Comics/Graphic Novels

Off-Panel: October 28, 2014

Paul Montgomery

Staff Writer

In addition to comics, Paul thrills to Frank Capra and kaiju movies, crime fiction, TV dramas, professional wrestling, and whatever the Muppets are doing at any given time (hopefully in combination with those other things). He tweets as @fuzzytypewriter

“Years before Agent Coulson and his S.H.I.E.L.D. team swore to protect those who cannot protect themselves from threats they cannot conceive, there was Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell, Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger,” Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”), who pledged the same oath but lived in a different time when women weren’t recognized as being as smart or as tough as their male counterparts.

“But no one should ever underestimate Peggy.”

Marvel reveals a full synopsis and cast list for Agent Carter TV series.

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“Don Heck is something of an odd man out when it comes to comics history. He was one of the architects of the Marvel Universe, co-creating Iron Man, Hawkeye, and other famous characters; he was held in high esteem by his peers – yet he’s rarely mentioned in the same breath as Romita, Ditko, Kirby, Buscema, Ayers, and other Silver Age greats. He was, for many years, the Avengers artist, but often goes unnoticed when fans make their lists of the definitive super-team pencillers. He defined the down-to-earth qualities of Marvel while his contemporaries were pushing toward the cosmos, rooting his characters in reality as others pushed the boundaries of possibility. And while that precise mix of magnificent and mundane was what truly defined Marvel, his contributions were nevertheless destined to be overshadowed by the flashier offerings that the rest of the bullpen provided.”

Comics Alliance takes a look at a new book celebrating the life and work of artist Don Heck.

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“Marvel collected editions are already available on iVerse, and some other digital platforms, and now, Kobo, the Canadian-based device that also offers apps for Mac, Android, and desktop. Marvel periodicals continues to be exclusive at Comixology and their own Marvel Unlimited All-you-can-ead service, but the GNs are everywhere.”

Marvel comics come to Kobo.

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From Copra #8 by Michel Fiffe

From Copra #8 by Michel Fiffe

“The stuff that really grabbed me as a kid still excites me, I’ve discovered. I always snap back to Norm Breyfogle and Jim Aparo Batman comics. Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns, of course. I can write a book on how that impacted me as a nine year old. I was also really into John Byrne to the point where I started drawing crosshatched biceps and open mouths with only lower sets of teeth. I had a few Ditko comics, a few Kirby … I mean, this is like a list of people I still rave about today. The Ann Nocenti/John Romita Jr. Daredevil deeply excited me every month. No movie or video game or not even any other comic gave me that feeling. Well, except the Justice League & the Suicide Squad. That was the trifecta.”

A long, stupendous interview with Copra’s Michel Fiffe.