Tagged: Captain America

Revised Diamond Sales Figures for January Released

Revised Diamond Sales Figures for January Released

  • News
  • March 4, 2008

Computers are one of the greatest inventions of all time. I love ’em. They make so many things possible and help us get things done more easily and efficiently. In fact, if it wasn’t for computers, you woudn’t be able to enjoy all the great content right here at ComicMix.

Unfortunately, computers can also occassionally make mistakes. Case in point the most recent sales figures for comic books, graphic novels and other periodicals for January. Apparently, there was a technical glitch in the Diamond Comics Distributors’ computer system which resulted in elevated sales figures for comics, graphics novels and other periodicals.

According to ICv2, this glitch has now been corrected and the sales figures adjusted. The new figures reveal a much different picture of sales for January. Some of the biggest differences were that instead of the previously reported 7% gain in comic book sales, it was only 1%. Graphic novels had an even bigger discrepency, with actual gains of only 3% instead of the relatively unrealistic 17% previously reported.

Even with the corrected figures, the news wasn’t all bad. Nine comic book titles, including Hulk #1, Captain America #34 and Astonishing X-Men #24, sold over 100,000 copies in January, which was up three from December’s total of six. And, periodical sales were slightly higher than the previously strong figures from January of 2007, which was considered a very successful month at the time.

If you’re curious about how well your favorite comic books and graphic novels actually sold and what the top ones in each category were, check these out:

The "Top 300 comic books in January 2008."

The "Top 100 graphic novels in January 2008."

The "Top 300 comic books in December 2007."

The "Top 100 graphic novels in December 2007."

Looking over these lists, a couple things stood out for me. I find it interesting that Hulk #1 is at the top spot on the comics list for January (I guess red is a good color on him), two titles in the top 20, Astonishing X-Men and Buffy: Season Eight, involve Joss Whedon and a third title in the top 40, Angel: After the Fall, does as well.

Plus, the number three spot on the graphic novel list is also a Whedon creation: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Volume 3. I guess you should never underestimate the power of a great TV show, even one that ended its TV run five years ago — especially if Joss Whedon had anything to do with it.

 

The 100 Best Reviewed Comics of 2007

The 100 Best Reviewed Comics of 2007

  • News
  • February 29, 2008

I like lists. Lists often make things easier to understand and easier to digest. Which is why, in a previous post, I brought you the list of Eight Comic Books to Read Before You Die. Apparently, writer Dick Hyacinth also like lists because over at his site, he’s done a lot of research and compiled a list of the ‘100 Best Reviewed Comics of 2007.’

His list, which he referrs to as a "meta-list compiling critical reactions from the Internet and print publications" covers a huge cross-section of comics, manga and other writings and highlights some very popular work and some other work perhaps more unknown to mainstream comics fans. 

When compiling the list, Hyacinth discovered several interesting bits of information he wasn’t aware of including that he "vastly underestimated the popularity of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I mean VASTLY underestimated", he also realized he "had no idea Captain America, Fables, or Y: The Last Man would pull down such huge numbers" and that "there’s a big gap between what made the lists on comics-oriented sites and what made the lists of the more mainstream-ish papers."

Here’s the Top 10 "Best Reviewed Comics" and their popularity rankings, according to Hyacinth. For the rest of the list, check out his site.

 
This time around, I’ve read fewer of these than I did from the previous list of eight. Guess I need to get reading.
 
ComicMix Columns For The Week Ending Feb. 10, 2008

ComicMix Columns For The Week Ending Feb. 10, 2008

  • News
  • February 10, 2008

There’s a new Marshall in town, and he’s laid down the law against punny headers.  So let’s just get down to business and rustle up this past week’s worth of ComicMix columns:

So if ComicMix newbee Rick is the Marshall, does that make me the schoolmarm with the heart of go — nah, I’m more like the extra mumbling "rhubarb" in the background…

Mice Templar -– The Secret Origin

Mice Templar -– The Secret Origin

 

Mice Templar is on a lot of people’s favorite comics lists and the buzz is non-stop, all for a little comic about mice with swords. Surprisingly enough, the story behind the comic is fascinating as well and ComicMix Radio brings on co-creator Bryan J.L. Glass to share how he – and Michael Oeming – got it all on paper.
 
