2010 January
Gorillas Riding Dinosaurs: Connie and the Space Pirates
Connie: Captives of the Space Pirates; Master of the Jovian Moons
Connie: Captives of the Space Pirates; Master of the Jovian Moons
Written by Harold Godwin; Illustrated by Frank Godwin
Pacific Comics Club; $11.95
One of the highlights of 2009 for me was spending some time with Flash Gordon comics by both Alex Raymond and Al Williamson. Until I get my hands on Volume 3 of Checker’s Raymond reprints though, I’m done with that. Fortunately, Pacific Comics Club has been reprinting Harold and Frank Godwin’s Connie and that’s filling the void nicely.
Connie may not have a spectacular name, but the strips reprinted here are very much in the style of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. According to Don Markstein’s Toonopedia, Connie Kurridge (rhymes with Courage) began her comics career in 1929 as an adventuring aviator. Wikipedia quotes The World Encyclopedia of Comics as saying that Connie eventually went on to become a reporter and start her own detective agency. And of course, she also went to space, which is where this particular volume picks up her story.
If these strips are representative, Connie is the kind of comic that They don’t want you to know about; “They” being the Straw Men who claim that strong, independent women didn’t star in adventure fiction until recently. Connie does travel with a man, her friend Hugh Alden, but he’s about as useful to her as Dale Arden was to Flash Gordon. He comes through in a pinch, but Connie never has to rely on him to save the day, either physically or mentally. Nor is Connie the only powerful woman in the strip. The Dr. Zarkov of the group is Hugh’s mother, Dr. Alden.
Space dinosaurs, mushroom forests, and walrus-men after the jump.
- January 6, 2010 @ 06:43 PM by Michael May
First official photos from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
From "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World"
Universal Pictures has released the first official photos from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Edgar Wright’s much-anticipated adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s series of graphic novels about … well, you know what it’s about. (But just in case: A young slacker-musician must battle the seven evil ex-boyfriends of a certain Ramona Flowers in order to date her.)
We saw a skewed snapshot of the image of Scott (Michael Cera) and the gang last month — you can look at it after the break — but the fight scene is completely new.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World opens in August.
(via Slashfilm)
- January 6, 2010 @ 05:53 PM by Kevin Melrose
Send Us Your Shelf Porn!
When I came up with the idea of Shelf Porn a year ago, one of the things I hoped is someone would go into detail about how to make their own shelves — offer a how-to tour of sorts for the handy comics collector so they could perhaps follow suit. Now, thanks to my co-worker and friend Bill Peschel, that day has come to pass (alright, I asked him but still).
Bill is a blogger of note in his own right, and has a book that will be coming in November from Penguin Perigee, entitled “Writers Gone Wild: The Feuds, Frolics and Follies of Literature’s Great Adventurers, Drunkards, Lovers, Iconoclasts, and Misanthropes,” which he describes as “a collection of dirty stories about famous writers.” Keep an eye out for it in the fall.
A quick message to those of you who have sent pictures over the holidays. First of all, thank you for taking the time to answer my pleas and send me your pics. My apologies for not getting back to you, but you should be hearing back from me individually later this week.
And now, let me turn it over to Bill, as he puts on his Bob Villa outfit …
- January 6, 2010 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Mautner
Wizard announces Austin Comic Con [Updated]
Gareb Shamus’s rapidly expanding convention slate just got one show bigger. According to a press release posted on Wizard’s recently launched Magic Words blog, “Gareb Shamus, CEO of New York based Wizard Entertainment, today announced the launch of Austin Comic Con 2010 Wizard World Convention, to be held at the Austin Convention Center from November 12-14, 2010.”
Wizard is no stranger to the Lone Star State: The Dallas/Arlington-based Wizard World Texas was a staple of the late convention season for several years, including one in which it merged with the horror show Fear Fest in 2008, until its cancellation last year. The press release for the Austin con specifically positions the new show as a response to popular demand for Wizard’s convention wing to return to Texas.
The Austin Comic Con is the seventh such show Shamus and Wizard are now behind, along with conventions in Toronto, Philadelphia, and Chicago; an as-yet-unscheduled New England Comic Con in Boston (site of another past Wizard World attempt); and the controversially scheduled Anaheim and Big Apple Comic Cons, set to take place the same weekends as Reed Exhibition’s Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo and New York Comic Con respectively.
Update: In other convention news, organizers of the newly launched Long Beach Comic Con have announced a one-day show for Feb. 20 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Creators from Aspen Entertainment and Top Cow Entertainment are scheduled to appear.
Long Beach Comic Con, which debuted in October, is run by Martha Donato, former senior vice president and convention organizer for Wizard Entertainment.
- January 6, 2010 @ 01:30 PM by Sean T. Collins
Strangeways – Winter break, pt. 2
No vampires, only more decade-in-review stuff from myself. Behold!
Part 4: WITH CRACKLING FIRES AND QUIET PLAINS
Part 5: NERVOUS MESSED UP MARIONETTE
Think I’ve got one more of these in me by the end of the week. Check Highway 62 a bit later. Back to kicking back and reading more KING CITY. (Ha! Kicking back! As if.)
