So, in the interest of being awesome, I thought I would let people know what sort of free stuff they can get if they have the ComiXology apps. Note: I do not work for any of the companies involved, I just think this is awesome and more people need to get on this band wagon, stat. To the best of my knowledge, you must have an iDevice to participate, iPhone, iPad, but there might be web ways to join in as well, I don’t care, I have my iDevice.

Also, other companies do put out free comics but only Marvel does it with such regularity that I have taken to setting my watch to it each week. If another company puts something up, and in good time, I’ll add it to the list, but otherwise Marvel gets top billing.

This week’s free comics via the iUniverse are listed as below:

Daredevil #1 by Stan Lee and Bill Everett
I own the first issue, sorry to brag, but it’s cool to have a digital version to carry around with me. It’s a pretty simple old Lee tale but well worth a look in colour if you’ve only read it B&W in an Essentials volume before, which I haven’t because I own the first issue, did I mention that?

Hulk #7 by Jeph Loeb and Frank Cho
I read the first issue of this series, (free on iApp, natch) and it was good fun. I would never spend money on it, but it was good fun. I’ll read this and probably think the same thing, and then never think of it again.

Ultimates #1 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch
I have been waiting ages to read this comic because Millar hounds always cite it as proof that he’s the best writer since the apostles. For the record, I don’t really dig on Millar’s work, but I will go to this with an open mind.

X-Force #1 by Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost and Clayton Crain
Could be an interesting read, but doubt it’ll hook me.

X-Men: Pheonix Endsong #1 by Greg Pak and Greg Land
This has one of the most iconic covers ever, even if it is just Land tracing stuff (and if you want to see it you can Google it yourself, I couldn’t be stuffed to load it up here), so I’ll read this but not expecting much at all.

Hope you go check them out, download them, read them, talk about them, share them with friends. I love the digital age.

We get comics on Friday in my little Aussie town so it’s the end of ther working week when I pick them up, not Wednesday like the cool American kids.

Some of these will end up being reviewed on CBR, maybe you can guess which ones or just wait to see and enjoy the excitement as I approach my first week on the review team.

In no particular order (or is there…?):

Stumptown #4 by Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth
I have dug how Chandler this opening arc (The Case Of The Girl Who Took Her Shampoo But Left Her Mini) has been. The art is good and though plenty of time between solicitations, I’m still in for this one. I’ll also be looking out for the next arc, The Case of the Baby iin the Velvet Case.

Scarlet #2 by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev
The first issue was the business. I’m hoping for more to suck me right on in.

Shadowland: Elektra One-Shot by Zeb Wells and Emma Rios
I’m kind of digging the Elektra mix into this event and the previews show Rios can draw Elektra and from the Dark Reign mini we all know Wells dominates pretty hard with Elektra, too.

Shadowland #3 by Andy Diggle and Billy Tan
This event isn’t too bad. I don’t think it’s been earnt on many levels but it’s okay and the last issue certainly indicates that this issue should kick it all into high gear.

I Am An Avenger #1 by many
This issue will include a short Iron Fist tale by Duane Swierczynski and Jason Latour. You better believe I’m all over that business right there. This is an anthology tale, and $4, but it’s worth it to promote and love Swierczynski’s Iron Fist which I miss do dearly.

Deadpool: Wade Wilson’s War #4 by Duane Swierczynski and Jason Pearson
This mini has been good, not great, but better than I assume most other DP fare is. Kind of glad this is the final issue, though.

The Boys #46 by Garth Ennis and Russ Braun.
The Boys is teetering on my drop list but this latest arc is actually quite decent. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens after the end of last issue.

And late pick ups from last week are the usually awesome Jonathan Hickman double bill:

Fantastic Four #582 by Jonathan Hickman and Neil Edwards
It’s time travel and Doom and it opened pretty well so I’m looking forward to this one.

