Preview Peanuts #29

Due to some unforseen technical snafus that were exacerbated by the Holiday break, the Broken Frontier site is a bit broken. But in keeping with my normal writing schedule last week, I produced a Staff Pick preview of Peanuts #29. The comic was released on Dec. 23, and if you haven't picked it up, do yourself a favor and head over to your local comics shop before they sell out.

Anyway, here is the (as of yet) unpublished piece:

Staff Pick: Peanuts #29

When issue #28 hit the shelves back on May 20, I didn’t realize just how long I’d have to wait for issue #29. Thankfully, Boom! Studios is back in the swing of things with the Peanuts gang, and issue #29 hits the shelves of your local comics shop on December 23. Seeing Charlie Brown back on the baseball diamond with Peppermint Patty’s team will be worth the long production break.

Why am I so excited about this issue?

Sure, I’m a Peanuts fan. I grew up reading the funny pages and watching the holiday specials just like I’m sure you did. But my loyalty to the comic isn’t related to my fond childhood memories. And it’s a high-quality comic. The art (contributed by the late Charles M. Schulz and others) has been consistently excellent and the stories as engaging as the originals. But that’s not why I’m thrilled about this issue.

I’m so excited about this series continuing because I constantly, consistently, and enthusiastically recommend the series to kids and the comic-reading parents I meet who have children.

Michael Chabon’s brilliant keynote speech for the 2004 Eisner Awards spoke a harsh truth and issued a genuine challenge:

“A lot of publishers will tell you that there’s too much competition for the kid dollar these days, and that comics will inevitably lose out to video games, sfx-laden films, the Internet, etc. I’m sorry, I know there’s some truth to the claim, but I just don’t buy it.… Children did not abandon comics; comics, in their drive to attain respect and artistic accomplishment, abandoned children.… The equation, as it’s usually formulated is a simple one: create more child readers now, and we get more adult readers later. But maybe the equation isn’t so simple after all. Maybe what we need, in this second golden age, as Neil Gaiman described it in his keynote speech last year, is not more comics for kids, but more great comics for kids.…”

I think there are some great comics for kids on the shelves today. Pick up an issue of Popeye Classics, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge, or Peanuts, and you’ll find familiar characters backed up by solid, entertaining storytelling.

Now you just need to get these comics into the hands of kids. Make that your New Year’s Resolution and get to work!

Charles M. Schulz, Jason Cooper (W), Vicki Scott, Alexis E. Fajardo (A), Nina Taylor Kester (C), Boom! Studios, $3.99

Broken Frontier Awards, Vote Now

The comics website Broken Frontier selects the best comics released each year and lets fans vote for their favorites. The BF staffers also vote, and the combined vote tally is used to declare winners.

Categories include: best graphic novel, best writer, best artist, best ongoing series, best limited series, best new series, best colorist, best one-shot, best book on comics, best publisher, and breakout talent.

You can cast your votes HERE. But hurry, the voting is only open until midnight tonight!

Vintage Truck Magazine, December

This is a 1974 Ford F-600 I ran across on a recent road trip.

I'm enjoying writing a monthly blog for Vintage Truck Magazine. The online content is different from the features you'll find in the magazine, and I think readers appreciate the extra information.

This month's blog post covers several December shows. It's a tough time of the year to find vehicle-based shows, and I had to look to the southern climates to find events to share. I was very pleased to discover that most of the events have a charitable component -- the hobby has some incredibly generous people.

Vintage Truck Magazine, April Blog Post

It's finally spring, and the car show season is in full swing around the country. There are some great swaps still happening, and you should definitely check out the Portland, Oregon, swap. It's in its 51st year, and offers something for everyone. You can read more about it and other events I'm featuring this month on my blog for Vintage Truck Magazine HERE.

I was very pleased to see so many new car shows on the calendar for April, so in addition to one of the country's oldest shows, I've featured some of its newest and most promising. Check them out and if you attend any of them, leave a comment and let me know your favorite finds.

Review HaloGen #1

Mysteries in space are some of my favorite types of mysteries. There are several series on the shelves of comic shops right now, so it's a good time to indulge in this sub-genre. From the police-procedural in Fuse to the ominous alien threat of Letter 44 to the time-traveling adventures of Rocket Girl, mystery fans have a lot to enjoy in comics. I recommend them all.

Joining their ranks this week is HaloGen #1 from Archaia/Boom! Studios. HaloGen agent Rell has the unique ability to project holograms without the need for a holosuit, and she's been assigned to find the corpse of the dead god Det'Houna. Some believe his genetic material will unlock the secrets of creation itself. Others do not.

I reviewed the book for Broken Frontier, and you can check it out HERE.

Vintage Truck Magazine, Latest Blog Post

 

Sorry for the delay, but my latest blog post for Vintage Truck Magazine is HERE. There are a lot of great shows happening around the nation in March and many of them benefit wonderful causes, so enjoy the start of spring! (It really is right around the corner.)

If you have a favorite local show that welcomes cars and trucks, leave a comment and let me know where and when it takes place.

Vintage Truck Magazine, Latest Blog Post

I'm enjoying writing for the folks at Vintage Truck Magazine. My latest blog post is live HERE.

People have asked if writing for the web is different from writing for print. I really don't think the two are different at all, mostly because I'm writing for the same audience of hobbyists. The best thing about magazines having online content is that there are more opportunities to learn about the subject matter -- especially when that online material isn't something they would normally place in the printed magazine.

So give the blog a try and let me know what you think.

Review Multiversity Thunderworld Adventures #1

 

Always a fan of characters from the earliest days of comics history, I jump at the chance to write reviews of new books that feature them. So when I heard that Grant Morrison and Cameron Stewart were presenting a book on Captain Marvel in their excellent Multiverse series, I called "dibs" on it. I'm a staff writer for Broken Frontier, and with the site's preference for creator-owned, indie, and off-the-beaten-path comics, I've been able to review some terrific books.

Books featuring Captain Marvel are rare and definitely off the beaten path. Which is a shame. DC Comics did a great job giving the creative team freedom to incorporate favorite elements of classic Captain Marvel comics with enough character development and plot twists to keep modern readers turning pages as fast as possible.

You can check out my full review HERE.

Do yourself a favor and support this classic character, and maybe we'll get more Cap titles in the future. I sure hope so!

My Blog for Vintage Truck Magazine

Happy New Year, everyone!

For the last few months, I've been writing an online blog for the folks at Vintage Truck Magazine. Each month, I preview truck-friendly shows/events from all across the country. I'm having a blast talking to show organizers about their shows, and I've never met such enthusiastic truck and car owners who are so dedicated to sharing their hobby.

One of the swap meets I featured in the current blog is coming up on January 4, 2015. The Strictly Street Rod Club is hosting its annual "first swap meet of the year" at the Will County Fairgrounds in Peotone, Illinois. I took the photo above a few years ago at this event, and I can't wait to see what turns up there this year. Fingers are crossed for good weather!

The blog is called "The Eventer," and you can check it out HERE.

If you have a truck-friendly or truck-only show to recommend, please leave a comment and give me the show's info. I'd be happy to include it in a future blog post.