Animal Man #1

Welcome to another edition of What Are You Reading? Today our special guest is Kevin Colden, whose comic work includes Fishtown, I Rule the Night, Vertigo’s Strange Adventures and Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper, among others. He’s also the drummer for the band Heads Up Display.

To see what Kevin and the Robot 6 crew have been reading lately, click below …

*****

Michael May

Justice League #1

I spent most of my week getting caught up on the New 52. I liked some of Justice League #1, but have many of the same problems others did. I’m primarily interested in Justice League to see what kind of relationships the heroes have with each other in this new version. That’s what I like most about team books anyway, and I did enjoy Green Lantern’s feeling like Batman needed to prove himself and how Batman reacted to that. It was a new take that couldn’t have been done without the reboot. But stretching that out to an entire issue was disappointing and I may wait until Wonder Woman shows up in the series before I buy another issue. I’m very curious to see how Johns’ version compares to the way Azzarello’s going to write her.

Action Comics #1 was a nice surprise though. I love, Love, LOVE the less-powered Superman. I’ve been watching the Fleischer Superman cartoons lately and this reminded me a lot of those. Superman’s incredibly tough and strong, but not invincible and I sincerely hope he stays that way. Even though it reminded me a lot of Batman: Year One and Spider-Man 2, I also liked the Superman vs. the cops scene with the people coming to Superman’s defense. I don’t care that it’s not the first time I’ve ever seen that kind of thing, it’s the first time I’ve seen it with Superman and it was awesome. Lois reminds me of Fleischer’s Lois too: badass and capable, but not immune to getting in over her head and needing some help. There’s so much storytelling potential there that doesn’t have to have her be as goofy and helpless as her Silver Age version. I bought the issue out of curiosity, but I’m very much looking forward to more like it.

Batgirl

Batgirl #1 was another disappointment though. I typically love Gail Simone’s work so much, but I wanted a light-hearted superheroine (like the one on the cover) and didn’t care at all for Batgirl’s dealing with the Post Traumatic Stress of being shot by the Joker. I’m not saying it’s a bad story, it’s just very heavy and not what I’m looking for. I won’t buy the second issue, but may come back to it in the collected version if the buzz is good.

Static Shock #1 – My hopes that this will include more Milestone characters than just Static are encouraged by Hardware’s playing a major role in Virgil Hawkins’ story. I’m hoping for more like that (Blood Syndicate please!), but in the meantime, this was a lot of fun with some great, new villains and I can’t wait for the next issue.

Demon Knights was always going to be a hard sell for me because I’m not a big Demon fan, nor do I generally care for the way Marvel and DC have portrayed medieval times. But Diogenes Neves has some nice designs and halfway through the issue Paul Cornell threw in a romantic triangle that hooked me but good. Then he netted me and put me in the boat with the last page. I not making any long-term commitments, but there are some great elements here and I’m excited to see where it goes.

Brigid Alverson

MetaMaus

I got an advance copy of MetaMaus this week, and when I sat down and started flipping through it I couldn’t put it down. It’s basically a book about Art Spiegelman’s Maus, and the heart of it is a lengthy interview with Spiegelman himself in which he talks about the thought process that went into the book, how the making of Maus affected his relationship with his father and the origins of many of the images in the graphic novel. The book is crammed with visuals, including photos from Spiegelman’s bar mitzvah album and pictures from books about the Holocaust that once belonged to his mother. The result is fascinating, at least for a Spiegelman fan like me. The book comes with a disc that includes Maus in its entirety as well as recordings of Spiegelman’s father. I haven’t cracked that yet, but I know it will add a whole new dimension to the experience.

