Comic Book Collection News and Updates

Wouldn't it be great to have some computer software to help your comic book creating passions along a little bit? Here is an article that may help you get started on the right path:

"Marvelous software: Program to create comic books has spawned deal with an industry giant

By Tamara Chuang
The Orange County Register
(MCT)

In the beginning, there was a game. Hence its name, Planetwide Games.

But as that game, "RYL: Path of the Emperor," floundered, a side project took off. Planetwide developed Comic Book Creator, software for gamers to document gameplay in comic book form, complete with thought bubbles, page templates and "WHAM! BAM! BOOM!"

Scrapbookers snapped up the software. So did some business users, to turn PowerPoint presentations into comic books for less dreary meetings. Paramount Pictures was so enthralled, it partnered with Planetwide to release a version based on the movie "Nacho Libre."

Comic books are now the priority for the Aliso Viejo, Calif., company. The software has created promotional opportunities for the entertainment industry and educational tools for schools. And the company is gaining credibility with the ages-old comic book industry.

And this month, Planetwide said it partnered with Marvel Entertainment to let fans create their own adventures of Spider-Man, Elektra, Wolverine and other Marvel heroes and villains. It also announced a deal with Virgin Comics, a popular publisher in India funded by Deepak Chopra and Richard Branson. The new titles go on sale in late August.

"We had no knowledge this was going to create a whole new category," said Kevin Donovan, Planetwide's president and a longtime Spider-Man fan. "It's one of those things that resonate with so many different people."

But whether the product attracts the comic book community remains to be seen. While the company says it has heard from professionals who use it, others consider it a kid's toy or a mom-friendly utility." Finish the comic book creation article here.

Now if this article is referring to the Comic Book Creator software, I have known about this product for a while, so it is not new. They may have added some features, which are new now. I plan on researching this software in depth in the future. And maybe purchasing it myself and testing it. I will then write more content about the product and place it here on my site. Would you like to learn more about the software? Leave me a comment.

Dave

August 4, 2006 08:03 - Comic Book Creator-Some Fun Stuff!

Well, I found a little more info on comic book creation software. Hey, and you don't even have to be a comic book fanatic to enjoy this software. Read on:

"Bam! Splat! Comic Book Creator revamps family photo album
By TAMARA CHUANG
The Orange County Register


PURPOSE: Turn family photos into a comic-book collection.

THE LOWDOWN: Ever since I created an elaborate video slide show of vacation photos last year, I've been addicted to creating shorter versions using DotPhoto.com, my current fave because it's free and you can add your own music.

Now I can do that in comic-book form? I love comic-book art!

Comic Book Creator came out last fall from Planetwide Games. The target audience: PC gamers. Gamers could take snapshots while playing a game and then use the software to piece together scenes. Add a few "BAM!" and "SPLATS!" and text bubbles and WHAMO! Their own comic book.

I was more interested in the non-gamer usage, which isn't promoted as much. All you need is your own photos. Or take screen shots from a DVD and make your own comic-book version of a movie. Nearly any image format will work with the software.

I skipped over directions and quickly created a one-page comic book featuring my expressive little cousin I call WeeBoy and his adventures with the mighty, tangy lime.

Text bubbles can be tweaked so they point right to the character's mouth. Or add two or more bubbles for multiple conversations.

There are other limits. Clip art can only be as large as the actual size. The fonts are limited to a few fun comic-book ones plus whatever you have on your own computer.

The nice thing is that when you're done, you can publish it as a PDF file and share it with anyone who downloads the free Acrobat Reader. Or you can save it as a JPEG, Bitmap or HTML file. See my "Adventures of WeeBoy vs. the SuperLime" on my blog, at http://blogs.ocregister.com /gadgetress/archives/weeboy-001.html.

VERDICT: This is a much more fun way to look at family photos and it's simple to use and relatively quick.

PRICE: $29.99

BEST: WHAM, BAM! A better way to add captions to photos.

WORST: Limited customization, but hey, what do you expect for $29?

AVAILABLE: GameStop, $19.99; EB Games, $19.99, Mycomicbookcreator.com, $29.99

MORE INFO: mycomicbookcreator.com"

I really need to find some time and download this software and start playing around with it. Who knows, maybe I can create some interesting PDF files and post to this blog. I spend so much time increasing the content value of my comic book site, I am not sure how I will fit research on this software in. I just need to take a break and do some other fun stuff for a while.

Dave

August 7, 2006 08:04 - "V for Vendetta", Amazing!

