Comics are fun!  Typically when we talk comics here, we’re discussing mainstream superhero titles such as Justice League of America, Aquaman, Flash, or The Avengers.  Today ONCE UPON A GEEK is participating in a loosely-themed crossover with 17 other blogs entitled, “Read This Too!”  The basic idea is for each blogger involved to recommend a comic they enjoy but don’t typically write about.  Since we’re always discussing regular superhero comics here, I’ve decided to tackle a “funny book” for this crossover event.  Thanks to our buddy Kelson from Speed Force for spearheading this interesting and horizon-expanding crossover!

Today we’ll be talking about the Eisner and Harvey Award nominated series, Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius! This series of one-shots features Franklin Richards, son of Fantastic Four’s Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman.   These out-of-continuity adventures follow the hilarious antics of Franklin, a precocious and adventurous little boy who can’t resist playing with his father’s brilliant inventions, typically with disastrous results.  Franklin’s constant companion is H.E.R.B.I.E., the robot nanny who attempts to keep Franklin in line.

What makes these comic strips so brilliant is they are patterned after Calvin and Hobbes! Franklin’s trouble-making behavior is reminiscent of Calvin’s, while H.E.R.B.I.E. plays Hobbes’ role as the voice of reason.  Reed and Sue Richards mirror Calvin’s parents, while there is even an occasional Susie Derkins analog in Katie Power (from Power Pack).  One difference between Calvin and Franklin is that Franklin actually has access to the unearthly scientific inventions that Calvin could only imagine.  The artist used an adorable cartoonish style to emulate the Calvin and Hobbes look and also incorporated more realistic imagery for creatures like dinosaurs (similar to what Bill Watterson did in Calvin and Hobbes).

There were 15 one-shots published in the Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius series between 2005 and 2009. Each issue was self-contained and typically contained several five-page amusing stories.   The majority of stories were developed by Chris Eliopoulos and Marc Sumerak.  Sumerak performed script duties on most issues while Eliopoulos drew and lettered the books.  Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius began as a series of back-up strips appearing in various Marvel comics. The strips were well-received by Marvel readers and the concept was granted a self-titled one-shot, which reprinted the previously published strips. Subsequent one-shots in the series consisted of new material. These one-shots have been collected in digest and trade paperback form.

Here is the description from Marvel Comics for the Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius series:

Move over, Mr. Fantastic – Marvel’s First Family has a brand-new star! Franklin Richards finally hits the big time with this collection of four of his critically acclaimed one-shots! Join Franklin and his robot pal H.E.R.B.I.E. as they head into Reed’s lab for all kinds of fantastic fun, amazing adventures and more trouble than you can shake an Ultimate Nullifier at! This compilation is bound to bring out the kid in every reader!

So if you’re looking for a laugh, check out these digests!  If your local comic book store doesn’t have them in-stock, ask them to special order them for you!  You won’t regret it!

FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS – LAB RAT digest-sized trade paperback collects:

• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS — EVERYBODY LOVES FRANKLIN
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS — SUPER SUMMER SPECTACULAR
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: HAPPY FRANKSGIVING!

FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS – COLLECTED CHAOS digest-sized trade paperback collects:

• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: MARCH MADNESS!
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: WORLD BE WARNED
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: MONSTER MASH
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: FALL FOOTBALL FIASCO!

FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS – NOT-SO-SECRET INVASION digest-sized trade paperback collects:

• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SPRING BREAK!
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: NOT-SO-SECRET INVASION
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SUMMER SMACKDOWN!
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SONS OF GENIUSES!

Alternatively, watch for:

• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS ULTIMATE COLLECTION BOOK 1 TPB – Released in comic stores today!  This covers everything from the first two digests.
• FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS ULTIMATE COLLECTION BOOK 2 TPB – In stores November 24, 2010!  This covers everything from the third digest, plus the one-shots FRANKLIN RICHARDS: IT’S DARK REIGNING CATS & DOGS, FRANKLIN RICHARDS: APRIL FOOLS! and FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SCHOOLS OUT.

For further information, visit Marc Sumerak’s website dedicated to these Franklin Richards comics.

Enjoy!

