2009 October
Cool things to bookmark: Ted Stearn and Gabrielle Bell
Fuzz and Pluck
The Fuzz and Pluck author Stearn has revamped his Web site, with sample comics, illustration work, animation projects and a store where you can buy some pretty nifty prints and original drawings. Go check it out.
Bell, meanwhile, of Lucky fame, has been posting her diary comics regularly on this site. If you haven’t seen it yet I heartily recommend stopping by.
- October 5, 2009 @ 09:01 AM by Chris Mautner
Straight for the art | The new Invincible Iron Man trade dress
The Invincible Iron Man #20-21
If you’re not familiar with, and a fan of, the design work of Rian Hughes, it’s probably because you’re not paying attention. Perhaps best known for his collaborations with artist Dustin Nguyen on the imaginative covers to Wildcats Version 3.0, Hughes’ recent comics projects include the logos for Archaia and the new Batman and Robin series, and the cover design for Captain America: Reborn.
Now add to that list the new trade dress for The Invincible Iron Man, beginning with November’s Issue 20. Writer Matt Fraction over the weekend unveiled the complete covers for the “Stark: Disassembled” storyline, by Salvador Larroca, Frank D’Armata and Hughes, and they’re (unsurprisingly) stunning. Sleek and modern, just like an Iron Man cover should be.
- October 5, 2009 @ 08:25 AM by Kevin Melrose
Alan Moore to launch ‘the 21st century’s first underground magazine’
Dodgem Logic
Leah Moore has posted a press release about her father Alan Moore’s newest project, “the 21st century’s first underground magazine.” It’s titled Dodgem Logic and will feature contributions from Moore, Melinda Gebbie, Kevin O’Neill and many more.
“As cheap and beautiful as a heartbreaking teenage prostitute, Dodgem Logic has a cover price of £2.50, with its content similarly tailored to the fiscal toilet-bowl that we are currently engaged in sliding down,” the release reads. “Regular columnists provide delicious, inexpensive recipes, wide-ranging medical advice, simple instructions for creating stylish clothing and accessories from next to nothing, guides to growing your own dinner by becoming a guerrilla gardener, and, in the first of Dave (The Self-Sufficient-ish Bible) Hamilton’s environmental columns, a bold experiment in living with no money. The same approach to helping readers deal with socio-economic meltdown and a blitz of repossessions is there in upcoming features on the present-day resurgence of the squatters’ movement, or in our communiqués from the Steampunk/ Post-Civilisation gang on how to start rebuilding culture and society before those things have broken down completely and our children are reduced to battering each other to a bloody pulp with their now-useless X-Boxes in a dispute over the last tub of pot noodles.”
The first issue will also contain a CD of “magnificent home-grown Northampton music.” It’s due in November from Knockabout Comics.
- October 5, 2009 @ 07:45 AM by JK Parkin
Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes
Long Beach Comic Con
Conventions | The local newspapers were all over the inaugural Long Beach Comic Con, held over the weekend in Long Beach, California. The Long Beach Post reported on the ribbon-cutting by Stan Lee — “Some Stan Lee Day,” he joked. “They’re still delivering mail, and the banks are still open.” — and some of the other convention highlights. The Contra Costa Times also has a wrap-up.
Gelatometti, the Wildstorm Studios blog, has a nice photo set from the convention, including a great shot of Jim Lee and Stan Lee having a laugh. [Long Beach Comic Con]
Conventions | The fourth annual British International Comics Show, held Saturday and Sunday in Birmingham, reportedly drew more than 3,000 creators, publishers, dealers and fans. [Birmingham Mail]
Events | A handful of news outlets have coverage of local 24-Hour Comics Day events: Columbia Missourian, KTUU (Alaska), Minneapolis Comic Books Examiner and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. [24-Hour Comics Day]
- October 5, 2009 @ 07:09 AM by Kevin Melrose
Straight for the art | Hey Thor, blow it out yer …
Dynamite Thor by Mike Rooth
On his Whitechapel message board, Warren Ellis has a fun exercise where he asks artists to redesign a character of his choice. Last week the character he threw out was Dynamite Thor, “an adventurer who wears a costume that allows him to propel himself through the air by blowing up sticks of dynamite located in his belt,” from Weird Comics #6. And people have a lot of fun with it. Above is my favorite from the thread, by Mike Rooth. Check out the rest here.
