2009 December
Tom Brevoort’s Twitter Trash Talk
Batman R.I.P.
Thank heaven for Marvel’s delightfully candid Executive Editor Tom Brevoort. On slow news days like this frigid December Friday, what would we comics bloggers do without him? Brevoort once again took to his Twitter account yesterday to call ‘em like he sees ‘em about DC’s week-long wave of big, news-dominating announcements:
Nice to see DC showing some signs of life with all of their announcements. Competition is the lifeblood of the industry. Like any other pundit, I have opinions on what they’re doing, but it’s nice to see them trying stuff. Blackest Night won’t go on forever. And, honestly, it’s not much of a win if the other team doesn’t show up for the game, or sleepwalks through it. I’ll happily put our best efforts up against anybody else’s, win, lose or draw. And feel confident in a win most of the time. Also: Superman appearing in Superman comics? Genius!
He later responded to a request for comment on Batman: R.I.P. and subsequent storylines with the following:
- December 11, 2009 @ 03:15 PM by Sean T. Collins
Your video of the day: Julia Wertz, young and uninsured
The Fart Party cartoonist talks about being ill and having no health insurance with Time magazine. (via)
- December 11, 2009 @ 02:51 PM by Chris Mautner
The horror of Scott Allie
Solomon Kane by Scott Allie
You know him as the Dark Horse senior managing editor who’s got his hands all over the venerable Portland publisher’s horror line, from Mike Mignola’s Hellboy-verse to The Goon to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to titles he himself has written, like The Devil’s Footprints and the Robert E. Howard adaptation Solomon Kane. But Scott Allie’s expertise in the world of weird has not gone unnoticed outside the comics sphere: He’s a regular (well, slightly less than regular — let’s say “recurring”) columnist at the horror news site Dread Central.
His latest column articulates his preferences in no uncertain term, taking swipes at the “nihilism” of horror films like Wolf Creek and Rob Zombie’s Halloween remake and praising the sleazy heart and soul of knowing romps through the genre like Tim Seeley’s comic Hack/Slash. If you’re a horror fan, any column that contains sentences like “When I saw the new Friday the 13th, I was glad to see nudity back in horror films” is worth reading and arguing over, so do check it and the rest of the archives out.
- December 11, 2009 @ 02:40 PM by Sean T. Collins
Marvel issues takedown notices to Scans_Daily host
From "Dark Avengers Annual" #1, one of the cited comics
Moderators for Scans_Daily are considering limiting access to the online community after its host received takedown notices from Marvel on Thursday concerning 17 posts that contained copyrighted material.
The six-year-old community has frequently been at odds with publishers, creators and retailers over Scans_Daily members posting excerpts from comic books, sometimes only hours after their release. Tensions came to a head in late February, when LiveJournal shut down the community, forcing members to move first to InsaneJournal and then to current host Dreamwidth.
It’s Dreamwidth that received the Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notices last night. According to a post by a moderator in a thread that now may only be viewed by Scans_Daily members, the host determined that, “because none of the images in the individual posts are hosted on Dreamwidth’s servers, they do not need to take further action. … However, Marvel may contact individual image hosts and request copyright infringing material be removed.”
The 17 comics in question range from Strange #2 and X-Force Annual #1 to Daredevil #78-#79 and Uncanny X-Men #517, all posted within the past two weeks. Community rules permit members to post “No more than 1/3rd the length of any single work,” which for the average monthly comic means seven pages.
According to moderator “angelophile,” the takedown notices pose “a quandary for the mod team.”
“While we agree that Scans_Daily should be a completely open community,” the moderator writes, “there’s no doubt that being open to casual browsers makes us a target for further action of this kind. … There is an option to make Scans_Daily ‘members only’ so that only members will be able to read posts in the future, but keeping the membership open so anyone could join. That would ensure the community was still open to all, but limit how visible it is online.”
