Wonder if you can make a difference?

DC COMICS had decided that it’s charitable focus for the company will be through an ongoing campaign called WE CAN BE HEROES which utilizes their Super Heroes to raise money to assist with Hunger Relief efforts in the Horn of Africa.  Throughout the year, DC is holding periodic campaigns which allows fans to donate money to the campaign, receive some unique and interesting swag for their contribution, and get a tax deduction too!  Donations to WE CAN BE HEROES will be used to assist three non-profits: SAVE THE CHILDREN, MERCYCORPS, INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE.

Earlier this year DC hosted campaigns themed around BATMAN and SUPERMAN, and is currently hosting a 6-week fundraiser based upon THE JUSTICE LEAGUE.  Starting September 14, 2013  through the end of October there will be unique items revolving around the members of the Justice League that you can purchase to assist the campaign:

September 24 – Wonder Woman

October 1^st – Green Lantern & Green Arrow

October 8^th – Aquaman, Flash, Cyborg

October 15^th – Batman & Superman

October 22^nd – The Justice League

This week’s theme is Wonder Woman - check out these swag items you can pick up as part of the WE CAN BE HEROES campaign:

$10 – 5 digital comics (Wonder Woman Issues 0 – 5)

$25 – A print edition Superman/Wonder Woman comic with a special WE CAN BE HEROES variant collectable cover.

$30 – A one year print subscription to your choice of either Aquaman, Batman/Superman, Green Lantern, Justice League or Wonder Woman comics

$45 – An exclusive  Superman/Wonder Woman T-shirt

$50- The Wonder Woman Encyclopedia signed by creative talent Phil Jimenez

$150 – A signed lithograph by artist Adam Hughes. Plus you get a $66 dollar tax deduction!!!

$200 – Wonder Woman's famous wrist cuffs, plus they throw in an autographed Adam Hughes lithograph and one of the Wonder Woman/Superman t-shirts

$550 – plated gold Wonder Woman jewelry set – they also throw in the Adam Hughes autographed lithograph and one of the Wonder Woman/Superman t-shirts .  Add in a $180 dollar tax deduction too!

And for the GRAND PRIZE – Meet the original Wonder Woman for a donation of $10,000.

DC COMICS will fly you to New York to meet Linda Carter and throws in everything mentioned above. 

Remember the perks will change each week so if you see something you like don’t wait too long to purchase it and keep looking back for new collectables and interesting superhero items.

To participate in the WE CAN BE HEROES CAMPAIGN, visit:   http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dc-entertainment-we-can-be-heroes-justice-league-edition

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SEPTEMBER IS DC COMICS - VILLAINS MONTH

Two years ago DC Comics did a major reboot of their comic book franchises stopping every story line and restarting each one from scratch.  They called this the NEW 52 and decades of past character canon was erased with all of their comic book titles starting again at ISSUE #1.  In celebration of the 2^nd anniversary of the New 52, DC is focusing the month of September on its villains with a new villain focused mini-series and each of the publisher’s normal monthly titles will be special stand alone villain focused stories.

VILLIANS MONTH kicks off on September 4^th with first full DC universe event of the New 52 era, Issue #1 of a 7 issue mini-series called Forever Evil.  It appears from what transpired in the August issue of Justice League that the super heroes are dead and the villains have inherited the Earth. Forever Evil promises to be an epic tale from the perspective of the world’s greatest super villains

Throughout the month of September, DC Comics is also releasing 52 villain-centered specials spinning out of their top tier titles.  As a result, all of the DC COMICS – THE NEW 52 titles have been renamed to spotlight different villains.  Some of the comics will be on the villain’s origins or background, while others will be a one-shot story or jumping-on point for an October storyline when the comics go back to their super hero focus.  Each of the 52 villain titles will feature a 3D cover, but unfortunately because of issues with the production process and tremendous demand for these they will be hard if not impossible to find.  There will also be traditional non-3D covers for all of these comic books. The 3D will retail at $3.99 and regular cover versions will be $2.99.  If you want the 3D version, I’d suggest you visit a comic book store on the Wednesday morning when the titles are released as soon as it opens or see if you can still preorder a copy from a retailer. Here are examples of a traditional cover vs the new 3D version:

