The First Modern Comic Book

Comic books have grown into a very popular hobby and industry.  The money comic book companies have made and the interest in superheroes is ever increasing.  Modern movies with awesome computer graphics and special effects have made it possible to see our favorite heroes come to life.  There is a certain feeling one gets seeing Christopher Reeve stretch out his arm in motion and the big red "S" flay across the screen, or the excitement when we see Spider-Man swing through the steel hallways of New York City!  Superheroes have become a big part of life and entertainment and have always provided us with an escape at times when it was needed most.  So how did it all begin?  What was the first modern comic book and when was it printed?

The first modern comic book was an experiment, as most things are in the beginning, and was called "Funnies On Parade".  It was produced in 1933 by Eastern Color Press and was created when the company decided to find a way to make better use of their presses.  They came up with the idea of creating a 9 x 12 inch, 8 page book by folding the pages in half.  It essentially produced what we call today the comic book.  It was literally a book of comics and featured reprints of the comic strips that appeared in the newspapers. They gave it away for FREE.  It became so popular that they began charging $0.10 the following year and the modern comic book industry began.  In fact, just 5 years later, the comic book industries most popular and well-known superhero would be born when Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created an alien from outserspace that would be Earth's mightiest champion.  He would appear in Action Comics #1 and was called...Superman! 

What The?!

In 1988, Marvel began a comic series called What The?!  It was a comical parody of the superheroes in various comic universes and actually quite hilarious.  While they have no real book value, play no key roles in character development and do not appear on any comic book want list, their humor and audacity cannot be ignored.  They are "comic books" in the true form of what "comic book" means...they are designed to make us laugh.  Characters such as Spider-Ham, Raven, Wulveream, The Pulverizer, Superbman, Fantastical Four are among some of these spoof characters.  Wolverine seemed to be a more popular character to spoof in this series.  It lasted until 1992 with 26 total issues being written.  We may never see a CGC copy (are there any) sell for high value on auction but at least they gave us something to laugh at!

Recently I was witness to an event that made me say, What The?!  It was a somewhat funny incident but highlights the stupidity of some people; people that should appear in such a series.  I was standing in line at a convenient store and the young woman in front of me was wearing an American Cancer Society t-shirt.  What drew my attention to this was the fact that when she got to the counter she had a few items to pay for (I do not remember what they were) and she asked for a pack of Marlboro Lights 100's.  How is it someone can wear a t-shirt promoting a non-profit organization that works to fight against cancer while at the same time buy the #1 cause of cancer in the United States?  Am I the only one who sees the humor and stupidity in this?  I could not help but think...What The?!

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Daredevil #1 CGC 9.2 Sells for $10,800 On ComicLink

The all-star cast of the Daredevil movie could not save it from being a bad movie.  It's a shame, too, because Daredevil is such a popular character among Marvel fans.  Fortunately the bad movie has not affected the loyalty of fans nor the popularity of The Man Without Fear.

To prove this fact, ComicLink recently auctioned a Daredevil #1 with a CGC grade of 9.2 with off-white to white pages.  Any collector would love to have a copy of this and if I have to explain why then, simply put, you are not a collector.  For what amount did this book finally sell?  With 15 seconds left on the auction the bid went from $6500 to $7450.  Then with only 2 seconds left, the final bid came in at $10,800.  Not only a beautiful book but a beautiful price, especially for the seller. 

My favorite Daredevil story was "Guardian Devil" written by Kevin Smith and drawn by Joe Quesada.  (I have a couple of issues signed by Joe Quesada.  View them here.)  The story forces Matt Murdock, DD, to protect a baby that he is led to believe will be either a Messiah or an Antichrist.  In the process he struggles with the death of  love interest Karen Page who was killed by DD's archenemy, Bullseye.  In the end, there is a surprise villain behind it all, one that no reader expected.  This storyline began the Marvel Knights series and revived the the popularity of Daredevil.

