Tradio #26 - Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius - Lab Rat

Welcome back to the last Tradio…

…of the year.  That was mean…I know, sorry.  Now that Christmas is over and you have all the extra Christmas cash from your nana, why not invest it in this week’s Tradio pick: (deep breath) Fantastic Four Presents: Franklin Richards, Son of a Genius – Lab Brat by Marc Sumerak and Chris Eliopoulos, published by Marvel Comics.

Lab Brat tells the adventures of Franklin Richards, Reed and Susie Richards' son, when he is young and full of wonder, curiosity, and just plain mischief.  Lab Brat presents about twenty different short stories that present fun and funny tales of Franklin’s adventures as he gets into and out of loads of trouble using the various inventions that his father just happens to have lying around his home in Four Freedom’s Tower.  We also get to see some fun counterpoint as H.E.R.B.I.E. acts as his nanny and tries to contain the little rambuncious force of nature as he hops from one predicament to another. 

Lab Brat is a ton of fun and  Franklin and H.E.R.B.I.E. act a bit like a modern-day Calvin and Hobbes and Eliopoulos’ kid-friendly cartooning really underscores this.  Light-hearted and fun and truly a book for all ages in the best possible way.  If you have even a passing knowledge of the Marvel Universe and enjoy humor books, you will get a huge kick out of what is presented here.  The only misstep are the Masked Marvel reprints at the very end of the volume that do not fit at all with the rest of the material and are very suspect in their inclusion.  I am guessing an editor got bribed.  Anyway, they don’t distract from the meat of this volume and something fun to share with kids of any age.  Happy New Year!

Tradio #25 - It Ate Billy on Christmas

Today, on a very special edition of Tradio, we review a Christmas book that may cause more nightmares than warm hearts: It Ate Billy on Christmas by Roman Dirge and Steven Daily and published by Dark Horse Comics.

It Ate Billy on Christmas isn’t a comic book or graphic novel, but is closer akin to a children’s book that isn’t really for young children.  It tells of siblings Billy and Lumi and how *SPOILERS* something eats Billy on Christmas day and fallout after that.  The book is written in Dirge’s typical stream of consciousness style and is fun and funny and more than just a bit creepy.  The picture book is great and even has a bit of moral (don’t mess with your sister when she has control of an ancient evil creature with a big appetite.  The art is done by Dirge with over painting by Daily which really adds a haunting tone to the entire work.  If you liked The Nightmare Before Christmas, this right up your alley and without all the annoying song and dance.  Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Tradio #24 - Thor: The Mighty Avenger

Welcome back to all-ages month on Tradio!  This week we look at a criminally underrated both that was cancelled way before it’s time.  This week we review Volume One of Thor: The Mighty Avenger by Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee, published by Marvel Comics.

Thor: The Mighty Avenger is a bit of a throwback book and I think that was where it was doomed from the start.  Self-contained, one-and-done issues with a broader, overarching story that doesn’t tie into any other book and is light and airy and not at all dark or brooding.  Why would anyone want to read something like that?  The question should be, “Why wouldn’t you want to read that?!?!”  Telling the tale of Thor returning to Earth and his struggle to find his place, the book gives a fresh take on the core of the character without all the baggage of years of continuity.  You see the god of thunder develop as a person and see his relationship with a young, bright Jane Foster develop from the beginning.  Through his day-to-day interactions with a new, exciting world, his run-ins with super-powered villains, and even a night out with the boys, we get to see a side of Thor that is all too often overlooked in the main Marvel Thor title.  Overall, a fun romp within a reimagined Marvel Universe.

But was it good?  Verily! Langridge has a good grip on the core of the character and his ability to write well developed, fast paced stories that help to build a running overall narrative between issues is some of the best I have seen and very refreshing in comic book world that is overly focused decompressed stories full of talking heads that drag on for issues on end.  Then there is Chris Samnee.  Dynamic, kinetic, expressive, and just plain good; his ability to render characters and expressions harkens back to an earlier time in comics and definitely pays some dues to the Kirby reprints in the back of the volume.  He is nothing short of amazing and why he is not on a regular book right now, making a huge paycheck, I have no idea.  There are only two volumes of Thor: The Might Avenger and you owe it to yourself to buy them, read them, and share them to the people that you love.  Like I said, the series as a whole never got the fair shake that it deserves, but that doesn’t take away from the shear joy that is can give you now.  The world is a better place with this series in it and we need more fun, engaging works like this in our lives.

Tradio #23 - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Welcome back to all-ages month on Tradio!  This week we have the loving adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young and published by Marvel Comics.

What can truly be said about the Wizard of Oz that hasn’t been said before? Few people over the age of twelve haven’t seen Judy Garland sing about traveling over the rainbow, skip down that yellow brick road, and confront the great and powerful Oz.  Who hasn’t looked for the person being hanged in the trees (if you have no clue what I am referring to, Google that). That said, probably very few of us have actually read the books that the movie itself was based on and delved into just how unique and at times, dark that world the Baum created truly was.  One of the very first great American fairy tales, it set the stage for a whole series of works set in a fantasy land that wasn’t all about the very European tropes of fairies and trolls.  Yes the Wicked Witch was scary and the flying monkeys were terrifying, but there was so much more to it than that.  We get to see more of the interesting adventures that were documented in that first book.  Things that no movie could ever include in such a lavish and loving way as this work.

Lavish and loving are very apt.  The book is simply a thing of beauty and the faithful adaptation by Shanower and Young is nothing short of spectacular.  Visually rich and verbally intelligent, it sets about recreating the world that Baum envisioned over a century ago.  You get to see how a young woman and her faithful companion grow and mature through her caring for others and wanting to do the right thing.  Truly an amazing work that should be on pretty much any child’s book shelf as a gateway drug to the original work.  Give it a try and maybe take some time and read it with your kids.

Tradio #22 - Runaways - Pride & Joy

This week we on Tradio, we are starting a series for the whole month of December where we are looking at all ages books that you may want to share with the young ones in your life.  “Ahhhh…a bunch of frakin’ kids books?!?! What is this crap?!?!?” you may say, but wait!  These are all good books that you could just happen to share with young people in your life who aren’t old enough to (legally) by cigarettes.  First up is the amazing for trade that collects the first six issues of the Runaways, entitled Pride & Joy by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona and published by Marvel Comics.

Adults are evil.  We all suspected this as kids and knew this as teens and this series takes that simple premise and takes it to new heights.  Runaways is a book about six young people who discover just how evil their parents really are and what they do to distance themselves from their super-villain parents and vow to take them down.  Through the course of these first few issues we see how each of these kids are the direct products of the evil that their parents have wrought over the years and we get to witness as they evolve into the counter-points to their parents.  Full of impressive character development and more teen angst than you can shake a stick at, the trade takes a look at very relatable tropes and gives them a modern twist in a super-powered setting.  And speaking of super-powers, you get some very interesting takes on super-powers themselves that aren’t just the vague energy power that pretty much all new characters have.   If you can’t relate to one of these kids, than well, you were probably a jock and let’s face it…you aren’t the target market of most comics.  You get some great set up and hints as to what is to come and as you fall in love with these kids, you will see how the pain of the situations they are thrown into affect the people that they end up becoming if you stick with the series.

As for the work itself, it is pretty wonderful.  Vaughan and Alphona set up a great twist on traditional superheroes and you get to see the rare instance of young, relatable characters being fleshed out before your eyes.  Anyone who knows anything about comics, knows who Brian K. Vaughan is and know that he is an amazing writer who can bring a lot to the table.  Pair him with Adrian Alphona’s clean, youthful line work and you have a book that is a masterpiece to behold.  You should be warned, if you buy the first trade, you should go ahead and buy all the Vaughan penned one, because you will want to know how things progress.  It is that good.  Truly an amazing read for the jaded adult as well as the jaded teen.

How Can I Miss You When You Never Go Away?

Ah...tis the season.  Thanksgiving?  No. Christmas?  Nuh-uh. Winter?  Not even close.  It is the time of year when pretty much every major video game gets released and game publishers try to cash in on people buying gifts.  Yes...it puts a big strain on all of us who are avid gamers and want to play the latest and greatest that the medium has to offer, but there is something more to it that has really reared it's bloated, misshapen head this year.  It really seems to be the season of "3s".  Gears Of War 3, Resistance 3, Battlefield 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Just Dance 3, Uncharted 3, Saints Row 3...er sorry...The Third, Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 with Diablo 3 and Mass Effect 3 right around the corner.  And then there are all the other sequels being released like Super Mario, Zelda, Skyrim, Forza, Assassin's Creed, Batman...the list goes on and on.  Is this a bad thing?  Maybe...maybe not...but I wanted to just get some of my totally unobjective thoughts out on the subject.

First off, I have to say that alot of the games that I just mentioned are really good and take the ideas and mechanics developed in the earlier games and refines them to a point where you really get to see what the series really has to offer.  That is definitely a good thing, but the problem is that very few of these games offer anything new that we haven't played before.  They don't really introduce new and interesting takes on things and only tweak what we have played before.  I have to say, I really loved Gears of War 3, but at the end of the day, it wasn't anything new and different...at least not in a big way.  I know that new IPs are expensive and risky, but they can be amazing.  Lately it seems like the only way to play something new and innovative on a consistent basis is to play something downloadable.  Games like Braid, Limbo, Orcs Must Die!, Comic Jumper, Shadow Complex, or Flower all give you something new and exciting and there is truly a sense of wonder and excitement there where you have no clue what is right around the corner.  With a lot of the game releases this season, they are great and all, but there is so little newness and personal excitement since it hasn't been all that long since the last one (Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed, I am looking at you!).  There really does't seem to be enough time since the last game in the series to really get excited about a new one.  Like I said, there is a lot of great games out right now, but I miss the days of a Portal or Dead Space or Bioshock or Mirror's Edge...something cool and risky and awesome.  I just need something new...at least I have The Gunstringer and Dead Island...sigh...

Tradio #21 - American Vampire

Hi again...been a long day, but I can't leave you hangin'!  Hopefully you all have had your fill of turkey and survived Black Friday and are ready for a new trade review.  With vampires being back in the spotlight with another Twilight movie (Look, I'm now trending!), I figured I would focus on a GOOD vampire tale this week with American Vampire by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, and a little known author named Stephen King and published by DC Comics under the Vertigo imprint.

Vampires.  Yeah...there is a lot of emphasis on vampires these days.  They and zombies seem to permeate popular culture right now.  Few comic books have really been able to do a lot for the whole vampire genre as of late like Kirkman's The Walking Dead has done for zombies, but American Vampire is trying to change that.  Maybe "trying" is the wrong verb here.  The book isn't "trying" to do anything.  What it IS doing is taking a fresh spin on the classic vampire tropes that started with Mary Shelley's novel so long ago and giving it a much needed kick in the tail.  The stories, and there are two separate yet intertwined stories here, of American Vampire center on a new breed of vampire born out of the dust and heat of the American West and moves that new breed into seedy 20's Hollywood.   These vampires aren't southern gentlemen or old world aristocrats or even overly stylized Jews and they most definitely do not sparkle.  What they do is set up a new paradigm for what a Vampire can be and what they can represent.  What these are, you need to read and find out for yourself, but you find are two tales with some reoccurring characters who flesh out a fresh take on ideas of love, loss, trust, friendship, and a young woman's dreams.

The writing of American Vampire is so good.  Scott Snyder is a great writer and he weaves a tight narrative that is complex, yet easy to follow.  The characters are greatly fleshed out with a lot more characterization that what you may be use to in a "horror" book.  Oh and that Stephen King guy...he just might have a future in writing.  Nuff said.  As for Rafael Albuquerque, he is like no one else.  He has his light and dark down as good as Mignola and yet he has a detailed and kinetic style that is unlike anything else out there.  He can go from the ordinary to the scary so quickly which just adds to the overall sense of horror in the book.  His designs are pretty amazing and they keep you grounded in a familiar past and yet are all their own.  Additionally, it has to be said that the coloring by Dave McCaig is pretty amazing as well.  You would think that a book about vampires would be full of red and McCaig shows restraint with this that only adds to the terror when you do see the color on the printed page.  Overall, American Vampire is excellent and you should be reading it...just don't come looking for any dreamy guys you would want to date cause you will just get your head bit off.