- January 6, 2010 @ 01:00 PM by Matt Maxwell
Your video of the day: An interview with Jamaica Dyer
Comic Vine Videos talks with the Weird Fishes creator.
- January 6, 2010 @ 12:00 PM by Chris Mautner
Straight for the art | Salgood Sam’s arm-mounted proton pack
Salgood Sam's arm-mounted proton pack
Artist Salgood Sam recently drew a Valentine’s Day-themed Ghostbusters one-shot for IDW and shares some art from it on his blog. As a part of the project, he drew some new gear for the crew, including what appears to be an arm-mounted proton pack.
The Ghostbusters Holiday Special: Tainted Love is due in February.
- January 6, 2010 @ 11:37 AM by JK Parkin
A roundup of end-of-the-year (and decade) pieces
Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 5
• David Mazzucchelli’s Asterios Polyp tops PW Comics Week’s fourth annual critics poll, a list that includes Joe Sacco’s Footnotes in Gaza, R. Sikoryak’s Masterpiece Comics and Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The Universe. PW’s Kai-Ming Cha also lists the 10 best manga of the year.
• Retailer-oriented news and analysis site ICv2.com looks at the Top 10 comics business events of 2009. Disney’s purchase of Marvel and Warner Bros.’ restructuring of DC Comics lead the list.
• Retailer/blogger Christopher Butcher continues his reflection on 10 manga milestones that changed comics in the past decade. Nos. 3-4, No. 5.
• Tom Spurgeon’s series of interviews with critics about comics emblematic of the decade marches on: Joe “Jog” McCulloch on Death Note; Ben Schwartz on B.P.R.D.
• Heidi MacDonald rolls out hear annual year-end survey of industry professionals: Part 1, Part 2.
• At comiXology, Tucker Stone runs down the 25 best comics of 2009, from Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso’s 100 Bullets to Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo’s Hellboy: The Wild Hunt to Taiymo Matsumoto’s GoGo Monster.
- January 6, 2010 @ 11:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Straight for the art | Vintage comic ads
I suppose he hasn't become a 'silly' rabbit yet
Three cheers for Sandy Bilus, who discovered Vintage Ad Browser, a great collection of classic advertising, that includes some great cartoon and comic ads of yesteryear.
- January 6, 2010 @ 10:30 AM by Chris Mautner
Catting around with Archie
Archie #608
Fresh off his fake marriages to Veronica and Betty, it looks like Archie Andrews has his eyes on a new girl. Archie Comics updated their blog this morning with the cover to Archie #608, a crossover issue featuring Josie and the Pussycats. The issue’s description reads:
Two of the greatest bands in comic book history hook up like never before when Josie and the Pussycats come to town to tour with The Archies. However, more than music is made on one starry night outside Archie’s home, when there’s a kiss that could change Riverdale forever. Is it possible that the pure-hearted, red-haired lead of The Archies is really falling in love with Valerie, the beautiful bassist/songwriter of Josie and the Pussycats? What will happen to Betty and Veronica? “It Starts with a Kiss” is the beginning of a tale to be continued. Don’t miss out while the world watches to see if Archie and Valerie have what it takes to make their love survive. Look for part one in Archie #608, hitting stores this April!
It’s almost like he’s 2010′s Peter Parker …
- January 6, 2010 @ 09:58 AM by JK Parkin
Everyone’s A Critic: A round-up of comic book reviews and thinkpieces
Shonen Jump
• Chris Butcher is biting our style doing a round-up of the 10 manga that changed comics, and if you’re interested at all in examining how we got from there to here you should definitely read it. Here’s part one and two and three, with more to come soon. (by the way, I’m totally kidding about the style biting.)
• Martyn Pedler looks at Peter Milligan and Chris Bachalo’s Shade the Changing Man for Bookslut. That’s a series that doesn’t get nearly enough attention IMHO.
• Nina Stone reviews the first volume of the Luna Brothers’ The Sword and makes me feel kind of dirty.
• Scott Cederlund says Footnotes in Gaza “may be Sacco’s most fascinating work to date.” (btw, nice site upgrade Scott.)
• Shaenon Garrity reviews Acme Novelty Library #19 for reals this time and offers a rather interesting critique that I’m not entirely sure I agree with (the supporting cast in the ongoing Rusty Brown story seems to negate her central thesis). Still, it’s worth reading.
• Paul Gravett reviews the Danish anthology From Wonderland With Love, which is good because more people need to know about this book.
• PWCW has their annual critics poll up if that sort of thing floats your boat.
• Jeff Lester offers his thoughts on recent issues of Blackest Night and Fantastic Four.
• And finally, since Last Gasp is re-releasing it, Katherine Dacey offers a revamped version of her original review of Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms, which is — and I’m not joking — one of my favorite pieces of comics criticism.
