Lee Bermejo immediately tells us what this graphic novel will be like. We see Lizbeth in a stylized black-white image that captures all her emaciated, pierced glory and cleverly snakes the title down her back where readers would expect to see her glorious dragon.

Turn the page and stop short, you're in the Vanger's stuffy mansion on Hedeby Island. The preview covers the novel's beginning from Blomkvist's set-up and conviction to Lizbeth's initial investigation of him and Blomkvist's interview with the Vanger patriarch.

To their credit writer Denise Mina, the crime author, and Artists Giulia Brusco and Patricia Mulvihill make short work of what takes pages and pages and pages in the novel. I particularly enjoyed the panels of the framed flowers on the wall, the island, and the meeting where Lizbeth presents her report. You can see immediately how shockingly out of place she is in the workplace.

The preview edition, like the novel's beginning, lacks action. Yet, it clearly establishes Lizbeth's character, the setting and opens the intrigue of Harriet Vanger's disappearance. Most importantly, it lets fans know what to expect when Volume One of the graphic novel is released in November.

~ Tina Lo Sasso!

(Note from Michael:  This preview comic book was unofficially part of Free Comic Book Day 2012. Several LCBS were offering this as part of their Free Comic Book Day offerings on May 5th, but I only saw it at one of the six LCBS that my youngest son and I attended on last Saturday!)

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,645 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,736 '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!!!

Note:  My online 'Loca8' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com, including the book 'Gotham City 14 Miles' that I am shown holding to the left. I'm 1 of 14 essayists in that book! !     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly 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:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

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!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

---