The Pre San Diego Comic-Con International Check Off List! For the 2010 SDCC - Part 1       -------------- Above Photo: Tina LoSasso & Michael D Hamersky in line at Hall H in 2009! At the Top Left: Usually we are having breakfast in line at the Comic-Con International before the News Crews are even set up! At the Bottom Left: The Logo for the Comic Con International: San Diego - a.k.a. San Diego Comic Con 2010.

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3188:

Well, it's only 10 days away until the 2010 Comic-Con International: San Diego, (a.k.a. SDCC), opens its' doors for Preview Night!

Tina & I will be there for all 5 days and 4 nights. Tina has been going since 2001 when we were engaged. That was the year that Hollywood 'discovered' Comic-Con.  I set up as a comic book dealer back at the El Cortez Hotel in 1972 when the SDCC was at that venue. So we both have different expectations about this comic convention.

This pre-check off list is what we will be preparing with between now and when leave to drive down to the San Diego Convention Center. We are lucky that the SDCC is only 35 miles South of us here in Carlsbad, California!  (At least until 2012! But this blog is not about the possibility of moving the Comic-Con elsewhere!)

So what's 1st on our personal Check Off List?

PREPAID PARKING: First of all, this year there is the pre-paid parking option! We've already "reserved' parking space for all five days of the con under the Convention Center itself. I've already blogged about this and posted references to this fact on our own Facebook Group Page, Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing, a.k.a. Hamersky.com.  If YOU haven't reserved space yet, I suggest you look at this ASAP if you are driving to or renting a car for the SDCC.  Again, a note of caution:  I'm not recommending this option, but I do NOT want to drive down to the parking to be told it is already sold out at 5 AM in the morning for the drivers coming down at 9 AM that already 'reserved' their spots!

PROGRAM SCHEDULES: Then, believe it or not, the Wed - Thur - Fri - Sat Comic-Con schedules are already posted!  I double checked before starting this post at 4:30 AM PST Sunday Morning, July 11th, and Sunday's wasn't up yet. But it should be soon. You can start with this link for the Wed-Thursday schedule, and then click on successive tabs.

Next, we usually copy & paste the programs / panels / films / events that we want to see on copy paper. That way when we pick up our actual program schedule on Wednesday afternoon after check in (approximately 3PM or shortly afterwards), we can hi-light in yellow the programs we want to attend on the 'Grid' that is printed in the schedule for easier viewing.  Quite often there are scheduling conflicts, and / or Tina wants to see programs that she is more 'into' than I am.  We also cover a lot more that way for our blog, (seen at ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com), which you are reading a post at now.

However, THIS year you can use your smart phone to hi-lite & download what you want to see.  Since this is the 1st year Tina and I are using smart phones (Androids that we just picked up July 4th), I am starting right now to see if this is feasible for us.  I see that several of my Facebook Friends are doing so also.  However, until I make sure this is the way I want to keep track of what I am attending, I've opted to keep my schedule 'private' at this time.  I will be using my Droid already to take photos / text / & update my Facebook Member Page & Group Page.  I notice a drain on the battery already when practicing for this during the past week.  So I don't know how effective using the Droid for scheduling would be.

Okay, so far we've got the parking & the schedule either figured out, or have it under control 10 days out from the Preview Night. (Barring any future special invites to off-convention center parties or events.  We've already booked one to attend.)

CLOTHING:  Next is clothing.  For the 2009 SDCC, Tina suggested I stop wearing comic book character t-shirts and 'brand' myself. Thus if you are attending and run into me, I'll be wearing my signature indigo colored polo shirt with the white lettering 'ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com' on the left pocket area.  I've got a half dozen of these, which is why last year's photos from the con show me in similar clothing each day.

For myself, wearing comfortable clothing is the only way to go.  That means the polo shirt, blue jeans, and tennis shoes / walking shoes.  Each year I cover the whole exhibit floor at least once, plus the upstairs under the sails pavilion, and a lot of program rooms.  Doing that means that Tina & I are at the convention center from as early as 5 AM till approx Midnight several days, depending on what the programming each night holds interest for us.

