Krypto-Knight Comics Website Redesign

I never realized the amount of work that goes into designing a well functioning website. However, I am very happy with the new design for Krypto-Knight Comics. We have a website that is more user friendly, brighter in appearance, fun to navigate and, of course, great prices. I have always tried to keep prices below book values to benefit customers. So what's on the new site? At present there are over 150 pages to the site with many more to be added. Building the databases of comics is very time consuming and we have 1000's or comics and other items to add. In addition, we have changed the Krypto-Knight Comic Book Club to allow more fans to join. You can now join for FREE, although some aspects will be limited. Paid membership, which is very inexpensive, provides discounts, bonuses, special offers and special auctions. Free membership allows you access to basic auctions and to the forums. The Forum requires a separate sign-in so technically you do not have to be a KKC Member to participate, you just will not be allowed to participate in our auctions.

You will also notice that we made the site a little more fun by adding various comic book characters throughout the website. Funny images, quotes, and word bubbles add a bit of humor and fun to the environment. After all comics are supposed to be fun...right? Starting in January we will return to our weekly trivia contests and games, and our goal is to try and do a better job of tracking our winners. We had so much going on in 2011 that some aspects fell to the wayside. Our contests were an experiment and we were not sure how they would fare but we had 100's of participants this past year which was great. It was unexpected so early on but it was fun. Our goal for 2012, is to bring you a better experience. We are always open to suggestions and compliments. We welcome the criticism, too, as it helps us identify areas where we can improve. As we add new pages we will inform you so that you can check them out for yourself. If we do not have your email address then you can send it to us via our Contact Us page on the website. In the meantime, please visit the new site...www.kryptoknightcomics.com

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.

Captain America Movie Comments

Well I realize I am a little late with these comments. I finally saw Captain America: The First Avenger last night and my initial response to the film is that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I realize that some aspects of the film are not true to Captain America comic book canon so let me first say to all those who are going to cry and moan over that fact to just get over it. Never has a comic book movie ever been exactly as the comic book story originally was written. In fact, mainstream comic companies like DC and Marvel have a difficult time holding to their own universal story lines. When this happens we, as readers, viewers, and fans have to just step back and ask ourselves if the story is well written, are the visual interpretations well presented, and do we feel entertained when we reach the conclusion. When I apply this to Captain America I have to say that I enjoyed the film.

One aspect I enjoyed more than most is the visual representation of the Red Skull's scientific equipment and flying ships. They had that futuristic design popular in the 1940's comics. Those designs, when combined with the literal era pieces, gave it a nice comic book feel without becoming too campy. I also felt that the simplistic visual effects for the Red Skull were believable as opposed to just looking like a stupid mask or bad makeup.

In regards to Cap's uniform I must admit that I had concerns upon my initial viewing of the trailer, but after watching the film I felt like it was more appropriate to the era and the story. Presenting a cheap campy version during his entertainment tour of duty lent to a more appropriate battle version that was more in line with the World War II era. It reflected well the time period and what one might expect. My hope is that in the upcoming Avengers film that his costume will be more appropriate to the modern era.

My one complaint about the film was that there was not enough of action with Steve as Captain America highlighting him as a hero. The majority of his action shots were in the campy uniform covered by a leather jacket, and the scenes with him in his official uniform were too few and short for my taste. I also felt that the movie could have gone another 15 or 20 minutes and still not have been too long. However, taking the time to develop Steve Roger's pre-Captain character was essential to appreciating him as a humble man and why he would appreciate the gift provided him. This development will hopefully fuel his character in a greater way when he makes a powerful appearance in The Avengers. The contrasting characters of Tony and Steve will be fun to watch.

Overall, I will say I am pleased with what Marvel Studios did with Captain America: The First Avenger. I could watch it several more times and be happy with it.

Come visit us at www.krptoknightcomics.com. Our new website will soon be up and running.

Enter the Thunder God! Thor Film Rocks the Theater!

I cannot recall the last time I was so excited about seeing a movie. As the Thor film approached it's release date I chose not to read reviews, look at the pictures, or take in any knowledge that might affect my view of the film before seeing it. However, since I have seen the film I can honestly say this...it was spectacular!!!

Spoiler Alert: If you have not yet seen the film and do not want to know aspects of what happens do not read any further.

I greatly appreciated the loyalty to the Marvel character's history as it appeared in the comic. While some changes were obviously evident in the storyline, those changes did not take away from the character nor did they define him as something he was not. It proved to be what you would expect from a film that needs to tell decades of history in under 2 hours. It was filled with laughter, action, drama, and special effects that made you believe it was real.

The Asgardians are described as a race from another realm within the physical universe. The Vikings would have believed them to be gods and in the movie it is clearly explained that they are the protectors of the nine worlds that exist. Though they are a higher level of being above humans, they are not without their faults and challenges.

Chris Hemsworth's portrayal of Thor is a perfection in itself capturing his immature hunger for a fight while seeing his on-screen growth to a responsible hero of both Earth and Asgard. He is believably Thor!

Tom Hiddleston was perfect for the role of Loki and captured the underhanded mischievous nature of Thor's adopted brother. His range of expressions, the somber feelings over Thor's banishment, his hurtful anger at Odin for not revealing to him his origin, and his lust for power and revenge were so remarkable that you both hated and felt sorry him.

Who else could have portrayed the authority of Odin and his wisdom better than Anthony Hopkins? From a powerful leader and warrior to a humble king and loving father, Hopkins made the role of Odin epic and alive.

