MIKE PELLERITO, was recently named the new Managing Editor of Archie Comics. In addition to looking over the Archie universe he also editÃs some of Archie Comics most popular titles,
This column came about after having very few avenues to promote and find out about All Ages and Younger Reader Comics and Graphic Novels. Most knowledge seems to be passed along by word of mouth, so this is in the sprit the column is written. Now, sit back and join in the conversation!
To learn more about any of the above-mentioned projects please visit Archie Comics.com
The Greatest Day of the Year, And It Is This Week?
The greatest day of the year and it is this week??
Last week we talked about how love is in the air. Tomorrow the 14th is new comic book day at comic shops countrywide and Valentine’s Day. A date of love and romance and chocolate, and flowers and four-color fun. Women by comics for their men, maybe even vice versa. Certainly quite a few people will stop on the way home a pick up a handful of comics for their kids. Smart stores will always make a Valentine’s Day pack. These packs are made up of maybe a dozen comics, and set up as Girl or Boy packs. Girls packs might
have Sabrina, Betty, Veronica, Betty & Veronica, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, and Power Puff Girls, Amazing Spider-Girl comics. Boys packs are a lot easier to find, Sonic, Sonic X, Teen Titans Go!, Justice League Unlimited, Marvel Adventures Spider-Man, Marvel Adventures Avengers, Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four, and the Cartoon Network Action Pack. Not to mention Scooby-Doo and plenty of other titles most comic stores have in stacks for younger readers that would be perfect for holiday packs. Growing up we had a corner stationary store across from the school that would make these packs and sell them to the school for different events. It was how most of us found out about comics long before we could roam the store freely, or get near the older kids without any fear.
Certainly this week with another Wednesday of cool comics flooding the stores and Valentines Day plans of gifts, dinner and weekend getaways are all coo and taken care of. That is not why this week is so cool. It is for another reason entirely…
Yes, It is that time of year, baseball is coming back, and spring training is just beginning.
And with that bit of knowledge it is time to say “ Let’s go Yankees!” There is no real way to connect this too this weeks column other than most kids like sports, particularly baseball and most like comics. Actually another way popped up with this weeks reads, in Spider-Man Power Pack #4 Jack Power (AKA Mass Master) has a Yankee cap on, with the number 55 on the back. Hideki Matsui Yankee left fielder happens to be from Japan, just like the artists on the series, Guri Hiro. Left field in Monument Park happens to be that last place we sat at Yankee Stadium during the ’06 playoffs.
However, that is not why we are here this week. All Ages comics is and we have a handful of good ones to talk about this week. Just like baseball and comic books some other personal favorites from childhood have been getting extra attention this week.
As a kid three heroes mattered above all else, Tarzan, Zorro, and The Lone Ranger. Not until the day young orphan Billy Batson with the power of the old wizard, Shazam! , did Capt. Marvel, flying and super powers ever enter this head. That first comic, won at a school fair, had “The Big Red Cheese” as he was know in certain circles, fighting a leprechaun on the cover. Still have the comic and now as an editor of Sonic X will have all sorts of leprechaun (sort of) mischief in Sonic X # 17, due out this March (of course). Amazing how these thing stay with you and creep in to our adulthood,
Capt. Marvel was a lot of fun then and it is today. The classic story of Capt. Marvel was pretty straight forward, and reminiscent of a fairy tale. Young boy, orphaned, discovered these magical powers and help create an extended family all the while doing good the world over. Billy would say the wizards name, Shazam! and bang a magical bolt of lighting would come from the heaveans and transfom Billiy in to the worlds mightiest mortal, Capt. Marvel. Most of the stories were enormously fun and silly with plenty of adventure.
This next collection at a whopping 528 pages collects some personal favorites. It has been a bit of a tough decision as to recommend some of these DC Showcase collections. Nothing to do with quality, all great stuff, fun to read and a tremendous value for the money. The trouble is the fact that most of these stories take place decades ago, long before cell phones, and the Internet. So, an unscientific test of giving the collection to a younger cousin confirmed the suspicion, they really don’t care. Kids seem to get it being a different time period and just seem to appreciate the stories, typewriters, rotary phones and all.
SHOWCASE PRESENTS SHAZAM VOL 1 TP
Put together by some of the most legendary names in comics, SHOWCASE PRESENTS SHAZAM, is as good a collection of super hero fun you find anywhere! Written by l Dennis O’Neill, E. Nelson Bridwell and Elliott Maggin, with art by Shazam! creator C.C. Beck, not to mention Kurt Schaffenberger, Dave Cockrum, Dick Giordano, Bob Oksner and a handful of other greats. This first volume collects Shazam! #1-#35and has appearances from jjust about every major character of the Shazam! Mythos. Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Junior, Uncle Marvel, Black Adam, Mr. Mind (brilliant worm with mind control powers), Dr Sivana and Tawky Tawny(a walking talking tiger in human clothing).If you are unsure about this collection just open to any page in the book, and start reading, you’ll most likely be hooked.
SHOWCASE PRESENTS SHAZAM VOL 1 TP
Price: $16.99
Format: 528 pages, B&W
ISBN-10: 1401210899
ISBN-13: 978-1401210892
Diamond Item Code: SEP060253
Age Level: All Ages, Grade school and up
SHAZAM THE MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL #1 (OF 4)
Jeff Smith is arguable on of the best and brightest in comics, and that goes for more that his wonderful work on the All Ages series BONE. He has been working on this series for a number of years and his first chapter of this re-imagining of Shazam! has started with a bang, or if you will a lighting bolt. Most of the series seems to be the same with some modern updating and a few new twists. Certainly for the first issue it looks like a great start.
SHAZAM THE MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL #1
Written/Art by: Jeff Smith
Colored by: Steve Hamaker
Price: $5.99
Format: 48 pages, Full Color, Mini Series
Diamond Item Code: DEC060247
Age Group: All Ages/Grade School and up
See you next Tuesday for some comics and a sneak peak at one of the coolest scenes you see in a comic!
Send your thoughts and projects you’d like to see reviewed to: MikeP@SilverBulletComicbooks.com
Check out some new All Ages reads on sale this week:
NOV060015 PERHAPANAUTS SECOND CHANCES #4 (OF 4) $2.99
DEC060252 BATMAN STRIKES #30 $2.25
DEC060256 CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #10 $2.25
DEC062295 AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #5 $2.99
DEC062373 FRANKLIN RICHARDS LAB BRAT DIGEST TP $7.99
NOV063299 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #149 $3.69
Entertainment for Every Age is © Mike Pellerito 2006-
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