Comicscape - October 27, 2004

A New Halloween, With New Horrors

By Tony Whitt     October 27, 2004

Before I launch into a special Halloween edition of COMICSCAPE, featuring an interview with George A. Romero about the new TOE TAGS series for DC, allow me to introduce a new name to the Comics Section of CINESCAPE: Kurt Amacker is a graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans and former United States Marine (about four years half reserve, half active) that wants, above all things in this world, to work in and around comic books. Kurt tells me he seems to keep landing in administrative and public relations gigs with non-profit organizations, but he firmly believes that this is a temporary setback to his future career writing comic books. Currently, he has one independent title in production, but don't expect to see it for a while. He is 23 years old and lives in New Orleans with his fiancé and their cat, Vlad. (Naturally, his first review is of the new DRACULA comic go figure!) He can be reached here, should you feel the need to do so. That first review of Kurt's appears in our section this week, and I'm very pleased to have him on board. Make him feel welcome, folks!

Now, on to more good stuff...

It's no surprise that DC would choose George A. Romero to introduce a new brand of horror literally. The TOE TAGS imprint will produce comics written by some of the masters of the horror genre. Romero's miniseries, which hit the stands last week, is a six-part zombie story (what else?) called "The Death of Death". The series, while unconnected to Romero's other work, innovates on the zombie mythos by making one of the undead self-aware, and eventually the hero among other surprises...

Romero's a very busy man even now among other things, he's working on adapting Stephen King's THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM HORTON and collaborating with Richard Hartley, one of the composers of the ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, on a project called DIAMOND DEAD, which focuses on a dead rock band. When he spoke to me in August, he was taking some much deserved time off from shooting his latest zombie movie LAND OF THE DEAD in Toronto. But, as any fan of CREEPSHOW might guess, he's enthusiastic about the TOE TAGS project. "I grew up on comic books," he said, "[especially] on the EC stuff, and loved them. But I would never have thought of doing one. Bob Shreck at DC called me and said, 'They're interested in getting film people to write some comic book miniseries for them,' and I immediately said, 'Hell, yes!'"

When asked why he decided to write yet another zombie story, Romero replied, "I think that's what they wanted from me. I wanted to a different spin on it, though, so I thought, 'How can I do it differently from my films? Well, let's make the guy the hero,' and it just sort of fell into place that way."

Romero has nothing but good things to say about the process and about his co-creators,

cover artist Berni Wrightson and penciller Tommy Castillo. "They were very gracious about letting me come in, look at the art, and make suggestions," he said. "I've known Berni for years, but Tommy Castillo I'd only met through this project. I'd seen his stuff and loved it. I grew up with all those EC guys Wally Wood, Jack Davis very busy panels that kept your eye working a little bit, so that when you'd read them for the third time you'd see something new, and Tommy's stuff is very much like that. They were sending me the art from day one, asking for suggestions and/or criticisms and I didn't have a lot of criticisms. I loved it from the moment I saw it, I loved it all."

Those EC comics have also influenced the rest of Romero's work, "content-wise," he said. "[What I produce is] dark, kind of tongue-in-cheek humor, a little bit of social criticism, probably a little more than used to be in the ECs, although they used to go kind of moral. [The question is,] is a horrible thing or a monster meant to punish a sin, or do you just draw the black marble or walk into the wrong room? I guess I always liked a little bit of the morality tale the bullies get beaten up by the bully monster. To that extent, [the EC comics] have had an influence not only on the series I've done for DC but on myself. I prefer to have comeuppance, and I love to play with social satire. In the script that I did, the stories that I wrote [for DC], I had a lot of that stuff, and they're keeping a bunch of stuff. I overwrote it I probably wrote about ten issues, and they're keeping six, but they were very good about consulting about whether they could cut this or that, just for running times something I'm very used to with films."

Compared to filmmaking, the process was "very liberating," Romero said. "You don't have to worry about having to go shoot it! You don't have to worry about things like 'Who am I gonna get to do this stunt, who am I gonna get to play this role?' That was terrific I could have big shots whenever I wanted, and I didn't have to worry about budget!"