Nerd Thanks

Ahhh...Thanksgiving.  That day when we think about what all we are thankful for before diving in and eating as much poultry and pig as possible and plan out how we are going to maneuver the Black Friday sales.  I thought it would be apropos to take a minute and give thanks for some of the nerdy websites in my life that bring me joy on a daily basis.  So sit back, grab a piece of pumpkin pie, and see a few of the things that warm the cockles of my little nerdy heart.

iFanboy - One of the first podcasts that I ever discovered and still at the top of my playlist every week.  Three friends who started out just reading comics and taking turns picking a weekly favorite has turned into so much more.  A big, friendly community of fans, friends, and creators who produce weekly content that is shaped out of a love for the genre.  Unbiased?  Nope, but you know, you love what you love and these three guys have introduced me to so many good series over the years like Fell, I Kill Giants, Sweet Tooth, Preacher, and Proof.

Beaucoup Pop - Speaking of a fun podcast and a growing community, I love these guys!  Never would have found them if not for a friend, this is a local group of individuals who are all about building a local fan base and providing people with interaction who honestly may never have found each other any other way (us nerds are easily startled, you know).  Movies, comics, music, video games, and even theatre are all covered weekly by Justin, Keri, Matt, and Tressa and a growing cast of local creators and friends. They bring joy...and lots of "ef-you, Matt!" moments...and we all need more of both.

Get Glue - One of the fun things that BCP has brought into my life.  If it can be watched, listened to, read, or even thought about, you can find it here and like it and check-in to it and earn stickers...actual honest to God stickers...that they will send you...for free!  The last time stickers got me this excited, they were scratch and sniff...if only Get Glue would do them...though I don't want to know what Ke$ha smells like.  I am thinking Jager, pleather, wet dog, and feet.

Achievement Junkie - Here is an odd one.  Achievement Junkies is no more.  Back in the day, they did a podcast and blog that ended up creating a forum where I meet some amazing people who I gamed with over Xbox Live with for years.  I have never felt more a part of a big online community as when this group was at it's height.  The two creators of it even ended up on Xbox Live for a time...remember Nelson and (hot) Natalie?  Well, they got canned and the blog and podcast ended.  They tried to start things up again, but their hearts were never fully in it and it ended again.  I miss them and that sense of community.  Thankful for it when I had it...need to find that again.

Kotaku - Game news with a big side of snark.  Up to the minute news and info in easy to use chunks.  Always a stop on my daily browsing several times a day.

Xbox 360 Achievements - If you have an Xbox 360 then you know what an achievement is.  You may also know what achievement addiction is and I have been at times a total achievement whore.  This site has helped me out greatly in figuring out tricky ones and tracking down every last Agility Orb or Skull.  Comprehensive lists, plus guides and forums...all created and submitted by other users on the site.  A great resource.

Xbox 360 Deals - My daily stop to find out who has what for sale for the Xbox, you can always find something very tempting there and they have caused more than a few impulse buys.  Never would have known about Newegg if it was not for them.

Thwipster - Speaking of impulse buys.  Damn you Thwipster and your unbelievable prices on awesome trade paperbacks.  Updated daily at midnight, the site offers great content at great prices with very reasonable shipping.  Go there if you dare, cause you will spend money.

Tee Trade - Again with the impulse buys!  But this time, this site isn't the cause of them...it is the answer.  It offers peer-to-peer trading of t-shirts that you may get from those grab bag sales many t-shirt sites offer from time to time.  Think you are stuck with something lame?  Chances are someone out there wants it and all you have to do is post, browse, and contact.  Typically only costs you shipping to the person you are sending your shirt to, but sometimes you can just out buy a shirt that you may have missed.  Everyone I have ever traded with has been very nice.

The Onion - If you don't know The Onion, you have been living under a rock.  Humor that cuts and will often make you think. News that is presented as if it were truth and takes itself very seriously.  So funny with amazing production values.  Podcasts, papers, books, and even television shows...they do everything very well.

Reddit - Another site that would be nothing if not for the users.  It is easy.  Post a picture and see if it is up voted or down voted and hope it makes it onto the front page.  Lots of fun and funny pictures, it always brightens my day.

Well, there is a few nerdy sites that I am very thankful for this year.  Check some out and then think about what you are thankful for.  Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.  Talk to you soon.

Tradio #20 - Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth

Hello again!  This week we take a look at a book that is truly unique in the world of comic books.  Not only is it written for kids, it is written BY a kid.  I present Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth by Malachai & Ethan Nicolle and published by Dark Horse Comics. 

Axe Cop is a truly unlike anything you have ever read.  A creation of the fertile mind of a six year old (yes, you read that right) and his Eisner Award nominated thirty year old brother, Axe Cop is like your most wild, sugar-induced playtime session from childhood made real.  Pure imagination on a printed page.  The trade collects the three issues of the Bad Guy Earth epic and includes a far about of back material explaining the creative process behind the book.  What started as a webcomic turns into the Lord of the Rings of a child's playtime.  The story tells you everything you need to know about the titular character and his group of super powered individuals which include his pet T-Rex who has Gatling-guns for arms, his partner Dinosaur Soldier, Sockarang, Handcuff Man, and the brilliant scientist Uni-Man as they battle real cops, the army, the Psychic Brothers, and their bad guy army across time and space.  It is totally epic and the most Id infused thing you will ever read.  In many ways it reminds me of many Golden Age tales with a focus on fun with little care for what was coming next issue or for what had come before.

The writing is well, the writings of a six year old with his older brother helping to give the story some structure.  The art is fun and has a very kinetic feel to it.  Ethan is able to give form to the imagination of a kindergartner, which is quite a feat unto itself.  Overall, the book is a quick, fun read that will make you smile more than once with it's fresh take on super-powered heroes and what those superpowers can be.  It's not Watchman, but without tales like this, Watchman would have never happened in the first place.  Have a great Thanksgiving, guys...this would be a great book to share with your cousins after you are full of turkey.

A Gamer's Guide to Black Friday

Hello again!  Well, it's that time of year again.  Time for waiting in long lines and being elbowed by soccer moms for a $5 DVD player.  Yes, it is almost time for Black Friday!  Why has it got to be "Black" friday!?!? you may ask...well, it has something to do with stores finally making money for the year (which is really kind of sad when you think about it), but we aren't hear to talk about that.  I wanted to post something useful for the gamer or the person shopping for a gamer on Black Friday so that you can get the most for your money when it comes to the big holiday games.  So sit back, take some notes, and get ready to punch a granny for a cheap copy of MW3.

