2009 July
SDCC ’09 | Bill Sienkiewicz’s sketchbook & lithograph
Batman and Elektra
Legendary artist Bill Sienkiewicz will have both a limited edition lithograph and sketchbook at the San Diego Comic Con this week. Above is the lithograph, which costs $40 and can be found at booth 2449. The sketchbook will cost $20.
- July 21, 2009 @ 09:46 PM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’09 | Top Shelf Productions
Top Shelf will debut three Surrogates books at the San Diego Comic-Con, and series writer and artist, Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele, will be at the Top Shelf booth (#1721) the entire weekend signing all three:
– THE SIGNED & NUM LIMITED ED OF “THE SURROGATES OWNER’S MANUAL” [the special Hardcover of Vols 1 & 2 combined, limited to 1000]
– THE SURROGATES (VOL 2): FLESH AND BONEa [the all-new prequel to the hit graphic novel]
– THE SURROGATES (VOL 1) [new cover edition of the original graphic novel soon to be a major motion picture]
To see all three books, click here: www.topshelfcomix.com/robertvenditti
- July 21, 2009 @ 09:07 PM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’09 | Sparkplug, free comics, after-hour events and more
The Tumor
Creators | Joshua Fialkov will have an ultra-limited edition ashcan of the first chapter of his new graphic novel, Tumor, that’s going to be the first original graphic novel premiering on the Amazon Kindle, releasing during the show. He’ll be at the Archaia Comics booth (#2635) for most of the weekend. There’s only 50 copies of the book for sale, first come, first serve. He’ll also have a few copies of both issues of Punks for anyone interested.
Publishers | First Second has posted their schedule for the con.
After hours | Mark Verheiden reports that the San Diego House Of Blues will host Bear McCreary: The music of Battlestar Galactica on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with appearances by members of the cast. More details here.
The home game | John Parker lists ways you can enjoy Comic Con from the comfort of your home. Here’s another way to play the home game that Chris Mautner will certainly enjoy.
Creators | More creator stuff: Jason Aaron’s schedule, Paul Hornschemeier’s books, Ted Mathot’s booth, Chuck BB’s schedule and print, David Hahn’s Fantastic Four print, Gene Yang’s schedule, Stuart Moore’s panels, Johnny and Tony’s trip video, Shane White’s preview and Scott Williams’ art book.
- July 21, 2009 @ 07:50 PM by JK Parkin
This week, there’s pulpy goodness, Golden-Age zaniness — and Comic-Con
For thousands of people, tomorrow is Comic-Con Day 0, or Preview Night. But for the rest of us, it’s still just New Comics Day.
Okay, not “just” — that makes it sound as if it’s somehow second best; it’s certainly not. This is a really good week for comics, the crime genre in particular.
The list is led by Darwyn Cooke’s much-anticipated, and already highly praised, adaptation of Donald Westlake’s Parker: The Hunter. That’s followed by the fourth volume of Naoki Urasawa’s Pluto, Jamie S. Rich and Joelle Jones’ You Have Killed Me, and the $1 100 Bullets #1 Vertigo Crime Sampler.
If crime or mystery isn’t your thing, there’s plenty more to recommend, from the Golden-Age weirdness of Fletcher Hanks in You Shall Die By Your Own Evil Creation to the Golden-Age reimagining of Project Superpowers: Chapter Two to the modern-day superheroics in the milestone Amazing Spider-Man #600.
Somewhere in between you’ll find the return of Roman Dirge’s Lenore, the long-awaited finale of Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds and an adaptation of Fahrenheit 451.
To see what other titles Chris Mautner, JK Parkin and I think are worth a second look, just keep reading. And, as always, let us know your picks in the comments below.
- July 21, 2009 @ 03:25 PM by Kevin Melrose
Send us your shelf porn!
Hello again. With Comic-Con looming mightily we opted to get Shelf Porn up a day early. Hope you don’t mind too much.
This week we’re getting a little more toy-oriented, courtesy of Jennifer Sparenberg from Greenbelt, MD. Jennifer had originally sent me pics of her “Lesbian Icon” shelf last month, but I had a backlog of photos to sift through and wasn’t able to get to her contribution until this week.
So, let’s not delay any longer! Here’s Jen:
- July 21, 2009 @ 02:31 PM by Chris Mautner
Six things a webcomics fan should do in San Diego (plus one bonus item)
It’s hard to narrow down just six things for webcomics fans to do at SDCC, because we are rapidly approaching the point where all comics are webcomics. From traditional print comics (Marvel, Archie) to newspaper comic strips to interesting indy stuff, it’s all on the web, or your iPhone, or some screen somewhere.
Still, there’s something special about “traditional webcomics,” if I can be permitted to coin an oxymoronic phrase. Comics that originated on the web tend to have an edge and an economy of storytelling style, perhaps because so many are produced by independent creators.
Templar, Arizona
Anyway, here’s what I would be checking out if I were going.
- July 21, 2009 @ 01:39 PM by Brigid Alverson
What’s up with the Ignatz line?
cover to Ganges #3
If you’re like me (and who’s to say you aren’t), you’ve no doubt been wondering what’s up with Fantagraphics Ignatz line, which up until recently seemed to be stuck on standby. This week finally sees the release of two new issues — Delphine #4 and Grotesque #3 – and over at Flog, Kim Thompson reveals that more is on the way, including the third issue of Kevin Huizenga’s Ganges.
