2009 July
Morrison fascinated by ‘contradictions and complexities’ of Wonder Woman
Final Crisis #5
In the past six months Grant Morrison has moved from apologizing for his treatment of Wonder Woman in Final Crisis to hinting at a “different project” that might examine the themes surrounding the Amazonian princess.
Now he reveals she’s the iconic DC Comics character he’d most like to work with next.
“I’ve become fascinated by all the contradictions and complexities in the character over the years,” Morrison tells the A.V. Club in a broad-ranging Q&A, “and would love to do an All-Star Superman-style take that would clarify and redefine what she stands for, and what she’s capable of as a character.”
In his appearance with author Clive Barker earlier this month at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood, Morrison said, “These extremely weird, dark elements of Wonder Woman haven’t been adequately dealt with. Wonder Woman remains a really bizarre, untouchable character. She should represent women in the same way Superman represents men.”
- July 22, 2009 @ 11:16 AM by Kevin Melrose
Robot reviews: The Hunter
The Hunter
Richard Stark’s Parker Book One: The Hunter
Adapted and illustrated by Darwyn Cooke
IDW Publishing, 144 pages, $24.99.
While I’ve certainly always liked Darwyn Cooke’s work, I can’t say I ever loved it.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s no denying the man’s talent or his dedication to the craft. But there’s always been some hard-to-define barrier that prevented me from enjoying his work as much as others seem to.
It’s hard for me to put a finger on what kept me from being fully engaged. Too much nostalgia for the past, both in terms of his Toth-like dynamism and forthright attitude towards superhero derring-do? Too slick and over-polished a style? Too mannered? Not enough grit and teeth? Whatever it was, I found myself being more of a distant admirer than a fan.
Now we have his latest work, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter. And while I may not be able to park myself in the Cooke fan camp yet, I think it’s safe to say that with this stellar graphic novel, I’m steadily edging in that general direction.
- July 22, 2009 @ 10:30 AM by Chris Mautner
SDCC ’09 | Mark Waid takes a turn as radio DJ
Mark Waid and Eric Lawrence
Writer and BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Mark Waid kicks off Comic-Con right with an appearance on KCRW’s “Guest DJ Project,” a weekly show in which actors, artists, authors and other notables talk about songs that have inspired and moved them.
In today’s episode, Waid covers a lot of ground in just five tracks, from Elvis Presley’s If I Can Dream to Glen Cambell’s Wichita Lineman to Jay-Z’s Kingdom Come.
“What [Wichita Lineman songwriter Jimmy] Webb taught me was when I put words down on paper, it’s about finding raw emotion in the least obvious places, pulling the real moments out of anybody’s life,” Waid tells host Eric J. Lawrence. “When he talks about ‘I need you more than want you and I want you for all time’ — that is an amazing lyric. Again, if words can make you feel something for this stoic telephone lineman, then ostensibly they can make you feel something for, I don’t know, Superman.”
You can listen to the episode, and read a transcript, here.
- July 22, 2009 @ 09:07 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’09 | A peek at Todd McFarlane’s cover for Prince of Persia
"Prince of Persia" cover, by Todd McFarlane
USA Today’s Game Hunters blog has the first, but tiny, look at Todd McFarlane’s cover art for Disney Book Group’s graphic-novel prequel to next year’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
The 128-page anthology will feature six stories written by Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner and illustrated by Bernard Chang, Tommy Lee Edwards, Tom Fowler, Niko Henrichon, David Lopez and Cameron Stewart.
The graphic novel will be released simultaneously in hardcover and paperback in April 2010, ahead of the movie’s May 28 opening.
Game Hunters also notes that McFarlane and Stan Lee will be recognized on Saturday at Comic-Con by Guinness World Records for 1990′s Spider-Man #1, which sold 2.5 million copies, becoming the best-selling comic book of all time.
- July 22, 2009 @ 08:15 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’09 | A few more last-minute pre-con notes
Re-Evolution
Creators | Re-Evolution creator Gus Higuera dropped us a note and some artwork about being at the con and the warp-up of season one of Re-Evolution at Zuda:
“It’s hard to believe a year has already passed since we competed in last year’s Zuda Invitational. We would like to thank Zuda and all our supporters for giving us this once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a part of DC Comics and letting us tell our story. For those of you visiting San Diego Comic Con, stop by and say hello to me and Re-Evolution’s artist Juan Felipe Salcedo at the Zuda section of the DC Comics booth Thurs. – Sat. from 11:00AM-11:30AM and all weekend in booth #5335 in the Indy Press section. We have tons of free stuff for our fans in celebration of the end of our first Season. We would also like to invite all our supporters to send Zuda feedback to bring us back for a Season 2. http://www.zudacomics.com/feedback. Don’t forgot to also follow us via Twitter during Zuda’s virtual con under the #zudacon tag. Thanks once again and see you in San Diego. Viva La Re-Evolution!” –Gus Higuera
Fandom | If you can’t go to the con this year, you can live vicariously through Mighty Mugg Spidey. (Via)
Creators | Steve Epting, Michael Ryan and Christina Strain will be at The Palm Restaurant at 615 J Street in San Diego tomorrow at noon to add some artwork to an ongoing Marvel character mural at the restaurant.
