On the array lining up the walls and those shelves above the back issue bins, such a wide selection of action figures. Wouldn't it be good if you could figure out what's there and that?

Currently for those looking to spot what busts the shop has, from the likes of Bowen Designs, Marvel Select, Diamond Select and such, there's the gallery of busts.

For those checking out a fuller body experience, the statues gallery displays a wide sampling (most of really) those from the likes of DC Direct, Hard Hero, Bowen, Clayburn Moore and others.

Now, for those who think about the bendy, of articulation and all things action figurey, the action figures have their own listing as well.

Listings on the action figure listings on the action figures are grouped in sets and bunched in DC, Marvel, movies, cartoons, horror and music. And them bigguns like the John Lennon and The Crow.

 

Word floats around that a collection worth gathering is a collection worth displaying. And true, to some extent. Or at least to the extent at which space will allow. And then there's the collection not entirely worth displaying. The display that crinkles up a question mark hovering over the vat of cool molten lava.



On the photo above are two stacks of comics. The higher one is the one of the comics that have been read. And the one on the far right is the one that everybody dreads when thinking about their collection. The part of the collection which rues the day and occupies the mind.

The stack on the far right is the stack of comics that are waiting to be read. On such example being a run of Jack of Fables from #1-5. It's as bad as it feels.

the Comic Shop, serving an addiction

 

Bleary fusion of Sunday night crossing over and into the state that appears after chewing on disgust. However, anything in a state of wondrous angst finds a way out after watching a good Bollywood movie.

And when it's Main Hoon Na as part of the "Hooray For Bollywood" season at SBS, it's just a glorious mix of action, comedy, drama, romance, dance and song that picks the brain right up from the slumber.

The Matrix and Mission: Impossible 2 are featured as heavy riffs with the style of action—and even the not so really action packed scenes—picking up and wringing everything they can from these two films in terms of dirty faced style. Nobody hides this fact of overt homage either, referenced right in the dialogue.

Extended uses of bullet-time get bawdier with each play and the fact that it looks so serious is obscenely fantastic. Watching it, there's the thought that it can't possibly better itself. And then they throw in a song and dance number and that suspicion is dragged knuckle deep through a bed of nails.

Final fight scene features the villain, who looks a lot like Dominic Purcell, catching the first of Major Ram in his neck. Now, if that isn't some kind of skill in arm-to-arm combat worth admiring, what is?

Hilarious and heart-felt with all sorts of issues, watching clean subtitles as they swear their heads off only adds to the charm.

Clearly the best Bollywood movie ever in existence.

 

If Shaun of the Dead is known as a Rom Zom Com, Versus, directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, should be classified as a Rom Zom Com Mar SciFi Fant Act... A romantic zombie comedy filled with martial arts, sci fi, fantasy and action up the proverbial wahzoo! In fact I would go so far as to just call it nuts!!!

As a comparison, Versus is best described as a raucous mish mash of Peter Jackson’s Brain Dead, Sam Raimi's Evil Dead Trilogy and Shinsuke Sato's Princess Blade with a liberal dose of Sony PlayStation style videogame-esque action. In certain parts of the film I felt as though I was watching a cut scene from the Capcom favourite, Devil May Cry.

The acting in this film isn't the best, although in a film that doesn't take itself too seriously this isn't always a negative. Tak Sagaguchi plays the lead as our dark, brooding ex-inmate KSC2-303. Throughout the film he takes it upon himself to shoot, punch, kick, hack and slash the heck out of as many new inductees into the "Forrest of Resurrection's" zombie fraternity. He does this with the help of a trusty six shooter and a mysterious sword with a laser sight... see... nuts!



The soundtrack to Versus is just as hyper active and frantic as the film itself. Thumping electro/metal and industrial beats permeate the action scenes with little disturbance although does little to build suspense.

The movie is crazy and that is exactly why I loved it. It was simple yet confusing, amateur yet polished and ... just NUTS!

If you are an action fan, a horror fan or just keen on a laugh give Versus a watch.

Versus has been released by Madman's live action Asian cinema arm Eastern Eye and is available at the Comic Shop now!