I finally got around to watching V for Vendetta this weekend. Had to run out and purchase the DVD when it went on sale last week. My personal thoughts were that this was one of the better Graphic Novel to screen representations. Apparently another had the same feelings I did:

" 'V' true comic book adaptation
Friday, August 04, 2006
By John Serba
The Grand Rapids Press

"V for Vendetta" is one of the best comic book adaptations to play on the big screen -- most likely because it is not very comic book-y.

Alan Moore, who wrote the graphic novel on which "V" is based, is one of the trendsetters in the '80s who rejuvenated the art form as a serious adult medium.

Thus, his work avoids the cliches of popular comics, populated by overly stylized superheroes spewing corny dialogue.

Thankfully, the film version of "V," despite a few tweaks to modernize the original story, remains true to the spirit of Moore's creation.

And for such a challenging film, which is heavier on political statements than it is on action, it did surprisingly well, grossing $70 million at the box office.

The film should be at the top of discriminating movie watchers' rental lists this week.

"V for Vendetta" (R)

Starring: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, John Hurt

Plot: An unassuming citizen in totalitarian Britain, Evey (Portman) is abducted by V (Weaving), a mysterious, masked revolutionary who lives underground. The two form an unlikely, and unsettling, alliance as V plots to overthrow the oppressive government.

DVD extras: A making-of featurette; two-disc edition includes additional documentaries.

My two cents: "Vendetta" is a futuristic thriller with intrigue and a strong performance by Natalie Portman -- as well as an unsettling subtext about the relationship between politics and terrorism."

I am somewhat partial to Hugo Weaving. He played an excellent bad guy in the Matrix series. And he was part of what made The Hobbit Trilogy so successful. If you haven't seen 'V' yet, it may be worth your time to check it out.

Dave

August 9, 2006 11:17 - Star Trek in the News Again!

Well, any Trekkies, or should I say, Trekkers out there? I have always been a Star Trek fan, but never really considered myself a Trekker. Never have been to any conventions. But I still enjoy the old re-runs, especially the Next Generation. Looks like Star trek is now going Manga. Take a gander at what I ran across:

"STAR TREK ORIGINALS REBORN IN COMIC BOOK SERIES

The characters from the original STAR TREK TV series are to be reborn in a new 40th anniversary comic book project. Animation experts at Tokyopop in Japan have revamped beloved characters like CAPTAIN KIRK, BONES, SCOTTY and SPOCK for the colourful new venture, STAR TREK: THE MANGA. Tokyopop artists have teamed up with top Trekkers and comic book writers to create five Star Trek episodes, based on the original TV series. Series creator LUIS REYES says, "We've tried to make the individual stories resonate with the spirit of the original show, with (Star Trek creator) GENE RODDENBERRY's interest in social and political dynamics, with the fan fascination in the idiosyncrasies of these characters, and with the way the original series used science fiction as a sounding board for larger ideas." The new Star Trek comics will be available next month (SEP06)."

Star Trek comic books are nothing new. I have several of them in my own collection. This new series may be an interesting twist though. For all Star Trek fans everywhere, this may be a new comic book series to watch out for.

Dave

August 11, 2006 11:52 - Who wants to be a Superhero-the Saga Continues

Stan Lee's new reality series on the SCI FI channel still continues to be mildly entertaining. Due to technical problems with my cable, I wasn't able to watch the second episode last week. So I watched it just before the feature episode for this week.

I must admit, the series is still holding my attention. Not sure how many of you have been following along. If you have missed some episodes or are only now finding out about it, by all means go to www.scifi.com/superhero and check it out.

Although entertaining, episode 2 seemed somewhat contrived to me. Iron Enforcer, who has not been real popular among the rest of the crew, got eliminated. BUT he was brought back as a super villain. Now in the attack dogs test, everyone was dressed in protective gear and accosted by two attack dogs. They then had to reach a back porch and touch the door. Well, Iron Enforcer, the biggest and strongest of all the contestants, made it to the porch with no problem carrying the dogs in tow. BUT he neglected to touch the door, thus failing the test. Something smells here.

At any rate Cell Phone Girl was also eliminated. She had a headache and wouldn't complete the test or even try. Superheroes can't quit, even with a headache. Do they really get headaches? Now we are down to 7 contestants! Anyway episode 2 was still worth the hour of TV time.

On to episode 3. Now the super villain, Dark Enforcer, raises his ugly head, although he isn't very threatening. He just narrates hidden camera activity used to trip up the remaining contestants. They are sent on a lunch errand. In reality this was to determine if they wanted to flirt or keep their secret identities remain hidden. Well, all but two failed miserably.

