2009 June
That Rafael Grampá sure can draw
Character design from "Furry Water," by Rafael Grampá
The amazingly talented Rafael Grampá (Mesmo Delivery, 5) shows off the first of his character designs for a project he’s working on with co-writer Daniel Pellizzari called Furry Water.
They plan to officially announce the title, and its American publisher, in July at Comic-Con International.
- June 3, 2009 @ 11:50 AM by Kevin Melrose
The rise and fall, and possible rise again, of Captain Marvel
Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #4
NPR’s Glen Weldon recounts the history of the Marvel Family, and wonders why Captain Marvel, whose comics once out-sold Superman’s, isn’t more popular.
“He’s what other superheroes would be if they, like him, had skipped the ’60s altogether,” Weldon writes, “when superheroes began to develop personalities and — as rapidly followed — neuroses. He’s what other superheroes would look like, if they weren’t so heavily encumbered by the years of backstory and tortured exegesis that we middle-aged comic book fans eagerly pore over like Talmudic scholars.
“No wonder the theology of his origin doesn’t scan, and he sports a mysterious, quasi-military title, and that he’s friends with talking tigers. Captain Marvel is what Billy Batson — and kids like him, if they still exist — imagine, when they image a superhero.”
Weldon sees promise, though, in the all-ages Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! which jettisons continuity and modern-superhero seriousness in favor of an attitude more closely akin to, “Lighten up, nerds, comics should be fun. Hey, look! A bunny in a cape!”
- June 3, 2009 @ 11:16 AM by Kevin Melrose
Steve Rude to focus less on comics, more on paintings due to low sales of Nexus
According to the DudeNews email newsletter, which features updates on comic artist Steve Rude’s activities, Rude plans to focus more on painting in the future and less on comics, as he’s lost money on Nexus since moving to self-publishing. His wife Jaynelle writes:
Nexus: As It Happened
The numbers for the last two books are in and they don’t look good. We have been told that Nexus: As it Happened V1 will reach Diamond by the 9th which should be in time for the 13th in stores date. Around June 16th we will receive our Diamond order for 101/102.
Steve has only the cover to 101/102 to complete then the artwork is complete for all of the books as he inadvertently did the trade paperback cover before the 101/102 cover.
Steve is then turning his focus to gallery paintings. Steve is a brilliant artist and we’ve been living hand to mouth for the past 3 years. Losing over $5,000 in the last 2 printings we have been unable to pay our mortgage have have no desire to lose our house.
Steve does plan to continue in comics putting out a book direct to trade every few years and using gallery painting as a means to finance his comic endeavors.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us by ordering commissions or purchasing artwork.
- June 3, 2009 @ 10:16 AM by JK Parkin
I ain’t got time to bleed, Snowy
From "Tintin vs. Predator," by Jesse Hamm
Cartoonist Jesse Hamm presents Tintin vs. Predator, the matchup you secretly wished would happen.
- June 3, 2009 @ 09:15 AM by Kevin Melrose
Robot reviews: Batman and Robin #1
Batman and Robin #1
Batman and Robin #1
by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely
DC Comics, 32 pages, $2.99.
See, this is how it should have been from the start.
Much was made when Grant Morrison took over the writing reins for Batman, though few ultimately found merit in the confusing and at times even dull slog through canon and character that the book turned into (though, of course, the series does still have its fans. I also understand there are people who collect milk bottles).
Batman and Robin chucks all the excess baggage that hampered Batman R.I.P. — the elbow in the ribs riffing on classic tales of yesteryear, the need to make an important statement about the character, Tony Daniel — fills up the gas tank to its flying Batmobile with rocket fuel and proceeds to floor that puppy out of the cave with nary a glance backward. The result is a streamlined, but no less surreal or smart, tale that’s one of the most satisfying superhero reads I’ve had so far this year. This is a really fun comic book.
Now, I haven’t been following Battle for the Cowl at all, so I have no idea what has or hasn’t been revealed up until this point and thus will probably unleash all manner of spoilers without meaning to. You’ve been warned.
