2010 March
Cover Story | Dave Johnson on Abe Sapien: The Abyssal Plain #1
Abe Sapien: The Abyssal Plain #1, by Dave Johnson
One of the pleasant surprises this week in Dark Horse’s solicitations for June was a listing for Abe Sapien: The Abyssal Plain #1, which features a cover by Dave Johnson.
An Abe solo adventure that sends our amphibian hero on the hunt of an ancient relic aboard a sunken Soviet submarine is reason enough to take notice, to be sure. But when you add the Eisner Award-winning artist to the equation, there’s cause for celebration — particularly when the cover he creates is such a departure from what we’re accustomed to seeing on the Hellboy and B.P.R.D. books.
Johnson, known for his bold sense of design on such titles as 100 Bullets, Detective Comics, Superman: Red Son and Punisher, spoke briefly with Robot 6 about his striking cover for The Abyssal Plain #1, and shared art from the production process.
Abe Sapien: The Abyssal Plain #1 is due in stores in June.
While the color palette signals that the comic is in the Hellboy/B.P.R.D. line, the other elements are vastly different — the massive amount of white space instead of encroaching shadows, the repetition of the hammer and sickle in the bubbles (distinctly you). Was it a conscious effort to go in such a vastly different direction?
Actually, I have to disagree with you on the color palette. It’s hardly the Hellboy norm. And that was the point. [Mike] Mignola had said that he wanted me because I was doing something different than himself on other stuff. So I really wanted to set myself apart. Which is a lot harder than you think because his style is so ingrained into the Hellboy universe. And because I’m a huge fan, it still feels like I’m pissing on perfection. But that’s the job, I guess. Haha. So, I wanted more color than black to dominate the over all feel. Also, I love negative space in design. Too many artists act like they’re getting paid by the line and how much crap they can unload on a cover. I’ll take a well-designed, simple cover over a hyper-rendered fanboy jerk-fest any day of the week.
- March 18, 2010 @ 01:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Kate Beaton loves Lost
from "Lost Is Damn Exciting" by Kate Beaton
And who doesn’t? (Wait, don’t answer that, the comment threads around here get contentious enough as it is.) But what I really liked about Hark! A Vagrant cartoonist Kate Beaton‘s take on her own Lost fandom (she’s playing catch-up with the DVDs and is currently in the middle of Season Four) is how she captures the way a really great show can have a literally physical effect on you. Check the whole strip out here.
- March 18, 2010 @ 12:25 PM by Sean T. Collins
At the wake for Marvel’s Hercules, it’s do ask, do tell
From "Hercules: Fall of an Avenger" #1
It turns out that Marvel’s dearly departed Hercules may have even more in common with the mythological figure on which he’s based than we previously thought.
The boisterous demigod-turned-superhero, who made his formal Marvel Universe debut in 1965, seemingly died in February’s Incredible Hercules #141 during the finale of “Assault on New Olympus.” All that’s left for his friends and colleagues to do is mourn — and share stories about the fallen Prince of Power.
And, boy, do they ever share. In Hercules: Fall of an Avenger #1, out this week, Namora encourages those women who had been intimate with the bed-hopping Lion of Olympus to relate their memories. (Alfyse, queen of the dark elves of Svartalfheim, apparently works blue, if you’ll forgive the pun.)
The surprise occurs when Snowbird eyes the crowd suspiciously and says, “Now come. I know there are others in the crowd who should join us … don’t be shy” — causing an antsy Northstar to reply, “Is that the time? Gotta go!” before, well, going (at super-speed, naturally). You know, Northstar, the highest-profile gay character in the Marvel Universe.
The exchange is brief, casual and played for laughs, but it’s obvious what writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente are asserting — that the Marvel Hercules, like the Greek Herakles, was fond of women and young men. In case it’s somehow not obvious, Van Lente spells it out this morning on Twitter: “Clearly, Hercules and Northstar had a ‘team-up’.”
That presumably places Jean-Paul Beaubier on a long, long list of Hercules’ male conquests from classical mythology that includes such figures as Abderus, Elacatas, Iolaos and Iphitus.
Just don’t tell Kyle.
