Bongo Comics to launch Sergio Aragonés title

Bongo Comics is launching Sergio Aragonés Funnies in July, a new monthly title featuring new works by the brilliant Mad Magazine cartoonist.

Each issue offers an assortment of autobiographical anecdotes, perplexing puzzles, slap-happy short stories, as well as Sergio's unique and hilarious pantomimes and gags. With this new series, the world's most beloved cartoonist continues to prove that humor is truly a universal language!

This will definitely be on my monthly buy list.

Farrah Fawcett immortalized as Barbie Doll

Here's a look at the new Farrah Fawcett collectible Barbie, out in July.

Lost Jack Kirby art surfaces in Kirby vs. Marvel lawsuit

The estate of comics great Jack Kirby is suing Marvel Comics over rights of the many character he co-created while freelancing for the company and, as a byproduct, we're getting a look at some story pages that Kirby created but Marvel chose not to buy.

The online Jack Kirby Museum has posted a number of these, including several lost pages of a Hulk tale that were literally saved from the dustbin by Marvel scripter (and Marvel publisher Stan Lee's brother) Larry Lieber.

In his testimony, Larry says:

"... Jack Kirby came out of Stan's office from -- and from the direction of Stan's office. He may, probably, he had come out of Stan's office, and he seemed upset. And he took the drawings, he had these drawings, he took them and he tore them in half and he threw them in a trash can, a large trash can.

"And I, since I was such a big fan of his, I knew that at the end of the day, they would be discarded, you know, and would be trash. And I -- I saw it as an opportunity to have some of his originals to keep, to look at and study, and so I took them out of the trash can.

"And there were other people in the office, but nobody else seemed to have noticed this, which I was glad about, and I just took them, walked over to where I was sitting and put them in my case. And I took them home and I taped them together, you know, I taped them all, and I kept them and I've kept them all these years to look at them and, as I say, to study them."

New Thor movie pictures

Pentax unveils DC Comics-themed cameras

These are pretty nifty:

Featuring a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, 4x optical zoom, HD video recording (30 fps) and a 3" LCD screen, the DC Comics edition of the Pentax RS1500 will run you about $200. In addition to the superhero skins -- which depict very cool '70s versions of the DC characters and thus give the camera itself a kind of retro charm -- the camera comes with a Green Lantern-branded protective carrying case.

Lennon's Lucy in the Sky lyrics up for auction

John Lennon's initial lyrics for "Lucy in the Sky with Diamond" are going up for bid.

Auction house Profiles in History said on Wednesday that it expects the draft lyric sheet to sell for more than $200,000 at a sale next month in Beverly Hills.

It has the opening lyrics for the song, and a rough sketch by of four people in a room with windows draped in curtains.

Marvel Comics July 2011 solicitations

Some highlights from Marvel's July offerings:

CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils & Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
Variant Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Variant Cover by JOHN ROMITA SR.
Variant Cover by NEAL ADAMS
Movie Variant Cover also available
Blank Variant Cover also available
Bestselling Cap writer Ed Brubaker and superstar artist Steve McNiven bring you the next huge chapter in Steve Rogers life, and it's a perfect jumping-on point for fans of the Cap movie. A funeral for a fallen friend turns into a race against time as the original Captain America makes his explosive return!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

DAREDEVIL #1
Written by MARK WAID
Penciled by PAOLO MANUEL RIVERA AND MARCOS MARTIN
Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
Variant Cover by John Romita Sr.
Variant Cover by NEAL ADAMS
Variant Cover by MARCOS MARTIN
Blank Variant Cover also available
THIS SUMMER, THE DEVIL IS REBORN. RENEWED. RESSURECTED.
With new enemies, new friends…and that same old “grinnin’ in the face of hell” attitude, The Man Without Fear is back in a double-sized first issue and leading with his face! Mark Waid (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, Irredeemable, RUSE) joins neo-legendary artists Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin for a new spin on Daredevil that will leave you gasping for air. Having turned his world upside over the past several years, Matt Murdock realizes that justice may not be blind to his past and villains may not be the only ones looking for answers. Bring it on. If Matt Murdock could see what he was doing…he’d be terrified.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ART OF MARVEL STUDIOS HC SLIPCASE
Written by MATTHEW K. MANNING, JOHN BARBER & JOHN RHETT THOMAS
FROM COMIC-BOOK LEGENDS TO SILVER-SCREEN SUPER HEROES! Marvel presents an insider’s look into the making of its cinematic universe — assembling three Avengers in one stylish slipcase. Featuring exclusive production artwork, behind-the-scenes photography, and in-depth cast-and-crew interviews, this four-book collection is a must have for any fan of Mighty Marvel movies! Includes IRON MAN: THE ART OF IRON MAN THE MOVIE HC, IRON MAN: THE ART OF IRON MAN 2 HC, THOR: THE ART OF THOR THE MOVIE HC and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE ART OF CAPTAIN AMERICA — THE FIRST AVENGER HC.