On a much, much lighter note, I worked my way through the first year of the Life With Archie magazine, with its dual Archie-marries-Veronica and Archie-marries-Betty storylines, this week. I have been picking these up and putting them down all year, but sitting down and reading them all at once makes the stories come into sharper focus. It’s interesting that some events occur in both storylines, while other outcomes are totally different—for instance, Moose becomes mayor of Riverdale in one story and janitor of Riverdale High in another, for reasons that have nothing to do with Archie’s choice of a spouse. Although the multiplicity of characters and subplots makes it a bit confusing to read both at once, it’s hard to put the stories down, as writer Paul Kupperberg keeps the plot twists coming thick and fast. It’s good melodrama, and because the characters are all familiar faces, it’s fun to see what directions they evolve into from their teenage selves.

Tim O’Shea

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1: When I picked up this week’s comics from the local store, my pal Dugan admitted that this comic reminded him somewhat of Hellboy. After I read it, I had to agree with him to a certain extent. Oddly enough, it also reminded me of another Dark Horse property, The Umbrella Academy. One major thing that annoyed me about Jeff Lemire’s writing (as much as I typically enjoy it) was this issue seemed really too text-intensive–and I hope the S.H.A.D.E.NET narrative. (If I never see another writer use narrative elements like “Data incoming…97% downloaded” I will be happy). But the first issue, despite its hiccups, introduced enough interesting characters (I bailed on Flashpoint after the first issue) to me to want to return for issue #2.

Black Panther: The Man Without Fear #523: This series is at its strongest when writer David Liss is teamed with artist Francesco Francavilla (as with this issue), Since this series began (with the departure of lead character) a major focal point of the series has been the importance of Hell’s Kitchen. T’Challa/Black Panther’s efforts to help Hell’s Kitchen continues to pay off in the neighborhood’s darkest hours. In terms of the supporting cast, I love love love Sofija.

Daredevil #3: I would not be surprised if Marvel is pitching Mark Waid’s Daredevil run as a TV series at some point. The surprise twist involving Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson’s law firm in this latest issue was really what triggered my theory. While the book is called Daredevil, Waid has devoted a good amount of time to showing Murdoch attempting to rebuild his life and career, which has entertained me to date. This was my favorite read of the week.

Gladstone’s School for World Conquerors #5: I feel for independent creators trying to garner attention for their respective series in a month like this, where the new DCU 52 dominates the news and review cycle. If you have not checked out Mark Andrew Smith and Armand Villavert’s Gladstone’s School for World Conquerors, you are genuinely missing out on a quirky series. In this issue, all the kids get a hold of the comics that the Nefarious Kid has been reading. (The two-page sample of those comics that Villavert offers early in this issue is executed with such great homage-level attention, it actually reminded me of some of the scenes from Jim Rugg’s Afrodisiac). The story really kicks into high gear in this installment and I really love where the creators leave things at the end of this installment (always leave folks wanting more, of course [which surprisingly some creators fail to do]).

Chris Mautner

Prison Pit 3

Prison Pit 3 — I had the opportunity to do a Q&A panel with Johnny Ryan at SPX last weekend. One of the more interesting parts of discussion was when Ryan said how each volume of Prison Pit had to have a different vibe or theme so that the different books didn’t feel interchangable. That’s certainly true in volume three, as we see the inclusion of a new character, who, while just as violent and vicious as CF, is completely different in attitude and demeanor. Plus, he has one of the most amazing (and utterly grotesque) resurrection scenes I’ve ever seen. There’s also a neat little bit toward the end where it seems like Ryan is heavily drawing upon the Fort Thunder crowd, particularly Mat Brinkman. All in all, it’s another excellent volume.

Prince Valiant Vol. 4 — This volume covers the most of the WWII years, 1943-44, when the paper shortage was at its highest. As Brian Kane notes in the introduction, this meant creator Hal Foster had to format the strip so parts could be cut for papers that had been forced to shrink their page count. He did this by adding a bottom strip, The Medieval Castle, which, while certainly informative and amusing, wasn’t necessarily as good as pure, unadulterated Valiant, especially since this new situation meant that Foster was unable to do the big, impressive vistas that had quickly become the strip’s trademark. Still, while no doubt hampered by this new situation, it did nothing to harm his storytelling skills, and Valiant remains a hugely enjoyable action strip, as Valiant battles a variety of ne’r do wells on a quest to find his true love, Aleta.

