2011 November
Your Wednesday Sequence 34 | Marshall Rogers
Silver Surfer (2nd series) #1 (1987), page 13. Marshall Rogers.
Space is the first practical consideration an artist needs to tackle when composing a page of comics. The size of the page itself is important, but it’s been standardized at something around 6.5″ by 10″ (with an original size of 10″ by 15″) for so long that many of America’s greatest cartoonists spent their entire careers composing for nothing but “comic book size”. Within that dominant stricture, use of the area available becomes a pressing question. Approaches to fitting more than usual into the same amount of space as ever are many and varied, to say the least; but more often than not they involve some kind of addition, a new method for cramming a lot into a little. Meticulous detail, bigger amounts of smaller panels — we’ve all seen these approaches succeed, and we’ve also seen what happens when there’s simply more than can please the eye being put on the page.
What’s fascinating about the Marshall Rogers page above is the amount of space being explored with five panels drawn in the workaday, simplified-realist Marvel Comics house style. Rogers, like Carmine Infantino before him, was a student of architecture, and brought the architect’s understanding of practical construction within a limited amount of space to his every page. Panel-to-panel transitions sizzle and page turns strike notes of suspense or release under Rogers’ direction — as much because of the smooth, perfectly choreographed paths he led the eye down to them as the content of the pictures. Finally, Rogers colored his own pages, giving him a leg up on just about every other superhero artist in history as far as getting the work to do what he wanted it to.
- November 30, 2011 @ 07:00 PM by Matt Seneca
Nicolas Cage’s copy of Action Comics #1 sells for record $2.16 million
A near-mint copy of Action Comics #1 owned by actor Nicolas Cage sold at auction tonight for a record $2.16 million.
Graded at 9.0, the rare 1938 comic easily surpassed the previous record of $1.5 million set in March 2010 for the same issue, featuring the first appearance of Superman. That copy was graded slightly lower, at 8.5.
Vincent Zurzolo, chief operating officer of ComicConnect/Metropolis Collectibles, told Comic Riffs that the issue that sold this evening — bidding closed at 7:25 p.m. ET — is the best copy of Action Comics he’s ever seen.
“The buyer was extremely excited about the prospect of bidding on this,” he said. “I think he had an adrenalin rush for the last two hours.”
The comic was stolen from Cage’s Los Angeles home in 2000, and discovered in April by an unidentified man who claims to have bought the contents of an abandoned San Fernando Valley, California, storage locker. Although Zurzolo wouldn’t reveal the comic’s previous owner, he did confirm that his company played a role in its recovery.
About 100 copies of Action Comics #1 are believed to exist, but only a handful of those are in good condition.
- November 30, 2011 @ 06:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Dark Horse to go same-day print and digital
Dark Horse announced today that starting Dec. 14, all its comics will be released simultaneously in print and digital format. The publisher launched its digital store and iOS app earlier this year, and while it was a bit later to get into the game than most comics companies, it has been aggressively building its digital library.
I checked in with Dark Horse marketing guy Aub Driver, and he told me that this doesn’t just apply to single-issue comics; trades and original graphic novels will be released same-day print and digital as well. “If it’s coming out — and we have the digital rights (which we do to 98% of our titles) then it’s coming out day and date,” he said.
Prices will range from 99 cents to $1.99 for single-issue comics and $2.99 to $7.99 for trades.
- November 30, 2011 @ 04:10 PM by Brigid Alverson
Evan Dorkin brings House of Fun to Dark Horse Presents
Dark Horse will serialize new work by Evan Dorkin in three issues of its Dark Horse Presents anthology beginning with March’s Issue 10.
Called House of Fun, the comic will serve as a venue for Dorkin to revisit some of his older concepts, including Murder Family, The Eltingville Comic Book, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Role-Playing Club, and, yes, Milk and Cheese. Each eight-page installment will be colored by his wife and frequent collaborator Sarah Dyer.
“The idea was to bring back as many of my old characters and concepts from Milk and Cheese and Dork as possible, grouping it all under the new House of Fun name,” Dorkin explained on the publisher’s website. “I decided not to use Dork as a catchall title for these comics. I got sick of the name a long time ago and this relaunch felt a good opportunity to finally retire it. [...] This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time now. The last issue of Dork came out in 2006 and it’s been even longer since I worked on an Eltingville or Murder Family strip. I’m excited to be working on my own stuff again, I’m having a lot of fun making these comics, and I hope folks will have fun reading them. If not they can go suck an egg.”