Retail/Brick and Mortar Stores:  When it comes to getting up at the ass crack of dawn or, in most cases these days, far too far before the ass crack of dawn, you have to be ready.  If you want to be one of the first in line to get a great deal that will sell out fast, you have to get there early.  There are people who will camp out for hours to get a $200 TV, so if you want to go nuts and be that person, go for it.  But chances are for most stores, if you get there an hour early, you should get a pretty good place in line and will have a good chance of getting what you came for.  Just remember, there are a lot of crazy people out there, so you never know.  Oh and dress warm...standing in line for an hour at four in the morning in November is no fun under the best of circumstances.  When if comes to which store to hit, it all comes down to planning ahead.  Figure out where most of your deals are and go there first.  Have a list of what all you need and have a good idea of what order you will need to go through the store to get them.  Lots of stores will actually post online a floor layout with where you can find their big door buster deals, so do some research before just jumping in the car.  Also, things will sell out, but often different stores will have similar deals, so have a back up list of items you can look for at other stores if you can't find them at the absolute cheapest at your first choice store.  As far as my list of gamer deals that follows, they are the most interesting deals that I have found.  All these places will have sports games on sale (which I don't really care about) and they will all have Squinkies games on sale (which I also don't care about and if you don't know what a Squinky is, then you can count yourself as lucky), but they are not on this list.  These are things that interest me, so your mileage may vary.  Additionally, they are based on leaked ads, so not all the deals may happen at the store you go to, so check out the actual print ads first.  As a side note, I didn't post anything from Gamestop because they are evil and you should not shop there and anything that is a door buster item (i.e. only available for a limited time during the day) are marked with an asterisk.

Best Buy will be opening at Midnight on Black Friday...yeah...you read that right...Midnight

Nintendo DS
Nintendo 3DS Bundle w/Super Mario 3D Land Game (Flame Red) - $179.99
Nintendo 3DS Bundle w/Zelda Game (Cosmo Black) - $179.99
Scribblenauts (Nintendo DS) - $7.99

Playstation 3
Assassins Creed Revelations (PS3) - $34.99
Batman: Arkham City (PS3) - $29.99 *
Battlefield 3 (PS3) - $29.99 *
Call Of Duty Black Ops (PS3) - $29.99
Call Of Duty World At War (PS3) - $7.99
Deus Ex Human Revolution (PS3) - $29.99
Dirt 3 (PS3) - $14.99
Disney Universe (PS3) - $29.99
Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) - $14.99
Homefront (PS3) - $14.99
Need For Speed: The Run (PS3) - $29.99 *
Rage (PS3) - $29.99 *
Sony Playstation 3 160GB Console Bundle - $199.99 *
Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions (PS3) - $14.99
Toy Story 3 (PS3) - $7.99
Uncharted 3 (PS3) - $29.99 *
X-Men Destiny (PS3) - $29.99

Xbox 360
Assassins Creed Revelations (Xbox 360) - $34.99
Batman: Arkham City (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Battlefield 3 (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Call Of Duty Black Ops (Xbox 360) - $29.99
Call Of Duty World At War (Xbox 360) - $7.99
Dance Central 2 (Xbox 360) - $24.99
Deus Ex Human Revolution (Xbox 360) - $29.99
Dirt 3 (Xbox 360) - $14.99
Disney Universe (Xbox 360) - $29.99
Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360) - $14.99
Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360) - $34.99
Gears Of War 3 (Xbox 360) - $29.99
Gears Of War Triple Pack (Xbox 360) - $7.99
Homefront (Xbox 360) - $14.99
Just Dance 3 (Xbox 360) - $24.99
Kinect Sports Season 2 (Xbox 360) - $24.99
Need For Speed: The Run (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Rage (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Raving Rabbids Alive And Kicking (Xbox 360) - $24.99
Sesame Street Once Upon A Monster (Xbox 360) - $24.99
Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions (Xbox 360) - $14.99
Toy Story 3 (Xbox 360) - $7.99
Xbox 360 250GB Console Bundle - $199.99
Xbox 360 Kinect Sensor - $99.99
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller - $39.99
Xbox Live 3-Mont Gold Membership (Xbox 360) - $7.99
X-Men Destiny (Xbox 360) - $29.99

Wal-Mart will be opening at 10 pm on Thankgiving...seriously people!

Nintendo Wii
Epic Mickey (Wii) - $15.00
Lego Batman (Wii) - $15.00
Lego Harry Potter (Wii) - $15.00
Nintendo Selects Wii Games - $19.96
Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) - $19.96
Super Paper Mario (Wii) - $19.96
The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword Limited Edition w/CD And Gold Remote Plus (Wii) - $59.96
Wii Limited Edition Blue Console - $99.96
Wii Remote Plus - $39.96

Playstation 3
Batman Arkham City (PS3) - $28.00
Battlefield 3 (PS3) - $28.00
Call Of Duty 4 Modern Warfare (Ps3) - $15.00
Call Of Duty Black Ops Limited Edition w/Bonus Content (PS3) - $28.00
God Of War (PS3) - $15.00
Heavy Rain (PS3) - $15.00
Infamous 2 (PS3) - $28.00
Kane And Lynch 2 (PS3) - $10.00
Little Big Planet (PS3) - $15.00
PlayStation 3 160GB Console w/Bonus - $199.96
PlayStation 3 Translucent Blue Controller - $54.96
Pure (PS3) - $10.00
Uncharted 2 Among Theives (PS3) - $15.00
Yakusa 4 (PS3) - $10.00

 Xbox 360
007 Quantum Of Solace (Xbox 360) - $10.00
Batman Arkham City (Xbox 360) - $28.00
Battlefield 3 (Xbox 360) - $28.00
Bioshock 2 (Xbox 360) - $10.00
Call Of Duty 4 Modern Warfare (Xbox 360) - $15.00
Call Of Duty Black Ops (Xbox 360) - $28.00
Dance Central 2 (Xbox 360) - $15.00
Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360) - $28.00
Gears Of War 3 (Xbox 360) - $28.00
Kinect Sports Season 2 (Xbox 360) - $15.00
Xbox 360 4GB Console Bundle - $199.00 *
Xbox 360 4GB Console w/Kinect - $199.96
Xbox 360 Kinect Bundle - $99.96
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller - $49.96
Xbox Live 3-Month Subscription Card - $12.00