Mome Vol. 22 — I’ve talked at length before about how good the Mome anthology has been, and while I’m sad to see it come to a close, it’s nice to see it end on such a high note. Seriously, this is the best volume of Mome yet, with standout contributions by Chuck Forsman, Eleanor Davis, Laura Park, Dash Shaw, Jesse Moynihan and Sara Edward-Corbett. But really, there’s not a bad story in this entire book. It might seem weird recommending the last book of a series, but if you gotta only read one of these things, this would be the one.

Kevin Colden

Besides obsessively lurking on my Twitter feed and the typical mind-sucking websites like Damn You Autocorrect my, um… INTELLECTUAL reading time has been chock full of good stuff.

I suppose the elephant in the room would be the DC New 52 books – of which I’ve read about half so far (maybe 13 of the 27 to date). The overall concept of the reboot is solid, though some of the books have nailed it better than others. Animal Man in particular is one of the best new books I’ve read in a long time. I’ve always thought that Jeff Lemire was an interesting, unorthodox choice to write DCU books, and he and Travel Foreman have crafted an eerie, tonal work that recalls Moore and Totleben’s Swamp Thing – and it lives up to its pedigree. I got really excited for this title when I saw a preview of Foreman and inker Dan Green’s artwork for this book – creepy, angular and distorted, with a tasty late-80′s vibe – and it delivers. Colorist Lovern Kindzierski complements their work by smartly keeping it subtle, not eating the ink with rendering and doing some sweet limited-palette work as well. This one is on my regular list now and forever.

Bakuman

Keeping my comic selection broad and stroking my passion for well-crafted manga, a few months back DC Digital super editor and newly-installed Angeleno Kwanza Johnson recommended I read Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. Or maybe he strong-armed me into reading it. I don’t remember. Either way, I loved the creators’ previous work Death Note (which I also highly recommend; I read the first five volumes -about 1000 pages – in one sitting), so I figured this one was a good bet. Bakuman is about two high school-age kids making comics. Yeah. It’s about writing and drawing – possibly the least interesting and least active things in the universe – yet somehow the creators infuse the story with drama, tension and suspense. Besides some inexplicably bizarre behavior by two characters that requires Herculean suspension of disbelief, it’s thoroughly enjoyable and the art is stellar. Interestingly, Viz released volume 4 as a digital day-and-date experiment, and then promptly abandoned that plan with volume 5. Boo.

On my bookshelf, you will find many, many a finely bound graphic novel. You will also find my only two other reading passions – mountain-climbing memoirs and music biographies. I kid you not. I love reading about climbing because I will never be able to do it myself. I like to read about being a touring musician, because I will likewise never be able to do it myself. My current musical selection is See A Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody by Bob Mould. It’s a great companion piece to Andrew Earles 2010 Husker Du biography (for which Mould declined to be interviewed, in anticipation of his own book), detailing Mould’s view of the band’s acrimonious history, and moving further into his time with Sugar, his solo career and his life as a gay man. It’s a fascinating, unflinching, sometimes brutal portrait of a self-made artist, and it’s one of the best and most inspiring I’ve read.

Those selections, by the way – all purchased and read digitally. The revolution is here, and it will not be televised. It will be downloaded.

Willworld

Which is not to say I’m all ones and zeroes here – quite the opposite. I’m a biblio-junkie with a bad habit. Two weeks ago, I read WE3 by Morrison and Quitely, Green Lantern Willworld by DeMatteis and the late, great Seth Fisher (buy all of his work – ALL OF IT), and when my wife is done with it, our pal Mike Dawson’s Troop 142 is in the pile. Last weekend, I was at Small Press Expo and went on such an insane buying binge that I’m not even sure what I bought. I know I had Jennifer Hayden sign a copy of her new book Underwire, and I picked up Eddie Campbell’s Alec (both from Top Shelf), got a few Roger Langridge’s books, and went on a blind spree at Fantagraphics with Four Color Fear, an Alex Toth collection, some books by Jordan Crane and an impulsively bought Jacques Tardi book because CBLDF’s Alex Cox told me I needed it. That’s the first bag of three.