- June 3, 2009 @ 08:30 AM by Chris Mautner
Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes
Comic-Con
Conventions | A report that Comic-Con International is planning to expand next year with a London show appears to be bogus, as Joe Gordon reports no franchise has been licensed and none of the event’s details stands up to scrutiny. [Forbidden Planet International]
Publishing | Jim Zubkavich, project manager for Udon, discusses the publisher’s new line of manga for young readers: “As tough as the publishing market can be sometimes, we feel it’s important not just to follow trends. A lot of companies are scaling back their publishing schedule. We feel now is a good time to take a few risks and try to expand our market. A well-chosen core line of quality books targeted at an age group that loves manga but doesn’t have many choices of appropriate reading material to choose from right now is a solid move.” [Graphic Novel Reporter]
Comic strips | Stone Soup creator Jan Eliot brings the incredibly shrinking comics page into perspective with a visual demonstration. [Stone Soup, via The Daily Cartoonist]
- June 3, 2009 @ 07:46 AM by Kevin Melrose
Hot Toys announce Silk Spectre figure
In their June newsletter, Hong Kong manufacturer Hot Toys introduced the Silk Spectre figure. Based on the Watchmen movie, the figure has Malin Akerman’s likeness and a trench coat in 1/6 scale. Calling it a “teaser”, Hot Toys promises more images in the near future. No word yet if Sideshow Toys will be distributing this figure for other markets, but the likelihood is high.
- June 3, 2009 @ 06:45 AM by Stephanie Chan
Gotham City: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy
Penguin the Hutt
Artist Dean T. Fraser has mashed together Star Wars and Batman, with characters like Darth Bat, Luke Nightwalker and Penguin the Hutt. Go check out “Empire of the Bat,” then take a look around his site for more cool artwork.
- June 3, 2009 @ 06:02 AM by JK Parkin
Marvel extends final-order cutoff date for Reborn #1
"Reborn" teaser
Marvel Comics has extended the final-order cutoff for the secretive Reborn #1 to June 16, which will allow retailers to respond to the media attention the publisher anticipates from the unprecendented Monday release of Captain America #600 on June 15.
The publisher had been criticized for keeping the details of the Ed Brubaker-Bryan Hitch miniseries “classified,” asking retailers to order based on a promise of national publicity “possibly on par with the media coverage we received during Civil War.”
The final-order cutoff had been June 11.
“See, complaining in public does occasionally do some minor amount of good,” retailer Brian Hibbs writes at Savage Critics. “However, everything about this sort of hinges on trust: how much does one trust Marvel to be able to ‘deliver’ ‘nationwide mass media coverage.’ Clearly a news story has been brokered, but it is utterly an open question whether or not it will actually run (Any number of stories could very easily push it out of the ‘news cycle’), and, much much more importantly, whether any one or not will care about whatever the revelation is.”
Speculation about the big secret of Reborn, which debuts on July 1, has ranged from the obvious — the return of Steve Rogers — to the unconventional — a revisitation of characters and concepts from 2003′s Truth: Red, White & Black, or even 1996′s Heroes Reborn.
- June 3, 2009 @ 05:32 AM by Kevin Melrose
This week, it’s Dick & Damian, blood-sucking teens and blood-thirsty pirates
With the holiday behind us, we’re back to a regular New Comics Day, one led by Batman and Robin #1, which reteams Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely for the adventures of the new Dynamic Duo, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne.
But you probably don’t need to be sold on that. So, what else is there? How about Seth’s George Sprott hardcover, or Becky Cloonan and Vasilis Lolos’ entry into the Buffy-verse with Tales of the Vampires?
No? Then may we interest you in John Layman and Rob Guillory’s offbeat Chew, or the conclusion of Morrison and Cameron Stewart’s second Seaguy miniseries?
That’s just for starters. To find out what other books hit the shelves this week, and which ones Chris Mautner, JK Parkin and I think are worth checking out, just keep reading.
And, as always, be sure to let us know your picks in the comments below.
- June 2, 2009 @ 04:11 PM by Kevin Melrose
MODOK reigns on web, then in September one-shot
MODOK
Finally, Marvel is answering the one question on everyone’s mind since Dark Reign began — where the heck is M.O.D.O.K.?
We’ll find out what the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing has been up to in June when Marvel debuts a four-part series on their Digital Comics Unlimited site called MODOK: Reign Delay. A one-shot collecting the series is due in September.
The book will be written and drawn by Ryan Dunlavey, who is doing his first work for Marvel. The creator posted about the assignment on his blog:
Yes, I assure you this is very, very real, not a joke, not a fan-comic or anything like that. This is a real Marvel Comic book set in the “real” Marvel Universe 616 continuity starring Jack Kirby’s greatest super villain creation – George Tarleton, the Mobile Organism Designed Only for Killing, written and drawn by the creator of such classic sequential masterpieces as “Jap Smasher” and “Diarrhea Dog”. BELIEVE IT!!!