Secret Warriors #19 by Jonathan Hickman and Alessandro Vitti
This title really doesn’t displease, certainly not lately, so it’ll be good to catch up on this one.

They’re my titles, let’s see how they fare.

CBR (comicbookresources.com) is the main comic book news site I regularly go to for all my news. They’re the biggest site in this realm of journalism and without the comic industry really being able to support a print journalistic title (Wizard doesn’t really count, does it?) this is the pinnacle of where you get your news. Not only that, they’re generally good, too. They’re on time, they do a bit of everything (though mostly, admittedly, mainstream stuff), and they’re reputable.

And now I am one of them.

I have just been given the opportunity to join CBR on their review team. I’ve been signed up to do 3 reviews a week, 12 a month, and I get money for each review submitted. It’s a fantastic opportunity to really show my journalistic chops and make some much needed side cash. But let me start at the start.

At the beginning of this year, I started writing for a comic news and review site called The Weekly Crisis. I did all sorts of gonzo piece for them, lists, op/ed, reviews, interviews. It was great fun and I love all of the very many articles I’ve managed to publish with them. I also hope to continue knocking some work out with them. The flow may have to damped down a little, sadly, but otherwise I don’t want to leave them outright. I’ll just see what i can do and they’re cool with that, so it’s all good for me.

I owe a lot to The Weekly Crisis, and Kirk Warren and Matt Duarte in particular, as their brand of editorial guidance and help has made me that much better as a writer and thus obviously helped me with getting this new gig. It’s funny to see that it only took like two years on this site to get the Weekly Crisis gig, and then seven months there to get onto the CBR boat. I wonder what comes next…

Then there’s Tim Callahan. The lead reviewer on CBR who was finally hanging up his boots and creating an opening on the team. I find Callahan to be the ultimate comics reviewer who mirrors my sensibilities. Generally, what he likes so do I and what he doesn’t like I know, pretty much, I can steer away from it. It just happens that we have that similar taste and so I always look to his reviews if I need guidance. I was listening to his podcast (The Splash Page), which he does with fellow CBR reviewer Chad Nevett, and he spoke of leaving the review team. I was shocked but I saw a chance as well. I contacted him online, because we’ve kind of chatted before, and inquired as to the availability of the gig.

Cue a few weeks later and here I am about to delve into the depths of the CBR review room. Scary and fun all at the same time and I really need to thank Tim for his help and generosity in linking all of this up. I would absolutely not be in this position without him. So, thank you.

Now that I’m in the team, the crushing weight of scary expectation weighs heavy upon my soul. I don’t want to let Tim down, nor do I want to be the weak link in the team or get booted from the site. I want this gig, need this gig, and I’m sure I can do it. But you know how it is, until you’ve done it you spend a while stressing about it before you find you’ve done it. And hopefully done it well.

I start at the end of this week so I’ve picked my three comics to review. I won’t spoil what those comics are, but they were titles I was going to get anyway, which is cool. I’m not certain which days the reviews will go up but you can be sure I’ll link to them here once I know. But first I want to talk about the process in which the issues for review are selected.

We use drafts to choose our comics. All the issues due for print this coming week are put into a list and we each get to choose one issue to review. Once everyone has made their first choice then we each get a second choice. It’s a gentlemanly way of doing things and I like that it gives you a chance to really get something you want as the first person in won’t grab the six titles they want. It’s a smooth process and after the second round is the free-for-all in which everyone else gets to grab four issues, or so, and I grab my final choice. I was happy with how this first draft went with me involved.

It’s a real issue as to which issues t choose, especially considering my limited choices. Do I go for the one I absolutely want first? Or is there a chance I think no one else will want that issue so I should get my 2nd or 3rd choice first purely because I think someone else is more likely to snap it up if they can? It’s a game of skill and I look forward to the draft each week. I’ve got it locked in on my phone and can do it on the run even (and yes, I am this invested in it!). If there’s nothing I want to review then I’ll just take a chance on something new, which won’t be a problem.