The film also provided us with tastes of what lies ahead from Marvel Studios with a cameo of Hawkeye and a vision of the Cosmic Cube at the end of the credits. Loki, of course, is not out of the picture and it seems he will play a pivotal role in the upcoming Avengers film.

We would like to know what you think of the film. Take part in our poll and leave a comment as to your thoughts. There is so much we could say about the film but we would rather here from you.

PollPub.com Vote

Did You Like the Thor Film?

Aye! It rocked like thunder!
Nay! It was not worthy!
Mine eyes have not yet seen it!
The jury is still out on this one!



View Results

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The 1970's - A Great Decade For Comics!

Wolverine, Darkseid, Black Lightning, Black Panther, Luke Cage, Sabretooth, Patsy Walker, Etragan, Ghost Rider and myself all have something in common. We are are tied to the comic book industry and we were all produced in the 1970's.

The 70's were a cool decade that brought us Saturday Night Fever, Kojack, Superman The Movie, Star Wars, and Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman. It was time unlike any other as unrest on the world scene increased. Terrorism beginning to show its ugly face, an oil crisis plagued the world, the US Presidency was in turmoil and inflation was through the roof! Yet, out of the ashes of world turbulence, new heroes arose that led the comic book industry back into an industry of demand and want.

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby continued to produce great stories and art but the art of such individuals like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo helped take the industry to a new level. The stories of the 70's took on real life issues of the day such as teenage drug abuse, domestic violence, terrorism, pollution, cold war and other similar topics. Governmental corruption became more dominate in the news and likewise showed up in the pages of comics. The world increased in more turmoil following the Vietnam War and what it needed was a new breed of heroes and villains. Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) and Wolverine serve as an example of the type of anti-typical heroes that arose to take on issues that called for more than simply a 'feel good' solution. Readers wanted retribution and such heroes delivered it.

Horror comics also took on greater roles and increased in popularity during the 1970's. Werewolf by Night, Dracula, Morbius, Blade, Swamp Thing and similar titles/characters became a mainstay during a period of what seemed to be a dark hopelessness. The darker, edgier characters were fitting for the time. Blood, gore and the occult ruled the era that was already ransacked with it.

Long time heroes such as Batman and Green Lantern also took on edgier roles during this period which led them to the kind of characters they still are today. The 1970's blurred the line between heroism and villainy and it made right vs. wrong more difficult to distinguish. Violence grew darker in comics as it also grew darker in the real world.

The 1970's produced an age of comics that certainly was not 'golden'. Yet the demand for Bronze Age issues increases as the nostalgia of such issues are a favorite among modern collectors. It is certainly one of my favorite decades for comics, not because of the darkness, but because of the willingness of the industry to change, the manner in which real problems were addressed, and because of the evident demonstration that answers to problems among humans and heroes is not always as clear cut as we might like them to be. The struggle of heroes helped readers relate to their own issues.

To celebrate the 70's, we have decided to make our contest this week (week of 03-14-2011) 1970's Week. Watch for our contests on Facebook, Twitter or join our email list.

What are you favorite story lines, heroes, villains, artists, etc for the 1970's? We would love to know. Leave a comment and we will give you 20 points per word toward our weekly contest.

Be sure to visit us on the web at http;//www.kryptoknightcomics.com

Comic Book Black History Week

February in the United States is Black History Month. I would be negligent not to acknowledge the black writers, artists, creators, heroes, villains and supporting characters that have helped make comics fun and exciting. This week we will be making the theme of our contest Black History.

It is quite easy for anyone of any race to view another as inferior. It is almost human nature to view ourselves as superior to others even in arenas outside that of race. Among heroes, however, that should never be the case. All humans are equal and deserve the same respect and dignity as any other. Our view at Krypto-Knight Comics is one of equality. We appreciate people from all backgrounds, races and cultures. The difference in backgrounds and skin color bring life to our planet and provide variety for us to enjoy. The human race is like a box of crayons with new colors being added regularly. When we work in harmony with all the different colors we can create beautiful things.

Black and African-American comic book characters are just as good and evil as any other. They bring character and life to the universe and have proven to be the favorites among comic book fans. Let us share a few of ours.

Who cannot ignore the total coolness of Black Panther. An African king and member of the Avengers not only is quite intimidating to villains but he is well respected by his fellow heroes for his honor and ethics. As an honorable king he cares for his people and he has a cool costume too!

Storm, powerful mutant and member of the X-Men, is without doubt one of Marvel's most famous black heroes. As former leader of the X-Men and weather master, she has proven to be a force to reckon with among villains. Few are able to withstand her fury when it is at its peak and it can be frightening if you are on the receiving end of it. Her marriage to Black Panther makes for a great alliance!

Powerman, Luke Cage, is not the kind of guy you want mad at you. When it comes to playing games, he doesn't! His role in the Marvel Universe has become ever more involved over the last decade and a renewed interest in the character is a nice thing to see.

Among the most powerful of all black comic book characters is John Stewart, Green Lantern. His strong will for justice and his upright ethics have made him a perfect choice to wield a 'green ring'. He knows how to use it too! His reputation for what is moral and his desire to protect life far exceed the boundaries of earth. His reputation is known throughout the galaxy as an honorable, yet powerful, Green Lantern. His demonstration of leadership has been evident in his role on the Justice League animated series. John Stewart is definitely among our favorites!

Other heroes that also deserve attention include The Falcon, Spawn, Black Lightning, Bishop, War Machine, Mace Windu and many more. Which black superhero is your favorite? We would like to hear from you!

Be sure to visit us at http://www.kryptoknightcomics.com