July 23, 2014

COMICS WEEK: NEW RELEASES

Spy Vibe Comics Week: NEW RELEASES. Spend the week in our secret lair as we share images and stories from the Spy Vibe collection. Today we look at new releases, including a new comic adaptation of our favorite 1960s spy show! Details below. Spy Vibe's archive of vintage photos of people reading comics here. Updates and reviews below.


Batman Day: DC Comics has organized a nation-wide celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Caped Crusader. The action is happening at comic shops, Barnes & Noble, and at over 1,000 libraries around the country. Fans can find a free edition of Detective Comics #27 with the redesigned story by one of my favorite artists and fellow Batman collectors, Chip Kidd! (see review below). Other promo items include a cape and paper masks from Detective Comics, the 1966 TV show, The Dark Knight Returns, and The Court of Owls. Also check out Grayson (current on-going series): The original Robin, Dick Grayson, in an all new monthly series in which the crime fighter turned super spy fights to clear his name. To the Bat-poles! Related posts: Trina Robbins InterviewCatsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton, Interview with Batman Animated designer Shane Glines.



Steed And Mrs. Peel We're Needed #1: Boom! Studios kicks off their new Avengers series today! The story centers around the assassination of one of Steed's associates and the investigation of a grand conspiracy. I hear there is even a seaside Village where one of the spies is a prisoner. Homage to Number 6? I love these variant covers, though I still maintain the artists are making Mrs. Peel too young and/or too sexualized (issues #1 and #2 below). Plus, doesn't the second image seem to be referenced from Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow rather than Diana Rigg? The interior art will be different than the cover designs, so I hope they can maintain a high level of energy and flair. So far it's proven difficult to do The Avengers justice as a comic adaptation. Take a look and let us know what you think (see review below). Stay tuned for more spy thrills during our Comics Week celebration. Enjoy!



Review: I picked up the Avengers comic today, and despite some inconstant artwork, I really enjoyed the writing so far. The dialog seems to capture the characters well, and I'm definitely hooked to find out what happens in the next installment. Recommended! The free Batman 75th issue is pretty cool. Sadly, it only contains a sample of Chip Kidd's redesign of the first story- the full piece is in the new 75 Year hardcover compilation. But the free issue today did include the first story as originally printed, and a new re-imagining of the story in a modern context. Also included in the issue was a cool futuristic Batman tale by Scott Snyder! I was happy to see a huge turnout at one of the shops I visited. Happy Bat-Day and congrats to Boom! on their new Avengers series. 

Recent Spy Vibe posts: Comics Weel: SPYMANComics Week: Jimmy OlsenDiana Rigg at 76Gerry Anderson Box SetGerry Anderson DocMr. Hulot's Box SetRare Avengers ScriptsMan From Uncle UK ComicsMattel X-15Thunderbirds ComicsShakespeare Spies: Diana RiggShakespeare Spies IBatman NewsMonty Python Fathom SpiesMonty Python Returns!Rodney Marshall Avengers InterviewAvengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky BootsGeorge Lois Design & Mad MenRichard Sala: Super-EnigmatixThe SpotnicksModel Secret AgentsRemo Williams Blu-rayBunny Yeager and Ursula AndressDanger MouseLost Avengers EpisodesBig Fun ToysDanger Diabolik SoundtrackMother's Day (Avengers)Mod Fashion DollsCold War ArchieNew Avengers ComicIpcress File Blu-rayPlayboy Bunny InterviewThe 10th Victim Japanese and KindleU.N.C.L.E. Japanese BooksThe 10th Victim German EditionUNCLE GunThe Saint books returnTrina Robbins InterviewCatsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

4 comments:

  1. I picked up the Avengers comic today, and despite some inconstant artwork, I really enjoyed the writing so far. The dialog seems to capture the characters well, and I'm definitely hooked to find out what happens in the next installment. Recommended! The free Batman 75th issue is pretty cool. Sadly, it only contains a sample of Chip Kidd's redesign of the first story- the full piece is in the new 75 Year hardcover compilation. But the free issue today did include the first story as originally printed, and a new re-imagining of the story in a modern context. There was a huge turnout at one of the shops I visited. happy Batman Day and congrats to Boom! on their new Avengers series.

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  2. I just read the Steed and Mrs. Peel comic today based on your mention of it here. Edginton is a terrific writer but he hasn't got John and Emma's voices right, or at least not yet. I say this knowing full well how difficult it is for a writer to convey a television or film character on the comics page. The writer hears the actor's voice in his or her head, and wants to phrase things the way it sounds like they talk...but tv and film characters are much less verbose than we think they are, and so much of the character is really being conveyed by tone and inflection and all the other nuances of the actor's performance. Comics writers tend to overcompensate and wind up with characters being way talkier than the comics page can support. It's extremely difficult and I can only wish Edginton well as the series proceeds.

    For my money, the only comics version of Steed and Peel that got everything right was the one by Grant Morrison. You could tell he prioritized making it work as a comic book first, and he understood how exaggerated the "Britishness" needed to be.

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  3. Having left the above comment based on my first impressions of the first issue of Steed and Mrs. Peel, and having now read the conclusion of the initial storyline, let the record show it turned out to be thoroughly enjoyable and all my misgivings disappeared.

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  4. great to hear! i got tied up w projects and still need to read the rest of the run. glad to hear you enjoyed it! thanks for the update.

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