Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents...       Celebrating Memorial Day Weekend of 2013 With Comic Books!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3868 -    In memory of the many soldiers who have served our country with bravery and honor... Today's blog post is on why we have the day off as a holiday.

So what is 'Memorial Day' all about?  

Here is the link to the Wikipedia entry, as to when and where the 'Memorial Day' holiday started.

Here is the link to Comics.org, where you can find other comic books that have theme related covers.  There aren't any true 'Memorial Day' comic books with that title, however, so don't bother looking via those key words.

To help you look, here is a link to Batman #30 from August / September of 1945 with the 7th War Loan front cover.

This is the link to Superman #12 from September / October of 1941 with Superman posing with a sailor and an army man.

Plus, a link to World's Finest #5 from Spring of 1942 with Batman, Robin & Superman.

There are several more front covers with this theme... Have some fun checking them out at the Comics.org web site!

And yes, before I forget to mention it, the comic book pictured at the top right of this blog is Sgt. Fury & His Howling Commandos #18, cover dated May of 1965.  The title of the story says it all... "Killed In Action"!

Take some time during this three day weekend to remember what Memorial Day is truly about!

~ 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 3,868 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!

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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 Presents Tina LoSasso's Review of...    The Walking Dead   Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) Special     From the 2013 Free Comic Book Day Event!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3867 -    Today's blog is guest blogged by my wife, Tina LoSasso! (Pictured at the top left photo.)

Knowing that I love AMC's The Walking Dead (but don't read the comic book that it's based on because it's just too dark for this wussy girl), Michael picked up a copy of The Walking Dead FCBD Special for me earlier this month. He asked me to review it for you since he doesn't read TWD or watch the show (because he's a bigger wuss than I am.)

This special issue by TWD team of Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn was created for two reasons. One to give fans of the TV show a reason to go to a comic book store for FCBD. And second, to give fans of the comic a collectible they won't find anywhere else. The special contains an original Tyrese story plus reprints of stories on Michonne, The Governor and Morgan. For fans of the show who have been craving more backstory, these are four great stories for you to soak up.

If you're a fan of the comic, you're going to want this because of the Tyrese story. Fans of the tv show will learn that Tyrese has ALWAYS been a really bad shot. If you collect TWD, you will want the special because you won't be able to get this issue any other way - it is unique to FCBD.

Fortunately, my husband snaps up free stuff like Glenn on a supply run. He managed to score a couple extra copies of this special issue which you can check out here.

As a fan of the tv show, I enjoyed pouring over this FCBD special starting with Michonne's short story that reveals how she got her pets. It's a trip to see her running around in a skirt suit and high heels. Next up is the original story of Tyrese and how he bonded with his trusty hammer. Probably the most moving story is the one where Morgan still manages to give Duane Christmas in the midst of the apocalypse. The special closes with the tale of why the Governor started his zombie head aquarium. The story shows show-only fans of TWD just how different the comic book Governor is from David Morrissey's portrayal. It makes you appreciate his cunningly charming depiction of villany much, much more.

You can learn more about The Walking Dead Free Comic Book Day 2013 Special in an interview writer/creator Robert Kirkman did with Free Comic Book Day.

If you'd like one of those copies Michael snared, click here.

~ Tina

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,867 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 Presents Vinnie's Take of...    Reverence Volume 3: Destiny Unveiled!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3866 -    

Today's blog is guest blogged by my youngest son, Vinnie, (pictured at the top left photo).

Reverence Volume 3: Destiny Unveiled

This past week we received the third and final installment to the "Reverence" trilogy which is Volume 3 "Destiny Unveiled," from the author, Jeanie L.S. Galster. Coming soon, however, will be the story continued as a graphic novel.

The story continues from the second book, and it doesn't explain the plot or characters to you in this volume, so you should read the first two before you get this. To sum it up, it's about a woman seeking reverence for her parents' murders. She has powers that she gains through her tattoos after an accident in a tattoo parlor, in the first book, which allows her to summon her tattoes. Allesandra, the main character, has the tattoos of shurikens, a cobra, a phoenix, a lion, and a new tattoo that she gets in this volume. The plot is quite interesting as it takes the reader through intense scenes, and times when there are choices to be made by the characters.

The art in this book follows the same style as the art in the previous two, and I still believe it is amazing. The front cover art, and some of the illustrations in the book, are done by the author, Jeanie L.S. Galster. Her art is pretty good, using shading and streaks in the art to show the indiviual strands of hair or wings, or the parts of the clothing. The other illustrations in the book are done by CJ Draden. CJ's works are black backgrounds with white lines forming the pictures. They look almost like rough sketches, yet they are actually very finely detailed. It also fits nicely with the theme in this story and the dark mood of "doom and gloom" that is present.

All in all, this third book, "Reverence Volume 3: Destiny Unveiled" by Jeanie L.S. Galster tied up the trilogy nicely. Now, I'm wondering where the graphic novel will be taking the story. I give this a Very Fine / Near Mint (VF/NM), a 9.0 out of 10.0 grade scale. Although I did enjoy the story and art, there are spelling and grammatical errors that detracted from the enjoyment of the story for me.