Dunlavey’s previous work also includes Action Philosophers and Comic Book Comics for Evil Twin Comics.
- June 2, 2009 @ 03:23 PM by JK Parkin
Everyone’s A Critic: A round-up of comic book reviews and thinkpieces
Invincible
* Via Heidi I discovered the Graphic Novels Challenge, a site devoted to getting book bloggers and those unfamiliar with comics in general to read and review some select graphic novels of their choosing. It’s a great idea and the general first-time reactions are fun to read.
* Sean T. Collins reads the first nine volumes of Invincible and declares: “It’s very much not a book about how awesome Invincible is, whereas 90% of corporate superhero comics these days are about how awesome Copyright Man or Team Trademark is.” (follow-up links found here)
* Paul Gravett pontificates on “The Atom Style,” as exemplified by European artists like Joost Swarte, Daniel Torres and Javier Mariscal.
* Tom Crippen offers a two-part consideration of Alan Moore’s Miracleman and wonders if the writer’s prose isn’t just a little too purple.
* I’ve avoided the Grand Guginol horror series Hack/Slash up till now, but Curt Purcell makes me wonder if I haven’t been missing out on something.
- June 2, 2009 @ 02:31 PM by Chris Mautner
Who better to imagine the global apocalypse than comic artists?
Earth 2100
As Kevin mentioned yesterday, ABC News will present an environmental special called Earth 2100, which is hosted by Bob Woodruff and will feature a graphic novel-style sequences by Josh Neufeld, Sari Wilson, Joe Infurnari, George O’Connor, Tim Hamilton and Leland Purvis. The special runs tonight on ABC at 9 p.m. Eastern.
From Kamandi and Scout to “Old Man Logan,” comics have had a long history of detailing life after everything falls apart, and it’s pretty cool to see that ABC noticed.
“When ABC News’s Documentary Group approached me last fall to collaborate on a motion comic for an upcoming primetime show about climate change called Earth 2100, I was excited,” said Neufeld on his LiveJournal. “Through an imagined future scenario — intermixed with interviews with scientists, a global summit simulation, and user-generated videos — the two-hour special explores the effects of catastrophic climate change, and educates viewers on possible solutions.”
Neufeld and his wife, Sari Wilson, did the work under the banner of their writing and art studio, Dojo Graphics, where you can find additional artwork.
“For fledgling Dojo Graphics, Earth 2100 has been a dream project: creating an original science fiction script, connecting with a prime-time TV audience, the chance to explore new storytelling techniques and to weigh in on one of our era’s most critical issues,” said Wilson. “The show that will air to ABC’s millions of viewers next Tuesday night is the first (that we know of) integration of motion comics, traditional documentary, and user-generated content. We’re thrilled to have been part of this experiment, and, like you, are eagerly awaiting Tuesday night to see the final result.”
- June 2, 2009 @ 01:24 PM by JK Parkin
Unbound: Why is this dog exploding?
from Gulch
For four years, before I started writing about comics, I was a reporter for a local newspaper.
I didn’t have much journalistic training, and at first, every time I filed a story, I would get an exasperated call from my editor demanding, “What is this story supposed to be about?”
After a few months, I learned a simple lesson: Orient your readers to the story right away. It’s a lesson that webcomics creators should take to heart as well.
I call this the Zuda Test, because I formulated it while reviewing the comics at Zuda.com, DC’s webcomics competition site. Each month, I and my Digital Strips colleagues Steve Shinney and Jason Sigler read all ten of the comics at Zuda and discuss the pros and cons of each one.
Month after month, I found myself making the same complaint: After eight pages, I had no idea what was going on.
- June 2, 2009 @ 12:20 PM by Brigid Alverson
Ecocomics: Where comics and economics collide
New York's new mayor
“When comic books and economics collide, Ecocomics is Ground Zero. And we have charts.”
No, this isn’t a follow up to the Marvel pricing post I did over the weekend. Ecocomics is a blog that looks at the economic ramifications of comic book plots, covering supernatural disaster insurance and how the Canadian government can afford all that adamantium they keep sticking in their super soldiers.
In a post from today, they detail how newly elected New York mayor J. Jonah Jameson can use the power of economics for evil, against his hated foe Spider-Man. By funneling more money into social programs like job training, Jameson could eventually help reduce crime. If petty crooks could change their life with new job skills, there wouldn’t be a need for Spider-Man! Nefarious!
- June 2, 2009 @ 11:13 AM by JK Parkin