What am I reading? Everything, apparently.

21: The Story of Roberto Clemente

While biographies are becoming more and more common these days, sports comics remain a bit of an anomaly (indeed, up till now James Sturm seemed to have had the market cornered). Let’s hope Wilfred Santiago’s latest book, 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente, starts to fill in that genre hole a little bit. Particuarly if they’re as visually dynamic and  playful as this book is. Chronicling Clemente’s life from his early years in Puerto Rico to his untimely death in 1972, Santiago avoids the traditional traps of being too staid, didactic or reverential, creating a book that show us what made the Pittsburgh Pirates member so special without feeling like a history lesson. It’s a book that’s both fun as well as informative.

I talked to Santiago from his home in Chicago about the new book and what it took to get it into print.

Why Clemente? What was it about him that made you want to tell the story of his life?

I really wanted to do a biography. It’s something I wanted to do since my last project [2004's My Darkest Hour] and I had a list of different [potential] subjects. There were a number of factors as to why I chose Clemente in particular. I think it’s a compelling story to write about. The material was somewhat familiar [to me] and I like baseball .

I know that you’ve been working on this project for a long time. I seem to remember five or six years ago Fantagraphics announcing it and I think three years ago CBR did an interview with you about the book. Why did the book take so long and what were some of the challenges in putting it together?

It took years but every particular year had a different set of difficulties. It did take me a long time to go through various drafts. Sometimes there were periods of financial difficulties that didn’t allow me to work much on the book because I had bills to pay and I had to figure out a way to do something that brought in an income. Sometimes there were technological difficulties. It took me a long time to upgrade to a very fast computer which was where a lot of the work took place. At least towards the end of the book I was able to work at a faction of the time [it took when] I began doing the book back in — I don’t know when that was, 2005 or something like that.

Tell me a little bit about the research you did for the book.

From '21'

There’s a lot of documentation in baseball and the Internet brings access to all kinds of newspapers from whatever state or whatever year without having to go and incur travel expenses. Newspaper accounts of him were helpful, [although] you have to take an account word for word and then interpret it in a visual manner.

The book takes place in about three different decades. So newspapers and magazines were also very useful in capturing the look of a period. That was very important, because it’s not only about Clemente’s struggles or the way he is or the type of person he is but also the context of when his life takes place. In fact, Clemente’s life story is not that uncommon. He’s a young man with a background of poor means, who makes it to the major leagues and becomes famous. Baseball is full of those stories, as is the NBA and football. But it is the context of that story that makes it compelling. It took place in a period of American history where it was very challenging and he looking from the outside into all of this and trying to play the game and live his life.

Do you feel like Clemente broke barriers?

He certainly tried. He had difficulties because he found himself in the middle of an American fight if you will. He had to struggle with the language for example. He got in the middle of something that he was unfamiliar with and that was the institutionalized racism in America. He couldn’t understand the particulars of how something like that takes place. How there’s a place where a person can bring in a dog, but you might not be able to eat there because your skin is black. That was very hard for him and he spoke [out about it] whenever he [could]. He identified a lot with Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. But he also made a point of pointing out the virtues of America in the sense that while this stuff was happening at the same time we are in a place where we have this opportunity to better ourselves.

When you were doing this research, was there anything that surprised you or did it mostly confirm what you already knew about Clemente?

It was mostly little details here and there. It tended to be very simple things that like he was in the Marine Reserves. That was something I had never heard of and I was pretty familiar with his life story and where he came from.

From '21'

There aren’t many sports comics out there. What did you draw upon when making this book as far as the art goes? Did you read any sports manga?

