2009 August
We can only hope a Hostess marketing exec is seeing this and getting ideas
Save the BPRD one for me please
Found via Topless Robot. Can you name them all?
- August 5, 2009 @ 07:11 AM by Chris Mautner
Iron Man, Metal Men or a gigantic robot? This week, you decide
After a relatively quiet Wednesday last week, comics strike back with a vengeance, unleashing misfit superheroes, a giant robot, stolen armor, a Superman gone bad, a renegade angel — oh, and Mayhem, of course.
It’s not just Spandex and metal men, though. There’s also the Abstract Comics Anthology, another issue of Anders Nilsen’s Big Questions, and a second Jaime Hernandez omnibus. If the supernatural is more your thing, tomorrow also sees the release of new issues of Witchfinder and House of Mystery, and a collection of Locke & Key.
To see what other releases have Chris Mautner, JK Parkin and me talking, just keep reading. And, as always, let us know your picks in the comments below.
- August 4, 2009 @ 03:25 PM by Kevin Melrose
Dangerous Dames of Dark Horse: Katie Moody & Sierra Hahn talk crime
Blacksad
PART I: THE RETURN OF BLACKSAD!
When planning out my week here at Robot 6, I considered writing something about how someone needed to get the rights to Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido’s Blacksad series and not just put the first two volumes back in print so folks could get them at an affordable price, but finally release the third Spanish volume stateside so the fans of the wicked cool crime series could see how it ends at last. Then, lo and behold, Dark Horse Comics announces at Comic Con that they have gotten hold of the series. My prayers were answered! So, instead of writing about my wish for the book, I thought I’d talk to the editor responsible for the new printing, Katie Moody.
JAMIE S. RICH: So, Blacksad had become a bit of a Holy Grail for its fans over the last couple of years. I originally saw the book at Matt Wagner’s house. He had just gotten the sketchbook that had come out from its previous publisher, and it was the first time I had looked at the work closely, I think I had always dismissed it prior. It was then a game of catch-up to actually read it. I eventually tracked down a reasonably priced second volume at a used bookstore, but could only get the first volume from the library–and they had to borrow it from an out-of-town library as the local copy had been stolen. Dark Horse bringing it out is a great boon to comics readers. Can you tell us a little bit about how that came to pass and how you’ll be presenting it?
KATIE MOODY: Blacksad had been on my radar for a few years–I remember seeing the first album’s solicitation in Previews and reading the series after the 2004 Eisner nominations–but I hadn’t been proactive about getting my own copies of the albums. By the time I decided to get it in gear they were already out of print and I was out of luck. (A situation familiar to many by this point.)
- August 4, 2009 @ 02:33 PM by Jamie S. Rich
SDCC ’09 | Wrapping up the wrap-ups
The San Diego Comic-Con ended more than a week ago, but folks are still posting their thoughts, memories and opinions about the show. There are a ton of them out there, and by now most of you are probably sick of hearing about the show, but I wanted to highlight a couple of them …
Today Heidi MacDonald published her huge, comprehensive report over at the Beat, covering everything from Camp Twilight and Stan Lee to Hall H and the “20-megaton douche bomb” that has hit the con:
- August 4, 2009 @ 01:11 PM by JK Parkin
Unbound: ComiXology’s bricks-and-pixels store
It would be easy to miss the significance of comiXology’s Comics application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. After all, comics apps are, if not a dime a dozen, at least cheap and plentiful.
But Comics isn’t just a comic or a comics reader, it’s a portal that offers a possible way out of the death spiral that independent pamphlet comics seem to be locked into.
Consider the problem: Most comics are only available in comics stores, not on the mass market; prospective readers must often pre-order comics sight unseen; and Diamond won’t carry comics that don’t meet certain minimums. The barrier for new comics is getting higher, and readers have fewer opportunities to discover new comics.
ComiXology provides a digital solution to that impasse that keeps the retailer in the loop: It allows readers to sample comics for free and buy them for their iPhone or iPod Touch, but it also helps them find the print comic in a brick-and-mortar store. ComiXology CEO David Steinberger says he hopes to allow readers to preview and pre-order comics before their official release, helping marginal comics to reach Diamond’s threshold.
The iPhone application is an extension of the comiXology website, which features a complete listing of the comics available in Diamond Previews each month and allows readers to create a digital pull list.
