2009 May
Dan Clowes does New Yorker cover, drops hints on next book
Dan Clowes' New Yorker cover
In addition to providing a fantastic cover to this week’s issue of the New Yorker, Dan Clowes also gave Leigh Stein the briefest of hints about the graphic novel he’s currently working on:
“I don’t even have a title for it yet,” he told me, but hinted that the plot concerned “a guy whose father dies, and he’s completely alone, so he tries to reconstruct what he’s lost, to approximate a nuclear family by joining people together.” Each page of the book is an individual scene, a joke on the format of a Sunday cartoon strip, but cumulatively the scenes create a larger narrative that turns from comic to tragic.
If that doesn’t whet your appetite enough, Stein also posted a slide show of preliminary sketches from the upcoming book.
- May 5, 2009 @ 08:55 AM by Chris Mautner
Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes
Iron and the Maiden #1
Legal | Heavy-metal band Iron Maiden has sued Iron and the Maiden LLC to prevent the company from using a “confusingly similar” name to sell comic books, video games and other merchandise. Iron and the Maiden is a comic created by video-game director Jason Rubin and released in 2007 through Aspen Comics as a four-issue miniseries. [TMZ.com]
Publishing | Diamond Comic Distributors has decided not to carry Markosia’s collection of Hope Falls, the miniseries by Tony Lee and Dan Boultwood. However, the publisher still will sell the book through Amazon, Diamond UK and other avenues. [Comics Worth Reading]
Publishing | Retailer Brian Hibbs responds to Tom Spurgeon’s comments about Diamond’s minimum-order policies, and looks at the components of the direct market: consumers, retailers, publishers and distributor(s). [The Savage Critic(s)]
- May 5, 2009 @ 07:16 AM by Kevin Melrose
Straight for the art | From the Ashes preview
From the Ashes #1
The Beat has a preview of Bob Fingerman’s From the Ashes. The post-apocalyptic autobiographical comic is due next week from IDW.
- May 5, 2009 @ 06:55 AM by JK Parkin
Get a glimpse of The Flash serial from Wednesday Comics
Flash Comics, from "Wednesday Comics," by Kerschl, Fletcher and McCaig
With more than two months until the debut of Wednesday Comics, artist-writer Karl Kerschl offers a peek at his contribution to DC Comics’ next weekly series: a Flash serial co-written by Brendan Fletcher and colored by Dave McCaig. Follow the link to see a couple of more panels and a great Silver Age-style page header.
- May 5, 2009 @ 04:22 AM by Kevin Melrose
Talking Comics with Tim: Kevin J. Anderson
Enemies & Allies
Kevin J. Anderson‘s latest novel, Enemies & Allies, will be released tomorrow by William Morrow/HarperCollins. The prose novel is set in the 1950s and tells of the first meeting between Batman and Superman. As detailed by the publisher: “As America and the Soviet Union race to build their nuclear stockpiles, two extraordinary heroes must form an uneasy alliance. These studies in opposites—shadow and light—must overcome their distrust of each other to battle evil and injustice.” The publisher’s website offers consumers a chance to watch a brief video interview with Anderson, as well as a chance to browse inside the book. As detailed by the publisher: “Kevin J. Anderson is the author of the internationally bestselling and award-winning Dune prequels (coauthored with Brian Herbert), and has carved an indisputable niche with science fiction epics, including his own successful Saga of Seven Suns series and The Last Days of Krypton.” In addition to discussing this new novel in this email interview, I also found out about his upcoming epic nautical fantasy series (part novel/part musical CD), Terra Incognita. My thanks to Anderson for his time.
Tim O’Shea: How much did you try to draw from the real world politics of the 1950s in writing Enemies and Allies?
Kevin J. Anderson: I wanted to capture a vivid setting for the novel, to make the backdrop of the 1950s an integral part to the story. I did add certain real-word political events into the story, but I was more concerned with setting the stage than giving a history lesson. After all, we didn’t really have a Superman and a Batman in our version of the world, so the newspaper headlines would have to be different.
- May 4, 2009 @ 03:00 PM by Tim O'Shea
I did miss Iron Chef: A review of Death Note: L, Change the WorLd
L: Change the World
“Don’t sell any more Death Note tickets” the woman working the ticket book said to her co-worker as we walked into the movie theater.
“Excuse me?” I said, more than a little flustered. Had my worst fears proven true? Had we — myself, my friend Craig and Jog — arrived to bucolic downtown Lancaster to catch a special showing of L: Change the WorLd, the third live action film in the Death Note series, only to discover it was sold out? Damnation! I knew I should have bought those tickets ahead of time online!!
The ticket seller looked me and my companions up and down suspiciously. Why were three grown men, all clearly over the age of 21, coming to see some anime spin-off?
“It’s pretty crowded in there,” she said jerking her head in the direction of the theater. “I don’t think you’ll be able to find a seat together. Are you sure you want to get tickets?”
I nodded. We had come so far. No bunch of teenyboppers was going to keep me from enjoying the latest adventures of my favorite barefooted, mussy-haired, possibly autistic detective, no sir.
“It’s kind of crazy in there,” she said as she leaned forward to give me my change and ticket, as if relaying covert safety instructions. I felt like Jim Phelps. “They’re getting kind of rowdy.”
