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Free Comic Book Day 2011 Wrap-up: and Lo, Stories Shall Be Told of This Day

EDITED TO ADD even more pictures!

Phew! We are all still exhausted from a truly magical Free Comic Book Day yesterday. We can’t thank you all enough for joining us, and of course our deepest gratitude goes out to our special guests, Sherm Cohen, Tom Kenny, Walter Koenig (with his new comic, “Things to Come”) and Reed Lackey (writer, “The Mis-Adventures of Adam West”). We couldn’t have asked for more generous, gracious, energetic folk (Tom Kenny=the Energizer Bunny?).

We also have to thank Lake Street Creamery, although I am a little mad at them for being dangerously delicious (ice cream every day is healthy, right?).

Between the guests, the comic-loving multitudes who celebrated with us, the free comics and the incredibly delicious ice cream, I would suspect I imagined the whole beautiful day, but no! It was real! I’ve found proof!

UPDATED: Check out our FCBD Gallery on Facebook!

We snuck a few pictures in and posted them to our brand-new Twitter account, @HoS_Burbank (see the feed for individual links, or the full gallery here):

Holy surprise special guest, Batman! @reedlackey now signing the mis-advenutres of Adam West in store!Walter Koenig is here! #FCBD just keeps getting better!Priceless moments: Tom Kenny and Sherm Cohen at House of Secrets for Free Comic Book DayBest day ever! #FCBDHey everyone, The mighty Thor just brought down the hammer on free comic book day!@shermcohen and Tom Kenny signing books on a beautiful free comic book day! Come on down!Hooray! It's free comic book day!

 

Josie Campbell from CBR was on the scene and captured some indelible images:

And check out these pictures from a few of our friends:

http://twitter.com/#!/BellaFeFilms/status/66930779896283136

http://twitter.com/#!/jay_benton/status/66947853586669569

http://twitter.com/#!/DerrickJWyatt/status/67084328097689600

http://twitter.com/#!/ShermCohen/status/67101247706112000

If you have more pictures from the event or stories to share, we’d love to know about ‘em! Send them to “houseofsecretsburbank” at gmail dot com, or post a link here.

One more great big “thank you” from the House of Secrets family to all of you who came out yesterday, and if you couldn’t join us, don’t worry… it’s less than a year until FCBD 2012!

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Free Comic Book Day 2011!

We’re a little bit excited for Free Comic Book Day! Does it show?

OFFICIAL SCHEDULE:

Store hours: 11 am-7 pm

12-2:00 TOM KENNY AND SHERM COHEN

12-2:00 Lake Street Creamery Ice Cream Truck!

3-5:00 Very special guest Walter Koenig from Star Trek: the Original Series, signing free previews of his new comic, “Things to Come” from Bluewater Comics

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Always look on the bright side…

(I know, now that song will be in your head all day, sorry)

I was feeling cranky this morning; just over little stuff, like how Diamond decided to send us two copies of the finally-back-in-stock “Fun Home” tp. Which would be great, except we ordered thirteen of them.

But!

I got an amazing surprise present today from a friend who went to Emerald City. He got one of my favorite people in comics to sign something for me. So now it’s a decidedly glass-half-full day.

More like this:

AT LAST! I can order Fun Home again! And the second volume of the CHRIS SAMNEE Thor book is out! And not one but TWO volumes of Gotham Central for your reading pleasure! And a new Kathryn Immonen book for my ongoing addiction! And Birds of Prey!

So thank you, friend! I can’t believe I almost missed the awesomeness of today.

(And Dear Diamond:

SEND ME THE REST OF MY FUN HOME! I’M BEGGING YOU! I’VE WAITED SO LONG!)

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Special Announcement!

If you’re hoping to visit us January 9th, 10th or 11th, we apologize, but your patience will be well-rewarded when we debut the

ALL (SEMI)-NEW, ALL (SEMI)-DIFFERENT House of Secrets on Wednesday, January 12th!

More information is on our Facebook page, but you’ll have to come and see the updates for the full scoop; if we told you everything now, we wouldn’t be a House of Secrets, now, would we?

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In-Store Event for RIP M.D.: Creator Signing, Original Art Raffle and Live Demo

Join us Friday at the House of Secrets from 5-7pm to celebrate the release of RIP M.D.!

SPECIAL GUESTS:

MITCH SCHAUER – RIP M.D. Creator

The Angry Beavers, Marvel’s The Super Hero Squad Show


MIKE VOSBURG – RIP M.D. Inker

Lori Lovecraft, Spawn (animated)


MICHAEL LESSA – RIP M.D. Color Artist

Hey Arnold!, The Angry Beavers


JUSTIN YAMAGUCHI – RIP M.D. Color Artist

TAN, N.I.T.: Neighborhood Investigation Team


But Wait, There’s More!

  • RAFFLE for free copies of RIP M.D. and ORIGINAL ART from the book!
  • Live Demo: the creators of RIP M.D. show us How to Make A Graphic Novel Page!

About the book:

RIP M.D—the debut graphic novel from The Angry Beavers creator Mitch Schauer—is a creepy, fun-filled adventure introducing Ripley Plimpt, an 11-year-old boy whose ordinary life is turned upside-down when he discovers that monsters are not only real, but are also in desperate need of his help to overcome their very real problems.

RIP M.D. was written and illustrated by Schauer, an Emmy® Award winning producer, writer and designer. Comic book veteran Mike Vosburg has brought his innovative, illustrative style to the artwork’s inking, and Michael Lessa and Justin Yamaguchi have created a whole new look for RIP M.D. with their cinematic color and special effects expertise.

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The Walking Dead; or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love My New Zombie Overlords

Like every responsible citizen, I sat down tonight for my regular dose of instruction on What to Do in the Event of the Zombie Apocalypse (and What NOT To Do. CoughCough. Shane.)

Thoughts:
I heart The Walking Dead.

I can’t believe we don’t get any more until next October.

And on the topic of tonight’s finale, I must say:

Well freaking done, Darabont & Co.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

I had very mixed feelings for most of tonight’s episode. We were led down what felt like a familiar path; the technobabble outbreak analysis (set against internal tensions and survivor trauma) reminded me of every mediocre scifi movie I’ve ever seen.

I started getting rebellious.

“This is not what The Walking Dead is about!” I said to myself.

“It’s not about finding a cure, or having access to technology! It’s about every hopeful turn going horribly wrong and messed up people making crazy decisions that endanger our heroes, and everyone and everything being screwed, but not giving up even when it seems like the only rational option! It’s about a world where wandering aimlessly out into a zombie-filled countryside with no plan and no resources becomes the best-case scenario!”

If you’ve already watched the end, you know what happened. While I didn’t love every part of the execution, it went exactly where I wanted it to go without my having any idea how it would get there. That’s a hell of an accomplishment for any show, never mind an adaptation.

This is me, eating my words and making amends as publicly as possible for ever doubting you, show.

Is it next October yet?

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MYSTERY: what happened to Linda Medley’s name?

(EDITED 11-18: I asked and got a response! See bottom)

WTF?

The new volume of Castle Waiting (brilliant/beautiful/so much fun) is out today from Fantagraphics, but what the heck? Writer/artist Linda Medley is identified only as copyright holder in the indicia and via a sticker on the back. Seriously? A sticker?

No name on front cover, spine or title page, and I grabbed Volume One to compare–it has all three.

It gets weirder: check out Fantagraphics’ new releases post for this week. As of this writing, every book but Medley’s is listed with an author credit. Hers is missing.

Seriously, WTF?
Anyone know what the deal is?

ETA: I decided to ask, and I got an answer! Of sorts. I have to start by thanking the fantagraphics folks for responding, which was gracious of them when they could’ve just ignored me. But the mystery remains! I love the book and the company, so I hope there’s nothing bad at the bottom of this, but for the same reasons I still want to know what I’m buying and who I’m supporting when I tell people to buy the new Castle Waiting. (We sold out of Volume One yesterday because I kept recommending Volume Two to the uninitiated!)

My twitter exchange with Fantagraphics

My twitter exchange with Fantagraphics

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Millarworld announces new MENSTRUA #1!

Berlin, Die Zwiebeln

A tragedy for a young girl, an amulet granting seemingly limitless power–these are just a few of the surprises in store for readers when they pick up a copy of Mark Millar’s next big thing.

When 12-year-old Bryce Payne’s parents are shot outside a theatre along the streets of Cairo, her vacation–and her life- were changed forever.  Now, with her parent’s vast fortune and a magical amulet found inside an ancient pyramid, she battles against the forces of evil, injustice, and boys!

Without giving away too much, the creator stated the 5,000 year-old amulet houses the spirit of Princess Menstrua, the ancient leader of a group of female warriors who lived along the Nile thousands of years ago.  Upon her death at the hands of the evil Set, her soul was imprisoned inside a golden amulet crafted in the shape of a scarab beetle.  But, when the magic word, “Kazam!” is uttered while being bathed by the light of the moon, the amulet transforms the wearer into the superpowerful avatar of the heroine, Menstrua!

After reading the first issue, comic and TV writer extraordinaire Jeph Loeb was quoted as saying, “I wish I would have thought of it!  It’s just as fresh and original as any idea I’ve had in ages!”

The company promises this new title to be nothing like any comic you’ve ever read or seen before.  Its release coincides with another Millarworld original, Superior #1, part of Ultimate Comics new Tales of The SuperKreeMarvelCaptainman.

SHAZAM!

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20 years ago today…

..I left a perfectly good job to sell comic books. Jeez I can still see the look on my Dads face. Not pretty!

However, here I am many moons later,  wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks to all the fine folks who have graced my doors these past two decades. Look forward to seeing you all soon.

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We <3 Frank Darabont + his Walking Dead

Recently, House of Secrets was given a shout-out by the one and only Frank Darabont, director of the upcoming The Walking Dead series premiering this October on AMC.

“Look, I’ve always loved this stuff. I’m a horror guy from when I saw Dracula and Wolfman on TV when I was five. It’s a genetic predisposition. You guys know what I’m talking about. So when I walked into my comic book shop in Burbank – Christ, I’m blanking on the name. House of Secrets, shout out to them. I walked in and I saw this first trade edition of Walking Dead, and of course I grabbed it. It’s the first thing I took home that day! I immediately started reading it that night and I thought to myself, “Okay, this is the zombie sandbox I’ve always wanted to play in. I get it. I get what Kirkman’s doing here. I’d love to follow in his tracks and get this going as a television show.”

Alright, so maybe the insanity that is ComicCon made him momentarily blank on our name, but we’re still thrilled that Mr. Darabont took the time to send a little love our way! Thanks, Frank, we hope you can feel the love we’re sending into the cosmos for you!

Be sure to set your TiVo, DVR, VCR, or Time Machine to record The Walking Dead which premiers on Halloween night at 10pm. How apropos.

AMC's <i>The Walking Dead </i> @ Comic Con 2010

Top Row: Jon Bernthal (Shane), Laurie Holden (Andrea), Denise Huth (Producer), Andrew Lincoln (Rick), Sarah Wayne Callies (Lori) and Robert Kirkman (Comic Creator, Series Executive Producer) Bottom Row: Greg Nicotero (Special Make-Up Effects Designer), Frank Darabont (Writer Director, Executive Producer), Gale Anne Hurd (Executive Producer) @ ComicCon 2010

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