Comic-Con Las Vegas

Las Vegas.  Sin City as it has been called.  Over the decades it has been associated with gambling, mob activity, prostitution (one of the few places it is legal), lights, money, and more recently CSI.  Shows, singers and attractions are everywhere.  For a short time (10 years) Las Vegas was the home of the Star Trek Experience.  I never had the opportunity to visit the Star Trek attraction but hopefully it will reopen in 2012, but all indications are that the likelihood is slim to none.

With all that Las Vegas contains it is sad to me that there are not more attractions available for the comic book and Sci-Fi industry.  More parks like Universal's Islands of Adventure, which features Superhero Island based on Marvel characters, would be fantastic.  Six Flags parks have some DC based rides but there is not a real theme park dedicated solely to comic book characters.  With the rising popularity of superheroes it would make sense.  Imagine a Comic Book Park with sections each based on different universes, i.e. Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, etc.  Licensing would be the big issue and it would take someone with a ton of money to do it.  Vegas would be an ideal spot for it.  The weather is comfortable nearly year round and it is full of people.  The only negative would be the attraction of a younger crowd to a city filled with vices like gambling and prostitution. 

Las Vegas is the home to many folks.  Why could it not be the home of a cool comic attraction?  For that matter why not have a Comic/Sci-Fi Convention located there?  What do you think?  We want your feedback and thoughts on it.

Visit us at Krypto-Knight Comics (www.kryptoknightcomics.com)

William Shatner Dies!

After years of being the Priceline frontman as The Negotiator, William Shatner dies!

Not really! The character he plays as The Negotiator is being killed off. Priceline has decided to drop the character and Shatner after 14 years. The company is going in a different direction. The 80-year old Shatner noted that it's not the first time a character of his has died off (Capt. Kirk dies in the 1994 film Star Trek: Generations. "What management wants, management gets!", said Shatner. Hopefully, everyone's favorite captain, attorney, cop and TV dad will be around with us several more years. You can see the new commercial below. Visit us at www.kryptoknightcomics.com

George Lucas Says He's Retiring

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a fan of George Lucas. It is true that I am a huge fan of Star Wars, but a Star Wars fan is not necessarily a Lucas fan. I, however, have great respect for the man who built from scratch an empire and a legacy. In addition to Star Wars, Lucas has created Indiana Jones which spans across 4 movies (1 more on the way), a TV show, comic book tales via Marvel and Dark Horse, books and more. Other great films include American Graffiti, Willow, Tucker, THX 1138, and the upcoming Red Tails. Lucas has also been a producer on other films. Some of which you may recognize. These include Howard the Duck, Labrynth, Land Before Time, Kagemusha, Body Heat, Latino, More American Graffiti, Mishima, Radioland Murders, and Twice Upon A Time. This list is certainly not all inclusive.

Lucas has often come under fire by fans for his films. Even Star Wars fans complain about those films. Granted there are some aspects of the films that merit a consideration for improvement but the majority of complainers fail to miss the level of involvement and effort that goes into production. It is easy to miss mistakes, overlook editing cuts, or fail to notice storyline errors. However, considering the immense time span upon which the Star Wars tales have been told, it can be a challenge to fit all stories within a general framework without errors. As a fan I am willing to accept some errors or perceived errors amidst films that span across 5 decades. Lucas' films are really just the icing on the cake. It is his other contributions to the film industry that deserve attention and credit. Lucas' companies such as Lucasfilm, Ltd., Skywalker Sound, and Industrial Light and Magic have been at the forefront of developing new technology and standards that the film industry has needed and adopted. The standards for digital sound via THX has greatly improved the movie experience. Few movies can be watched without the imprint of George Lucas somewhere being stamped. Lucas' announcement of retirement is only in regards to epic films. He will finish the 5th installment of the Indiana Jones universe and focus on smaller films that focus on artistic quality. Regardless of what Lucas does, this writer will always be a fan!