Finally, this gig pays. I get money for every review and this is going to make a major difference for this reason. The lady and I are expecting out first born soon, and around about the same date (which is within the coming fortnight) we’re moving into our first bought house. Both of these things are a tax on our budget and so I was incertain as to how I’d be getting comics each week. It honestly seemed like I might have to drop this habit. I’ve been ignoring this fact for the last little while but it really looked like I might just have to cut my pull list down below half. But, as the eleventh hour loomed up so came the shining knight on his trusty steed.

With paid reviews I’ll now be save to keep my comic budget. Not only that but by having to review comics it means I MUST read them now, which is cool. I’m guaranteed to buy three issues a week, which is kind of standard on my whole list, and might even up it a little bit. I’ll certainly have the money for it so that’s nice. I’m glad I hadn’t yet made the list of what was being scrapped because I’ll now not need to think such sadness. My comic budget is safe and might even prosper. I won’t just spend-spend-spend whatever I earn, I’m no fool, but I will stay healthy in comics at the end of each week. Hell, this gig also means I must get time to read these issues straight up and review them quick sticks.

So, I guess that’s about it. I’ll be penning reviews for a site that I view as the pinnacle of comics journalism. What opportunities this will then offer up I don’t know, and that need not be thought of just now. For now I just want to do a good job and not embarras myself, so here’s hoping. Ha.

Ryan K Lindsay writes for Comic Book Resources and is also working with amazing artists on different ideas in the comic realm. He knows that life is only a series of steps onwards and upwards. And he’s eternally happy for that.

Time has elapsed and I can only get so much done. I have to stop and admit I am human, and I am fallible. And I’m certainly both of those things.

I busted my ass over the weekend to end up with 5 scripts of 5 pages in length. I don’t know what sort of quality they’ll have to be churned out so quickly, but it must be said many of them were ideas I had previously, so it’s not a complete hack job…I hope.

I’m now liaising with artists to get a few pages drawn up so I can submit them to CLiNT magazine. Is that hypocritical or me being a sell out, you damn straight it is. But it also is what it is, so I move on.

I’ve got my articles ready and proofed for this week at The Weekly Crisis, so look for my review of Highland Laddie up yesterday, and I’ll have a Top Ten post later and a Trade Waiting review at the end of the week.

I’ve just posted my thoughtballoons script on Jubilee, and I’m surprisingly happy with it. She stars in Honey, You’re The Only Danger In The Room and I think she holds her own.

Work is taking me away from home for a few days, so the lady must fend for herself which can be hard when so heavily pregnant and us moving house very soon.

I also want to take time and sit back to analyse a comic mini I want to tighten up. I need to think what it is really about, so that’s going to be my job for the week. See how I go.

And that’s about it, I have to go get ready for work now, even with so much work left to go here on my computer. Ah, a dual life, it keeps me busy.

Mad Men struck me, initially, as a good show. The production value was high, the actors were good, and it was all pretty good. But I wasn’t hooked. I just didn’t see the overall point. Maybe I’d simply watched too much LOST to realise that not every show needs to have an overall season long mystery arc? I liked the show but I took a pretty big break in it mid-season.

I eventually came back to it because I wanted to keep going. It was good enough to warrant me keeping it up and I just didn’t feel like I could give up. I had the damn two season as a gift and I only ever hear great things about it so I resolved to continue and am so glad I did.

There is a great episode in the middle of the season where the main man, Don Draper, ends up in an apartment with a bunch of hippies. They all view him as a square and there’s some great heated argument between about selling out to the system and being able to work within the system. It’s pretty thought provoking stuff but it’s Draper’s kiss off line that completely hooked me with the show. There are cops outside and the hippies are hiding scared. Draper says he’s going out and they tell him he can’t go out there. Draper pops the hat on his head and says, “No. You can’t go out there.” He walks out of the apartment, the cops treat him with respect and never even think to question him, and he goes about the rest of his life. It’s golden.

