CBF: 14: Geek Girls, DC Changes, Green Lantern Recap
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(A little tech problem in the beggining. Audio begins about 10 seconds after start.)
Our first podcast of the new year (dang we’re slow) begins with big thank yous to the Geek Girl Network for throwing a great Tweet Up, with gifts from Think Geek. Thanks to Kristin, TheNerdyBird, Big Kev and the Other Guy, and Pink Raygun for showing us a great time. I also haz a monkey. His name is Melvin.
We talk about the major changes over at DC and a little Green Lantern. Enjoy!
The Brightest Day Arrives
So it looks like DC wasted no time in getting this week started with some new buzz:
DC sold me on two aspects: 1) it’s a bi-weekly series that will run concurrently with the main Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps books and 2) Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi will be writing the series as well. That’s enough to let me know that the characters will have the same voices and that we get to see what the writers have in mind for the post-Blackest Night world of DC. No artists have been announced yet, but I think it’s safe to say that Johns and Tomasi will get the best around as usual.
My only concern is any potential burn-out on Johns’ part because he’s been sending out scripts like a madman as of late, not to mention him now having more creative editorial input on DC books in general. But I have confidence that they’ll juggle this properly for him because Green Lantern has been a gold mine for DC and I’m sure they don’t want to mess that up now.
Click the image to read more about it on DC’s blog.
CBF End of Year Podcast
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Mike and I recently wrapped up the decade with our 2-part Wizard Decade Edition podcasts (latest one is here if you want to check it out), but I figured to also provide one focused particularly on 2009 as well. A lot went on this year alone, which explains why this was probably the longest podcast I’ve ever done solo. Some highlights on the podcast:
- DC was the big publisher this year in my eyes with Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns leading the charge on the major story arcs.
- Vertigo continues to innovate with their new Unwritten and Daytripper series
- Marvel’s Dark Reign storyline dominates the year, but hear why I believe it lost its focus as the year went on.
- Image and Dark Horse continue to put out quality work in spite of the domination by the big two publishers
- 2010 will see more excellent books and a more focused direction on both DC and Marvel’s sides.
- I lay down challenges as to supporting independents and why comics should never be considered as just “spandex” books
A happy and safe New Year’s to all and we’ll see you on the other side of 2010!
CBF Podcast 12: The Decade in Review Part One
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Using Tim’s quick pick from a few weeks ago, we round out the year and the decade with a look at Wizard’s Decade in Review. So what did you think about the last 10 years of comics?
Enjoy part one!
CBF Podcast 11: Blackest Night 4, 5 and Ronnie James Dio
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So we finally get our act together and talk some more about our favorite current topic, Blackest Night. Since we missed so much over the last few weeks, here is our take on issues number 4 and 5.
Have you been reading? (if not, don’t listen to this yet because we drop spoilers like hot potatoes. Mmmm, potatoes.)
Let’s talk about this. What do you think about the story so far? Where do you think it’s going? Geoff Johns has completely drawn me in and I plan to follow Green Lantern from here.
Superman: Earth One and Batman : Earth One Announced
It’s pretty typical to have a comics company launch a new continuity for its flagship franchises every few years. Some hit off great (Ultimate Spider-Man), some fall flat and collect dust (All-Star Batman & Robin).
Geoff Johns recently announced on his Twitter account the next big project he had set for DC in 2010 and it looks like AICN and the DC Blog followed suit in reporting his announcement as well as announcing the other big project. Two big re-boots in the Batman and Superman franchises are are coming our way and will be coming out in an ongoing graphic novel format. Where the writers take this continuity remains to be seen.
This might help a lot for those not able to go through the last few years of DC lore to catch up on their characters. DC did it to a degree with the All-Star franchise of a couple of years ago, but Grant Morrison’s Superman project was all you got that was superb about it. Let’s not even get into what happened with Frank Miller’s Batman All-Star take – just search the forums and you’ll see why people are down on it.
What are your thoughts? Is this needed even with the writing talent behind it in Johns and Straczynski?
CBF Thoughts – Interesting Comic Sales Numbers for Oct ‘09
I thought this would be interesting to post after listening to IGN Comic’s latest podcast. Check out this link on the latest sales figures for comics last month.
Typically, Marvel and DC had a significant gap in sales numbers the last couple of years, with Marvel usually being ahead in that gap. Note the 3% difference this time for last month’s numbers. Obviously Blackest Night has a lot to do with that and for good reason, as you’ve heard so much from Mike and I the last few podcasts regarding the series, but it makes me wonder as well if Marvel is losing steam due to this “event fatigue” what with Dark Reign lasting for as long as it’s been amongst the other big arcs they’ve done. Granted, DC just did Final Crisis not too long ago and everybody’s still scratching their heads over it, but it seems DC has cut off that fat by taking a book that’s been handled brilliantly by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi and giving them the reins on a properly handled event.
Marvel also just announced recently that Siege will start in January too as a 4-part series and says that would end the whole “big event” they’ve supposedly started back with the “Avengers Disassembled” arc many years ago. Maybe that’s what it’ll take to get Marvel to increase the sales gap, as I’m sure people would love to see things go back to self-contained stories.
Should be an interesting ride next year – maybe we’ll see Hawkman back in his own book again, just like Mike wanted. Right, Mike? 
Superman Prime in Blackest Night
We got good old Superman joining the fight in Blackest Night as well as Earth-2 Superman, so I guess it only made sense that he’d join as well:
I personally could go without Prime joining this fight, as he’s already exhausted his presence in the Infinite Crisis and Sinestro Corps War books, but I’ll let Geoff Johns ride on this one for a bit and see what happens.
Thanks to IGN Comics for the article.
CBF Podcast 7: Finally, Blackest Night
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Blackest Night number 1 is out, so this is alll Blackest Night talk. ‘Nuff said. Enjoy!
Blackest Night Has Arrived
It’s finally here.
Two years of hype built since the last issue of Sinestro Corps War has come to this. What both Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi have been doing for the main Green Lantern books during this timeframe has been amazing, but now it’s time to take off the kid gloves. Mike and I both picked up issue #1 today and while we will definitely will be talking about this in more detail in our next podcast, I just wanted to share a quick two cents and then sign off.
And that is just simply…..wow.
Obviously we have seven more parts to go in this DC comics event, but if this book is any indication, we’re in for a wild ride. A good build up, lots of drama, and then they hit you hard with what’s to come. Fantastic.
Be on the lookout for the next podcast – we got a LOT to talk about.