If you want to see the DC universe from the bad guys’ perspective don’t miss out on picking up some comic books during VILLAINS MONTH. Here is a listing of the Villain comic books that will be released in relationship to the normal DC the New 52 monthly titles:

BATMAN #23.1: THE JOKER  BATMAN #23.2: THE RIDDLER
BATMAN #23.3: THE PENGUIN BATMAN #23.4:BANE

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #23.1: THE VENTRILOQUIS BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #23.2: MR. BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #23.3: CLAYFACE BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #23.4: THE JOKER’S DAUGHTER

DETECTIVE COMICS #23.1: POISON IVY DETECTIVE COMICS #23.2: HARLEY QUINNDETECTIVE COMICS #23.3: THE SCARECROW  DETECTIVE COMICS #23.4: MAN-BAT

BATMAN AND ROBIN #23.1: TWO-FACE
BATMAN AND ROBIN #23.2: THE COURT OF OWLS
BATMAN AND ROBIN #23.3: RA’S AL GHUL AND THE LEAGUE OF ASSASSINS
BATMAN AND ROBIN #23.4: KILLER CROC

ACTION COMICS #23.1: CYBORG SUPERMAN
ACTION COMICS #23.2: GENERAL ZOD
ACTION COMICS #23.3: LEX LUTHOR
ACTION COMICS #23.4: METALLO

SUPERMAN #23.1: BIZARRO SUPERMAN #23.2: BRAINIAC  SUPERMAN #23.3: H’EL            SUPERMAN #23.4: PARASITE 

JUSTICE LEAGUE #23.1: DARKSEID
JUSTICE LEAGUE #23.2: LOBO
JUSTICE LEAGUE #23.3: SECRET SOCIETY OF VILLAINS
JUSTICE LEAGUE #23.4: DIAL E

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7.1: DEADSHOT
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7.2: KILLER FROST
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7.3: SHADOW THIEF
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7.4: BLACK ADAM

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #23.1: THE CREEPER  JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #23.2: ECLIPSO

GREEN LANTERN #23.1: RELIC  GREEN LANTERN #23.2: MONGUL                                                GREEN LANTERN #23.3: BLACK HAND  GREEN LANTERN #23.4: SINESTRO

THE FLASH #23.1: GRODD
THE FLASH #23.2: REVERSE-FLASH
THE FLASH #23.3: THE ROGUES

WONDER WOMAN #23.1: THE CHEETAH
WONDER WOMAN #23.2: FIRST BORN

AQUAMAN #23.1: BLACK MANTA
AQUAMAN #23.2: OCEAN MASTER

GREEN ARROW #23.1: COUNT VERTIGO

EARTH 2 #15.1: DESAAD   EARTH 2 #15.2: SOLOMON GRUNDY

SWAMP THING #23.1: ARCANE

TEEN TITANS #23.1: TRIGON
TEEN TITANS #23.2: DEATHSTROKE

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #3.1: DOOMSDAY 

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DC COMICS HAS DOUBLE SUCCESS WITH ITS VIDEO GAME & COMIC BOOK DYNAMIC DUO

My college years were filled with a lot of late evenings tackling my buddies in exhausting bouts of combat as we all strove to be the campus champion in Mortal Kombat.  This game had cutting edge graphics and features for the time and was a great way to release some of our scholarly anxieties and just have some youthful rambunctious fun.  I've wondered over the years why video game publishers have never made an exhilarating combat game that allows players to bash comic book super heroes and villains  against one another.  Well the waiting ended this year when the creators of Mortal Kombat took its game engine updated with today's graphics and processing technology to produce INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US.

INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US pits the DC Comics super heroes of "our universe" against their personalities from an alternate dimension on  Xbox and PlayStation consoles.  The game play is fun and full of special effects and feature moves that keeps the games interesting.  It's a brawling good time for fans of Superman, Batman and the like.  The weakness of the games is an odd ball plot and lacking script for the game's "story" but that is overcome by the sheer fun of the game's one-on-one battle sequences.

Don't fret though because DC has addressed the limitations of the game's script with an incredible new comic
book series with the same name as the video game but with its own stand alone in-depth story.   Often times these type of tie-in comics are just meant for marketing purposes and don't have a lot of effort put into them making them not worth a glance, but I have to say DC has embraced this effort and made this an extraordinary piece of work.  I was riveted to the pages while reading it and enthralled by the storyline of this comic book series.  The comic has decent artwork but it is the story that draws your interest and hooks you.  This was one of the best comic book reads I've had in a few years and highly recommend it whether or not you are interested in the video game.

While of course the story has super hero battles it also has a philosophical undertone exploring the balancing
act of giving up "freedom" to gain "security" that combined with good character plots and scripting makes this title a winner.  The comic book series revolves around how an injustice is done to Superman and how superheroes based upon that act as "gods" among mankind in response.  There really are some hard hitting sequences in this comic that go a lot darker than the "Smallville" type portrayal of the DC universe that many people associate with its super heroes.

The story starts with the Joker tricking Superman into killing his pregnant wife, Lois Lane as well as their unborn child, with his bare hands and in the process also causing a nuclear explosion that decimates his adopted home of Metropolis killings it entire population of 11 million people.  This pushes Superman to his breaking point.  He pledges to stop all violence in the world.  Instead of protecting humanity from threats so they have the freedom of self determination, the Man of Steel determines that he well  decide the rules by which mankind conducts itself and behaves.  This places Superman at odds with Batman who doesn't believe that super heroes should be acting like "gods among us" in determining how much freedom or control the people of Earth should have over their own behavior.

 The plot of INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US really places Superman who has been know for upholding "truth, justice, and the American way" into a grey area between good guy and bad guy which is highlighted in one scene where he tries to put down a citizen protest and is yelled down being told "you think you can come here and hover above us all with a scowl and some special powers and tell us what to do?"  This dynamic really makes the story an entertaining read that I couldn't put down.  So far I haven't figured out if the comic book story is taking place in an "alternate reality" like the video game and is explaining how the Superman Regime from the game began or is supposed to be taking place in the "main stream" DC universe.  While there are similarities between some things in the game script and the comic book story there are also lots of differences too. DC Comics does call the series a prequel to the video game though which has to make you think maybe this is the alternate reality setup.  I guess I'll have to just keep reading to find out.

Missed the monthly serial issues of the comic? Don't worry you can catch up with the first 5 issues all bundled together as a hardcover edition.  INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US - VOLUME 1 went on sale August 13, 2013.  Check it out!

Also if you are interested in the game console video game and/or the comic book there also is a great iPad game that I've downloaded and been playing quite a bit lately...it's become my favorite game beating out Angry Birds: Star Wars for my attention...and its FREE.  I just beat a number of challenges to add General Zod to my online cast of characters.  You can download the game from the iTunes store.

Kudos to DC Comics for making their INJUSTICE video game and comic book a great dynamic duo!

DISCLAIMER:  I was provided a complimentary digital advance readers edition pdf of INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US-VOLUME 1 from the publisher.  I was not compensated for this review and the thoughts and opinions in this post are my own.

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Comedy Duo Parodies Blockbuster Movies & Hit TV Shows with Children in Song

Who needs to watch blockbuster movies or hit television series when you can watch instead online episodes of MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICAL.  Self-proclaimed "Internetainers" Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal who are known for producing humorous online videos have scripted and casted a troop of want-to-be child actors for a series of YouTube performances that mock the High School Musical movies and GLEE by performing parodies of movies and television shows.  The Middle School Musical clips portray the vibe of being at a junior high drama club performance combined with the witty scripting of Rhett & Link and entertaining performances by their tween cast.

