Michael D Hamersky On Comics Reviews...   With Great Power   Stories Of One Amazing Book That Changed Everything

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3790 -    I received a  preview copy of this book direct from the publisher this past week, thanks to the Editor of the book, Rick L. Phillips.

What's the book about?

Here's what the promo piece has:

"This book has a series of fictional short stories as it follows one particular issue of Amazing Fantasy #15, that has the very first story to star the Amazing Spider-Man, from the time it is purchased in 1962 to the present. It shows how the story influenced the people that come in contact with it and the adventures they have because of its influence. A group of celebrated writers and up and coming authors have joined together to share those stories in this book. Now follow this classic comic book on its journey from one person to another as it makes its trip through time."

Okay, so now you can see how the front cover of the book, and the title of the book fit in!

At first I didn't get it... I had to read the back cover of the book again to figure out what it was about.

But a few stories into the book... I got it!

You know... It wasn't preachy, and it wasn't boring either.

There are over twenty different stories by thirteen different authors in this book.  How the stories tie together is done pretty well in my opinion. Especially the last half of the book.

Some of the authors include: Ron Athey, Paul Castiglia, John Glecker, Brian K. Morris, Zac Pensol, and Brian Reaves.

The fact that the thirteen different authors could tie their story with another author's story was pretty neat. I would suggest this book to someone who either likes Spider-Man or Marvel Comics.

Additionally this book can be considered to be an 'inspirational book', which is something I don't see enough of when reviewing publications / books that come in for possible review.

My comic book grade for this book is a Very Fine Plus (VF+) 8.5 out of a possible 10.0 comic book grading scale.  

Here is the info on how to order:

ISBN 9781300570264
Copyright Rick L. Phillips (Standard Copyright License)
Edition First Edition
Publisher Rick L. Phillips
Published February 10, 2013
Language English
Pages 249
Binding Perfect-bound Paperback
Interior Ink Black & white
Weight 0.95 lbs.
Dimensions (inches)  6 wide x 9 tall

You can order it from Lulu.com, as seen in this link.

My thanks to Rick L Phillips for bringing his newest book to my attention!

 ~ 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 3,790 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!   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 'Local' 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!     

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'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Mentions That...   It's Time For Romance... Comics That Is!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3789 -    This is Valentine's Week of 2013...

So I thought I would post a few of my favorite comic book covers from the Romance Comics genre over at my Facebook Fan Page this week.

Here's the link to:  Romance Comics for Valentine's Week 2013.

Enjoy!

 ~ 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 3,789 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!   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 'Local' 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!     

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'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Mentions...   How To Couple-Up In A Caption Contest!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3788 -    I received a message from John Lustig about a contest for comic lovers this past weekend.

I have mentioned John's 'Last Kiss' feature before in this blog, (as seen here).

I'm going to present the full press release below, so you too can join in on the fun!

Feeling funny? Team up with comics legend Jim Salicrup and write a gag in the
Last Kiss Couple-Up Contest. This is the first in a series of celebrity, writing
contests from Last Kiss creator John Lustig. Submit your gag by Feb. 24, 10
p.m., PST at http://on.fb.me/WsSgnM

The Last Kiss Couple-Up Contest features classic romance art and a
deliberately silly caption by longtime comics writer/editor Jim Salicrup.
It’s only one panel of art, but that’s part of the challenge. Can you use
Salicrup’s caption (featuring a robot spouse) as a starting point and write
hilarious dialogue short enough to fit into just a single panel?

This is the first in a series of quarterly Couple-Up writing contests planned
by Last Kiss creator John Lustig.

“For years, I’ve been taking old comic art and adding wacky dialogue to
create Last Kiss webcomics,” explained Lustig. “I decided to give fans a chance
to do the same. And, to make it even more fun, we’ll have different comics pros
and celebrities writing opening captions for each contest.”

Comics pros who will be contributing to future contests include Roy
Thomas (Conan the Barbarian), Tom DeFalco (Spider-Man), William Van Horn
(Donald Duck), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), and Andrew Pepoy (Katie Keen.)
Co-hosted by Universal Uclick , the contest runs through Feb. 24, 10
p.m. PST. Entries can be submitted on the contest’s Facebook page at
http://on.fb.me/WsSgnM

Prizes include getting your dialogue made into a Last Kiss comic; lots of
fawning attention when the comic is posted Feb. 27; a signed, high-quality print
of your comic; and Last Kiss merchandise.

