GermWorks Blog Moved

I have moved GermWorks Blog to a new location....

GermWorks.net/blog

New Phantom Comics & Phantom Price Guide

I have been slack yes I know and so this is a catch up on the latest Frew issues and also while im at it I may as well do a write up about the new Phantom price guide. All of these Frews are old 'classics' from Egmont/ Semic and can be discussed in detail at the Phantom Phorum...

Frew 1461 - The Curse of Carpatia: Average story with average cover art and average art from felmang. This was his first Semic/ Egmont story and he has definatly goten better after this story. I just have to say how many vampire stories can be released that are based in and or around Carpitia/ Koqania??



Frew 1462 - Diana's New Job: Another average story opps I mean classic from Egmont. IMHO why Frew has not published this sooner baffles all senses of sanity. This is actually a follow on from the UN getting bombed in the Lubanga series of 96-99 (yes thats nearly 10 years ago). Not only does it follow on from that but it is also the beginning of a new 'mini-series' of the Island of St Lucifer were the Phantom and Diana meet the characters a few more times. It is also the beginning of Diana starting her new job and partner 'Sam' whom she has a few more adventures with. So as you see its a bit stupid that Frew has not published this before.



Frew 1463 - The Reptile Queen: Yep you guessed it another boring 'classic' that will probably gather dust in a short period of time. This type of story seems to be fairly popular among Phantom writers of having some idol wrecking havoc among the jungles of Bengalla. Do people actually like the stories or do these authors just suffer from lacking original ideas??

Johnson Price Guide Volume 3: I was excited (until I opened it) about this release of a new price guide. I used to have two copies of the second volume (my personal favourite version) but I loaned one out to a contact who looked for Phantom comics in flea markets etc and I lost the other one. Click on Gurans website for more details...



Johnson the author (or person behind the price guides) is famous for dramitically bringing up the prices of Frews up 50-100% in comic stores and second hand book shops. This latest release is rubbish, the last edition was a lot better in quality (front cover and style inside). This looked like it was very unprofessional and im guessing he did not have enough money to spend on it as he spent it all on buying jacked up Phantom comics.....

New Phantom Comic: Tigers Blood Part two

The second part of the story about Tigers Blood finally came out recently from new writer Mike Bullock. This new series by the writer is one of the few NEW things coming from Moonstone at the moment. This has raised many comments both positive and negative from various phans, experts and other casual readers. If you want to read about them browse onto the Phantom Phorum, Chronicle Chamber and the Moonstone Forum.



This blog entry is about part two that follows on from part one which I recenty also blogged about.

The first thing that I must comment on is that I really dislike about only getting 22 pages of a comic and then having 8 odd pages of crap. Maybe I am too used to Egmont stories were we get 30 odd pages regularly without adverts in the Frew English translated comics

Again I do not think much of the artwork, some of it is great especially the opening few pages which were absolutely fabulous but then some of the peoples faces look a bit scratchy and funny.

Mike Bullock: I am a bit surprise about the way the second part of the story started off. To be honest I had to double think about weather I was reading the right part or a total new story. I don’t understand why in the first part we read about ‘cupid’ and in the second part we read about some magical ‘manic’, to me the ‘cupid’ just seemed a waste of time.

I really enjoyed the villain and how he was smart and had the brains to kick (no phun intended) the Phantoms butt. I like the epilogue of his girl dieing and it was interesting how some politicians do not think much of the Phantoms actions. However I personally would not like to Manuel Ortega back, I get rather tired of some action heroes battling the same villain over and over again.

The two stories seem to be too disjointed for it to actually flow nicely together as I personal think that two part-ers should be. I know some people judge a horse by one or two races but I think you should judge them over a year or two off races. So in saying that, Mike if you read this, I will judge you over a number of issues and not just one or two…

Engagement Invite

In an earlier post I commented how my lovely gorgeous girlfriend became my bride to be and that she said YES to marry me. Boy it was an exciting time....

As promised I said I would post news, invites and photos on hear. So hear is our engagement invite. Click hear for a look.

New Articles on new website

Ok I have been busy lately with a major university assignment (Curtin Moving On Exhibition website), finishing my degree and in between that I have written a couple of articles over at the new Bible Program location.

I have written two so far. So please pop on over, read and comment what you think and feel. Also feel free to join and particapate. The links and titles of the articles are: Giving to a vision or to a membership and also Don’t be Afraid to be a Renegade.

New Phantom Comics - Phoenix Part 4 & Lost in CyberSpace Part 2

The Philosopher's Stone Pt.4
This has finally finished after spanning half of the year. Although it has finished it is still open with many questions and possibilities that me myself are a little disapointed about. One phan raised the possibility that the Phantom is yet finished with this foe as he may raise from the ashes like his namesake bird, the Phoenix.

Im wondering something myself and they are: How many 'lumps' did Pheonix have access to?? How did he know that the Phantom had a 'lump' and were did the Phantom get it (see part one)? If he got it from Pheonix in part two, were did Pheonix get another lump (he lost it in part one by the girl)?? How did he know how to reach the Phantom? Yes he mightve known he lived in Bengalla but that is a BIG place and he seemed to just get there without any hassle at all.



