On-screen comics?
If you saw last night’s episode of Smallville – even on TiVo – you probably noticed a vaguely animated "comic book" story starring their version of the Justice League (Green Arrow, Aquaman, Cyborg, and a Flash), as opposed to, say, DC’s version or the version they’re trying to bring to the big screen in a few years. This comic book is actually a commercial for the Toyota Yaris, and it will continue through the show’s next-to-last season finale on May 17.
It’s almost good.
The interesting part of all this is that the comic book / commercial is promoting a contest whereby the winner can get one of those Yaris (wasn’t that an old video game called Yaris’ Revenge?). Until recently, advertisers thought superheroes could only sell Underoos and POGs, so this is a great leap forward in consumer recognition.
You can see / read / experience the comic book, play the game, and enter the contest by going to the appropriate spot on The CW’s website.
Double-page spreads really don't work in this format – especially when they split through the word-balloons. Is the majority of this story going to be told in the same manner as this installment?
Dave, this will be the format through week 18. But all you have to do is set the reader to display the pages as double page spreads.As Russ Rogers posted in the FRANKENSTEIN MOBSTER & VAMPIRELLA comments about the same subject (because you are not alone) – try this:1) Open up the comic. I would suggest right clicking and choosing "Open in new Tab", so you can still read these directions.2) In the upper right had corner is the word "ComicMix" with a PLUS SIGN (+). Click on the PLUS SIGN (+). This opens up the ComicMix Reader Control and Navigation Panel.3) Near the top left of the panel, click on the 2-Page Icon. There is a single page and a double page, you want to click the double page.4) Adjust the size of the page so it's easy to read. There are PLUS and MINUS signs for this. There is a third button that chooses an "optimum size" for you monitor. But this might not be the "optimum size" for your eyes.5) Close the Control/Navigation Panel by clicking the MINUS SIGN (-) in the upper right corner by the word, "ComicMix." Don't worry, your preferences are saved for the next time you view comics on ComicMix. This may be the last time you have to open the Control/Navigation Panel.You will find that all the pages are thumb-nailed. It's easer to find a specific page, if you are just flipping through a story looking for a certain scene.Hope this helps. -RussAnyway – I always read comics as spreads. And I also write and draw my own comics considering both pages on display at the same time. So I keep my ComicMix reader settings at the double page spread setting.
I like this new chapter of Hammer of the Gods. But this feels less and less like a novel, "Hammer of the Gods: Back From the Dead," and more and more like "Hammer of the Gods: The Birds, the Beasts and and the B-sides." This feels like a collection of Rarities and Gems, one of those boxed CD sets featuring studio favorites, rare live cuts and authorized boot legs. That's not a bad thing. This is just more a collection of short stories and splash pages, not a continuing narrative like a novel. Speaking of Splash Pages: John Staton's splash page here is very cool! There is only a tiny hint of the heavy Manga influence that I've seen in some of his other drawings. Way to go, John!