It interested me to find, later on, that there is a bit of an overall mystery to the series but it’s not the usual Desperate Housewives mugging that shows try to emulate now. It’s a slow burn, and nothing massive, but it still has ramifications for the characters. It’s all about Don Draper’s past and the tale is well woven.

The supporting characters are all interesting and fun, except for when they’re not. There’s the usual stuff you’ve probably heard before, that’s it’s funny because it presents the times as they were, full of testosterone and chauvenism. Yes, the show is all those things you’ve heard, but it’s also excellently written and acted. There’s nuance on the screen and it must be applauded.

It’s also interesting to note that people have gone crazy over Chrsitina Hendricks. She certainly is a great looking actress, and great at her job, but she’s certainly not the usual stick you see on magazine covers, and I think that’s great as well. She a full figured lass and her character has a fair degree of charm and back bone to her, which is nice, though I don’t even think she’s what you’d call an average size as they keep touting her. She’s got a massive bust but the rest of her body isn’t really proportional to it, but if she raises the ideal of a more flexible body ideal then I’m all for it. I also want to mention Draper’s wife, January Jones. She is a spectacular actress and turns all those 60’s blonde tropes on their head.

‘

I must also say, as my final summation of why you should watch this show, that the season one finale nearly made me cry. There’s a very emotional set of scenes with Draper involving him and his thought sof his family and I will admit that it completely got to me. It was superbly done and I can’t think of very many other shows that could get to me like that. It was pretty damn well done.

If you haven’t seen this show then you need to give it a chance. After one season I guarantee you’ll be wanting more. It’s like watching an old tv show from that era but then getting to see these people behind the scenes as well. It’s real, this show, and you’ll be amazed by how real it all feels.

EDBOT5000’s Shyloh

Sometimes you get an image come across your screen from Google Reader and you just fall in love. Shyloh was one of those images. I have no idea what she is or why but I know EDBOT5000, a friend of thoughtballoons, wants to get a comic of her up at some stage in some format. Just because she looks like this means I’m all for it. I’d love to see more sketches of her at another stage. She just looks like fun.

Justin Greenwood’s Space-Time Condominuim Pin Up

I’ve read Dave Dwonch’s webcomic Space-Time Condo before and it’s quite good. It’s funny and paced well and I am a fan. I’ve even had the pleasure of chatting with Dave via email as well and he’s a real champion (I was introduced via Justin, natch). The webcomic looks at continuing an old Canadian sitcom (that never existed) about a guy who lives in the eponymous abode with a stack of alternate reality versions of himself. It’s pretty damn cool. You should certainly check out the link above but also gaze on the pin up Justin did for a TPB release of some of the material. It’s a pretty fine pin up and another reason I know Justin is only a star getting brighter. I hope this TPB also includes some of the blog matter Dwoonch included on the site as it was always pretty funny behind the scenes type info on the characters in the comic.

Also, look for Han and Greedo for extra points.

Stephen Mooney’s Grifter

I’ve become a real closet WildC.A.T.S. fan of late and Grifter is easily my stand out favourite character. He’s got a relatively cool costume, he’s got guns…ah, he’s usually got stuble. Yeah, my like of his pretty much only stems that far. Ed Brubaker also used him with Colin Wilson in the excellent Sleeper prequel, Point Blank. He’s just one of those characters that appeals to me and I don’t try to fight it too hard. You shouldn’t either. As for this image, Mooney says he did it a long time ago and he picks a bunch of problems with it, over rendering, poor composition, but it’s still a cool image. Isn’t it?

Gestalt Mash

It’s a new comic news and views website. It was a while back that the site creator emailled me and asked if I’d like to be involved with the site launch. It sounded like an interesting opportunity, however many of you may already realise that I already write for a comic news and reviews website, The Weekly Crisis. I have been writing for the Crisis for months now, since the start of this year, and I love that site. Just yesterday I ended up in a massive comic commenting discussion with a reader about the quality of comics versus books/tv/film. It was great and one of the many reasons I love the Crisis, the readers. There’s a real community there and before I even wrote for them that was where I liked to discuss things, the atmosphere was always pleasant.