When asked if he'd do another comic, he said, " I would love to they haven't asked yet, but if they did, I would certainly say yes. I'd love to do it. Once I get finished on the film I'm working on right now, I have an idea that I might even take in and pitch. I'd love to do more it's really fun. When you write for film and particularly when you're writing on spec, worrying about budget and all of that stuff is constantly on your mind. It's truly liberating to able to work in a visual medium where I don't have to spend $250,000 a day to shoot it! It's almost as rewarding because you do come out with the visual elements and all that. And who knows it might someday become a movie! In this case again, DC has been terrific about it if it does become a film, I'll have a shot at directing it. It's writing a screenplay without all the woes."

And speaking of screenplays, I asked if Romero had any plans to update any other

properties he's worked on, such as TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE and so on. Sadly, his response was "Not right now. Unfortunately, with DARKSIDE there are so many fingers in that pie...Same with CREEPSHOW. I'd love to do another CREEPSHOW today and be able to use a little CGI and make it a real eye-candy movie. The original was all handmade, you know, so I'd love to make another one with the ability to create some of the effects we were doing properly. I'd love to do another anthology series, too, but unfortunately the people in the TV biz still seem to believe that anthologies don't work. But there's nothing on the drawing board right now."

Bringing the subject back to comics, Romero was reminded of the fantastic graphic novel released in conjunction with CREEPSHOW and was asked, now that he has the experience of writing a comic script behind him, if he would be interested in doing the comic adaptation himself. "Of course I would love to!" he replied. "But the way that was done, Berni did that whole book. And if I did another CREEPSHOW with Stephen, he would probably reserve those rights. I would hope that if I do another one, he'd write the screenplay. If Steve doesn't write it and says, 'Go ahead, George, go do something,' then of course I'd love to."

Romero's "screenplay without all the woes" is still available, and you can check out my review of it on this page this week, as well. I'm still looking for decent subjects to fill future columns with, and there are still loads of creators out there I could interview for you, so your thoughts to me via the web site contact address here or e-mail me directly. Please use CAPS when giving the title of a series you want to mention. And as always, don't forget our discussion boards! In the meantime, here's this week's listings:

THIS WEEK:

I somehow

can't stop picturing the Powerpuff Girls and Johnny Bravo sitting around a barbecue and drinking 40s when I hear the title of CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY, but it's likely your kids won't - issue #2 is out this week for $2.25. For that same price, you can also get them TEEN TITANS GO! #12, their first anniversary issue. Worth the price, surely!

Seems to me that the MARVEL AGE: RUNAWAYS VOL 1 - PRIDE AND JOY trade paperback available for $7.99 this week is a reoffering unless I got it way in advance as a review copy and didn't remember it. Seeing as Marvel never sends me review copies, I think I can be forgiven the mistake, if there is one.

From ABC Comics this week comes what appears to be a new printing of the LOEG BOOK ONE trade paperback for $14.95, while another bit of fine Alan Moore madness comes to us via the PROMETHEA BOOK THREE trade paperback for $14.95.

Adam's still trying to figure out what made his adopted planet Rann go boom and if it indeed did go boom in ADAM STRANGE #2 (Of 8, $2.95).

Anya finally discovers if she's worthy of...whatever Spider-name she's decided to take on in AMAZING FANTASY #5 ($2.99).

Meanwhile, Peter has some problems of his own as his past catches up to him in a pretty horrifying way in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #513 ($2.25).

So, just what was going on the day San Diego sank? With a question like that, you'd almost expect AQUAMAN #23 ($2.50) to be an IDENTITY CRISIS crossover, but it isn't...is it? I'd hate to think that Arthur and his fishy friends ever got up to any aquatic tomfoolery...

It's

almost over, folks - "War Games," Act 3, Part 7 features in CATWOMAN #36 ($2.50), while "War Games," Act 3, Part 8 marks the double-sized conclusion in BATMAN #633 ($2.95). We can expect the first trades any day now... Meanwhile, the BIRDS OF PREY start dealing with the aftermath of all that mess in issue #75 ($2.95). There are still ways for you to avoid all that mess, too there's the BATMAN: AS THE CROW FLIES trade paperback for $12.95 and the BATMAN: DETECTIVE #27 softcover for $12.95. Those should tide you over until business as usual resumes...

Speaking of business as usual, Natasha just can't seem to get out of the spy game or investigating other people's deaths in BLACK WIDOW #2 (Of 6, $2.99). Nice work if you can get out of it.

