July 1998 continued

As suggested in Olney's "Free Rider," I give you yet another profile on myself. (I love to talk about myself, don't you?)
Name: John Simcoe
Occupation: Copy Editor, York Dispatch, York, PA
Age: 24 (and about to turn 25)
Favorite movie: The Right Stuff
Favorite music: The Police, "Ghost in the Machine"; Leonard Cohen, "The Future"; Concrete Blonde, any album; John Mellancamp, "Scarecrow"; Kenny Rodgers', Greatest hits (really!); punk music from the 1980's
Favorite novel: "Less than Zero" by Easton Ellis
Favorite TV show: I hate to be cliched, but "Seinfeld" and "The Simpsons"
Favorite characters in comics: DC's Captain Marvel, Guy Gardner (any of his incarnations), Marvel's Crusader, Marvel's Gargoyle, Nightcrawler, Cat-Man (as if you couldn't tell), Jack of Hearts, Image's Fairchild (I wish they'd write a decent story!), numerous other characters whose costumes I think are cool looking.
Least favorite comic characters: Batman, Wolverine (I really and truly have never been able to understand why people like him so much. It really boggles my mind!), anyone who kills people all the time (except the Punisher, since he did it first), Jarvis.

THE BIG SCORE --

Argosy Smith, along with one of his cohorts, slips onto the planet Faber No. 2 to steal one of Da Vinci's Codexes in Astounding Space Thrills No. 1. Art by Steve Conley.

© Steve Conley.

Favorite comic book (cancelled): Hawk & Dove, The Destroyer
Favorite comic book (current): Uh, well, nothing really. But I get and read the following: Astro City, Green Lantern (except those damn Legion issues, I hate that Legion crap), Thunderbolts, Leave it to chance, Power of Shazam!, occasional issues of Spider-Man (very rarely), Fantastic Four (before Claremont got on to it, I absolutely HATE his writing --- he's so aggravating), Excalibur (off and on)

* * *
Steve Conley's Astounding Space Thrills No. 1 is one fun book. It's written and illustrated by Steve Conley and has a cover illustration by Jim Steranko.
The story focuses on Argosy Smith, an adventurer who's been told he's going to die when he's 25. Smith lives in a universe where Earth encountered a bizarre region of space that made the planet a lot different than it was in the 20th century. "The previous laws of physics no longer applied. Space travel was possible, alien races came and went and a shaky sense of magic replaced our shakier beliefs in science," the preface reads and some how, you kind of believe it.

THE MAN WITH THREE BRAINS --

Mr. Redmond, a human with two extra brains, has a conversation with himself in Astounding Space Thrills No. 1. Art by Steve Conley.

© Steve Conley

Smith is on a mission, he's out to steal one of Da Vinci's codexes (you know like in "Hudson Hawk"). But, there's someone out there who's bent on stopping him, a rich tycoon who uses his power to enforce his shady deals (you know, like in "Hudson Hawk"). Our hero is a brash risk-taker who loves danger and is more than ready to go into any situation without a plan (you know, like in "Hudson Hawk"). The aforementioned tycoon is named Mr. Redmond, he runs a computer company named Macroshaft and he has three brains encased in a plexiglass skull (you know, like in --- whoops, I was on a roll there!).
The story takes us on a real thrill ride. There's space battles, aliens, mystics, prophecies, giant robots, beheadings and more. In fact, it's the kind of comic book that, if and when it's made into a movie, every "Star Wars" fan out there will be waiting in line for it, knowing it wil be the next, great space-opera film.

GONE FISHING --

Could an athlete like Tim Salmon play the Big Red Cheese?

© Donruss

It's priced at $2.95 (a little expensive for a B&W, but worth it) and is published by Day 1 Comics. By the time you read this, it might be off the racks, but I'd bet Day 1 would send you one for the cover price, plus an extra dollar or so for postage. You can write to them at Day 1 Comics, P.O. Box 12192, Arlington, VA 22219.
Besides the main story, there's an informative page or two on how they put the comic together and a seven page (rather mediocre) backup story.
Whadda deal!

* * *
Now, for my monthly casting call. I don't know if this guy can act, but that's never stopped anyone in Hollywood. How about Anaheim Angels right fielder Tim Salmon as DC's Captain Marvel? He's got that innocent slightly goofy look to him.

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