As we move on, the Hollywood prop department takes a stand and redesigns everyone's costumes. Not as neat or convincing as what the big budget movies are putting out these days. The comic book world special effects are sorely missed in this series, but this is reality, right (cough, cough). By evading honesty (a superhero characteristic must), Ty'Veculus losses his position on the team. He doesn't care for his new costume, and neither do the others. But he doesn't pass his true feelings on to Stan in a timely manner. Oh well, someone had to be eliminated.

The next test of courage, walking a high beam blindfolded was a pretty funny twist. All thought they were walking a narrow beam several stories up between buildings. Not realizing it, they were not off the roof of the present building at all. Makes me wonder if someone would have pushed them while blindfolded, if they could have had a heart attack. It would surely have got their hearts racing though.

Well, again another contestant was eliminated due to dishonesty. Monkey Girl, in reality, was an aspiring actress, but she had told Stan she was a real estate agent. Another one bites the dust.

And Stan also threw in another little twist. He asked each of the contestants, whom they would eliminate and why. All but two would have eliminated themselves. A true portrayal of self-sacrifice, or was it? Now it looks like the backstabbing is about to start. This for me takes the entertainment value of this reality series out of it. I will just have to see what develops next week.

It does make me wonder, as I sit out here in TV land, how many of these episodes have already been filmed and is the result, or winner, a forgone conclusion? At any rate my predicted winner, Major Victory, is still holding his own, no pun intended. If you want to see what others are saying about the series, go check out the superhero forum on the SCI FI website. Later.

Dave

August 14, 2006 09:15 - Alex Troth Shared Relationship with Local Comic Book Guy!

Well, here is a little tidbit I found interesting. Alex Toth, one of the great comic book artists, who passed on this year, had an ongoing pen pal type of relationship with a local comic storeowner. Read on for the article:

"Comic book owner shared bond with legendary artist

August 4, 2006

GREENSBORO - This week at Parts Unknown: The Comic Shop owner John Hitchcock has a special book on the counter in front of the register. There are no colorful superheroes or space aliens on its cover but for Hitchcock, it's more exciting than any comic in the store.

It's a soft-cover book of notes, sketches and letters from legendary artist Alex Toth that document a correspondence he and Hitchcock shared for 25 years.

These days Toth, who died this year, may be best known as the creator of characters for era-defining Hanna- Barbera cartoons such as "Space Ghost," "Birdman" and "Sealab 2020" - all of which have been revived as late-night cartoons on Cartoon Network's popular "Adult Swim."

But Hitchcock first encountered Toth as a 10-year-old comic fan, poring over issues of comics such as "Creepy" and "Eerie."

"I loved those books, but the truth is Toth's stuff just didn't appeal to me," Hitchcock said. "It was too weird, too sophisticated for me."

Hitchcock told a couple of friends he wasn't impressed by Toth - only to have one of them sit him down with a Toth story, telling him to read it rather than just looking at the simple, understated art.

"When I sat down and actually read that story, it just blew my mind," Hitchcock said.

Hitchcock said he really understood comics then - the way words and pictures had to come together seamlessly to tell a story that could grab the reader.

For the first time, he really understood the comic book wasn't all about flashy art and superpowers - it was an art form.

Hitchcock, who will be 50 this month, stayed connected to comic books throughout his life, exchanging letters with many of the creators who were his heroes and eventually opening his own comic shop on Spring Garden Street.

But the correspondence with Toth, which began in 1981, was always special." Follow the rest of the story at Comic Book Owner and Alex Toth. It may take a minute or three to come up. Be patent.

This is kind of a heart-warming article that shows how even some of the greats in the comic book industry can still get personal with us just comic book folks. Hope you enjoyed the article.

Dave

August 16, 2006 08:08 - Marvel Superhero Movies Galore!

As I was searching through my Marvel Newsletter this morning, I ran across a consolidated list of Hollywood's plan for upcoming superhero movies. As I really enjoy what Hollywood is up to here is a quick list for your reading pleasure:

"Lights, Camera, Super-Action!

Our heroes are in their make-up and movie trailers practicing their lines as they get ready for their big roles on the silver screen. Below is a run-down of the slated projects that are starting to snowball-might want to wear your ski-goggles for the blizzard of upcoming action.

