Blog Archives
Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel – Reviewed by Richard Kirwin
I’m old enough to remember Stan’s Soapbox and to have the Origins of and Son of Origins of Marvel trades on my shelf. I’ve known Stan Lee as the mastermind of my favourite comic universe my whole life. His trademark wit and that infectious grin have both been synonymous in my mind with the Marvel Universe since long before “The Man” started popping up twice a year in his Marvel Cinematic Universe cameos. To me, Stan Lee has always been as much a character as his creations, a larger than life fictional version of himself, not the very real and, dare I say, uncanny creative mind presented in fantastic detail by Bob Batchelor in his extensively researched biography: Stan Lee, the Man Behind Marvel.
#Kirby100 – Kirby’s The Mighty Thor
No one contributed more to the Thor mythos and the world of Asgard than Jack Kirby. Outside of some help early on in Journey Into Mystery, Jack Kirby spent over 8 years of his career on The Mighty Thor (Journey Into Mystery #83, 1962 to Thor #179, 1970). Kirby was the driving creative force, bringing these myths and legends to life for a new generation.
#Kirby100: BBP! Celebrates The King Jack Kirby All Summer Long
Jack Kirby.
His artistry was, and remains, so innovative and influential in the comic book zeitgeist that the industry named awards after him. Heck, they even named a visual image after him: the affectionately known, “Kirby Krackle.”
How pervasive is writer and artist Jack Kirby in pop culture?
You can scan the litany of comic book characters that the man created or co-created and you’d be certain to find dozens that are your favourites. From the globally renowned Captain America, Avengers, Fantastic Four and X-Men series of characters, to the populace’s burgeoning awareness of Darkseid and Black Panther, to the more niche creations of Kamandi, Etrigan the Demon and Destroyer Duck. With Kirby, the list of great characters goes on and on and on.
Without him, pop culture and comic books wouldn’t be at all what we know it to be today.
This August marks the 100th birthday of Jack Kirby and we here at Biff Bam Pop! mean to celebrate that auspicious centennial with a plethora of written accolades all summer long!
This is your cordial invitation to our #Kirby100 party!
Heroes and Villains – Reviewing Recent Comics 6-14-2017
This time on Heroes and Villains, we’ll be looking at a variety of comics out this week and last, from a variety of genres. Meet me after the jump for my thoughts on Planet of the Apes/Green Lantern #5, Predator vs. Judge Dredd vs. Aliens #4, Bitch Planet Triple Feature #1, Kill the Minotaur #1, Space Riders: Galaxy of Brutality #2, American Gods #4, Harrow County #24, Geek-Girl #4, Sons of Anarchy: Redwood Original #11, Normandy Gold #1, the Savage Dragon: Warfare trade, and the new book on Reed Crandall from TwoMorrows… This is a loaded week, so who cares about Secret Empire when we have so many other cool things to check out, be warned, there may be spoilers…
Saturday at the Movies: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Without a doubt, the biggest movie coming out this weekend is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 from Marvel Studios. The first movie in this franchise within a franchise was a surprise hit, and one of the best of the Marvel movies. How did its sequel hold up? Meet me after the hyperspatial jump for my thoughts. Heed my warning, folks, there be spoilers ahead.
Glenn Walker Reviews Civil War II #6
War Machine is dead. She-Hulk is barely alive after a coma. The Hulk is dead, killed by Hawkeye. And now Spider-Man might kill Captain America? Is this really what we want in a comic book? Are readers that bloodthirsty that we’ve entered the era where Rollerball and Death Race are almost real? Surely it can’t be that bad, or as Civil War II #6 rolls out the week before one of the most insane US Presidential elections in history, is it? Or perhaps there is a more sinister reason behind all this. Meet me after the jump for my admittedly dark pre-Halloween pre-election thoughts on Civil War II #6…
31 Days of Horror: Spider-Man: “Strange Little Halloween”
When Trick-or-Treaters start turning into monsters, it’s time for Spider-Man to team up with Doctor Strange and Ant-Man (??) to Baron Mordo. It’s a “Strange Little Halloween” in this special episode of Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. the Sinister 6, after the jump.
MONSTERS UNLEASHED PRELUDE Sets The Stage For Marvel’s Monstrous New Series!
New York, NY—September 21st, 2016 — Long before Super Heroes patrolled the skies, mammoth monsters roamed the Marvel Universe – leaving wanton destruction in their wake. Now, they have returned! Before their explosive re-emergence in the all new spectacular MONSTERS UNLEASHED #1 – catch up on the rich history of these marvelous monsters with the MONSTERS UNLEASHED PRELUDE TPB coming to comic shops and bookstores everywhere in January! Peel back this brand-new cover from artist Greg Land and you’ll find a treasure trove of iconic stories and first appearances! Titanic tales from the past and present designed to get fans everywhere prepared for MONSTERS UNLEASHED! Details after the jump…
BBP! Fan Expo Canada: Day 4 Guide (Sunday)
Today is the last day of the 2016 version of Fan Expo Canada. Hopefully your body has held up because there’s still a lot to do today.
With it being a long weekend, many have set aside this day to bring their kids. And of course, the cos-players are still out in full effect at the convention, and those that thought they had enough yesterday are coming back today because they’ve realized that do want that one last thing, after all.
That makes Sunday, the fourth day, a pretty busy day inside the hallways and room of the Metropolitan Convention Centre.
Me? I’ve done my scouting over the last few days. And now I’m looking to hit some of the vintage vendors for some old time comics and graphic novels. Things that tickle my fancy, things to add to my collection.
So, from 10 AM to 5 PM today, here’s what Biff Bam Pop! thinks you should be checking out on Fan Expo Canada Day 4:
BBP! Fan Expo Canada: Day 1 Guide (Thursday)
Huzzah! You made it through the last sleep!
Today begins your personal hero’s journey into pop culture nirvana (and mayhem) with Day 1 of the four-day Fan Expo Canada convention!
Yesterday, we gave you a high-level view of some of the things you need to see and/or experience at the 2016 installment of Fan Expo Canada. You can read that piece right here.
Admittedly, there’s a lot to do. Hopefully, you’ve spent the requisite time reviewing the Fan Expo Canada website with this year’s guests, scheduling and general happenings. If you haven’t, go there now. Don’t worry. We’ll be waiting for you here when you get back.
Good. Now, hopefully you’ve got your ticket. If you don’t, what are you waiting for?
Open from 4 PM to 9 PM, Thursday is a good day for scanning the booths, getting your bearings, and figuring out prices at Fan Expo Canada. But if you know what you want, and you know it’s in limited supply, it’s also a good day to be strategic and get that stuff first. Beat the hordes coming in the next few days!
Here’s what you should be checking out on Fan Expo Canada Day 1:
