2009 January
Your Mileage May Vary
DC finished off its big event of 2008 this week with Final Crisis #7. Naturally, there have been a lot of thought about the issue.
Evan Waters really appreciated the payoff:
But what FINAL CRISIS does right that so many of these events don’t is in delivering the payoff. FINAL CRISIS #7 is the issue of triumph and glory, and too often as of late, as a result of trying to raise the stakes as high as possible, superhero victories have been so pyrrhic and brief as to be unsatisfying. Here, we take our time, we see Dr. Sivana and Lex Luthor smiling as they help put together a machine to rewrite the laws of physics, we see Supergirl and Wonder Woman tell the story of how the universe was saved to a room of waiting children before they go to deep-freeze, we get payoffs to arcs that weren’t even technically part of this crossover, we get a sense that the world might actually become more interesting as a consequence of all this.
- January 30, 2009 @ 06:38 PM by Melissa Krause
Scott McCloud joins First Second crew
Making Comics
Speaking of First Second, they just announced today that they will be publishing Making Comics Author Scott McCloud‘s next two graphic novels.
The first, tentatively titled The Sculptor, will be released in the Spring of 2013. The second is an as-yet untitled nonfiction work.
Of this new editorial partnership, McCloud commented: “I’m thrilled to be working with First Second. I’ve been in contact with Mark Siegel since the line launched and have watched with admiration as their catalog has grown in depth, breadth and quality, including some of my favorite new artists working on upcoming projects. This is a forward-looking team that understands comics, and can match my enthusiasm for its endless possibilities.”
You can read the full press release by clicking on the link below.
- January 30, 2009 @ 02:15 PM by Chris Mautner
A short interview with First Second’s Mark Siegel
The Photographer
Concerns were raised late last year when it was announced the relatively new and justly lauded publisher First Second was being folded into Macmillan’s Children’s Publishing Group. Fears that the graphic novel line would be forced to forgo its more adult-oriented material in favor of the more potentially lucrative children’s market were expressed by many, including Eddie Campbell, who’s had several recent books released through the line, including the recent Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard.
For my part, I wasn’t encouraged by a glimpse at the company’s recent catalog, which seemed a mite skimpy compared to past years. Rather that indulge in idle speculation, however, I decided to get in touch with Editorial Director Mark Siegel and ask him about their plans for the year ahead and how, if at all, the recent economic woes have affected his company. Here’s what he had to say:
- January 30, 2009 @ 09:50 AM by Chris Mautner
Will (more) change come to superhero comics?
From Final Crisis #7
If you thought superhero comics were finished with President Obama, you’d be wrong. The covers of Savage Dragon and The Amazing Spider-Man, and a shadowy cameo in Thunderbolts were only the beginning.
Readers of this week’s Final Crisis #7 were introduced to an alternate Earth with a black U.S. president … who’s also that universe’s Superman. It’s writer Grant Morrison’s nod to then-candidate Obama’s October speech at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner.
“I wanted to do something special for the last part of this huge comic book series,” Morrison told Scotland’s Daily Record. “As I was writing it, I heard Obama making a joke about being born on the planet Krypton and being sent to Earth by his father Jor-El to save the world. I thought it would be a fitting end to all the darkness in America recently. All the comics have been dealing with darkness recently and, having defeated evil, it’s now time to celebrate.”
Morrison says he would like to do more with “the Obama character” next year. I presume he means President Superman, not the actual president.
That should please FOXNews.com to no end. No, really.
- January 30, 2009 @ 08:51 AM by Kevin Melrose
Let them eat Batman
Thanks to Laura Hudson, I recently discovered the joys of Cake Wrecks, a blog about professionally created cakes that turn out downright scary. So what does this have to do with comic books, you ask? Well, not even Batman is safe from a half-baked pastry chef, it seems:
Check out the full post for more sugary-sweet Bat-cakewrecks.
- January 30, 2009 @ 08:45 AM by JK Parkin
Food or Comics | A roundup of money-related news
MySpace.com
• Fox Interactive Media has laid off 5 percent of its staff at MySpace, FoxSports.com, IGN and PhotoBucket. Heidi MacDonald confirms the MySpace cuts include marketing manager Sam Humphries, who headed up the comic-book content.
In the comments section, Dark Horse Senior Managing Editor Scott Allie says the online anthology MySpace Dark Horse Presents, a partnership between the publisher and the social-networking site, will continue.
