2009 July
Scott Dunbier talks about Parker distribution problems
Crime!
If you live on the West side of the United States, then good news — your comics retailer should have received their copies of IDW’s excellent Parker: The Hunter book by Darwyn Cooke this week.
If you live out East, well … the news isn’t so good. It’s not terrible, mind you, but you’ll have to wait until next Wednesday to pick up the book.
After seeing some buzz around the internet that some retailers didn’t get their copies, I contacted IDW’s Scott Dunbier, who clarified why part of the country didn’t get it, as well as why Amazon was saying the book wouldn’t ship until August.
JK: I’ve seen some excited reports around the ‘net about retailers and fans receiving their copies of The Hunter this week. I’ve also seen some reports from retailers who didn’t get their copies. What was the reason some retailers didn’t get it this week?
Scott Dunbier: Yes, all the feedback we’ve received so far has been incredibly positive. But, as you point out, some shops didn’t receive the book this week, ones in the Eastern half of the country. The book was held up in customs for a couple of days, which threw distribution for a loop.
JK: Is there an update on when these shops will get their copies?
Scott: Every comic shop should have their copies by next week.
- July 16, 2009 @ 01:37 PM by JK Parkin
Bluewater stakes a claim to biography of Twilight author
Female Force: Stephenie Meyer
Yen Press isn’t the only publisher getting in on the Twilight phenomenon.
Bluewater Productions, which has been churning out one political biography after another, is now turning its attention to Twilight author Stephenie Meyer.
The comic will be released in October under the company’s “Female Force” banner, which has been home to biographies on such public figures as Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin and Princess Diana.
“We chose Stephenie Meyer to be one of the subjects for Female Force because her voice is one for a new generation,” Bluewater Publisher Darren G. Davis tells Diamond’s PreviewsWorld. “Now people will find out the history of how she created this series, as well as her life story.”
Billed as “the first-ever illustrated biography of the world-renowned author,” the Meyer comic doesn’t appear to be authorized by the 35-year-old novelist.
Also, I’m not sure what to make of the phrase, “witness her story being told by the most famous vampire of them all.” Is the comic being narrated by Dracula? Edward Cullen?
Meyer released the first novel in her vampire-romance series in 2003. To date, the four-volume Twilight Saga has sold 53 million copies worldwide. A 2008 film adaptation grossed nearly $400 million worldwide. A sequel, New Moon, will open in theaters in November.
It was announced yesterday that Yen Press will adapt Twilight as a series of graphic novels, under the supervision of Meyer.
- July 16, 2009 @ 01:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Six things an independent comics fan should do at SDCC
This was hard. Screw that, it was really hard.
When I first started thinking about this list I figured that I’d find maybe a couple of interesting topic-focused panels and then have to pad the rest of the list with booth visits and a few publisher panels. After all, with San Diego’s increasingly becoming a Pop Media Con, how much room is still left for talking about comics? Well, quite a bit actually.
So much so that I’ve had to leave out a lot of good stuff in order to get this list down to six things. In fact, my original plan was to make a more comprehensive list that divided a lot more stuff into six general categories. The result was extremely busy though and some of the things I was most excited by got lost in the crowd. This then, is the really, really good stuff.
Crime!
1) Attend a panel on crime comics. Max Allan Collins, Darwyn Cooke, Greg Rucka, and Steve Lieber will be talking about the resurrection of the crime genre in comics on Thursday from 2:00 – 3:00 pm (Room 5AB). If they’d also gotten Ed Brubaker and Brian Azzarello, my head would’ve exploded.
2) Welcome Mike Mignola back to Hellboy. Mike Mignola’s Hellboy panels have been fairly movie-focused the last few years, but with no new film in sight and especially with Mignola’s returning to art duties on the series next year, Saturday’s panel (4:30 – 5:30 pm in Room 4) with editor Scott Allie should be the most exciting for comics fans that these have been in a long time.
- July 16, 2009 @ 12:14 PM by Michael May
Real-life Wacky Races
Wacky Races
I’m sorry I missed this one when it first came out in June, but Carscoop has pictures from Chichester in West Sussex, England, of real-life Wacky Races cars. They were part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this month. Click through to see all the pictures; they did a nice job bringing them to life. You can see the cars in action on YouTube.
Via Full Body Transplant and Autoblog.
- July 16, 2009 @ 11:31 AM by JK Parkin
Please send some kind thoughts Richard Thompson’s way
Cul de Sac: This Exit
The Cul de Sac cartoonist announced on his blog today that he is suffering from Parkinson’s:
For the last year or so I’ve noticed a few odd symptoms; shakiness, hoarseness, silly walks, random clumsiness and the like. So the other day I went to see a neurologist and, after having me me jump through hoops, stand on my head and juggle chain saws, he said I’ve got Parkinson’s. It’s a pain in the fundament and it slows me down, but it hasn’t really affected my drawing hand at all. And it could be a useful ploy in my ever-losing battle against deadlines.
If you happen to see him at San Diego next week, please say hi and wish him well.
- July 16, 2009 @ 11:00 AM by Chris Mautner
Straight for the art | James Jean’s Kindling preview
Kindling
Drawn! has an early look at Kindling, a series of 12 prints by James Jean and published by Chronicle Books. The editor of the project says in the comments that the book will be available for sale at Comic-Con next week.
- July 16, 2009 @ 10:37 AM by Chris Mautner
Chris Weston helps design The Book of Eli
Book of Eli
For awhile now, Chris Weston has hinted on his blog that he was doing some work in the film industry. It turns out he’s been doing production artwork for the movie The Book of Eli, which stars Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Jennifer Beals, Ray Stevenson and Tom Waits.
