Blog Archives
Trailer Time: Kick-Ass 2
Also premiering today is the special Hit-Girl spotlight trailer for Kick-Ass 2:
Kick-Ass 2 opens on August 16th, 2013, stars Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit-Girl and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kick-Ass, and Jim Carrey among others, and is based on the comic by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.
Biff Bam Pop’s Holiday Gift Guide: AvsX Hardcover Edition
The confrontation between Marvel Comics’ two biggest franchises, and their two biggest superhero teams, was the event of the summer, and the do-not-miss maxi-series that changed the status quo of the Marvel Universe. Yes, the Avengers versus the X-Men – AvsX – was the big one this year.
If you missed it, or if you didn’t, there’s an amazing way to relive all the action you did and didn’t see, with this edition of Biff Bam Pop’s Holiday Gift Guide. We’ll check out the AvsX Hardcover Edition after the jump.
Tales from the Longbox – Amazing Spider-Man #243 (1983)
Every other week, Jason Shayer will highlight an issue or a run of issues pulled from the horde of comic book long boxes that occupy more room in his house than his wife can tolerate. Each of these reviews will delve into what made that issue or run significant as well as discuss the creative personalities behind the work. “Long Box” refers to the lengthy, white cardboard boxes most comics find themselves stored within – bagged, alphabetized and numerically ordered.
Amazing Spider-Man #243
“Options”
August 1983
Writer – Roger Stern
Penciler – John Romita Jr.
Inker – Dave Simons
This issue starts with a fun Archie moment with Peter locked in the arms of Amy Powell and covered in lipstick as Mary Jane Watson walks back into his life. Interestingly, it’s MJ’s sudden reappearance that has more of an effect on Peter’s life as over the next few years, she becomes a more prominent character.
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Tales from the Longbox – The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 (1982)
Every other week, Jason Shayer will highlight an issue or a run of issues pulled from the horde of comic book long boxes that occupy more room in his house than his wife can tolerate. Each of these reviews will delve into what made that issue or run significant as well as discuss the creative personalities behind the work. “Long Box” refers to the lengthy, white cardboard boxes most comics find themselves stored within – bagged, alphabetized and numerically ordered.
Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16
1982
“Who’s That Lady?”
Writer: Roger Stern
Penciler: John Romita Jr.
Inking: John Romita Sr.
This annual turned out to be more of a team-up story with co-star Captain Marvel stealing most of the spotlight. Captain Marvel’s 17-page origin was a textbook example of how to concisely craft and introduce a new superhero. Stern leveraged her point-of-view as a rookie superhero with access to almost unlimited powers, but was still trying to understand and control them.
In an interview for Back Issue magazine #54, Roger Stern admited: “With Captain Marvel, I did my best to create a character in the Lee/Kirby/Ditko tradition, a down-to-Earth person who suddenly acquired extraordinary power. And I wanted her to be a straightforward, likable superhero.”
Tales from the Longbox – The Amazing Spider-Man #238 (1983)
Every other week, Jason Shayer will highlight an issue or a run of issues pulled from the horde of comic book long boxes that occupy more room in his house than his wife can tolerate. Each of these reviews will delve into what made that issue or run significant as well as discuss the creative personalities behind the work. “Long Box” refers to the lengthy, white cardboard boxes most comics find themselves stored within – bagged, alphabetized and numerically ordered.
Amazing Spider-Man #238 (March 1983)
Writer: Roger Stern
Artists: John Romita Jr./John Romita Sr.
In retrospect, Amazing Spider-Man #238 was the most important issue of Spider-Man of the 1980s. At the time though, no one was expecting the birth of a new supervillain who would plague Spider-Man for years to come.
Marvel Is Avenged Thrice – AvX, The Kree Skrull War and Fury Highlight The Wednesday Run – May 2, 2012
Last fall, the weekly Wednesday run to the local comic book shop was hurriedly made on account of one specific publishing company: DC Comics. With their New 52 launch, great, irresistible titles were out every week! Who could say “no” to that many cool first issues?
This week turns the tables with Marvel Comics leading the way, the entertainment company releasing a whole host of goodies.
It’s Avengers week, after all, didn’t you know?
Make the run to your comic book shop. You’re going to find something you’ll like. Here’s a quick sampling in case you need a few specific suggestions I’ve “avengingly assembled” for you:
Titanic Teams: Avengers Vs X-Men, Comixology and Marvel – The Perfect Digital Revolution
If you’re a comic book lover (and if you’re reading Biff Bam Pop I’m guessing you do love your comics), you likely know that it’s a huge day for Marvel Zombies like myself, thanks to the release of the first issue of Avengers Vs X-Men. Marvel has been teasing this massive event for months now, so it’s pretty exciting to finally be able to see the teams get ready for battle. If you’re going to read the issue, and I recommend you do (the script from Brian Michael Bendis hits all the right note and the art by John Romita Jr is solid), you really want to make sure you check out the digital version available at comixology.com or via the comixology App.
It’s pretty much the future of comics.
Biff Bam Pop’s Favourite Couples – Kitty and Peter
If you grew up reading comics in the 1980s, you were probably like me and had a crush on Katherine “Kitty” Pryde. She was a geek’s dream: smart, bursting with energy, played video games and liked sci-fi movies, had a pet dragon, and, of course, was an X-Man. Piotr “Peter” Rasputin was another X-Man that fans could easily identify with. He was the embodiment of strength, but instead of being a warrior, he was a gentle and artistic soul.