Manga | What’s Tokyopop up to at the show? Glad you asked.
Manga | Viz is there, too.
Creators | Stan Sakai has “under construction” pictures from the showroom floor on Tuesday.
- July 22, 2009 @ 07:47 AM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’09 | Can cooking manga find a place at the table in the U.S.?
The San Diego Union-Tribune broadens its coverage of Comic-Con with this nice overview of cooking manga, and the reasons behind the genre’s popularity in Japan:
Oishinbo
In the United States, where most comic books are aimed at children, manga are a revelation. In Japan, paperbacks and magazines full of cartoons are a cradle-to-grave phenomenon, with subjects and styles to suit all ages and interests.
And food is a major concern in Japan. Even in the cities, many people still buy bread in bakeries, fruits and vegetables from produce stands, and coffee beans from local cafes. Seasonal delights are so avidly tracked, this sign was spotted one spring day outside a Tokyo bistro: “We now have eel pizza!”
Food and manga, then, are a perfect pairing — at least in Japan.
But how does it fare in the U.S., where Viz Media began releasing the top-selling — in Japan, at least — Oishinbo in January? Okay, it turns out, but not great.
“Oishinbo is the most successful cooking manga in Japan,” blogger Deb Aoki tells the newspaper. “If the epitome of this type of manga can’t make a beachhead in America, that is worrisome.”
- July 22, 2009 @ 07:14 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’09 | Activision, Twistory team for Singularity graphic novel
Singularity
On the heels of announcements of comic adaptations of the video games Dante’s Inferno and Mass Effect comes word that Activision is teaming with Twistory Studios and Image Comics to release a Singularity graphic novel.
In the upcoming first-person action game, players have to unravel a deadly Cold War conspiracy that has fractured the fabric of time — all while battling Russian mercenaries and “time-ravaged creatures.”
Written by Davide Fabbri (Dark Horse’s Star Wars) and Christopher “mink” Morrison (Dust, 13 Chambers) and illustrated by Tom Mandrake (Batman), the graphic novel will serve as a prequel, telling the story of the events that led to the Singularity.
The book will debut following the game’s release in May 2010.
- July 22, 2009 @ 06:28 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’09 | Comic-Con Notes
As we brace for the opening of Comic-Con International, mainstream-media outlets have unleashed an avalanche of previews and feature articles. Here are some of the highlights:
Iron Man 2
• USA Today focuses on views of the notoriously tough Comic-Con audience from Iron Man 2 stars Robert Downey Jr. and Mickey Rourke, and Avatar director James Cameron. “This is about the toughest group there is to impress,” Downey says. “They’re watching your footage, every one of them waiting to Twitter whether you suck.”
The newspaper also has a couple of new stills from Iron Man 2.
• Variety pulls out all the stops with articles on Hollywood A-listers now wanting to attend Comic-Con, the widening appeal of the convention, high-concept promotions from studios, anime director Hayao Miyazaki’s hopes of attracting a larger U.S. audience, and industry pros’ views on Miyazaki’s body of work.
• The San Diego Union-Tribune interviews Jim Lee, The Wall Street Journal’s Speakeasy blog chats with Bill Willingham about Fables, and the Orange County Register profiles Chris Bachalo.
• Newsweek gives us “Seven Ways to Be Cool at Comic-Con.”
• Entertainment Weekly‘s PopWatch blog is showcasing posts about the convention from guest editors like Kevin Smith, Seth Green and Olivia Munn.
• San Diego CityBeat highlights some dining and drinking destinations outside the convention center, whose food options it describes as “pretty dismal.”
- July 22, 2009 @ 05:57 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’09 | Asgard in San Diego
Olivier Coipel's "Thor" art at the Marvel booth (photo by Pat Loika)
Pat Loika’s Flickr photostream again proves to be a prime online destination for Comic-Con photos, like this one: Olivier Coipel’s Thor art blown up to epic proportions for the Marvel booth.
Loika has uploaded a bunch of other photos from yesterday on the floor of the convention center, where publishers and studios were busy setting up for Preview Night.
- July 22, 2009 @ 05:10 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’09 | Movie news and notes
World of Warcraft
• Sam Raimi will direct a live-action movie based on the popular World of Warcraft online role-playing franchise.
Legendary Pictures and video-game publisher Blizzard Entertainment will produce the film, with Warner Bros. co-financing and distributing. Raimi will tackle the film once he completes Spider-Man 4.