- January 6, 2010 @ 09:00 AM by Chris Mautner
ALA, award-winning Skim draw scorn of conservative commentator
Skim
Using the award-winning graphic novel Skim as ammunition, a conservative columnist has launched a preemptive strike against the American Library Association’s 2010 Youth Media Awards.
In a post at Newsbusters, a website devoted to “Exposing & Combating Liberal Media Bias,” Carolyn Plocher pursues the bugaboo of the ALA’s “not-so-hidden gay agenda,” and tells parents to look forward to “dozens of books with themes about ‘coming out,’ pedophilia, trans-gender issues, and sodomy laws.”
As an example of what we may expect from the Youth Media Awards, Plocher turns to Skim, the 2008 graphic novel by cousins Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki about a 16-year-old Wiccan at an all-girls school who falls for her (female) drama teacher. Mariko Tamaki has described Skim as “a gothic Lolita lesbian story” told from the perspective of the Lolita.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Plocher describes the book differently, if with more detail: “The protagonist of the graphic novel, Kim Cameron — nicknamed Skim because she’s not slim — participates in séances, channels the spirits, swears judiciously, discusses porn and handjobs, and skips class to smoke. The major plot of the story revolves around Skim’s relationship with her flaky drama teacher, Ms. Archer. When Ms. Archer catches Skim skipping class and smoking a cigarette, she sits down for a drag herself, which eventually leads to a romantic relationship depicted in a double-page tableau of the two kissing in the woods.”
A double-page tableau! Of kissing! How … scandalous?
But you see, it’s all part of the ALA’s devious plot to use highfalutin terms like “authentic literature” and “literary merit” to take up the twin causes of “normalizing homosexuality and advancing the gay agenda.”
“The ALA claims that ‘authentic literature’ like Skim more accurately portrays the gritty, real American life, and therefore, has more literary merit,” Plocher writes. “It’s a manipulative tactic that has effectively stocked library shelves across the nation with pro-homosexual books that inevitably fall into children’s hands.”
If you’ve fully recovered from your shock by Jan. 18, you can follow the ALA Youth Media Awards via live webcast here.
- January 6, 2010 @ 08:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
A first look at Demo, Vol. 2, #1
From Demo, Vol. 2, #1, by Becky Cloonan
In a Q&A thread at Warren Ellis’ Whitechapel forum, Brian Wood provides a first look at three pages (by Becky Cloonan, naturally) from the first issue of Demo, Vol. 2, due from Vertigo on Feb. 3. The issue, titled “The Waking Life of Angels,” centers on a woman who, haunted by a premonition of someone falling from a great height, travels halfway around the world to try to prevent the accident from happening.
In the same thread Wood also shows off Fiona Staples’ lovely cover for DV8 #4.
- January 6, 2010 @ 07:06 AM by Kevin Melrose
Spider-Man 4 delayed by villain dispute
Spider-Man
A clash over the villain for Spider-Man 4 has prompted Sony Pictures to delay the start of production and could bump the film from its announced May 11, 2011, release.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, director Sam Raimi wants the classic Spider-Man foe the Vulture as the lead antagonist while the studio is set on another villain — anyone other than ol’ Adrian Toomes, apparently — plus a romantic subplot involving the Black Cat.
Just three week ago Sony denied a report by IESB that production had been placed on “indefinite hold” because of the dispute over the villain.
If this sounds familiar, it’s probably because Raimi had pushed for the Vulture to appear alongside Sandman in Spider-Man 3 before being convinced by Producer Avi Arad to use Venom instead.
Production of Spider-Man 4 originally was set for spring 2010, and still could begin by summer. According to the trade paper, Alvin Sargent (Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3) is the latest a succession of screenwriters to attempt a script that will wed the conflicting visions of Raimi and Sony executives.
- January 5, 2010 @ 07:20 PM by Kevin Melrose
This week brings Siege, Orc Stain, Hernandez Bros. and Dash Shaw to shops
After last week’s skip week by Diamond, 2010 kicks off with several new series, not the least of which is the first issue of Marvel’s Siege event and its accompanying mini-series, Siege:Embedded. They’ve also got a Jackpot spin-off mini-series. Dark Horse, meanwhile, kicks off a new B.P.R.D. series, along with the video game adaptation Mass Effect: Redemption, and Image has the first issue of James Stokoe’s Orc Stain.
There are also new issues of Haunt, Conan, Buck Rogers, Echo, Savage Dragon, Deadpool Team-up and Doom Patrol. And two series come to an end, so to speak, as DC revives Suicide Squad and Weird Western Tales for one month only, giving both a new last issue, I suppose.
If you’re looking for something with a spine, there’s a List hardcover from Marvel, collecting all the stories of Norman Osborn going up against various heroes. Unwritten and Marvel Divas get collected, while Fantagraphics releases The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century and The Troublemakers. First Second, meanwhile, kicks off George O’Connor’s Olympians series with the first book about Zeus. On the manga front, look for a ton of One Piece, Shutter Island and The Box Man, among others.
To see what Kevin, Chris and I think of this week’s releases, read on …
- January 5, 2010 @ 03:58 PM by JK Parkin