Lost In Cyberspace Part two

The first part caused a few stirs and rumblings among a few disgruntled phans. Dougy over at Chronicle Chamber releasd and wrote a very good article combatting the continual argument about the Phantom and technology.

This part I personally didnt mind, I liked the extra twist with Blaze (the woman who helped Luaga) running off and having a personal vendetta agaisnt the Professor but is she bad or good? And also does the Phantom have to go through 24 levels to get access to the Titans who are planning this big bad plan. It is an interesting development that could hopefully only get better. I also enjoy watching the Phantom having to use other weapons besides his muscles and relying on brain, tact, logic and guess work among others. Too often the Phantom just uses his muscles to solve the problem.

New Websites

Ok this week has been all over the place with starting to sort out engagement and wedding stuff and also the release of two new websites. They have not totally been finished but they are available to be viewed.



The first one is for my university that I am studying at. The 3rd year design students at Curtin University have an exhibition and JP2 Designs has been commissioned to design it. It is located over at http://www.curtinmovingon.com . At the moment only the splash screen is available for the public until the release of the website which will be on November 22nd.

The second website is my bible reading program located on my germworks website (http://www.germworks.net/Church) is now moved onto the Julibee website and the address is http://www.julibee.net/Bible. In the next couple of weeks along with the opening of Julibee's new church building will be the website. Exciting times indeed...

She said YES

On the 21st of October of 2006 at around 7:30pm at the C Restaurant I asked my lovely princess Ariana Te Ruki to marry me and she said YES. It was a great awesome night filled with a great dinner at a very flashy romantic restaurant with a revoling floor looking over the beautiful city of Perth.

At the moment dates for the engagement party and wedding are undecided but it is a very exciting time for us both. BUT at the same time its a very sobbering time as we now have finances, budgets etc to worry about for that big day that marks when God ties us together as man and wife.

I would like to thank God first for working miracles in my life and Ariana's life and bringing us together. and then I would like to thank the pastors and people of Julibee World harvest church and Vic Park Potters House who have meant so much in our personal and spiritual lives throughout the last 3-5 years.

All news, photos etc will be posted up hear as it comes to light.
and Ariana if you read this... I love you!

New Phantom Comic - Law of the Jungle & Tiger's Blood Pt1

OK I finally managed to pick these up today. I have been waiting for the Law of the Jungle for a month or so as my comic store kinder stuffed up my order. I also picked up the number 12 issue of the regular series that marks the start of Mike Bullocks run. He has been quite vocal with his new role with the Phantom which has been good for a change to see the Phantom in the headlines.



Ok my reviews starting with the Law of the Jungle and then the Tiger Blood Part One. My reviews can be read on the Phantom Phorum threads. Law of the Jungle (does include spoilers) and Tiger's Blood Part One.

Law of the Jungle:
The artwork looks great and intregueing but I personally dont like the style of paintology (photography, painting and drawing) as its too 'stiff' for my liking. The story which seems to be getting most of the attention from people imho is not that radical and out there as some have made it out to be. Yes its slightly more 'adult' than Egmont sometimes shows but its not that bad like some Phantom phans have cried over. The ending is what seems to have most people upset. It is led to believe that the Phantom leaves the scene for the bander natives to kill the assasian and this were the law of the jungle comes from.

EVEN if he did die, he did deserve it. I think most of us 'civilised' people forget to realise that in the Jungle and other 'uncivilised' areas the law of 'eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth' is very real and still goes on. This is a real life Jungle and not some overgrown backyard. I tend to feel that through Egmont and even Falk we are shown a fake jungle. No wild jungle like Bengalla would be tame....



Tiger's Blood Part One
OK people need to remember that this is the FIRST Phantom story Mike Bullock has written for publication. There is no doubt that this will probably be his worst or weakest as he will be trying to get used to the Phantom style. Keeping that in mind, I am impressed with his effort and this adventure. Yes it has its problems but my biggest problem would be the artwork and not the story. Devil looks like a Aussie Blue Healer (im waiting for Steve Irwin to pop out) and some of the artwork may be a little too scratchy for some peoples liking but I have definatly read worst and im looking forward to what Mike can bring out next.

You can see on this preview page yourself for what Devil looks like. Hear are a few more reviews and interviews about Tiger's Blood Part One. Interview with Broken Frontier and Mike Bullock and review by Tonya Crawford.

Book Review - Sex, Lies and the Media

OK I finished this book a week or two ago but have not got around to blog my thoughts etc.

I decided to read and buy this book seeing I work and are involved in the media world (JP2 Designs), I am also a christian which can be hard seeing the world uses the media (Internet, magaizines, movies etc) to sell sex. I thought that reading this book may help me be aware of a few of the tricks that the media uses and so I can better prepare and guard myself from the enemy. Although it is a very good and interesting book, it did not contain and talk about what I originally brought it for.

However it shared some strategies of being a parent and worker in the media world and how to not let the lies of the media filter to our (future) kids and our own lives.

Like in my last blog entry I noted that I read a fair few articles on Net stuff to do with my business JP2 Designs. The author mentioned some good church related references which I am now a member off.

So what was the book like? Well I did enjoy the read, the two authors did have different writting styles which was a little hard to read at times. I gain knowledge about some myths that I had thought and I would say I am now a little smarter about how to deal with the lies of the devil in regard to the media.