• As Chris Mautner noted yesterday, Sammy Harkham has canceled his Drawn and Quarterly series Crickets after just two issues. The reason? The new Diamond threshold.
• Blogger Johanna Draper Carlson points out that Tokyopop has canceled solicitations for 16 titles.
• Writing for Portland, Ore.’s Willamette Week, Brandon Seifert checks in with local publishers to see how the new Diamond policy will affect them.
- January 30, 2009 @ 07:42 AM by Kevin Melrose
Strangeways: The Thirsty – page 032
Before I bring you the next thrilling page, howsabout a nice long diversion into process and what makes story work, wherein I’ll thrill you with the inner mechanisms of sequential art (which I only imperfectly apprehend myself) and why comic art is important…
…Or, I could just let you read the next sliver of story. Let’s do that instead.
Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.
And you thought this scene would wrap up on a Friday. Psych!
Come back Monday. I’d say come back tomorrow, but nobody surfs on a Saturday.
- January 30, 2009 @ 07:00 AM by Matt Maxwell
Comics A.M. | The extended edition
Winter weather left me alternately without power and Internet service over the better part of the past two days, so this morning I’m playing catch-up.
Legal | Two new pieces of legislation is the U.K. designed to address “extreme pornography” and child pornography have some wondering what effect the laws could have on comic books.
The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act, which becomes law at the end of the month, makes it illegal to possess “grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise … obscene” depiction of someone that a “a reasonable person looking at the image would think that any such person or animal was real.” The second piece of legislation, the Coroners and Justice Bill, is making its way through Parliament. It would outlaw images involving sexual activity and children. According to the law’s language, an image contains a child if “the impression conveyed … is that the person shown is a child.”
Writing for the Spectator’s blog, William Blackstock sums up the scope of the two laws: “… In a nutshell, if it looks like it’s real (i.e. it’s well drawn), then you can be prosecuted for owning it.” [Telegraph, Spectator]
Legal | The judge has postponed two trials in the Siegel estate’s lawsuit against DC Comics involving the rights to Superman because of health issues related to a witness for the plaintiffs. The trial on the alter ego claims will be on April 21; the one involving apportionment of profits will be on June 9. [Jeff Trexler]
Legal | With the initial filing out of the way, Stan Lee Media’s lawsuit against Stan Lee and Marvel Entertainment has erupted into dueling press releases. First there was Stan Lee Media’s release pointing to a ruling in a separate, ongoing case involving the transfer of assets by Lee and attorney Arthur Lieberman from Stan Lee Media to POW! Entertainment. That was followed by a press release from POW! Entertainment objecting to “false allegations” and “unfounded statements” in the original release. I imagine the phrase “looting the Estate of Stan Lee Media” was particularly bothersome.
Rodney Perkins has a little commentary, and promises more, while Brian Baxter offers a solid overview of the tangled legal history. [Film Esq., The AM Law Daily]
- January 30, 2009 @ 06:29 AM by Kevin Melrose
NYCC | Watchmen, Up, Surrogates and more
With the New York Comic Con coming up Feb. 6-8, we’re posting information on the various things fans can do and see at the show. If you’re a publisher, creator, retailer or otherwise exhibiting at the show, feel free to drop me an email with your plans.
General information: Ticket info | Panels | Autographs | 2009 ICv2 Graphic Novel Conference | Blog
• More Hollywood panels and previews have been announced. First, Disney plans to show previews of Up, the next Pixar film coming out this summer, and The Surrogates, which is adapted from the Top Shelf graphic novel of the same name.
Watchmen
• Warner Bros. will also be at the show, promoting Watchmen, of course, as well as Terminator: Salvation and Friday the 13th.
- January 30, 2009 @ 05:54 AM by JK Parkin
Annotations for Trinity issue #35
Trinity #35
If this is the end of Act Two, it’s about what I expected. That sounds rather blase, I know; but I mean it mostly in terms of plot. It got to the place I thought it would, and it took one subplot a little farther. Together with some thought-provoking observations on Superman’s duality, the issue was fairly satisfying all around.
SPOILERS FOLLOW
* * *
LEAD STORY
“The Unsolvable Riddle” (pages 3-12) was plotted by Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, scripted by Nicieza, pencilled by Mike Norton, inked by Walden Wong, colored by Allen Passalaqua, lettered by Pat Brosseau; Rachel Gluckstern, associate editor; Mike Carlin, editor.
