Apr 25, 2010
NEW BLOG
Hey there! This is QBComics and today Im writing to tell you of a new blog The CBP crew have just started. This blog is called The Scratch Pad. The Scratch Pad is a blog all about comics, animation, and sketches/art from our own creations! Unfortunately that means shutting this blog down, so this will be the last post you see at TCBP. See you at The Scratch Pad!
Apr 18, 2010
Time To Set Sail: Eiichiro Oda's One Piece
Now, I'm sure you've heard or seen this series but let me introduce myself. Hello, my name is ToonFaithful aka Mr. Freeze from Toon Zone's message board and I am a member of The Comic Book Panel. This is my first post on this blog and I am excited to be with the rest of the crew! Today I'd like to talk about the manga series One Piece, created by Eiichiro Oda and published by Viz Media.
I just started reading the series a couple weeks ago and I gotta say, I'm loving it so far. The one thing I've noticed when reading was that there's similarities between Luffy and Naruto. They want to achieve their goal. Luffy- becoming the pirate king and Naruto- becoming the hokage. Luffy is my favorite character coming with Usopp in 2nd and Zoro in 3rd. Well, let me tell you the plot: One Piece follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy , a 17-year-old boy who gained supernatural abilities by eating a magical fruit, and his ragtag crew of heroic pirates, named the Straw Hats. Luffy's greatest ambition is to obtain the world's ultimate treasure, One Piece, and thereby become the next Pirate King.
Right now, I am on the Enies Lobby Arc and the reviews were right about this arc, there are many twists and turns going on right now. It's calming down now but at the beginning of this arc, tragic. Now I know that this is The Comic Book Panel, strictly for comics only but I'm hoping the anime gets re-aquired by Cartoon Network soon. I want the Funimation dub, not the 4kids dub because that was just a mess.
The artwork is simply amazing. Luffy isn't the only tool in the shed we got Zoro the Swordsman, Usopp the Sharpshooter, Nami the Navigator, Nico Robin the Archeologist , Sanji the Cook, and last but not least, Chopper the Doctor. Luffy's moves are awesome! He has many like Pistol(as seen in the picture above) and much more! My favorite battle was with Luffy was him vs. Usopp so far. A very emotional, devastating battle. Usopp stole the show. Luffy only got like 3 punches while Usopp was blowing up the place.
Back in the day, I never gave One Piece and Naruto a chance. In 2007, I became obsessed with Naruto. In 2010, I became obsessed with One Piece.This series has funny segments, awesome action scenes, and drama. I recommend it to everybody who hasn't read it yet. Just give it a chance. Not just One Piece but any kind of book. I hope you enjoyed this post and check out the manga! You'll love it!
Enter Marvel's "Heroic Age"
This spring Marvel Comics plans to roll out a new direction within it's universe, the company believes that it's time to get back to the basics and let their heroes be heroes once again and to put an end to the "dark" times that have plagued their comics for the past 5+ years. It's about damn time in my opinion. I can't tell you how long it's been since I have picked up a comic book and felt like I was being treated to something special, I feel as if the heroes that inhabit both the Marvel Universe and the DC Universe have been really beaten down by the creative teams over the past decade and it's affected the storytelling and the way that we view the characters as fans. Remember when it used to be something special to see Spider-Man show up to save the day from a dastardly villain trying to pull off a major crime? Or how about the feeling you would get when someone would point to the sky and Superman would be flying by and you knew that whatever the horrible situation was that ol' Superman was not going to let it happen? Do you get those classic feelings of iconic heroes doing what they do best anymore? Yeah....neither do I.
Marvel claims that their heroes will be "super" once again, apparently we are going to see a rebirth of the Marvel Universe that is going to be written in a way that both long-term fans of the books will not feel alienated and new readers will be able to dive right in and not feel out of place. This is all fine and dandy, but you know it's not going to be a perfect slice, something will either spill over and new fans will wonder what is going on or they will leave something out of the overall picture that the long time fan will become enraged about, it's inevitable and it's something that always happens whenever you hit the all important "reset button" as a creative talent. Another thing that some fans may not realize is that Marvel is not just doing this with it's Avengers like originally thought, but over the course of the spring/summer it's going to affect pretty much all of the core characters, I found this out through reading solicitations for June and July where they mention that (insert title here) has arrived in the "Heroic Age". Not only is this new age of comics going to affect the core universe, but eventually it's going to make it's way to the X-Men titles and Marvel even plans to release a slew of new series that fit the "Heroic Age" such as a new monthly series called "Spider-Man & Wolverine", a teenage team book called "Young Allies" and a solo ongoing title based on Hawkeye.