Background Info:

Jim Salicrup
Guest writer Jim Salicrup's career includes 20 years at Marvel Comics writing
and editing classic superheroes (The Uncanny X-Men, Fantastic Four, The
Avengers, etc) as well as stints as editor-in-chief at Topps Comics and Senior
Writer/Editor at Stan Lee Media. He is now editor-in-chief at graphic novel publisher,  Papercutz, where he’s overseen the publication of Classics Illustrated, Hardy Boys,  Tales from the Crypt, The Three Stooges---and many more.

John Lustig
Using old romance art with funny new dialog, John Lustig’s Last Kiss
comic started as a regular feature Comics Buyer’s Guide and went on to become
a comic book mini-series, a popular webcomic and the basis for a growing and
vast line of internationally licensed merchandise. Since the late 1980’s, he’s also been creating classic Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge comics for American and European Disney licensees. His current Disney project is to take partially completed stories by Disney Legend Carl Barks and turn them into full scripts for Egmont Creative.

Universal Uclick/GoComics
Universal Uclick is the largest independent press/entertainment syndicate in the
world and a leading digital entertainment provider of humor, comic strips, political
cartoons and other content for print, Web and mobile devices. Universal Uclick
provides editorial development, licensing and other distribution services for iconic
brands like Doonesbury, Dear Abby, Miss Manners and some of the most
significant comics in history, including Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side, Garfield,
Peanuts, Dilbert, For Better or For Worse, Cathy and Ziggy. Recent standout
successes include Lio, Cul de Sac, Pearls Before Swine, Get Fuzzy, Big Nate
and The Argyle Sweater. A full comic catalog can be found at
GoComics.com<http://www.gocomics.com>. For more information on Universal
Uclick, visit UniversalUclick.com<http://www.universaluclick.com>.

Additional information
In the body of this release, there is a shortened version of the contest URL. The
full url for the Last Kiss Couple-Up Contest is
http://www.facebook.com/LastKissComics/app_197602066931325

IMPORTANT NOTE:  For additional information, contact John Lustig at info@lastkisscomics     

Okay, I think you get the picture of this contest... Now go on and write your caption & submit it!. 

 ~ 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 3,788 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!   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 'Local' 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!     

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 On...   How To Start A Comic Book Blog!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3787 -    Earlier this week I started a new photo album at my Facebook Fan Page titled: 'Comic Book Blogs'.  My intent was to show a photo of the blogs that I like and a link to them.

I just realized that I hadn't blogged before about how easy it is to... Start A Comic Book Blog!  So I'm writing this blog post today to help you get started!  Here are the steps!

1)  Get A Web Site!

First of all, it is much easier to start a blog then when I started back in June of 2006. ( BTW, I started this non-eBay blog in September of 2007.)  I used the eBay blog format, as I was selling comic books on eBay and decided to promote what I was selling with stories of the comics and comic book creators.  To my surprise, I actually won $100 in the eBay Blogging Contest for blogs!

I soon found though that I was limited in that I couldn't link to non-eBay sites in my 'eBay blog'.  So I found that Tripod (Lycos) had started a blogging format.  I used Tripod for my websites, so it was only natural for me to use the Tripod blogging format.   Which is what you are reading this blog on right now!

However, others use livejournal or Blogspot or other blogging platforms.  I'm not going to recommend any of those, as I don't use them.  But thousands of others do, so take a look at those blogging formats.

You basically register with those websites, and follow their instructions on how to set your blog up.

And yes... You can change the themes of the layout of your blog there, just be sure to realize that the blog texts on your archived blogs can change in size!

If you are going to do this for a while... Then I suggest you buy your own domain name.  I use NameSecure.com for all of my domain name purchases.  The average cost on the web for a 1 year domain name purchase is approximately $9.95 a year.

2) Start Writing!

I have read many comic book blogs.  There really isn't a true format for them.  This blog has different categories of topics that I blog about.  See those topics at the top right side of this post.

