HULK, SPIDEY & ARCHIE--- Battling Anniversary issues and we all win!

Two HUGE Marvel anniversary issues go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday July 22 here at Flying Colors.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600 and INCREDIBLE HULK #600 both sport painted covers by Alex Ross, a number of limited variant covers by other fine comic artists, and supposedly earth-shattering stories that both complete long-running story arcs while setting up new stories to come.

I've been a comics fan for more than 40 years and round-numbered issues still are a big deal for publishers and fans. So here they are--and they both look like fun for long-time fans while occasional readers will find something to like in these thick colorful mags.

Historically, these round-numbered issues with marginally milestone content continue to be sought after by fans for years after their publication.

Weird thing is.... in both these cases, I'm not 100% sure these even are accurately the 600th issues of these two titles. With the various changes in publishing over the last 15 years, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN has started over at #1, while the HULK has gone from a couple of re-boots in numbering to switching back to previous high-numbered issues, to being INCREDIBLE for a time and adjective-less other times--- and all of those issues don't quite add up to an even 600.

It's not like it matters, though. Marvel is in the midst of celebrating its 70th Anniversary this year, so as far as we're all concerned, they can do whatever they want to re-jigger the numbers to squeeze another couple of "event" books onto the schedule. More fun for th fans---and hopefully more sales for Marvel and its retailers.

I say that all as a prelude to another 600th issue that will be coming soon. In August, ARCHIE COMICS will publish issue #600 of, d'uh, ARCHIE. And this little milestone issue, with a regular cover price that is half that of the HULK and SPIDEY will get more publicity than Marvel's big guns combined.

Why?

Because ARCHIE #600 features a story in which Archie Andrews, a few years int the future, finally makes his choice between girl-next-door, beautiful and practical Betty Cooper and the rich and conniving, mansion-dwelling Veronica Lodge. Written by Hollywood writer and producer Michael Uslan (he produced the BATMAN movies!) and drawn by long-time Archie cartooning star Stan Goldberg, ARCHIE #600, in a summer filled with really cool event comics, promises to be the event comic book of the summer. It's due to go on sale August 19.

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

BLACKEST NIGHT!

DC Comics huge event series, BLACKEST NIGHT, written by GEOFF JOHNS with art by IVAN REIS, debuted this week as a huge hit!

To give you another incentive to jump on, Flying Colors is giving away a FREE Black Lantern ring with the purchase of BLACKEST NIGHT #1, while supply lasts.

The whole staff here has read this first issue and we're convinced this will be a wild ride and an entertaining read.

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

Baby's First Visit to FlyCo!

The newest member of the FlyCo Family

Allow me the supreme honor of introducing you to ASHTON MIKEL FIELD, born at 4am on the 4th of July! Eight pounds, 3 ounces, 20.5 inches and he is so beautiful and healthy! Mama Cindy is doing great (and she's beautiful, too!).


More soon!

Peace 'n' Beautiful Babies!

FlyCoJoe
"Pops"

 

 

Captain America Reborn for 4th of July

Please note:
Flying Colors Comics
& Other Cool Stuff
will be

OPEN

on Saturday July 4
from 11am-5pm.

We'll have new releases on Wednesday July 1, including the first issue of CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN.

Peace 'n' Patriotic Comics!

FlyCoJoe

Captain Four-Color's '70s Ride

Coloring Contest Winners!

It was a good turn-out for our first-ever Captain Four-Color Coloring Contest! And we've been slow to announce the winners.

In the photo here are the winning entries. If you don't see your entry here and you completely filled out all the contest entry information, look in your mailbox in the next week.

If you see your entry here --- Congratulations! (And please watch the mail).

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

New Flying Colors Facebook page

Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff is now on FACEBOOK!

Click on the link to become an official fan, browse photos, join conversations and connect with other comic fans and members of the FlyCo Faithful!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

An Anecdote Becomes a Comment on the Sad State of the Newspaper Business

In the run-up to the WATCHMEN movie back in March, Flying Colors received some nice coverage in the Contra Costa Times and the other Bay Area News Group papers.