In Brief: More about Enigma.
Continue Reading »
- January 29, 2009 @ 11:58 AM by Tom Bondurant
Robot Reviews: Agnes Quill
Agnes Quill: An Anthology of Mystery
Agnes Quill: An Anthology of Mystery
Written by Dave Roman; Illustrated by Jason Ho, Raina Telgemeier, Jeff Zornow, Dave Roman, and Jen Wang
SLG Publishing; $10.95
I keep seeing the same discussion every time someone asks a bunch of Hellboy fans where the best place is to start in the series. On the one side, you have those who are really interested in the whole mythos and character development and discovering the secrets behind Hellboy’s origins. On the other side are the folks who prefer the standalone short stories and feel that Hellboy’s personality and humor comes through best in these mini-adventures unhampered by the darkness and heavy drama of the longer works.
Of course, every Hellboy fan will agree that it’s the combination of the two types of stories that really makes the series fun, but there’s still that polite disagreement about the best way to ease into the whole thing. I bring that up because Dave Roman faced a similar choice in introducing readers to the world and adventures of Agnes Quill and he made an interesting decision. It’s not the one I would’ve made, but I’m not sure it was the wrong one either.
- January 29, 2009 @ 11:12 AM by Michael May
Mijeong preview
Sample panel from 'Mijeong'
Johanna Draper Carlson has a 14-page sneak preview of NBM’s upcoming Mijeong by Korean artist Byun Byung-Jun over at her Web site. The book will be released in April.
- January 29, 2009 @ 09:59 AM by Chris Mautner
Angoulême International Comics Festival | Comics creators, skrulls invade France
Angouleme
The annual Angouleme Festival, or Festival International de la Bande Dessinee, as it’s properly known, kicked off in Angouleme, France this week. Guests include a worldwide assortment of comics creators; some of the names North American comic fans might recognize are Eric Powell, James Kochalka, Dan Clowes, Chris Ware, Simone Bianchi, Gabrielle Dell’Otto and Adrian Tomine, just to name a few.
Marvel and Image writer C.B. Cebulski is blogging from the show. In his first post, he talks about the show itself and some French Watchman swag he received on the train ride to Angouleme:
I love Angouleme. I really do. It’s one of my favorite comics’ festivals, and unlike any other I know of. The simple fact that it takes over an entire French town makes it unique in and of itself. A whole town! You step off the train and you can’t help but feel the love that’s bestowed upon our beloved graphic story-telling medium over the course of these next five days.
Walking into Gare Montparnasse in Paris to catch the TGV to Angouleme is just like walking into JFK to board aplane to San Diego Comic Con… it’s a who’s who of European comic creators. I was there with Olivier Jalabert from Soleil and we ran into all kinds of folks heading to the con; Olivier Vatine, Nic Kermidas, Theirry from Delcourt, and even Eric Powell, who I’d surprisingly never met before. The party started there as beers were bought and the train was boarded.
- January 29, 2009 @ 09:11 AM by JK Parkin
NYCC | I ‘Scott’ New York
I 'Scott' New York
They’ve been teasing them for weeks on their Twitter feed and blog, and now Oni Press sent over some info on all of their various NYCC-centric Scott Pilgrim release activities (and special items!) that kick off next week:
COMIC BOOK CLUB LIVE! FEATURING BRYAN LEE O’MALLEY
Tuesday, February 3, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. at The Peoples Improv Theater. Tickets are $5
www.popcultureshock.com/cbclub
MIDNIGHT RELEASE PARY
Tuesday/Wednesday, February 3/4 Midnight at Jim Hanley’s Universe in Manhattan.
www.jhuniverse.com
AFTER WORK SIGNING AND MIXER
Wednesday, February 4, 7-9 p.m. at Rocketship Comics in Brooklyn.
http://rocketshipstore.blogspot.com
- January 29, 2009 @ 08:18 AM by JK Parkin
‘Maybe some of that ‘Spidey Sense’ will come in handy”
NBC Nightly News ran a story last night on “The Obama brand,” and how the themes of his campaign and his own image are being used to sell everything from White Sox baseball caps to comic books. Marvel editor Steve Wacker appears at the end of the clip:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
- January 29, 2009 @ 07:45 AM by JK Parkin