Target will open at the same time as Best Buy...at Midnight on Black Friday

Nintendo DS
Nintendo 3DS Bundle w/Super Mario 3D Land Game - $179.99

Nintendo Wii
Disney Epic Mickey (Wii) - $15.00
Disney Universe (Wii) - $27.00
Nintendo Wii Plus Motion w/Wii Remote And Controller - $39.00 *

Playstation 3
Need For Speed: The Run (PS3) - $37.00
Resistance 3 (PS3) - $37.00
Sony Play Station 3 160GB Bundle w/2 Games, 30-Day Playstation Plus Membership - $199.00 *
Sony PlayStation 3 DualShock 3 Controller - $39.00 *

Xbox 360
Battlefield 3 (Xbox 360) - $37.00
Dance Central 2 (Xbox 360) - $27.00
Forza Motorsport 3 (Xbox 360) - $27.00
Gears Of War 3 (Xbox 360) - $37/00
Kinect Sports: Season 2 (Xbox 360) - $27.00
Xbox 360 4GB Console - $139.99
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller - $39.00 *
Xbox Kinect Sensor w/Wipeout 2 Game - $99.00 *

K-Mart will open at a more traditional 5 am on Black Friday

Nintendo DS
Nintendo 3DS Flame Red Bundle w/$25 Gaming Coupon - $199.99 *

Playstation 3
Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (PS3) - $19.99 *
God Of War III (PS3) - $14.99 *
God Of War Origins Collection (PS3) - $29.99 *
Heavy Rain (PS3) - $14.99 *
Killzone 3 (PS3) - $29.99 *
Little Big Planet w/Rag Doll (PS3) - $24.99 *
Playstation 3 160GB 2011 Holiday Bundle - $199.99 *
Playstation 3 Controller - $34.99 *
Playstation 3 Starter Pack (PS3) - $49.99 *
The Ico And Shadow Of The Colossus Collection (PS3) - $29.99 *
Uncharted 2 (PS3) - $14.99 *

Xbox 360
Battlefield 3 (Xbox 360) - $34.99 *
Call Of Duty Black Ops (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360) - $19.99 *
Dance Central 2 (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Driver San Fransisco (Xbox 360) - $19.99 *
Enslaved: Odyssey To The West (Xbox 360) - $9.99 *
Fifa Soccer 12 (Xbox 360) - $39.99 *
Forza Motosport 4 (Xbox 360) - $39.99 *
Gears Of War 3 (Xbox 360) - $39.99 *
Gears Of War Triple Pack (Xbox 360) - $14.99 *
Kinect Sports Season Two (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Madden 12 (Xbox 360) - $39.99 *
Medal Of Honor (Xbox 360) - $9.99 *
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (Xbox 360) - $34.99 *
Michael Jackson The Experience (Xbox 360) - $24.99 *
NCAA Football 12 (Xbox 360) - $39.99 *
Need For Speed: The Run (Xbox 360) - $39.99 *
Rage (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Transformers Cybertron (Xbox 360) - $14.99 *
Xbox 360 4GB System - $149.99 *
Xbox 360 Controller - $39.99 *
Xbox 360 Kinect Sensor - $99.99 *
Xbox 360 Starter Pack - $49.99 *
Xbox Live 3 Month Gold Membership - $14.99 *

Toys R Us will be opening at 10 on Thanksgiving night like Wal-Mart.

Nintendo DS
Lego Batman (Nintendo DS) - B1G1 Free
Lego Battles Ninjago (Nintendo DS) - B1G1 Free
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (Nintendo DS) - B1G1 Free
Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (Nintendo DS) - B1G1 Free
Nintendo 3DS Super Mario Bundle w/Super Mario Bobblehead Stylus - $189.99
Super Scribblenauts (Nintendo DS) - B1G1 Free

Playstation 3
Battlefield 3 (PS3) - B1G1 $5.00
Call Of Duty Black Ops (PS3) - B1G1 $5.00
Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (PS3) - B1G1 $5.00
God Of War III (PS3) - B1G1 $5.00
Need For Speed: The Run (PS3) - B1G1 $5.00
Playstation 3 160GB Game System Bundle w/Power A Wired Controller - $199.99
Playstation 3 Wireless Controller - $20.99
Rage (PS3) - B1G1 $5.00
The Little Big Planet (PS3) - B1G1 $5.00
Uncharted 2 (PS3) - B1G1 $5.00

Xbox 360
6-In-1 Expansion Kit For Xbox 360 - 50% Off
Battlefield 3 (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Call Of Duty Black Ops (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Dance Central 2 Kinect (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Dance Central Kinect (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Forza IV (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Gears Of War 3 (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Kinect Sports Season 2 (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Kinect Sports (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Rage (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
The Run (Xbox 360) - B1G1 $5.00
Xbox 360 4GB Game System w/Kinect And $10 Toys R Us Gift Card - $199.99
Xbox 360 Afterglow Controller - $17.99
Xbox 360 Kinect Sensor - $99.99
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller - $29.99
Xbox Live 3-Month Gold Membership Card - $12.99

Meijer will be opening on Black Friday at 4 am, like God intended...

Nintendo DS
Entire Stock Of Nintendo Handheld Accessories - 50% Off *
Lego Batman (Nintendo DS) - $9.99 *
Nintendo DSi Video Game System - $149.99
Nintendo DS XL And $30.00 Meijer Coupon - $169.99 *
Starfox 3D (Nintendo DS) - $19.99 *

Nintendo Wii
Nintendo Wii Hardware - $99.99 *

Playstation 3
Battlefield 3 (PS3) - $29.99 *
God Of War 2 (PS3) - $9.99 *
Harry Potter Lego (PS3) - $9.99 *
Infamous 2 (PS3) - $29.99 *
Killzone 3 (PS3) - $19.99 *
Need For Speed The Run (PS3) - $29.99 *
Playstaytion 3 Holiday Bundle - $199.99 *
Rage (PS3) - $29.99 *
Resistance 3 (PS3) - $29.99 *

Xbox 360
Cars 2 (Xbox 360) - $19.99 *
Dance Central 2 (Xbox 360) - $19.99 *
Forza 4 (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Gears Of War 3 (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Harry Potter Lego (Xbox 360) - $9.99 *
Kinect Sports Season 2 (Xbox 360) - $19.99 *
Medal Of Honor (Xbox 360) - $9.99 *
Need For Speed The Run (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Rage (Xbox 360) - $29.99 *
Star Wars The Force Unleashed 2 (Xbox 360) - $9.99 *

Online:  Remember, a lot of places will be having online deals as well as the deals in store.  Some places will even have the same deals available online that they will have in store, so it might be work some research on your part.  Amazon will have some good deals, often matching deals that many brick and mortar stores have, but they often sell out very quickly. 