So far there are three Middle School Musical performances that parody STAR TREK, SUPERMAN, & BREAKING BAD.  Word of mouth, Facebook LIKES & twitter RTs are getting around about this new sensation and if YouTube views continue to skyrocket I'm sure there will be more Middle School Musical performances to come! Check them out!

So which MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICAL is your favorite?

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Be SUPER & Donate to the We Can Be Heroes Campaign

DC COMICS has taken on the challenge of fighting hunger in Africa this year with its WE CAN BE HEROES campaign.  Throughout the year there will be special limited period campaigns themed around a specific DC COMICS super hero to raise money for charities that do relief work in the Horn of Africa.  The first campaign of the year was themed around the dark knight BATMAN.  Now through July 8, 2013 you can make a donation that will support the WE CAN BE HEROES campaign and gets you a tax deduction &  SUPERMAN themed swag in return for your contribution.

Here is a list of perks for donating to the WE CAN BE HEROES campaign:

$10 = 5 Superman digital comic downloads (Superman #22, Supergirl #22, Superboy #22, Action Comics #23 & Superman Unchained #1)

$25 = Superman Unchained #1 print edition with an exclusive We Can Be Heroes variant cover by Jim Lee

$30 = A one year print subscription to your choice of either Action Comics, Batman/Superman or Justice League

$35 = a signed DVD of the animated movie Superman Unbound by its director James Tucker

$45 = an exclusive We Can Be Heroes themed t-shirt featuring Superman

$50 = an exclusive New Era snapback Superman baseball cap

$50 = a special hardcover Superman comic signed by its artist & writer

$75 = a limited edition  24x18 Superman lithograph

And for those people with a little bit more discretionary income to spend check these perks out:

$1,000 = a DC COMICS designed Superman themed kids bedroom

$5,000 = you will be drawn as a character into the storyline of an actual issue of Action Comics – the longest ever running comic book series.

$25,000 = DC COMICS artist extraordinaire Jim Lee will come to your house, or another location of your choice in your home town, and paint a mural for you.

For more information or to contribute:  http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dc-entertainment-we-can-be-heroes-superman-edition?c=home

Proceeds from the WE CAN BE HEROES campaign are being donated to SAVE THE CHILDREN, MERCY CORPS, and THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE.

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MAN OF STEEL DAY is on WEDNESDAY!!!

UPDATE (6/13/2013):  I had a fun trip with my kids to enjoy MAN OF STEEL DAY at the local comic book store.  We picked up the FREE Superman comic book and some other movie swag plus bought the new Superman Unchained comic and Star Wars #6 for me and an Ice Age one for my son and a My Little Pony for my daughter.  Than we read our comics while enjoying some Superman Ice Cream on the back porch. 

ORIGINAL POST:

Stop by your local comic book store this Wednesday (June 12, 2013) and you can pick up a FREE Superman issue!  To promote the release of the new Superman movie that opens at theaters next weekend, DC Entertainment has declared June 12 as MAN OF STEEL DAY.

People who stop by participating retailers on June 12^th will receive a complimentary comic book; ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly.   The free comic promotion is provided through the generous sponsorship of SEARS.  In addition to the FREE comic book, Warner Brothers will be providing promotional posters and bags for the movie to encourage people to hit theaters starting on Friday to see the new MAN OF STEEL film.  Some comic book stores will also be holding other promotional tie-ins and contests to reward fans who stop in on Wednesday for MAN OF STEEL DAY.  

For those readers who don’t normally frequent comic book shops, Wednesdays are the day of the week when retailers stock new issues on their shelves.  June 12 will feature a brand new Superman title hitting shelves for sale as DC debuts a new series called SUPERMAN UNCHAINED by bestselling comic creators Jim Lee and Scott Snyder.  In addition to SUPERMAN UNCHAINED having extra value in being the very first issue in a new series, the comic will also have a bonus two-sided poster (11”x18”) that can be easily removed for display.