Go back in time to when Matt Murdock's costume didn't match and to when the Kingpin was a thin slip of a thing in the "Golden Age" story arc beginning in DAREDEVIL #66 ($2.99).

From Dark Horse this week comes mysterious fun in LAST TRAIN TO DEADSVILLE: A CAL MCDONALD MYSTERY #4 (Of 4, $2.99), anime-type fun in SUPER MANGA BLAST! #46 ($5.99), and...um, bunny-type fun in USAGI YOJIMBO #79 ($2.99).

It's yet another look into the Judge Dredd universe courtesy of DC in the DEVLIN WAUGH: SWIMMING IN BLOOD trade paperback for $19.95. The year 2000 never looked so dangerous. 2001, on the other hand...

You'd think that having an alien power source grafted into his skin would be the most of Joe Ledger's problems, but with a protégé of JMS's writing DOCTOR SPECTRUM #3 (Of 6, $2.99), it could never be as simple as that.

I haven't heard all that much about John Byrne's new DOOM PATROL series, except that it's managed to piss a lot of people off somehow. How about letting me know what you think of it? Meanwhile issue #5 is out this week for $2.50.

The

grip of the Hand on Japan continues to grow, but everyone's favorite assassin tries to give it carpal tunnel syndrome, in ELEKTRA: THE HAND #3 (Of 5, $2.99).

Some of Cutter's people are taken captive by the Gilder elves of Blue Mountain in the ELFQUEST: THE GRAND QUEST VOL 5 trade paperback for $9.95. Will they be saved? Are they in danger? (And yes, I already know the answer, too, so don't bother writing in, thanks.)

I'm still not sure what's all that "essential" about the ESSENTIAL TOMB OF DRACULA VOL 1 trade paperback for $14.99, especially as the one truly worthwhile Dracula book from Marvel came out last week...but I'm sure some of you will let the ol' Count suck the juices from your wallets, anyway...

Barry Allen's greatest secret is revealed in the IDENTITY CRISIS tie-in version of FLASH #215 ($2.25), and it's...that his accident with the lightning really happened when he was a kid, that his real name was Bart, and that he first met Clark Kent when he stole Pa Kent's wallet and pushed him out of the way of a...oh, wait, that's the plot of last week's SMALLVILLE. Never mind...

Well, like it or not, here we go... GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH #1 (OF 6) is out this week for $2.95, and it features the return of Hal Jordan, for those few of you who have been living under a rock for the last year.

Why, there's so much from Image this week I can't even describe it all so I won't. (Big surprise there, huh?) We've got HUMANKIND #3 ($2.99); the LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW graphic novel for $7.95;
a new printing of the MIDNIGHT NATION trade paperback for $24.99; the MYTH WARRIORS graphic novel for $9.99; two covers' worth of NOBLE CAUSES #4, each for $3.50; NYC MECH #6 ($2.95); PVP #10 ($2.95); SAVAGE DRAGON: GOD WAR #1 (Of 3) ($2.95); SPAWN #139 ($2.50); and two covers' worth of WITCHBLADE #80, each for $2.99 (damn, they're doing a lot of those multiple covers, aren't they?).

Kurt

Busiek! Writing for the JLA! Writing a story that ties in directly to JLA-AVENGERS! Waa hoo! The fun starts in JLA #107 ($2.25) this week!

The Quiet Man's identity is revealed in MYSTIQUE #20 ($2.99), and it's...Frederick Foswell! Oh, no, wait, that's the Big Man, isn't it? Poopy...

Well, now it's official: John Walsh has now appeared in every form of the media that's out there, as of OUTSIDERS #17 ($2.50). Unless there's some really tasteless porno out there called "America's Most Wanted" that I haven't heard about...

In the penultimate issue of POWERLESS (#5 of 6, $2.99), Logan, Peter, and Matt all reach their breaking points just around the same time the comics market reaches its saturation point for titles featuring Wolverine.

The RED RAZORS trade paperback ($12.95) sounds like it should be yet another Wolverine title, but instead it's another of those Judge Dredd/2000 A.D. thingees from DC, so don't fret.

RICHARD DRAGON and the Bronze Tiger take on Lady Shiva in issue #6 of the former's eponymous series ($2.50). Sounds like a wrestling ticket, though, doesn't it?