In the end, if you want to get some great deals on games, there are some that will be there for the taking, but you have to plan and be ready to commit to it on Black Friday.  Good luck out there, kids...

Tradio #19 - Sweet Tooth - Out of the Deep Woods

Welcome back, imaginary readers!  This week, we focus on a writer/artist that has been killing it with his new series (Animal Man and Frankenstein) that are part of the new 52 over at DC.  This title really got his work in more mainstream hands and ultimately lead to him getting the work he has today.  This week, we focus on writer/artist Jeff Lemire's first trade for Sweet Tooth entitled Out of the Deep Woods, published by DC comics under the Vertigo banner.

Sweet Tooth is an ongoing comic series that focuses on Gus.  Just your average nine year old boy with antlers and deer ears as he tries to survive in a post-apocalyptic America.  Through the course of the five issues collected here, we see what became of Gus's family and how he survives the dangers that await him in the world outside of the forest home that he grew up in.  A plague of some sort has wiped out most of humanity and since it happened, the only children that have been born are part animal.  What makes Gus unique is that he pre-dates the plague and thus does he hold the key to curing the disease or is he the original cause?  That question is not answered here, but we get to meet the mysterious and brooding Jeppard as he befriends Gus and offers to take him to the "Preserve"; a place where it is rumored that they protect hybrid children.  Is the Preserve a myth?  You have to read it for yourself.

Sweet Tooth is a great read.  Lemire does an outstanding job of letting his art tell the story as much as the words.  The themes are dark and world is dangerous and foreboding and his storytelling and art mesh to let these ideas seep through on every page.  You really connect with Gus and ultimately with Jeppard and see the world through their eyes.  Gus will make you want to cry over and over again as his life falls apart and he sees just where he can put his trust.  Not a light-hearted read but it is brisk if you don't really appreciate all that is going on on every page.  You can not go wrong with this book, but it will depress you if you have a heart and if you don't have a heart, you will before this first trade is over.

Tradio #18 - Fear Agent - Re-Ignition

Happy Wednesday to everyone!  With the final issue of Fear Agent sadly hitting shelves last week, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at where it all began with the first volume of Fear Agent entitled Re-Ignition by Rick Remender and Tony Moore and published (at least in my edition) by Image Publishing.

A series started at Image and then moved to Dark Horse, Fear Agent tells the tail of Heath Houston, a hard-drinking and hard-living Texan who is the last of the Fear Agents. In the this collection of the first four issues of the series (which was divided into different mini series that made up a larger story) we see Heath battling aliens and investigating intergalactic strangeness as a sort of soldier for hire.  The story is all about sci-fi, action, adventure, and more than a little horror.  Heath is a shot first and then shot some more kind of hero who is like the unholy union of Han Solo and Philo Beddoe as he sets about going from one adventure to the next.  Many things in these issues are never totally explained, but as you read on in the following volumes you see how Remender has crafted a tight timeline that uses time-travel, cloning, and waring aliens in the best possible way to develop both the overall story of the universe that the events play out in, but also the character of Heath Houston; who is at first a bit of a one-trick pony.  As you invest more into the character of Heath, you see how deep the emotions run and why he is the person that he is.  In a lot of ways the story presented here is all set up for the bigger and better things to come.

Overall, I love Fear Agent, though the first trade here is not as strong a story as what comes after.  It ends in one hell of a cliffhanger that will make you want to run out buy the next trade though, which is great.  The writing by Remender is very good and only gets better as the series progresses and the art by Moore is kind of the opposite.  Don't get me wrong, I love Tony Moore, but he is kind of an artistic cock-tease at times.  He will produce a couple very strong issues and then have a couple weaker ones and then someone else will take over (for more examples of this see The Walking Dead, Venom, Ghost Rider, Punisher, or DMZ).  His first issues are always so strong, it is just frustrating to see work from him that looks and feels rushed, which this does at times.  It is a very good read and a series you should stick with till the end to get so many questions answered and have one hell of a time getting to those answers.  If you like action, space, Texas, swearing, aliens, monsters, drinking, and rocket ships that look like rockets: this is the book for you.

Tradio #17 - Avengers Prime

Welcome back!  Today's Tradio is the recent trade collecting Avengers Prime by Brian Michael Bendis and Alan Davis. 

Avengers Prime collects the five issue mini series by the same name that tells a tale of how three of the mainstays of the Avengers deal with the aftermath of the massive Siege storyline.  As Thor, Ironman, and Captain America deal with the fallout of their shattered friendships and, in many ways, shattered lives they get flung into different realms with no clear way home.  Eventually they find each other and have to work together to discover the mystery of where they have been sent and how they could possibly get back to Earth.  The story is full of giants and demons, gods and warriors and we get to see how these three are able to overcome their own differences and be the heroes and friends they are meant to be. 

I liked the trade a lot.  The story is really good and you really get an idea of what these three have been through together and that ultimately their friendship is more important than past transgressions.  If anything, the story is a little off if you aren't familier with the Siege storyline and what happened between these three heroes.  Additionally, you do have to suspend some disbelief in the fact that Ironman had really been a complete dick to Captain America before Siege and it felt like this tied things up a little too neatly.  Bendis is his typical self, with a lot of talking heads, but there is room for action in this story that is on the whole, a quick read.  That said, it is a lot of fun and the art by Alan Davis is nothing short of spectacular.  It reminds me in a lot of ways of his best work with Excalibur and his sense of layouts is amazing.  Overall...an easy recommendation of a recent good, self-contained mini series from Marvel.

Tradio #16 - Something At The Window Is Scratching

Happy Halloween!  Today is a special edition Tradio for Something at the Window is Scratching by Roman Dirge and published by SLG Publishing.

