Finally, new comic book day

Bargain Comics didn’t get new comics in this week until Thursday, and I was too busy to get there yesterday, so TODAY was new comic book day. And what a haul. Have a big stack to read this weekend, starting with Marvel’s new “Kick Ass” by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. According to a review the other day at Newsarama, I can expect nice art but not a particularly gripping story. What's everybody else think?

Sequels and prequels

I talked today with Chris Ryall, publisher and editor-in-chief of IDW Publishing. Seems like I end up talking to him about once a year on Star Trek or “CSI” or zombies or whatever. This time we talked about a bunch of IDW projects, including a sequel to the “Transformers” movie and a prequel to the next “Mummy” movie. I also asked about the new “Ghost Whisperer” comic, which is mentioned in the latest TV Guide.

In TV Guide, he says the comic is a risk for IDW since the TV show is something guys don’t watch except to gawk at star Jennifer Love Hewitt. But Ryall indicated he wasn’t quoted correctly and that’s not the way he feels. Though “Ghost Whisperer” may have been the kind of show that had a “female-heavy audience” at first, it has shifted in tone to more of, if not “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” at least “Charmed,” he noted. It’s a bit darker, he said, “not all feel-good stories.”

One more day

Well, that's a bummer. New comics day won't be until Thursday this week, at least at Bargain Comics, which blames shipping delays. Now what do I have to look forward to tomorrow?

"The Long Road Home"

I handed in my Comics Fan column for Sunday today. It’s on “Dark Tower: The Long Road Home,” Marvel’s follow-up to “Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born.” For “The Gunslinger Born,” I talked with artist Jae Lee. This time around, I heard from writers Robin Furth and Peter David and editor Ralph Macchio, all via e-mail.

"The Long Road Home" picks up right where "The Gunslinger Born" left off, following the adventures of a young Roland Deschain, the hero of Stephen King's "Dark Tower" novels. With Roland rendered "insenate," as David puts it, look for a little more focus on his comrades, Alain and Cuthbert.

"What amazed me when I went through the 'Dark Tower' books again, and what inspired me when I wrote the plot, was just how much Alain and Cuthbert love Roland," Furth says. "They really are devoted to him. He is their friend, but he is also their leader, and (for me at least) that gives 'The Long Road Home' its emotional impact."

Morrison on Batman

Newsarama has a nice interview with Grant Morrison about his work on "Batman." I haven't liked everything about Morrison's run (the son of Batman just doesn't grab me, sorry), but, as always, I respect Morrison's unfettered imagination. In the Newsarama interview, he talks about taking Batman's long history, even the goofy stories of the '50s and '60s, into account in fashioning his new adventures. Now there's a respect for continuity.

Hulk red-faced

My load of comics today from Bargain Comics includes “Hulk” No. 2, which includes the new red Hulk. USA Today wrote about the book a couple of days ago. I scanned it and it looks like the mystery of who actually is the red Hulk remains just that - a mystery. But you’ll find the civilian identity of another monster in the issue.

Tought start to 2008 for DC

Wow, DC shut out of Diamond's Top 10 in January. Check it out here.

Lex and Clark

Lex and Clark, together in one mind. Kara returns. Chloe dies again, for a while anyway. It all added up to a pretty good episode of “Smallville” last night. It’s always nice to see some cracks in Lex’s increasingly arch-enemy facade.

"Tiny Titans"

DC sent me a copy of the kid-friendly “Tiny Titans” No. 1. It’s intended for the youngest of readers, with short stories and puzzles, and simple, cartoony art. Still, it’s cute and I even got a chuckle out of a 2-page story in which Robin questions Speedy about his name. And I’m for anything that gets comics into the hands of new readers, even toddler-sized hands.

Steve Gerber, R.I.P.

Comic book writer Steve Gerber has died. For the details, check here and here. Gerber had let people know he was quite ill - he had even blogged about it - but his death is still a shock. I’ll remember Gerber most for some haunting Man-Thing stories and, of course, Howard the Duck. You'll be missed, Steve.

"Trinity"

DC during the weekend confirmed its next weekly series: “Trinity,” featuring DC’s big guns — Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. Writer Kurt Busiek and artist Mark Bagley will handle the lead story each issue, 12 out of the 22 pages. I have high hopes for it. For more details, Newsarama has an interview with DC executive editor Dan DiDio while Comic Book Resources talked with Busiek.

Black and green on "Smallville"

Black Canary and Green Arrow, together for the first time! In “Smallville,” at least. In the comics, of course, the two recently got married. (Or did they? I haven’t been reading recent issues to see if they actually ever got hitched, what with Ollie being dead again for a while and then his son Connor shot.)

Anyway, it was an OK episode last night. Some nice characterization for Lois, with amusing bits about how she couldn’t handle a love with a dual identity. I found it odd, though, that no one other than Lionel seems to have noticed or care that the editor of the Daily Planet has been gunned down.

"Smallville" past and future

Look for Black Canary in this week’s “Smallville,” complete with her fishnet stockings. Last week’s episode was yet another of those episodes where Clark has been replaced by a double or turned evil by magic or red K or whatever. At least this time there was an interesting twist, with the new Clark (the Bizarro Clark) actually more appealing to Lana in some ways than the real Clark. And, hey, how about that Lex, having his own cloned brother killed?