Studio Financed Films

Production
Ghost Rider - Sony, Feb. '07
Spider-Man 3 - Sony, May '07
Fantastic Four 2 - Fox, June '07


Development
Deathlok - Paramount
Gargoyle - Sony
Magneto - Fox
Namor - Universal
The Punisher 2 - Lions Gate
Wolverine - Fox

Self-Financed Films

Iron Man
Release date - May 2, 2008
Distributed by Paramount
Director - JON FAVREAU (Made, Elf, Zathura)
Production Designer - J. MICHAEL RIVA (Spider-Man 3, Zathura) VFX Supervisor - JOHN NELSON (I Robot, The Matrix 2, 3, Academy Award winner for Gladiator)
Director of Photography - MATTHEW LIBATIQUE (Inside Man, Requiem for A Dream)


The Incredible Hulk
Distributed by Universal
Director: Louis Leterrier (Unleashed, Transporter 2)
Writer: Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand, X2: X-Men Men United, Last Action Hero)

Ant-Man
Distributed by Paramount
Director: Edgar Wright (Shaun of The Dead)

Captain America
Distributed by Paramount
Writer: David Self (Road to Perdition, Thirteen Days)

Nick Fury
Distributed by Paramount
Writer: Andrew Marlowe (Air Force One, Hollow Man, End of Days)

Thor
Distributed by Paramount
Writer: Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend, The Cell)

The Avengers
Distributed by Paramount
Writer: Zak Penn (The Incredible Hulk, X-Men: The Last Stand, X2: X-Men Men United, Last Action Hero)

Animation

Direct-to-DVD
Ultimate Avengers 2 - Released 8/8/06
Iron Man - In production
Doctor Strange - In production
Teen Avengers - Development


TV Series
Fantastic Four - In production
Wolverine and the X-Men - Pre-production
Iron Man - Development
Spider-Man - Development"

Get ready grab some popcorn, sit back and enjoy more superhero stuff. Of course when many of these movies come out on DVD, I will be adding to my DVD collection. Hmm, might have to run out and purchase another DVD shelf. And be sure to check out Marvel Comics website in general, for any interesting tidbits.

Dave

August 18, 2006 08:15 - Who wants to be a Superhero Digresses!

Well, I don't know if it was just my frame of mind yesterday or what, but this week's episode didn't really twist my crank. The continuation of the super villain, Dark Enforcer, is pretty much a joke. He doesn't have much of a role and his script is pretty weak. His line delivery is even weaker. He did participate is filming the remaining contestants' friends and families. And from what was discovered here, Creature (Tonya Kay) was eliminated for past litterbug activity. She was destined to go anyway.

The remaining four contestants were then given the task of conversing with convicted felons and secretly trying to touch them is various ways (lap sitting, back rub, hug and hair jostling). Three passed the test and Lemuria (Tonatzin Mondragon) failed (lap sitting). It still looked pretty contrived to me though. Fat Mama (Nell Wilson) had to jostle a convict's hair 3 times. She was paired with an individual who had long stringy out of place hair that was leaning forward in her chair. Give me a break.

The last part of the episode got a little mushy, emotional and corny. Again, to contrived for my taste. And Stan Lee continuously chastised Major Victory on his removal of his cape and gloves, stating, would Spider-man remove his mask, NO! Well bud, check with your previous employer, Marvel. Spider-man has now revealed his secret identity, Peter Parker, to the world. Duh!

Needless to say Lemuria was also eliminated. Well, two contestants have been eliminated in each episode. There are 3 remaining Superheroes and two more episodes. This tells me, one will be eliminated next week leaving two for the final episode. My prediction; Feedback (Matthew Atherton) will be gone next week leaving Fat Mama and Major Victory (Chris Watters) to move to the final episode. Major Victory will then take home all the marbles. I sure hope next week is a little more entertaining.

Dave

August 21, 2006 09:09 - CGC Authentication, Should you Pursue it?

Throughout my research for this site, I have run across a lot of info on slabbing your comic books and the controversy that goes with it. Here is an article I just found and you may or may not want to follow his advice:

"Comic Book Collectors' Dilemna--To Slab or Not to Slab?

Brad Schepp
August 17, 2006

Do you collect comics for fun or profit? Well if you're like most collectors, it's a little of both. Regardless, if you think that one day you may sell some or all of your comics (and it seems many of us do) you may want to learn more about "slabbing." Slabbing is the process of having your comics professionally graded, and then encased between two sheets of hard plastic (some sources identify this plastic as "Barex", but there's some controversy as to what type of plastic it is). A special paper that prevents acidification is tucked into the comic as part of this process. Slabbing protects the comic from weather extremes, mositure, dust, and all the other things that can decrease a comic's value.

