2010 November
Lemire’s Essex County among the Top 10 Canadian novels of the decade
Essex County
Jeff Lemire’s Essex County has been selected as one of the Essential Top 10 Canadian Novels of the Decade, part of the CBC’s prestigious Canada Reads program. It’s reportedly the first time a graphic novel has been given that distinction.
As we reported a couple of weeks ago, 40 books — among them, Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki Skim — were initially presented for online voting. Now five of the finalists will be selected by the program’s celebrity panelists to defend during the Canada Reads debates in February. The titles and panelists will be announced on Nov. 24.
Published by Top Shelf Productions, the Essex County Trilogy — Tales from the Farm, Ghost Stories and The Country Nurse — is an award-winning examination of family, grief, memory and reconciliation set in an imaginary version of Lemire’s hometown in rural Ontario.
- November 9, 2010 @ 12:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Start reading now: Ectopiary
Ectopiary
Ectopiary is a webcomic by Hans Rickheit, who won a Xeric award for his graphic novel Chloe. Yesterday, Spike (creator of Templar, Arizona) tweeted, “I bet I can get you to start reading a new webcomic with just one page” and posted the URL. The page she linked to (above) was spectacular. The comic has an old-fashioned feel; it’s centered on a girl who is sent to live with relatives who are also caring for her sick mother. There are some familiar characters (spunky servant girl, kindly doctor) but there are also a lot of mysteries, and it’s starting to take a supernatural turn. This is a great time to jump in, as only 49 pages are up so far, and the archives make an easy read. The hard part is waiting a week for the next update.
- November 9, 2010 @ 11:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
Digital Manga’s bold move
Moonlit Promises, a typical Digital offering
Manga blogger Deb Aoki talked to Digital Manga Publishing CEO Hikaru Sasahara about his plans to change the way the manga licensing industry works, and it has broader implications than are immediately apparent.
Sasahara has created a Digital Manga Guild, in which amateurs would translate and edit manga with no upfront payment but would be promised a cut of profits should the book sell. What makes this less exploitative than, say, the Bluewater Comics model is that both the American and the Japanese publishers would also wait for their cut—no one gets paid until the books are sold. (Nowhere does Sasahara mention the production and printing end of things, but I’ll bet the printers get paid up front.)
The problem with the current system, Sasahara says, is cash flow: The Japanese licensors demand a minimum of “several thousand dollars” up front, and then the company has to pay translators, editors, and other staff when they complete their work, so the company ends up spending quite a bit before the books ever reach bookstore shelves. What Sasahara is looking for is nothing short of a complete inversion of that system, with the licensors allowing their books to go overseas with no guarantee, and the editorial staff getting no pay as well. That would be a fundamental change in the industry that could have wide-ranging implications—or not.
- November 9, 2010 @ 10:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
Quote of the day | Tom Brevoort’s advice for young comics writers
Feel like it’s perhaps time to drop some knowledge–or what passes for it at any rate–to young writers. I’ve run into a couple of moments this week where I’d swear, you guys don’t quite understand what your job as storytellers is.
Tom Rule #1: Know what your story is about. Not what the plot is, but what the point is. Why you’re telling it beyond collecting a check. If you can swap out your leads for other characters and it changes nothing meaningful, you story does not work. It’s all about characters.
Tom Rule #2: Do not try to impress me or others with Byzantine structures or pseudo-clever narrative devices. These tools all have their place, but they don’t in the slightest make up for not making me care about the characters. When in doubt, simpler is better. Start at start, as much as possible. Take the time to make me give a damn about these people.
While they’ve become industry standard, devices like “Dueling Narrators”, where two characters have a back-and-forth conversation over barely-related visuals is inherently confusing and pulls people out of the story. Clarity is your friend, and your job. Impress me with the conflicts your characters face, and the choices that they make. Don’t be overblown for it’s own sake.
Also, dropping a lot of references to old stories isn’t the same thing as making me care about people. By itself, it’s lazy, counting on good will and interest in the characters created by your predecessors. Your job is to make me care every issue. Emotional Truth!
Your mission is to tell your story directly, and well. In general, novices love technique, pros love content. Don’t confuse them. Remember, you’re asking readers to drop at least three bucks and twenty minutes of their lives for this experience. Earn it.
I will remember a story that touched me or moved me far longer than one that was over-clever in its execution. It is in no way passé or uncool to be direct.