Plus:
• Geoff Johns parks it at DC for awhile
• Batman and Kitt The Car – same guy!
• Marvel reprints Captain America #34 … but with a twist
• Ben 10 flashes forward!
 
They are mice – with swords, no less! You gotta hear this! Press The Button!

 Or subscribe to our podcasts via iTunes - ComicMix or RSS!

‘Watchmen’ Costume Details Leaked

‘Watchmen’ Costume Details Leaked

  • News
  • February 8, 2008

Kung Fu Rodeo has posted reports from visitors to the set of "Watchmen" that reveal how many of the characters will look in the live-action adaptation of the graphic novel.

The reports contain some spoilers for people who haven’t read the book. (And if you’re one of the people who hasn’t read it, all I can say is, "Why the heck not?") I’ve posted the descriptions of Rorschach, Silk Spectre and Ozymandias below, but the report has info on just about every one of the main characters.

RORSCHACH – definitely my favorite from the series and looking super creepy in real life. I think most readers know that the rorschach effect on the mask will be done in CG as all the photos I saw of him he just had a blank white mask on. The suit is all brown, which I guess will darken up when filming. Basically looks awesome and one still I saw has him with his grapple hook gun. There are shots of him picketing without the mask as Ernie Kovacs….I still can’t believe this is Kelly from the Bad News Bears…but he’s perfectly freaky for this character. I hope the voice is as good – hurm….!

SILK SPECTRE – Carla Cugino looks AMAZING in a classic 1940’s looking outfit for the Silk Spectre – the bulk of the photos were of her in her youthful days. The photographer must have loved her. Many photos I saw of her in different types of poses and mostly looking like costume color and lighting tests.

OZYMANDIAS – this guy is spooky looking. The shots I saw have him in his purple suit and really weird doll-like eyes, perfectly combed blonde hair. I also expected a slightly bulkier man playing this character since I saw him as more of a retired Captain America but here he looks quite slim. Didn’t see the costume but all the Veidt ads are in there looking just like Dave Gibbons drew them.

 

(via c2f)

What Makes a Successful Character?

What Makes a Successful Character?

  • News
  • February 7, 2008

Stan Lee and Marvel Comics Senior VP of Sales and Marketing David Gabriel weigh in on why certain characters succeed and others don’t in a recent article on Forbes.com.

After taking a few undeserved jabs at Quasar, the space-faring Marvel hero created in 1978 and recently rejuvenated by a new miniseries, the article gets down to brass tacks and talks to Lee about what makes a superpower success story.

"I’m not sure I have the full answer, but my guess would be in many cases it’s just the quality of the writing, or the artwork or whatever," Lee said.

"For example, take Sherlock Holmes. There have been millions of detective stories over the years. Many of them are forgettable. Somehow Sherlock Holmes has endured, mainly because no one could write a detective story as brilliantly as (Arthur) Conan Doyle, and nobody could come up with a character as interesting and flawed as Sherlock Holmes."

And what did Gabriel, one of the marketing gurus behind all of the recent Captain America hub-bub, have to say?

Gabriel said it’s tough pushing some books on a consistent basis. People in his business have the blockbuster movies and videogames to thank for bolstering demand. With the exception of the diehard fans, this is what gets people into the 3,500 or so comic book shops nationwide these days. Slap the death and resurrection of a flagship character in there, and you’ve got a surge in the franchise.

Well, there you go. If they just killed off Quasar, Marvel would have a hit on their hands… right?