I am not leaving The Weekly Crisis. Hell, they’d have to revoke my access to get me to stop writing for them. I will continue on with the Crisis for sure because I love the site and still have so many untapped articles I want to see print there. However, I will now be casually adding to Gestalt Mash as well. And there’s a reason why that I haven’t mentioned; I’ll be getting paid for my work there.

The Weekly Crisis is a free gig, and I don’t begrudge Kirk that at all, but a labour of love won’t pay the pending mortgage, or feed the first baby boy (though Kirk did pony up some free trades for me, so you gotta honour and respect that), so when the opportunity arose to get some coin for my words I felt like a fool not to jump at it. It’s the sort of chance that doesn’t always present itself so I’m going to see what I can do with it.

There are many things I write for The Weekly Crisis that I can’t/won’t write for Gestalt Mash. At the Crisis I write Top Ten lists, issue reviews, Creator Calling Cards, and do Fireside Chat interviews. Those will all be staying at the Crisis. What I’ll write for Gestalt Mash will be more sweeping op/ed pieces of gonzo that discuss what I’m passionate about, what’s happening in the realm of comics that hits me hard. These are pieces I most likely wouldn’t even consider to write for the Crisis, so I think everyone should be happy.

It does mean my output for the Crisis might drop, slightly, while I need time to write these other, paid, articles, but my overall writing is going to suffer soon because my baby boy is about a month and a half away from arriving. I know I’ll be hanging with him way more than I do my laptop; and that’s completely fine. So the chance to get paid for my time at the laptop, it was a no brainer.

I hope you check out the new site, it’s just beginning, so feel free to add some comments, I’ve contributed two articles so far, one on Cameron Stewart’s webcomic Sin Titulo and another on Karl Karschl’s webcomic The Abominable Charles Christopher (for which the payment on both will nearly pay for this month’s comics) and I’ll have plenty more in the future. Just think, each time you click a link to ths site, and even comment, you’ll be providing me with a meagre living in comics journalism, because otherwise with a kid and mortgage both set to arrive in the same week, comics could become rarer than hen’s teeth in my house and then where would I be?

And with that shameless shilling out of the way I now bid you good day, sir.

It’s late on a Saturday night, the day was full of house hunting (apparently any adjective less harsh will not strike fear into the heart sof the wicked), the night has involved homemade satay stir fry, some relaxation time, and then as the night turns dark and I am given my own time to do with as I wish I jump onto the computer. There are words in me that have been there sitting stagnant for far too long. Something must be done and the doing is well done.

I’ve noticed lately that my thoughtballoons scripts have been coming in later and later each week. I always get in on time, sometimes just, but I have a very silly faith that inspiration will strike. It usually does, but how well is anyone else’s guess. It’s just one of those blind faith leaps that you have to make, and that’s why I liked the idea of thoughtballoons in the first place; there’s a timeline. You have to perform, it’s not just in your own backyard anymore, it’s public. Maybe not massively public, yet, but it’s enough to hold me accountable. So in any given week I know, at least, I’ll have written one page of comic script. It at least keeps me sharp.

I’ve already written and posted my script for this week’s character, Gamora. She was a tough one, not much inspiration came, and I kept holding out faith and I kept waiting. I know I wasn’t engaged and that’s why I wanted something to come, to prove that I can perform outside my own wheelhouse. The character launched on Sunday and there I was, on Sunday writing something up furiously. I put Gamora into a strange cult that worship her, and incorrectly (Gamorrah, geddit?), made with some surprisingly young audience friendly violence, and then had Mystique reveal herself. I guess the idea of a panel full of one hot green chick and one hot blue chick was just too much for me to not write. It’s a simple script, not great, but if in only one page do you find one good panel, or line, or concept, then it’s all been worth it; I think. I also got the opportunity to lift a line from Fight Club, so that was fun. Check it out here.

