Ruby’s thirteen. She sells newspapers for pennies. And she’s got The Green Hornet’s gun. Will Hornet and Kato find Ruby before the mob does…or can THE GREEN GUN GIRL save herself? The original Green Hornet in a super special tale from writer Nate Cosby (Cow Boy)!

The Green Hornet Year One Special is written by Nate Crosby and illustrated by Edu Menna. Marcelo Pinto handles colors while Marshall Dillon provides letters. This special features a story within a story, and the old style comic sequences are done by Evan Shaner. So is the Green Hornet Special really special or are you left feeling stung?

The story is a Green Hornet tale told through the perspective of a young girl named Ruby. Ruby is a thirteen year old who hocks newspapers on the street corners. The news isn’t great, but everyone wants to read what The Green Hornet is up to. The masked menace captivates the young and old alike with his exploits plastered on the front page of the Daily Sentinel. Ruby’s mind tends to wander as she imagines herself as a young sidekick of sorts to Hornet and Kato. While selling papers or sneaking into the home of her alcoholic father, Ruby fantasizes about a particular episode where only she can save the Hornet from the circus thug. When Ruby’s fantasy world comes into existence as Hornet and Kato try to stop thugs on her street, can Ruby be as cool and collected as she is in her dreams?

Crosby crafts a great and touching story. Having a young dreamer cross paths with their hero isn’t a new story, but the way Crosby weaves the imagined with the real keeps it fresh and interesting. There’s enough character development with Ruby and her world to keep the reader entertained while they wait for the inevitable appearance of The Green Hornet. Menna does an apt job with the comic. At times the art looks and feels a little rough, but the street level scenes come off really well. The old comic strip style of Ruby’s fantasies are handled brilliantly by Shaner. It looks like it was lifted straight form an old comic serial.  The way the page and words fade into the old style strip is fantastic.

Bottom Line: The Green Hornet Year One Special is truly that, special. With a touching story by Crosby and astounding old comic serial images, this book is one for Green Hornet fans new and old. With a different take on the dreamer meeting the hero angle, the script and art make something really fresh. Check this one out 4/5

Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell, Review: Green Hornet: Year One Special

Topps is unveiling a new line of trading cards at Comic Con with images from the original decks. Other merchandise such as the aforementioned comic book, action figures, plush dolls, and costumes are announced. Saturday a special panel titled Mars Attacks: 50 Years Of Mayhem will take place to celebrate the milestone. Topps Adam Levin, IDW’s Greg Goldstein, John Layman and Jason Edmiston will be on hand to discuss the history of the franchise. The new Mars Attacks Heritage trading card release will also be a topic of conversation.

Below are some images provided to us as well as the press release detailing all of the goodies fans can expect:

Topps Announces MARS ATTACKS Heritage Card Set
July release Anchors 50th Year Anniversary Celebration

Since its initial release in 1962, MARS ATTACKS has made an indelible impression on pop culture, inspiring legions of fans around the world. Now, Topps is proud to announce MARS ATTACKS’ triumphant return to its trading card roots. Coinciding this summer with the landmark half-century milestone the company is pulling out all the stops for collectors to re-connect with the cult classic while ushering in a whole new generation of fans.

The commemorative trading card set, currently in development for release in July, is a cornerstone of the 50th anniversary campaign. In addition to reprinting the 55 iconic cards which comprised the original series, Topps is adding 25 never-before-seen subjects.

Ten cards, painted by Jason Edmiston, are based on storyboarded sketches from original series pencillers Wally Wood and Bob Powell that did not originally appear in the 1962 card set. Edmiston’s finished works pay homage to the pulp sci-fi style of Norm Saunders, the master painter who first gave MARS ATTACKS its signature look. Fifteen all-new cards are provided by Eisner award-winning comic book artist John McCrea, the acclaimed illustrator of IDW’s forthcoming MARS ATTACKS comic book series. McCrea is known to comics fans as the co-creator of Hitman (in collaboration with writer Garth Ennis), among numerous other high-profile assignments. His new, powerful imagery for the card set will provide fans with added insights to the comics as well as to the all-new MARS ATTACKS universe.

A variety of extra inserts are also designed to add collectibility and fun: limited edition multi-colored parallels and 3D lenticulars will be randomly included in packs. And, for the very first time, Topps will be including MARS ATTACKS sketch cards in boxes. Many talented artists are on board to provide their one-of-a-kind hand-rendered sketch art.

