2010 August
What Are You Reading?
X'ed Out
As the final days of summer start to waste away and you’re looking for something to enjoy before hitting the books for school, there’s no better place to find some good stuff to read than right here in our weekly What Are You Reading? column.This week our guest is journalist/blogger Heidi MacDonald, of The Beat and Publishers Weekly fame.
To see what Heidi and the rest of the Robot 6 crew have been reading, click below …
- August 15, 2010 @ 02:44 PM by JK Parkin
Chain Reactions | Morning Glories #1
Morning Glories #1
The promotional push for Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma’s Morning Glories apparently paid off, as the first issue of the Image Comics series sold out this week at the distributor level. But how did it fare with reviewers?
Spencer (Existence 2.0, Shuddertown) certainly sets a high bar for Morning Glories, describing the genre-bending prep-school mystery as “Runaways meets Lost.” And judging from online reactions, the first issue meets that lofty goal. (You can check out previews here and here.)
Here’s a sampling of what people are saying about Morning Glories #1:
Ryan, Chronic Insomnia: “Morning Glories is very strange, quite dark, often creepy, sometimes hilarious and almost always refreshingly novel. This comic crackles beneath the surface with ideas that pop. Certain books exude a kind of energy signature, where you can almost feel the creator’s muse across the page. Hickman’s Fantastic Four. Simone’s Secret Six. Glories radiates like that.”
Auburn Slavec, Giant Killer Squid: “The writing itself is good enough to make me hate everyone in the book. I hope that was Spencer’s goal. Like I said, the setting and plot are strong enough and he’s working that whole mysterious master plan angle, but there’s only so much teenage whining I can take. I don’t try and pretend I could ever make it as a high school teacher. If we could cut back on the over-the-top character elements, I think I’d like it better.”
- August 14, 2010 @ 09:13 AM by Kevin Melrose
Vacation reading: Five webcomics I’m catching up on
Nathan Sorry
As I write this, I’m about one tenth of the way along a 2,000-mile train ride from Boston to Denver. Most people think I’m crazy to travel this way, but I like to really know that I’m traveling a long distance, I like to see everything along the way, and I like to have long stretches of time with nothing to do but read. Shooting in a tin tube from point A to point B isn’t travel, it’s just transport.
On this trip, thanks to my new Android phone, I can bring the internet with me, and I’m looking forward to whiling away the hours with some webcomics. Here’s what’s on my virtual bookshelf this week:
Shi Long Pang: Every now and then I bump into this long-running webcomic, and Lauren Davis has just reminded me that it’s worth getting through the fairly dense opening pages to get to the meat of the story.
The Princess: Thanks to Lauren for this recommendation as well. The Princess looks like a standard, well-drawn gag strip, but the story has a good twist: It’s about a little boy who is really a little girl—she just needs to get the rest of the world to realize it. Lauren says the strip is “wholesome,” and it looks like a funny, pleasant read.
- August 13, 2010 @ 03:00 PM by Brigid Alverson
A sneak peek at D&Q’s plans for winter 2010-2011
Scenes from an Impending Marriage
Having looked at Fantagraphics’ catalog a few weeks ago, the time seemed ripe to pull back the curtain on Drawn and Quarterly’s publishing plans for the coming months as well, especially since their distributor Farrar Straus and Giroux was kind enough to email me a link to their .pdf catalog.
What’s in the offing? New books by Adrian Tomine, John Stanley, Frank King, just to name a few. Click on the link to see what else to expect.
- August 13, 2010 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Mautner
Batwoman to debut in November with zero issue
Batwoman #0 variant by Amy Reeder
DC Comics’ much-anticipated, but somewhat delayed, Batwoman title will be teased in November with a zero issue before kicking off in February as an ongoing series.
According to the DC Universe blog, the Batwoman #0 one-shot is “an artistic collaboration” between J.H. Williams III and Amy Reeder, who will alternate story arcs on the monthly series. It’s co-written by Williams and W. Haden Blackman.
Officially announced in April, but unofficially revealed some four months earlier, Batwoman initially was set to debut last month. The series follows on the heels of the critically acclaimed “Elegy” storyline in Detective Comics by Williams and writer Greg Rucka.
“Batwoman #0 has been a great experience in that it’s a real combination of everyone’s efforts due to the nature of the story and how it’s constructed,” Williams tells The Source. “It has been a real pleasure. This special ‘bridge’ issue straddles between what came before and what is to come, but manages to be its own unique thing. Its unusual construction allows two threads of content to run simultaneously, building to a greater whole, hopefully creating an interesting reading experience.”
- August 13, 2010 @ 11:35 AM by Kevin Melrose
Vito Delsante and Andrés Vera Martínez talk about pitching Fist of Dracula
Before being printed, purchased by fans and read, comics and graphic novels start off as ideas that eventually become pitches that creators try and sell to publishers. Or, as Vito Delsante, writer of FCHS, puts it, “That’s the hard part.”
Delsante and artist Andrés Vera Martínez are currently collaborating on one such pitch, for a book called Fist of Dracula that shows us what the famed vampire was up to in the 1930s. Although the book doesn’t have a home yet, they agreed to talk to me about the creative and pitching processes, as well as share some pages from the books.
JK: How did the two of you meet?
Vito: Purely by chance. I had written a kids graphic novel for Simon and Schuster (Before They Were Famous: Babe Ruth) and the artist couldn’t come through, so they (S&S) hunted down a new artist, and that artist was Andrés.
Andrés: That’s about right.
Vito: Even after that, we didn’t actually meet until Andrés was done with the book. I like to work with people I know, if only so I can see the art process, but I had to let this one go until the end. I think we kept missing each other, too…like, we’d try to meet each other at Jim Hanley’s or elsewhere, and we’d be off by a few minutes.
- August 13, 2010 @ 11:00 AM by JK Parkin
Bookmark this: Scott Chantler’s research blog for Two Generals
Two Generals
Scott Chantler, the artist whose Northwest Passage made such a splash a few years ago, wrapped up his work on his latest historical graphic novel, Two Generals, in June. (Here is a nine-page preview he put up for TCAF.)
Two Generals is a non-fiction graphic novel set in World War II and based on several primary sources: the 1943 diary of Chantler’s grandfather, his friend Jack Chrysler’s letters home, and the war diary of the Highland Light Infantry of Canada. The book is due out in October, but Chantler has just set up a research blog to document both his own work on the book and all the research he put into it—along the lines of the notes in the annotated edition of Northwest Passage, he says, but a lot more of it. For those of us who love digging into the past, this looks like a gold mine, and I for one can’t wait until he starts adding content. (Those of us who are kids at heart can while away the time with his delightful children’s graphic novel, Tower of Treasure.)
- August 13, 2010 @ 10:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
Watch Scott Pilgrim vs. The Animation
In case you missed the midnight premiere, Adult Swim is streaming Scott Pilgrim vs. The Animation, a four-minute short based on the flashback sequence from the second volume of Scott Pilgrim, by Bryan Lee O’Malley. Actors from Edgar Wright’s film adaptation — Michael Cera, Allison Pill, Mae Whitman and Jason Schwartzman — provide the voices of Scott, Kim, Lisa and Simon Lee.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World opens today nationwide.
- August 13, 2010 @ 09:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Avengers save us from aliens in 1950s-inspired trailer
Ivan Guerrero has caught a lot of attention on YouTube for his “premakes” series, where he makes 1950s-style trailers for various movies. Following up on trailers for Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Ghostbusters, his latest one is for the Avengers. And apparently even Sta Lee has watched the video.
- August 13, 2010 @ 08:30 AM by JK Parkin
Dustin Nguyen moves to Batgirl in November
Batgirl #15
Batman: Streets of Gotham artist Dustin Nguyen is moving down the street to another Bat title in November. On DC’s The Source blog today, Alex Segura announced Nguyen is taking over the art duties on Batgirl from Lee Garbett, who is moving on to a new project.
“This is definitely going to be an exciting venture for me, besides the outline Bryan has for us, i’m just plain excited to be drawing Batgirl,” Nguyen said. “This latest incarnation of her has lots of the aesthetics of the original Babs that i love and some new ones. It’ll take me some getting used to drawing a female in horns, but i’m looking forward to putting away the “mean and moody” for a while and kick in the ‘fun and sexy.’”
Nguyen will work with writer Bryan Q. Miller on the book.
“Dustin’s joining the team at JUST the right time, as BATGIRL: THE LESSON begins. Steph’s world is going to get a smidge more gritty, a skosh more chaotic, and LOADS more dangerous – Dustin’s the perfect man to help tell this tale! And, as an added bonus, Dustin’s on the ground floor for the creation of Steph’s very own gallery of rogues (So, there’s that to look forward to, too!) Consider his cover to Batgirl #15 one of the last truly quiet moments our Batgirl is going to have for quite a while. But she’s ready for it – you can tell from the look on her face. That’s Steph for you — always smiling!” Miller said.
- August 13, 2010 @ 07:50 AM by JK Parkin
Grumpy Old Fan | Don’t stop believin’
Teen Titans #46
I’ve written before about the fundamental difference between DC and Marvel. (Marvel started with a core group, as opposed to DC’s loose confederation, blah blah blah.) However, as plok reminds me, Marvel also benefited greatly, yesterday and today, simply from not being DC. That is, Marvel was and is free to riff on classic superhero tropes ‘til the Skrull-cows come home, because that’s part of what a competitor does. When DC finally started using serialized storytelling, the “illusion of change,” and the “realistic” flourishes which had become a staple of the House of Ideas, it was pretty much too late: DC would always be playing catch-up. This has, to put it mildly, not worked out so well for the folks who first brought you the superhero.
There may be a way, though, for DC to capitalize on the static nature of its flagship characters while simultaneously making them fresh for today’s readers; and it comes from a little TV show called …
(wait for it)
… “Glee.”
Continue Reading »
- August 12, 2010 @ 06:39 PM by Tom Bondurant
Mega Marvel!
Consider it a whole different kind of “Marvel vs. Capcom”: On her deviantART account, artist suzuran has converted over 50 Marvel heroes and villains into adorable li’l 8-bit sprites in the style of Mega Man. Just click the above image to see it in its full sidescrolling glory.
If the current wave of 8-bit nostalgia produces nothing more than this, the Scott Pilgrim videogame, and that chiptunes cover of The Dark Side of the Moon, it’ll still have been worth it.
(via Agent M)
- August 12, 2010 @ 01:30 PM by Sean T. Collins
Superman/Batman #75 to feature ‘homage’ to Wednesday Comics
Last week DC Comics senior editor Ian Sattler teased “one of those great books that make us all stand around the editor’s office going ‘wow.’” He also shared a collage of images featuring Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Superboy, Red Robin and several other characters drawn by several different artists. In our comments section for that post, commenter funkygreenjerusalem wondered if maybe it was a teaser for Superman/Batman #75.
Yesterday editor Eddie Berganza also shared some artwork and details on an upcoming project, this one being Superman/Batman‘s 75th issue, and I’m starting to think maybe funkygreenjerusalem was right about the first teaser. Here’s what Berganza has to say about the issue:
Superman/Batman #75
Now under that icon, some very impressive talent has made its way through its pages. And this couldn’t be more true of the book that will be coming out soon. Starting with an awesome cover by Frank Quitely, the lead story is by Paul Levitz, who finally gets to team the Legion of Super-Heroes with Batman as well as Superman and Superboy, all lusciously illustrated by Jerry Ordway, no stranger to Strange Visitors. But this is just the beginning. What follows is a special section featuring 2-page strips. My homage to WEDNESDAY COMICS.
