Happy 420 and Happy Birthday Ninjak

Ninjak's first appearance was back in Bloodshot #6 from the original Valiant Comics back on April 20, 1993:

Kind of a stab-first-and-ask-questions-later guy, Ninjak didn't play even back then:

Giant Valiant homer, I know, I know.

Shout out to Steven Simmons for the screenshot of the page and date research. Saved me lots of trouble, sir, thank you.

Biggest Indie Seller of 2017

Congratulations to Valiant for their new X-O Manowar series topping 90,000 issues in sales. This gives it the top spot for the year so far in terms of independent comic sales.

It's a spectacular read with great layouts and visuals. Sometimes I think the chests of Giorello's male characters are a little baroque, but the art is epic. Matt Kindt is one of the best writers working in any field.

This series also allowed Valiant to experiment with their product in new ways, offering special incentives to readers and fans who had their LCS pre-order the first three-issue story arc "Soldier." Those incentives included extra pages of design concepts and a special cover.

Of course that's the cover I have...and I think the original cover, the first shown here, is more beautiful.

Anyway, kudos Valiant!

I am a homer, but it is a great read.

Hot Jazz: April 2017

The first Wednesday in April brings the Hot Jazz book "Eleanor and the Egret" from Aftershock:

WTF, you may be asking. What a strange title for a comic from an up-and-coming publisher. After reading about it, I was sold.

John Layman is helming the writing duties, now that he has time since ending his popular title "Chew." It follows an intrepid art thief, Eleanor, and her accomplice, an egret that grows with each theft.

That's bizarre enough for the weirdo inside of each of us, but it wasn't until I heard that Sam Kieth was on art duty. The pencils behind the Sandman and his own Maxx, Kieth gets the time of day to find out the nature of the project.

And, for me, that was the tipping point.

The releases remind me of a very-Windsor McKay-like apeing, but maybe that's just me.

Chapter House Comics

Website: chapterhouse.ca

Style Classification: Cohesive Universe (sorta)

Notable Works: Captain Canuck

Story:

Chapter House is the current publisher of the Captain Canuck stories and stable of characters. This makes it a self contained, cohesive universe. It does look like there are a few characters and titles from Chapter House that aren't part of the Capt Canuck's so-called "Chapterverse", but still, the Captain Canuck world is pretty neat.

The first appearance was back in 1975, when Richard Comely unleashed his Canadian-themed hero upon the Great North:

He was often confused with Marvels similarly-Canadian themed Guardian from Chris Claremont's "Alpha Flight:"

Captain Canuck resurfaced in '9, being published by Semple Comics, whomever they are:

Back again in the early aughts, his outfit has slightly changed:

A miniseries changed the look even further:

And that brings us to the Chapter House license (if that's what you could call it):

Canuck is back to beefy, and now with a futuristic suit to boot.

To come along with the Captain is Northguard, hopefully not the Boo-Boo to his Yogi:

Canadians like comics, too!

Livewire (Almost) Gets Her Own Title at Valiant

Livewire, the teletechnopath and psiot who can control machines, has long been a fan favorite for Valiant. As a strong, black woman character, she's also a bit of a rarity on the superhero-books shelves this side of Storm.

Her importance to the Valiant universe is seen through her leading of their multi-hero team Unity, and while she was featured in the company's "Imperium", she hasn't had her own book.

Until now, sort of. She heads a team of misfits, kids who's powers are not exactly perfect for fighting crime or war. Or creating peace, as it were.

Livewire has more faith in them and considers the assembly Secret Weapons. The book is being written by Oscar-nominated writer Eric Heisserer and the previews look great. Raul Allen's pencil work is quietly spectacular. 

I think it's cool that Valiant is finding ways to dust off some of the old titles in the property. My first experience with the title back in the '90s was due to issue 5 having the third appearance of Ninjak:

 

As fantastic as a solo titled Livewire book would be, the company has earned the benefit of the doubt, from me at least. They follow The Story with a vigorous energy that's inspiring, and with little regard to the blowing of the popular winds.

(Also: I want to thank the decision makers for ultimately giving me the opportunity to show off a 24 year old memory---being excited for Ninjak's 3rd appearance.)

Hot Jazz: March 2017

What I'm looking forward to in March from outside my usual suspects in the indie comics world is Matt Kindt's and Tyler Jenkin's "Grass Kings," being published by Boom! Studios:

Matt Kindt is one of the best writers working in the industry today, and the combination of his story of people on the margins of society being forced to create a society, with complex protagonists and antagonists, and what appear to be lush watercolors from Jenkins has drawn me in.

This is the kind of story that is so different from the mainstream that I'm inspired to purchase it for myself and others, folks who aren't really comic folks.

Bongo Comics Group

Website: bongocomics.com

Style Classification: Matt Groening's Comics Brand

Notable Works: "Simpsons Comics", "Futurama", "Spongebob Squarepants"

Story: Matt Groening is not responsible for Spongebob directly, but his comic publisher is the holder of the license and uses the imprint United Plankton, which is amusing...

For "Style Classification" above it seems funny to label it specifically as Matt Groening's baby, but that is exactly what it is. Bongo is the name of one Matt's creations from "Life in Hell", and once the Simpsons started to take off, he was able to start his own imprint, and, as he calls it, realizing a lifelong dream.

Seriously, in 1993, Matt Groening could pretty much do whatever he wanted, and not much has changed.

They publish various Simpsons comics, Futurama comics, Spongebob content, as well as collections of Groenng's Life in Hell strip from alt-weeklies, which has since ended.

Anyway, I thought I'd highlight a cool shoutout from them to the makers of Valiant comics from back in the day:

In the panel from left to right are Ninjak, Bloodshot, X-O Manowar and Rai, and the names assigned to them are based on the real folks: Jim Shooter, Steve Massarsky, Jon Mitchell, and Bob Layton.

This is from an issue of Radioactive Man, number 106 specifically, when they were parodying the beautiful painted covers of Gold Key Comics:

The reach of the brand of humor found in the Simpsons is both global and as influential as you'd expect something like that to be.