Tina always carries a sweater or jacket in the car, as the program rooms are usually cool.  She carries a back pack, while I usually carry an over the shoulder pouch for easier access to my lists, and to place copies of publications that creators give me for possible review in this blog. We do have extra clothing in the car if needed.

FOOD & DRINK FOR MEALS & SNACKS: Tina & I are really looking closer at this topic for this year's con.  That's because Tina came down with food posioning on Saturday evening last year during a program, and we had to leave.  She more than highly suspects a certain food choice made from the concession stand was the reason,  and is currently revising what we will do this year. 

We always take our own snacks due to the high cost of those inside the convention center, and are lucky we have rarely missed underground parking at the convention center, due to our arriving there so early each morning.  That way we have a place to store all of our 'swag' we pick up, plus room for purchases, and our 'igloo' container for drinks & food.  We usually buy some sort of breakfast sandwiches enroute to the con, and have breakfast while sitting in line, as seen in the photo above from 2008.

Again, we are lucky we are so close to drive to the SDCC, but when we go to other cons, we attempt to do all of the above I've listed here so far.

ACCESSORIES:  Due to the fact that we are so close to the SDCC, and that we almost always have underground parking, we can bring a lot of accessories, but not necessarily have to lug them around.  For instance, we both have learned that sitting on the ground, whether pavement or grass or carpet is hard to do off and on all day / night.  Thus we have opted to bring tiny, and I mean 'tiny' fold up stools.  The convention center does not allow full size fold up chairs in the hallways, and you will be asked to take them out of the center.  However the tiny fold up stools are perfect sized.

Cameras & batteries & cords.  I have been using a 1st generation camera, a Sony Mavica FD-100 for years and years, both for eBaying and attending comic cons nationwide.  This year in addition to that, I will be using my Droid's built in camera for Facbooking and taking photos for this blog.  Tina finds that the Mavica gets very heavy for her, so she is very excited about her new Droid for photo taking.  However she doesn't take as many as I do for future use.

Backpack / shoulder bag / briefcase -  Years ago, when I was mainly interested in getting my own personal collection of comics signed, I would carry a briefcase to keep them safe in, until the comic was signed.  That is a hard thing to do...carry a briefcase all day.  But it worked in keeping my comics in the condition I brought them in.  I see way too many people pull out crumpled comics from backpacks after buying or bring them there for signature.  Not good!   Tina uses a backpack, but she doesn't place anything 'valuable' in there.  My over the shoulder bag keeps the promo comics that I am given to possible review in blog safe, plus I can bag & board them separately with other promo literature or the creators' cards so as to know who gave me what publication after the con when I start reading and blogging about them.

That's going to be it for this blog post, as I'm running out of room in this format.  I do want to emphasize this however:

There is NO WAY you are going to be able to do everything that you want to do or see at this comic con. It is too darn big to be at two places at once, especially when something is in Hall H and one end, and then someone signing at a booth in the Small Press Section. You can't be at both. 

So relax, prepare well on the topics I've blogged about today, and enjoy what you can.  Just stick to your plan and don't get caught up in what's happening at a booth or table as you go by it enroute to the important program or signing you were enroute to. You may end up missing what you most wanted to see.  Yeah, I know..."Be Flexible".  Well that may be fine for some, but try doing that for a program at Hall H sometime that you just had to see.  Some attendees sit through several earlier programs just to see the ONE they want to see.  Because Comic-Con STILL doesn't clear the hall between programs!

And most of all...Wear comfortable shoes...You'll be walking many miles during the Con!  

My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over the 3,185 total posts in number!

~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com

Note: Our online comic book store carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at:

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email 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     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! Plus thanks to my Facebook Friend, Norma Xenawannabe for designing the above poster! For those of you that didn't know me before today...I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others 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: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

EUReKA and the Comic-Con International Connection For Us! From the Sci-Fi Channel at the 2007 SDCC       -------------- Above Photo: Close up Photo of actor Colin Ferguson who plays the role of Sheriff Jack Carter! At the Top Left: Our introduction to the Sci-Fi Channel's EUReKA TV Show by Colin Ferguson at the 2007 SDCC! At the Bottom Left: The Logo for the Comic Con International: San Diego - a.k.a. San Diego Comic Con 2010.

