ERIC'S "THE WINTER HOLIDAYS ARE FILLED WITH COMIC CHEER" COMICS NOW! NEWSLETTER VOL. 8 #12 - December 2006

INTRODUCTION
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Mmmmmmmmmmm... so Heroes has run a few episodes on NBC by the time I'm writing this and it's looking to be shaping up pretty well (though it's a tad slower than I'd prefer). In the meantime, the comic book industry shows no signs of slowing. In fact, December looks to be a pretty big month with new titles and exciting new series coming out left and right. I'm very excited about the Winter Holidays being filled with comic cheer. So, here we go now...

IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE
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Some months it's difficult to pick one comic to be the pick-of-the-month because there are so few interesting ones coming out. Other months are like this upcoming December; there's tons of good stuff worth looking into. The one that has piqued my interest the most has gotta be Warren Ellis' Newuniversal #1. I know that it's a story that's been told over and over again in the last few years (celestial event creates superheroes on Earth) but I do enjoy a good Warren Ellis comic and if he wants to create an ongoing storyline that's been done before, I'll still read it because I'm betting it was good.

OCT062166 Newuniversal #1 $2.99 retail
** 50%-OFF AT WWW.COMICSNOW.COM **

HOLY COMIC PODCASTS, BATMAN!!!
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One of our partners has discovered the joys of technology (I still hand-write this newsletter by candle-light with a quill pen and whale ink blotter) and is releasing regular comic-book podcasts! Totally awesome, I believe. Check out the podcast online at http://www.globalcomics.net/podcast. There are MP3s of all previous podcasts as well as XML feed links if you'd like to subscribe!

HUGE DISCOUNTS AT WWW.COMICSNOW.COM
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Aside from always offering 35% off the cover price of monthly comics with no minimum to buy, each month Comics NOW offers incredible deals on some of the newest titles out there. Just point your browser to http://www.comicsnow.com to order any of these titles below at huge discounts or any other comic at least 35% off the cover price.

Here are this month's deals:

50%-OFF COMIC DEALS:
OCT060153 Batman Confidential #1 $2.99
OCT060203 Justice Society of America #1 $3.99
OCT060281 Sandman Myster Theater #1 $2.99
OCT060226 Spirit #1 $2.99
OCT060252 Tranquility #1 $2.99
OCT062165 New Avengers Illuminati #1 $2.99
OCT062166 Newuniversal #1 $2.99
OCT062135 Spider-Man Reign #1 $3.99
OCT062128 Ultimate Vision #1 $2.99
OCT062178 Wonder Man #1 $2.99

40%-OFF TRADE PAPERBACK DEALS:
OCT060164 Batman Year One Hundred TP $19.99
OCT060190 Fallen Angel Vol 2 Down to Earth TP $14.99
OCT060211 JLA Hereby Elects TP $14.99
OCT060224 Outsiders The Good Fight TP $14.99
OCT062207 Avengers Disassembled HC $24.99
OCT062223 Heroes Reborn Avengers TP $29.99
OCT062221 Wolverine Origins & Endings TP $13.99
OCT062219 X-Men Deadly Genesis TP $19.99

THE BIZ
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NEW ANIMATED FILMS ON THE DC UNIVERSE

Warner Brothers recently announced that it will be releasing more
animated films directly to DVD. The next 70-minute film will be either "Justice League: The New Frontier" or "Superman/Doomsday." Seeing the power of the original Superman/Doomsday storyline, that one's definitely got my vote.

OLIVER QUEEN IN SMALLVILLE

The CW's (previously named the WB's) Smallville had Justin Hartley playing Oliver Queen (the original Green Arrow) on September 28. Apparently, Hartley's role will be in seven non-consecutive episodes before... something happens. I'd imagine they're not going to kill off the Green Arrow, for crying out loud.

EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL

No joke -- the master of physical theatrics, Bruce Campbell, has reprised his role of Ash in Evil Dead in the Big Apple. That's right, the first performance of Evil Dead: The Musical debuted on October 2 with musical numbers like "Do the Necronomicon" and "What the F--k was that?" According to Wizard Comics Magazine, there's a warning for the squeamish: the first two rows have been designated the "Splatter Zone." Check out www.evildeadthemusical.com for more details.

TOP-10 and TOP-100
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Check out Comics NOW! Inc.'s Top-100 on IRX Productions. Download the November 2006 Top-100 PDF file (it's 8KB!).