Norrin makes the ultimate sacrifice in SILVER SURFER #14 ($2.99) and comes face to face with a power greater than himself...reader disappointment.

Get Tim Sale, Brian Azzarello, Jeph Loeb, Darwyn Cooke, and Diana Schutz all together to do an issue of a new bimonthly book in which they use any styles and any characters they want, and what do you get? No, not "dogs and cats living together, total chaos"... it's SOLO #1 ($3.95)! Think something along the lines of the UNLIMITED-style series over at Marvel, but really without limits...!

Ever wonder what a Doctor Strange movie would look like? No, not that one made for TV back in the 70s...I mean a good one. Then check out STRANGE #2 ($3.50), which continues J. Michael Straczynski's retelling of the origins of the Sorcerer Supreme. Damn, why can't we have something like this as a new series instead of, say, THE MOUNTAIN?

The world's mightiest woman fights against the Man of Steel in SUPERMAN #210 ($2.50) and no, it's not Clark and Lois having a lover's tiff again. Think Amazon, instead. Meanwhile, if you can bear Leinil Yu's eye-wrenching artwork and Mark Waid's continuity-wrenching storyline, then the SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT hardcover is for you but only if you're willing to pay $29.95 for it.

A classic villain gets an "Ultimatum" when he (she?) appears for the first time in the Ultimates universe in ULTIMATE ELEKTRA #3 (Of 5, $2.25). Personally, I'm hoping it's the Impossible Man...

Vertigo is sending out simply a s**tload of good s**t this week sorry about the language, but it is Vertigo, after all. First off, we have two f***in' great collections of FABLES in the FABLES VOL 3: STORYBOOK LOVE trade paperback and the FABLES VOL 4: MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS trade paperback, each for $17.95; the f***in' excellent HELLBLAZER #201 ($2.75), with new artist Leonardo Manco who is simply the s**t; part two of a f***ed-up story arc in LOSERS #17 ($2.95); the absolutely g*****n awesome collection in the SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATER VOL 2: THE FACE AND THE BRUTE trade paperback for $19.95, accompanied by a new printing of the SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE VOL 1: THE TARANTULA trade paperback for $9.95 that'll just make you want to s**t; a look back at a version of the Earth Elemental when he was way more f***in' fantastic in the SWAMP THING: REGENESIS trade paperback for $17.95; Grant Morrison's awesome but way too f***'in short WE 3 #2 (Of 3, $2.95); and finally, WITCHING #5 ($2.95). (You really didn't think I was going to be able to keep that up all the way to the f***in' end, did you? ******, please.)

In the

Wildstorm universe this week, their version of the JLA has now become the rulers of the US, but the American public isn't pleased (go figure) in AUTHORITY: REVOLUTION #1 (Of 12, $2.95). Meanwhile, Elijah takes a strange journey through Greenwich Village (as if that weren't strange enough by itself) in PLANETARY #21 ($2.95), while SLEEPER SEASON TWO #5 (Of 12, $2.95) tells us exactly why Tao and Lynch dislike each other so much. Yeah, two friends should never live together as roommates...

WONDER WOMAN is still "Stoned" because of Medousa, not because of wacky weed, you big pothead, you in issue #209 ($2.25) of her series.

And finally, the X-titles this week include EXCALIBUR #6 ($2.99), which surprisingly has nothing to do with Wolverine; the EXCALIBUR VOL 1:FORGING THE SWORD trade paperback for $9.99, which has only a little Wolverine in it; the EXILES VOL 8: EARN YOUR WINGS trade paperback for $14.99, which has just the slightest taste of Wolverine in it somewhere, not so much you'd notice; WOLVERINE #21 ($2.25), which would be surprising if it didn't have any Wolverine in it; the WOLVERINE: WEAPON X prose hardcover for $24.95, which has more than your daily recommended requirement of Wolverine, so make sure to take your pills afterwards; and X-MEN #163 ($2.25), which is bound to have enough Wolverine in it to cause an allergic reaction, if that reaction isn't caused by a blind Gambit and you know how the body reacts to that.

Don't eat any apples with razors in them, my children, and if a man with claws comes running after you down a dark street, run it's probably not Freddie, if Marvel has anything to say about it... Happy Halloween!

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Comicscape is our weekly Comics column.