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3187:

Last night, after coming home from the concert in the park, Tina and I were in time to watch the Premiere Episode for the New 4th Season of EUReKA. Which reminded me that the upcoming San Diego Comic Con, that is only 11 days away!

Now why would it do that?

Well, that's because we were 'introduced' to this TV Show by Colin Ferguson a.k.a. Sheriff Jack Carter himself at the 2007 San Diego Comic Con in 2007!

Quite honestly I was there at the Sci-Fi Channel's Program for the 'Stan Lee's Who Wants To Be A Super-hero?' segment, but this segment about EureKa was up first.

And man, are both Tina and I are glad that we found EUReKA!

Immediately Tina and I scoured for a copy of the EUReKA DVD Seasons One and Two, and then caught up with what was then the start of Season Three as introduced at the 2007 SDCC.

Here is one of the several blogs that I have posted since first finding EUReKA in 2007.  Please excuse the formatting problem, this was first posted in our eBay Blog which is now defunct. The format layout does not carry over properly to this current blog platform.

Anyways, for those of YOU that haven't seen this show, or haven't been introduced to the two comic book mini-series published by BOOM Studios, here is the 'gist' of what the TV Show on the new SyFy Channel is about from the WikiPedia entry:

"Eureka (the logo of which appears as EUReKA) is an American science fiction television series that premiered on Syfy on July 18, 2006, and since then three full seasons have aired. The show is set in a fictional town called Eureka in the Pacific Northwest inhabited almost entirely by geniuses and scientists that live in a top-secret government-run town. Nearly everyone in Eureka works for Global Dynamics, a huge advanced research facility responsible for the development of all major technological breakthroughs in the last 50 years. Each episode features a mysterious accidental or intentional misuse of technology which is then solved by the town Sheriff, Jack Carter with the help of town scientists. There is also a story arc concerning a mysterious artifact that has had an appearance in both the first and second seasons."

The new 4th Season of this show just started last night.  It was reported earlier that there should be 22 episodes in this latest season, but that doesn't sound right for a series that has only been aired in the Summer Seasons to my knowledge.

Anyways, this TV Series and the two comic book mini-series have been really good viewing for Tina and myself since first finding it in 2007 at the SDCC by 'accident'. 

That is one of the reasons that neither of us miss this Comic-Con...there is so much to find there!

We will be blogging about what we find there at this 2010 event, and Facebooking at Hamersky.com - which is my own Facebook Group Page. I'll be doing that off and on during the Con. There will be photos posted at my own Facebook Member Page, but unfortunately that is maxed out at the 5,000 total Facebook Friends and Fan Pages that I can have or 'like'.

Talking about Facebook, there isn't an actual Facebook Fan Page for this TV Show, which is unbelievable to me, because as of this blog post, there are over 100,000 Facebookers who have 'liked' the Facebook Community Page for this TV Show.  Someone is definitely missing out on this opportunity to catch the interest of this many Facebookers out there!

That's it for this blog post, and now YOU know OUR connection between Comic-Con and EUReKA!  If neither are on your attending or viewing schedule or reading lists, I suggest you take a closer look at doing so!  The time travel Premiere Episode aired last night is just the start of a another Great Season, IMO!  

My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over the 3,185 total posts in number!

~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com

Note: Our online comic book store carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at:

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email 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     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! Plus thanks to my Facebook Friend, Norma Xenawannabe for designing the above poster! For those of you that didn't know me before today...I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others 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: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

-------------- South of the Border With Disney! ---------------  Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program 1941-1948 - Above Photo: The Front Cover of the Book: South of the Border With Disney - Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program, 1941 - 1948 - by J.B. Kaufman! At the Top Left: The Front Cover to the Dell Four Color #71 Comic Book from May of 1945 - Part of the Project Discussed in the Book! At the Bottom Left: This 1941 Photo was taken in Argentina.  Walt Disney's group had been invited by local gauchos to an authentic Argentine barbecue. Walt is shown posing for the photo in full gaucho costume, looking every bit the part of an Argentine cowboy!

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3186:

This blog is perfect to run just before the upcoming San Diego Comic Con International, that is only 12 days away!

That's because the San Diego Convention Center itself is only 18 miles North of the Border with Mexico!