There’s the biography aspect of his life and then it’s the baseball part of the comic book. For the biography [aspect] I wanted to have a very dynamic feel to it. I didn’t want it to feel like a textbook. Actually, one of the things I looked at in preparation with 21 was H2 by Adachi Mitsuru. It was very interesting how you have this sports aspect of it and have sports intertwined in the story in many ways — on an emotional level with the arc of the story. And it has a certain dynamic. It’s hard to capture [Clemente's athleticism] by just looking at pictures. It’s very hard to draw these baseball scenes and not make them look a little static because all you have to rely on are these grainy black and white pictures. So that was a great influence. And Mad magazine.

One of the things I noticed about the book is usually in project like this is they’re so reverential that they try to be as photorealistic as possible and you go in the opposite direction. You aren’t afraid to be cartoony or use caricature. There’s that great scene at the game where the hearts are literally popping out of the people’s chest. What made you decide to take that track as opposed to being more realistic?

Drugs. (laughter). No, I was thinking about it because again, I was trying not to make it … biographies to me  have a static feel to them. I was trying to avoid [that] and I feel like cartooning helps you in expressing the story and what you’re trying to convey thtorugh the story. It was difficult too because I wanted it to be cartoony and realistic at the same time.

I wanted it to be fun. What’s important was that it was exciting; that it could almost speak. That you could read the book in a very sort of sharp-paced way but you could also take the time and read through it at your leisure.

I also wanted to ask you about the book’s color scheme which I thought was interesting as you mostly use yellow – yellow, brown and a little bit of blue here and there. Why?

In general the color scheme was inspired by the type of [Pittsburgh Pirates] uniform. I used blue because I could do sort of a black with blue and yellow. I only used two colors: a yellow color and a very dark blue. But I could get sort of a black color [with the two]. It was great that these colors were very compatible. If it had been a completely different combination, like red and green, that would have been horrible. Sometimes I was using color to help the reader understand certain things, like when people are talking in English the balloons are in yellow. When they’re talking in Spanish the balloons are in white. So there’s things like that. I tried to incoporate the color scheme in the narrative of the comic book.

From '21'

What do you think Clemente’s legacy ultimately is? What do you see as his legacy as an athlete and as someone who came to the fore in a time of civil unrest?

I’m sure Puerto Ricans and Latinos might have a different angle, but I think probably a common source is that at the end of the day he was a person who was doing something he really loved and was also a person who … thought he could help others and who felt he needed to help his brother, regardless of what he looked like or his past status or background. He also didn’t let barriers get in the way. He had a short temper, but he still didn’t let obstacles stop him from achieving those goals. If you want to do something you’re going to get shaken and you’ll have to fight and break obstacles but eventually you’ll get to do it.

One of the things that I think helps sell that idea is that frequently in the book you don’t just focus on the games but you frequently cut to fans, so you see them reacting to Clemente as much as you see Clemente performing on the field. I thought that was an interesting choice. There’s that two page spread in the parking lot with people listening to the game on their car radios and watching on the color TVs.

Yeah. It’s like within the establishment he was pretty much ignored or not recognized for what he was doing in the field and the fans broke that wall if you will. By gaining through 18 years of fantastic performance and close encounters with fans and helping children, by the end of his career he had a fan base that the status quo couldn’t ignore any more and had to give him his props.

It must feel good to finally be finished a project that took you so long.

Yeah, I guess. At some point [awhile ago] it was done but for a number of reasons it had to be delayed again. I was like “What If I die? I want to see the book. I don’t want to die and then the book comes out three days later.” There was a lot of anxiety but when I got the book in my hands it was crazy. It was a good feeling to know that “Ok, now I can die.”

So what are you working on now? Do you have another project in mind?

Right now I’m just in the preperation but one of the things I’m working on is a graphic novel based on the life of John Brown, the abolitionist. I’m still working on it but if you go to Captainjohnbrown.com, I’ll have updates there as I work on it. It won’t take me that long. The first chapter is already done. I’m trying to stay ahead of it so I don’t have problems like that.

It’s not clear exactly what role Lee will play in the comic, but he had plenty to say to Entertainment Weekly, as did Schwarzenegger himself. The character will be a superhero named The Governator, and Lee refers to him as a “semi-fictional” character, which makes one wonder. Is there a real Arnold Cave somewhere, perhaps in an undisclosed location? Or is it just that the cast will include Schwarzenegger’s real-life wife (Maria Shriver) and kids?

