Fantom Comics

The verdict is in, and Secret Invasion has been found TOTALLY AWESOME!! Marvel doesn't disappoint with the first issue of this 8-part series. It answers some question and raises more of them.

Fantom Comics sold out of #1 on the very first day, but have no fear! We will have lots more copies coming into both of our stores on Friday (that's Friday, April 4th...tomorrow!!)

Be sure to pick up a copy and check out Marvel's big event of the year. Heck, buy a couple copies in case you want to read it more than once.

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Upset with Doktor Sleepless # 4's decompressed story-telling and price point, one of our Union Station customers thought he would let Warren Ellis know his thoughts on the book.

Warren got the message and this was his response mere hours later:

It's a crucial chapter -- the next several chapters turn on the axis of that chapter. But if you just didn't like it, that's fine too. I don't work out a plot-to-money ratio on my books, a chapter is a chapter.

Nice to know Warren is still keeping it real. Still, you can't help but wonder if he could get books out on time if he didn't spend his days responding to every critique.

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Ever imagine what kind of story you would get if you blended up The Dark Knight Returns, Kingdom Come, and a little bit of the ole' Marvel classics? You would most likely get Dark Horse Comics, The End League. A story set in the aftermath of the apocalypse (caused by this universes Superman), the End Leagues heroes fight the forces of evil, who for the most part have taken over the world.

The characters are nothing special in the creative department. Soldier American is Captain America, Astonishman is Superman, and Arachnakid is indeed a mutated Spider-Man. But writer, Rick Remender writes these characters so well, you realize that the "characters" are used more like shells to tell one heck of a story.

On the All-Star Batman Grading Scale, I give it:

For more on the ASB Grading Scale, check out Mike Sterlings http://www.progressiveruin.com/.

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If you haven't heard, Marvel Comics has been spinning quite the tale in what was once their degenerate Cosmic Universe. Half Star Wars, a quarter Lord of the Rings, and another quarter of Star Trek, Annihilation proved to be, what I thought, a more enjoyable experience than the then, much hyped Civil War event. Spinning out from the aftermath of an event that saw the death of Thanos, the destruction of the Nova Corps, and the reshaping of a universe once thought lost to the 80's, Annihilation: Conquest has emerged and seems poised to rival its predecessor. I could go on and on about how terrific the series has been so far (Now on its 2nd issue), but instead I leave you with this: The cover to Annihilation: Conquest #5 (Thanks IGN Comics!). Enjoy!

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This month, Fantom Presents focuses on four-time Eisner award winner Brian Wood. Known most famously for his work on Vertigo's DMZ, Wood has been in the public eye on an even larger scale as a Staff Designer for Rockstar Games, creators of the Grand Theft Auto series. Wood would eventually leave Rockstar Games to publish the much acclaimed Demo, which received two Eisner nominations and set a career milestone for the author/artist.

Currently Wood is working on Northlanders, an all new Vertigo epic detailing the life and times of the Vikings during the dark ages, set for release in December.

For more on Northlanders check out http://northlanders.net/ and a terrific interview with IGN Comics at http://comics.ign.com/articles/829/829367p1.html.

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It's true! Not only is issue #7 of Garth Ennis' The Boys (voted by customers as the 2nd most popular comic in the store) finally coming out this Thursday, but so is The Boys Vol 1 TP (collecting issues 1-6)! If you haven't yet discovered The Boys, then here's your chance. Buy this book. Seriously. Buy it. You'll thank us.

New releases also worth noting:
52 Week 1 TP (collecting the first 13 issues of 52)
Girls Vol 4 TP (collects the last 6 issues of the series)
New Avengers Illuminati #3
Silver Surfer Requiem #1

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It's been 8 months since the last issue of Ultimates 2, and just one day short of ONE YEAR since the last All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder! They'll finally be here on Wednesday.

ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #5

ULTIMATES 2 #13

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It's Whedon week at Fantom Comics! Not only does Buffy #2 come out, but Wednesday brings us the first issue of Joss Whedon writing Runaways (an already spectacular book)!

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #2

RUNAWAYS #25

We also see #3 of one of my favorite series: Stephen King's Dark Tower!