Can’t make it to the comic book store on Wednesday? DC Entertainment has also teamed up with SEARS to make ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION available for FREE via online outlets such as  Comixology, iBook/iTunes, and Kindle).  Additionally, they will be having a .99 cent per issue MAN OF STEEL DAY sale making hundreds of Superman comics available all day on these online platforms at this special reduced pricing.

If you can’t wait until Wednesday, here’s a little secret for you … you can download ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION as of today (June 9) on the DC Comics web portal for FREE:   http://www.readdcentertainment.com/free-comicsor Comixology! I just downloaded it on Comixology right before posting this blog entry.  Beware there it is also posted at its regular price of on the digital store at $1.99 so you have to look for the FREE version. It also appears to still be $1.99 on iTunes and Kindle right now so if you utilize those platforms you may have to wait a few more days to download it.  The ALL STAR SUPERMAN series focuses on the classic aspects of the Superman mythos starting with his daring rescue of a doomed group of astronauts on the surface of the sun.  All the solar radiation affects Superman in a way no one would have predicted-well no one that is except for Lex Luthor!  ALL STAR SUPERMAN is an award-winning twelve-issue series and this FREE comic is the first one in the story arc.  If you like the first issue, but may not want to buy the rest of the issues, here’s a hint for you too: they made the series into an animated movie and you can stream it on Netflix.  I haven’t seen it yet but have added it to my Instant Queue to watch it online.  Note it is rated PG and recommended for a viewing audience of 12+ - also some of the reviews note that while it is a nice film to watch it is missing some elements from the comic books and not as good as actually reading the print series.

This week should be a great time to be a Superman fan! Enjoy MAN OF STEEL DAY on June 12^thand the movie starting on June 14^th.  I’ve picked up some Superman Ice Cream (peanut allergy safe – that was a superman task in itself) and will be enjoying that with my kids before we take a trip to the local comic book store. So we’re making a fun day out of the whole promotion!  If you have younger kids like me you may also want to check with your local library to see if they are hosting an event on Saturday, June 15.  1,000 libraries across the country will be hosting MAN OF STEEL events courtesy of Random House Publishing.  Children (note the word children) will receive FREE buttons, book marks, and Superman comic books at these library events.

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WE CAN BE HEROES – COMICS HELPING CHARITY

A few weeks ago DC COMICS launched a campaign to raise money for charitable relief to address the hunger problems in Africa.  Their campaign, WE CAN BE HEROES, is raising money for several reputable charities including  Save the Children, International Rescue Committee, and Mercy Corps be offering special Batman themed items and promotions to people who make donations.  WE CAN BE HEROES has been very successful exceeding its initial goal of raising $50,000 in donations to have already received more than $139,000 in contributions.  Every dollar counts and can make an impact in the services these charities can provide to those in need so check out their website www.indiegogo.com/projects/dc-entertainment-we-can-be-heroes because there are just a few days left to participate.

The campaign is wrapping up at the end of this week– donations need to be made by 11:59pm EST on Friday, May 10, 2013 – so if you’d like to find out more information or make a donation hurry over to the WE CAN BE HEROES website.  Here are few of their donation perks:

 $10 dollar donation will get you a $9 tax deduction and 5 digital copies of BATMAN comics (Batman #20, Detective Comics #20, The Dark Knight #20, Batman & Red Hood #20 & Batman/Superman #1);

$25 dollar donation will get you a print copy of Batman/Superman #1 with an exclusive WE CAN BE HEROES variant cover by the legendary artist Jim Lee along with a $14 tax deduction.

$30 dollar donation gets you a $10 tax deduction and a year’s digital subscription to your choice of either Batman/Superman, Batman, or Detective Comics.

$40 dollar donation will get you an exclusive WE CAN BE HEROES Batman/Superman t-shirt designed by Jim Lee and only available through this campaign and a $14 tax deduction.

What can the money from this fundraiser do to help people in the Horn of Africa?  If the campaign reaches these goals it can:

There are only a few days left so make sure you check out WE CAN BE HEROES before the end of the day on Friday, May 10^th. 