Along with the Arnold Cave, the Governator will have a fleet of super vehicles at his disposal, a closet full of “Super Suits” that allow him to fly and perform other super stunts, and a team of colorful sidekicks, such as Zeke Muckerberg, the precocious 13-year-old computer whiz who acts as the Governator’s cybersecurity expert. Naturally, there will also be recurring supervillains — including an evil organization called Gangsters Imposters Racketeers Liars & Irredeemable Ex-cons (or G.I.R.L.I.E. Men, for short). For Schwarzenegger, the cartoon is obviously the next best thing to being President. “I love the idea of a control center below my house with a path so that boats and submarines can go right into the ocean,” he tells EW. “In the cartoon, my house is much closer to the beach than where we live, but, you know, it’s a cartoon.”

Oh, so that’s the fictional part—the house is closer to the beach.

But has anyone told them about this? Or will it be terminated with extreme prejudice?

Tribute: Michael Jackson, King of Pop

That was quick … via press release, Bluewater Productions has announced a “special collector’s edition” biography comic book of Michael Jackson, who passed away last Thursday. The book will feature a wraparound cover and foreword by Giuseppe Mazzola, a friend of Jackson’s

The book is scheduled for October. The complete press release and an image of a second cover can be found after the jump.

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Tribute: Michael Jackson, King of Pop

‘TRIBUTE: MICHAEL JACKSON, KING OF POP COMIC BOOK OFFERS LASTING REMEMBRANCE FOR FANS FROM BLUEWATER

To millions he was the King of Pop; one of the world’s most cherished entertainers and a celebrated international icon. With his untimely passing, Michael Jackson left an extraordinary and tragic legacy. Bluewater Productions is paying tribute in October to his memory and legacy with a special collectors edition biography comic.

The newest addition to the publisher’s critically acclaimed biography library will trace Jackson’s rise as a musical prodigy with the “Jackson 5” through last Thursdays sad end. The book will feature highlights from his storied career and cover his enigmatic private life.

“Michael Jackson’s music served as the soundtrack to countless lives…including mine,” said Bluewater president Darren G. Davis, “His influence on our culture has been profound.”

“TRIBUTE: Michael Jackson, King of Pop,” features a wraparound cover and foreword by “The Official Michael Jackson Fan Club’s” Giuseppe Mazzola. Mazzola was also Jackson’s personal friend. The issue is being written by Wey-Yuih Loh, (Political Power: Colin Powell” and “Political Power: Joe Biden) and illustrated by Giovanni Timpano (Vincent Price Presents). Noted cover artist Vinnie Tartamella will also provide an alternate wraparound cover.

“This is a celebration of his life and what he meant to a legion of fans,” Davis said. “Although the book won’t shy away from some of his personal troubles, we try to tell a balanced story that shows Jackson as a musical genius, an unparalleled superstar and as a complex person.”

Davis noted that he initially waffled at producing a tribute comic, but after receiving dozens of emails and phone calls he knew it was the proper way to show respect and give fans a lasting remembrance.

In recent months, Bluewater has become one of the leading producers of biography comics. Launched earlier this year, Bluewater’s “Female Force” has featured influential women such as Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Princess Diana, Sarah Palin and Oprah Winfrey. A follow-up series, “Political Power” launching in July is set to turn the spotlight on politicians like Colin Powell, Barack Obama, and Al Gore.

Bluewater’s biography titles have drawn considerable media attention, including features on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and “Live with Regis and Kelly.” It has also been featured in such periodicals as People Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today and thousands of blogs and other media outlets.

Toon Treasury of Classic Children's Comics

The art book publisher Abrams came out of the gate running this year with their new Comicarts imprint, which featured titles like Craig Yoe’s discovery of naughty Joe Schuster art, Secret Identity. What delights will the offer for the second half of the year? How about a new book by Alan Moore? Yes, it’s true; click on the link to find out more.