If you'd like to pick up a copy of any of the books, you can purchase them at www.xlibris.com, at this link. 

~ Vinnie

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,866 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...       This Is What Got Me Collecting Comic Books!     Journey Into Mystery #72!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3865 -    This Is What Started Me As A Collector....of comic books!

Journey Into Mystery #72 from Atlas Comics, (Atlas evolved into what we know as Marvel Comics today).

Before I was given this comic book, all I had been reading were 'funnybooks' with an occasional National (Superman) comic book thrown in.

Journey Into Mystery #72 was cover dated September 1961, which would have made me nine years old.  The title had started with issue #1 in June of 1952, which would have been a month older than I was. 

What made this one issue stand out enough to make me start collecting comic books???

It was the artwork that did it for me. It was when I first truly realized that it was real people that drew these comics, in this case they were Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers, who signed their work 'Kirby/Ayers'.

Before this comic, all that I was aware of were the 'cookie cutter' artwork in funnybooks of Chilly Willy, Woody Woodpecker, Mickey Mouse, etc.  The art from one artist to another was almost indistinguishable, and no one signed their names to the artwork...   However the artwork of this Journey Into Mystery was so far different from what I was used to, that I immediately looked for more by the Kirby/Ayers team and kept the book in better shape!

I didn't have too long to wait... as Kirby drew Fantastic Four #1 for the November 1961 cover date, which I picked up after seeing Fantastic Four #3 from March 1962 where the FF wore costumes for the first time!

It was unusual that this comic was given to me as it was a 'monster' comic, which probably would have been thought to give me 'nightmares', but I am glad that it was given to me and that it started my lifelong collecting bug of collecting comics!!!

I was fortunate to meet Jack Kirby at the SDCC before he passed away, and to have met Dick Ayers at Wonder-Con and the SDCC a few times through the years.  They were definitely the great guys I thought them to be when I was a kid!! 

Thanks Jack & Dick for the memories!

For those of you that want to see more of the Journey Into Mystery issues, just click on this link to the Grand Comics Database. In addition, Journey Into Mystery was just one of many titles that Atlas Comics published.  Here is a link to the history of Atlas Comics.

BTW, this blog of mine is also posted at my Twitter page and my Facebook fan page for those of you that use those social media sites as well.  However, I don't post it to my LinkedIn account!

~ 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 3,865 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 The KickStarter Campaign For:     The Werewolf of New York!   From Batton Lash & Exhibit A Press!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3864 -    This blog is on the KickStarter campaign that Exhibit A Press is running for Batton Lash's latest TPB!

Jackie Estrada of Exhibit A Press brought this campaign to my attention last week, and this was the earliest I could 'slot' a mention in my Blog... But don't worry, there is still plenty of time for YOU to check it out, and make a contribution!

First of all, I've got to let you know... I am fan of Batton's work, and have already blogged about a book signing that he did back in September of 2012 for his then newly published KickStarter campaign TPB titled 'The Monsters Meet On Court Street'.

After that I was the interviewer on his 'Spotlight On... Batton Lash' program at the 2012 Long Beach Comic Con.  As seen at this link.

So yes, I do enjoy seeing Batton & his works.   But don't let that personal bias affect your thoughts on this worthy campaign!

Here's what the campaign says it is about:

Beware the creatures of the night—they have lawyers! Wolff & Byrd, Counselors of the Macabre, have had a lot of interesting supernatural clients over the years, but this one warranted their longest story ever!

The Werewolf of New York originally appeared online in the Supernatural Law webcomic (www.supernaturallaw.com).  It is the story of Leon Reed, a werewolf who was stalking New York until he was arrested. Thanks to attorneys Alanna Wolff and Jeff Byrd, Leon catches a break. However, a shapeshifter advocacy group disagrees with how Wolff & Byrd handled the case and influence Leon to make a decision that has the counselors putting their reputations on the line as they try to save their client.

The Werewolf of New York has plenty of plot twists and introduces some new characters, such as Sister Mary Maledict who runs a 13-Step Program in her Halfway House of Horrors, for monsters who want to get “clean” and go “human.” Plus longtime Wolff & Byrd fans will be treated to more of the antics in the office with some wacky clients and, of course, the trials and tribulations of Mavis, their intrepid secretary.

It's time this story became available in print. The book will be 96 pages, 7" x 10 1/2" in full color. (As anyone who got to read the story online will tell you, the coloring on this story is terrific and is essential to reproducing it in print.)

Our goal of $7,000 will go toward  the costs of printing and production of 500 copies of the book; production of premiums such as the bookmarks, calendar, and T-shirt; shipping; and Kickstarter and Amazon costs. The idea is to have the book out in July, in time for Comic-Con in San Diego.

The web page then goes on to list the pledge rewards for the different levels of making pledge donation amounts.

Here is the link to the KickStarter campaign, so that YOU can take a closer look, and check out the video that is shown there also.

I'm sure that you will enjoy whatever pledge reward that you sign up for!

~ 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 3,864 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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