If you name your blog 'Comics From The Bronze Age of Comics', then you would be limiting yourself to blogging just on those comics.   Which could be fine, if that is all you want to blog about.  For myself, I chose ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com, which is generic enough to tackle all of the comic book related topics I would want to blog about!

3) Practice Writing Your Blogging 'Voice'!

There really is only one way that you will enjoy writing your blog.  And that is by writing in your own 'voice'.   Seriously!   Write the way you normally talk.  The words will come much easier to you when formatting your daily / weekly blog.

4) Blog On A Consistent Basis

You don't have to blog every hour, day, or week.   But be consistent in putting content out there for others to read.  That way they will come back for more, if they like what they read there today.

Place a hit counter with stats on your blog.  I use Sitemeter.com for this.

5) Link To Other Blogs & Websites

Really!  If you find something on another comic book blog or comic book web site, refer with a physical link to that blog or web site.  That will get your own blog known better when search engines come to your blog and index it.  

Oh... And don't forget to submit your blog's url to search engines right away!

6) Stay With It and Stick to Your Guns

If you make a statement in your blog, and that is what you truly feel about the comic book or comic book film or comic book creator, then stick with it.  Don't be wishy-washy!  

For example... When I do a review blog on a comic book, I post what the comic is about, what I thought about it, and then a comic book grade for the comic.   I believe I write enough to state my case as to why that comic book deserves the comic book grade that I give it.

7) Have Some Fun With It

This is blog #3787 for me.  That is a LOT of blogs!  And this blog only dates back to June of 2006, which makes it six years and seven months old.  Or seventy-nine months.  Which equals 48 blogs a month.  Yes, I used to do two blogs a day in the early years.   So please, make this blogging a fun project, and you'll have years of enjoy to come!

If you have any questions on this topic, feel free to message me on my Facebook Fan Page, Michael D Hamersky On Comics.

 ~ 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 3,787 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!   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 'Local' 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!     

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 On...  John Tartaglione Comic Books Artist

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3786 -    I was reading another of the back issues of Alter Ego, (No. 33 published in February of 2004), yesterday, and came across a two page memorial spread on John Tartaglione...

I knew that John was a comic books artist, as I had read many Marvel Comics that had his inkwork in them.  I had liked his work on those pages, and had wondered about him at the time, but during those early days there wasn't an internet to find out more about him.

Alter Ego had a two-page write up on him, as a memorial, as he had passed a short time before, (January 14, 1921 – November 12, 2003).

He is best known for best known for his inking on Marvel Comics during the 1960s - 70s - 80s, but had started in the comics field back in the 1940s at Harvey Comics.

John then went to Bailey Publications where he worked on 'Copy Boy'.

By 1949 John was at Timely Publications (Marvel Comics' forerunner), where he worked on horror, adventure and crime comics.

In 1952 John started working on romance comics at Atlas Comics (also Marvel Comics' forerunner), and had several pseudonyms there.

I've mentioned the Atlas Comics Implosion of Spring 1957 several times in this blog...

John was also caught up in this event, so he went on to Charlton Comics and Gilberton, where he worked on Classics Illustrated.

Sometime in the 1960s, John was working at Dell Comics, on Ben Casey, Burke's Law, John F Kennedy, and Lyndon B Johnson titles.

In the mid-1960s John was back at Timely (now called Marvel Comics), where he was the inker on several features, including the Hulk in Tales To Astonish, Daredevil, Captain Marvel, Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos and others.  That is where I knew his work the best.

It was in the 1980s that John worked on two comics that gave him a more international appeal:  the biographies in comic book format of Mother Teresa and then the Life of John Paul II.

John retired, but was still working here and there in the comics industry.  Matter of fact, the week he died, his daughter finished his cartoon strip where he was inking Larry Lieber's pencils on the Spider-Man newspaper strip!

There are very few public photos of John, the one I used for this blog shows him at the right, and Joe Sinnott at the left.  Joe is a very talented inker also, as seen at his web site.

Here is a list of John's published credits, as seen at the Grand Comics Database.

You can read more about John's life at his Wikipedia entry.

I thought I would post a blog about John today, while the memorial pages are fresh in my mind.  Because if you read Marvel Comics, like I did back in my early days as a child... You would have been reading some of his works.

 ~ 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 3,786 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!   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 'Local' 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!     

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'!

---