• Darren Lynn Bousman (Repo! The Genetic Opera) has signed on to write and direct the bloody Abattoir for Barry Levine’s Radical Pictures.
The company’s comics division, Radical Publishing, is turning the property into a graphic novel, based on a concept by Bousman and partner Michael Peterson. Artwork from the comic will debut at Comic-Con.
Abattoir centers on a real-estate agent who must clean up the remnants of a massacre in a mansion he hopes to sell.
• Director Ryuhei Kitamura and writer Holly Brix are attached to Magdalena, the film based on the Top Cow Productions character.
Jenna Dewan (Step Up) and Luke Goss (Hellboy II: The Golden Army) already are signed to star in the feature about the descendant of Mary Magdalene who serves as the warrior and protector of the Catholic Church.
• Relative newcomer Zachary Gordon (National Treasure: Book of Secrets) will star in Fox 2000′s adaptation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney’s best-selling series about a smart-aleck middle-schooler.
Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass) is in negotations to play the female lead.
- July 22, 2009 @ 04:31 AM by Kevin Melrose
SDCC ’09 | Wildstorm goes to hell with Dante’s Inferno
Dante's Inferno
Visceral Games, one of Electronic Arts’ studios, announced that Wildstorm will publish a comic book based on the forthcoming video game Dante’s Inferno. A special “Issue 0″ preview edition of the Dante’s Inferno comic will be given away at Comic-Con International 2009 in San Diego at the EA (Booth #5213) and DC Comics (Booth # 1915) booths.
The six-issue comic miniseries will be written by Christos Gage and drawn by Diego Latorre, and will go on sale in December.
“When Christos and I saw the early gameplay demo of the game, our jaws just hit the floor,” said Hank Kanalz, Vice President and General Manager, WildStorm. “The nature of this game, as well as the original work, inspired WildStorm to take a unique approach in the creative. Diego Latorre’s art is outstanding and atypical for a game-based comic. EA has really set the bar high, and we strive to achieve or surpass the mark with this book.”
Dante’s Inferno is set in the poem’s nine circles of hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, violence, heresy, fraud and treachery. Per the press release, players take Dante on an epic descent through hell, battling their way through a terrifying gauntlet of demons to reclaim the soul of his beloved Beatrice. The Dante’s Inferno comic will highlight the action-packed moments in the game, and will also deliver more perspective on Beatrice’s experience, adding more depth to the game’s story and exploring more of the poem’s dramatic depiction of the underworld.
- July 22, 2009 @ 03:49 AM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’09 | Batton Lash debuts anniversary special this week
Exhibit A Press, which publishes the Supernatural Law comics by Batton Lash, has several new items available at Comic-Con this year, including a 15th anniversary special (above) and a new trade paperback. Details can be found in the press release after the jump …
- July 22, 2009 @ 03:17 AM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’09 | Dark Horse to publish Mass Effect comic book
Mass Effect 2
BioWare and Dark Horse announced via press release earlier today that the video game Mass Effect was coming to comics. Mass Effect: Redemption, a four-issue mini-series, will take readers through “the treacherous events leading up to Mass Effect 2 which opens with galactic hero Commander Shepard having mysteriously gone missing and left to fight for survival.”
The book will hit in January and will be written by the game’s lead writer, Mac Walters, with a script by John Jackson Miller and art by Omar Francia. The complete press release can be found after the jump.
- July 21, 2009 @ 11:34 PM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’09 | Warner Bros. lends a hand with your room key
Red Son door key
Fans checking into their hotel rooms over the next couple of days in San Diego may be in for a fun surprise, as Hero Complex shows off the designs for five different room keys featuring Warner Bros. properties, including Superman: Red Son (above). In addition to giving you somewhere to sleep, the cards also will allow users to download a free episode of one of the shows that are spotlighted — Chuck, Fringe, Supernatural or Smallville — or the Superman: Red Son motion comic.
I hope my hotel is one of the lucky ones …
- July 21, 2009 @ 10:35 PM by JK Parkin
SDCC ’09 | Dark Horse to publish Morgan Spurlock comic book
Morgan Spurlock
According to the Hollywood Reporter, documentary maker Morgan Spurlock is teaming up with Dark Horse Comics for a comic that will “feature bizarre stories about the U.S.’s obsession with fast food.”
Spurlock, who once spent a month eating only McDonald’s to show the effects it had on his body for his film Super-Size Me, will write Supersized: Strange Tales From a Fast Food Culture, with a mix of artists “scripting and drawing the book.” The book will even have its own Crypt Keeper of sorts, a character called MC Super-Size Me.
Spurlock will be at the Marriot Hotel & Marina this weekend, hosting a casting call for a Simpsons 20th anniversary special he’s filming for FOX. Watch for his new comic next spring.
- July 21, 2009 @ 10:10 PM by JK Parkin