(via notscans_daily)
- December 11, 2009 @ 01:50 PM by Kevin Melrose
John Byrne and the art of change ‘without breaking anything permanently’
Fantastic Four vs. Fantastic Four, by John Byrne
At Again With the Comics, Brian Hughes fondly remembers John Byrne’s landmark 1981-1986 run on Marvel’s Fantastic Four:
Under John Byrne, the matronly Sue became adorable, the Thing became craggy and frightening, the Torch was a fun hothead again, and Reed looked more brainy than brawny. The cumulative effect was a complete redesign of the team, without really redesigning anything. [...] As his tenure continued, Byrne mastered the art of keeping things changing and moving, without “breaking” anything permanently. The Thing devolved for a time, Frankie Raye gained Human Torch powers and briefly joined the team before becoming the next herald of Galactus, Reed and the FF first fought Galactus, then saved his life, an act that would haunt him later. The Inhumans, long hidden in the Himalayas, left Earth, a move that could be said to have led to their current space-bound status, and Doctor Doom regained his throne with the FF’s help, in an especially twisted, excellent storyline.”
- December 11, 2009 @ 11:19 AM by Kevin Melrose
Straight for the art | Toronto Comics Art Festival posters
From Darwyn Cooke's poster for TCAF 2005
On his blog, retailer and Toronto Comics Art Festival organizer Christopher Butcher showcases the event’s previous posters — among the finest-looking posters you’ll ever find for any comics-related function — by Marc Bell, Darwyn Cooke, James Jean, Bryan Lee O’Malley and Seth. (I have Cooke’s from 2005 framed on my office wall.)
- December 11, 2009 @ 10:07 AM by Kevin Melrose
A neckerchief? Hey, he’s Chuck Bass
From "Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only"
MTV’s Splash Page has a preview of Yen Press’ recently announced manga based on on Cecily von Ziegesar’s bestselling Gossip Girl young-adult novels. Written and illustrated by HyeKyung Baek, Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only will be serialized in the monthly Yen Plus anthology beginning with the January issue and then collected in a volume to be released in August.
- December 11, 2009 @ 09:23 AM by Kevin Melrose
‘A fictional character announcing that he’s gay should not be national news’
At AfterElton.com, X-Factor writer discusses the relationship between Rictor and Shatterstar, and recalls the immediate ramifications at Marvel of Northstar’s much-publicized 1992 outing:
Alpha Flight #106
When you really get down to it, the concept of a fictional character announcing that he’s gay should not be national news. He’s fictional. It’s like Dan Quayle saying that Murphy Brown’s actions are a poor guide to single mothers. She’s fictional. But nevertheless, it wound up making national news and blowback from that came as a result of a major retail chain – and I’m not refusing to name it because I’m trying to cover their asses, I’m refusing to name them because I don’t remember … as they say, “I didn’t know there’d be a quiz.”
This major retail chain informed Marvel they were going to cease carrying – and this just gives you an idea of the kind of homophobia that pervades corporate America – they informed Marvel they were going to cease carrying any mutant toys because they didn’t want to risk being associated with this gay mutant who was being talked about on CNN, which is bizarrely hilarious or ironic or sick, depending on how you want to look at it when many people perceive mutants in the Marvel universe as a metaphor for how gays are treated in the United States of America. Because Northstar outed himself in the pages of Alpha Flight, they didn’t want any mutant-related toys. They wouldn’t sell Wolverine in their stores. They wouldn’t sell Wolverine action figures because of the taint, which was insane. Particularly when you consider there were no Northstar toys at the time.
As we noted earlier this week, Northstar will officially get his first boyfriend — in the primary Marvel Universe, at least — with January’s Nation X #2. Hey, it only took 18 years …
There’s much more with David at AfterElton.com.
- December 11, 2009 @ 08:10 AM by Kevin Melrose
Does no one want to visit Earth One? An editorial musing of sorts
Superman: Earth One
I’m a little late to the party with this, but I’m opting to forge ahead anyway …
OK, we all know that people on the Internet like to complain. A lot. And we all know that the chasm between what comics bloggers profess to love/hate and what actually gets bought and read is wide enough to comfortably fit the Grand Canyon with room to spare.