The original MARS ATTACKS series enjoys the distinction of being the most sought after and valuable non-sport trading card set of all time. Its legacy status has earned the new series Topps’ full “Heritage style” treatment. In order to preserve the product’s retro sensibility, all cards will be printed on thick, old fashioned card stock. Similarly, the design treatments for the display box and wrapper mimic the now-classic 1962 packaging.

The trading cards will be complemented by a product licensing program geared primarily to core hobby fans. A host of premium quality tie-ins are in the works: action figures and plush toys (Mezco), comics and graphic novels (IDW), a commemorative book (Abrams), model kits (Moebius), costumes (Incogneato), T-shirts (Impact), statues and busts (Quarantine), holiday ornaments (Gentle Giant), limited-edition prints (Russell Walks), bobble head dolls and vinyl figures (Funko). Regular updates about the cards and the licensed merchandise are posted on the official facebook page (www.facebook.com/marsattacks), catering to a growing community of over 50,000 followers.

Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell, SDCC ’12: Mars Attacks Has Big Plans To Celebrate 50 Years

Back in 1962 Wallace Wood created a series of trading cards illustrating hideous yet funny looking Martians invading and destroying earth. I used to have a couple of the re-prints but I think my family threw them away (curse them!). However there were a total of 55 cards and each one told a story by the art work and a couple of words. Then in the 80’s Topps adapted the cards into a comic book mini-series and other kinds of merchandise which mainly mainstreamed Mars Attacks. Following that in 1996 Tim Burton (Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands) adapted this series into a motion picture film, which I know I stand alone on this one, but it’s a Burton masterpiece! ACK, ACK, ACK, ACK, ACK, ACK, ACK!

Fast forward to 2012 IDW is celebrating 50 years of Mars Attacks with a brand new mini-series cleverly titled Mars Attacks. It’s being written and lettered by the man himself John Layman (Chew) and on art/ink duties is John McCrea (Hitman). IDW is releasing a total 55 covers (each cover has the original artwork from the trade cards) along with two retailer incentive covers and SDCC ’12 variant cover. They are also combing all these covers into one sweet box set with a price tag of close to 200 big ones.

Layman sets up the story fairly simple; It starts off with a Martian fleet ship exploring thru space when they suddenly hit a NASA astronaut ship and that sends them burning down towards earth. Then we see two rednecks drinking some beer when a flaming ship comes crashing down and burned their cattle stock. They then go and explore the wreckage and come to find a bunch of unconscious Martians so they decide to take one Martian (ZAR who is not a general yet) to the circus to see if they can get a couple of bucks to make up for the cattle lose. From here they sell ZAR to the circus ringmaster for a mere 100 bucks and split it 60/40. But one of the rednecks feels bad for what happened and goes back to untie ZAR and set him free but the ringmaster catches them and all hell breaks loose! ZAR escapes, rednecks die, people burn, and Martians heads explode! But ZAR is able to make it out alive and goes back to his ship and calls for back up. Then the very last page we see a crap ton of ships heading towards earth!

Now let’s down to the nitty gritty: John layman is a true story teller. I have not read one bad story from him and it seems it’s like he is only getting better. But that’s enough fanboy-ism let’s get to the story; the story opens with a nice short prologue. It sets up the story nicely and also we see that there is a narrator telling the story. We don’t know if it’s from the Martians stand point or maybe a character we haven’t yet seen, but it’s a nice touch. Next John McCrea is the man when comes to him drawing Martians. His detail work is far from none, the guy can draw like no mans business, especially his close up panels have great detail work, but the only fall back is the some of the panels just have to much shadowing going on. But don’t get me wrong McCrea is jaw dropping awesome with the pencil and with Andrew Elder (Batman Beyond) adding his vibrant colors really just adds another element. Combing them both together they know how to make a book feel like it’s from the 1960’s.  I highly recommend this book just for the pure fun of it. Can’t wait till the next issue!

Rating 4/5

Chuckie Valdez, Review: Mars Attacks #1 (Spoilers)

Watch the John Carter Super Bowl Movie Trailer below.

Starring Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins and Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong, Bryan Cranston, James Purefoy, Dominic West, Thomas Haden Church and Ciarán Hinds. John Carter is set to hit theatres on March 9.

wolverinept, Superbowl Spot For John Carter Released