DARK TOWER: GUNSLINGER BORN #3

And Civil War Initiative books out this week:

CIVIL WAR FALLEN SON: WOLVERINE

AVENGERS INTIATIVE #1

OMEGA FLIGHT #1

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New Comics:

DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER BORN #2 (OF 7)
Roland has incurred the wrath of the evil sorcerer Marten, and must flee his home in Gilead with two of his young friends. But arriving in the supposedly friendly town of Hambry may be no safer, for the dreaded agents of Marten are abroad-The Coffin Hunters! Though it's not all completely bleak as Roland meets the woman who will become the love of his young life-the beautiful Susan Delgado. Plus: Learn more about the land of the Dark Tower with exclusive bonus material! $3.99

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #6
DC's super-hit cuts loose as best-selling author Brad Meltzer and artist Ed Benes unleash an unstoppable foe on the team that will become the Justice League! $3.50

CIVIL WAR INITIATIVE
The post war Marvel Universe begins here! The war is over!! Let the healing begin!! This all-new special written by Brian Bendis debuts the all new IRON MAN, OMEGA FLIGHT, MIGHTY AVENGERS, NEW AVENGERS and with a special chapter written by Warren Ellis...THUNDERBOLTS! Each chapter is an important all-new prologue for each of these huge new series! $4.99

CAPTAIN AMERICA #25
Written by ED BRUBAKER Pencils and Cover by STEVE EPTING. $3.99

FANTASTIC FOUR #543
CIVIL WAR tie-in. The double-sized 45th Anniversary Issue of the World's Greatest Comic Magazine! The super hero Civil War is drawing to a close! But with the betrayals, backstabbing and shifting alliances, who will be the Fantastic Four when all is said and done? $3.99

MARVEL ZOMBIES ARMY OF DARKNESS #1
The Marvel Zombies come face-to-face with Dynamite Entertainment's Ash from the Army of Darkness! Ash has faced legions of the undead before, but never like this...as he lands in the heart of New York just as the Zombie outbreak begins! See how his actions help turn more heroes and villains into Zombies! $2.99

MIGHTY AVENGERS #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Pencils and Cover by FRANK CHO The wait is over! The Mighty Avengers assemble! Gathered together to be the greatest Avengers team ever, but who picked them? And why? And which A-list Avengers villain returns, revamped and reloaded for the ultimate revenge? $2.99

New Trade Paperbacks:

EX MACHINA VOL 5 SMOKE SMOKE TP
In the fifth collection of the Eisner Award-winning series, collecting issues #21-25, Mayor Hundred faces difficult decisions regarding New York City's drug laws. But will a string of brazen, violent robberies and a shocking suicide affect the Mayor's policy? $12.99

EXTERMINATORS VOL 2 INSURGENCY TP
In this stunning volume collecting THE EXTERMINATORS #6-10, Henry and Stretch get an emergency call to dispose of a black widow that's been terrorizing the local S&M club. But what they encounter will change the course of their newfound mission. $12.99

MS MARVEL VOL 2 CIVIL WAR PREMIERE HC
Ms. Marvel enlists in the Civil War! Collecting MS. MARVEL #6-10 and the MS. MARVEL SPECIAL. $19.99

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Here are just a few of the many, many great books coming out this Wednesday (and yes, New Comic Book Day IS on Wednesday).

CIVIL WAR #7 (OF 7)
It all ends here! The startling battle that will determine the future of the Marvel Universe! $2.99

BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1
The greatest team-up title of all time is back! A proud DC tradition is restored as writer Mark Waid (52, SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES) and legendary artists George P�?©rez (THE NEW TEEN TITANS, CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS) & Bob Wiacek (ORION) put Batman and Green Lantern on the trail of what could be the greatest weapon in the DCU! The trail leads to Ventura, the gambling planet...wanna bet what'll happen if they don't get their hands on the weapon? $2.99

WONDER WOMAN #4
When the all-new Wonder Woman encounters the Cheetah, Giganta and Dr. Psycho, she discovers that Wonder Woman's Rogues Gallery has undergone a radical transformation! Even Dr. Poison, Dr. Cyber and Osira are somehow more powerful and deadlier than ever before. But who is responsible for these magical makeovers? And will this army of revitalized rogues be too much for the gods' newest champion? Find out in Part 4 of the 5-part epic "Who Is Wonder Woman?" $2.99


JUSTICE VOL 2 HC
An extraordinary hardcover volume collecting JUSTICE #5-8, written by comics legends Alex Ross (KINGDOM COME) & Jim Krueger (Earth X) with art by Doug Braithwaite & Ross! In this volume, a conspiracy of villains has found a way to use Superman's powers against him. He's beyond control and there's only one solution - which may kill him! $19.99