 

On This Day: The 20th Amendment

On This Day: The 20th Amendment

  • News
  • February 6, 2008

Yeah, so we’ve all been completely inundated with political coverage on this Super Tuesday week. But if we’re gonna do this right, it should be noted that today in 1933, the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect.

The Amendment reduced the time between Presidential and Congressional elections and the beginning of the elected officials’ terms. Originally, there were four months between the final election tally and the beginning of a newly elected official’s term, due to the time required to get your business in order and travel to Washington, D.C.

On a related note, this is also the week after James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes, the original Captain America’s sidekick, grabbed a gun and a new costume and became the new Captain America! How does that relate to the 20th Amendment, you ask? Well, the connection should be clear – and if it isn’t, the terrorists have already won.

 

Jason Aaron on ‘Ghost Rider’

Jason Aaron on ‘Ghost Rider’

  • News
  • February 6, 2008

Ghost Rider is one of those characters that few writers seem to handle well. From one series to the next, the character has often seemed ill-placed, awkwardly written or just plain phoning it in. That all seems to have changed with the current Ghost Rider series, though.

According to the majority of Ghost Rider fans, however, the current, ongoing Ghost Rider series (scripted by Daniel Way and launched in time with the character’s big-screen debut) finally managed to sync up with the character’s appeal. Way departs the series this month, but will be replaced by Jason Aaron, the writer behind the critically praised ongoing series Scalped and the Eisner-nominated Vietnam War miniseries, The Other Side.

ComicBookResources has a nice interview with Jason Aaron about his upcoming Ghost Rider kickoff arc titled "Hell-Bent & Heaven Bound", the threat of machine-gun nurses (yes, you read that correctly) and, of course, where Ghost Rider will fit into the greater Marvel Universe:

“Other than the occasional guest star, Ghost Rider will remain confined to his own little corner of the Marvel U, which I think is when he works best,” Aaron remarked. “Right now, Blaze basically doesn’t give a damn who is or isn’t a Skrull or if Captain America is really dead.  He’s got his own problems to worry about and everybody else can go to hell.”

Aaron’s first issue of Ghost Rider will hit shelves Feb. 13.

 

Marvel Comics Greatest Moments in Sports

Marvel Comics Greatest Moments in Sports

  • News
  • February 4, 2008

Never one to miss a promotional tie-in, Marvel.com has posted a rundown of the publisher’s greatest moments in sports.

The "Marvelous Moments in Sports" roundup was clearly written before the big game, because it lacks the sorrowful tone one might expect from a post-game writeup by New England Patriots fan Ben Morse. In fact, it’s a pretty funny trip down memory lane, with bits like this one about a bicoastal game of softball played in the pages of Avengers:

EARTH’S MIGHTIEST SOFTBALL GAME (WEST COAST AVENGERS ANNUAL #2, AVENGERS ANNUAL #16—1987)

Picture the softball game at your annual company picnic between marketing and accounting, but then sub in Thor at cleanup, Captain America at pitcher and Hawkeye on the base paths—that’s what the Avengers and their West Coast branch were going for in the late ’80s during their one and only showdown on the diamond. It’s pretty easy to understand why they never gave it another shot when you consider that the cosmically empowered Grandmaster interrupted the game, killed half of each team and then forced the remainder to compete in battle for his amusement. The GM eventually resurrected the fallen Avengers, and Cap learned a valuable lesson as they resumed the game: Hawkeye cheats.

 

Captain America on Good Morning America

Captain America on Good Morning America

  • News
  • February 4, 2008

The "Return of Captain America" media assault managed a few more parting shots this weekend, as the new Cap found his way onto an episode of "Good Morning America."

If you can ignore the glaring inaccuracies in the show’s presentation of the events leading up to Bucky Barnes becoming the new Captain America (Cap died in a "hail of bullets?"), the Captain America interview on "Good Morning America" is a fun little segment that features an animated interview with Cap himself, as well as live-action interviews with Newsarama Senior Editor Michael Doran and Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada.

 

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks