2011 July
Quote of the day | Corrina Lawson, on DC Comics and female readers
DC Comics
“What would DC have to do to attract more women? Well, not add romance, puppies and rainbows. (I like kitties, though …) No, really, all they have to do is stop actively driving away the female audience with art too often based on porn poses and women so often portrayed as victims and not three-dimensional characters even when they’re in supporting roles. Give us art that’s not so obviously done to make woman sex objects only and make them well-rounded characters and we’ll be just fine. In fact, just keep the heroes you already have around instead of tossing them aside would be a start. Don’t, say, announce that all the Robins will be getting showcase titles when what you mean is that all the male Robins will be getting showcase titles and that the current Batgirl (former Robin) Stephanie Brown is going into limbo, along with former Batgirl current Black Bat Cassandra Cain. Because, apparently, there can only be one Batgirl as multiple ones would be too confusing but four Robins is just fine.”
– Wired.com’s Corrina Lawson, discussing how DC Comics might expand beyond a target demographic
of 18- to 34-year-old males, and why the publisher should do so
- July 5, 2011 @ 02:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
One man’s Tweet is another man’s comic
Look, everyone thinks their kid is cute. But we all can't be right. So somebody got the ugly baby.
J. Torres is a pretty prolific comics writer, with credits that include Alison Dare, Lola: A Ghost Story, Wonder Woman, Jinx, and the Degrassi: Extra Credit graphic novels. Now even his Tweets are being turned into comics, thanks to Eric Kim (Love as a Foreign Language). The two are collaborating on Twit, a single-panel gag strip based on Torres’s Twitter feed. There are just three comics up so far, but already a theme has emerged: Torres is the father of a new baby, and that has factored into all three episodes. The humor is pretty good, and Kim’s deft art makes these comics easy on the eye, so stay tuned for more Twitter funnies.
- July 5, 2011 @ 01:00 PM by Brigid Alverson
Humphries, Sanders self-publish twisted science fiction comic
Our Love is Real
As Tim mentioned in What Are You Reading? this weekend, Fraggle Rock/CBGB writer (not to mention friend and past contributor to this here blog) Sam Humphries has teamed up with SWORD and Five Fists of Science artist Steven Sanders for a new science fiction comic called Our Love is Real.
Here’s the description of the comic: “FIVE YEARS AFTER THE AIDS VACCINE…Plantsexuals riot in the streets for equal rights. Humans fall in love with dogs. And crystals are more than just jewelry. A chance encounter on the job changes a riot cop’s life forever as he finds himself caught in a bizarre love triangle that blurs romance, crime and lust beyond recognition.”
The self-published one-shot is due tomorrow from “a select group of retailers,” as well as via mail order and digitally. Check out the website tomorrow for more information.
Update: After the jump you’ll find the list of retailers carrying the book.
- July 5, 2011 @ 12:00 PM by JK Parkin
Arcana gets its own app
Small comics publishers have been jumping onto the digital bandwagon in droves, and the latest to come aboard is Arcana Comics, publisher of 100 Girls, Helen Killer, and Clockwork Girl, which is soon to be a movie—no, sorry, a “3D animated feature.” Arcana launched its own comics app, based on the comiXology platform, this morning.
This isn’t exactly new territory for Arcana, as at least some of their books have been available for quite a while via comiXology’s Comics app, and Clockwork Girl was one of the free e-books offered by Wowio last year. It’s interesting, though, that they have taken the additional step of creating their own app. While that makes sense for a publisher with a strong image (such as DC or Marvel), Arcana is less well known and their comics are more of a mixed bag. I can’t imagine there’s much of a crossover between the teen-friendly 100 Girls and Helen Killer, or the fantasy comic Kade. Harlequin romance readers will read anything that’s a Harlequin romance, regardless of the author or even the cover art, because they know exactly what they are going to get; I doubt that Arcana Comics evokes the same response. That’s a good thing—their line actually has some interesting variety. But it makes branding by publisher problematic.
Of course, Arcana still has a healthy 60 series available via the comiXology app, and the two apps sync with one another, so clearly they are covering all the bases. But making your own app must involve quite an investment—it will be interesting to see how this pays off for Arcana.
- July 5, 2011 @ 11:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
Comic Couture | Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-That’s all, bub
He’s the best there is at what he does, and what he does is look cute and cuddly.
Artist Rocco Rabar provides Threadless with this fun old-timey animated Wolverine T-shirt. Logan would look right at home in an old Merry Melodies or early Disney cartoon … sans claws, of course.
- July 5, 2011 @ 10:00 AM by JK Parkin
Four-minute preview reveals Batman Live to be a trippy fever dream
While the pre-overhaul Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark seemed somewhat avant garde, maybe even surreal, with its eight-legged spider goddess, Swiss knife-inspired villainess and DayGlo Goblin, the upcoming Batman Live struck me as pretty straightforward: For all of its bullet-time effects, the first trailer for the arena tour looked like someone had simply translated Batman: Hush into a live-action production.
But then today England’s Liverpool Echo released a four-minute sneak peek of the show, and “straightforward” went right out the window. The sequence, bathed in black light, is somehow both languid and manic, with Batman confronted first by a gigantic head of Joker, and then by his minions — who form the teeth of the demonic maw before dropping down and rolling onto the stage. The scene turns even more disturbing as the henchmen form into some kind of psychedelic majorette troupe that’s seen too many performances of Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk. All the while, Dick Grayson is being held captive in … a big hamster ball.
Watch the trailer after the break (you won’t be sorry). Batman Live opens July 19 in England, and then finds its way to North America in August 2012. After seeing this delirium-inducing preview, all I can say is it can’t get here soon enough.
- July 5, 2011 @ 09:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Former hockey referee sues newspaper over Adam@home comic
Insulting the referee is a pastime as old as sports itself, but it’s rare to call one out by name in a comic strip. So when Brian Basset and Rob Harrell’s syndicated comic Adam@home took a potshot at former National Hockey League referee (and current Guelph, Ontario, city councilor) Andy van Hellemond, the ref called foul. According to Kathy English, public editor of the Toronto Star, van Hellemond has served a libel notice on the paper, saying he intends to sue for defamation, and that the comic strip has caused him “serious and irreparable harm”:
Our client takes the position that the publication of his last name and prior occupation in respect of his ability to referee professional hockey games was calculated to disparage both his personal and professional reputation and was defamatory.
For those who (like me) don’t follow hockey too closely, English gives a good summary of why van Hellemond might be a likely target for Adam‘s humor (which was the setup for a bad pun, not cutting sports commentary), and she defends the strip as legal, although admittedly unfair (and a bit random, as van Hellemond left the ice in 1996). She also says that this is the first time anyone at the paper has ever heard of a lawsuit being filed over a comic strip.
(via Graphic Policy)
- July 5, 2011 @ 08:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
Comics A.M. | Farewell, United Media; comic-book twist in murder case
United Media
Comic strips | After outsourcing all editorial, production, sales, marketing and distribution functions for its 150 comics and other features to Universal Uclick earlier this year, United Media closed the doors on its Madison Avenue office in New York on Friday. [Comic Riffs]
Comic Books | A copy of Detective Comics #27 owned by multimillionaire hotel heir Ben Novack Jr., who was murdered in 2009, could go up for auction and end up paying to defend his widow Narcy Novack. Narcy is facing charges that she had the comic fan and his mother murdered, plundered his bank accounts, then tried to pin the crimes on her own daughter. Narcy’s daughter, May Abad, has persuaded a Broward County judge to hold off on the auction and give her at least 14 days to find suitable storage and insurance for Novack’s massive collection. [Miami Herald]
- July 5, 2011 @ 06:55 AM by Brigid Alverson and JK Parkin
Comics College | George Herriman
Krazy Kat: The Comic Art of George Herriman
Comics College is a monthly feature where we provide an introductory guide to some of the comics medium’s most important auteurs and offer our best educated suggestions on how to become familiar with their body of work.
This month we’re looking at a man routinely regarded as one of the most significant creators in the history of the medium, and his central work one of the finest comics has ever produced. I’m speaking of Mr. George Herriman.
- July 4, 2011 @ 05:33 PM by Chris Mautner
Talking Comics with Tim | Jimmy Palmiotti
Trailblazer
Anytime I get to talk to Jimmy Palmiotti, we never lack for projects to discuss. I can’t prove it, but I am willing to bet Palmiotti came up with at least two new story ideas while in the midst of this email interview. This Wednesday, July 6, marks the release of Trailblazer, a 48-page full-color western science fiction comic book ($5.99 [Image]) that he co-wrote with Justin Gray and art by Jim Daly. As detailed in this recent CBR release coverage, Trailblazer is “about a hired killer who turns in evidence against an employer for the murder of the woman who raised him. The government must then shield their star informant by enacting Operation Trailblazer, a witness protection program that uses not only location but time travel as well in order to keep their charges safe. As the assassin adjusts to his new life in the old west, he soon finds that no matter when or where he is the future is dead set in coming back to haunt him.” If you buy the book via Comixology, the original script is included as a bonus.
Before discussing this new Image release, we talked a bit about the impressive Jonah Hex 70-issue run (please note, for more scoop on Palmiotti and Gray’s plans for the new All-Star Western series be sure to read CBR’s Jeffrey Renaud’s recent interview with the creators)–not to jump the gun though, as issue 69 goes on sale this Wednesday (with art by Jeff Lemire). Also our discussion delves into the Palmiotti/Gray team reuniting with artist Joseph Michael Linsner on the Claws II (a sequel to Marvel’s Black Cat/Wolverine 2006 team-up) miniseries, which amazingly enough also goes on sale this Wednesday (check out the CBR preview of the first issue). Go into a comic book store this Wednesday, and bottom line, you will have your pick of Palmiotti product to buy. Palmiotti’s passion for comics and his equal commitment to meeting deadlines are two things I’ve always admired about him and that shine through in this interview. As you’ll read at the end of the interview, Palmiotti is curious to know what characters fans would like to see him work on, so please be sure to let him know in the comments section.
Tim O’Shea: You and Jonah Hex have a heck of a future together (with All-Star Western), no doubt. But I really want to talk about how amazing it was that you and Justin successfully told Jonah Hex for 70 issues. How proud are you of that accomplishment?
Jimmy Palmiotti: Very proud…and proud of the excellent work of so many amazing artists along the way. Justin and I would celebrate each and every year we were on Jonah , thinking at any minute it could be the last, but the great crew at D.C. comics always believed in us and believed in our choices and seventy issues is a huge milestone. They believed in us so much that with the new 52 books, they let us continue too do what we do best. In our minds, issue one of All Star Western is another chapter in the characters life and we haven’t missed a beat. The good news is that we are going to have a lot of fun with the other western characters in the D.C. universe.
- July 4, 2011 @ 12:00 PM by Tim O'Shea
A first look at SVK, and other comics that trick the eye
Two panels of SVK with and without the hidden content
Comics critic Paul Gravett has a peek at SVK, the new graphic novel due out from Warren Ellis and D’Israeli, as part of an interesting article on comics that trick the eye. SVK, which was announced last December, is a graphic novel with a hidden agenda, so to speak: The private thoughts of some characters are invisible on the printed page until the reader shines an ultraviolet light on them, at which point they appear in thought balloons. Gravett shows a few examples of this and then goes on to some interesting historical examples of other comics that use concealed content, including 3D comics, vintage newspaper strips that used invisible ink, and a comic that flips upside-down halfway through.
- July 4, 2011 @ 11:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
Nominees announced for 2011 Harvey Awards
Harvey Awards
The nominees have been announced for the 2011 Harvey Awards, which recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art.
Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, the cartoonist and founding editor of MAD magazine, the awards are selected entirely by creators. Final ballots are due by Aug. 6. Winners will be announced in conjunction with Baltimore Comic-Con, which runs Aug. 20-21. Scott Kurtz will again serve as master of ceremonies.
The nominees are:
Best Letterer
• Scott Brown, Box 13, Http://www.comixology.com and Red 5 Comics
• Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit, IDW
• Dustin Harbin, Casanova, Image Comics
• Troy Peteri, Witchblade, Top Cow
• Robbie Robbins, Locke & Key: Keys To The Kingdom # 1, IDW
• John Workman, Thor, Marvel Comics
Best Colorist
• Veronica Gandini, Mice Templar: Volume 10, Image Comics
• Laura Martin, The Stand, Marvel Comics
• Ed Ryzowski, Gutters, http://www.the-Gutters.com
• Dave Stewart, BPRD, Dark Horse Comics
• Jose Villarubia, Cuba : My Revolution, Vertigo/DC Comics
- July 4, 2011 @ 10:02 AM by JK Parkin
Dark Horse launches digital retailer exclusives
As they announced last month, Dark Horse has begun its digital retailer exclusive program with an eight-page B.P.R.D. comic that will be available only through brick-and-mortar comics stores. The comic is free, and honestly, the whole thing seems a little loose: Each store gets 100 single-use download codes to distribute to customers as they please. The idea is to reward loyal customers, although since each retailer gets 100 codes, regardless of size, and there don’t seem to be any specific criteria (i.e., buying a particular comic or combination of comics), it seems a bit capricious—it’s likely that small retailers will end up with unused codes while large retailers (who may not even know who their most loyal customers are) will have a shortage. Anyway, the codes were distributed to stores on Friday so this is probably the week to get one.
If you can, that is: There are huge swaths of the country that have no comics shops at all, and even in my area, Boston, none of the three shops I am most likely to go to is participating, which means I’d have to drive out of my way to get the comic. I suppose a sharp retailer would keep a handful of codes on hand for new customers as a way to build loyalty—giving me a freebie is a sure way to get me to come back to your store. Anyway, I’d be interested to hear from people who did get the comic—did you have to ask for it or did your retailer offer it? And was it worth the trip?
- July 4, 2011 @ 09:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
What Are You Reading? with Tom Scioli
Batman Inc. #7
Hello and welcome to What Are You Reading? Today our special guest if artist Tom Scioli, artist on Godland and creator of American Barbarian.
To see what Tom and the Robot 6 crew have been read, click the link below.
- July 3, 2011 @ 07:30 AM by JK Parkin
Quote of the day | DC on Barbara Gordon, Batgirl and continuity
Batgirl #1
“Some yes, some no. But many of the great stories remain. For example — Batgirl. The Killing Joke still happened and she was Oracle. Now she will go through physical rehabilitation and become a more seasoned and nuanced character because she had these incredible and diverse experiences.”
– from DC Comics’ “The New 52 and You” email sent to retailers,
addressing whether the publisher’s September relaunch will “undo events or continuity”
- July 1, 2011 @ 06:45 PM by Kevin Melrose