2009 January
Random publishing news rundown
Little Mouse Gets Ready
Lots of revelations about upcoming books have come out in the past week. Let’s see if we can hit the highlights.
- January 29, 2009 @ 07:20 AM by Chris Mautner
Harkham cancels Crickets
Crickets
OK, this is officially getting depressing now. Hot on the heels of Kevin Huizenga’s announcement that he is pulling the plug on his D&Q pamplet series Or Else, cartoonist and Kramer’s Ergot editor Sammy Harkham says on his blog that he is canceling his D&Q-published pamphlet series, Crickets after only two issues. Unlike Huizenga, he minces no words abou the reason why:
Wanted to just let those favorite few of you out there to know that my comic book, Crickets, has been cancelled due to changes made by the major comics distributor that effectively made it impossible to continue in the comic book format. Crickets #3 will come out in some DYI form in the next couple months…after that, I dont know exactly. While I am really bummed about this, as I feel I never even really got started on it, I appreciate all the people who supported it when it was coming out. Thanks. To the future.
Man, I really liked that comic too. Should we start some kind of Drowning Pool and take bets as to what series is next on the chopping block?
(found via)
- January 29, 2009 @ 05:00 AM by Chris Mautner
Gorillas Riding Dinosaurs: Flying Aces and Giant Squid
Aces: Curse of the Red Baron
Aces: Curse of the Red Baron
Written by G. Willow Wilson and Shannon Eric Denton; Illustrated by Curtis Square-Briggs
AiT/Planet Lar; $12.95
It’s such a beautiful concept. A couple of Allied soldiers searching for the Red Baron’s lost treasure while his ghost keeps showing up to stop them. There’s even a vanishing island and a secret Illuminati group responsible for WWI. How could it go wrong?
As fond of high-concept as we are around here, concept only gets you so far and – unfortunately – Aces is an example of that. It starts off promisingly: an American infantryman and an English pilot both believe they’ve shot down the Red Baron and one of them has a map that he claims he took from the infamous villain’s pocket. It’s a map of an island that both soldiers come to believe holds all the loot taken by the Red Baron over the years. They decide to temporarily abandon their posts, “borrow” a Sopwith Camel, and find the treasure.
As they search, they learn that the island disappears occasionally and that the Red Baron may not be as dead as they thought he was. And then there’s the Black Hand, a secret organization whose operatives assassinated Archduke Ferdinand and started World War I. The Red Baron may or may not have been a member (I’ll leave that for you to discover if you’re curious), but he certainly does take a lot of meetings with “Wolf 1,” the female head of the Black Hand cell that our young soldiers keep running up against.
- January 28, 2009 @ 12:52 PM by Michael May
Because nothing says “lesploitation” like the Muppets
Angel: After the Fall writer Brian Lynch has started a fun series of posts on his blog called “Disturbingly True Tales of the Comic Book Industry.” The first one involved a meeting at one of the “Big Two” about an idea they had for a new series:
I talk to the editor, and he says after reading my work (they had not just comic stuff, but the Muppet screenplay that I had sold to Henson) they had the PERFECT project for me.
It was lesbian detective series. The word “lesploitation” was used. A lot. “You know, they work hard, they play hard, making out with girls, solving crimes revolving around girls, etc.”
I thought they were kidding. They weren’t.
The second one recounts a meeting with a drunk editor in San Diego that may or may not have been a date.
- January 28, 2009 @ 11:49 AM by JK Parkin
Send us your shelf porn!
Robyn Brenmer's collection
I’ve been getting a somewhat steady stream of links and pics over the past two weeks, which is heartening. Apparently you enjoy gazing at other people’s bookshelves as much as I do. Be sure to keep those photos and Web links coming in though (remember, it’s cmautnerATcomcastDOTnet).
- January 28, 2009 @ 11:02 AM by Chris Mautner
In Northampton, a cry rings out (Part 27)
Watchmen costumes, from Rubie's
On the one hand, the settlement between Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox ensures movie-goers will get to see Zack Snyder’s $130-million Watchmen adaptation in March. On the other hand, the agreement clears the way for these licensed Halloween costumes, from Rubie’s (which also makes a selection of V for Vendetta-wear).