That's all I have to say about Marvel's new direction for now, but I do want to say that I'm very excited about it and I will be posting an entry both on here and on my personal blog once the titles hit the shelves next month, hell, I may even add a video of me flipping through the pages to show off the art and some of the cool covers that we may see with the new initiative. When it's all said and done though this is definitly an interesting and exciting time to be a fan of Marvel Comics and comic books in general, a lot seems to be coming down the pike and you can see more over at www.Marvel.com or Http://TheHeroicAge.com.
As always, you can follow me on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Manga4life or you can check out my personal blog located at http://manga4life-blog.blogspot.com, so in the (somewhat) immortal words of Stan Lee, "Until next time you can make mine.....MANGA!"
**Manga4life**
Apr 15, 2010
Top Five: Most Awesome Power Ring Constructs (That Nobody Ever Uses)
Hey, guys!
Tomato here! I've got to be honest with you. It's my first "real" post on the panel, and after all the awesome ones we've had so far, I'm a bit nervous. And you know what time it is when I get nervous?
IT'S TOP FIVE LIST TIME!!!
Yes, ladies and gentleman, welcome to a semi-regular feature here at The Comics Panel, in which one of our panelists takes you through a list of five of the blankest blanks EVER! And today, my friends, those blanks are going to be filled with the words Most Awesome and Green Lantern Power Ring Constructs That Nobody Ever Uses.
"But, Tomato" you hypothetically are asking "What the Mephisto is a Green Lantern Construct?" Allow me to explain.
Imagine that you're a cop, Instead of your city, however, you protect a section of a galaxy. Now, to protect something as huge as a chunk of galaxy, you need a bit more than a shiny badge, a cop car and a gun, right? What you need is a piece of jewelry. A ring, to be exact.
Stop laughing. Really, you can stop now. No, seriously. Because what I haven't told you about this ring will make your jaw drop. You see, whatever thought enters your head, this ring-shaped piece of Oan technology can make reality. Everything from tanks to swords to giant hands can come out of your ring finger. This is the object possessed by an army 7200 members deep that literally spans galaxies. An army known as the Green Lantern Corps. Bad news, though, folks: the people wielding the most powerful weapons in the galaxy have all the creativity of a stock broker. In every Green Lantern comic I've read, it's always gun after gun, sword after sword on EVERY SINGLE PAGE. So, today, ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to prove that I can do better. These are my Top Five Most Awesome Green Lantern Corps Constructs (That Nobody Ever Uses!)
5. Explosives
Being a boy, I can't resist a good explosion. There's nothing like billowing fire and a cloud of smoke to get the testosterone pumping. But, the good thing about explosions, and the thing we often forget about them, is that they're practical tools, too. Forgetting the nigh-infinite purposes of explosives in combat, they're good utility tools as well. Want to clear a bridge or break down a door? Explosives have got you covered. Need a detraction? Bushel of TNT on line one.
But, those applications are playthings compared to the combative potential of a big, green, glowing pile of gunpowder-y goodness. Putting aside the raw decimating power of an explosive, there's a bigger advantage to combative power-ring-patented explosives: you control them. Everything from the power of the explosives to the blast radius to the detonation time can be controlled by the Guardians in Green in a split-second. Why, then, do most Green Lanterns opt for the "big stick" method?
4. Tesla Coils/Perpetual Energy Machines
We may have an energy crisis on Earth, but that grants no excuse to any of our raucous ring-wielders. Scientists such as Nicola Tesla have toiled and tested for years in order to create what's known as a "perpetual energy machine". I'm nowhere close to an expert on the mechanics of these hypothetical marvels, but the basics boil down to this: what if there was a machine that could generate enough power that it could simultaneously generate enough power to run itself and carry out its function at the same time? You'd have a machine that literally ran for eternity. Whether it was a generator, a scanner, a vehicle or a weapon you wanted to power, this little construct could power it forever. Heck, why not use it to power the ring, therefore bypassing the pesky 24-hour charge time?
