Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities The Walking Dead

Annoyed by this. I do not like being 'forced' to buy Playboy to get a story from the Walking Dead.

While it is a great marketing move, the other side is that it is a cheap gimmick. Giving people one of the main backstories they want, but throwing it in an adult magazine alienates anyone not of age to purchase it. Automatically cutting out potential buyers...or forcing them to attempt other means to obtain it.

I am not above, or below, buying an issue of Playboy...but that doesn't mean I am going to. Kirkman has stated before that he wasn't into telling flashbacks...now he decides to do one and publish it outside of his comic, or even a special showing the backstory of several members of the group.

If I could see that it was self contained on three pages, I might think about it, as I also have young sholdren in the house, and do not feel like 'hiding' one of my books from them.

...and no, I am not a prude, it's just that there are certain things that kids do not need to see before they are ready to.

I'm with you, Devvins.

I would argue that the graphic violence in The Walking Dead is as inappropriate for children to see as the naked women in Playboy - perhaps more so.

Possibly Jerry, but I am guessing we could debate that for quite a few posts. Which in the long run, would get us nowhere and change neither of our minds.

I guess it goes back to that I was able to watch 'scary movies' including Night of the Living Dead from a young age.

I guess, Playboy just seems a bit taboo to me based on my upbringing. >shrug<

Honestly though, that is only part of why I am annoyed...and not the major part.

I definitely think from a content perspective, anyone reading TWD, should be able to read Playboy cover to cover.

The annoyance about a TWD related story not in the comic itself....that I can understand. I don't share it, but I understand it.

I've seen speculation that this is semi-proof that Michonne is going to show up in the season finale of the show.

Playboy would try to cultivate the masses that watch the show, but probably not the lesser few that read the comic. Therefore, this is geared toward them.


I could see that reasoning...I even hope they're right, just to finally get Michonne on the show. Perhaps she'll come in and save the day from the overrunning herd. *fingers crossed*

That being said, the 6 pages don't add much to her backstory at all. Mainly just visuals to what has already been stated.

HTH

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/03/16/things-to-do-in-playboy-when-youre-in-the-walking-dead/

This is pretty cool. Thing is, this may tip the scale for me as I know the comic shop owner featured here. Pretty wild.

^That is an AWESOME story told in that link but please be aware it contains a MASSIVELY MAJOR SPOILER for happenings in the 80s range of the TWD comic if you aren't that far along yet.

Did not even realize that...thanks for the warning Lash.

Random Magazine Review:

Playboy Magazine, April 2012 Edition
The 2012 Sex + Music Issue
Release date: March 16, 2012
Cover price: $6.99

SPOILERS AHEAD !!!

For the first time in my life today, I purchased an issue Playboy. Not that I haven't read Playboy before, but it has been a few decades since I snuck my dad's cleverly hidden copies from under the tee shirts in his dresser drawer as irrepressible adolescent. Today's purchase was made at a Quick Mart gas station. The clerk was very nonchalant about the whole torrid affair, so the transaction had the casual feel of purchasing a Sunday newspaper and bag of chips. Thanks, young lady!

The cover features Bruno Mars in a 50's pose, strumming a guitar, wearing a white jacket and black pants, while April playmate Raquel Pomplun is in a pose that resembles a crab walk at his feet. They make a nice looking couple, and they both have awesome hair.

The magazine felt much lighter and had a lower page count than the issues my dad bought all those years ago. In spite of that, it had an amazing amount of content in comparison to most magazines I purchase today.

Some highlights include:

Brief reviews of current fads in food, movies, tv, and fashion.

A feature called "After Hours" that remembers the making of Animal House.

An article about having sex on planes.

An article about dating people you've dated before.

A feature called "Playboy Advisor" that prints letters and responses on such topics as pet nicknames, revenge porn sites, tipping tattoo artists, and the best way to store mechanical watches.

Playboy Forum articles on prescription drug abuse and why we shouldn't obsess about the national debt.

A lengthy interview with Mad Men star, John Hamm.

A nude photo spread of a British DJ named Natalie Loren. She seems like a nice girl.

The 2012 music guide that gives us tips on artists we should be looking out for like Lana Del Ray, the Alabama Shakes, and Eric Church. I Youtubed some of them. Not bad choices.

An interview with Mick Fleetwood in which he complains about Stevie Nicks holding up the latest reunion tour and costing him $10 million, while insisting he has no hard feelings. Right, Mick. I totally support Stevie on this one.

A fiction piece about a Russian picnic.

A six page Walking Dead story in which we see Michonne's struggles on the first day of the great zombie disaster, learn where she got her swords, and get glimpses of the bad ass she will become. Charlie Adlard's work is perfectly consistent with his efforts in the comic.

A photo spread featuring Miss April, Latin Temptation, Raquel Pomplun. She likes to cook and dance and is pursuing a degree in biochemistry. Santana is her favorite bedroom music. She's very pretty and wears some interesting and inexpensive jewelry for the shoot.

They still publish Playboy Party Jokes! They're every bit as bad as they were 30 years ago.