Wait, there’s more: A Dr. Manhattan rubber face mask pretty much guarantees that, come October, you’ll encounter at least one guy covered in blue body paint and wearing only a black thong. Or less.
(via Topless Robot)
- January 28, 2009 @ 10:18 AM by Kevin Melrose
YALSA announces 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens
Atomic Robo: Atomic Robo and the Fightin' Scientists of Tesladyne
The American Library Association’s Young Adult Library Services Association has released its annual list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens.
This year’s list singles out 53 titles recommended for readers ages 12 to 18. In addition, the selection committee created a Top 10 list:
• Life Sucks, by Jessica Abel, Gabriel Soria and Warren Pleece (First Second)
• Sand Chronicles, Vols. 1-3, by Hinako Ashihara (Viz Media)
• Atomic Robo: Atomic Robo and the Fightin’ Scientists of Tesladyne, by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener (Red 5 Comics)
• Real, Vols. 1-2, by Takehiko Inoue (Viz Media)
• Uzumaki, Vol. 1, by Junji Ito (Viz Media)
• Pitch Black, by Youme Landowne and Anthony Horton (Cinco Puntos Press)
• Ai: A Tall Girl’s Adventures In Japan, by Aimee Major Steinberger (Go! Comi)
• Skim, by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood Books)
• The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá (Dark Horse)
• Cairo, by G. Willow Wilson and MK Perker (DC Comics/Vertigo)
Blogger David Welsh breaks down the entries by publisher and imprint.
- January 28, 2009 @ 09:36 AM by Kevin Melrose
Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes
Who Is Allah?
Legal | Ong Kian Cheong and his wife Dorothy Chan Hien Leng are on trial in Singapore for allegedly distributing anti-Muslim tracts by Jack Chick.
Prosecutors charge that the comics, The Little Bride and Who Is Allah?, violate Singapore’s Sedition Act and Undesirable Publications Act. [The Straits Times]
Conventions | The 36th annual Angoulême International Comics Festival kicks off tomorrow in Angoulême, France. [The Connexion]
Retailers | Retailer L.E. Becker isn’t happy that Borders Books is carrying the third printing of Amazing Spider-Man #583′s Obama variant cover. [ICv2.com]
Publishing | Jeff Parker, writer of Mysterious the Unfathomable at DC’s Wildstorm imprint, asks, “Why not Wildstorm?” [Parkerspace]
Publishing | Sometimes corporate micro-blogging goes a little wrong. [Kevin Church]
Humor | “Obama Disappointed Cabinet Failed To Understand His Reference To Savage Sword Of Conan #24″ [The Onion]
Humor | “Study: Comic Book Superheroines ‘Improbably Busty’.” [CAP News]
- January 28, 2009 @ 08:53 AM by Kevin Melrose
Templesmith previews Groom Lake
Groom Lake
Artist Ben Templesmith provides a look at his upcoming IDW book Groom Lake, a four-issue mini-series written by Chris Ryall. “If you like aliens, mutating crotches & giant robots, this book is for YOU. Ahem,” Templesmith writes. The book is due in March.
For some bonus Templesmith art, Dwight MacPherson shares the variant cover Templesmith did for another IDW book, American McGee’s Grimm.
- January 28, 2009 @ 08:44 AM by JK Parkin
‘Dorm Stalker’
Dorm Stalker
Smith magazine and editor Dean Haspiel continue their Webcomic series Next Door Neighbor with Dorm Stalker, a story of bad roomates and creepy would-be girlfriends by Anthony Lappe and Tom Forget.
- January 28, 2009 @ 08:30 AM by Chris Mautner
Strangeways: The Thirsty – Page 031
Wednesday already?
Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.
Boy, he does look hoppin’ mad there, doesn’t he?
See y’all on Friday.
- January 28, 2009 @ 07:05 AM by Matt Maxwell
Is Michael Kupperman actually starting a blog?
Look out for the madness!