That being said, I find myself rather surprised at the amount of invective and cynicism people have hurled towards DC’s big publishing announcements this week, especially their upcoming line of Year One graphic novels (not to mention their big Superman and Batman plans). Enough so to make me wonder if — contrary to my initial beliefs — that so-called “event fatigue” actually exists, or whether there’s a general and growing distrust with the powers-that-be at Time Warner that extends to all superhero comics in general.
But first, let’s do a quick run-down of reactions, shall we?
- December 11, 2009 @ 07:30 AM by Chris Mautner
DC prepares for The Rise of Arsenal and ‘The Fall of Green Arrow’
Green Arrow #31
Another day, another round of DC Comics announcements for 2010. This morning the spotlight is on Green Arrow and Red Arrow, with news of a one-shot, a miniseries and a Green Arrow story arc all written by J.T. Krul.
The one-shot Justice League: The Rise and Fall, illustrated by Mike Mayhew, which will serve as an epilogue to this year’s Justice League: Cry for Justice and lead into the four-issue Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal, drawn by Geraldo Borges. Meanwhile, March’s Green Arrow #31 will kick off a six-issue arc called “The Fall of Green Arrow,” illustrated by Diogenes Neve.
“The title Rise and Fall says it all in terms of where these characters are headed,” Krul tells the DC Universe blog. “It’s going to be a dark and tragic road for both them and I’m hoping readers will be hooked by where Ollie and Roy come out in the end.”
Krul, best known for his work on Aspen’s Fathom and, more recently, on DC’s Teen Titans, Titans and Blackest Night: Titans, provides more details to IGN.com.
- December 11, 2009 @ 06:31 AM by Kevin Melrose
Irving Tripp, R.I.P.
Little Lulu, Vol. 20
Steve Bissette reported yesterday that artist Irving Tripp passed away due to complications from cancer on Nov. 27 in Haines City, Florida. He was 88.
A staff artist for Dell Publishing from 1941 to 1982, Tripp is best known for his work with John Stanley on the popular Little Lulu series of comic books. While Stanley is acknowledged as the author of the series and provided layouts, Tripp was the illustrator for the comic during it’s lengthy run.
In addition to his lengthy time with Lulu, Tripp also worked on Tom and Jerry and Bugs Bunny comics, as well as several Disney adaptations, including Dumbo and The Reluctant Dragon. He also served in the Army during World War II, and was stationed in the Philippines.
According to his obituary in The (Lakeland, Florida) Ledger, Tripp is survived by three sons, one daughter, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Bissette has an excellent appreciation of Stanley and Tripp’s Lulu on the Schulz Library Blog, along with the official announcement from Tripp’s son in the comments. I’ll be updating this post throughout the day as more obits and remembrances start to appear.
UPDATE: Tom Spurgeon has a lengthy and well-considered obit up at his site.
- December 11, 2009 @ 05:30 AM by Chris Mautner
Talking Comics with Tim: Mark Waid
Incorruptible
Next Wednesday, December 16, BOOM! is launching a brand new series, Incorruptible–written by BOOM! Editor-in-Chief Mark Waid and drawn by Jean Diaz. As described at the BOOM! site: “Last April BOOM! Studios showed the world that MARK WAID IS EVIL with the smash-hit series IRREDEEMABLE. This December, BOOM! shows the world that Mark Waid is now… INCORRUPTIBLE! Super villain Max Damage had an epiphany the day The Plutonian destroyed Sky City. When The Plutonian turned his back on humanity, Max Damage decided to step up. Now Max Damage has changed his name to Max Daring and turned from his formerly selfish ways to become… INCORRUPTIBLE.” So Waid has gone from IRREDEEMABLE to INCORRUPTIBLE–meanwhile the whole time he has also been BUSY, but not too busy to answer a few questions about the new series.
Tim O’Shea: Did anyone in BOOM! management (yourself included) try to talk you out of naming Max Daring’s female underage sidekick, Jailbait?
Mark Waid: Thankfully, no. They know a good idea when they hear it. I like the name because it pretty well instantly conveys what kind of a lowlife the pre-reform Max was.
O’Shea: A guy going from evil to good, in terms of character dynamics you can’t just flip a switch and become a permanent do-gooder. Will his struggle to do right rather than wrong be a frequent theme in the stories?