TRANSFORMERS PRIME DIRECTIVE MOVIE PREQUEL #1
Before the live-action Transformers movie spectacularly explodes onto theater screens next summer, read the official beginning of the story right here! In issue one of this 4-part story, BUMBLEBEE and a cadre of AUTOBOTS experience the lethal battle of Tyger Pax! $3.99

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #538
Conclusion to "THE WAR AT HOME," an official tie-in to "Civil War." The Civil War shaking the Marvel Universe races to its climax -- with Spider-Man caught right in the middle. Where else would we expect to find him? $2.99

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STAR OF THE WEEK!!!

DARK TOWER: GUNSLINGER BORN #1 (of 7)

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." With those words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King's Roland - an implacable gunslinger in search of the enigmatic Dark Tower, powering his way through a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic. Now, in a comic book personally overseen by King himself, Roland's past is revealed! Drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by Stephen King expert, Robin Furth, and scripted by Peter David, this series is the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world!

This is a really strong week for new graphic novels. Here are just a few of the best:

AMERICAN WAY TP

Collecting the acclaimed 8-issue miniseries by screenwriter John Ridley (Three Kings) and artist Georges Jeanty! In the early '40s, the United States government launched the Civil Defense Corps, a group of "super-heroes" who could fight evildoers and communism. But that dream was far from reality by the '60s. How far will America go to protect its dream of a better tomorrow? $19.99

CIVIL WAR ROAD TO CIVIL WAR TP

Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #529-531, FANTASTIC FOUR #536-537 and the NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI one-shot. $14.99

DMZ VOL 2: BODY OF A JOURNALIST TP

Collects issues #6-12. Roth's star power lands the break of a lifetime: an interview with the infamous leaders of the Free Armies. $12.99

DR BLINK SUPERHERO SHRINK VOL 1: ID, EGO & SUPEREGO

Why is this obscure book included in Fantom's list of otherwise well-known titles? I read the floppies, and this is some good stuff. Management recommended. $14.99

And don't forget the floppies. We've got some popular titles out this week:

NEW AVENGERS #27

The New Avengers return!! And they are bringing superstar artist Leinil Yu with them!! But who are the New Avengers and what are they doing post-Civil War? Plus the return of Ronin!! It's Ronin versus Elektra for control of the Japanese underworld!

SPIDER-MAN REIGN #3

A searing vision of Spider-Man's future. The rumors are true -- he's back. Come down from the mountain like a righteous wraith of vengeance, dispensing rough justice and then swinging off into the night. Things were going well, too...that is, until Mayor Waters dispatched his contingency plan -- the newly reassembled Sinister Six -- and things got complicated. Now Peter Parker isn't just fighting for his very life, but to keep alive the spark of hope that's been squelched under Waters' boot. But first, he'll have to contend with the thing that was formerly known as Otto Octavius.

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Over the course of November we asked our subscribers and regulars to tell us their two favorite ongoing comic book series. Their first choice was awarded 2 points, their second choice awarded one point. Here are the Top 11:

1) FABLES 20
2) BOYS 12
3) BATMAN 7
4) 52 WEEK 6
4) JUSTICE LEAGUE 6
4) ULTIMATES 6
4) WALKING DEAD 6
4) X-FACTOR 6
4) Y THE LAST MAN 6
10) AMERICAN VIRGIN 5
10) ASTONISHING X-MEN 5

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I LOVE this series.

The year is 1961. The Cold War is at its peak. Super-powered individuals do exist.

The U.S. government sponsors a super-powered team to both inspire Americans and defend the United States in the event of a Soviet super-powered attack. The Civil Defense Corps (CDC) defends citizens and the American way of life time and again from super-villains and alien invasions.

But the Kennedy administration has a secret.

The Civil Defense Corps, and the villains they fight, are actors employed by the federal government. Most (though not all) of the team have superpowers, but they were gained through genetic experimentation and enhanced with technology.

This comic addresses the ethics of a government lying to its people "for their own good"; the Civil Rights movement (is the American public ready for a black super-hero?!); and other fascinating aspects of super-herodom you don't normally think about. This is definitely a thinking man's super-hero comic book.

The first 5 issues are out (and Fantom Comics has all of them).