Collectors both love and hate slabbing--there is no middle ground. First, here's why they love it. Slabbing protects a comic indefinitely (no one knows for how long exactly, as the process is so new). Once slabbled you don't have to worry that your prized Superman, Batman, X-Men, Spiderman, or Archie comic will lose its value, or any of its "eye appeal." That's a big plus! Also the slabbing company (Comics Guaranty, LTD or CGC is the major one, although there are others) will grade your comic as part of the process. Grades are on a .5 to 10-point scale with .5 being poor and 10 being Mint. When you're looking to value and/or sell your comics it's a great advantage to have it graded. It's much easier to sell a comic if you can say it's a CGC 6.0, instead of "in my opinion it's in Fine condition." I know this from personal experience and from talking to other sellers, including those selling comics, for my book eBay PowerSeller Secrets.

Now, here's why some collectors hate slabbing…" To read the rest of Brad's article, check it out at Comic Book Collectors' Dilemna--To Slab or Not to Slab?

Of course you can sure check out my page also at CGC Comics. Happy slabbing!

Dave

August 23, 2006 15:51 - For You Superhero Music Lovers!

While I was doing a little surfing in the news department to see what I could see, I ran across an interesting item for you music lovers. Don't get me wrong, I love certain types of music also. I am not much of an opera or pops buff though. But the music from some of the superhero movies of late does stir the emotions to add to the overall movie viewing experience. For your reading pleasure:

" Ode to the Superhero
Golden State Pops performs themes from Superman,' Spider-Man' and other films
By John Farrell, Special to the Press-Telegram

LAST MONTH the Golden State Pops orchestra and music director Steven Allan Fox found themselves on the sands of Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, playing the stirring "1812 Overture" by Tchaikovsky to the accompaniment of a real cannon.

This weekend, the orchestra will be on the move again, playing in the more civilized confines of the Bristol Civic Auditorium in Bellflower. No cannons, but the music, in a program called "Superheroes and Beyond," is sure to be exciting.

Fox created the Golden State Pops to play film music, the stirring new compositions that fill theaters across the nation and the world. Sunday's concert is filled with that kind of music, from the score of "Superman Returns" by composer John Ottman, to composer Danny Elfman's scores for "Batman" and "Spider-Man 2" and Ottman's music for "X-Men 2." There will also be a suite from John William's score for the original "Superman" and composer Joe Harnell's piano solo, "The Lonely," which was the theme for the television show "The Incredible Hulk."

This is the first time the Golden State Pops has performed one of its regular shows outside of San Pedro since the Warner Grand Theater there has become its regular home." And click on to read more about Ode to the Superhero.

Well, I hope that satisfied your classical reading requirements. Enjoy.

Dave

August 25, 2006 08:14 - "Who wants to be a Superhero" Winding Down

Well, surprise of surprises, my predicted winner, Major Victory, got eliminated. And I believe many people thought he would win. So goes a reality show. At least this series hasn't turned into the back stabbing and contestant bashing like I thought it might and as other reality series have done.

Emotions abounded on this episode, but they still could have very well been contrived. Fat Momma wanted to eliminate herself so that Feedback wouldn't get hurt. But Major Victory and Feedback, as the true superheroes they are (sic), with help from a studio exec, talked her out of it.

This week they pulled the children into the picture. All contestants had to give a rundown of their character history and try to inspire the kids. Although Feedback was a little over their heads, he explained that he could take on the powers of video games. When asked what his favorite game was, he replied Pong. One girl didn't know what Pong was. Hey, that game was the granddaddy that started all video games. I also had the dubious distinction of attending the same university that the creator of Pong attended (and got kick out for poor performance. Go figure).

Fat Momma, being the super mom that she is, inspired the children the most. And Major Victory had them laughing. But apparently, that was one of the eliminating factors that Stan Lee used. Lee's reasoning was the Major was more an anti-hero than a superhero.

But before Major Victory left, Stan put through a call to Victory's estranged daughter and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. I guess it was touching and I hope Major Victory's involvement in the show does bring him and his daughter back together again.

The Dark Enforcer had another bit part. I wonder what he is getting paid for this or what his aspirations may become. I sure hope it isn't acting. He sucks.

I really wonder what kind of market share the final episode will get next week. And will there be a continuing series next season? The show has been mildly entertaining and, at least for my money, better than most other reality shows. But I am sure I am in the minority on that one.

