What happened to the glitz and glamour of foil and hologram covers on comic books? Sure you can get 20 different variant covers, 19 of which are probably drawn by Mister Turner, but gone are the days of straight to shelf flashy covers. Or you could always go to Dynamic Forces if you are willing to part with your hard earned.

T'was the early to mid nineties, maybe the height of the "speculator" craze that brought about so many variables to the fore. Or maybe it was because the comic companies were just trying to defribulate a market that was all but dead. Either way, covers like Iron Man #290 with its gold foil inlay, Superman #123 with glow-in-the-dark electricity zapping from his new duds, Wolverine #75 with a banging hologram stuck straight on the cover and Spider-Man #25 with its giant hologram cover making it one of the coolest covers of its time.

Either way, these covers were exciting. Even though I wasn't slightly interested in any 2099 series except Spidey, I still had to get every issue #1 just for their kick butt chromium facia.

I'm not saying that chromium, foil and hologram covers are no longer released. Only that their prevalance on the shelves is going the way of the collectors card... only difference is, I was happy to see cards go.

 

Pick it up, put it down, pick it up again. Doesn't really help it as the flow just throws down the jars on the kitchen floor to shout out "tomato and beets" as the window cleaner sinks into the sponge cake. All is fine reading the page, it's the cut into the next where one minute Supergirl is in STAR Labs and the next out down in Mexico with Powerboy.

Okay, sure, what happens next is some one walks into the room and makes it out like they were the ones who own the thongs that are now missing for the shifting of the street press covers it up some. Not like they weren't going to walk around bare foot for a little while longer any way.

 

Screw Superman it seems. The marshmallow float is moving on and it's pirate times and vague, yet direct, rip/riff-offs on the Supergirl thing. That's July 20 by the way, where things aren't that far from the next sale.

There's a stack that's getting higher and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #10 joins the debris. If this series is sour, there's no way of knowing from the look of it. And that will leave about 6 issues wallowing. Somewhere.

Jason Paulos recently pumped out another Hairbutt the Hippo. That's got a hippo private eye in the lead. So does Elephantmen #1, which teeters on an edge.

 

Last week saw those pirates from them Caribbean seas return for some hi jinks in the high waters. Next week will be Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson in a tepid film about a super woman. This week, for July 13, nothing much. Anything? Can't recall.

Any way, it's the end of a line with Spider-Girl #100. From the humble jump start of that What If...? issue and so many comics and years later, it's time to say good bye. And at whopping 104, it's going to be a bang. All good solid and shot single stories for the entire run. None of this lolly-gagging with nothing inbetween business.

Can't say the same for Ultimate Spider-Man #97. Which, if previous issues are any indication, will be only a fraction of a story to tide over until the "record breaking" land mark issue later this year. Like as if it really counts if the guts aren't quite like the fish smells.

Of course, the fine line is crossed and pistol whipped in Shaolin Cowboy #6. It's crazy, it's hyper detailed, it holds its own. It loses a lot of water. It keeps on with the nutsoids and the pages smell really good.

 

Running about the place in the winter time leaves the ears ripping raw for some. And there are others who just don't have that problem at all and ever.



Rather simple and clean, this photo was taken in August 2005 at Martin Place in Sydney during the on location filming of Superman Returns. In the actual film, it appears for a brief second as Kitty Kowalski (Parker Posey) drives a mustang that is careening all out of hell.

Early on for the night, it was placed up on and over a "For Lease" sign for the building. Nobody else took much notice of it, the crowds heading home more concerned with the ever expanding line for the taping off of Martin Place than any thing else. Shortly after taking this photo, it was all cordoned off.

 

For all the great iconic shots of Superman, none can really beat the scene seen on Action Comics #1.



An August night has the ears solid chips while eyeballing the on location filming for Superman Returns.

Before rushing off to watch Onna No Honour, the mustang dangles above the area in front of the Martin Place fountain. Rising up, lowering down, the car gets something of a vertical trip to work out its bearings.

Along the Commonwealth Bank building to the left and off panel, a cherry picker takes to unfurling the various country flags tangling themselves around the flagpoles. At least twice, who knows how many more times before the dying of the winds.

Watching the actual scene in the movie, it's clear that director Bryan Singer (actually underneath the car in shot) is showing the crew and cast just how Brandon Routh will handle and lower the car as Superman.

Parker Posey is the driver in the mustang, but it could very well have been a stunt driver in this shot.

For those lucky extras that night, a glimpse of the suit live and in all its glory.

 

After the intense wait of over how ever long it took to wipe away the memory of Christopher Reeve, Superman Returns is a pure delight. Brandon Routh slips comfortably and easily into the dual roles of Clark Kent and Superman.

Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane looks hungry and emaciated for the drive that burns inside her journalistic soul. Lex Luthor has never been as maniacal and as near deranged as Kevin Spacey's portrayal yet. Twisted is only a hint of this man's desire to kill Supes.

Sequences involving Superman at the rescue are sublime and fantastic to watch. Movement is so natural and free that it really does look like the guy can fly. Except in certain scenes where the cape billows to an awkward set of mini waves too smooth to blend into the subconscious.

An emotionally well made film, it does focus more on the relationship between Superman and Lois as much as it is between Superman and the earth as its saviour.

 

There's newspapers all about the place and it all pretty much says the same thing. News is news is news not old unless you read the paper from yesterday. It's a cycle of repetitions that you need to remind yourself of. Who else is going to?



People are rushing home for it's a cold August night in 2005 for the on location filming of Superman Returns. Martin Place is transformed into a Metropolis street.

Along one edge are newspaper vending machines. Certainly not the usual contraption seen on a Sydney street for any current day. The tape cordoning off the area starts off with passersby being rather close to the props.

As night draws on and freezes the air, the tape gradually moves outward. It keeps moving until the entire block between Pitt and Castlereagh Streets is filled only with the extras and crew.

 

Nothing really interesting for the week's shipment coming in on June 29. There's Ultimate Spider-Man #96 of course. Certainly feeling like it draws on momentum now more than ever. Especially with #100 not that far from hitting shelves.

Also released on Thursday is Superman Returns. No need for splashy promotion, this thing will ride on its own energy. Sells itself really.