Manga Kamishibai

The Toon Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, edited by Francoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman, introduction by Jon Scieszka. 352 pages, $40. September. Quite likely a strong contender for anthology of the year, with Mouly and Spiegelman presenting work by folks like Jack Cole, CC Beck, Carl Barks, Feiffer, Walt Kelly, Harvey Kurtzman, John Stanley, George Carlson, etc., etc. All killer, no filler.

Manga Kamishibai: The Art of Japanese Paper Theater by Eric P. Nash. Introduction by Frederik L. Schodt. 304 pages, $35. September. Before manga took off, the kids of Japan got their sequential art kicks via kamishibai stories, miniature wooden theaters that would display art while the streetside storyteller would act out the tale. Nash’s book hearkens back to this long-lost art form, with lots of rare images and a few full-length stories.

Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness by Reinhard Kleist. 224 pages, $17.95. October. Berlin author Kleist relates Cash’s life from his early sessions with Elvis to his comeback in the 1990s. Apparently this is a best-seller in Europe.

Art of Osamu Tezuka

The Art of Osamu Tezuka, God of Manga by Helen McCarthy. 272 pages, $40. October. The author of A Beginner’s Guide to Anime celebrates the work and life of one of the most significant comics creators evar, with more than 300 images. The book also includes a 45-minute DVD documentary on Tezuka and his career.

25,000 Years of Erotic Freedom by Alan Moore. Edited by Eva Prinz. 96 pages, $22.50. October. Hey new Alan Moore! This isn’t comics, however, but a look at the history of porn via Moore, from the Venus of Willendorf to modern day photography (of the smutty kind). Contains a timeline covering major erotic works. You know, for handy reference.

Dread and Superficiality: Woody Allen as a Comic Strip by Stuart Hample. Introduction by R. Buckminster Fuller. 240 pages, $35. November. Did you know there was once an actual Woody Allen comic strip that ran in newspapers? Though it doesn’t look like Allen had much to do with it and I assume this ran well before Husbands and Wives hit theaters. Still, this should have some value as a historical curiosity if nothing else.

Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel by Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett. 350 pages, $24.95. October. Again, this isn’t comics per se, though Guinan and Bennett are perhaps best known for the series Heartbreakers. Rather, this is the steampunk-meets-Zelig (there’s Allen again) about a robot who moves amongst the major movers and shakers of early 20th century history.

Dave Stevens: Brush with Passion

* Dan Nadel reviews the Dave Stevens bio Brush With Greatness and in the process comments on Stevens’ work as well: “Stevens made a conscious choice to marginalize himself, to live within the bubble of fandom. He was a willful anachronism, frustrated by his chosen intellectual and artistic world but unable or unwilling to see beyond it.”

* A la Casey Kasem, Tom Spurgeon counts down (or really, up) the top 10 best comic series of all time. Quick, before you click on the link: can you guess what number one is based on this quote? “Three generations of American adults not only read some excellent comics in this magazine, they saw a great deal of an age-stratified pop culture through its lenses.”

* Speaking on Radio Canada International, novelist Miguel Syjuco offered an early (and, I think, first) review of Seth’s new book, George Sprott (click on the first part of the program link. It’s around the 12-minute mark).

* Steve Duin (who really, you should be reading regularly) has some nice things to say about Fantagraphics’ new collection of Nell Brinkley cartoons.

* The Jog/Tucker Stone review rundown of DC/Humanoids titles continues. For those keeping score they just finished talking about Enki Bilal.

* Graeme McMillan eviscerates that second half of Neil Gaiman’s two-part Batman story.

* Shaenon K. Garrity writers about her trip to Japan and how exactly she ended up there.

* Rob Clough reviews Miss Lasko-Gross’ A Mess of Everything.

* Derik Badman continues his look at Tezuka’s Phoenix series with a look at Volume 8.

* Kinukitty gets global with her yaoi coverage by looking at In the End, a German-made manga.