Yes, The Comic Shoppe is Open 4 Business-2Nite at 7pm-Blk Panther is African & American?, New Venom, New Aquaman, "Being Human" News & More!

Salutations, Afronerd true believers! Welcome to another installment of The Comic Shoppe, airing this evening at 7pm eastern, courtesy of afronerdradio.com. Tune in this evening and listen to Daryll B., Capt. Kirk and Dburt pontificate on the following pulp related matters: In the wake of the upcoming Marvel Comics' Fear Itself crossover event, it appears that the former King of Wakanda is donning an alternate American identity; our thoughts on long time Spiderman character, Flash Thompson becoming the new Venom (with a new series to boot!); can the hardest working man in the DC universe, Geoff Johns revitilize the much maligned and ridiculed Aquaman character?; the US version of Being Human gets a second season (and Fringe gets a fourth), and this just in.....A JUSTICE LEAGUE MOVIE APPEARS TO BE IN THE WORKS (with a reworked Batman franchise after Dark Knight Rises) and lastly, our favorite graphic novel reads from the previous weeks....whew! Call us live at 646-915-9620 or via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo.com.

Afronerd Radio Presents The Comic Shoppe!

And how can we forget Daryll B's contributions??!! Here's his latest musings on the world of comics, sci-fi and fantasy:

Hello AfroNerd Readers and visitors of all ages. I got an interesting reclamation project coming for you all but first, here are eight articles that caught my inner geek's eye this past week:

Matt Duarte over at The Weekly Crisis asks a question about one of his favorite books that I am sure most of us have done with our own personal choices: What happened to the creative team?

http://www.weeklycrisis.com/2011/03/whatever-happened-to-batman-robin.html


Image Fans! Showtime got the rights to one of your babies:

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/03/25/showtime-developing-chew-television-series/


Laura Hudson wonders if Scott Adams has lost his mind and with what he said, I do think he is heading down that Dave Sim path of "What the h-e-double hockey sticks, Man?" myself:

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/03/25/scott-adam-sexist-mens-rights/


I came across this interesting article/blog while bouncing around the internet Friday. I will admit that I never knew Marcia Lucas had that big a role in Star Wars but it does fill in a few questions about drops in quality. If you got the time, it is a great read.

http://secrethistoryofstarwars.com/marcialucas.html


I found myself also visiting old haunts over the weekend and found 3 great articles over at Newsarama. First, Troy Brownfield covers the year in the Avengers Universe since Siege and finds there is a little bit for everyone:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/avengers-right-to-assemble-one-year-later-110325.html


Then, Vaneta Rogers hit me with a one, two body blow with first a look at why THIS year may be the most important for comic book movies as a genre:

http://www.newsarama.com/film/2011-most-imporant-comic-book-movie-year-110316.html


And then goes down a path that I am proud to say that The Comic Shoppe has traveled when we first started: linking comic book movie universes effectively and the benefits/downsides to it:

http://www.newsarama.com/film/comic-book-movies-shared-universe-110325.html


Finally, Graeme McMillan at Spinoff Online got the jump on me with this reclamation project but with the current state of NBC Fantasy Series, sooner or later someone would ask: "What if we brought Heroes back?"

http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2011/03/27/could-new-heroes-save-nbc/


Heck, Mr. McMillan did a better job at diagnosing and correcting the problems than I would have. So with that universe off the table, I am going to look at the comic book equivalent: The Teen Titans!

The Teen Titans have existed in some form since the 60's and the original concept is simple: the sidekicks of the top heroes get together to stop menaces or just to hang out with other teens like them. Under Wolfman and Perez in the 80's, The New Teen Titans rivaled Claremont's Uncanny X-Men for comic book readers' hearts and as top selling book. Recently, the Titans have even crossed into television with a recent anime style cartoon on Cartoon Network and the hybrid of the concept in Young Justice, so you may ask what went wrong with the comics?

The Titans have lost its way pure and simple. Teen Titans have recently struggled to regain its footing after their characters were used as cannon fodder for DC's recent big events. Its sister book Titans has become a "villain" book, trying to hook in readers who like Suicide Squad / Secret Six group dynamics but failed. So how to help out the franchise?

1) Simplify the universe: one book with 7-10 members but always keep 3 or 4 'recognizable' heroes around for anyone just coming into the book.

2) Simplify the purpose: Geoff Johns had a great concept for the series that I would revisit, make Titans Tower the spot for the heroes to train and hang out. Sure I said I would have a core team in point one, but make it so that it isn't unusual to see cameos of other heroes training under the eye of senior members. If X-Men can do this all the time with their many characters, surely Titans can too.

3) I know the young are usually the first to die, but can we ease up on the ultra darkness and seriousness for a bit? Think about it this way: a kid just enjoyed watching the Teen Titans cartoon and sees one of the books on the stands. Upon reading it, he/she sees not the fun of the cartoon but a book with characters being eaten by mutant dogs or sliced into gory bits. I know the Teen Titans have started to go lighter with recent issues but this stain will remain for awhile...

4) Funny for me to say this but forget the past. Everytime this book reboots, the Powers-Than-Be want to re-form the 80's team in an attempt to regain past success. Those characters have grown up and are in JLA or in some of their mentors roles. Make them 'counselors' for the next generation of heroes but don't 'devolve' their progression just to make the "New" Teen Titans again.

5) Finally, give the book time to find its own identity. Each relaunch of Titans since the mid 90's has gotten 6-10 issues in, then is thrust into a "DC status quo" changing event which knocks over the deck and changes everyone's roles. As a result, characters like Changeling (I prefer than over Beast Boy), Raven, Starfire, and Cyborg who don't have a "big 3 brand" often have their purposes tossed around like volleyballs. Give it 14-20 issues, solidify the team and the concepts, then you can put them in the thick of trouble.

Once again I welcome all critiques on the blog and suggestions for reclamation projects in the comments section below and on my e-mail: wolfpackorion@yahoo.com. I am Daryll B. and until next time Afronerd readers, Keep Fantasizing!