Dark Horse Presents #10 goes on sale March 21.
- November 30, 2011 @ 01:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Graham Annable tackles the Muppets for Jim Henson tribute
Gallery Nucleus showcases Graham Annable’s lovely and melancholy watercolor contributions to “The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me,” an upcoming tribute art exhibition to the late visionary Jim Henson.
“Clearly Kermit, Ms. Piggy, and Gonzo don’t know what to make of their beginnings,” the post on the gallery’s blog states, “but what we can decipher from this is Graham’s bold wit for introducing us to an unusual scenario we never expected the Muppets would run into.”
The exhibition opens Dec. 10 with a reception at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra, California, and continues through Jan. 2.
- November 30, 2011 @ 12:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Missed it: Webcomic shows Powerpuff Girls all grown up
Don’t ask me how I missed this when it originally came out years ago, but I recently discovered this fun little webcomic Powerpuff Girls: Battery Powered by a writer using the non-de-plum Northstar and artist Christine Larsen.
While it’s described by the artist as a “demented spoof off” of the classic Cartoon Network series, younger readers should be warned it contains violence, nudity and a heaping helping of crudeness. Of course, those who grew up during the original airing of the Powerpuff Girls are probably old enough — 18, please! — to enjoy this.
Although the chances of the creators being able to officially publish this are somewhere between slim and none, I applaud the attempt for creators to revisit work they’re familiar with and revise it for their own needs, a la League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Plus, I’ve always wondered what those three girls would be like all grown up.
Go over to DrunkDuck to read these comics, but be warned: 18 and older.
- November 30, 2011 @ 11:00 AM by Chris Arrant
Ross Campbell brings back glamour and glitter with Jem art
Art by Ross Campbell
As if reviving and redesigning Rob Liefeld’s Glory wasn’t enough, artist Ross Campbell is taking on another redesign project, but for fun this time. Over the past few weeks, Campbell has been posting illustrative headshots reworking the characters of the 1980s cartoon show Jem & The Holograms. Take a look:
- November 30, 2011 @ 10:00 AM by Chris Arrant
Talking Comics with Tim | Ryan Stegman
Scarlet Spider
Say the name “Scarlet Spider” to a longtime Marvel reader and you’re bound to get a range of reactions. But come the new year, Marvel is hoping all the reactions will be positive and numerous when the new Scarlet Spider series launches on January11. As recently confirmed in Marvel’s Point One one-shot, the new Scarlet Spider is none other than Kaine, the Peter Parker clone recently cured during the Spider Island event. Unlike many of Marvel’s series set in New York, Scarlet Spider will enjoy the unique cityscape of Houston, Texas — one of many factors that has me looking forward to reading it. Before the series gets started though, series artist Ryan Stegman stepped away from his drawing table to take part in this Q&A. In addition to this interview, CBR also is offering a preview of the first issue. After reading this (and enjoying the preview), be sure to check out the recent installment of Comic Book Resources’ “Axel-in-Charge,” where Alonso interviewed Stegman.
Tim O’Shea: How did Marvel approach you about joining the Scarlet Spider creative team? Was getting to work with [series writer] Chris Yost a deciding factor in joining the project?
Ryan Stegman: I had been working on an issue of Amazing Spider-Man and I made it clear as I could to editorial that this is the type of stuff I wanted to be doing. I practically begged. And Steve Wacker said that he would love to have me back and but that ASM was booked up artist-wise for the foreseeable future. I couldn’t argue this, because the artists that they have are fantastic. So one day, out of the blue he called me up and told me about this idea and I was sold. No offense to Chris, but that wasn’t a selling point because I think I was hired before him! Chris turned out to be the icing on the cake.
- November 30, 2011 @ 09:00 AM by Tim O'Shea
The Robot 6 Holiday Gift-Giving Guide, Part 3
Flex Mentallo Man of Muscle Mystery Deluxe Edition
Four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves … welcome to day three of our holiday gift-giving guide, where we ask comic pros:
1. What comic-related gift or gifts would you recommend giving this year, and why?
2. What gift (comic or otherwise) is at the top of your personal wish list, and why?
A great big thank you to everyone who helped us out this year, including the ones who’ll be showcased tomorrow. Be sure to come back then for our big wrap-up!
Mike Carey
1. The Simpsons/Futurama Crossover Crisis. Leela helps Maggie deal with school bullies. Homer and Bender go drinking. England invades the USA. Come on, you need this.
Flex Mentallo: Man of Muscle Mystery. The most ludicrous and wonderful supporting character from Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol got his own miniseries, and it’s just now being reprinted for the first time. I loved this miniseries when it first came out, and I’m gearing up to love it all over again.
Starstruck. The great Lee/Kaluta sci-fi epic, now between two robust hard covers. I should declare an interest: I wrote the intro. But I did that because it’s awesome beyond the feasible limits of possible awesomeness.
2. A Very Peculiar Practice, season 2. Wow. Just how much of my life right now is ’80s nostalgia? I think I need to get some professional help. Probably from Duran Duran.
Mike Carey has written numerous comics (and a few novels) over his career, including Lucifer, My Faith In Frankie, Ultimate Fantastic Four and Hellblazer. He currently writes X-Men: Legacy and The Unwritten.
- November 30, 2011 @ 08:00 AM by JK Parkin
Food or Comics? | Post-Thanksgiving hangover edition
Angel & Faith
Welcome to Food or Comics?, where every week we talk about what comics we’d buy at our local comic shop based on certain spending limits — $15 and $30 — as well as what we’d get if we had extra money or a gift card to spend on a “Splurge” item.
Check out Diamond’s release list or ComicList, and tell us what you’re getting in our comments field.
Graeme McMillan
I have to say, this is an amazingly slow week for me in terms of new releases. If I had $15, I’d pick up the fourth issue of Dark Horse’s Angel & Faith series ($3.50), which has surprised me by turning out to be my favorite by far of the new Buffy series (due, in large part, to Rebekah Isaacs’ artwork, which is superb). I’d also grab the third issue of IDW’s Star Trek monthly ($3.99), in the hope that it’ll be as good as the first two issues; hardcore Trek fans, you should really be looking at this book, if you’re not already. Also on the list to grab: Thunderbolts #166 (Marvel, $2.99), continuing a great storyline from what might be one of the most underrated books from either of the big two publishers. One of the few nice things about Marvel’s recent Cancelpocalypse was seeing so many people speak up about how much they love Thunderbolts, and I’m right there with them; Jeff Parker’s done great things with this book.
- November 29, 2011 @ 04:00 PM by JK Parkin
The Middle Ground #79 | Mixed Company
If war is hell, then it stands to reason that future war should be future hell, of course. But, as one read through The Complete Bad Company demonstrates, the hell that’s on offer is a very old, very real one indeed.
- November 29, 2011 @ 03:12 PM by Graeme McMillan
Quote of the day | The great lost Adrian Tomine graphic novel
When I finally sat down to work on my next comics project, I felt obligated to attempt a real “graphic novel.” I was looking at these giant tomes that some of my peers were working on, and I felt really envious of that kind of achievement. It also just seemed like that was the direction everything was moving in, and my old habit of publishing short stories in the comic book format was already an anachronism. So I pursued that for awhile, doing a lot of the kind of preparatory work which is actually the hardest part for me, and the whole time I had these nagging thoughts like, “Do I really want to work on this for ten years? Do I want to draw and write in the same way for that long? Does the material really merit that much of an investment?”
I actually completed about twenty pages of this material — completely written, drawn, and colored — and I still couldn’t shake the growing suspicion that I was headed down the wrong path. The scope of the project was completely draining any amount of joy from the work for me. Then when my daughter was born and I essentially became a stay-at-home dad, that really changed everything. I felt like that needed to be the main focus of my life for the time being, and I’d need to find a way of working that would accommodate that. So returning to short stories seemed like the right solution, and now I honestly think that, at least at this point in my life, it’s the mode that I’m best suited to. I love being able to draw twenty pages in one style, finish that story, then start the next one completely fresh.
—Optic Nerve cartoonist Adrian Tomine tells CBR’s Jorge Khoury about his failed attempt to create a big fat graphic novel in the vein of…well, pretty much everyone in literary comics these days, I guess. Anytime I read about lost projects and abandoned pages like this I feel a twinge of regret, but it seems to have led Tomine to an epiphany about the kind of work he wants to be doing and the kind of life he wants to be living. If that’s failure, then we should all fail more often.
- November 29, 2011 @ 01:00 PM by Sean T. Collins
Brian Wood unveils his cover for final issue of DMZ
Variant cover for DMZ #72, by Brian Wood
Brian Wood has debuted his variant cover for DMZ #72, the conclusion of the six-year-old Vertigo series by Wood and Riccardo Burchielli (along with such artists as Vikto Kalvachev, Nathan Fox, Kristian Donaldson, Nikki Cook, Ryan Kelly, John Paul Leon, Danijel Zezelj, David Lapham and Shawn Martinbrough).
The image is a callback, of sorts, to the first panel of Issue 1, showing key locations and events on a map of Manhattan, the demilitarized zone of the comic’s title.
DMZ #72, by Wood and Burchielli (with covers by Leon and Wood), arrives in stores Dec. 28.
- November 29, 2011 @ 12:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
The Robot 6 Holiday Gift-Giving Guide, Part 2
Harvey Comics Classics Vol. 1
Yesterday we kicked off our holiday gift-giving guide, where we asked creators like Jim McCann, Matt Kindt and more for gift suggestion and what they’d want to receive this year. Today we’re back with six more creators, and we asked them the same questions:
1. What comic-related gift or gifts would you recommend giving this year, and why?
2. What gift (comic or otherwise) is at the top of your personal wish list, and why?
So without further ado, let the joy continue …
Jeff Parker
1. If you have young children, you can give them hours of quality time with any of Dark Horse’s Harvey Comics collections. My kids have been poring through them repeatedly. I’ll be following up with old back issues of Casper, Dot, Richie Rich and Hot Stuff from the local comics shops; they’re always very cheap.
2. I would not sneeze at getting that Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes volume from Fantagraphics.
Jeff Parker is the writer of Hulk, Thunderbolts and the webcomic Bucko.
Tim Seeley
All-Star Superman
1. I’m a firm believer in buying comics for everyone on your list, even if they aren’t an avid fan. Make ‘em a fan! All-Star Superman for the superhero fan, Dungeons & Dragons from IDW for the gamer, Habibi for the sophisticated reader, and, of course, my Hack/Slash Omnibi for the horror fan. Or, if you’re planning on dropping a bit more, might I suggest an iPad, loaded with comics apps?
2. I want the collected version of the web strip OGLAF, which I thoroughly enjoy. I wouldn’t mind a CS Moore Witchblade statue to inspire me while I write.
Tim Seeley seems to be all over the place lately, whether it’s writing the new Bloodstrike series from Extreme or Witchblade for Top Cow, drawing issues of Marvel’s Generation Hope, or working on his own creations like Hack/Slash and Jack Kraken. There’s a good chance I forgot something, but you can follow him on Twitter to learn more.
- November 29, 2011 @ 11:00 AM by JK Parkin
British comics, then and now
For a long time, I thought that I was the only person in the whole comics blogosphere who was obsessed with old British comics, but Super I.T.C.H. has proved me wrong. They have been running some stories from old UK annuals (the hardback comics that delighted us every Christmas), and their latest one is a corker: The 1970 Valiant annual, which includes two Billy Bunter stories (about a fat kid in boarding school—just read them!) and some other action tales. The stories are definitely dated but still a lot of fun for those who like old-school comics.
Back in the day, comics like Valiant, Tiger, Hotspur (and their girl-comic counterparts Bunty, Judy, and Mandy) appeared weekly on the newsstand. With color covers and black-and-white (or single-color) interiors, they were no-frills comics that delivered a lot of story, usually three- or four-page chapters of six or seven different stories in a single issue. The comics were filled with action and each week’s episode ended on some sort of a cliffhanger, so you just couldn’t wait until the next week to find out what happened.
A group of talented creators and editors are attempting to recapture that spirit in Strip Magazine, a new monthly action comic. Strip is actually the brainchild of Bosnian publisher Ivo Milicevic who, like me, grew up reading British comics in another country. The stories are a mix of genres: There’s a story about black ops soldiers, a fantasy story, a story about a glamorous cat burglar, a couple of gag strips, and the return of a classic shark comic Hook Jaw. The stories are a bit longer than in the old weeklies, and the cliffhanger endings are gone—they don’t work in a monthly magazine—but you get the same feeling that you will be seeing these characters for a while. Best of all, you don’t have to go to the UK to get it; it’s available as an app through the iTunes store. Issue 1 came out last month, and issue 2 is due out later this week, so this is a good time to check it out.
- November 29, 2011 @ 10:00 AM by Brigid Alverson