(via scans_daily, Rich Lovatt)
- March 18, 2010 @ 11:14 AM by Kevin Melrose
President Obama to fight sagging approval rating by joining the Guardians of the Globe
Obama
The latest member of Image’s big faux August team book, Guardians of the Globe, is none other than President Barack Obama. He joins Spawn, Invincible and Rick from Walking Dead on the roster.
He’ll be there to kick ass and push for health care reform, no doubt.
- March 18, 2010 @ 10:30 AM by JK Parkin
‘They got mixed up!’
Sea Bear & Grizzly Shark: They Got Mixed Up!
Last weekend Image Comics officially announced a one-shot with the utterly delightful title Sea Bear & Grizzly Shark: They Got Mixed Up! The book features two separate stories — “Sea Bear” by Jason Howard and “Grizzly Shark” by Ryan Ottley. There’s also an origin story written by Robert Kirkman. If you’d like to know more about the book, the creative duo behind it has set up a blog where they’re posting early concept art and additional info on the book.
No doubt an announcement about Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark joining the Guardians of the Globe will hit in the next day or so …
- March 18, 2010 @ 10:00 AM by JK Parkin
Wizard relaunches website, redesigns logo, spoils Battlestar Galactica
From the new WizardWorld.com
If you were to go to WizardWorld.com, the online home of Gareb Shamus’s publishing, retail and convention empire, you would see a jazzy new layout (albeit one still based on the old Yahoo SiteBuilder template) and a fancy new logo for both the company and its many conventions (the little superhero silhouette guy is gone). You’d see news and blog sub-sites dedicated solely to guest-list updates for the aforementioned cons. You’d also see a major, major, MAJOR SPOILER for the acclaimed Syfy series Battlestar Galactica, based on the appearance of certain actors from the show at Wizard’s Chicago Comic Con. Let the surfer beware.
- March 18, 2010 @ 09:30 AM by Sean T. Collins
Straight for the art | Tim Bradstreet’s Red Sky Diary
Red Sky Diary
Artist Tim Bradstreet shares some details and a look at an illustrated novel he’s working on called Red Sky Diary, “my long-awaited passion project.” He’s also set up a Facebook page where you can find additional updates and artwork.
As for what the book is about:
Red Sky Diary is a mythic, epic scale chronicle of a dynastic succession of clan leaders, warriors known as the “Ulaan Bataar”. The firstborn male of each generation in the succession is tasked with carrying on a desperate guerilla-style war against a clandestine society of murderous, nocturnal creatures (known as The Mudir), who’ve prowled the shadow realms between reason and superstition since the dawn of civilization. The main story features the greatest warrior of them all, Gallows. His fate is of unique significance in this epic war that is about to come full circle.
- March 18, 2010 @ 09:00 AM by JK Parkin
The clock ticks down to the race for Comic-Con hotel rooms
San Diego Convention Center
In a little more than an hour the mad scramble for discounted hotel rooms begins again as Travel Planners opens reservations for Comic-Con International.
That’s at 9 a.m. Pacific/noon Eastern. But if you’re going to the convention, you’re already well aware of that.
This year’s process is being handled differently, with reservation hopefuls entering 12 hotel choices, in order of preference (you probably should be using this hour to work out your picks). You’ll be required to give additional information, such as occupant names and arrival and departure dates. Once that’s completed, your submission will be time stamped and logged in the Travel Planners database.
If all goes well, within three to five hours you’ll receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to provide your credit card deposit to secure the reservation. You have to submit a deposit equal to one night’s room charge (plus tax) within five business days of receiving the confirmation. Those who don’t do so will have their reservations canceled.
You can learn more details here. A PDF file of the hotel list can be found here.
- March 18, 2010 @ 07:58 AM by Kevin Melrose
IDW Publishing gains ‘premier’ status with Diamond
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing has risen to the exclusive ranks of Diamond Comic Distributors’ “premier” publishers, becoming the first company to do so since the system was established in 1996.
IDW joins Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse and Image (plus Wizard) in the front of Diamond’s Previews catalog, significantly boosting the decade-old publisher’s visibility among retailers.