This special Monday edition of Tradio focuses on a very non-traditional graphic novel by a very non-traditional creator.  Something at the Window is Scratching is a collection of poetry and art by Roman Dirge.  If you aren't familiar with Dirge, he is the creator of Lenore, (the cute little dead girl) and a friend and collaborator of Jhonen Vasquez, the creator of Invader Zim.  The volume is full of dark and delightful tales that reflect the dark humor of Dirge himself.  Varying from a page of text to several pages, Something at the Window is Scratching is filled with short pieces of poetry that tell stories that range from the disturbing to the funny and everything in between.  It is a lot of fun and the art that goes with each poem is dark and moody and wonderful.  You owe it to yourself to read this work.  Here is a short selection entitled, "weird family, weird baby". 

It's not a question
of maybe -
A weird family
makes a weird baby.

Children's tales for disturbed children indeed.  Have fun trick or treating...save me a popcorn ball.

Tradio #15 - Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft

This week's Tradio closes out October by bringing you Locke & Key, Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez and published by IDW.

That's JOE Hill...not JONAH Hill...totally different.  One is an amazing comic writer and son of Stephen King...the other is the chubby friend from Superbad.  Anyway, Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft tells the first story of the Locke family.  They are moving into their ancestral family home in the town of Lovecraft, Massachusetts after a great tragedy befalls one of their number.  Which one and why...well, that would be giving away way too much of a great story that you really need to experience for yourself.  What I will say is that there is a death that follows them and affects each member of the remaining family in a different way and the new home is full of it's own secrets that will lead to more and more story points as the series progresses.  If this first trade does not grab you, you may need a new hobby that doesn't involve reading.  The story is tight and full of twists and turns and the art is nothing short of perfect in both tone and execution.  Gabriel Rodriguez is a name that you are going to be hearing for many years to come...mark my words. 

But did I like it?  No...I loved it and you will too.  Why Fox passed on making this a series, I will never know, but you owe it to yourself to read this.  Settle in on a cool autumn night with a warm beverage and prepare to be scared and amazed as the best of a genre makes you remember why you love reading books with pictures in them.  Enjoy and see you back on Halloween for a surprise.

And now I know why they call it Rage...

Rage.  It is something I have struggled with for years...the emotion that is.  I have been known to get mad at the drop of a hat and go into a tirade that that is both scary and embarrassing.  Ask my kids...they will tell you all about Daddy's rage.  Now, Rage, the video game, I only struggled with for about about 20 hours. I guess "struggle" is the wrong word for it because overall, I really liked the game.  It is flat out beautiful and the shooting is as tight and responsive as any FPS you can find.  The problem with Rage is that for all it's highs, the lows are just...well...odd.  Odd choices in style.  Odd choices in focus.  Odd choices in how it all ultimately plays out.  So...let's jump into Rage and see what we can figure out.

Lets spend some time under the hood with this game.  First off, it can not be said enough just how pretty and smooth this game is.  It runs at a full on 60 frames per second through the entire game with no slow down whatsoever.  Considering just how pretty this game is and how much can be happening on screen at any one time, this is nothing short of amazing.  The textures and details are second to none on a console game and though there has been some people complain about the pop in of textures at times, it is only for a second as you enter from a loading screen...at least on the XBox 360 version.  Locales are varied and though you are in a destroyed future, there is a lot more to it than just dirt and rust.  Secondly, the control is spot on.  The first person controls are great and the gun play that you can get into is pretty amazing.  This is really no question since the game comes of ID software, who pretty much invented the FPS so many years ago.  Finally, the AI of the enemy characters in the game are great.  Taking cover, running away, strafing you...they can be pretty brutal and they aren't afraid to come after you in groups if need be.  There are "monster closets" at times, but when it happens, it totally makes sense in the context of the game and I never found it that annoying.

Next up is the game itself and the story.  This is the part that I am really at odds with.  The story is standard with no big twists or turns, but you get to do a variety of things that are fun.  It was always enjoyable to enter a new area and clean out the baddies and see what kind of variation you would see.  As you progress, you have an ever expanding arsenal at your disposal and how you approach new situations is up to you.  Want to sneak in?  Go for it!  Want to craft and send in a remote drone to blow up a group of enemies?  Why not?!?!  Want to shot a mind-control arrow into one person and have him take out those around him?  You can do that too!  It was a lot of fun to play with what was given and find junk to construct items and ammo with to help you feel like a bad ass.  In a lot of good ways, the game reminded me of Borderlands, with central points that you travel from in your dune buggy to get to other points to complete missions, though that travel from place to place was never as fun as Borderlands or as open-ended.  The times when you were in the dune buggy were just to get from place to place and though you had to fight other vehicles along the way, there weren't a lot of reasons to get out along the way.  The one other time dune buggies were important is one part that I didn't really care for in the game.  The races.  There is this whole race culture built into the game where from time to time you had to participate in a race to get a better vehicle to use out in the wasteland.  While the racing was OK in and of itself, it just was not as much fun as the actual FPS sections, which I wish is where they had spent time focusing on more missions.  A lot of the racing is optional, but if you don't do a lot of it like me, you may not get your worth out of what is offered.  Additionally, the multiplayer is ONLY this racing component, which is really a sad waste in my opinion.  Cooping the regular story would have been a blast.  Overall, the game is structured like an open-world game...but it really isn't THAT open-world.  You can tackle some things at the hud towns when you want, but when you get to the mission destinations, it is pretty much a straight shot from beginning to end with no reason to go back unless you get a new mission from a Job Board to go back.  There are mini games in the hub towns which are fun and can earn you some cash, with a card game setting you to scour the missions for new cards to build a better deck to play with (which was actually a ton of fun). 

Overall, I liked the game, but in the end, it left me wanting more...and not in a good way.  The ending it terrible.  There is a huge set up, but the last mission isn't very hard, has no boss fight (though it makes you think there will be), and all you end up doing is press some buttons, shot some baddies, and watching a cut scene with no way to continue playing in this "open-world" after the credits.  I might have gone back and raced some if I had been given the option to go back, but there as not real reason to or even permission to do that.  Is it a huge failure?  No...not in the least, but I wish it had been give some more time to get the parts that didn't work as well more time to develop.  This time of year is so choked with games anyway, giving a new IP like this a early summer release would have been spot on.  As it is, it is going to get lost with mediocre reviews and quick trade-ins.  It is certainly worth playing and DLC may improve things down the line, but if that is the case, it might be worth putting off playing for a while until we know that for sure.  As for buying new or used...well the new copy came with some sewer levels that I only ended up finding one of the nine of them available.  They are scattered through the wasteland, so unless you are really looking, you will never find them on accident and all they really give is more ammo, which you can buy anyway.  I would go used...but that is just me.  Hope that helps anyone on the fence about this really good game.  I hope they do a Rage II, Rage Harder in a few years...