X-MEN BY CHRIS CLAREMONT & JIM LEE OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
Written by CHRIS CLAREMONT, TERRY AUSTIN, SALLY PASHKOW, PETER SANDERSON & ANN NOCENTI
Penciled by JIM LEE, MARC SILVESTRI, ROB LIEFELD, MIKE VOSBURG, JIM FERN, MARK BAGLEY, RICK LEONARDI, KIERON DWYER, BILL JAASKA, MIKE COLLINS & WHILCE PORTACIO
Covers by JIM LEE
What happens when you combine an industry veteran at the top of his game with a hot, up-and-coming young artist, and let them loose on Marvel’s mightiest mutants? You get a fan-favorite, multi-year X-Men run unequaled in style, pizzazz and wall-to-wall action! It’s Chris Claremont’s most ambitious story arc ever, featuring Jim Lee’s dynamic debut issues and major changes to the X-Men’s status quo! Jubilee debuts just as the X-Men disband, granted new lives by the Siege Perilous! The Reavers enact gruesome revenge on Wolverine and decimate Muir Island, while Psylocke is transformed into a ninja! The Shadow King makes his play for Storm, culminating in the action-packed introduction of Gambit! Wolverine’s hidden past with Captain America and the Black Widow is revealed! And this is just the first volume! Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN #244-269, X-MEN ANNUAL (1970) #13 and CLASSIC X-MEN #39.
704 PGS./Rated A

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE X-MEN VOL. 3 TPB
Written by ROY THOMAS
Penciled by WERNER ROTH & JACK SPARLING
Covers by WERNER ROTH & DEAN WHITE
Join the original X-Men — Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel and Iceman — in these early adventures from the days when Marvel’s Merry Mutants were more the quirkiest quintet in comics than the worldwide wunderkinds they are today. Across ten issues, you’ll see the X-Men confronted by a host of villains weird and varied — from Count Nefaria and his horde of henchmen to the Locust and the Aztec-inspired Kukulcán. You’ll also witness the first appearance of X-Men mainstay Banshee and read the rare stories when a sixth mutant member, the Mimic, joined Professor X’s squad. Also featured are the beginnings of the long-ranging Factor Three saga, and the classic battle between Mimic and the Super-Adaptoid — and all are painstakingly restored to offer the best presentation of these Marvel classics! Collecting X-MEN (1963) #22-31
224 PGS./All Ages

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE INCREDIBLE HULK VOL. 6 HC
Written by ROY THOMAS
Penciled by HERB TRIMPE & SAL BUSCEMA
Cover by HERB TRIMPE
Oh yeah, MARVEL MASTERWORKS fans, it is time to Hulk out! Roy Thomas and the man who made ol’ Purple Pants his mission for nearly 100 issues, Herb Trimpe, bring you a stack of INCREDIBLE HULK classics that’ll leave you feeling green and liking it. It starts off the way it should — with a fight. The Hulk and the Thing go mano-a-mano once more to prove which one is the strongest force in the Marvel Universe! Then, with Reed Richards’ help, the man inside the monster is freed — allowing Bruce Banner to at long last step up to the wedding altar with the lovely Betty Ross. But when the Leader returns with the Rhino at his side, happily ever after is the last thing he has in mind. Also featuring an earth-shaking battle between the Hulk and the Avengers, the Absorbing Man, a team-up with Dr. Strange, the return of the swamp-born Glob, the unbelievable separation of Banner and the Hulk into separate beings, the hordes of Hydra, and a green-powered drive to overthrow the cruel dictator Draxon. You wouldn’t want to make Hulk angry — so reserve that copy today, True Believer! Collecting INCREDIBLE HULK (1968) #122-134.
280 PGS./All Ages

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA STRANGE TALES VOL. 5 HC
Written by VARIOUS
Penciled by VARIOUS
Cover by JOE MANEELY
From the dark heart of the Atlas Era comes another dose of bizarre and exciting STRANGE TALES! Crafted by a host of the most talented illustrators to ever grace the comic-book page — from early work by Steve Ditko to accomplished efforts by Bill Everett — each story is a page-turning pleasure from the days when comics were as frightful as they were delightful! A heaping helping of bug-eyed aliens, unexplored caves, time machines, mermaids and atomic bombs will prove to you there’s a taste of something for everyone with a penchant for the fearsome and the fantastic. And with an in-depth introduction by noted Atlas scholar Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, there’s no other place where comics’ most contentious era is presented and studied in such detail as here. So reserve your copy today, and march on with the MARVEL MASTERWORKS!
Collecting STRANGE TALES (1951) #40-48.
248 PGS./All Ages

