“Can I help you?” the receptionist said. “Yes.” I replied. “I need to speak with the person who writes Green Lantern.” A smile made its way across the receptionists face. “I’m guessing you don’t have an appointment?” “No.” I said, matter-of-factly. “But it’s important. I just want to say a few things to him. It’ll […]
YEAR ONE His walking stick preceded him. It was the size of a small tree. He didn’t seem to really use it, but it made him look regal. Majestic. His red-haired queen followed closely behind, keeping her place. She was in her early forties, he in his late. Both were well-groomed and dressed in immaculate […]
When you were young, you imagined your future self. Bold, handsome, golden-eyed. Emulating the heroes in your comic books, you became someone special. Perhaps you found the cure for cancer or discovered a brand-new element. Maybe you flew into space and counted yourself among the lucky few to set foot on a planet other than […]
When we decided to start our business, we always made community service a part of our business model since we never viewed it as simply local outreach. Comics are a worldwide pop-culture experience. Our belief and hope is that our local activities can inspire others to service their own communities. Like the larger retailing companies […]
Gene Colan was undeniably one of the greatest artists of the Silver and Bronze Ages of comics. He had a hand in the creation and development of some of the most iconic of Marvel characters. He was beloved and widely praised. And he scared the living shit out of me. I wasn’t a child of […]
The Silver Age of comics. Writers and artists just plain having fun. If they had a crazy idea, the editors joked about it, made fun of each other for coming up with the crazy notion and then? Well, they spent a bucket of money and published it for millions of readers to see. Batman becomes […]
Carlos is an intelligent, soft-spoken man. Well dressed, manicured and obviously educated. A teacher by trade and a family man. He’s got two kids, a boy and a girl. Diego attends Cal State Northridge University and is aiming for a Ph.D. someday. Pilar is still in high school and struggles with her grades. No matter […]
Hell’s Kitchen. Midnight. The sounds of the city hover in the air like dark messengers, bearers of things that go bump in the night. This is where Matt Murdock calls his home. This is where the downtrodden of the city come to seek shelter. This is where Matt comforts them as a lawyer in the […]
I met Ray Bradbury in a dark basement in the suburbs of Long Island. He hit me on the head with a tremendous force and sent me reeling backwards through a plywood door and into an old washing machine. I sat stunned on the floor of my mother’s laundry room, listening to the growl of […]
We talk a lot here about comics. We talk about the stories and the interior art chores and the characterization. We talk about “key” issues and first appearances. We talk “line-ups” and “team-ups.” But we all know what really gives us the biggest charge from comic collecting. What reaches into the depths of our brains […]
Ladies and Gentlemen…the Curriculum Vitae of Wanda Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch. Daughter of Magneto. Founding member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Birthed in the caves of Wundagore Mountain by a super-strong half-cow mid-wife named Bova (this seemed important to tell you) and imbued with mystic energies by the God known as Cthon. Deemed a […]
I loved Sesame Street, didn’t you? Loved all the puppets and animation and lessons about life. But you know what I loved more? You know what was always more up my “street” when I was a kid spending half of my growing years on the streets of Manhattan? The Electric Company! Unlike Sesame Street, it […]
Like many of you during this holiday season, I’ve spent time running around town for the perfect gifts for my friends and family. I’ve caught up on some episodic television shows. And I’ve gone to a few movies. This year, my nostalgia seems to have gotten the better of me. I was born here in […]