It's Comics NOW!'s very own Top-10 and Top-100 lists. This list is based on the internal sales quantities of the titles with Premiere being the big guns who pay the extra bucks to be listed first in the ordering system: Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Image Comics, and Marvel Comics. The Independent list is everyone else, all those pea-shooters who no one really pays attention to... or do they?

Here's an example of how to read the format:

1. (3) The Amazing Eric Comic

"1." - the place of the title in the list this month

"(3)" - where the title was LAST month ("-" if it wasn't)

the title - this one should be pretty obvious

TOP 10 PREMIERE COMICS

1. (1) Batman
2. (2) Justice League of America
3. (5) Civil War
4. (3) New Avengers
5. (4) Amazing Spider-Man
6. (6) All-Star Batman & Robin
7. (7) Superman Batman
8. (8) Astonishing X-Men
9. (10) Detective Comics
10. (-) Superman

TOP 10 INDEPENDENT COMICS
1. (-) Transformers Escalation
2. (1) Transformers Spotlight
3. (3) Transformers Movie Adaptation
4. (-) Transformers Timelines
5. (-) Soulfire
6. (5) Red Sonja
7. (4) Battlestar Galactica
8. (6) GI Joe America's Elite
9. (7) Transformers Generations
10. (10) GI Joe Declassified

THE GOOD STUFF
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DARK HORSE COMICS

OUTER ORBIT #1 of 4

I don't recommend Dark Horse Comics very often simply because I don't find them original or interesting, however Outer Orbit seems to have the kind of humor that really appeals to me; Sci-Fi wacky, space humor. Quinn is a pizza delivery person (in space) and gets involved with an intergalactic space policeman... let the hijinx ensue. There's not much to the plot, but I'm impressed by the style and sense of humor of the storyline so color me intrigued.
By Zach Howard, Sean Murphy, Hans Rodionoff and Charlie Kirchoff.
32 pages. 4-issue mini-series. $2.99 retail.

DC COMICS

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #1

What happened last month to Superman happens this month to Batman. Batman Confidential seeks to answer questions and tell stories about parts of Batman's history that we haven't heard about before. For example, this issue answers the ever-probing question of where did Batman get all of those super-cool gadgets when he started? Also, how did Batman and Bruce Wayne prevent Lex Luthor from muscling in on his turf? I mean, Lex is a powerful man, he was able to get places that Superman couldn't, why isn't Lex in Gotham? Some good questions that should make for interesting reading.
By Andy Diggle, Whilce Portacio and Richard Friend.
32 pages. Ongoing series. $2.99 retail.

DCU INFINITE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL #1

Yes, it's that time of the year again so it's time to celebrate Christmas cheer with our favorite heroes from the DCU... I guess. Batwoman, Shazam, Green Lantern, Supergirl, Superman, Batman and more will all celebrate this time of year in their own special ways. And, if you're so inclined, you're welcome to see how they do this by buying this special Christmas issue.
By Various.
80 pages. One-shot special. $4.99 retail.

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #1

This is another example of one of those comics that DC reboots over and over again in a desperate attempt to get an actual audience this time around. The JSA is quite possibly the first and oldest super-team in American comic books. The founding members, Green Lantern, Flash and Wildcat, all get together in this first issue to have a huge recruitment drive where they track down the bloodlines of famous superheroes to rebuild the team. Naturally, with the JLA on the scene, the JSA never really gets the attention it wants as a comic. Will this time be any different?
By Geoff Johns, Dale Eaglesham and Art Thibert.
48 pages. Ongoing series. $3.99 retail.

THE SPIRIT #1

The Spirit's been around for a long time. So long, in fact, that back when he started, superheroes didn't wear costumes, just little masks that covered their eyes. No kidding. This guy's "costume" is a dress shirt, tie, trench coat, hat, and tiny little mask. Go figure. Anyway, The Spirit is a criminal investigator seeking to, in this issue, rescue television news reporter Ginger Coffee who's been kidnapped by a mob boss she was about to do an expose on.
By Darwyn Cooke and J. Bone.
32 pages. Ongoing series. $2.99 retail.

TRANQUILITY #1

Now, here's an interesting concept: Tranquility is a town in America that's just like any other small town except it's where superheroes and supervillains go to retire and raise families. I mean, they have to go somewhere, right? Well, naturally, there's a huge number of conflicts that will arise when you mix so many different personalities together, and therein lies the story concept for the series.
By Gail Simone and Neil Googe.
32 pages. Ongoing series. $2.99 retail.