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Wish Superman a Happy Birthday with a Roadtrip to Metropolis

With this year being the 75^th birthday of Superman it seems like a fitting time to go on a road trip to Metropolis, the Illinois town that DC Comics has proclaimed the real life hometown of Superman.  This city on the banks of the Ohio River has embraced celebrating their local hero promoting a 15 foot two-ton statue of Superman in a downtown square, a bronze statue of Lois Lane, a Superman Museum, a local newspaper called “The Metropolis Planet” inspired by the fictional paper “The Daily Planet” from the comic books and movies, and hosts an annual four day festival honoring the Man of Steel.  Metropolis Illinois was even featured in the pages of DC Comics’ “Adventures of Superman #515 which portrayed its residents idolizing the super hero who lives in their “sister” city.  

Across the street from the Superman statue in Metropolis is the “Super Museum” which has a huge display of memorabilia dedicated to the hero.  It has items on display from the original 1951-1953 television show including the harness that was used for George Reeves flight scenes (he would be lifted by a crane and hurled past cityscape sets to portray the illusion of flight) and his original Superman costume which is actually brown and grey in color since red and blue wouldn’t have shown as well on black and white television sets of the time.  The museum also has props from the 1978 Superman movie including the Kryptonian crystals used on screen by Christopher Reeves to build the Fortress of Solitude.  Click here for a gallery to see some of the items on display at the “Super Museum”.   They also have a fully stocked gift shop for all the fans that stop by to visit can take home their own super souvenir from Metropolis. The Super Museum is open 7 days a week from 9 to 5.  Admission is $5 with children under 5 allowed in FREE.

June 6 – 9 will be the city’s 35^th annual SUPERMAN CELEBRATION.  In recognition of the 75^thanniversary of Superman’s creation the festival will be attempting to set the Guinness World Record for “the largest gathering of people dressed as superman”.  Join the effort on June 9 @ 3pm by visiting Superman Square in your full licensed costume! For more information on what you’d need to wear and how to participate call 800-949-5740.

Other activities for the SUPERMAN CELEBRATION include appearances and autograph sessions with “featured” guests from Superman comics, movies, and tv shows; screenings of entries in a fan film festival;   super hero costume contest with a $1,000 prize; a Smallville Prom themed dance party, art and window painting competitions; and a strongman weight lifting competition. For more information, visit www.supermancelebration.net

Superman made his first appearance in Detective Comics (later to become DC Comics) ACTION COMICS #1 (June 1938).  In the 75 years that have followed he has appeared in various comic stories, radio serials, television shows, movies, and video games.  Check out this great poster by  Steve Younis from www.SupermanHomepage.comthat show the various incarnations of Superman over the years:

Also this year there will be two new additions to the Superman mythos.  On June 14^th, a new movie  MAN OF STEEL will be hitting theaters. The movie stars Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as Jonathan & Martha Kent.  Here’s a look at the trailer:

DC Comics is also introducing a new Superman comic book that will hit retailer shelves on June 12 called SUPERMAN  UNCHAINED … but guess what you don’t have to wait until than to see this new version of superman because they will be issuing a special first look story on May 4 for FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

Looking for a fun summer road trip for the family? This year seems like a good one to check out Metropolis, Illinois. 

Oh and if you make the trip don't forget to stop by nearby Fort Massac State Park and check out this really great reproduction you can walk through and explore of an early 1800s fort from an era when Illinois was wilderness territory.

The fort is and its visitor center are open Monday - Friday's 8 am - 4 pm and Saturday/Sunday 10 am - 3:30pm.  On the same weekend as the Superman Celebration, Fort Massac will be holding on June 8, 2013 a special presentation with French & Indian War reenactors and exhibits/demonstrations of French, Native American, and Colonial American life in the 17th and early 18th centuries.  For more information, visit the FORT MASSAC STATE PARK website. While this doesn't have anything to do with Superman, I thought this old fort was really cool and threw its info into this post to let you know about an extra benefit of making a trip to this southern Illinois community. 

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