Movie of the Week: King of Hearts

King of Hearts (Le Roi de coeur) by Philippe De Broca.

I used the Japanese poster (in which the name of the film is changed to Imaginary War Town) instead of the western versions .

Sadly, I couldn't find a trailer.

-Swinebread

My New Comics

This week’s best cover is Omega The Unknown #10.


Squadron Supreme #1, Marvel Comics.

Conan The Cimmerian #1, Dark Horse Comics.

Brothers in Arms #2, Dynamite Entertainment.

Star Trek: Assignment Earth #3, IDW. (late)

Zorro #5, Dynamite Entertainment.

Omega The Unknown Marvel Comics.

1985 #3, Marvel Comics.

War is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #5, Marvel Comics.


Trade Paperbacks:
I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets Fantagraphics. The weird world of Fletcher Hanks.


Magazines:
Back Issue # 29, TwoMorrows Publishing. An in-depth look at the X-men and other Marvel mutants.


-Swinebread

My New Comics

This week’s best cover is Men of Mystery #71.


Iron Man: Legacy of Doom #4, Marvel Comics.

Red Sonja #35, Dynamite Entertainment.

Army of Darkness/Xena #4, Dynamite Entertainment.

Wolfskin #1, Avatar.

Men of Mystery #71, AC Comics.

The Stand Sketchbook Marvel Comics.

The Last Defenders #5, Marvel Comics.


Trade Paperbacks:
Usagi Yojimbo: Tomoe’s Story Vol 22, Dark Horse.

Aces: Curse of the Red Baron AiT/Planet Lar.

North Wind Boom Studios.


-Swinebread

My New Comics

This week’s best cover is Anna Mercury #2.


Zorro #4, Dynamite Entertainment.

War is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #4, Marvel Comics. Wow, I hope this WWI comic can have even more talking heads. ZZZZZZzzzz

Anna Mercury #2, Avatar.

Cthulhu Tales #3, Boom Studios.

The Un-Men #11, DC Comics.

Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters #4, Dynamite Entertainment.

Streets of Glory #5, Avatar.


Trade Paperbacks
Y the Last Man vol 10. DC Comics.

Conan: Born on the Battlefield Dark Horse Comics.


-Swinebread

My New Comics

This week’s best cover is Amazing Spiderman #560.


War is Hell: First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #3, Marvel Comics.

Brothers In Arms #1, Dynamite Entertainment. WWII Action.

Star Trek: Assignment Earth #1, IDW. Gary 7 is back.

The End League #3, Dark Horse Comics.

Amazing Spiderman #560, Marvel Comics. I got this for one reason, the cover.

Fall of Cthulhu #12, Boom Studios. Boy, is this late.

Magazine
Alter Ego #76, TwoMorrows Publishing. This issue has been out for awhile but it has a nice interview with Joe Simon.


-Swinebread

My New Comics

This week’s best cover is War Is Hell: First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #1.


Brave And The Bold #11, DC Comics.Ultraman! I love those Crime Syndicate Guys.

Red Sonja #31, Dynamite Entertainment.

War Is Hell: First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #1, Marvel Comics/MAX. I’ve been enjoying DC’s Enemy Ace, so now I get to delve into Marvel’s WWI Ace (Phantom Eagle) with this new story. It features art by Howard Chaykin, who incidentally did a few Enemy Ace stories.

Shadowpact #23, DC Comics.

Jungle Girl #5, Dynamite Entertainment. A cliff hanger ending leads to a 2nd mini-series in this Lost World-like adventure.


Magazine:
Back Issue #27, Twomorrows Publishing. The Royalty Issue, great article on Dr. Doom.


-Swinebread

Death in the Wild Blue Yonder

I’m about 75% of the way through my copy of Showcase Presents: Enemy Ace and I must say it’s been one of the best silver/bronze age comics that I have read. Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert (which write and draw, respectively, most of the stories) have really created something special here. Choosing a German pilot and setting the stories in WWI was an inspired choice because it allows the reader to dispense with the usual jingoistic tripe and focus on one man’s hellish struggle to stay alive and sane during combat. The main character, Hans von Hammer, is an allegory to the Red Baron but with a pulpy goodness that only a DC war comic could provide. In some ways his personality is the opposite of another Bronze Age comic character I like, Conan the Barbarian but they both have the same evocative, brooding nature.

There’s just something about WWI air combat that lends itself to great storytelling: the newness of the technology, the sense of dying chivalry, and the aloneness of the expanding sky. The last frontier has been opened and it’s used for bringing death. There’s also the sense of the duel, which recalls both knights defending their honor and an old west shootout like the OK Corral. It was Europe’s chance to play Cowboys and Indians except everybody was a Cowboy.

I have always had a passing interest in WWI aviation history and Showcase Presents: Enemy Ace, has brought that back to me of late. I started looking around the net reading articles about WWI aircraft and people again. While skimming a wikipedia article on Manfred von Richthofen, I noticed that a Red Baron movie is coming out this year. It’s a European production that plays a little loose with the facts but it still looks to be a first-rate film nonetheless. One of the things that stood out is that Lena Headey of Terminator: the Sarah Conner Chronicles fame has a significant role in the film as Nurse Kate. It will be interesting to see her in a softer role after her turn as the hardcore, kick ass mom.


Red Baron Shots:



In a sick sense of simpatico, I had just finished reading an Enemy Ace story of a puppy falling to it’s death when the news story of a marine killing a puppy by throwing off a cliff showed up in the news… scary… and sad…


-Swinebread