Catching Up! The Change in the Comic Book Industry

It has been some time since I wrote on this blog. I have had a lot of things going on and hope to be more regular now that some of those other things are out of the way. Time passes by so quickly!

So here is what has been going on and what I have planned. We have been posting a few items on our E-Bay store and we are currently working to redesign our website which is very time consuming. The current items are not big ticket items but they are some nice items that can compliment a collection. I hope to put some more interesting issues on auction especially some from the 70's. I have always liked the issues from that era. The art changed and became grittier with guys like Neal Adams, Frank Miller, and others at the helm. Of course, Jack Kirby art is still classic!

Comics today are much different in appearance and in cost. We have also seen a change in the industry as it grows with the introduction of successful films and the "business" side of the industry showing its face. DC for some time has been owned by Time Warner and now Marvel is owned by Disney. As for the independent titles, Image, Dark Horse and others, it will remain to be seen what will become of them. The demands from fans for more independent titles is loud and clear but the love of the classic characters and the financial power of the 2 giants demonstrates how difficult it is for independent artists and writers to venture out on their own. CrossGen Comics showed promise but could not last. Image has struggled as well, or at least they appear to have done so. Jim Lee selling Wildstorm titles to DC a few years back did some harm to Image and others, like Erik Larsen, were not afraid to speak out against it.

For now, it seems the movies are bringing in a whole new generation of fans. These are fans of the characters and of the films but not necessarily fans of comic books. As most of us know the comic book universe sometimes is different than that of the big screen and there is somewhat of a dividing line between the fan bases of both. That does not mean that there are not crossovers. I love Iron Man, Transformers, X-Men, Superman and others but I am a comic book fan first and foremost, not matter how much I love the movies. Yet, there are those who love the movies but have never read a comic book in their life. Personally, I think it is sad because they miss out on the decades of history that have gone in to make a 2 hour film.

It is clear that the industry is changing and growing. I hope to continue to be a part of it.

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Is Brian Michael Bendis the Best Comic Book Writer Ever?

With the creation of the Illuminati, Civil War and Secret Invasion, Brian Michael Bendis has done more than just make the Marvel Universe exciting again. He has unified the Universe bringing past and present together, cleaning up story holes from times past, made crappy characters cool and made cool characters awesome. His twists and turns and exciting plots keep us wanting more and more and more just as it should be. With the popularity of Marvel and the story arcs that are taking place, most of which originate in the mind of Bendis, many would argue that he is the greatest comic writer in the history of comics. What do you think? Is this the case?

I love reading Bendis' work. He has made me want to read more and more. I feel like I did when I was 16 reading Claremont's X-men stories, or when I was in my 20's and Alex Ross recreated the DC Universe with Kingdom Come. I love reading Bendi's work, plain and simple. I think he is the best writer in the industry at this time. However, comparing Bendis' to past writers is like comparing Barry Bonds to Babe Ruth or Mark McGwire to Hank Aaron. The comparisons are not quite that simple to make. Different eras brought about different creators; creators that were needed at the time. Is it fair to compare Alex Ross with Jack Kirby? Both have displayed talent above the expectation of the time and set a new bar for others to reach. Brian Michael Bendis certainly has done that for the industry. Comparing him to the likes of Stan Lee, a most humble creator, would not be fair. Why?

Stan Lee changed the face of comics in a way that Bendis has not done. He did not just create story-lines and plots, he created characters that have been come national icons. Spider-Man and the X-Men are international icons. They are known the world over. In fact, most of the popular Marvel characters were created during an era when they were most needed and have held their popularity even now. Iit was Stan Lee and his buddies who brought that about.

Bendis is an awesome writer and I love what he has done with the Marvel Universe. Without Stan Lee and his friends, however, none of it would be possible. What do you think? Who is the greatest comic book writer of all time?

Be sure to visit my store...http://www.krypto-knightcomics.com

Incredible Hulk #181...1st Appearance of Wolverine

There are so many iconic characters in comic books and from different companies, too. Most comic book fans, and especially Wolverine fans, are familiar with The Incredible Hulk #181. This book represents the first appearance of the fan favorite X-Man, Wolverine. Is there any way the creators of Wolverine could have known he would be so popular? Of course not. Character creation and development is the result of the efforts of different writers and artists who write stories and design character costumes and appearances. The development of Wolverine and his popularity can be accredited to several different individuals including Chris Claremont, Paul Smith, Jim Lee and others. Although Hugh Jackman is definitely TOO TALL to play Logan, everything else about the actor fits perfectly. I cannot imagine anyone else portraying him on film; and to think it was almost Dougray Scott...nope dont think so.

Wolverine comics are selling at a premium right now. I recently just sold Incredible Hulk #181 on E-Bay for $362 and it had the Marvel Stamp cut out of it. I will be posting some new wolverine listings and some sought after books. Rightnow I have some really cool stuff on my site. Why not take a look. My prices are fair and reasonable. Let me know what you think of the movie after it hits the theatres.

http://www.krypto-knightcomics.com