If anything, that made me want to attend the screening even more. In my mind’s eye I imagined being seated next to some 16-year-old Goth Lolita and her friend (or possibly mom) as they wondered whether L or Light made a better uke. I pictured being surrounded by Local Ryuk Cosplayers Union #671, the arms full of apples ready to throw at the screen a la Rocky Horror Picture Show, only for mang-style!
How could I not want to partake in that?
So tickets in hand my friends and I headed down the hall to the theater.
- May 4, 2009 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Mautner
Les McClaine’s Jonny Crossbones goes daily
"Jonny Crossbones," by Les McClaine
Beginning today, Les McClaine’s entertaining Tintin-esque adventure series Jonny Crossbones will appear online five days a week, stepped up from a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule.
McClaine announced in March that the planned Jonny Crossbones print collection had been canceled by Dark Horse as a result of cutbacks and his lateness. The accelerated online schedule is part of his effort to finish the story so he can shop a collected volume to another publisher.
If you haven’t already been following Jonny, Gretchen & Co., you can begin reading their adventures here.
(via The Daily Cartoonist)
- May 4, 2009 @ 01:46 PM by Kevin Melrose
Strangeways: The Thirsty – Page 066
Twenty-three weeks already? Yikes.
Oh, and remember, I’m going to be giving away copies of MURDER MOON, one a week. Answer a simple question, get a shot at a copy. It’s that easy. The contest goes live with Wednesday’s page at 1pm Pacific time, 4pm on the East Coast. And that’s by the Robot6 watch, not yours, so be prepared.
And…what am I leaving out? Oh, right, today’s page:
Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Gervasio and Jok.
Hit the archives to get the whole story from the beginning. See you all Wednesday at 1pm.
- May 4, 2009 @ 01:00 PM by Matt Maxwell
Hercules gets a new, yet familiar, look …
The new Thor?
He already took over the Hulk’s book, and now it looks like Hercules has his eyes on another franchise player. Courtesy of Marvel, here’s a teaser for Incredible Hercules #132. The book comes out in August.
- May 4, 2009 @ 11:54 AM by JK Parkin
Where can I get me a mask like that?
Derek Kirk Kim’s “assistant” takes you on a tour behind the scenes of The Eternal Smile, the new First Second graphic novel he did with Gene Yang, in this video:
- May 4, 2009 @ 11:00 AM by Chris Mautner
Who’s behind the mask this time?
Batgirl #1
DC’s The Source blog has posted a Batgirl teaser image that’s got fans talking in their comments section. Who exactly is that behind the mask?
Barbara Gordon and Cassandra Cain seem to be the obvious and popular guesses, with Betty Kane, Misfit, Spoiler and Wendy — Calculator’s daughter — also making a showing. The other mystery seems to be who drew it; as many folks note in the comments, it is a nice piece.
Batgirl #1 is due in August.
- May 4, 2009 @ 10:00 AM by JK Parkin
Less-than-mint advice on comics as investments
Rich Uncle Pennybags
If we’re to believe this article in the Financial Post, comics are a fantastic investment opportunity whose major drawback is the threat of the “middle-aged, pot-bellied delegates dressed in spandex superhero outfits” the monocle-wearing gentry might encounter while prospecting for paper gold at conventions.
Seriously. It’s not that only a select number of comics can demand hefty prices, and probably fewer collectors can afford to actually pay those big bucks. Or even that the bottom could fall out of whatever market there is.
No, it’s that investors might have to rub up against overweight fans in too-tight clothing.
Oh, the sacrifices one must make for that first million dollars …
- May 4, 2009 @ 09:39 AM by Kevin Melrose
Straight for the art | Hot Potatoe preview
from Hot Potatoe
The Drawn and Quarterly blog has several pages up from Marc Bell’s upcoming book, which they call “a 272-page monograph of his fine art and fine aht and foin ART and even some comics coming out soon.”
- May 4, 2009 @ 08:29 AM by JK Parkin
Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes
American Splendor: Another Day
Passings | U.K. journalist and comics writer Adrian Kermode, best known for his work on Petra Etcetera, was found dead in his home on May 2 of as-yet-unknown causes. He was 45. D’Israeli has a remembrance. [John Freeman, via Dirk Deppey]
Publishing | DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint reportedly won’t publish a third series of Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor. [ComicsDC, via Dirk Deppey]
Publishing | Erica Friedman, president of Yuricon and ALC Publishing, eulogizes Central Park Media, the anime and manga distributor that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last week. [Anime Vice]
Warlord of Io
Publishing | Tom Spurgeon has a solid piece on what Diamond’s decision not to distribute James Turner’s Warlord of IO means to the industry. [The Comics Reporter]
Publishing | Jason Thompson considers who much the manga market has changed since his Manga: The Complete Guide was released in October 2007: “The tremendous flood of manga into the American market has slowed, but it still mixes lazily into the current, as part of a general Renaissance of comic book culture. (Although it’s interesting to note how American superhero comics have, in general, become more realistically drawn and heavily rendered, as if in intentional contrast to the light cartoony touch of most manga.)” [Jason Thompson, via Anime Vice]
- May 4, 2009 @ 08:07 AM by Kevin Melrose
Hip Hop meets comic books at ‘Destroy All Mics’
BRO.D.O.C.
I found this via David Brothers; Destroy All Mics! is “a visual mash-up of hip hop and comic icons. Sometimes the connections are merely physical in nature, some are derived from word play, and some draw loose parallels to the more dramatic stories found in each.” The blog + art is by Adam Rosenlund.
- May 4, 2009 @ 06:30 AM by JK Parkin