Digital Comics Growing More Popular On the Internet

It is a digital online age. Everybody is online using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The once popular MySpace is rarely mentioned anymore. Kindles, iPads, tablets and other electronic media devices have introduced more people to the pleasure of reading than in years past. However, the age of paper has almost disappeared. Newspaper companies are struggling with print issues, whereas, their online presence is continuing to grow. With all this hype towards Internet based reading and electronic media, where does that leave the comic book industry? Although considered a media branded industry, comic books are also a collectible, thus they fall into a slightly different category than most media outlets. Long time comic collectors are still willing to pay for paper versions of their favorite books but younger generations are not as attracted to this avenue. The growing interest in comics and related subjects is less in the value of collecting and more in the characters themselves combined with the online fun it can bring. Marvel and DC have already adopted this form of media by making online digital comics available to read. Some are free while others require a subscription to read. Since an Internet connection is necessary in order to be able to read these digital comics CLEAR Internet can provide what you need in this respect. The downside for digital comics is that they are not tangible. They cannot be collected, or at least not yet. On the other hand we have seen an increase in demand and value in older key issue comics like Action Comics #1, Detective Comics #27, or even Amazing Fantasy #15. The digital age has had, in my opinion, a direct impact on the rise in interest in these comics. If the digital age continues to grow as it is, then the paper comics we old collectors all love will certainly appreciate the growing monetary value on comics that also hold sentimental appeal. The world is changing. How it will ultimately affect the comic book world remains to be seen. Be sure to visit our site for paper comics at www.kryptoknightcomics.com

Would Aspen Matthews Wear Body Glove Gear?

Who would not want to get free surfing lessons from Aspen Matthews, one of comicdom's favorite and sexy water born

characters. On our website at www.kryptoknightcomics.com, we have a teaser advertisement just for fun offering free surfing lessons from Aspen. (You can see the ad by clicking here.) Of course, Aspen is just a fictional character from the mind of Michael Turner, but it got me thinking that if she were real and was a champion surfer, a sport of which she would be a natural, what kind of surfer wear would she sport? The answer was simple...Body Glove!

Body Glove, created by twin brothers Bill and Bob Miestrell in 1953, has been a leader in surfing gear, wetsuits, sunglasses, bikinis and other related beach items. They offer items for water enthusiasts around the globe and for all types of bodies of water. Even comic book fans like us will spend time on the water somewhere in the world. I grew up in the Southeast and still live here today. I have enjoyed visiting beaches all over the world and Body Glove have some of the coolest products for the beach and surf scene. The Body Glove Flame Orange wetsuit is suitable for surfing or diving while the Cheetah Bikini shows off beautiful bodies! Certainly I love comics and could not help but imagine Aspen Matthews sporting Body Glove. What other characters could you imagine wearing Body Glove gear? Hawkeye with sunglasses? Aqualad in a cool wetsuit? The Hulk in some boardshorts?

Visit Body Glove at www.bodyglove.com Visit Aspen Matthews at www.kryptoknightcomics.com/fathom.html

Enhance Your Reading Experience

Reading is a favorite past time for a great majority of people. Whether we are reading comics, novels, articles or even reading articles online like this one, those of us who read find great pleasure and relaxation in this intellectual activity. I enjoy escaping this harsh world in which we live into one where reality is what we bend it to become. Superheroes vanquish villains in the face of unfavorable odds, space exploration reaches the farthest corners of the universe, and the unbelievable conquests of human achievement triumph over adversity. These realms of fantasy, fame, fortune and freedom allow us all to frolic in the footsteps of fantastic fables. I have discovered a wonderful way to enhance any reading experience, especially if you live in colder weather. Coffee.

Starbucks, Seattle's Best and even Dunkin' Donuts has capitalized on what they know we all enjoy. Yet, in times of cold weather, or late nights when you are relaxed in bed wearing your Justice League pajamas, or curled up in the recliner under your Spider-Man fleece, the thought of going out into the cold to your favorite coffee shop just does not seem quite as appealing. I discovered recently that there is a company that offers great coffee you can order online and delivered right to your doorstep. It is called ROASTe and they can be found at www.ROASTe.com. They offer a wide variety of flavors, roasts and espresso coffees to satisfy any pallet. In addition, you can find needed supplies, coffee makers and more to create those sought after elixirs you crave. They are a great company, and they allow you to build a profile in which you put your personal tastes. In turn, they can provide you suggestions custom fit to your liking. Relaxing with your favorite comic, novel or movie with a warm cup of your favorite 'joe' is hard to resist. I drink at least one cup everyday from one of my two favorite mugs. I have a black mug with a yellow Batman symbol that I have had since I was 15 and I have a white mug with the Krypto-Knight Comics logo on it. Both are very cool and I enjoy having a cup when I read. Plus, the caffeine in coffee helps stimulate brain activity which enhances my reading experience. At the top of this page, you will see an ad for a ROASTe gift card to use on yourself or one that you can get for the coffee lover in your life. We like them enough to post an ad for them. Feel free to check them out and discover what a cool company they are.