- October 5, 2009 @ 04:03 AM by JK Parkin
Two “Thank yous” and a “Welcome aboard”
First off, a big “Thank you” to David Gallaher, who guest blogged with us all week. If you missed his interviews with Ron Perazza and id.ego, or his write-up on the Winter Guard one-shot he and Steve Ellis have coming out this December, be sure to go check them out. And you can read his and Steve’sHigh Moon over at the Zuda Comics site; it just launched its fourth season this weekend.
Second, you may have noticed Lisa Fortuner hasn’t been around these parts in awhile, which was due to the increasing demands of her day job. Unfortunately those demands have continued increasing, so Lisa has decided to make it official and leave the blog. Which is too bad, as I was hoping she’d find the time to start contributing again. I’ve always admired her courage in tackling the subjects she did in her column. She’ll definitely be missed.
And finally, a bit of good news for the blog … after his guest stint a few weeks back, we’ve invited Sean T. Collins to join the blog on a permanent basis. Welcome aboard, Sean! Watch for his first post this week.
- October 4, 2009 @ 07:01 PM by JK Parkin
What Are You Reading?
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
Well bust my buttons, if it isn’t time for another round of What Are You Reading, where we talk about all the comics, books and other reading matter we’re currently engrossed in. Our guest this week is High Moon co-creator and writer David Gallaher, who’s been blogging with us at Robot 6 all this past week.
David has quite a list of titles to pour over, so let’s get to it. Click on the link below to get started.
- October 4, 2009 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Mautner
Irredeemable Motion Comic, new O’Bannon project coming from BOOM!
A couple of tidbits about upcoming BOOM! projects popped up on the internet recently. First up, Wil Wheaton posts on his blog that he recently did the voice work for an Irredeemable motion comic. Wheaton will provide the voice of Mr. Qubit, the leader of the resistance against The Plutonian.
And second, Farscape creator Rockne S. O’Bannon posted on Twitter that he’s working on a “top secret” project for the publisher. He didn’t offer any other details, and neither did BOOM! when asked.
- October 4, 2009 @ 07:46 AM by JK Parkin
Digital Interface: the id.ego interview
Recently, it was revealed that id.ego and Tim Smith III would be collaborating on X: THE UNKNOWN a digital series for comiXology’s COMICS app. Earlier this week, I took some time to talk to the project’s author about pen names, digital distribution, and kung-fu!
Welcome, id.
For starters, what is the high concept or premise behind this new series?
This is a tough one, because X: The Unknown is ultimately, a mystery and I want to preserve the big reveal for readers. Basically, this kid, Xerxes, gets dragged into a clandestine struggle over something that if it became public knowledge would throw the entire planet into bloody war. And I know that sounds pretty standard, but seriously, if people knew this secret, the world would go to hell in a hand-basket really, really fast in a very sad way.
Sort of like the novel, Blindness, where if you take away or introduce one element into polite society, they turn into savages. It becomes very apparent early in the story that it is exactly what would happen, but keeping this secret is tricky. What would you be willing to do to save the world by preventing this secret from coming out?
I know, I am being vague.
- October 4, 2009 @ 06:08 AM by David Gallaher
Let’s take it outside: DiDio and Tan take over The Outsiders
The Outsiders
DC announced at the Long Beach Comic Con today that Executive Editor Dan DiDio will continue to exercise his writing skills, as he and artist Phillip Tan will take over The Outsiders with issue #26.
“This is an exciting time for me both personally and professionally,” DiDio said, as reported on DC’s The Source blog. “I have been a fan of The Outsiders since their inception and with Pete Tomasi moving on to some very exciting projects in 2010, I have been afforded the opportunity to work with some of my favorite characters. Most importantly, this also gives me the chance to work with the immensely talented Philip Tan, and together I hope we can meet and exceed all expectations for this series.”
In addition to his duties running the DCU, DiDio recently wrote the “Metal Men” strip that appeared in Wednesday Comics. Tan’s work can be found in recent issues of Batman and Robin.
- October 3, 2009 @ 04:16 PM by JK Parkin
Your Mileage May Vary: Detective Comics #857
Detective Comics #857
Detective Comics‘ “Elegy” storyline has come to a close, and it’s interesting to see what different readers have to say about the ending.
Johnny Flash at btalkworld.com mostly liked the issue, but had a few nitpicks:
While there was a lot of Batwoman in action this issue, there wasn’t much in the way of character development with Kate herself. Or at least it didn’t appear overtly until the end. At one point Kate’s dad seems to recognized the pale Alice, calling her “Beth”, but Alice turns away. As the issue wraps up, Alice is headed toward a classic “Joker” moment by falling from the plane to the waters of Gotham below but not before addressing Kate and making a remark about “Our Father”! In classic comic book fashion, we can be assured to see Alice again someday, but I love the cliffhanger! A perfect tease to make me want to know even more about Kate’s origin and see how Beth/Alice fits in!