Plus, the Comic Con International is a destination that a lot of artists come up from the South American countries each year to attend! I know, I've met several during the past years!

And finally, the Disney influence is very well represented on the exhibit floors and in the program halls each year at the San Diego Convention Center.

However, I doubt if many of the con goers know of the period of time that this book, 'South of the Border with Disney' covers.

Heck, I only knew a little bit of this period, because of the top left photo of the Dell Four Color Comic Book #71.  That was a 'one-shot comic book', penciled by Walt Kelly for Disney, and published in conjunction with Dell Publishing in 1945.

That one-shot could be considered as a 'promotional' comic book for the Disney film, 'The Three Caballeros'.  It is a adaptation of most of the film, with some omissions and then also some new material. The comic book is representative of what the book 'South of the Border with Disney' tells of what was produced during the time period of 1941 - 1948.

So what's with the book?

Well, quite honestly, it is a very 'heavy' read, in both number of pages and content.  I found it to be very interesting, with text, photos, and appendices.  Actually too much for me for a casual reading less than two weeks before the Biggest Comic-Con for us of the year!

So, I read as much as I could, and realized that this book is a true treasure for Disney Fans!  Which is why I am blogging on just a little bit of it this morning.

Here's what the promo blurb says the book is about:

Millions of viewers have enjoyed Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros without realizing that these Disney films were produced for a specific diplomatic purpose: as part of an initiative to foster a spirit of friendly hemispheric unity by countering Nazi propaganda efforts in South America, so that all the Americas might stand together against the Axis powers.

This effort, the Good Neighbor program, was initiated and guided by Nelson Rockefeller as head of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (CIAA), a new government post created by President Roosevelt in 1940.

Beginning with the extraordinary research trip Disney undertook in 1941, leading a team comprising his top animators, artists, and writers from Mexico to Chile, renowned animation historian J. B. Kaufman reveals the story behind Disney's contribution to Rockefeller's program.

Based on extraordinarily comprehensive archival research and richly illustrated with many images never before published, South of the Border with Disney is a fascinating study of an all-but-forgotten aspect of the American war effort that will inform and delight Disney fans, animation lovers, and World War II buffs everywhere.

So you can see it covers a LOT in those seven years of the project!

Again, I myself just read the intro and the parts of the book that interested me.  It is a very detailed history of the time period, and amazed me on how much coverage there was. 

The photos of the period, the illustrations for the films and publications and posters for the films was just amazing to see. It is good to see that several films from this time period are coming out on DVD, as seen by the DVD to the left.

Again, I'm surprised at how much there was in this book.  It definitely needs more than a couple of sittings to read through all of this, even for an avid reader! J.B. Kaufman definitely did a great job on compiling this book to be very readable on what could have been a 'dry' subject, but it is such an in-depth look into the period that you would need to come back and come back again to peruse all of it!

Here is the info you would need to purchase the book:

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Disney Editions (October 20, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1423111931
ISBN-13: 978-1423111931
Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 1.1 inches

As for a 'grade' for this hard cover book...Well, I would give it a Near Mint (NM) 9.4 out of a 10.0 Comic Book Grading Scale, even though it isn't a comic book.

That's it for this blog post...This was the topic that I was going to be blogging about yesterday, before I got sidetracked with a special comic book signing that is happening at the same Comic Con International: San Diego!  

My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over the 3,185 total posts in number!

~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com

Note: Our online comic book store carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at:

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email 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     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings of items for Sale!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! Plus thanks to my Facebook Friend, Norma Xenawannabe for designing the above poster! For those of you that didn't know me before today...I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others 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: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

Torchwood The Comic Book Is Coming To The 2010 San Diego Comic Con! From Titan Publishing       -------------- Above Photo: The San Diego Comic Con 2010 Exclusive Cover for the Torchwood #1 Comic Book! At the Top Left: The Front Cover to the Season One DVD of the Torchwood BBC TV Series! At the Bottom Left: The Logo for the Comic Con International: San Diego - a.k.a. San Diego Comic Con 2010.

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3185:

I woke up way too early again this morning...I must be in 'training' for the upcoming San Diego Comic Con, that is only 13 days away!

So I was getting ready to start blogging about a book that I just finished as a change of pace from this week's blog topics of vampires / werewolves / & more vampire!

However, just before that, it occured to me to look up on the GCD (Grand Comics Database) to see if there were any comics books on a BBC TV Show that Tina and I just finished watching last night, (see DVD cover at the top left of this blog).

That would be the Season One of Torchwood on DVD.

And No...There wasn't any comic books on this TV Show. I double checked on the Doctor Who comic book listings, which is where this TV show sprang from. 

Plenty of Doctor Who comic series, one-shots, etc., but no Torchwood.

For some reason I decided to check it out on Google. Premonition?  I don't know.

However, immediately up comes the fact that Titan Magazines is going to be publishing a comic book on this TV Show! The same Titan Magazines, whose booth I stopped at last year at the SDCC and picked up a few magazines for possible review. (See this link for those blog posts.) 

Well, I had to stop my scheduled blog post for this news. As Titan Magazines is promoting this new comic book with a variant cover just for the San Diego Comic Con, (as pictured at the above right of this blog)!

So why am I somewhat excited about this news?

Well, of course Tina and I are attending all 5 days of this comic con.  Heck, it's in own our own 'backyard' so to speak, as it is only 35 miles South of us. And that's where I got my start in dealing with comic books, way back in 1972 as a dealer at the El Cortez Hotel where that year's con was held. But that's a story that's been told before...

The real reason I am somewhat excited about this, and want to see about standing in line for this comic book, is that Tina and I just finished Season 1 last night on the DVD. 

This DVD was released back in 2008, and no...we are not selling any of them, and we picked it up because during the American Summer Season on TV, we usually don't have that many shows to watch, as most shows on are a 'repeat' basis.

Both Tina and I found this DVD to be very enjoyable.  I won't speak for her, but I found it to be even more enjoyable than I thought it would be because...There isn't any Doctor Who 'baggage' here!

When I say 'baggage', it's that a viewer of this DVD doesn't have to know any of the Doctor Who continuity, which goes back a long way...too far back for me to get involved in that, even though we sell Doctor Who comic books.

Suffice to say, I found that this 1st Season DVD held crisp, bold, and outright daring episodes, thirteen of them in number.

However, I do want to stress that this DVD is NOT for those that of young age, as several of the topics and scenes are graphic in sexual content and violence. Not my usual fare of watching TV, turst me on that one!

Yet it is the characterization of the five main characters that drew me into this Season One right from the start.  Yes, some of the accents from this BBC production threw me off, but I got the gist of each of the scenes.  And the storyline that each episode unfolded made me want to come back for the next episode.  It's taken us a few nights of watching this DVD set, but IMO it was worth the time invested in it.

I for one will be looking forward to seeing the Season Two DVD set. Plus will brave the probable long line to get a copy of the San Diego Exclusive Comic Book #1 for myself.

Oh, and what's this TV Series about?  Here's just a bit from the Wikipedia entry:

"Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme, created by Russell T Davies. It deals with the machinations and activities of the Cardiff branch of the fictional Torchwood Institute, which deals mainly with incidents involving extraterrestrials.

An initial 13-part series was commissioned by the BBC as a spin-off from the 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who with which it is closely interlinked. The main cast consists of John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Naoko Mori and Gareth David-Lloyd. Gorman and Mori left the programme after the second series, with Kai Owen promoted from a recurring role to the main cast in series 3."

I notice that there has been three seasons so far.  It was mentioned that a fourth season is in production right now, for release in 2011.

BTW, there is also a Facebook Fan Page for Torchwood, which I've 'liked' this morning.  So I'll be checking that out further between now and Comic-Con.

That's it for this blog post...funny how my Thursday morning blog got re-directed. Plus isn't it amazing on how many TV Shows and Theatrical Films get adapted for comic books?  We are truly living in a 'Second Golden Age of Comics' right now people!  

My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over the 3,180 total posts in number!

~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com

Note: Our online comic book store carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at:

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

---

 

"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email 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     ComicBooksCircus.com - It's Under The Big Top Of Comics! Click the Above Circus Tent to See Our Current Listings!