According to a press release issued this morning, the move is part of a new multi-year agreement, under which Diamond will continue to serve as the publisher’s exclusive distributor in the specialty and bookstore markets. IDW will gain access to Previews covers, and will join the final order cut-off program “sometime in the near future.” The deal retains the publisher’s traditional buy/sell relationship with Diamond, with IDW’s books continuing to be sold to the specialty stores under the distributor’s terms of sale.
Founded in 1999, IDW has experienced significant growth in the direct market; last year it was the No. 4 publisher, behind Dark Horse (up from No. 5 in 2008).
“This is something we’ve really worked hard to accomplish, and we’re very proud of the recognition on Diamond’s part, as well as on retailers’ part,” Chris Ryall, IDW’s publisher and editor-in-chief, wrote on his blog. “Us winning the Diamond Gem Award for Best Publisher (Under 4%) five out the six years — an award voted on by comic retailers — has meant a lot to us, and no doubt helped Diamond recognize our significance to the industry. Of course, this also means that we’re not playing in the ‘Under 4%’ category, so now we have to go head to head with Marvel and DC for that award … but still, it’s great to be aligned with publishers who’ve done so much for the industry, and we hope to keep making valuable contributions for a long time to come, too.”
- March 18, 2010 @ 07:12 AM by Kevin Melrose
Frazer Irving joins Batman and Robin with Issue 13
Batman and Robin #13
DC Comics announced this morning that Frazer Irving will follow Andy Clarke as artist on Batman and Robin beginning with June’s Issue 13.
Irving, who collaborated with writer Grant Morrison on 2005′s Seven Soldiers: Klarion the Witch Boy, joins an impressive art roster that’s already featured Clarke, Frank Quitely, Philip Tan and Cameron Stewart.
At one point Irving was set for Issues 10-12, which initially were to be drawn by a returning Quitely.
Irving is also illustrating the second issue of the Morrison-penned Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. That brings us to DC’s other Bat-related announcement — the full artist lineup for the six-issue miniseries: Chris Sprouse, Issue 1; Irving, Issue 2; Yanick Paquette, Issue 3; Cameron Stewart, Issue 4; Ryan Sook Issue 5; and Lee Garbett, Issue 6. The miniseries debuts in May.
“Frazer’s a unique comics creator in that he handles all aspects of the art chores — pencilling, inking and colors — which gives him the best creative control an artist could ask for,” Batman Editor Mike Marts told The Source. “And with fantastic results! Readers will drool when they see Frazer’s amazing pages to both Batman projects he’s working on.”
- March 18, 2010 @ 06:26 AM by Kevin Melrose
Send Us Your Shelf Porn!
Thank you for joining us for a very special, educational edition of Send Us Your Shelf Porn. Today’s guest is Ohio teacher Chris Peace, who is trying to improve his students’ reading skills by introducing them to comics. He’s even put together a small graphic novel library for them, which you can see in the photo above.
But Chris does a much better job explaining his collection than I ever could, so I’ll let him take over …
- March 17, 2010 @ 02:30 PM by Chris Mautner
Your video of the day: Richard Thompson draws
Nuff said (via)
- March 17, 2010 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Mautner
Straight for the art | Big Daddy’s golden years
Game Infarcer
For their upcoming April 1 issue, Game Informer recruited Zander and Kevin Cannon to create a mock cover for a future issue of the magazine. They chose to spotlight Bioshock 3 and featured the game’s main character, Big Daddy, looking a little past his prime.
Head over to their blog for information on the creation process. (Via)
- March 17, 2010 @ 01:30 PM by JK Parkin
Strangeways: The Thirsty – Page 124
Less grumpy, but still, don’t poke me.
Art by Gervasio and Jok. Written by Matt Maxwell
Back next week.
- March 17, 2010 @ 01:00 PM by Matt Maxwell
Nominations announced for 2010 Joe Shuster Awards
Joe Shuster Awards
The nominees were announced today for the sixth annual Joe Shuster Awards, which recognize the achievements of Canadian comics creators.
The awards are named in honor of Toronto-born artist Joe Shuster, co-creator Superman.
The winners will be announced June 5 at a ceremony at the University of Toronto that coincides with the sixth annual Toronto ComiCON Fan Appreciation Event.
The nominees are:
- March 17, 2010 @ 12:29 PM by Kevin Melrose