The backup feature, Renee Montoya’s Question finally feels like she is getting somewhere in her investigation by conferring with her associate Toth, but then quickly finds herself in yet another skirmish where the bad guys would rather take out one of their own than let her find out the next bit of the puzzle. I’m just really not sure if I’m not getting into this because of the limited pages and the pacing. I think that when compiled in an eventual trade it will seem to go on endlessly with a lot of the same. I think I need to set up a weekend task of reading all the Question back up’s in one sitting to see if they are more cohesive when read that way.
- October 3, 2009 @ 02:09 PM by Melissa Krause
HIGH MOON Season Four Debuts!
This weekend marks the coming of the Harvest Moon, the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox.
In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but this year it occurs in October just before hunting season.
This ominous moon also signals the debut the long-awaited fourth season of the werewolf epic – HIGH MOON!
Written by myself, illustrated by Steve Ellis, and lettered by Scott O. Brown, this season brings Macgregor to the streets of London where he must unravel a hidden family curse before it claims its next victim.
After this weekend’s update, you see new pages every Monday by sundown.
- October 3, 2009 @ 06:47 AM by David Gallaher
The Fifth Color | Raise the flag high
All day, last week, I was kicking myself for my very important omission. Yes, I have disappointed my fan (Hi Mom!) by leaving out of my December preview-o-rama with the most important book to hit the shelves since Moses’s Ultimate Ten Commandments:
Captain America: Who Will Wield the Shield One-Shot #1
Kind of looks biblical, doesn’t it? Well, it is! Captain America: Who Will Wield the Shield One-Shot #1 isn’t just a mouthful of an awkward rhyme to get your mouth around, it’s titanic in scope and importance. It means Captain America: Reborn will shock no one with its conclusion but will leave two men to wear our star-spangled tights and, unless they start switching off on Tuesdays, only one will be raising that shield come 2010.
And in a moment of horrific honesty, I will tell you I don’t want to see Steve Rogers back.
- October 2, 2009 @ 02:07 PM by Carla Hoffman
Slash Print | Following the digital evolution
Tablets | Gizmodo reports on the long-rumored Apple Tablet device, saying that Apple “is in talks with several media companies rooted in print, negotiating content for a ‘new device.’” In addition, Apple has also applied for a patent on a “multi-touch surface that could accommodate two full hands and distinguish between palms and individual fingers for typing, gestures and more,” according to the Apple Insider.
Scott McCloud comments on the potential for such a device to change comics: “Most of today’s comics publishers are likely to jump into the pool with their clothes on—print-style pages intact. But if Apple’s gadget is anything like what’s being described, we could see a shift over time from point-and-click fragmented delivery, like what we have on the Web today, to more continuous spatial metaphors of the sort a lot of us turn-of-the-century mad scientists were playing with. Should be interesting.”
- October 2, 2009 @ 01:12 PM by JK Parkin
Robot reviews: Another lightning round
Love and Rockets New Stories #2
Comics, comics, comics. Lots of ‘em. Teetering in a pile. Let’s try to whittle it down a bit.
Love and Rockets: New Stories #2
by The Hernandez Brothers
Fantagraphics Books, 100 pages, $14.99.
For the first time in a really, really long time, Gilbert’s contribution to this venerable series left me completely cold. Oh, the first story — involving Guadalupe’s now teen-age daughter — is decent enough. I liked how Gilbert told the story obliquely, using only dialogue from before and after the critical events to let the readers figure out what’s going on. The main story though, Hypnotwist, is a bit of a dud. It harkens back to his experimental, Fear of Comics days, but has none of the juice or disturbing oddity of those works. it’s just a series of seemingly interconnected, but ultimately random images, that never gains any narrative steam or acquires an ability to captivate.
Jaime’s contribution on the other hand, is a whole ‘nother kettle of wax entirely. I’ve gone on record several times here saying how much I love his Ti-Girls saga and how it seems to “get” the superhero genre in ways that the Big Two just don’t seem to anymore. All that holds true here and more, with a wonderful, fitting ending for our heroines. I wonder what he’ll do for an encore.
Reviews of Fables, Flight and more after the jump …
- October 2, 2009 @ 11:11 AM by Chris Mautner