Weston says the movie is “a post-apocalyptic action movie… and I hope I brought a 2000ad / Cursed Earth vibe to it. That was the intention, anyway. What can I can say is you’ll get to see Denzel Washington kick serious arse in this film… ‘Man on Fire’ is a mere taster compared to the righteous vengeance he rains down on the scum in this film.”
Weston also shows off a cool promo poster, shown above, that he’ll be signing next week at the Warner Bros. booth. You can also check out how he created it.
- July 16, 2009 @ 10:01 AM by JK Parkin
A first (official) look at Morrison and Murphy’s Joe the Barbarian
From "Joe the Barbarian," by Grant Morrison and Sean Murphy
We caught a brief glimpse early last month of Grant Morrison and Sean Murphy’s upcoming collaboration Joe the Barbarian, but now Vertigo offers the first official preview of the three-issue miniseries, which debuts in January.
Morrison has described the comic as “Home Alone meets Lord of the Rings,” with the titular character entering a dream state in which his toys come to life.
- July 16, 2009 @ 09:16 AM by Kevin Melrose
Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to Kung Pao Chicken.
Kotobukiya
Now here’s an idea that’s a long time in the making. Next year Kotobukiya will release “Chop Sabers” — a mash-up of Star Wars lightsabers and chopsticks. They come in three varieties: Darth Vader red, Luke Skywalker blue and a smaller Yoda green for the kids.
Although the chop sabers won’t be out until 2010, if you’re going to San Diego next week you can not only check them out, but also participate in Chop Saber Duels. “Fans will get a chance to test their Chopstick skills by competing against members of the 501st Legion to see who really is the ‘Chop Saber Jedi,’” reads their website. “These tests of dexterity will result in the winners (Jedis) taking home a prize!”
Kotobukiya’s booth is #2601. Start practicing now.
- July 16, 2009 @ 08:37 AM by JK Parkin
Straight for the art | O’Brien’s Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown by Tim O'Brien
Do not stare too long at Tim O’Brien’s portrait of Charlie Brown, lest madness overtake you. (via Drawn)
- July 16, 2009 @ 07:47 AM by Chris Mautner
Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes
Twilight art
Publishing | ICv2.com calls the just-announced graphic-novel adaptation of Twilight from Yen Press “the closest thing to printing money that we’ve heard about this year.” That sounds about right. The retailer-oriented website goes on to characterize the move as “the kind of deal that could be a transformational event for Yen,” the three-year-old imprint of Hachette Book Group. Brigid Alverson rounds up some online reaction. [ICv2.com]
Publishing | Viz Media rolls out its complete SIGIKKI online manga magazine, and reveals the titles that will join Children of the Sea on the free website. [press release]
Johnny's Resin figures
Legal | Here’s a little more on DC Comics’ multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Bradenton, Florida, resident John Stacks, who’s accused of selling unauthorized resin kit figurines based on the 1960s Batman TV series. “This was not a profit thing,” Stacks says. “This was a hobby that I enjoy. … It’s not that I’m making a fortune. I’m making nothing. It’s ridiculous.” [Bradenton Herald]
Crime | If you’ve been wondering what became of the young man who, dressed as Superman, got into a highly publicized scuffle with police last week in Times Square, wonder no more: Twenty-three-year-old Bronx resident Maksim Katsnelson has withstood the mockery, and even gained a fan following. Kevin Deutsch gets Our Hero’s backstory. [The Riverdale Press]
Publishing | Sean Kleefeld points out that Marvel stock is at its highest point ever. [Kleefeld on Comics]
- July 16, 2009 @ 07:07 AM by Kevin Melrose
Straight for the art | A double shot of Deadpool
Deadpool #900
Let’s kick off the day with not one, but two cool covers that hit the web yesterday featuring everyone’s favorite Merc with a Mouth … above is 100 Bullets cover artist Dave Johnson’s cover for Deadpool #900. The second is after the jump …
- July 16, 2009 @ 04:30 AM by JK Parkin
Warren Ellis returns to San Diego to discuss Marvel Anime project
Warren Ellis
Marvel Entertainment and the Japanese animation studio Madhouse are bringing Warren Ellis to San Diego this year for the Marvel Animation panel on Friday, July 24.
Madhouse is creating four new anime series featuring Wolverine, Iron Man and two as-yet-unrevealed properties, and Ellis is writing them, according to the press release sent out today. Ellis will sign at the Marvel booth right after the panel.
“By the power of contractual obligation, I am appearing at the San Diego Comic-Con 2009 under the exclusive aegis of Sony, Madhouse and Marvel Anime,” Ellis wrote on his blog. “I am in San Diego for something less than 36 hours. This is my only appearance at San Diego.”
The complete press release is available after the jump.
- July 15, 2009 @ 06:58 PM by JK Parkin
DC Comics unveils Blackest Night minisite
DC's "Blackest Night" minisite
DC Comics has launched a minisite in support of Blackest Night, the summer crossover that kicked off today.
The site includes character biographies for the eight color-themed corps, a guide to the core eight-issue miniseries and supplemental titles, and a rundown of dead Lanterns.
- July 15, 2009 @ 04:27 PM by Kevin Melrose
Send Us Your Shelf Porn!
Welcome, welcome, welcome to another edition of “Send Us Your Shelf Porn.” This week we’re pleased as punch (and that’s pretty pleased) to be presenting the collection of one Mr. Michael Naugle. Michael’s quite the Green Lantern fan, as you might gather from the photo below, and he’s eager to give everyone the guided tour. So let’s get started, mmmkay?
- July 15, 2009 @ 04:00 PM by Chris Mautner