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! Plus thanks to my Facebook Friend, Norma Xenawannabe for designing the above poster! For those of you that didn't know me before today...I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others 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: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

 

'My Take' On: Vampire Apocalypse: Prologue - The Mini-Comic From New Baby Productions       -------------- Above Photo: The Mini-Comic for Vampire Apocalypse: Prologue! At the Left Top: The New Baby Productions Logo! At the Left Bottom: The Back of the Postcard with the promo text. (Click on it to see it in larger size.)

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3184:

Today I am blogging on a mini-comic that was sent in for a possible review.  As I have mentioned in this blog before...There are a LOT of comics and graphic novels coming out on vampires / zombies / werewolves, as evidenced by this week's blog topics so far: vampire pirates on Monday - zombies on Tuesday - and now vampires of the future on Wednesday.

So why blog about this project?  Well...It's a project that is projected to be published in 2011 as a graphic novel.  It is based on Derek Gunn's 'Vampire Apocalypse' series of novels. This promotional publication is a 'Prologue' in mini-comic format.  Plus it is from a company that already has another title in print, Elemental Fources.  Thus the reasons why I've elected to blog about this one today.

Eric Mullarky, (seen at the bottom left of the photo at a recent XcapeCon), Publisher and Editor of this mini-comic, sent this to me a little while back.  It is a precursor to the projected graphic novel expected sometime in 2011.

I received the mini-comic, the promo postcard for this project, a promo postcard for the Elemental Fources series of comics, and his buisness contact info in the review package.  (I won't be blogging about the Elemental Fources in this post.)

So what's this mini-comic about?  Well, it's considered a 'Prologue' to the graphic novel that the publisher has projected to be released in 2011.

As to what it is about, please see the postcard graphic near the top left of this post, left click on it, there will be a pop-up window with a larger graphic, and then see what the publisher states it is to be about. Then scroll back to this point.

Okay...Now that YOU are back here...

Front Cover:  The front cover shows the title of the mini-comic, and for those that already know about the series of novels on 'Vampire Apocalypse', those people will be intrigued about a illustrated novel format. The large rectangular white box on the bottom right of the front cover kind of throws me off, but I figure it is for a promotional purpose.

Inside Front Cover:  The credits page, and done very well. Showing that the author is Derek Gunn.  The adaptation is by C.J. Hurtt, with art by Federico Combi. Letters by Dan Streeting. Publisher / Editor is Eric Mullarky.  With the domain name listed for those that are interested in checking this concept out further.

Splash Page:  Starts off with panels of the story. Not used as a true splash page.  However, I've already perceived that this is a promotional piece, not meant to be a real story within itself. It has only twelve interior pages.

The Rest of the Pages:  I'm not for sure when reading this, if this is just an excerpt of pages already produced, or if this is the actual storyline in pages sequence.  I'm reading this as a 'reader' with thoughts of purchasing it, not as a 'reviewer' of this publication.  The varied size and shapes of the panels is an interesting usage of panels, and kind of places me in the 'Apocalypse' sort of time period. 

Last Page: Having been semi-caught up in the action being presented in the storyline thus far, I reach this page to be told: "To Be Continued In Vampire Apocalypse The Graphic Novel Coming 2011.  Okay...

Inside Back Cover:  This is an in-house ad for the publisher's other comic book series, 'Elemental Fources'.  I see there are at least six issues so far. 

Back Cover:  It's an ad for this upcoming graphic novel, and showing the reader that is based on the series of Derek Gunn's Apocalypse novels.  So those already in the 'know' of this series would definitely want to look at this promo comic.  

So, after all of the above...what is 'My Take' on all of this?

Well...First of all, I would have to say that this 'Prologue' in mini-comic book format is a good teaser for those that already know about the series of novels, and that it will be published in illustrated graphic novel format sometime in 2011.

For those that don't know about this series of novels and are interested in this type of genre, it would probably spark an interest in checking it out further online.  Which after all, is the probable reason for this publication.

For those that are expecting a complete storyline in this mini-comic, which is done in a lot (most?) mini-comics, they will not see one. 

This publication is a good format to be a 'teaser' for the upcoming graphic novel.  Plus it is a good introduction for those that have read the series of novels to see what can be done with the concept in graphic novel format.