Here’s what Steinberger had to say about the new application, which was announced at San Diego Comic-Con:
- August 4, 2009 @ 11:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
Seeley and Dimayuga’s Colt Noble and the Megalords
Colt Noble
HACK/Slash creator Tim Seeley and Hero House artist Mike Dimayuga have a new webcomic up on Nerd City called Colt Noble and the Megalords. The description of the comic on the site reads:
“Planet Solus! World of magic, monsters and high technology! And, home of Prince Jaysen, an average 15 year old with hormones afire! When Jaysen finds the mystical FIGURE OF ACTION, an artifact that allows him to transform into COLT NOBLE, PALADIN OF POWER, will he use the powerful body to save his world from the forces of evil, or will he try to get laid?” Art by Mike Dimayuga, Color by Mark Englert, Letters by CRANK!
- August 4, 2009 @ 10:18 AM by JK Parkin
With Great Power comes great prose
Lou Anders has assembled a team of comic book and science fiction writers for With Great Power, a prose anthology of superhero fiction. Contributors include Mike Carey, Matthew Sturges, Paul Cornell and Gail Simone, among others.
“No pastiche or parody this, but actual comics writers and SF&F authors who are themselves comic book fans writing sophisticated, modern narratives of superhero adventure, by and for today’s sophisticated comic book reading public,” Anders wrote on his blog.
- August 4, 2009 @ 09:18 AM by JK Parkin
Abin Sur was only a few days away from retirement: A review of Green Lantern: First Flight
Green Lantern: First Flight
The new DC Universe Animated movie, Green Lantern First Flight, is basically a cop movie with a sci-fi setting. Its cast includes a wealth of strange-looking aliens and fantastic action scenes that defy the laws of physics (more on that later on) but the basic plot of the film comes out of a million other TV and movie police procedurals, right down to where the hotshot rookie is blamed for a crime he didn’t commit and forced to turn his badge in.
And really, that’s as it should be. That basic premise — “space cop with magic ring” — is one of the most appealing things about the character (really the most appealing thing if you ask me) so to focus on that aspect makes sense. What’s more, it remains a pretty sturdy premise, despite its age. You have to be either really lazy or incompetent to foul it up. Thankfully, the makers of this film are neither, making First Flight an entertaining, if somewhat shallow and unoriginal, film.
- August 4, 2009 @ 08:20 AM by Chris Mautner
Jamie S. Rich | Comics, Prose and Crime: A chat with Chris A. Bolton
Chris A. Bolton is relatively new on the comics scene, but the Portland-based writer is in the process of finishing the first run of his successful super-powered humor series, the online comic Smash (http://smashcomic.com/), drawn by his brother Kyle Bolton. Chris is also a filmmaker and a prose writer, and the fact that both he and I contributed a story to the pulpy literary anthology Portland Noir (Akashic Books, 2009) seemed like a good enough excuse for us to sit and chat. Especially since we’re two guys who cross back and forth between media–in fact, his story in Portland Noir, “The Red Room,” is prose, as is to be expected in the Akashic Noir series, while the story Joëlle Jones and I contributed, “Gone Doggy Gone,” is comics, a rarity for the venue. Of course, these are topics we cover in the conversation, so without further ado….
JAMIE S. RICH: So, Chris, I suppose the best way to start is how you and I met. We both have stories in Portland Noir, the Kevin Sampsell-edited anthology that features crime stories set in the town where we both live. You and I started talking at an event for the anthology that was at Powell’s Books, where you were reading and I was just hanging out. How did you end up in Portland Noir?
CHRIS A. BOLTON: First off, Jamie, thanks for inviting me to chat. In my day job, I work for Powells.com, sometimes doing data entry for book pages. A few years back, in 2005 or so, I was beefing up the pages for Akashic’s Noir series when it occurred to me that there should be a Portland Noir. I emailed Akashic to inquire about it and they said they were planning to do one at some point in the future.
- August 3, 2009 @ 03:55 PM by Jamie S. Rich
Talking Comics with Tim: C. Tyler
You'll Never Know Book One: A Good and Decent Man
C. Tyler‘s graphic memoir (the first book of three), You’ll Never Know (Book 1): A Good and Decent Man, has been getting a great deal of praise as of late. Our own, Chris Mautner, noted (in his review of Tyler’s book) that it “certainly deserves any accolades it receives”. The memoir (as described by Fantagraphics): “tells the story of the 50-something author’s relationship with her World War II veteran father, and how his war experience shaped her childhood and affected her relationships in adulthood. ‘You’ll Never Know’ refers not only to the title of her parents’ courtship song from that era, but also to the many challenges the author encountered in uncovering the difficult and painful truths about her Dad’s service — challenges exacerbated by her own tumultuous family life.” Even though she’s quite busy, she was generous enough to recently entertain a few of my questions via email.
