Blue Underpants Goes On The Dragon

11 April 2007 | Hisham | | Comics, Linux
 

Since the desktop is deader than a doorknob now, I've been using the work laptop for both work and leisure internet use. The current desktop background that greets me every time I boot up the computer right now is...

Well, just hit the thumbnail to see it.

Please take note that it isn't the dragon speaking in the picture. The lady, saying all the words in the word balloons, at the head of the fiery trail of the jetpack is Tabitha Smith of Nextwave.

 

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

13 March 2007 | Hisham | | Comics, Trawling The Net
 

Who watched and caught a glimpse of the easter egg in the trailer for Zak Snyder's new film 300? It's been all over the internet now so if you're online most of the time you'd probably have seen a screen capture of it in the last couple of days.

Twenty years ago, plus change, Alan Moore wrote a 12 issue mini-series for DC Comics called Watchmen. It was one of the books (along with books such as Art Spiegelman's Maus and Neil Gaiman's Sandman) that elevated the generally considered lightweight storytelling medium of comic books into serious literature.

Twenty years ago, plus change, Alan Moore wrote and Dave Gibbons drew these panels:

Hurrrrr....

Last week, it was discovered that this image was slipped into the 300 trailer at 1:52 on the time stamp:

The Comedian's badge

Zak Snyder who directed 300 is now slated to direct Watchmen for release in 2008. The image was from a test shot of the Rorschach mask, which looks great from where I'm sitting. This film could ultimately be the best comic book-adapted film ever made, or because of the complexity of Watchmen and fans' high expectation, it could fail spectacularly. I'm hoping for the former to occur, but... there I go putting my expectations high again.

In the meantime I'm going to try to catch 300, an adaptation of Frank Miller's 5-issue miniseries from Dark Horse Comics, which apparently did well opening here last week.

 

Marvel's Civil War in 30 Seconds

24 February 2007 | Hisham | | Comics, Trawling The Net
 

Warren Ellis you sly dog you....Civil War was announced as the Marvel Comics crossover event for 2006-2007. Written by Mark Millar and pencilled by Steve McNiven, whose art I admired since his Sentry story arc on the New Avengers and two issues of Ultimate Secret it was going to be a total revamp of how super-powered heroes will be regarded by the government and the general public in Marvel's Earth-616.

Superhero Registration Act and whatnot.

I thought I wouldn't read too much into it and get the book once it's been collected into a trade paperback. However, issue #7 was released and it's difficult not to hear the online rantings of almost everyone if you're a comic book fan.

Anyway if you're not physically, psychologically or radiologically allergic to spoilers (SPOILERS! Once again in caps for your attention) check out this Civil War in 30 Seconds post from Chris's Invincible Super-Blog. It distills the gist of the storyline into several hilarious panels with Marvel superheroes as stick figures.

Oh by the way, the image above was obtained without permission but with good intentions from Newsrama.

 

In the Space of Forty Odd Years

07 December 2006 | Hisham | | Comics
 

I can't believe it's been 43 years between the two images below. Both show the same characters.

The first was illustrated by the late great Jack Kirby in 1963 ten years before I was born. The second was drawn by Yanick Paquette in 2006.

The first has the members of the original class of Xavier's school horsing around during training - still in their teens.

The second shows the same group of people years later - older, wiser and scarred aplenty - just after the events of the House of M and in the thick of the current Civil War storyline in the Marvel universe.

 

Meanwhile on Taris...

10 October 2006 | Hisham | | Comics, Star Wars
 

Zayne CarrickI've never played Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) computer game before, where I've read Taris was first featured.

However, when I heard Dark Horse Comics would be producing the Knights of the Old Republic series on four-colour print, I was dubious. Reading through the first story arc of the series written by John Jackson Miller entitled "Commencement", I discovered that in terms of numerous minute elements in the story, this series has the most Original Trilogy Star Wars flavour in comics.

The story is simple, a young Padawan Zayne Carrick, part of the Jedi Academy on the city world Taris in the Outer Rim, isn't the best of Padawans. In fact he's been screwing up task after task on one assignment: to capture small time Snivvian black marketeer Marn Heirogryph, who believes Zayne has the ability to leave behind wreckage strewn after him.

Unfortunately for Zayne and his fellow Padawans, a conspiracy would transform their regular lives as apprentices into a living hell. Zayne is framed for multiple murder and is forced to team up with Heirogryph to flee Taris authorities.

More shocking than the reason why he was framed... was who it was that framed him.

 

Peter, Again

29 May 2006 | Hisham | | Artwork, Comics
 

Some time last August, I drew Peter with Panter Classic.

Here he is once again, this time with the new armored costume Tony came up with for him while MJ and he works as a New Avenger. It has bulletproof armour, enhanced computer-display visors and those extra pincer limbs not shown in the illustration below.

I like the design, though because Tony came up with colour scheme, the outfit is red and yellow.

Kinda looks a bit like Shiro's costume.

 

A Marvellous Group of Zombies

21 April 2006 | Hisham | | Comics
 

Captain America! Spider-Man! Thor! Hulk! Iron Man! Giant Man! Wasp! Power Man! Wolverine! Storm! Cyclops! Captain Mar-Vell!

These are some of the greatest heroes ever to walk the Earth within the Marvel Universe. Each possessing a variety superhuman powers, together they are an unstoppable force in the pursuit of justice and the downfall of evil everywhere.

So what happens when all of them die and resurrected as living dead, flesh-eating, zombies?

 

Fleep

15 April 2006 | Hisham | | Comics, Trawling The Net
 
Fleep by Jason Shiga is not a webcomic.

It's a story published not to its conclusion by AsianWeek but now collected in its entirety at Jason Shiga's website. It's a story of one man's adventure upon waking up entombed in a telephone booth. The tale starts out looking as if it's fantastical and Twilight-Zone-esque, but like the best of stories there's more to it than meets the eye, and by the end all plot points are resolved and takes you by surprise.