Next up, likely to be released toward the end of the year, is a double whammy of Niger #3 by Leila Marzocchi (check out the cover of this wild ecological fable), and the fourth and concluding installment of Ponchione’s Grotesque (with another standalone story). Then Spring 2010 will, if everything goes well, see the release of the fourth issue of Igort’s cartoonist-graphic-novel-a-clef Baobab; the fourth (and concluding) issue of Gabriella Giandelli’s hard-to-pronounce magical apartment building story Interiorae; and the third issue of Zak Sally’s otherworldly picaresque Sammy the Mouse.
Thompson also writes that the Gipi series Wish You Were Here and Marti ‘s Calvario Hills are M.I.A. for now, though David B. may have a new issue of Babel out sometime next year.
- July 21, 2009 @ 12:55 PM by Chris Mautner
SDCC ’09 | Marvel’s signing schedule
Marvel signing schedule
Marvel sent over their booth signing schedule for the San Diego Comic-Con … of note: Stan Lee at 1 p.m. and Warren Ellis at 6 p.m. Friday, and an Iron Man 2 signing at 11 a.m. Saturday. The line for that one started forming last week.
You can also find their panel schedule here.
- July 21, 2009 @ 11:30 AM by JK Parkin
Nobody Watches the Watchmen
Funny or Die offers up a parody meeting between Watchmen creator Alan Moore and his character Rorschach, as the famed author does whatever he can to keep people from watching the Watchmen DVD:
(Thanks Ian!)
- July 21, 2009 @ 11:01 AM by JK Parkin
Tony Millionaire is God
Well, I don’t know what he’s really like, but in this YouTube video at least, the Maakies cartoonist plays a rather annoyed, and somewhat oddly garbed, deity, frustrated at trying to make a lesser being quaff a bottle of booze. Thank goodness for George Washington. (via Flog)
- July 21, 2009 @ 10:33 AM by Chris Mautner
SDCC ’09 | Fantagraphics, Arcana and more
All and Sundry by Paul Hornschemeier
We’ll likely have a few more updates on what folks are up to at the con later today …
Publishers | Fantagraphics has posted the signing schedule for their booth, which includes appearances by Johnny Ryan, the Hernandez Bros., Lewis Trondheim, Jordan Crane, Paul Hornschemeier and many more. They’ve also listed a dozen new books they’ll be debuting at the show, so go check it out and update your “to buy” list.
Creators | Larry Marder will have a Beanworld preview at the con, and gives you the goods on how to get a secret sketch.
Manga | Deb Aoki offers a list of 20 things manga fans can do at the con.
Books + Movies + Social | The L.A. Times takes a look at CSI creator Anthony E. Zuiker’s Level 26, which will be showcased on Saturday at the con.
Advice | Scott McCloud’s daughter wife Ivy offers advice to novice Comic-Con attendees.
- July 21, 2009 @ 09:47 AM by JK Parkin
Borders hopes graphic novels, YA titles will reel in teens
Borders Ink
Prodded by climbing sales for books like Twilight, Borders Group is carving out space in its stores once used to sell music and DVDs for Borders Ink, a section dedicated to graphic novels, fantasy and young-adult titles.
The Wall Street Journal reports that by August the departments will be open in 80 percent to 90 percent of the 513 Borders superstores in the United States. Some shops are now operating in the book chain’s home base of Michigan.
Borders Ink already has set up on Facebook, where yesterday it spotlighted Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim series.
According to the Journal article, the move comes at a time when book retailing is in a slump but sales of YA titles, fantasy and graphic novels are still climbing.
- July 21, 2009 @ 09:15 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’09 | Don’t miss limited-edition promo prints for Rough Justice
Rough Justice: The DC Comics Sketches of Alex Ross
Designer, author and editor Chip Kidd writes that although he doesn’t have any official panels or signings, he will be at Comic-Con — specifically, at the Random House/Del Rey booth at noon on Thursday and Friday, and the Alex Ross Art booth at noon on Saturday.
If you’re lucky, you may snag one of the “extremely limited number” of promotional prints for Rough Justice: The DC Comics Sketches of Alex Ross, edited by Kidd. “Supplies are very limited and once they’re gone, they’re gone,” Kidd cautions.
The 256-page hardcover will be released in March 2010 by Pantheon.
- July 21, 2009 @ 08:35 AM by Kevin Melrose
Road to San Diego: BOOM!’s Neil Loughrie prepares for his first SDCC
Neil Loughrie
BOOM! Studios Neil Loughrie is responsible for BOOM!’s booth at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, from set-up to managing the workers to tracking inventory. What makes it even more fun, however, is the fact that Neil has never been to the San Diego Comic-Con. Oh man.
I spoke with Neil briefly as he prepares for the event of a lifetime — you never forget your first, do you?
JK: Tell me a little bit about your job at BOOM! — what’s your job description when you aren’t getting ready for a big convention?
Neil: My official title is publishing coordinator, but I know that means different things at different publishers. Basically at BOOM! I handle all of our printing and shipping. As soon as a book is completed by our editorial team, it comes to me, I make sure it gets to the printer and then on to the distributors so the books comes out on the correct date. Want to know when a BOOM! title will be on the shelves? I can answer that. If a comic needs to be somewhere, I am the guy to get it there.
- July 21, 2009 @ 07:49 AM by JK Parkin
Follow us on Twitter during San Diego Comic-Con
A few Robot 6 contributors will be in San Diego this week, so be sure to check back here for live reports, photos and other fun stuff. And a few of us will be at home, watching the news and posting about it here … so stay tuned for that as well.
You can also follow us on Twitter for moment-by-moment updates, wisdom and fits of insanity:
And if you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to subscribe to Robot 6 and Comic Book Resources. Not only will you receive links to all the panel reports, interviews and posts coming out of the con, but we’ll also be posting other little news bits throughout the week as well on both feeds.
- July 21, 2009 @ 07:35 AM by JK Parkin