IMAGE COMICS

SPAWN BATMAN: INNER DEMONS

The problem with the Spawn Batman storylines is always the same -- either the art is awesome and the story is crap or the story is awesome and the art is crap. So it happened the last time they teamed up and now we're at it again. Since this one's coming from Image, you can bet the art will be awesome (it's Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo, two cape-drawing muthas if I've ever seen them). Unfortunately, McFarlane thinks he can write a good story so he's penning the concept for this one. I'm giving the guy the benefit of the doubt, but I'm pretty sure there's a reason that McFarlane's known for his artwork not his writing.
By Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo.
56 pages. One-shot special. $5.99 retail.

WONDERLOST #1

Do you want to read about C.B. Cebulski's childhood romances? If your answer is "no" to this question, then you can stop reading the description right now because Wonderlost is all about the chicks that Cebulski hooked up with in High School. Either he's an egomaniac or a fumbling doofus, but either way the stories should be either incredibly entertaining or totally boring.
By C.B. Cebulski, and various artists.
64 pages. Ongoing series. $5.99 retail.

MARVEL COMICS

ULTIMATE VISION #1 of 5

So, the new Vision prevented Gah Lak Tus from destroying Earth but now a scientist (George Tarleton) has captured a piece of Gah Lak Tus and wants to use it for his own nefarious mis-deeds. Well, naturally, this won't do so it's up to Vision to try and stop it.
By Mike Carey and Brandon Peterson.
32 pages. 5-issue mini-series. $2.99 retail.

WINTER SOLDIER: WINTER KILLS

Bucky's been back for a while and he's trying to figure out what Russia made him do as their own personal super-soldier. He's also trying to filter through the mess that's going on with Captain America while the entire time trying to become a normal person and live in the real world. It's hard to be a recovering super-soldier from a bygone era, let me tell you.
By Ed Brubaker, Lee Weeks and Steve Epting.
48 pages. Oneshot special. $3.99 retail.

CIVIL WAR: WAR CRIMES

The Kingpin wants to help Iron Man track down Captain America and his anti-Registration crew using his underworld influence. In exchange, big Fatty Watty wants Iron Man to reduce his sentence. There's a trade, now, isn't it? Maybe we'll actually get the Kingpin out and about in the real world again...
By Frank Tieri, Staz Johnson and Sean Scoffield.
48 pages. Oneshot special. $3.99 retail.

IRON MAN/CAPTAIN AMERICA: CASUALTIES OF WAR

In the midst of the Civil War, Iron Man and Captain America are going to meet one last time to see if they can work things out without having to go to full-out war. But where would the fun be if they were able to resolve their differences without kicking ass and taking names?
By Christos Gage and Jeremy Haun.
48 pages. Oneshot special. $3.99 retail.

NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI #1 of 5

Take the most powerful superbeings of the Marvel Universe and put them in a single team whose sole purpose is to shape the status of the superhuman world and you have the Illuminati. Up until now, no one's known what it is the Illuminati has done to control the Marvel Universe, but now all shall be revealed.
By Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed with Jim Cheung.
32 pages. 5-issue mini-series. $2.99 retail.

NEWUNIVERSAL #1

It's Warren Ellis' take on the new NBC show Heroes or Straczyinski's Rising Stars: Earth is a normal place where 6 billion people reside until a celestial event happens. The White Event. This event causes a handful of humans to emerge as "something more."
By Warren Ellis and Salvador Larroca.
32 pages. Ongoing series. $2.99 retail.

WONDER MAN #1 of 5

If DC can try relaunching the Spirit and JSA this month, I guess it's just fair game for Marvel to try and restart Wonder Man. Wonder Man is/was an Avenger and in this issue, he's made a bet with a Hollywood producer that he can rehabilitate the evil assassin Lady Killer (she's a lady and she kills... get the pun?).
By Peter David and Andrew Currie.
32 pages. 5-issue mini-series. $2.99 retail.

X-23: TARGET X #1 of 6

This mini-series continues where the previous X-23 mini-series left off: X-23 has just escaped from the facility that "birthed" her and is trying to get away. More crap happens. The original mini-series was awesome so I've got super-high expectations for this one, too. Here's hoping.
By Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost and Mike Choi.
32 pages. 6-issue mini-series. $2.99 retail.

FINAL NOTES
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Wow! What a month! Plenty of new series to put on your Christmas wish-list in hopes that the big man in red will send them down your chimney. We'll be back next month with a whole new crop of winter comics to talk about. And, always remember, don't light a fire in the fireplace when asking Santa to bring you comics; the new paper & ink most of the comic companies are using now lights up REAL quick!

And, as always, thank you for your business!

Eric Jacobson