The artwork is fine, and fits this genre. The adaptation from novel to graphic novel is one I can't compare, not having read the novels.  The lettering is hard to read for me, because of the word balloons and boxes being shaded in colors. I can see why the letterer did it that way, but in mini-comic sized print, it doesn't come over as well as a full sized graphic novel would. So please bear that in mind when reading in this mini-comic format.

I would grade this mini-comic as a 'Very Fine' (VF) 8.0 out of the 10.0 Comic Book Grading Scale. That's because the publication is more a 'promotional preview' type of work than an actual 'read'.

As an actual read for someone that doesn't know the series of novels background, it probably has enough presented in the total of fourteen pages to entice the person to check out the website.  Which again, is most likely the purpose of this publication.

As a promo for the person who has read the series of novels, it is probably really good to help that person visualize this as a graphic novel, and look to how to possibly place a pre-order for when it is published in 2011.

Talking about websites, etc., I took a look at what is up already.

The publisher's main site is NewBabyProductions.com - which actually re-directs to the publisher's earlier web site for Elemental Fources at the time of this blog being posted.

There are a lot of links there, most for the other publication. However there are blog posts, forum threads, etc. for this Vampire Apocalypse.

There is also a Facebook Fan Page for New Baby Productions, which being an active Facebooker, I found quite interesting.  I suggest that if YOU are on Facebook to take a look at this Fan Page. The Fan Page has been around since sometime last year, (2009).

That is where I found the answer to my question as to when this would be published in graphic novel format, (as of December 2009): "No official release date yet. Production will take the better part of a year due to this being 140+ pages. I am targeting early 2011 so that it can be premiered at one of the larger comic shows or book fairs. I will keep everyone updated as we move along".

However as an update, I found in their blog on the May 27th post, the following about this project's progress:

"Federico Combi notified me earlier this week that he could no longer continue on as artist for our Vampire Apocalypse graphic novel. His workload was getting to be too much and he was already way behind on our agreed schedule. We have mutually agreed to cancel the contract, and New Baby Productions will continue the project without him. I would like to wish Federico luck in his future projects.

With that, I would like to introduce Andy Dawe-Collins as the new artist. Andy is a local Michigan artist who I am very happy to be working with. His dedication, style, and love of horror will really help this project. Catch some of his work at http://www.comicspace.com/irish46/."

So at this point, I'm not for sure how this will affect the publishing of this graphic novel.  Which is why I suggest that if YOU found this blog post about this project to be of your liking, that you add yourself to the Facebook Fan Page, and also add the Forum page on the web site to follow up on.

My thanks to Eric Mullarky for bringing this mini-comic book for possible review to my attention. And my best wishes to him and the others who are working to bring this concept to graphic novel format in  2011.  

AND My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over the 3,180 total posts in number!

~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com

Note: Our online comic book store carries many different genres of comics, magazines and graphic novels at:

http://www.comicbookscircus.com/

 

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"Hammering Out the Web For You Since May 12th, 1998!"       Note: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email 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

My thanks to those of YOU that have read today's blog post! I do appreciate that! For those of you that didn't know me before today...I first set up as a 'dealer' at the 1972 San Diego West Coast Comic Con (SDCC) at the El Cortez Hotel. So I've been around comic conventions for a little while, LOL!   My wife Tina and I now have an on-line exhibitor (dealer) table at the first "virtual" comic con titled the "Facebook Comic Con" (FBCC)! You can view our dealer table and interact with us there on Facebook by clicking this link, which takes you to our table named: 'Facebook Comic Con | Make It So Marketing'.  So if YOU are a Facebook member, please 'join' our Facebook Comic Con - Make It So Marketing exhibitor table for updates, specials, links to this blog, and other wall comments that we post every day!     Also, if you are a Facebook member and would like to also join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'. I am reaching the maximum of 5,000 Facebook Friends soon, and I don't want YOU to be left out!         ------------------- Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review! I've made a special blog post about: "How To Best Submit YOUR Publication For Possible Review!" for those creators / publishers that would like to possibly have their publications mentioned or reviewed. Just click on the link provided in this paragraph! ~Michael @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com   WEB PAGE NOTE:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards. Chrome, Safarai, Netscape, Firefox and the others 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: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.