Then I had to move on to the next character, who I cannot reveal yet because it is not time. I got some inspiration a few days ago and pumped out the page in a sitting. I’ll not just look at it from time to time to refine it but it’s good to go. I was happy with the scene I saw in my head and it flowed pretty well. I even feel like I got my lead’s voice pretty nailed.

We, the tenured writers of thoughtballoons, write one character ahead so that we don’t get stuck without anything to publish; because lord knows if I only had a handful of days to get my script inspiration, written, proofed and double-proofed I’d be actually quite screwed. We have about a week’s grace and so tonight I’ve been looking at the next-next character and the inspiration struck, even though I wasn’t sure it would. This character isn’t someone I’d identify as residing within my wheelhouse but I was certainly happy to give it a go.

So tonight I wrote the script but it came out differently; I wrote all of the dialogue first and then added panel descriptions afterward. It’s a backwards approach for me but it’s the narration that really drives it all so I had to get it down. It’s there now, but the panel descriptions seem pretty plain so I am glad I have about a week before I have to post so that means I can go through this and jazz it up visually a little bit.

And that means I am ahead so this coming Wednesday, then the new next-next character gets announced I will be facing him/her/it with a clear slate, which is something new. I’m looking forward to it.

Justin Greenwood’s Ares Commission

I am absolutely digging the commissions by Justin. I know I’ve said it before but look at this one here and tell me it’s not exactly how you want to see the god of war? There’s not a thing wrong with this picture and I envy the person who will be receiving it.

Derek Toye’s Captain America Redesign

I really dig this image. Cap looks pretty damn cool in the coloured version and it’s interesting to see the difference between the uncoloured and the final version. Colour makes such a glorious difference. Everythying there looks like it makes sense and has a purpose, nothing is goofy. Click the image to see the site!

and finally,

Sean Phillips’ Incognito #3 Cover

Mr Phillips rarely disappoints with his covers nowadays, whether they be for Incognito or Criminal, but in saying that this one is an absolute favourite of mine already. It just paints a very extreme and violent scene and looks like this issue might offer up a few changes, some hskaing of things for sure. I wonder who owns these covers now? Does Phillips sell them? Damn, probably be out of my price range but I’d love to own one. This one in particular.

Also, for those wondering, I’m having some issues with WordPress right now so the images are massive, as the are at their source, I do apologise for the inconvenience.

Punisher – Sustainable Plan – Ryan K Lindsay

1. Punisher is standing at the door of a warehouse in the background and looking in towards us. At his feet are many many dead goombahs.
Caption: I’ve never claimed to be a good man.

2. Punisher is back in ‘Nam shooting up some enemy in the trees. Have this panel washed in green.
Caption: I did plenty of bad things before in my life.

3. Punisher is garrotting a very fat man and hanging him off a bridge. The strain shows. Have this panel washed in a deep brown.
Caption: I do even worse things now.

4. Castle sits at a weights bench and sews a tear in his chest.
Caption: And it’s all often reciprocated.

5. Castle and Elektra are looking at each other over some defeated goons. Have this panel washed in red.
Caption: There have been mistakes. There’s always going to be mistakes.

6. Castle’s face is blank.
Caption: But I don’t remember this mistake.

7. We see a boy’s face mirroring Castle’s. It has some blood on it.
Caption: I wouldn’t believe it…

8. We see Castle from behind and the boy is standing on the other side of the dead bodies. He has a gun in each hand lowered to his waist.
Caption: But the boy seems to have it in his blood.

To write the son of any character, be they Damian, Daken or eve Hit Girl, seems a cliche now to make them more bad ass. Have their age juxtaposed against their ferocity and prediliction for the nasty side of life. And that’s why this script was usurped by the time I had to post.

At least all bad writing will only help make you a better writer….right?