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Top Five Picks…Buy These Right Now.
1. The Hollows (IDW).
2. Vampires The Eternal #3 (Zenescope).
3. Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger (DC).
4. Vampirella #30 (Dynamite).
5. The X Files Season 10 #1 (IDW).
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Like Bilbo Baggins, I have been there and I am now back again. Maybe that is a bad simile. The New Orleans World Horror Convention slash Bram Stoker Weekend was a sincere sensation. As it turns out I did need a hat after all because the heat index was 110 and I could have benefitted from a shield for my dome. Inside the delightful Hotel Monteleone on Royal Street everyone was happy to listen to and participate in discussions on all aspects of horror. There was only one panel on comics, but at least there was that one. Thanks to everyone who came out for that, and a hearty thank you too to my fellow panelists, Jason V. Brock, Charles Day, Anya Martin, and James Chambers. For horror comics readers keep in mind especially the name Charles Day, the Evil Jester himself, over at Evil Jester Comics (http://www.eviljestercomics.com/). They have a new book coming out in the Fall called Evil Jester Presents which shows much promise judging from the contributor list. Watch this space for more on that.
I used to go to the city every year or two when I was younger, but prior to this latest trip I had not been to New Orleans since before the storm. I wondered what I would find. The conference, as I mentioned, was held at a hotel on Royal Street, which is in the French Quarter. This area is designed for tourists and a lot of people look down their noses on it because of that. I personally love the French Quarter and despite its reputation there is a great deal of variety throughout the eighty or so square blocks. If you want noise and depravity, Bourbon Street is a good place for you, but if you are looking for something else, like art galleries and antique stores and a clock shop here and there, then hop over a block or two. I sound like an advertisement by the Board of Tourism. Anyway, the French Quarter is much the way I remember it. I know other parts of the city were devastated by the storm and the recovery/rebuilding has had differential impacts, many of them severely negative. For the people who live in New Orleans, these travails are suffering I can never fully understand. But if do not live there and you are thinking about visiting, there is nothing that should hold you back. Go to the Quarter, go to the business district, go to the Superdome, go to the Riverwalk … and any other place that strikes your fancy. And if there is ever a comics convention there, do not hesitate to book it.
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Ah, it is cross-over time again. Trinity War, the first universe-spanning happening at DC since Flashpoint (a sad episode indeed) is upon us. I do not really want to have anything to do with this, but when you look at the writers and artists involved, it hurts to stand on the sidelines. Note, the main story appears here: Justice League #22-23, written by Geoff Johns, illustrated by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado; Justice League of America #6-7, written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire, illustrated by Doug Mahnke; and Justice League Dark #22-23, written by Jeff Lemire, illustrated by Mikel Janin. That is quite a list, huh. I cannot read Justice League Dark until DC makes it right with me over Hellblazer, so I will miss those episodes no matter what. But it is hard to pass up any collaboration between Johns and Reis, or Johns/Lemire and Mahnke. What to do, what to do. There are also a number of tie-in issues, including Trinity of Sin: Pandora, Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger, and Constantine. Of course that third one is on the boycott list and I have never warmed to Pandora but I am a huge pusher for Phantom Stranger. So you see my problem, right? My temper tantrum over the canceling of Hellblazer leads to a fragmented understanding of Trinity War. That’s what happens when you behave like a child in the last third of your life. You miss out on what is likely to be a mediocre-at-best minor cross-over non-event. Seriously, though, at this writing none of the material is out there so my tiny rampage is just a heads-up. From the statistics I suggest the Justice League, Justice League of America, and Phantom Stranger titles. Whether or not the rest of it is good reading will depend on how the story shapes up.
Don’t worry. I’ll do the scouting for you.
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Six.
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I have a quick word on one of the top five recommendations. Putting The Hollows (IDW) #1 on the “Buy These Now” list I hope is a strong positive signal. This is an excellent book written by Chris Ryall and illustrated by Sam Keith. It is a superb combination of goofy and spooky, funny and violent, serious and tongue-in-cheek. This is one to keep on the shelf rather than selling back or tossing out. Highly recommended.
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Buy These Too…
Madness of Wonderland (Zenescope). Issues #1-4 are collected in this lovely trade paperback edition. I have mentioned this series a couple of times already so this entry serves as a notice that the book is out. If you do not have the individual issues then here is your chance to read this excellent series.
Danger Girl Trinity #3 (IDW). I came to this party late, and now it is almost over because this is a four issue mini. The artwork is surprisingly good and consistent given that it was apparently accomplished by committee. There is a lot of action with horror showing up as a low key skeleton-level player, but it is worthwhile playtime all the way.
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GAME, the new novel by Jack Cadillac and Jimmy Eldorado, is available now: http://www.amazon.com/Game-Jack-Cadillac/dp/1489508309/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369771572&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=game+cadillace
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