It starts with Steve Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen doing the only sequel they ever will to IT’S A BIRD… with “It’s A Bat, ” a story of how an editor tries to get a special section like this going. It continues with Billy Tucci and Peter Tomasi with Gene Ha each playing up the grand adventures of our heroes, while Adam Hughes, David Finch, J.T. Krul, Francis Manapul, Duncan Rouleau, Jill Thompson, Michael Green with Mike Johnson and Rafael Albuquerque and Shane Davis all show us how the Superman and Batman families have been inspired by these two icons. From Supergirls to super-pets, and a wild take on a Lex Luthor and Joker teaming by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo, it has it all, but don’t just listen to me. Go check it out!
The issue goes on sale Aug. 25.
- August 12, 2010 @ 12:30 PM by JK Parkin
Alamo Drafthouse’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World posters debut tonight
by Martin Ansin
Austin’s Alamo Drafthouse, arguably the coolest movie theater in the world, teamed up with Universal to create the above poster that they’ll be selling at a special screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World tonight. A small quantity of the poster will also be available online Friday on the Drafthouse’s collectible art boutique website, Mondo.
The poster was created by artist Martin Ansin — or posters, actually. According to the Mondo blog, there’s also a variant edition that’ll debut at the screening tonight.
Tonight’s event, a special Fantastic Fest/Ain’t It Cool News screening, will feature director Edgar Wright and members of the cast. I’m told there will also be “a special menu themed to the film and legendary post-screening activities with epic surprises.” Which may sound like hype, but the Drafthouse rarely lets you down. For instance, back before the new Star Trek film came out, they invited folks to a special screening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, and after the first 5 minutes, the print broke down. A man in a trench coat walked out in front of the theater with print cans. He revealed himself to be Leonard Nimoy and asked the theater if they’d like to be the first audience in the world to see J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek. Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau also made a surprise visit to the Alamo Drafthouse for the first public screening of Iron Man 2 (which, incidentally, they also created some cool posters for).
If you’re interested in getting the above poster, keep an eye on the Mondo website — they will likely sell out fast.
- August 12, 2010 @ 11:30 AM by JK Parkin
Did manga bootleggers spread bad habits to Japan?
Opening page from last week's chapter of Naruto
Roland Kelts has an interesting article in the Daily Yomiuri covering manga’s summer of discontent, and one point he touches on is the decline in manga sales in Japan—yes, it’s happening over there as well as over here. And one cause that the people he is talking to point to is the rise of scanlation in the U.S. Originally, scanlations were done by small groups and available only by download, so the audience was limited. Now, bootleg sites like the recently retired OneManga.com offer fan translations of the latest chapters of popular manga such as Naruto and Bleach, as well as scanlations of less popular titles and scans of manga published in the U.S. Here’s where it gets interesting:
Over dinner in Tokyo this May, a Kodansha editor suggested that the real damage posed by scanlations over the past three to four years was the direct result of manga uploads spiking in Japan. “Before, it was mostly non-Japanese kids posting and translating manga. But the kids in Japan caught on, and now all kinds of manga are available for free as soon as they hit the shelves [in Japan],” he said.
Is this really happening? Certainly scanlators are using raw scans posted in Japan, which saves them the trouble of ordering the books, waiting for them to arrive, tearing out the pages, etc. But, just for the record, Americans didn’t invent this idea. Back in 2005, when OneManga.com was just a glint in its creator’s eye, some Japanese guys got the idea to scan in a bunch of manga, put it up on a website with a cheesy name, and eventually charge people to read it. They were arrested and prosecuted under both criminal and civil law. Then in 2007, three more guys were arrested for uploading Weekly Shonen Jump and Weekly Shonen Sunday scans to the Winny file-sharing network before they appeared in the magazines. These both predate the big-time scanlation scene in English-language circles and suggests that there was a demand for free manga in Japan as well, either because people like to be the first to see the new comics or because, like their American counterparts they are broke (or cheap).
(Via Anime News Network, which has some additional background in their article.)
- August 12, 2010 @ 11:00 AM by Brigid Alverson