There’s a link to the feature article HERE!

With comics and graphic novels being the source material for many big screen flicks, as well as TV shows, videos games, advertising, etc., there’s a news-media fascination with comic books that continues unabated. But when it comes to daily metro newspapers particularly, there’s seems to be a strange disconnect between Those Who Make the Newspaper vs Those Who Read the Newspaper.

Here’s what I mean--- When the WATCHMEN feature story ran, I got many nice comments about it. I was stopped in the grocery store, people at church, at the gym, and of course, a number of regulars here at Flying Colors mentioned seeing my photo in the paper. The "disconnect" was that 90%+ of the mentions came from people over the age of 55, while the median age for all movie attendees is 32…and that’s about the average age of a Flying Colors’ customer. For a movie like WATCHMEN, I’d bet the average age skewed even younger.

If anything can be gleaned from this little anecdote, it's that the dedicated newspaper reader seems significantly older than the audience to which most newspaper professionals are writing. Going just slightly deeper, the reasons for this are likely varied--- news editors and writers are writing younger than their core audience, all-important advertising demographics don't favor aging readership, and a growing number of younger readers opting for online news sources. Ad dollars for all print media are falling faster than you can read this.

Over the years, in many newspaper readership polls, comics were often cited as the #1 favorite feature of most readers. Could a return to large broad-sheet Sunday funnies spur higher circulation in the flagging newspaper business? I’d like to think so, but given the dire straits faced by newspaper companies all over the country, I doubt we’ll ever see such a bold stroke.

*****************

That brings me to back to comics. DC Comics is preparing to roll out the much-anticipated 12-week series called WEDNESDAY COMICS.
It’s a comics-market throwback to the big Sunday Funnies of generations ago, in a fold-out format that reveals each weekly strip to be a full 14x20 inches! In the phot0 above, FlyCo Retailing Brigade members Mike (Dr. Literal) and Melissa (Super-Wit)show off the promo piece for WEDNESDAY COMICS to give you a look at the size of the individual pages.

And it’s loaded with top talent, including Neil Gaiman & Michael Allred (Metamorpho), Paul Pope (Adam Strange), Dave Gibbons & Ryan Sook (Kamandi), Joe Kubert & Adam Kubert (Sgt. Rock), Brian Azzarello & Eduardo Risso (Batman), Kyle Baker (Hawkman) and many others.

WEDNESDAY COMICS is also a huge call-out to our New Releases' Day. Every Wednesday for comics' fans is like a mini-holiday with new comics & other cool stuff to eagerly devour.

WEDNESDAY COMICS looks great, so I'd like to encourage everyone to reserve a copy soon. Your reservation assures you of getting this cool new series. The first issue hits the racks at Flying Colors on Wednesday (natch!) July 8.

Peace 'n' BIG Comics!

FlyCoJoe

Captain Four-Color(ed)

Here are a few pix of some of the entries to our
CAPTAIN FOUR-COLOR
Coloring and Art Contest.

You can view them all up close and personal on your next visit to Flying Colors.

Lots of creative work from everyone who gave us an entry.

The winners will be announced June 15, and the judges are listening to all the comments we hear from the FlyCo Faithful, so if there's a particular entry you love, don't be shy. Tell us why!



****************

Wednesday June 3 is our New Releases Day this week. As always, we have lots of new & cool stuff for comic book fans of all ages and interests.

In addition, we received a shipment of two great books that we're featuring at way below cover price---Excellent books at excellent values!

THE BATMAN HANDBOOK (The Ultimate Training Guide), regularly priced at $15.95... only $4.99
and
WHAT WOULD WONDER WOMAN DO (An Amazon's Guide to the Working World), regularly priced at $15.95... only $6.99

Both are very cool gift items in limited supply, so hurry in soon!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe