I know, I know.  The 2003 Ang Lee Hulk was not what we all expected.  However, I think Ang Lee made an excellent film that is under rated by many comic fans.  Lee’s version demanded patience of its audience favoring character development instead of special effects.  Establishing character seems almost silly to fans that have followed the character in its various incarnation for years.  Lee’s retelling of the origins not only laid the groundwork for the Leterrier version, but it also provided a detailed multi dimensional accounting of Banner’s father.  The depth this part of the story gave us reasoning only an Eastern director could.  The intersection of science and fate between father and son was excellent in terms of story telling, yet seemed to let down fans that wanted “HULK SMASH” from start to finish.  To fans of the Hulk comic, the ending was upsetting to say the least.  I have even heard comparisons to Joel Schumacher’s systematic destruction of the Batman franchise.  If there was a flaw in Lee’s adaptation, it was the battle at the films climax.  Its abstraction sucked the life from what we were all expecting… the Hulk going toe to toe with super villain.  If anything Norton’s writing of the new Hulk learned from the mistakes (if you can call them that) of Lee’s version.  From the cameos of Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby to the overlap of Robert Downy Jr. as Tony Stark and a mention of S.H.I.E.L.D, we can definitely see a new direction for the Marvel franchise.  I thought the gritty effects of the Hulk were better than the 2003 film and this was probably the point.  As comic fans (and movie audiences in general) we don’t want to see a comic book on the big screen.  We want our entertainment to make the leap from imagination to reality.  Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk did just that.  Both of these movies are science fiction enough for us to suspend disbelief, yet realistic enough for us to realize that if either hero (or antihero) were in action, we could only run away … very quickly.  I was somewhat disappointed by the distance Marvel created between the Lee and Letterier films when the latter so obviously picked up where the first left off even down to Bruce’s location in South America.  All in all I am impressed with the new film but would remind fans not to dismiss the original so quickly.  As usual I am curious to know…what do you think? 

Everything seems to be getting more expensive these days thanks to the rising price of fuel and the cost to transport goods throughout the country.  This cost trend has impacted comics as well.  Think about how much a monthly title cost only a year or two ago compared to today’s prices.  The fair weather collector is almost forced to get serious and budget for their addiction, wait and search the back issue bins, wait even longer for a series trade, or just abandon the hobby altogether.  However there is a solution … web comics.  I’ve observed the online comic trend gaining popularity and have jumped on board myself.  In the technocracy we live in is there ever a time where a computer and the Internet aren’t within arms reach?  Think about how many issues could be held on one flash drive with no chance of degradation from time or the elements.  Entire collections can become completely portable, totally accessible and always in mint condition.  Of course this is in the distant future, and digital texts may never replace the actual feel and smell of a new book in your hands, but it is worth exploring, especially for independent creators who often have no venue for their work.  Take Oddnik for example.  This site has a variety of material for comic lovers of all ages and can be read with a few quick clicks of on a keyboard at no cost to the consumer.  Comics like Holliday, Gnorm and Uno offer a depth to comics that traditional “super hero” books ignore.  So, if you’re interested in creative stories and solid artwork, check out what the site has to offer, and keep an eye on the blog for new posts about this site, suggestions on other great web comics, and other random tidbits about all aspects of comics.

Hi, and welcome to our little webcomics site. We plan to do some cool stuff here, starting with reprinting the critically acclaimed HOLLIDAY series from Dave Samuelson and Jason Wright originally published by Saddle Tramp Press. The series takes real events in the Life of Doc Holliday and fills in the unexplained gaps with supernatural elements. We started it off by publishing the backup stories from HOLLIDAY #6 and #7 that looks at the relationship between Doc and Wyatt Earp. Click Here to read it now.

We’ll also be doing a regular (hopefully weekly) Gnorm the Gnome strip. You can read Gnorm’s original minicomic here, or the beginning of the new strip here.

Last but not least, we’re starting a new comic called U.N.O. that is an action/spy story about a government agency that deals with super-powered operations. You can read it here.

Thanks for taking the time to check out our site and comics and feel free to let us know what you think.

-Brad Samuelson