3. Sentient (Self Aware) Life Forms
Picture this: you're a bank robber. You're just minding your own business, chilling on New Earth with your big sack of bills when, *bonk*, you run into a Green Lantern. You pull out a gun. You're ready to shoot him, poised and loaded. He promptly creates a GIANT FREAKING DRAGON THAT BREATHES GREEN FIRE. Or a rabid tiger. Or an ocelot. Or a swarm of poisonous spiders. Or 400,000 clones of his self, all of which he can control and command with his mind. Pop quiz: who wins?
2. Time Machines
I know that this is Booster Gold's territory, but who's to say that the Green Lanterns can't get on the time-traveling bandwagon? Having trouble fighting a Manhunter? Bring a dinosaur back from a paleolithic road trip! Need a hand with Star Sapphire? Paging the Legion of Superheroes, you're needed in the 21st century? Can't get rid of a pesky reoccurring villain? Plop them in the rise of reality TV, and they won't give a you a second thought. Just need a bit of a breather? The Roman Empire's great this time of year? Once again, endless possibilities, and a pack of monkeys in the pilot's chair!
1. Black Holes/Wormholes/Anti-Matter
If you get too close to a black hole, the event that happens as your body is torn to shreds is scientifically, technically, "oh-you-can-bet-I'm-dead-serious" called spaghettification. Need I say more?
And those, my friends, are the Top Five Most Awesome Power Ring Constructs (That Nobody Ever Uses!). Hate my guts? Love my brilliance? Spot a glaring omission? Sound off in the comments, and while you're doing that, leave a comment on the other awesome posts RacattackForce and QBComics did! Tomorrow, ToonamiFaithful will make his panel debut, and it's sure to amaze! I'll see you with the rest of the group this weekend as we dig into our weekly comic buffet, but be sure to come back Monday as I borrow RacattackForce's soapbox for a week and discuss youth, change, and marriage in comics when we delve into Spider-Man: One More Day!
See you then!
Tomato
*Things that didn't make the cut: giant robots, appendages, planets
Apr 14, 2010
Chris Giarrusso's G-Man
Hi there! My names is QBComics and I am a member of The Comic Book Panel. This is my first post in any kind of blog so please bare with me if it isn't the best written post you've ever seen. Today I'd like to talk about a certain comic that may have flown under your comics radar. It's a small little comic called G-Man, created by Chris Giarrusso and published by Image Comics.
G-Man started back as a back up to the popular Savage Dragon comic in issue #93 under the title Comic Bits. There the comic would dedicate one to two pages of Chris Giarrusso's work. It was a fun, lighthearted comic that was a nice change of pace to the darker, more grittier comics out there at the time. From there Chris has done multiple comics including back-ups, one shots, and mini series.
The writing in the series is very well done. The focus on the characters is also really well done, always making sure that a character never strays away from his or her personality. Their are rarely any plot holes or moments where the reader questions what happens. The humor is what really stands out, because Chris excels in this area. The humor can vary from sarcasm to very well done puns. The humor also never relies solely on fart jokes or pop-culture references, making it readable for both the adult and the kid.
The art is just fantastic. It has it's own unique style that is a very colorful and cartoonish. The characters are full of life and some of the expressions are hilarious. The backgrounds are very detailed, giving the world more character. The color palette is awesome, because it is what really makes this comic pop out. When looking at a shelf full of comics are you going to noticed the brightly colored comic or the millions of dark, broody covers?
G-Man is a fun comic for all ages that will put a smile to your face. It's great for kids just starting to read comics and fun for adults who need to get away from life after a long day at work. The writing is clever, the art wonderful, and the characters interesting and exciting. Chris Giarrusso's mini series Cape Crisis currently just ended, but you should be able to find it at your comic store or online. You can also check out Chris Giarrusso's website at www.chrisgcomics.com. There you can also check out his popular Mini Marvel back ups he did for Marvel. I hope you enjoyed this post and you check out this comic, because it is definitely one of my favorites!
Apr 12, 2010
Apr 11, 2010
What Is The Comic Book Panel?