An article listing the greatest electric guitarists of all time. Do you agree? I didn't completely agree with the order, but some good choices.

20 Questions with the sassy Meghan McCain. Girl just can't stop dishing on the Palins.

An article on a dirty Chicago cop.

A fashion spread and interview with Bruno Mars. The boy is cute, has an ego, and fun sense of humor. I can't afford any of those clothes, though.

A fun gossipy feature that reprints nude pictures of former playmates who have gone on to marry famous rock stars. Cute.


Overall Grade: B+

The Walking Dead strip is good, but probably not worth the $6.99 cover price if you have no interest in the other content. If any of the above piques your interest or sounds like fun, grab the issue already!

Thanks Jerry.

Hope it helps folks decide whether to buy it.

Oh, and I forgot to mention there is MORE comic related news in solicitation for the next issue of Playboy. There will be an interview with Grant Morrison.

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">After watching the season finale of the television series, I need to revise my recommendation of the Playboy strip up a notch. It leads directly into the tv series if that is important to you. </span></span>

RE: Issue #96

A very different issue. This is a pivotal moment for the cast. Rick's speech was nothing short of inspirational.

Just caught up with 95 and 96.

Wow...that was not at all what I expected it to be. That's not a bad thing...just different.

I'm now going to sut back and wait for things to go tits up.

Just finished up through Book #8, and I'll admit I'm losing faith in the series. It just seems every death and maiming comes off as a calculated ploy, the characters have ground to a halt and the Governor was just such an over the top villain that I couldn't get into it.

I'm on the fence as to whether I'll purchase the next one. The best part to recommend it is that the whole Prison/Woodbury stuff seems to be at a definitive close, so at least we'll get a fresh start of sorts with book #9. Without get too spoilery, can people confirm that things pick up?

Dave, IMO, things do pick up soon after where you left off. The next phase (probably Book 9) is a bit of 'catching your breath and realizing what just happened'. But then soon after, things pick up again.

Where we are now, around #97 or so, there have been actually a few ups and downs from where you are. So you'll have to push through those two downs (two in particular, including where you are now). I think we're riding a big high right now, as things are getting really fantastic again and potentially could reach an all new high point shortly.

I read 95-97 just now... I am interested in this cult of Negan... but I do feel like there's a sense that this book is kinda going in cicles quite a bit these days. Still, it remains a top read of mine but I actuaklky find myself missing MANY of the older better-established characters that are no longer with us.

The many MANY newer --hell, NOT so new really, like Rosita and her crew-- castmembers we have now just don't match what certain others brought to the table for me.

I think Kirkman killed off many of them FAR too quickly.

I realized in 97... I have forgotten the Priest's name... I have forgotten the muscley handlebar mustache guy's name... this should NOT be the case.

RE: Issue #98 - Something else else to Fear, Part 2


I guess we've all been hoping for something special for issue #100. Things have been kind of quiet lately. Some interesting moments, but kind of quiet. Until this issue, that is!

An unexpected and disturbing death. Gore galore. This new menace is as dangerous and deadly as anything the crew has faced so far. That's saying something. Fasten your seat belts folks. Things are going to get pretty wild over the next few issues.

Excited for things to finally be ramping up. A shame about the death this issue though - I was fond of the character and they really don't have a lot of fighting force left, do they? At least, named characters we could actually care about. The group that got ambushed by walkers was a nice highlight that no matter how many you kill, there's still going to be thousands left when you live next to a formerly densely populated area.

Wondering which of the major characters we'll lose in issue #100. I'll be completely surprised if Kirkman has everyone survive the issue.

98 was definitely an eye-opener...pun intended. Though the end of the previous issue foreshadowed the death in the first few pages, it was shocking to see him or her taken out in that fashion so suddenly. I would have thought the character would have at least been given a chance to go out in a blaze of glory. I considered the character among my favorites of the current group of survivors, but the death didn't have the impact that some of the others had on me. It was nice, though, to see some of the survivors reacting to it. You could just feel the oh shit in the air among them along with their personal connections.

On the other hand, it was nice to see that the other character wasn't content to be road kill and found a unique and (let's face it) pretty funny way to turn the tables on his assailants. I kinda like to see the underdogs survive against the odds, and I hope this character survives the arc now.

Going in, I thought maybe "Something else else to Fear" would take place as a war on the Hilltop, but it looks like the current war might just be at the Community instead. Maybe this is an introductory salvo in a longer sequence with something at the Hilltop happening later. We'll see how compelling the new bad guys are as more than just a dire threat. They will inevitably be compared to the Governor and Woodbury. To live up to that, Negan and his thugs have lots to live up to!

I just finished trade 16, that collects 91 through 96.

I may have to run to the store to see if they still have 97 and on ... can't wait to see Negan's crew get the smack put down on them!

and ... If Carl just never appeared again ... without any explanation ... I'd be fine with that.

The book seems like its ending ... but with the tv show out they're probably gonna milk this baby like a cactus in the desert.

"Carl who?"

I think it was as recently as 98's lettercol that Kirkman said something like TWD 'probably isn't even half-over.'

That's incredible ... Wonder where it will go then ...