What's your favorite Daredevil story?
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Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths Coming In February

February 23, 2010 is the scheduled release date for the upcoming animated film featuring the Justice League against their mirror team from another Earth, the Crime Syndicate.   We hope it proves to be an exciting film as we all have been waiting in anticipation for its release.  Newsarama has a clip on its website highlighting the action between the 2 groups.  Take a look and let us know what you think. 

View The Film Clip Here

What other videos are you hoping to see?

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Who Is Your Favorite Superhero?

What a great question for discussion.  I cannot wait to hear from the rest of you.  Certainly there are a lot of favorites out there such as Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Green Lantern, Captain America, Iron Man and more.  The subject of  favorite Comic Book hero is quite sensitive to some.  In conversations and in listening to conversations I have found that some are quite opinionated over who is the best, the most powerful, who would beat whom on any given day.  The latter has been the theme of some storylines like The Hulk vs Wolverine, JLA vs The Avengers, Hulk vs Thing, Batman vs Superman, etc.  Of course we know it's all in fun and that is an aspect of what makes comic books fun, at least for me.  I love the characters, the stories and the possibilities.  So who is my favorite superhero?

When I was a teenager and began reading comics I quickly became a Batman fan.  I had Batman painted on my wall and had all sorts of Batman memorabilia and collectibles, some of which I still own.  I loved Batman because he is dark.  He is human.  He is a guy just like the rest of us.  He has no superpowers, no alien strength, no power ring, no genetic alterations, no super serum or any of that stuff.  He is just a rich guy who has the money to fund his heroism.  Batman is believable because we can all see ourselves doing what he does, if we had the money and the training.  What makes Batman even more special is that he is a genius an avid student.  He thinks his way through things and plans well in advance for all the possibilities.  He can examine another's weakness and then exploit if necessary.  Let's face it, Batman is just plain cool!

For that same reason I became a Green Arrow fan.  He, like Batman, is believable and is just a normal guy.  He believes in what he does, works to perfect his talent and has the bankroll to back it up.  Plus, who doesn't like green and archery.  Most of us as kids, especially guys, enjoyed the fantasy and medieval worlds in which archery played a big role.  Robin Hood easily comes to mind.  Some of us may have even had a bow of some kind with which we played.  It was possible to be Green Arrow and certainly he is still a fan favorite today.  Let's face it, Green Arrow is just cool!

As I got older, however, my favorite hero changed.  I began to be more involved in comics and my appreciation grew far beyond the story and character development.  I began to appreciate the history of comic books and their role as a fantastic pastime.  I dislike the fact that too many comic books today have become too violent and graphic.  Blood and gore are not necessary to tell a great story.  What bothers me even more is the fact that some of this extreme violence has spilled over even into the stories of  iconic characters.  It simply is not necessary.  I am more of a traditionalist.  I love the history, the art and the hobby of comics.  A hero is one who not only sacrifices himself for the benefit of others but fights to keep himself pure despite what goes on around him and the pressure to be more like an ever growing violent world.  It's for these reasons and others that my favorite superhero is the first superhero of our modern era.  My favorite superhero is...Superman!

Superman represents a wholesome purity.  He was the first of all the superheroes and it was his character that really began all of what we know today.  Superman does not kill, he values life and he works to build up mankind rather than tear it down further.  He accepts his responsibility as a champion of justice.  His very nature is iconic even among other superheroes.  He is respected and his judgment trusted.  He is one who is willing to sacrifice himself for the benefit of the rest, even for those who fail to appreciate him.  I think Alex Ross's depiction of him in Kingdom Come helps drive this idea home.  Although he does not have all the answers, he acknowledges that he has a responsibility to humankind and metahumankind.  One to protect, the other to train.  In the end it's his own love for humanity that wins.

Although not all of the Superman stories written through the years have been great, in fact some I despise, Superman is a hero on which others depend.  He is a stabilizer in storylines and in the industry.  DC Comics has a huge responsibility to take care of this character and that for which he represents.  There is no other character like Superman, at least not in the comic book world.