- January 28, 2009 @ 07:02 AM by Chris Mautner
Mark Waid is Irredeemable, BOOM! is apparently crazy
BOOM! Studios has pulled back the curtain to reveal what MarkWaidisEvil.com is all about, as the site is now sporting an animated gif that reveals a new comic called Irredeemable by Mark Waid and Peter Krause:
Mark Waid is Irredeemable
You might remember back during San Diego, Waid asked fans to let him know what kind of comics they’d like to see from him. Earlier this month I interviewed Chip Mosher, BOOM! Studios’ sales and marketing guy, and when I asked him what genres people had suggested, he said:
Basically the fans came back with every genre you could think of. You know the success of BOOM! stems from us doing what other companies don’t. We do high-concept genre books that exist somewhere between the Big Two and the indie art comics scene. It’s a space that we just flat own. And I think that’s part of the genius of Ross and Andy’s original vision for BOOM! You know, why would you want to do an ongoing superhero comic and compete with the Big Two? They are experts at that. They do that every day. You’d be crazy to compete with that. Which is why what we do at BOOM! works so well. They don’t do what we do. We don’t do what they do.
So I guess this makes them crazy? Although having Waid write superheroes — or villains, it appears in this case — isn’t what I’d call crazy. Especially with John Cassaday doing the cover.
Update: BOOM! sent out a press release and artwork from the book tonight, which you can find after the break …
- January 27, 2009 @ 06:24 PM by JK Parkin
Robot reviews: Still playing catch-up with 2008
Best American Comics 2008
The Best American Comics 2008
Edited by Lynda Barry
Houghton Mifflin, $22.
This is probably the strongest entry in the “Best of” series yet, though it skews heavily towards weekly, alternative comic strip side of things (i.e. Matt Groening, Kaz, Derf, etc.) which is probably not too surprising considering Barry’s roots in that market.
Naturally, there’s a good deal of material that, if you follow the indie or small press scene at all you’ve probably read. Percy Gloom, American Born Chinese and other relatively well-known works are sampled here, but I found there were enough surprises that it didn’t feel like 300-odd pages of reruns.
Of course, there’s plenty to quibble about, and I’m sure any comics fan who picks this up will say “Hey, what about (insert name of your comic here)?” Overall though, the selections range from excellent to at least entertaining. Certainly it’s enough to draw in those casual readers a book like this is designed for.
- January 27, 2009 @ 12:30 PM by Chris Mautner
NYCC | Whedon, Futurama and more
With the New York Comic Con coming up Feb. 6-8, we’re posting information on the various things fanscan 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 for the show.
General information: Ticket info | Panels | Autographs | 2009 ICv2 Graphic Novel Conference | Blog
• The NYCC blog Medium at Large has more details on the Joss Whedon/Dollhouse preview panel, set for Sunday at 12:45 p.m. ET, which is currently being advertised on the CBR home page. They’ve also announced they’ll be showing the next Futurama movie, Into the Wild Green Yonder.
• Love and Capes creator Thom Zahler is bringing Valentines to the show:
Love and Capes
I will be at NYCC next weekend with tons of Love and Capes stuff. I’ll have new Valentines featuring Mark and Abby. Kind of like Ralph Wiggum’s “I Choo-Choo-Choose You” one. I’ll be selling the complete run of LNC, the trade, sketchbooks, t-shirts and pins. And I’ll be doing commissions all weekend, too! If you come by the booth, too, you may see a glimpse of the new promotion I’ll be doing for Mark and Abby’s upcoming wedding.
If people aren’t going to be able to attend, they can still go to my site and print out the LNC Valentine and give it to their Special Someone. While there, they can enter the Love and Capes Valentine’s Day contest. You can win some books, a set of matching t-shirts, and even some chocolate. That contest ends February 2nd, so time is running out. (But that way you’ll get the goodies before Valentine’s Day.)
For more info, visit www.loveandcapes.com or http://www.loveandcapes.com/love-and-capes-valentine.html for the contest info.
- January 27, 2009 @ 11:24 AM by JK Parkin