Waid: Max is a little more resolute than that, and VERY taciturn, so it’s not so much a constant “The Temptation of Max Daring” going on (or if it is, he’s not telling us). Yes, he will be tempted to stray from the heroic path, but the recurring theme is more about how hard it is to live a black-and-white life in a world full of grays.
- December 10, 2009 @ 08:00 PM by Tim O'Shea
Frazetta’s son charged in attempt to steal $20M worth of father’s paintings [Updated]
Alfonso Frank Frazetta
Pennsylvania police have arrested a son of renowned artist Frank Frazetta after they say he used a backhoe Wednesday afternoon to break into his father’s museum in an attempt to steal $20 million worth of paintings.
Alfonso Frank Frazetta, 52, was charged with theft, burglary and trespass after he allegedly was caught loading the artwork into his trailer and SUV. Police responded to a burglar alarm at the East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, museum, where Frazetta reportedly told the trooper he had been instructed by his father “to enter the museum by any means necessary to move all the paintings to a storage facility.”
Frazetta is in the Monroe County jail on $500,000 bail. Charges are pending against a second man.
The elder Frazetta, 81, was in Florida at the time of the incident.
Update (6 a.m. PST Friday): The Allentown Morning Call has more details, including the name of the other suspect.
- December 10, 2009 @ 03:28 PM by Kevin Melrose
“Earth” tones
Grumpy Old Fan
DC’s upcoming series of “Earth One” original graphic novels has garnered a good bit of commentary, much of it tepid to negative.
Brian Hibbs says it doesn’t make the best economic sense. Chris Butcher explains the various hurdles to successfully cracking the bookstore market. Living Between Wednesdays notes that the current Superman: Secret Origin miniseries hasn’t even finished.
Because DC is prone to revamps and relaunches, “Earth One’s” format is the story (see also Wednesday Comics). Not only does “Earth One” present A-list characters in something other than 22- page installments, it seems geared more directly towards bookstores than towards the Direct Market. I dinged DC for not distributing WC more widely, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.
- December 10, 2009 @ 02:15 PM by Tom Bondurant
Len Wein and the Kuberts bridge DC’s generation gap with Legacies
from Legacies #1 by Andy Kubert
DC’s week of non-stop announcements keeps on keepin’ on: At CBR, Dan DiDio has announced Legacies, a seven-issue miniseries spotlighting the “five generations” of DC Universe superheroes. Written by Len Wein and featuring art from a rotating crew, the series kicks off in May 2010 with a Golden Age issue penciled by Andy Kubert and inked by his father, Joe Kubert.
The thing that struck me about the project, aside from how integral “legacy heroes” are seen as being to the current DCU, is the “five generations” characterization. Sayeth DiDio:
Legacies is a series that breaks down, over its chapters, the five generations of the DCU. They’re very concise generations, each with a beginning and end, and what you see is the various incarnations of our characters evolve, change and grow as the generations pass on.
Now, as I’d understood it — and I admit I’m not a hardcore DC buff, but I think my nerd credentials speak for themselves — there were four generations of DC superheroes. In terms of present continuity, you have the guys who fought during World War II, then the generation headed by Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the “Big Seven,” then the first wave of sidekicks and heirs, then the second wave of sidekicks and heirs. In current team terms, that’s roughly the Justice Society, the Justice League, the Titans, and the Teen Titans; in Flash terms, just to pick the easiest chain of legacy heroes to follow, it’s Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West and Bart Allen.
But DiDio and Wein are firmly establishing an even-earlier generation of do-gooders, more properly dubbed “mystery men” than “superheroes” — guys like the Golden Age Sandman or the star of Legacies #1, the Crimson Avenger. In other words, suits rather than Spandex. I can see how that would work: It tips a hat to the pulps in a fashion similar to DC’s First Wave — and it leaves me wondering if the series will establish antecedents to the established patriarchs of multi-generational hero family trees like the various Flashes or Green Lanterns. Do any of you DC experts out there have any thoughts?
- December 10, 2009 @ 01:30 PM by Sean T. Collins