Who is your favorite superhero?  Why not share it with us?  Please visit us at http://www.kryptoknightcomics.com.

Who Should Play Steve Rogers in The First Avenger: Captain America?

Casting for any movie, much less a comic book movie, is a challenge.  Finding the right actor to capture an established character is not always as easy, although sometimes it's a given, such as Patrick Stewart for Professor X.  Choosing the right person for Captain America is like choosing who to play the Superman or Anakin Skywalker.  It has to be the right person and looks are not the only factor.  For example, what would Steve Rogers voice sound like?  Will he be built enough?  Is he physically up to the challenge?  Is he believable?

Sometimes an unknown actor is the best choice (Brandon Routh or Hugh Jackman come to mind for their roles).  In other circumstances a popular actor turns out to be perfect (Robert Downey, Jr or Liam Neeson).  With that in mind we have to ask, who could be Steve Rogers, Captain America?

I am not a casting director but I have my opinion as I am sure do many of you .  I have heard some say Brad Pitt, but I respectfully and strongly disagree with this choice.  Brad Pitt is as much Captain America as I am.  He was great in Oceans 11, 12, 13, Legends of the Fall and Benjamin Button, but CAP he ain't.  James Van Der Beek has also been suggested but I don't think his voice or acting style is commanding enough.  Aaron Eckhart?  Maybe.  I could foresee him in this role, but at the same time I think he is too old.  He has the voice, the look and a commanding presence but he shows his age.  If he were a few years younger it might work.  So who could do it?  Here is my opinion.

Major William Lennox, from Transformers, or at least the actor who played him, Josh Duhamel.    Why do I like him?  After watching Transformers I became convinced of his ability to play a commanding role, especially in battle.  Captain America first appeared during World War II and fought the Nazi's.  Therefore, it would only make sense that any actor would have to be able to show leadership in difficult situations.  Making that believable is key.  Josh Duhamel demonstrated he can do that.  He is younger and has the attitude, acting and ability to bring Captain America to life.  Feel free to agree or disagree with me.  In fact, who would you choose?

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Thor Movie Underway!!!

To see comic book characters come alive on the Big Screen has been an exciting thing for comic book fans the world over.  With the creation of new and innovative tools used in the movie industry, the realism of super powers is unbelievable.  With this in mind, many fans of the Marvel Comics Universe have been pleased with such films as Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man and others.  Added to this is the fact that Marvel has taken on a more direct role in controlling what goes on in these movie productions and we, as fans, have seen the benefit.  Therefore, it is with great excitement and anticipation that we await the upcoming production of one of Marvel's mightiest heroes, Thor.

Marvel.com has reported that shooting on this film has begun and includes an all-star cast including Anthony Hopkins as Odin himself.  Other actors include Renee Russo as Frigga, Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, Jamie Alexander as Sif, Tadanobu Asano as Hogan, Idris Elba as Heimdall, Josh Dallas as Fandrall and many others.  The Mighty Thor will be portrayed by Chris Hemworth as he battles against his evil brother Loki, portrayed by Tom Hiddleston.  With hope we hope all the actors, especially our main ones, will capture the essence of the characters and truly bring them to life on the movie screen.

While the overall plot has been laid out for us (you can read it here), it's the special effects that many are anticipating and other visual aspects of the film.  Powerful lightning strikes, deafening thunderclaps, the power of Mjolnir, Thor's might hammer, being hurled as it's power is unleashed, the superhuman strength of the thunder god being impressively displayed.  It's what fans want and we want it believable.  The days of crappy screenplays, poor special effects, stupid dialog and too much deviation from the original storyline should be things of the past.  Whether that proves true or not will have to wait and be seen.  Until then, this loyal blogger will be waiting see one of Marvel's most powerful heroes come to life.

Until next time...
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