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Okay, if you like epic sci-fi / fantasy then this is the book for you. I've only read the first issue, which is a set-up for what looks to be a long, strong, deep storyline. This book will have a beginning, a middle, and an end. There isn't going to be any lone hero, saving the day and the girl all by himself. This book deals heavily in the gray areas, and I think we'll be surprised a lot. I'm very much looking forward to the next issue.

OFFICIAL BLURB
An Earth-based empire of science is attacked by an empire of magic - causing decades of war and casualties in the hundreds of millions. Welcome to the future that is...MANIFEST ETERNITY!

The intergalactic war between two advanced civilizations spans an entire century. From the opening shots of the first contact to the final, apocalyptic battle, this ambitious new series will show every side of the conflict. Each issue spotlights a new group: monsters who pilot zombified dragon dreadnoughts; elite fighter pilots from Earth; the shadowy figure named Tarkington. Could he have betrayed all of humanity decades before the start of the hostilities?

Written by Scott Lobdell; Art and cover by Dustin Nguyen.

This comic is available for sale at Fantom for $2.99.

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Not a super-hero fan? Not a Marvel fan? Doesn't matter! Give this book a shot.

Young, reckless super-heroes get themselves and dozens of children killed while shooting a reality TV show. The U.S. government - fed up with super-hero related destruction - plans to institute a law regulating the super-hero community.

Super-heroes split in their support for (led by Iron Man) or opposition to (led by Captain America) the new law.

This 7-part series will touch on many aspects of the current political situation in modern politics...even featuring Marvel's own version of Guantanamo Bay.

Available now at Fantom, cover price $3.99

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From The New York Times (The Battle Outside Raging, Superheroes Dive In, February 20, 2006)

The story opens with a reckless fight between the New Warriors, filming a reality television show, and a cadre of villains. The battle becomes quite literally explosive, killing some of the superheroes and many innocent bystanders. That crystallizes a government movement to register all super-powered beings as living weapons of mass destruction. The subsequent Registration Act will divide the heroes into two camps, one led by Captain America, the other by Iron Man. Along the way, Marvel will unveil its version of Guant�?¡namo Bay, enemy combatants, embedded reporters and more. The question at the heart of the series is a fundamental one: 'Would you give up your civil liberties to feel safer in the world?'

Following are the comics that cover this storyarc. I apologize...I'm late in alerting you of the lead-up to the main story (Amazing Spider-Man 529 just came out), but you've still got time for the rest of The Road To Civil War books and all of the actual Civil War comics. If you'd like to subscribe to these titles, send us a quick email with your name, phone number, email address, and which books (or simply say "all") you'd like, and we'll hold them aside for you as they come out. Email us at fantomcomics@gmail.com.

THE ROAD TO CIVIL WAR
New Avengers: The Illuminati (one-shot)
Amazing Spider-Man #529-531 Mr. Parker goes to Washington
Fantastic Four #536-#537

CIVIL WAR
Civil War (7-issue miniseries)
Civil War: Front Line (10-issue miniseries)
Amazing Spider-Man #532-538 The War at Home
Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways (miniseries)
Civil War: X-Men (4-issue miniseries)
Daily Bugle: Civil War (one-shot newspaper)
She-Hulk v2 #8
Thunderbolts #103-105
Wolverine #42-47 Vendetta
X-Factor #8-9

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What's that you say? Superman raised by Stalin and the Soviet State? Yes!

In this one-shot trade paperback, we see a world in which Superman's capsule landed on earth half a day earlier or later. He doesn't land in the breadbasket of America, but the breadbasket of the U.S.S.R. during the height of the Cold War.

This book has Fantom Comics' highest recommendation. There are no simple answers or black and white villains in this 160 page trade paperback.

Available now at Fantom Comics!

Have you read this book? Comment on it and let others know what you think.

Posted by Matt Klokel at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR FIRST TIMEâ�?�¦

Adam Chamberlain is a 20-year-old youth minister, a best-selling author, and most important, the head of a rabid national virginity movement. But practicing virgin or not...Adam is about to lose it.

Just a few weeks shy of marrying the girl of his dreams ���?� the only woman God has said he can ever know sexually ���?� Adam's fate, future and sex life are cast in direct opposition with God's Word.