C. Tyler: Before we get started, I have to say this first: Bill Murray, I love you and I’m ready to go on that date, so please call.
Now what were those questions?
Tim O’Shea: Are you annoyed, pleased or indifferent when reviewers of the book liken it on some level to Maus?
Tyler: Maus is such an important work. To be likened on some level to Maus: unbelievable. However, my answer comes more from a personal place.
When I first read the New York Times Review by Douglas Wolk, I was ready to bust out cryin’ with joy. You see, Art Spiegelman was one of the first official cartoonists I met. I was part of the fan team that helped with the first Raw promotions, hanging up fliers all over Manhattan. This was 1982 maybe? It felt so cool to be part of his inner circle and close to the early excitement he was feeling about Maus. I remember we were in a cab once on the way back from a Raw party and I was thinking how my Dad was over there, too, as part of the armed effort that eventually liberated his Dad. And his Mother. But I never believed that I could ever produce a work that would be mentioned in the same sentence.
- August 3, 2009 @ 03:00 PM by Tim O'Shea
Straight for the art: Tomorrow’s ‘Back Spacer’
Tommorrow's art for 'Back Spacer'
The ever acerbic political cartoonist Tom Tomorrow was picked by Pearl Jam to create the cover for upcoming album, Back Spacer. To promote the release, the band is doing an “Internet Easter Egg hunt.” Find images from the album that have been scattered across the Net, and win a free downloadable mp3 of a track from the album.
Back Spacer hits stores on Sept. 20.
- August 3, 2009 @ 02:30 PM by Chris Mautner
SDCC Aftermath | Justin Aclin talks Hero House, toys and more
Hero House
As he said last month, Justin Aclin went to the San Diego Comic-Con both to promote his new graphic novel from Arcana, Hero House, and to cover the con for his day job with ToyFare Magazine. I caught back up with Justin after the show to see how everything went on both fronts.
JK: Unfortunately I was already on my way home when you were doing your signing on Sunday for Hero House. How did the signing go?
Justin: The signing was great! Obviously no one had the chance to read Hero House yet, but I was able to meet a bunch of really nice ToyFare fans who were willing to pick up the book and give it a shot. At one point I had one Twisted ToyFare fan standing at the table while I signed his book, and another walked up and started talking about his favorite Twisted ToyFare moments, and it just became a conversation between the two of them, quoting their favorite jokes. As a comedy writer who never gets to see an audience react to what he writes, it was a very gratifying moment. We also had our artist, Mike Dimayuga, sketching at the signing, which brought in even more curious onlookers.
- August 3, 2009 @ 01:54 PM by JK Parkin
Strangeways: Murder Moon – Page 16
So, what’s on the menu tonight? Ah, cowboys. Excellent.
Written by Matt Maxwell. Art by Luis Guragna.
Commentary after the jump.
- August 3, 2009 @ 01:00 PM by Matt Maxwell
Guest post: David Brothers on why conventions are fun
Editor’s note: I roomed with David Brothers at the San Diego Comic-Con this year, and not only did he not snore, but he also agreed to write something up for Robot 6 about the con. Now that’s a good roommate. To see more from David, check out his regular posts over at 4thletter!
by David Brothers
San Diego Comic-Con 2009 has been over for just about a week now, and I feel like I’m finally shaking that hazy feeling a lot of con-goers experience post-con. It’s kind of like being cast out of Never Never Land and forced to become an adult again. No more late nights partying, talking about comics, and constant sensory overload.
I always forget that the sensory overload isn’t the most fun part of the con. Walking the show floor is like having several thousand people shouting in your ear to buy this, check this out, look at this, don’t you want this, c’mon buy this! all at the same time. It’s always very interesting, and there are some great things to be seen on the floor, but really, it’s all just a big ad, right?
- August 3, 2009 @ 10:32 AM by JK Parkin
SLG brings the Winchester Mystery House to comics
Dan Vado and Drew Rausch are working on a new series called Winchester, which is about wealthy widow Sarah Winchester and the insane house she built, and built, and built, over the course of 38 years in San Jose, Calif. Legend has it that the house was haunted by the ghosts of all the people killed with Winchester rifles, and the only way to appease them was for the house to be continuously under construction.
SLG Publishing had some of the artwork from the book at their booth in San Diego, and it looked pretty amazing. You can check out what it’ll look like for yourself right here:
Winchester #1 trailer from SLG Publishing on Vimeo.
For more information on the comic, read the full press release from SLG.
- August 3, 2009 @ 09:32 AM by JK Parkin