Also, watch any episode of any television show and count how many times characters are named. Tell me your cast’s damn names! Every issue!
Alan Moore is incredibly talented. He can break the rules, because he knows how. You are not Alan Moore. Not yet. Walk first, then run. There are a million ways to write a comic book, but nobody enjoys being baffled, or uninvolved, or just plain bored.
And that’s one to grow on.
–Marvel Senior VP-Executive Editor Tom Brevoort, in an epic Twitter “rant” (his word, not mine — this is way too reasonable to constitute ranting) last week. Who says you have to be “stupid and provocative” to get on Robot 6, Tom? (Although the tweets did apparently trigger a miniature stampede of creators concerned Brevoort was talking about them…)
- November 9, 2010 @ 09:00 AM by Sean T. Collins
Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes
Uncanny X-Force #1
Publishing | No comic cracked the 100,000-copy mark in the direct market in October, with the top title, Marvel’s Uncanny X-Force #1, selling an estimated 96,500 copies. Diamond’s graphic novel chart was led by DC Comics’ Superman: Earth One hardcover, which sold more than 16,000 copies. Retail news and analysis site ICv2.com notes that was the best number for a graphic novel since new volumes of Scott Pilgrim and The Walking Dead shipped in July. The website also pursues John Jackson Miller’s recent analysis of comics that don’t make it into Diamond’s Top 300, concluding: “Sales below the Top 300 may be growing in importance, but when we look at a fairly long period (10 months) either they aren’t big enough in the aggregate to make much difference, or their sales are changing at about the same rate as the Top 300’s. If anything, looking at year to date numbers, sales on titles below the Top 300 are shrinking faster than sales in the Top 300, at least in periodical comics.”
Meanwhile, Miller sifts through data made available by Diamond to determine that comics sales are 69.6 percent of the total market. [ICv2.com, The Comichron]
Conventions | Wizard Entertainment has announced its acquisition of Central Canada Comic Con in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Johanna Draper Carlson also picks up on rumors that the company is adding Mid-Ohio-Con to its growing stable. [press release, Comics Worth Reading]
- November 9, 2010 @ 08:36 AM by Kevin Melrose
Talking Comics with Tim | Janet K. Lee
Return of the Dapper Men
Writer Jim McCann and artist Janet K. Lee‘s Return of the Dapper Men (Archaia) will have its pre-release West Coast debut at Meltdown Comics (in Los Angeles) this Wednesday–with McCann at the store to help celebrate the event, as well as sign advance copies of the graphic novel. As detailed in the recent CBR preview of the book: “Welcome to Anoreve, a world in between time, where children have played so long it’s almost become work, machines have worked so long they have begun to play and all the clocks have stopped at the same time. This is how this land has remained, until 314 dapper-looking gentlemen rain down from the sky and set off in different directions to start the world again. Now Ayden, the only boy to still ask questions; Zoe, the robot girl all other machines hold dear; and the Dapper Man known only as “41” must discover what happened that made time stop, understand what their true places are in this world, and learn what “tomorrow” really means. The sun is setting for the first time in memory, and once that happens, everything changes.” There’s been a great deal of interest and discussion in Lee’s art, so I was motivated to email interview her so I could better grasp her artistic style for the book, which will officially be released on November 17. I can honestly say this marks the first time I’ve gotten to discuss the craft of decoupage in an interview.
Tim O’Shea: There seems to be an immense amount of trust between you and Jim McCann. On one level, McCann had an incredible level of trust in your artistic talent, despite the fact this is your first graphic novel. And you had to trust McCann to deliver a script that you could bring to life visually. Would you agree there’s a deep level of trust to your collaboration with McCann?
Janet Lee: Before there was a book, before Jim was ever at Marvel or I started showing art regularly, we were really good friends. That that friendship absolutely shaped our collaboration on RETURN OF THE DAPPER MEN. I can ask Jim any question, make suggestions freely, knowing that we’ll still be friends at the end of it. I would absolutely hope he feels the same way about me. Even when there’s a difference of opinion, I know Jim’s only intention is to make the book the best it can be, and I trust his vision.
- November 8, 2010 @ 04:00 PM by Tim O'Shea
Spider-Girl’s Twitter account previews upcoming comic
Amazing Spider-Man #648
If you were wondering if “The_Spider_Girl” on Twitter was the real Spider-Girl or not, wonder no more … it’s really her. Or, at least, it’s not a fan-run feed — it’s being run by Paul Tobin, writer of both the upcoming Spider-Girl comic and the back-up story that’ll be featured in Amazing Spider-Man #648. And the Twitter feed will reflect Spider-Girl’s tweets in the comic.
“When editor Nate Cosby and I first started working on the book, we talked about how there was so much to be said with a character, so much character development, so many character’s thoughts that never make it onto a page,” Tobin posted yesterday on his blog. “This is a way to get some of those character thoughts out there, so her twitter account can be followed / used to get even more of the story and her character. There will be far more tweets than make it into the actual comics. There’s ABSOLUTELY NO NEED to follow the twitter account in order for any of the printed stories to make sense. It’s all right there in the comic. But… we (myself, and editors Tom Brennan and Steve Wacker) are looking at The_Spider_Girl’s twitter account as a sort of DVD extra: a behind-the-scenes look at what makes Spider-Girl tick.”
- November 8, 2010 @ 03:00 PM by JK Parkin
Publishers Weekly names its best comics of 2010
Batwoman: Elegy
On the heels of Amazon.com’s year-end list comes Publishers Weekly‘s rundown of the best comics of 2010. For those keeping track at home, Acme Novelty Library #20, Batwoman: Elegy and Xe’d Out are all two for two. Here’s the PW list:
• Acme Novelty Library #20, by Chris Ware (Drawn and Quarterly)
• AX: Alternative Manga, edited by Sean Michael Wilson and Mitsuhiru Asakawa (Top Shelf)
• Batwoman: Elegy, by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III (DC Comics)
• Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites, by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)
• Bodyworld, by Dash Shaw (Pantheon)
• Duncan the Wonder Dog, by Adam Hines (AdHouse Books)
• How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less, by Sarah Glidden (Vertigo)
• Weathercraft: A Frank Comic, by Jim Woodring (Fantagraphics)
• X’ed Out, by Charles Burns (Pantheon)
• Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, by G. Neri and Randy DuBurke (Lee & Low)
- November 8, 2010 @ 02:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Robot reviews: What’s up with Vertigo?
American Vampire Vol. 1
When DC announced it was shuttering the Wildstorm and Zuda imprints back in September, after having announced the shutterings of the CMX line less than six months ago (and only two years since they canceled the failed Minx experiment), all eyes started moving uneasily towards Vertigo, the first and final imprint DC had left. It didn’t help that DC had also announced they were going to be absorbing certain Vertigo characters like Swamp Thing back into the superhero fold. Add to that the recent cancellation of such series as Air, Unknown Soldier and Greek Street, and many ended up wondering not just if Vertigo was being sized up for the chopping block but when the ax would fall (I’ve got $20 in the office pool down for May 2011).
Mark Oliver Frisch aside, we don’t have access to DC’s actual, total sales numbers, however, so it’s nigh-impossible to tell exactly how well Vertigo books are selling and how essential the line is to DC as a publishing and licensing entity. Perhaps the only way we can make any assumptions at all about the health of the line is to look at the comics that Vertigo has published in the past few months. Which is exactly what I plan on doing after the jump.
- November 8, 2010 @ 01:01 PM by Chris Mautner
Fables #100 to feature puppets, board game and new art by Willingham
Fables #100
Vertigo has released some details on the big 100th anniversary issue of their long-running Fables series. Those of you who read previous issues know that one of the Fables characters has challenged the evil Mister Dark to a duel, and it sounds like that duel will make up the bulk (62 pages, by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha and Andrew Pepoy) of the $10 issue. But it will also include:
• A 10-page prose story written by Buckingham and drawn by Willingham. Although Willingham is known primarily as a writer nowadays, he used to both write and draw his creation, The Elementals. Plus he worked for TSR as an artist before that, drawing the covers to Dungeons & Dragons books and modules.
• A set of do-it-yourself Fables puppet theater illustrated by Buckingham
• A three-page story written by Willingham with art by Cinderlla artist Chrissie Zullo
• A three-page story written by Willingham with art by Joao Ruas
• A two-page Fables board game, illustrated by Buckingham, with game rules by Willingham
• Four celebrity “Burning Questions” stories, all written by Willingham, featuring questions from actors who are also Fables fans, with art by Adam Hughes, J.H. Williams III and Dave Johnson.
The 100-page square-bound book arrives in shops Dec. 8.
- November 8, 2010 @ 12:00 PM by JK Parkin
Comic-Con membership sales to resume on Nov. 22
Comic-Con International
A week after technical problems forced a delay in online ticket sales for Comic-Con International, organizers have announced registration will resume on Nov. 22 at 6 a.m. PST.
Issue arose on Nov. 1 as soon memberships went on sale, with the convention website overloading, and complaints appearing online from people unable to complete the registration process. Only a handful of passes were purchased.
“What ended up happening is that everything went live at 9:00 Pacific time, and we noticed on our end that stuff was overloaded,” David Glanzer, Comic-Con’s director of marketing and public relations, told Comic Book Resources last week. “Our website was overloaded, but more importantly the registration link [made it so] we couldn’t get through. We were able to get our website back up fairly quickly, I think, but that didn’t help, because people still couldn’t register through our registration company.”
When registration for the July 20-24 convention reopens, it will be for daily passes and four-day memberships without Preview Night. Those with the Wednesday preview sold out on the final day of this year’s convention (more could be released later, depending on returns and cancellations). Prices have increased slightly, from $100 to $105 for four-day memberships and from $35 to $37 for single-day passes.
- November 8, 2010 @ 11:02 AM by Kevin Melrose
Elements of craft: Jim Campbell talks lettering
For those who are interested in the details of the craft, letterer Jim Campbell, has set up Jim Campbell’s Comic Book Lettering Blog, and if the title seems straightforward enough, the URL takes a moment’s thought. (Here’s a hint if you’re still mystified.) This blog is probably more useful to aspiring letterers (and comics creators) than the general reader, as Campbell takes the reader step by step through the creation of different shapes of word balloons and lettering types, usually working with Adobe Illustrator, and presents some useful resources as well. And he answers questions! Campbell also has a five-part tutorial on lettering with Adobe Illustrator that can be downloaded for free. His current gigs include lettering for Classical Comics, Markosia Enterprises, and Zenescope.
- November 8, 2010 @ 10:30 AM by Brigid Alverson
Now read this: The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks
The Adventures of Superhero Girl
For the past nine months Zombies Calling/The War at Ellsmere creator Faith Erin Hicks has been doing a weekly comic strip for the weekly newspaper The Coast in Halifax, Nova Scotia. And now she’s started posting those strips, The Adventures of Superhero Girl, on the web.
“The actual comic itself is an exercise in me seeing what the heck I can pull out of my ass on a weekly basis,” she said on her blog. “The Coast doesn’t seem to care what I do content wise, which is actually pretty cool, so sometimes the comic follows a plotline and other times it doesn’t. It’s comicing in the truest sense: I write about what I think is funny that particular week. Superhero Girl is also the first time I’ve written/drawn a regular gag comic, which is really tough.”
- November 8, 2010 @ 10:00 AM by JK Parkin
Jamie Hewlett made a comic out of Pulp’s “Common People”!
Exclamation point very much merited, if you ask me. That’s Tank Girl and Gorillaz co-mastermind Jamie Hewlett illustrating arguably the greatest song of the 1990s, “Common People” by Pulp — a masterpiece of withering English class-warfare derision and seamy sexuality. (Check out the awesome video if you haven’t heard/seen it.) According to PulpWiki, the comic was available only in the French single for the song and an Australian box set. What better way to celebrate the welcome news that Pulp will be reuniting for a tour in 2011 than by dipping into the glory of ages past?
Seriously, folks, a de facto Jamie Hewlett/Jarvis Cocker collabo? I can think of several entire comics over the past few years that the existence of this strip renders totally redundant.
(via Alexis Ong)
- November 8, 2010 @ 09:15 AM by Sean T. Collins
Short and bittersweet: Winners named in UK contest
The opening sequence of Stephen Collins's winning entry
The winners of the UK’s Jonathan Cape/Observer/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize have been announced and the two top stories are up on the web for your enjoyment.
The best place to read the winning story, Room 208 by Stephen Collins, is at the creator’s website, where you can see the story in two-page spreads, which is crucial to the art.
For the second-prize winner, Square Eyes, by Ann Mill and Luke Jones, take a look at the prize page for the layouts, but the full-size version only seems to be available on the Observer’s website, where it is presented one panel at a time. This is an unfortunate way to present a comic, because you lose the sense of the page as a whole, and it seems like a lot of work compared to simply slapping up a PDF, as Collins did. Nonetheless, both comics are lovely and short and shouldn’t be missed.
(Via the Forbidden Planet blog.)
- November 8, 2010 @ 08:35 AM by Brigid Alverson