2011 April
Kate Beaton’s ‘Lois Lane, Badass Reporter’
This has gotten around the Internet pretty well, but just so there’s no excuse for anyone not to have seen it: Kate Beaton’s series of Lois Lane comic strips does a really good job of showing how cool that character should be. There are only two explanations for Lois’ never figuring out that Superman was Clark: a) she was too dumb to put it together; b) she was too busy to care. I know which option DC continuity endorses, but I also know which one I prefer.
Beaton admits to not having read a lot of Lois Lane comics, but that’s probably for the best. Her interpretation is based instead on Lois and Clark, old Fleischer cartoons, and Dean Trippe’s unpublished Lois Lane, Girl Reporter pitch.
- April 25, 2011 @ 09:30 AM by Michael May
Comic Couture | Marvel and Stussy team up for T-shirt line
Dr. Doom
Marvel’s teaming up with the Stussy clothing line for a series of T-shirts. The first series in the “Stussy x Marvel” line will feature classic versions of Dr. Doom, Wolverine and Ghost Rider, among others, while the second series will feature designs by Will Sweeney, David Shrigley, Bill Plympton, Gary Panter, John K., James Jarvis, Todd James, Mister Cartoon and Noah Butkus.
Each shirt retails for $36 and will come with a pack of trading cards, which may or may not offer a glimpse of the second line of shirts (an Eternity shirt would be pretty cool):
- April 25, 2011 @ 09:00 AM by JK Parkin
Comics A.M. | Borders bonus plan OK’d; more on Dark Horse layoffs
Borders
Retailing | A judge on Friday approved a proposal to pay Borders Group executives up to $6.6 million in bonuses as the bookseller reorganizes under federal bankruptcy protection. The company had originally requested $8.3 million — that figure met with objections from the U.S. bankruptcy trustee — in a bid to retain key corporate personnel. Since Borders filed for bankruptcy on Feb. 16, 47 executives and director-level employees have left, leaving only 15 people in senior management positions.
The approved plan comes with conditions, tying some bonuses to the company’s ability to pay creditors and save $10 million over the next two years in leases on the remaining stores or in non-personnel cost reductions. [Businessweek, AnnArbor.com]
Publishing | Dark Horse CEO Mike Richardson talks more about the publisher’s recent layoffs, saying that some reports of the cutbacks were overblown: “We have 150 employees. We let seven people go across three different divisions. What is that 4%, 5%? Our staff was just getting too large. The real reason for the layoffs is that we get worried about the cost of doing business. We’re sitting there looking at the rising health insurance costs, the changes in the cost of doing business. We thought we were going to get some relief in the form of cover prices moving to $3.99, but I guess the market’s made a really strong statement on that price. Meanwhile we’re getting squeezed on paper and printing costs at the same time — and creators certainly don’t want to take any less money.” [ICv2.com]
- April 25, 2011 @ 06:55 AM by Kevin Melrose
Nominees announced for 2011 Hugo Awards
The Unwritten, Vol. 2: Inside Man
Finalists have been announced for the 2011 Hugo Awards, which recognize the best in science fiction and fantasy.
Presented annually since 1955 by the World Science Fiction Society, the Hugo is among science fiction’s most prestigious awards. This year’s winner will be presented Aug. 20 in Reno, Nevada, during Renovation, the 69th World Science Fiction Convention.
The nominees for best graphic story are:
• Fables, Vol. 14: Witches, written by Bill Willingham; illustrated by Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Jim Fern, Craig Hamilton and David Lapham (Vertigo)
• Girl Genius, Vol. 10: Agatha Heterodyne and the Guardian Muse, written by Phil and Kaja Foglio; art by Phil Foglio; colors by Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)
• Grandville Mon Amour, by Bryan Talbot (Dark Horse)
• Schlock Mercenary: Massively Parallel, written and illustrated by Howard Tayler; colors by Howard Tayler and Travis Walton (Hypernode)
• The Unwritten, Vol. 2: Inside Man, written by Mike Carey; illustrated by Peter Gross (Vertigo)
This is the third year for the graphic story category. Girl Genius won the award the two previous years.
The full list of nominees can be found on the Renovation website.
- April 25, 2011 @ 06:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Rucka and Burchett to launch steampunk webcomic in July
Greg Rucka
The Stumptown Trade Review posted an audio interview with writer Greg Rucka yesterday, covering a wide range of topics, including an announcement for a new webcomic he’s doing with artist Rick Burchett.
Called Lady Sabre and the Pirates of the Ineffable Aether, Rucka describes it as a “steampunk, pirates, western thing,” noting it would feature airships, floating islands, gunslingers, sword fights and “hopefully witty dialogue.” It’s planned as an ongoing webcomic, and they’re looking to launch it in early July.
Rucka added that they hope to make money off of it so they can fund American Soldier, which he said doesn’t have a publisher yet.
- April 25, 2011 @ 05:00 AM by JK Parkin
What Are You Reading?
A God Somewhere
Happy Easter and welcome to What Are You Reading?, our weekly look back at the comics and other stuff we’ve checked out recently.
Today our special guest is Chris Schweizer, creator of the Crogan Adventures series published by Oni Press and a professor of sequential art at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
To see what Chris and the Robot 6 crew have been reading lately, click the link below.
- April 24, 2011 @ 01:00 PM by JK Parkin
Saturday Shelf Porn
Welcome to another edition of Shelf Porn. Today’s shelves comes from 17-year-old Grady Dixson in upstate New York, who shares a room I wish I’d had when I was 17.
If you’d like to show off your collection, it’s easy — just send a write-up and some jpgs to jkparkin@yahoo.com.
And now here’s Grady …
- April 23, 2011 @ 12:00 PM by JK Parkin
The Fifth Color | Avengers Academy in three panels
This book has a dinosaur. Your argument is invalid.
The average comic is around 21 to 24 pages of story. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but in all, we can agree that there’s some breathing room in comparison to your standard Sunday comic strip. In those 21 to 24 pages, there is space to tell a story or, in our current state of affairs, part of one. Despite the shaken fists to the sky and grumbles from the masses, there are comic book writers who write for the trade paperback, making each issue a piece of a much larger puzzle. Your monthly comic would then hold a clue or a twist that would add to the readers’ understanding of the over-arcing plot, causing them to come back for more in search of the final resolution.
This creates an audience. Wondering what comes next or “whodunnit” keeps readers turning pages and the writer with some steady income as they bring the story to life in their allotted time and space once a month. It’s hard work these days to keep the public’s attention, so taking a story of significant impact and drawing it out over a few months has a beneficial side if you’re thinking fiscally. This practice can leave a lot of people in the cold, especially those who come in at the middle of the story rather than its start. Let’s say someone wanted to pick up an issue of Amazing Spider-Man, just to see where Peter Parker had gotten himself to lately. Considering he’s working in a high-tech science lab rather than the life of the common Joe might be a little confusing for some, but add to that his side jobs with the Avengers or, more importantly, the Future Foundation, and you have a lot of explaining to do about why he took those jobs and what the heck a Future Foundation is.
To help usher in the new reader and perhaps give long-term readers a little space between major arcs, Marvel released Point One issues: single issues of story to explain a little about the character and where he’s at. Something that began and ended within that book. For the Invincible Iron Man, it was a character study about who Tony Stark was then and who he is now. For Wolverine, it was a well-meant birthday party with his supporting cast and a dust up with some bad guys. Some times more, some times less, these Point One issues were created to communicate the concept of the book, storyline or even just the character in 21 to 24 pages.
But! What if I told you that you (yes you!) could introduce someone to a book, storyline and character in just three panels! Sound amazing? Let me show you how!
(WARNING: this Fifth Color will contain spoilers for Avenges Academy #12. Three panels worth to be exact. If you haven’t read it yet then run, don’t walk, to you local comic shop and ask for it by name! You could also take a car if it’s a long walk.)
- April 22, 2011 @ 04:00 PM by Carla Hoffman
Six by 6 | My six favorite Tokyopop titles
Planetes
The announcement last week that Tokyopop has closed its publishing division (at least in North America) has led to a lot of thoughtful critiques about the company’s legacy, both good and bad.
Less discussed is their vast array manga publications and the aesthetic qualities that may or may not lie therein. Having offered a memorial of sorts to the Mome anthology last week, it seemed only fitting to do something similar for the house that Sailor Moon built today.
But first an apology/explanation of sorts. The honest truth is I came a bit late to the manga revolution and didn’t immerse myself much in Tokyopop’s oeuvre, not because of a dislike towards shojo or manga in general as much as a general feeling that most of their offerings were heavily contrived and derivative, whether aimed at a male audience or a female one.
Also, my budget being what it is, there were plenty of titles I missed that I probably would have included on this list had I had the resources to track them down, like Aria and Happy Mania. Consider this more of a starting point for an ongoing conversation then, and feel free in the comments section me know what an idiot I am and what books I missed.
So taking all that into consideration, here are the six titles that I feel justified Tokyopop’s existence:
- April 22, 2011 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Mautner
Outside the Panels | Phil Gelatt opens the front door to The Bleeding House
The Bleeding House
It’s certainly not uncommon for comic writers to work in a variety of media, whether it’s writing novels, television scripts or for film in addition to creating comics. One writer who joins their ranks is Phil Gelatt, co-creator of Labour Days and the upcoming Petrograd, who makes his film writing and directing debut next week.
Called The Bleeding House, here’s the synopsis from the Tribeca Fim Festival site, where the film will debut: “On the surface, the Smiths are an average American family, with a happily married mother and father, a moody 16-year-old daughter, and a distracted 18-year-old son. But patriarch Matt Smith appears a bit on edge, and the family is eerily damaged by something in its past. One night when a sweet-talking preacher carrying a briefcase arrives at their home after his car is disabled on a nearby road, it seems like this Christian man’s presence may be just the breath of fresh air the family needs. But are the Smiths are ready for the atonement this neighborly guest has in store?
“This creepy thriller, set in the deep woods of Texas suburbia, moves at a steady pace and culminates in an unexpected reckoning of the family’s dark and horrific past. The ensemble cast of newcomers helps keep the story taut with suspense, while first-time director/writer Philip Gelatt creates a haunting portrait of a family that may not deserve to escape its sins.”
I spoke with Gelatt about the film and how the process of creating it was different from his comics work.
- April 22, 2011 @ 02:00 PM by JK Parkin
Quote of the Day | Matt Thorn on Tokyopop’s race to the bottom
Veteran translator Matt Thorn has been involved in the so-called manga revolution from its earliest days—he started translating for Viz in the 1990s—and now he is the editor and translator of Fantagraphics’ manga line. Matt remembers when manga publishers had standards, and translators made good money; his top price was $17 per page. “Mind you, there was no shortage of enthusiastic otaku willing to work for peanuts,” he writes. “It’s just that no respectable publisher ever seriously considered hiring such people unless they proved themselves, and even then they were paid a decent wage.” Then Stu Levy came along.
TokyoPop changed that. Why pay six bucks a page when there’s this kid here who will do something vaguely resembling a “translation” for five bucks a page? Or four? Or even three?
I was stunned when I first heard that there were kids at TokyoPop working for three bucks a page. That’s not even close to a living wage.
The practice was cynical on many levels. Obviously, it was exploitation of the translator. But it also revealed a contempt for the reader: These kids can’t tell the difference between good writing and bad, so why pay more for better writing?
- April 22, 2011 @ 01:30 PM by Brigid Alverson
Wavves frontman takes on comics with Negative Dad
Earlier this week, the singer of the acclaimed noise-pop Wavves announced that he was getting into comics.
Nathan Williams tweeted pictures from a series dubbed Negative Dad about “a group of mutant teenagers.” The music frontman has partnered with artist Nicholas Gazin, who describes the series as “like an extra retarded X-Men. There’s heshers, evil parents, cat people, juvenile delinquents with partially functioning mutant powers, aliens, dreams.”
Gazin goes on to state the project will run for “at least 12 issues” and is tentatively set to come with a cassette of music by Williams.
“This is going to be our gift (although it will cost money) to people who enjoy pot,” Gazen told Pitchfork. “Put the tape on, put in a beanbag chair in a space small enough to get clambaked and just read the comic and stare at the pictures and chuckle at the pictures while your friend plays Nintendo and eats all your Pirate Booty or something.”
- April 22, 2011 @ 01:00 PM by Chris Arrant
Icarus on Robot 6 page 12
Icarus is a comic by Ryan Cody and is serialized here on Robot 6, with new pages every Monday, Wednesday & Friday.
The only reason this scene takes place in Baltimore is because of my love for The Wire.
Ryan Cody is the creator, artist, writer, & colorist of ICARUS, a bi-monthly super-powered adventure/espionage book published through Super 75 Comics. Ryan’s past projects include illustrating the graphic novel VILLAINS for Viper
Comics as well as contributing to the Eisner-Award winning anthology, Popgun Vol.3, from Image comics. ICARUS #1 is currently available as both a .99 digital download and in print. For more information or to order a print copy of ICARUS, please visit www.super75comics.com
- April 22, 2011 @ 12:00 PM by Ryan Cody
Faith Erin Hicks goes solo with Superhero Girl
Faith Erin Hicks is the creator of Zombies Calling and The War at Ellesmere, as well as the artist for Brain Camp, so she has already had quite a bit of success with commercial publishers. Now she’s reversing the usual order of things with her first self-published comic, a collection of strips from her webcomic The Adventures of Superhero Girl, which is sort of a slice-of-life comic about a semi-successful superhero. She plans to have it to sell at TCAF in a couple of weeks, and the comics shop Strange Adventures, in her home base of Halifax, will also carry it.
If you’re not already familiar with Hicks, start watching her now, because she’s on an amazing trajectory. She has a two more traditional projects in the works, including another graphic novel for First Second and a collaboration with J. Torres, and her blog is worth checking out just for her manga fanart (and the commentary that goes with it).
- April 22, 2011 @ 11:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
Ryan Kelly’s Funrama #2 is almost ready
Ryan Kelly has announced that Funrama #2, the next issue in his self-published superhero series will be available later this year at conventions and on his website. Where the first issue featured the villainous Mutant Punks, this one will focus on the heroic Raccoon and her friends Freakshow and Flora. Kelly’s offering an 8-page preview ashcan at SpringCon before the full 32-page book is ready.
- April 22, 2011 @ 10:00 AM by Michael May