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By Matthew Shaer

"I could cite the influence of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne aesthetics, with their roots in fantasies of power, speed, and flight, or posit the costume as a kind of fashion alter ego of the heavy, boxy profile of men’s clothing at the time. When in fact the point of origin is not a date or a theory or a conjunction of cultural trends but a story, the intersection of a wish and the tip of a pencil."

That's novelist and unabashed über-comix-fan Michael Chabon on the birth of the superhero costume. In a March New Yorker essay, Chabon noted – coincidentally – that, "like the being who wears it, the superhero costume is, by definition, an impossible object." As evidence, he asked readers to imagine a large comic-book convention, full of kids "shpatziring around the ballrooms and exhibition halls dressed as Wolverine, say, or the Joker’s main squeeze, Harley Quinn. Without exception, even the most splendid of these getups is at best a disappointment."

So what would Chabon make of “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy,” a new exhibit at New York's Met?

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By Matthew Shaer

News keeps gushing out of Warner Bros. on the "Watchmen" project, which Alan Moore, the author of the original book, has disavowed. Current cast listing puts Billy Crudup up front as the bright blue Dr. Manhattan, and "Little Children" alums Patrick Wilson and Jackie Earle Haley in the roles of Night Owl and Rorschach. Good cast; good book – what the hell could possibly go wrong?

Rorschach screen shot courtesy of Warner Bros.

Well, Moore told Wizard, "I won’t be watching it, obviously. I can at least remain neutral to it as long as they’re taking my name off of it and not playing these silly, ultimately futile games like they were doing last time, which worked out so well for them." The reference is to "V for Vendetta," which WAS botched. But Alan, my man, have you seen these screen shots and video clips?

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By Matthew Shaer

Good news for Marvel this weekend: the Jon Favreau-powered "Iron Man" flick is a critical smash. No small achievement, really, considering that most recent comix-related films have been hung out to dry in the mainstream press, regardless of general box office clout. (I'm looking at you, "FF4.")

Over at the New York Times, A.O. Scott writes that "Iron Man" is "a superhero movie that’s good in unusual ways"; Bill Zwecker, at the Chicago Sun-Times, says it's "one of the smartest superhero films to come down the pike in some time."

And so on: The Boston Globe, Rolling Stone, New York Post, all weighed in with what amounted, more or less, to rave-ups. (One of the only dissenters is David Denby, of the New Yorker, who calls the whole damn thing "a hundred-and-eighty-five-million-dollar put-on.")

What accounts for the effusion?

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Today marks the seventh annual Free Comic Book Day - which means exactly what it says, but only at participating stores. To find a comic book shop handing stuff out in your neighborhood, punch a zip code into this handy dandy web page. Incidentally, the site has a list of comics that will be given out at most locations, so you can browse and see if they're worth your while. Said list starts out with Jughead, so don't expect too much! --Janine Kahn

P.S. Today was apparently also World Naked Gardening Day. But you already knew that.

By Matthew Shaer

Back in the day – before the attack of the portable electronic devices but after the attack of the basement-dwelling bloodsuckers – Stephen King used to toss around a theory about the problematic nature of the “reveal” in horror literature.

The theory went something like this: horror stories traditionally follow an arc from an early atrocity to a final comeuppance. The villain remains “masked” for the majority of that arc; we see him in fragments; he is described tangentially. Since our imaginations are exponentially more chromatic than anything the average writer can muster, that masking is what lends weight to the story.

Eventually, the writer must come to terms with the villain. He must “unmask” the antagonist, and expose its fundamental nature and identity, so the plot can be resolved. And this, King wrote, is where the whole thing goes to shit: a Revelation, robbed of suspense, is never as vivid as the Build-Up. (Similarly, sayeth Hugh Hefner: A naked Playgirl is never as interesting as one wearing half an American flag T-shirt or one off-blue cowboy boot.)

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For those who aren't excited about the Iron Man movie coming out next month, you really should be. After all, it's not much of a stretch for Robert Downey, Jr. to play an alcoholic millionaire playboy. On the flip, if you can't wait for the movie to come out, then the Comic Outpost is giving you a chance to play the part of Iron Man yourself. Come out to the shop Wednesday, April 23 (that's TOMORROW), when owner Gary and the gang host the Drunken Iron Man contest. Act out a scene as a shit-faced Tony Starks from the classic "Demon in a Bottle" story arc and you can win some cool swag and VIP passes to the movie. Heck, you can even get actually drunk for the contest if you want to. Just don't bring your car if you plan to do so. Seriously. --Oscar Pascual

Reports have surfaced that Edward Norton is not pleased with Marvel's final cut of the upcoming Hulk movie. Norton, who plays Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk, has a different view than Marvel on how the film should be edited, and is upset due to the fact that he was promised "tremendous involvement and access" throughout production. Please Marvel, don't make Ed Norton Angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry.

Sorry, I had to say it. -- ASD Staff Report

If you enjoyed the dastardly adventures of Spider Jerusalem in Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan series, then you rock. If you're Jonesing for more Ellis, check out FreakAngels, a web comic about people with special powers living in post-apocalyptic England. It's free and comes out every week with a new issue. Bald gonzo journalist not included. -- ASD Staff Report