Freak Comics

The new Mary Jane Vol.2: Homecoming Digest is teen drama at its finest. The Mary Jane series have been garnering tremendous support from fans and critics, with Vol.1: Circle of Friends making it onto Entertainment Weekly’s Must List. Now look for that drama to continue this December as Mary Jane gets her own ongoing series, tentatively titled Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane.

Teen drama? “Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane”? Say it ain’t so, Spidey! I really must’ve been out of the loop lately or something because I wasn’t aware of this current crap. Sure it made Entertainment Weekly’s Must List, but so did Being Bobby Brown. Obviously the Must List can’t be trusted.

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane will star Spider-Man’s “girlfriend,” Mary Jane Watson, and will chronicle her high school escapades and misadventures. As fans of the movies or comic series know, MJ is a big part of Spider-Man’s life.

I would review this comic if only Marvel were able to send out review issues… but I’m not buying it. Not until it hits the $1.00 bargain bin that is.

By the way: notice the small sweat drop on Spider-Man’s forehead. Seem like something out of a Japanese manga? That’s because Takeshi Miyazawa is working on this series. I’m not opposed to manga, or other art styles. However I believe that they should not mix with American art. I don’t mean that in a patriotic or xenophobic way. I just think that distinctly Japanese art styles should stay with Japanese art. Mixing it with American art could be confusing to the reader, or at least turn them off from a series.

I just had some information passed to me regarding the art that I posted yesterday.

The title of this comic is to be Chronicles of the Red Lion and the main character is named Zidan.

I have given to you a tale of myself, a document that trails my life through the eyes of those that followed.

My age was an age of wonders, an age of mystery and an age of death. For in my time, mankind knew not the meaning of the inner heart and its ability to feel affection. Man gave in to the perils of lust, hate and contempt of his neighbor’s wealth.

For there were those that fed upon flesh, and those that preyed upon the poor. Life is never a given in my time, but hangs upon the wind like a lone leaf clinging onto the branch of a dieing tree, until finally blustered away by the wind.

I can tell you of my time, for I live and fight in it. I am the savior, the deliverer and the one that calls for redemption.

Scarlet hair, and the mark of the lion upon my back, I charge into this world of evil and bring hope to those of my blood that has thought it be
long past.

From slavery I shall draw them, as if one would draw water with a bucket from a cavernous well. And not by diplomatic means will I deliver, but with the power of the star and sword in hand, I shall smite those that would dare bring humanity to the sniveling level of mindless beast. -The tout of Zidan

Marvel Comics

ARANA #8

It’s zero hour as Anya comes face to face with the terrifying man she believes to be responsible for her mother’s death. Everyone at WebCorps is counting on her, but can she stay focused on her mission? Or is the call to vengeance too strong to resist? Part 2 (of 6).

ARANA VOL. 2: IN THE BEGINNING

Straight from the pages of AMAZING FANTASY come the continuing adventures of Anya Corazon – scrappy teen from Brooklyn by day, and butt-kicking Hunter of the ancient and mystical Spider Society by night! What seems like a routine collar turns out to be anything but when the corrupt judge Anya captured reveals a deadly new threat to the Spider Society. While Miguel tangles with an old enemy, a new nemesis arrives on the scene to challenge Anya – in the most unlikely of places! La Voz del Norte calls Araña a “modern, Latina role-model!” Collects ARAÑA: HEART OF THE SPIDER #1-6.

BLACK PANTHER #7

“SOUL POWER IN THE HOUSE OF M”
HOUSE OF M Tie-In
A United Africa – ruled over by Storm and the Black Panther – has become an economic powerhouse and a thorn in Magneto’s side. When Storm speaks out about the persistence of supremacist notions in the mutant-controlled world, a furious Magneto is determined to stop her at any cost, dispatching Quicksilver and Sabretooth to kill The Black Panther. And if neither succeeds: Apocalypse waits in the wings.