Well, who will win? Feedback or Fat Momma! I am not even going to speculate. My previous prediction got blown out of the water. Guess I will get this posted and surf over to the forum at the SCI FI website to see what others have to say. See you around the superhero water cooler.

Dave

August 28, 2006 11:14 - Platinum Studios and Comic Book Movies!

Here is a little behind the scenes interview with the chairman of Platinum Studios and how some comic book ideas get turned into movies:

"COMIC BOOKS COME TO LIFE
By SAM RUBINROIT
TimeforKids.com

Comic books lie on shelves, tables, chairs and whatever other space is available. Action figures are scattered around the room. Huge movie theater seats with cup holders line the wall.

This isn't comic heaven. It's the offices of Platinum Studios, home to the largest independent library of comic-book characters.

Chairman Scott Rosenberg started his own comic-book empire when he was 13. Platinum Studios adapts comic books for film, television and other outlets, including mobile phones and soon (they hope) iPods. "Men in Black," the highest grossing film inspired by a comic book, came out of Platinum. It earned more than $580 million worldwide. Time For Kids kid reporter Sam Rubinroit spoke with Rosenberg about how it all came to be.

TFK: What first drew you to comics?

Rosenberg: I read them as a kid at 7, 8 and 9, and I started to collect them. When I was about 13, I realized that if I wanted to keep buying comics, I'd have to start selling them. So, I took out tables at a convention and started making mail order ads and started building up a business. I never thought I'd be doing it professionally. It never even crossed my mind. I just did it because it was fun, I could make money and I could collect (comic books).

TFK: Who helped you most to get you where you are today?

Rosenberg: My parents were always very supportive. Beyond that, I've always been fortunate to be able to find people smarter than me in all different areas that I work in.

TFK: Why do you think comics make such popular movies?"... To finish the article, just click on over to Comic Book Movies.

The interviewer, Sam is just 13 years old, but I think he did a very interesting interview. Hope you agree.

Dave

August 30, 2006 08:06 - Can Superheroes Function in the Real World?

With all the special effects that Hollywood musters up, they can sure make a superhero appear to function in the real world. But can many of our beloved characters actually step out of the colored pages of a comic book or the silver screen and function?

I have been reading a book called "The Physics of Superheroes", which is along my lines of expertise, with my love of comics and my degree in Physics. I will write more about that book later, but here is an interesting take on the possibility of superheroes actually being able to do their thing in reality. Hope you enjoy it:

"More Science Behind the Comic Books: Can Our Most Loved/hated Villains Ever Become Reality?

By James Sherwood

Comic books form a staple part of the youth of millions of Americans. Who hasn't scooped up a graphic novel to see how the hero overcomes the bad guy and saves the day once again? But the pages of the comic book are not subject to normal constraints; science need not be consulted when the scenes are drawn. It may therefore surprise no one that some of the greatest of our heroes are locked forever in the vaults of animation and art. But is it possible for some to step beyond the pages and into the real world?

In the first of this two-part series, we looked at the science behind some of our heroes. But in doing so, we ignore the reason the heroes are here: the supernaturally-empowered baddies that ordinary mortals are not equipped to handle. They seem to pop up every novel as freshly heinous and as criminally-minded as the one before, ready to take on the hero once more. That they eternally fail is not in doubt; the comic book is predicated on the hero winning. For a moment, however, the villains get the spotlight as we examine the science behind them and ask ourselves if they could ever haunt the streets of our cities.

Magneto: Arch-enemy of the X-Men, Magneto is the X-gene-carrying mutant with immense magnetic powers. Strong, smart and charismatic, this enemy just wants what he sees as the rights of mutants. After all, they are genetically predisposed to success; evolution's next step beyond humans. Why should the mutants be in charge? Magneto just wants the rabble subjugated and mutants to take their rightful place as leaders, with himself in the top spot. Is that so wrong?

Possible? Perhaps with a lot of technology, but not likely to be built-in. Humans naturally exude a weak magnetic field as a result of the iron content in the blood, but a field on the level of Magneto would require an exponentially greater amount of the element. Additionally, the force of the field that Magneto generates would interfere with electrical impulses, which would instantly kill the affected human by shutting down the brain and nervous system and sending the heart into fibrillation. While it is cool to see the gates of Dachau buckling as the teenage Magneto tries to rescue his mother (see the movie X-Men for a more intense rendition of this scene), it is not a built-in power that humans could have and survive." And to finish James' article travel over to Reality of Superheroes. It will be worth the read.

Dave