Tradio #14 - The Roberts

This week's Tradio is the moody and very dark The Roberts, written by Justin Shady/Wayne Chinsang and illustrated by Eric Rose and published by Image Comics.

The Roberts collects the two issue mini series that tells the story of old people in an old folks home.  I will dispense with making jokes about that in and of itself since the last time I did, I got in trouble at work.  The interesting part of that is that two of these senior citizens are serial killers.  Well, they are retired from that "job" but they both have the distinction of being very famous for what they did and also for not getting caught.  What would happen if The Boston Strangler and The Zodiac Killer ended up together at the Shady Acres Retirement Home?  Would they be best of friends?  Bitter rivals?  Would they even be able to tell what each other are?  The story, told through photo-referenced, black-and-white art tells this tale in a way that makes you see the world through the point of view of each man as they slowly wind down in the winter of their lives.  Suspenseful and often tragic, it lets you see how these two men named Robert go about their lives when they suspect that someone else very much like them is in their midst.

Overall, I really like the story.  Long on dialogue, but given the length of the overall material, it doesn't out-stay it's welcome.  The art suits the tone of the story though you can tell at times just how photo-referenced it is.  Additionally, in this volume it includes a lot of extra material that shows what they writer and art used as inspiration and research and even reprints some very disturbing letters from other serial killers that the writer contacted.  Lots of good here that you can't go wrong with.

Maybe I Need An Intervention - My Secret Public Addiction

T-shirts...yeah...I love t-shirts.  Anyone who knows me well at all knows that I just can't help myself.  I see a cool one in an XL and I needs it!  One thing though that I get asked all the time is, "Patrick, what is your problem?!?!"  But more importantly, I get asked a lot, "Where do you get all those cool t-shirts?" So, I figured this would be a good place for me to post about that and point some of you all down the horrible road to finacial and closet space ruin that I am currently in.

Shirt.Woot - The Website that really started it all for me.  A new shirt everyday, a weekly contest where the top three, viewer voted-on designs are made, and the top 20 selling designs always in stock; there is always something new and the shirts themselves are good quality.  The designs run from art shirts to spins on pop culture.  Always something new and cool to see with the shirt of the day always being $5 cheaper than on subsequent days and best of all...free shipping! 

TeeFury - Another new t-shirt every day sites, but this one is one day only.  Once it is gone, it is gone with only the occasional grab bag offer to get you something you missed.  As good of quality as Shirt.Woot shirts with styles that tend to be very television and movie reference heavy.

Tanga - Tanga is an oddball on my list.  They have a lot of things that they have on sale everyday, as well as a t-shirt that is often very funny.  Most of the t-shirts are of the "words on a shirt" variety, but the styles are offered for more than one day and are available until they sell out.

Ript - Ript is very much like TeeFury in both offering and themes, though the shirts themselves are thinner and don't wash as well.  Might want to get a little bigger size if you get one from there because of shrinkage.

Think Geek - So many good things on Think Geek, with t-shirts having a big part.  Good selection, good quality shirts and you can usually find a coupon to help with the price if you buy several things...and I dare you not to buy several things.

Threadless - Lots and lots of original artists' designs that cover pretty much anything you would be looking for with regard to a unique shirt.  Can be kind of pricey though, so best to watch and wait for sales.

Tee Magnet - While not a site that sells a shirt itself, it is an aggrigator site that showcases many different sites shirts that are available that day.  A good place to check into daily to see if there is something that you have to have.

Tee Trade - Missed a shirt and can't find it?  Don't want to pay through the nose on eBay?  Stuck with some grab bag shirts that you will never, ever wear?  Tee Trade might be a good place to try.  Make an account and add shirts you have and ones that you are interested in and then see if you can trade straight for something you want.  Sometimes people will even sell pretty reasonably to you at pretty much cost.  Worth a look.

There are a lot of other places online to look for t-shirts.  Cafe Press, T-Shirt Hell, 80s T's, just to name a few, but I haven't used them...at least lately and can't really saw how they are.  What I can say is that if you want a something like a straight-up Thundercats t-shirt, just go to Target or Walmart or even Old Navy.  Cheaper than most places and no shipping.  Good luck in your hunt for the perfect shirt and if you become a hopeless addict like myself, I have formed a support group.  We meet Fridays @ 8pm.  Bring your own coffee...see you soon!

What's In The Box?!?!...again...

Hey gang...since you all seemed to like to see what I got in th mail that one time from Discount Comic Book Service, I thought I would post another one with a my supersized order for September that I got early this week.  It was pretty amazing...

Am I the only person who gets excited when I know that there is a package coming in the mail?  I love checking and rechecking the tracking confirmation until I know it is waiting on my front porch for me to carefully tear in to.  The box this time was pretty big and heavy.

So much stuff...and ooooooohhhhhh...a new t-shirt.

So...what do we have here?  Well, we have the new Previews with Marvel suppliment, nine single issues (two issues of X-Factor, two issues of The Boys, three issues of the Thunderbolts, Wolverine: Debt of Death, and a issue of Avengers Academy), twelve trades (American Vampire, Axe Cop, Avengers Prime, Irredeemable, Uncanny X-Force, Chew, Hellboy, Morning Glories, Wolverine, Crossed, iZombie, and Uncanny X-Men), and an awesome SHIELD t-shirt.  Pretty sweet haul, don't you think.  One of the biggest reasons it was so big was that my order got held an extra week to wait for the new Previews to get released, so it usually isn't that big of an order, but it was nice all the same. Some of the trades, I am giving something a shot to see if I will like it.  Like American Vampire, Uncanny X-Force, Avengers Prime, and Uncanny X-Men and the rest are all things I like.  Some I like more than others, but overall they still get my money whenever they come out (especially Chew and Hellboy).  Anyway, hope you see something there that might peak your interest and have you head down to your LCS (like Collectables Etc. if you are in the Central Kentucky Area).  Thanks for looking in my box.  Till next time, imaginary readers.