DAREDEVIL #76

THE MURDOCK PAPERS
Part 1 (of 5)
The Eisner-Award winning run of Bendis and Maleev comes to a blistering conclusion in their final arc! First they outed Daredevil in the press, then they married him, and made him the Kingpin of Hell’s Kitchen. What could they possibly do to top that? Four words: WILSON FISK IS BACK!!

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I’m happy to say that I have a preview for you to feast your eyes upon of the new weekly title that will be appearing here. I can’t reveal too many details at this time, but I can tell you that it is set in the distant past and is a very unique approach to the whole super hero genre. You can also view the full sized artwork which is shown in part above.

I am not the artist or writer for this title. A friend of mine is, and it looks like he and I may be collaborating on some projects in the near future. This is very exciting to myself and I believe that you will see some really great titles emerge from this.

The Adventures of Stickman have drawn to a close with the 33rd strip.

If you haven’t read the Adventures of Stickman yet, download the entire first issue in PDF format and tell me what you think (the quality of images in this PDF are lower than the individual images found on the site).

You may be wondering what is in store for Freak Comics now. I’m happy to say that there are some great titles on the way. A friend of mine has decided to start working on one of these titles to be released as a weekly serial. Lumber Jack will be here soon, and I’ve decided to continue posting my very old, very stupid Sketchman comics for you to make fun of (they really are horrible). I’m considering another issue of Star Trip as well.

The Adventures of Stickman title is up in the air. It may return, but I’m undecided on this. Stickman has been with me for years and I’ve developed lots of other characters in his universe, however I only have interest in writing a daily strip if people are entertained by it. If you’d like to continue reading Adventures of Stickman, let me know. Only you can bring Stickman back by clapping your hands really hard… or by posting a quick comment letting me know you want him to stay.

Springing from the pages of Fantastic Four and Power Pack comes Franklin Richards…in his very own one-shot special The Fantastic Four Presents Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius.

From the creative team of Mark Sumerak and Chris Eliopoulos, The Fantastic Four Presents Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius collects the four critically acclaimed stories from the Power Pack mini-series and features guest appearances of the entire Fantastic Four.

This collection also contains a brand-new story that finds Franklin and his robot H.E.R.B.I.E causing wacky Halloween mischief. Its madcap trick-or-treating, fantastic-style as Franklin gears up for his greatest adventure yet: the search for more candy.

Gross. What is this comic? I don’t read Fantastic Four, so I don’t know what this is all about… but it seems like a horrible idea. It’s like a mix of Dextor’s Lab and Calvin and Hobbes.

Sorry Marvel, I’m going to have to pass this one up.

Don’t take my word for it, download the web preview in PDF format to make your own judgment.

Read The Adventures of Stickman #33

Read The Adventures of Stickman #32

I just picked up a two of my favorite comics from Barnes & Noble: The Amazing Spider-Man Marvel Masterworks edition Vol. 1 (which collects issues 1-10 of the Amazing Spider-man, and issue #15 of Amazing Fantasy), and The Adventures of Tin Tin volume 6.

The Adventures of Tin Tin Vol. 6 features The Calculus Affair, The Red Sea Sharks and Tin Tin in Tibet. Herge is a genius and I’m looking forward to re-reading these books.

As I walked through Barnes & Nobel with a stack of the afore mentioned comic books as well as several others (trying to decide which to purchase) it dawned on me that I looked like a complete dork. Almost immediately I was embarrassed and tried to conceal what I was carrying by stacking all of the books up and facing the back cover of the least conspicuous book outwards. This made me look like a bigger dork.

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Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1 has sold out, making it the second annual to sell out.

In a stand-alone story that ties into the monthly title, Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1 finally reveals who will be Spider-Man’s new girlfriend. Written by monthly scribe Brian Michael Bendis with pencils by Mark Brooks, this double-sized issue is sure to have everyone talking about the new woman in Peter Parker’s life.

Marvel is set to release Ultimate X-Men #1 later this month and Ultimate Fantastic 4 #1 in September.