Like Y: THE LAST MAN, American Virgin follows one man's dark quest into unknown territories ���?� geographically and emotionally. A shocking terrorist act casts Adam adrift in exotic locales not so easily managed by a slick image, a clever comeback or the Good Book. Adam is forced to confront head-on the very rifts we all feel between our carnal desires and whatever higher power we answer to.

Will Adam's first time be his last?

Issue 1 is available March 8. To reserve your copy, email fantomcomics@gmail.com with your name and contact information. Make the subject line: American Virgin.

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It's a bug's world. We just live in it.

Imagine Six Feet Under with cockroaches and you've got Vertigo's twisted new monthly series THE EXERMINATORS, written by breakout debut writer Simon Oliver with spine-tingling visuals by Eisner-nominated artist Tony Moore (The Walking Dead), a smart, scary, darkly comic tale of roaches, rats, raccoons and the men who kill them for a living.

THE EXTERMINATORS centers on a dysfunctional group of bug killers prowling the barrios and bungalows of Los Angeles ���?� the thinnest point on the shaky borderline between civilization and the violent chaos of nature.

Henry James, the newest exterminator, sees the job as a means to cleanse the sins of his dark past. He has a hard time getting his view across to his careerist girlfriend, sociopathic partner, and the general bunch of freaks he calls co-workers. But what the "bug brothers" of Bug-Bee-Gone Co. don't understand is that human beings may be the true pests ���?� and bugs could be the real exterminators.

Featuring creepy-crawly covers by Philip Bond (VIMANARAMA), THE EXTERMINATORS mixes disturbing characters, killer cockroaches and sinister secrets into a unique and unsettling series that branches out from the underbelly of L.A. into the heart of an ancient mystery, a sacred scarab beetle and a weirdly ominous locked box. It's a bug's world. We just live in it.

The Exterminators #1 ($2.99) is now available for purchase. Hurry up before we sell out!

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Tim, Jason, Pam and Dave are planning a robbery of their city's most secure bank. The task is almost impossible.

Sean has lost yet another job and is desperate. With no hope left he decides to end it all. Just as he's about to jump off a bridge, Dave and Tom stop him and offer him a deal: be the diversion they need.

On a given day, at a given time, he will jump off the building opposite the bank and in exchange for his free fall his family gets a share of the bank loot.

Free Fall #1 ($3.99) is now available for purchase.

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WELCOME TO INFAMY, AZâ�?�¦

Barely a blip on the map, this ignobly named oasis of strip malls and convenience stores is much more than it seems. Unbeknownst to the general populace, Infamy leads a double life as the Federal Bureau of Investigation���?�s best-kept secret:

A Witness Protection Program for SUPER VILLAINS.

Chosen for its remote location and notorious Old West history, Infamy has, since the early 1960â�?��?�s, quietly played host to a select crew of former super criminals and would-be world-beaters whoâ�?��?�ve turned new leaves â�?��?? and Stateâ�?��?�s Evidence â�?��?? for that elusive second chance at life and the pursuit of happiness. Liberty, however, comes at a far greater priceâ�?�¦

Infamy is as much an open-air prison as it is a safe harbor. Though the average person can come and go as they please, those under Witness Protection dare not risk venturing beyond the townâ�?��?�s border as their brains have been hard-wired with sub-cortical explosives. One toe over â�?��?THE LINEâ�?� â�?��?? the invisible barrier surrounding the town â�?��?? and BOOM! Sanitationâ�?��?�s scraping whatâ�?��?�s left of your guts off the pavement in the morning.

Security. Safety. Sanctuary.

These are the rocks upon which Infamy was built, the foundation upon which it stands. Little does anyone realize that foundation is about to be demolishedâ�?�¦ Someone is fixing to blow the lid on Infamy, bring the entire neighborhood to its knees and leave nothing but a bloody stain behind. And why?

Because one man just couldnâ�?��?�t keep it in his pantsâ�?�¦

Living in Infamy #1 ($2.95) is now available for purchase.

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Famously referred to as one of the 'Axis-of-Evil' countries, North Korea remains one of the most secretive and mysterious nations in the world today. In 2001 cartoonist Guy Delisle became one of the few Westerners to be allowed access to the fortress-like country. While living in the nation���?�s capital for two months on a work visa for a French film animation company Delisle observed what he was allowed to see of the culture and lives of the few North Koreans he encountered; his findings form the basis of this remarkable graphic novel.

Pyongyang is an informative, personal, and accessible look at a dangerous and enigmatic country.

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