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Interested in reading more good comics? Great! Check out the lesser-known titles reviewed in these other blogs and “Read These Too!”:

• Adam Strange at It’s A Dan’s World
• American Vampire at My Greatest Adventure 80 (Doom Patrol)
• Astro City at Speed Force
• Booster Gold and Zatanna at Red Tornado’s Path
• Essential Man-Thing at Firestorm Fan
• Forgetless at Girls Gone Geek
• Glamourpuss at Being Carter Hall
• Peter David’s Hulk at Fortress of Baileytude
• Jonah Hex at Boosterrific
• R.E.B.E.L.S. at Indigo Tribe
• Scott Pilgrim at Toyriffic
• Son of Tomahawk at Aquaman Shrine
• Spelljammer at HeroPress
• Spire Christian Comics at Mail It To Team-Up
• Strange Science Fantasy at Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery
• Thor the Mighty Avenger at Aquaman Shrine
• The Unwritten at K-Squared Ramblings
• Welcome to Tranquility at Girls Gone Geek

Please feel free to give a shout-out to any lesser-known comics that you love in the comments!

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/09/29/read-this-too/feed/ 13 http://onceuponageek.com/2010/09/01/joker-lex-luthor-winnie-the-pooh/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/09/01/joker-lex-luthor-winnie-the-pooh/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:45:30 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=4084 Here are a couple brilliant Calvin and Hobbes inspired bits making their way around the interwebs.

This first one comes from the recent Superman/Batman #75 and is by Brian Azzerello and Lee Bermejo.  This comic strip is all over the internet, but I first found it on Forbidden Planet International.  Click the image below to enlarge.

This next one is called “Hobbes vs Pooh”!  The artist did a nice job depicting both Hobbes and Winnie-the-Pooh in a realistic setting.  I found this on KallAngo’s Place.

Awesome.  Just awesome.

This is part of the U.S. Postal Service’s “Sunday Funnies” commemorative stamps released in July.  Other stamps in the collection include: Archie, Dennis the Menace, Beetle Bailey, and Garfield.  You can order your own by clicking here.

So sad.  Don’t ever let go of your inner-child.  I wear mine on the outside.

Bill Watterson gave an interview this week to Plain Dealer reporter John Campanelli.  This was Watterson’s first interview since 1989.  Below is an excerpt:

JC: Because your work touched so many people, fans feel a connection to you, like they know you. They want more of your work, more Calvin, another strip, anything. It really is a sort of rock star/fan relationship. Because of your aversion to attention, how do you deal with that even today? And how do you deal with knowing that it’s going to follow you for the rest of your days?

BW: Ah, the life of a newspaper cartoonist — how I miss the groupies, drugs and trashed hotel rooms!

But since my “rock star” days, the public attention has faded a lot. In Pop Culture Time, the 1990s were eons ago. There are occasional flare-ups of weirdness, but mostly I just go about my quiet life and do my best to ignore the rest. I’m proud of the strip, enormously grateful for its success, and truly flattered that people still read it, but I wrote “Calvin and Hobbes” in my 30s, and I’m many miles from there.

An artwork can stay frozen in time, but I stumble through the years like everyone else. I think the deeper fans understand that, and are willing to give me some room to go on with my life.

To read the entire interview, click here.  My thanks to Joel Schroeder, OnThink, and my wonderful wife for sending me information about this interview.

Happy New Year!  Today is the final day of CALVIN AND HOBBES SNOW DAYS!  I hope you’ve enjoyed these snowmen strips all week.  Also, have you made a pledge yet to Dear Mr. Watterson, a film that will look to the readers and fans of Calvin & Hobbes to tell the story of the strip and its creator?  If not, then click here for information on how you can help.

One last time, bring on the snowmen!

Today is day four of CALVIN AND HOBBES SNOW DAYS!  Enjoy these snowmen strips.  Also, please consider making a pledge to Dear Mr. Watterson, a film that will look to the readers and fans of Calvin & Hobbes to tell the story of the strip and its creator.  For more information on the fund raising for Dear Mr. Watterson, please click here.

And now, bring on the snowmen!

Today is day three of CALVIN AND HOBBES SNOW DAYS!  Enjoy these snowmen strips.  Also, please consider making a pledge to Dear Mr. Watterson, a film that will look to the readers and fans of Calvin & Hobbes to tell the story of the strip and its creator.  For more information on the fund raising for Dear Mr. Watterson, please click here.

And now, bring on the snowmen!