- There is a house above the world, where the over-people gather.
- There is a man with wings like a bird.
- There is a man who can see across the planet and wring diamonds from its anthracite.
- There is a man who moves so fast that his life is an endless gallery of statues.
- In the house above the world, the over-people gather...
Hey, guys!
I'm Tomato! You may know me from a fine little corner of the Web known as toonzone, a forum chock full of animation nerds. Failing that, you probably know me from my news and current events blog, www.tomatothoughts.blogspot.com! But, I can give you a guarantee that there's a side of me you don't know. A side of me that stands for truth, justice, and the American Way! A side of me that thinks glasses and a suit make for an adequate secret identity. A side of me that wears his underwear proudly on the OUTSIDE of his spandex pants and cape.
OK, maybe I went a bit too far with that, but you get the idea. I FRAKKIN' LOVE COMICS! Marvel or DC, classic or current, I can't get enough of the four-color craziness known as comics. There's a problem with that, though. I never post about them. I've never really found it appropriate to post about education and religion one day, and then comics the next. Don't get me wrong, they're both equally valid subjects and all, but talking about either requires me to do a complete 180. They simply can't exist on the same blog, or I'm pretty sure the Multiverse would explode.
Oh, wait, only about five of you got that joke. Sorry!
Another roadblock impeding my comic-crazed quest was just how dauntingly huge the whole cabal was. Where do I begin? There are so many great comics out there, from all corners of the world, and I'm just one loud-mouthed nerd with ten fingers.
This, I realized, would never work unless I cloned myself or something. And, then, something changed. From the great universe known as Twitter, four other brave souls, four souls who didn't fear failure, rose out of the cosmos to assist me in my quest.
We formed The Comic Book Panel.
Granted, that was a bit dramatic, but anyway, let me explain things a bit more.
On this blog, The Comic Book Panel, myself and four cyber-savvy friends will be reading and reviewing comics. Some are brand new, only having read a few comics in their lives. Some are hardened veterans, able to quote every issue of Aztek The Ultimate Man to the letter. Either way, we all love comics, and our goal is to enjoy them even more through this experience, to discuss them, giving them the in-depth discussion they deserve. Here's how that'll be accomplished. Every Saturday, we'll read and review ten comics. Each of the five members will choose a comic, whether it be a personal favorite or new experience, and we'll read two issues every Saturday, posting about them and discussing them along the journey. When we finish a series in our block of five, another will take its place.
In addition, to feed your comic appetite for the week, editorials and reviews of other comic-related materials will be posted at least three times a week.
With that, let me introduce you to the panelists. They've answered a quick survey in order to give you a bit of background on themselves.
Panelist One: RacattackForce
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Question #1: Who are you?
Online, I go by the name Racattack Force. I'm just your run-of-the-mill high school student who loves cartoons and drawing comics. I'm a pretty nice guy once you get to know me.
Question #2: What, in your view, is The Comic Book Panel? What does The Comic Book Panel mean to you?
The Comic Book Panel is a group of nerds who met on the internet and decided to read comics together. I feel like this will be a blast.
Question #3: When did you start reading comics? What is your personal history with comics?
I've been reading comics on and off since I was in elementary school. The first comic I read and really liked was "Spider-Girl."
Question #4: What kind of comics do you like to read? Fast-paced or slow-paced? Classic or modern? Superhero or other? DC or Marvel? Why?
Don't care about the pacing as long as the writers can keep my attention all throughout. I'd read any comic: Marvel, DC, independent...
Question #5: Are you a creator? What things do you work on, and where are they located if our readers would like to see them?
I'm currently working on a comic called "Missy." It's about a teenage girl who really loves killing people, and is a mix of humor and horror. I plan to finish the comic by early May and slowly put out the pages online as a web comic starting in June.
Panelist Two: ToonFaithful
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Question #1: Who are you?
I am a boy with an obsession for comics/manga/cartoons! What do I do? I go to school and learn things that will help me in the future.
Question #2: What, in your view, is The Comic Book Panel? What does The Comic Book Panel mean to you?
To just have fun and read more comics.
Question #3: When did you start reading comics? What is your personal history with comics?
I started reading comics when I was 10 and I still remember the comic, Cartoon Network Block Party.
Question #4: What kind of comics do you like to read? Fast-paced or slow-paced? Classic or modern? Superhero or other? DC or Marvel? Why?
I choose both. I read a lot of superhero comics. Detective Comics FTW. Why? I know a lot more DC stuff than Marvel and when I read DC's comics, it has a mature feeling.
Question #5: Are you a creator? What things do you work on, and where are they located if our readers would like to see them?
Yes. I don't make them most of the time but when I'm bored I do. Also, I don't publish my comics and sell them. Maybe sometime later.
Panelist Three: QBComics
______________________
Question #1: Who are you?
I'm QBComics. I'm a student who loves comics ,video games and movies. When I grow up I'd like to make movies myself. I've already got ideas.
Question #2: What, in your view, is The Comic Book Panel? What does The Comic Book Panel mean to you?
To me it means a bunch of us comic geeks getting together and doing what we do best: reading comics together. :-)
Question #3: When did you start reading comics? What is your personal history with comics?
Question #4: What kind of comics do you like to read? Fast-paced or slow-paced? Classic or modern? Superhero or other? DC or Marvel? Why?
Although I prefer DC, any comic will do as long as it has good stories, character development, and action if it calls for it, and I love all types just for variety's sake.
Question #5: Are you a creator? What things do you work on, and where are they located if our readers would like to see them?
I have always had an idea for a comic book character. I don't currently have him anywhere because I'd like to use him for future projects. His name is Bob (Original, I know), and it's been really fun seeing him evolve over the years from light-hearted to dark.
Panelist Four: Manga4Life
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Question #1: Who are you?
I am Manga4life, a moderator at justdubsforums.com and a member of the TZ community! I'm a fun and easy going kind of guy, much like you!
Question #2: What, in your view, is The Comic Book Panel? What does The Comic Book Panel mean to you?
My view on the panel is that it's made up of passionate comic book fans. I see lots of potential here for some great blogs!
Question #3: When did you start reading comics? What is your personal history with comics?
I started reading comic's in the mid 80's, once I started I never stopped! I have over 25,000 comics and over 500 TPB's.
Question #4: What kind of comics do you like to read? Fast-paced or slow-paced? Classic or modern? Superhero or other? DC or Marvel? Why?
I'm a traditional comic book fan, Marvel and DC are what does it for me, I do enjoy some small press stuff though.
Question #5: Are you a creator? What things do you work on, and where are they located if our readers would like to see them?
I'm not a comic creator, though I have been thinking about writing a series of small novels. Maybe someday...
Panelist Five: Tomato Surprise
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Question #1: Who are you?
Well, according to some people I'm a fruit. Other people think I'm a vegetable.
In all seriousness, though, my name is Tomato Surprise. I'm a teen-aged poet and literary nerd, having been published several times, but I'm also a die-hard fan of comics and animation.
Question #2: What, in your view, is The Comic Book Panel? What does The Comic Book Panel mean to you?
I've always enjoyed discussing fiction, but I don't feel as if comics have been discussed, analyzed and enjoyed by most people, at least to the degree of other forms of media. The Comic Book Panel, I think, is here to change that, and to give comics a fair shake in the literary universe.
Question #3: When did you start reading comics? What is your personal history with comics?
Although I've enjoyed cartoons based on comics ever since I knew what a TV was, I'd never picked up a proper comic until I bought the comic Kingdom Come on an impulse buy about a year ago. I've been hooked ever since.
Question #4: What kind of comics do you like to read? Fast-paced or slow-paced? Classic or modern? Superhero or other? DC or Marvel? Why?
I love a lot of comics! as long as they're written well, I'm willing to pick up anything. I enjoy DC more than Marvel on most counts, and like modern comics better than the classics.
Question #5: Are you a creator? What things do you work on, and where are they located if our readers would like to see them?
Why, yes I am! Thanks, me, for asking! I have a news-related blog that I've linked to up above, where there's debate to be had and cookies to be eaten. I also write poetry and travel around my state reading at events.
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That about covers it for now! Feel free to comment and follow us on Twitter by searching for the hash-tag #thecomicbookpanel! You probably won't be hearing from me until next week, but the rest of the panel has some really tasty tidbits planned for the week! The floor is yours, guys!
Tomato
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