EXCALIBUR VISIONARIES: ALAN DAVIS VOL. 3 TPB
Written by ALAN DAVIS & SCOTT LOBDELL
Penciled by ALAN DAVIS & SCOTT KOLINS
Cover by ALAN DAVIS
Nightcrawler! Shadowcat! Captain Britain! Meggan! And the return of Rachel Summers, the Phoenix! As our heroes team with Captain America, Iron Man and Black Panther to save Wakanda, Phoenix battles Galactus in space! And back in England, the government is trying to take control of the nation’s super heroes, but it’s not going well — just ask the Warpies! Then, it’s a trip to a Sentinel-ruled future — and the shocking origin of Widget! Alan Davis returns to Excalibur for some of the team’s greatest adventures yet! Collecting EXCALIBUR (1988) #59-67.
216 PGS./Rated A

NEW MUTANTS CLASSIC VOL. 6 TPB
Written by CHRIS CLAREMONT
Penciled by JACKSON GUICE, STEVE PURCELL, ALAN DAVIS & ARTHUR ADAMS
Cover by BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH
Cannonball! Wolfsbane! Sunspot! Warlock! Karma! The adventures of the next generation of the X-Men continue alongside Psylocke, Captain Britain and Longshot against the evils of Mojo and Spiral! Plus: The deadly threats of Empath, Legion and the Magus! Danielle Moonstar, in a gunfight with Death herself! And the tragic tale of Larry Bodine! With guest appearances by the X-Men, Lila Cheney, Dazzler and Kitty Pryde! Collecting NEW MUTANTS (1983) #41-47 and ANNUAL #2, and X-MEN ANNUAL (1970) #10.
264 PGS./Rated A

SPIDER-MAN/FANTASTIC FOUR TPB
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
& BILL MANTLO
Penciled by MARIO ALBERTI, MIKE ZECK & JOHN BYRNE
Cover by MARIO ALBERTI
The Fantastic Four hold the distinction of having one of the most diabolical and dangerous villains on the planet for a nemesis: Dr. Doom! Since their first encounter, Doom has used dark magic and mad science in his quest to destroy Reed Richards and his family. Now, taking to the timestream, Doom may have just what he needs to defeat his sworn enemy forever. To prevail, the Fantastic Four will need the help of one of their oldest allies: the Amazing Spider-Man! Never a team player, Spider-Man must learn to work well with others — or it just might mean the end of them all. Plus: a classic two-part team-up featuring the FF and the web-slinger! Collecting SPIDER-MAN/FANTASTIC FOUR (2010) #1-4; PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN (1976) #42; and FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #218.
136 PGS./Rated T+

ESSENTIAL PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN VOL. 5 TPB
Written by VARIOUS
Penciled by VARIOUS
Cover by RICH BUCKLER
Spidey’s got friends: Black Cat, Wasp, Paladin, Starfox and Daredevil. Spidey’s got enemies: Spot, Blacklash, Kingpin, Killer Shrike, Blaze, Rocket Racer, Sin-Eater, Puma, Beyonder and...Santa Claus? Spidey’s got his hands full! His black alien costume has gone rogue. His friend, police Detective Jean DeWolff, has been murdered — and the killer is on the loose. He’s got new neighbors, even! Life is never easy for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and it doesn’t get any easier here!
Collecting PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN (1976) #97-114.
568 PGS./Rated A

Doctor Who cast shows range: Reads celebrity tweets in American accents

This is pretty funny.

New comics April 13, 2011

Things I'll buy:

ALL NEW BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #6

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #658


Other items of note:


Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives Volume 3


DC Direct Ame-Comi Heroine Series: Duela Dent as The Joker PVC Figure

 
DC Direct Ame-Comi Heroine Series: Jesse Quick as The Flash PVC Figure


Gotham City Sirens Vol. 1: Union HC


Spirit: Angel Smerti (The Spirit)


Thor by Walter Simonson Omnibus


Mickey Mouse and The Orbiting Nightmare

DC Comics July 2011 solicitations

Highlights from DC's July offerings:

DC RETROACTIVE: SUPERMAN – THE ‘70S #1
Written by MARTIN PASKO
Art and cover by EDUARDO BARRETTO
DC Retroactive is an exciting event honoring the defining eras of DC’s core heroes, featuring an original story by the legendary writers and artists who helped mold the characters! Martin Pasko revisits the Metropolis of the 1970s, telling an epic lost tale as Mr. Mxyzptlk returns for another go at The Man of Steel. Will he succeed this time around?
Plus: Following the 26-page lead story is a classic tale originally published in the ’70s, also written by Martin Pasko!
ONE-SHOT
On sale JULY 27
56 pg, FC

DC RETROACTIVE: BATMAN – THE ‘70S #1
Written by LEN WEIN
Art by TBD
Cover by TBD
The 1970s was a pivotal decade for Batman, one in which he transitioned from TV’s campy Caped Crusader into today’s Dark Knight Detective!
Now, legendary scribe Len Wein (DC UNIVERSE: LEGACIES) tells a never-before-revealed tale from this era in a brand-new story!
Plus: Following the 26-page lead story is a classic tale originally published in the ’70s, also written by Len Wein!
ONE-SHOT
On sale JULY 20
56 pg, FC

DC RETROACTIVE: WONDER WOMAN – THE ‘70S #1
Written by DENNIS O’NEIL
Art by J. BONE
Cover by TBD
From legendary scribe Dennis O’Neil comes an untold adventure starring DC’s Amazon Princess in her “white costume” phase! When Paradise Island is in danger, Wonder Woman must complete three tasks to save her homeland from destruction. But are these tasks too difficult even for her?
Plus: Following the 26-page lead story is a classic tale originally published in the ’70s, also written by Dennis O’Neil!
ONE-SHOT
On sale JULY 20
56 pg, FC

DC RETROACTIVE: GREEN LANTERN – THE ‘70S #1
Written by DENNIS O’NEIL
Art and cover by MIKE GRELL
DC Retroactive is an exciting event honoring the defining eras of DC’s core heroes, featuring an original story by the legendary writers and artists who helped mold the characters! The 1970s were a time of spacefaring thrills for the Emerald Knight! Now, writer Dennis O’Neil returns to the character for a brand-new epic starring Hal Jordan!
Plus: Following the 26-page lead story is a classic tale originally published in the ’70s, also written by Dennis O’Neil!
ONE-SHOT
On sale JULY 27
56 pg, FC

DC RETROACTIVE: THE FLASH – THE ‘70S #1
Written by CARY BATES
Art by TBD
Cover by TBD
In a new tale from classic 1970s writer Cary Bates, Gorilla Grodd unleashes his most ruthless attack yet against his nemesis, The Flash – a plan for revenge so warped and diabolical, it dooms The Scarlet Speedster to a slow and agonizing fate that will end his heroic career and cause an unspeakable rift between Barry and his wife, Iris!
Plus: Following the 26-page lead story is a classic tale originally published in the ’70s, also written by Cary Bates!
ONE-SHOT
On sale JULY 20
56 pg, FC

DC RETROACTIVE: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA – THE ‘70S #1
Written by CARY BATES
Art by TBD
Cover by TBD
Writer Cary Bates reveals the untold story of how super villain Kanjar Ro nearly destroyed life as we know it when he set out to conquer Earth – Earth- Prime, that is. It’s up to the Justice League, Adam Strange and a very special DC legend to save the 1970s!
Plus: Following the 26-page lead story is a classic tale originally published in the ’70s, also written by Cary Bates!
ONE-SHOT
On sale JULY 27
56 pg, FC

KAMANDI, THE LAST BOY ON EARTH OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
Written by JACK KIRBY
Art by JACK KIRBY, MIKE ROYER and D. BRUCE BERRY
Cover by JACK KIRBY and MIKE ROYER
At last, DC collects the adventures of Kamandi in the popular Omnibus format, beginning with issues #1-20!
In these tales, Kamandi – one of the few survivors of a futuristic Great Disaster that has destroyed civilization – must make his way through a world populated by bizarre, mutated animals and other strange wonders! Considered one of Jack Kirby’s most creative works, KAMANDI features a band of intelligent animal supporting characters who accompany Kamandi as he searches for answers and adventure across the wastelands of Earth.
On sale SEPTEMBER 28
448 pg

SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND LOIS LANE ARCHIVES VOL. 1 HC
Written by OTTO BINDER and others
Art by WAYNE BORING, KURT SCHAFFENBERGER and others
Cover by CURT SWAN and STAN KAYE
These whimsical stories are collected from SHOWCASE #9-10 and SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND LOIS LANE #1-8, including:
* “The Girl in Superman’s Past”
* “The Jilting of Superman”
* “The Witch of Metropolis”
* “The Rainbow Superman”
* “Lois Lane – Convict!”
* “The Ugly Superman”
Advance solicited
On sale DECEMBER 21
264 pg