 

November 9, Oaks Day down in Melbourne following the supposed hang over to come from Melbourne Cup. Or some thing else to do with the flogging and running of horses around a track for the enjoyment of the humans. You won't get poker chips doing laps! And so every body finds a chance to gamble and sink their lives a little more as they watch the pre-glue selection process in work.

With the subtitle of It's All Greek To You!, Action Philosophers #7 from Evil Twin Comics. Another lesson in learning and this time, from the guess of it, it's about the Greek thinkers. A fun read, it distills and sifts through the tomes to serve a platter of small crackers that fit nicely under the eyelids.

 

One thing that the new store brings with it is the lack of brown paper bags to stash purchased comics in. No longer with that porno bag look, it's all about the white and the black and the branding.



And then there's the smacking of the ink and the rubber stamp on the little bags to keep up with the bigger version.

After an hour or two, it's the cracking of the wrists before the cracking of the rubber that makes the louder sounds.

 

September 29 hits on the Thursday (but a delay puts them on October 4) and with that, so few months remain of the year. So too do the days run out that reading something printed in 2005 becomes something of a joke. At least they aren't running on hold for months on end.

Speaking of things that look like they never would be, Captain Gravity And Power Of The Vril #6 finally comes out. The pulp action hero of the 1930s or 50s, can't quite remember. Nazis are involved though, so that's putting the decade around then. Quite the lovely art, with a story that is nothing short of fun for the period.

Ultimate Spider-Man #83 is around about, what, the fifth part in a six-parter? Moonman and those Chi boys? Last read, #80 saw Parker doubting a deal from Kingpin.

Not too sure what Indigo Vertigo One Shot is. The hits of the 80s are ringing in the ears for some reason. Best put the Duran Duran and New Order on rest then.

Revelations #2 will most likely see Ramos draw a 40 year old looking very much like a teenager. Charlie Northern is now in the Vatican and still not getting anywhere close to cooperation from the local officials. Fantastic moody art.

Best thing about this week, Action Philosophers Self Help For Ugly Losers. The title says it all, and if it doesn't, then pick it up and read a page to see what it's about. A page should be enough to garner some sort of read on it.

 

Zombie King #0 (Image) - If you can find it, get it. First few pages are worth it alone. Best see for yourself why it's so funny. Or not so. That cow just would never have been right no matter what happened after that encounter.

Action Philosophers! #1 (Evil Twin) - So you have learning and comics. But deep learning, stuff the English teacher or History teacher would love to go on and on about. Thought, deep mental processing, and funky line work.

Sonic The Hedgehog #150 (Archie Comics) - Coming in half way, the story already takes place. And damn, that Sonic is one helluva playa with the ladies. Oh, wait... right.

 

Ever is the intent to read the new stuff. This going along with the old stuff makes for a lot of stuff to read in aggregate. April 7 sees a bunch of losers, a bunch of firsts and a bunch of philosophers take to the "interesting" pile.

Ultimate Spider-Man #75 continues the Hobgoblin story. Part 4 of a six part arc. Having only read the first part a couple of weeks ago, it looks like Harry could be getting far more stroppy than we've seen before. After all, the guy comes back from wherever the looney bin was and finds that punk kid Parker having relations with his girl MJ. Yeah, like when was that really? You missed the boat Harry. Let's see what do to bring it back.

GLA #1 takes on the Avengers in a way not unlike that of Formerly Known as the Justice League did for the JLA. These Great Lakes Avengers are said to be the losers of the bunch, the dumb lucks struck by their own hand. The cover should be a good indication of the whole flavour of the title.

Vertigo First Taste is a gold mine of the Vertigo Comics stable. Y: The Last Man #1, 100 Bullets #1, The Books of Magick: Life During Wartime #1, Saga of the Swamp Thing #21, Transmetropolitan #1 and Death: The High Cost of Living #1 all jammed together into a tight little US cover price of only US$4.95. Bargain.

Action Philosophers #1 really sounds like someone was off their rocker when concocting this one. Nietzsche, Plato and kung fu master BodhidharmaFu appear in a "a hip and humorous way" and let's just hope that means fun. Be a weird way to teach the new kids a bit about the old folks outside a take through Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.