Cartoon Books
Previews: What Looks Good for November
The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths
It’s time once again for our monthly trip through Previews looking for cool, new comics. As usual, we’re focusing on graphic novels, collected volumes, and first issues so that I don’t have to come up with a new way to say, “ Dark Horse Presents is still awesome!” every month. And I’ll continue letting Tom and Carla do the heavy lifting in regards to DC and Marvel’s solicitations.
Also, please feel free to play along in the comments. Tell me what I missed that you’re looking forward to or – if you’re a comics creator – mention your own stuff.
Ape
Puss in Boots Movie Prequel – I don’t care for movie prequel comics as a rule, but swashbuckling cats are awesome in any incarnation. As long as these are fresh gags and not just ones warmed up from Shrek, I expect to enjoy this.
Archaia
Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Book 1 - I just introduced my son to The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth a couple of weeks ago, so this is great timing. He had the same questions about The Dark Crystal‘s world that I always do, so I’m looking forward to seeing Archaia’s take on answering those. Totally feel like the world’s in good hands with this publisher and these creators.
The Sigh - If Archaia’s snagging Marjane Satrapi’s (Persepolis, Chicken With Plums) new book has been reported already, I missed it. I’m surprised that wasn’t bigger news.
Siegfried, Volume 1 – I’ve been meaning to read P Craig Russell’s Ring of the Nibelung adaptation for years, so I think this might be what pushes me to finally do it. It would be fun to read Russell’s and compare it to this version by Alex Alice.
- September 9, 2011 @ 10:00 AM by Michael May
Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes
Brightest Day #7
Publishing | Chart-watcher John Jackson Miller wades into the grim direct-market sales figures for August, and notes that they mirror the state of the market in 2000: “Like 2010, 2000 was a year with a successful super-hero movie release — the first X-Men film. In that year, however, it had little impact on the market partially due to the cash-poor position of retailers at the time — and we might expect retailers were in the same position this year. [...] In 2000, by contrast, the reason wasn’t the general economy, but rather the seven-year industry recession that preceded it. Another similar element: price increases. From 1999 to 2000, Marvel went from benchmarks of $1.99 and $2.50 to $2.50 and $2.99. Other titles increased as well; $2.95 first became the industry’s median price in late 1999. The 2000 jumps are one of the more drastic previous increases by percentage — eclipsed, of course, by the current $2.99-to-$3.99 move.” [The Comichron]
Legal | India’s Delhi High Court has refused to hear a complaint by Archie Comics challenging the use of the name “Archies” by Mumbai-based Purple Creations. The court said it had no jurisdiction in the matter because Archie doesn’t have an office in India. [Deccan Herald]
- September 15, 2010 @ 08:03 AM by Kevin Melrose
Send Us Your Shelf Porn!
Thanksgiving may be only a day away, but we’re not going to head off to our relative’s house without an extra helping of Shelf Porn, no sirree.
Today’s collection comes to us all the way from Ireland, courtesy of one Dave Tobin. Click on the link to see Mr. Tobin’s impressive set of comics. Oh, and pass the stuffing please …
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Mautner
Jeff Smith’s RASL to have fewer pages on a bimonthly schedule
RASL #5
Earlier this week Jesse Reese at the Are You A Serious Comic Book Reader? blog noted that the biggest drawback of Jeff Smith’s RASL was the relaxed publishing schedule.
“The biggest problem with RASL is its slow production schedule,” Reese wrote. “A general problem with serialized comics, especially when a creator has a larger picture in mind, is focusing obsessively on what is the equivalent to a single chapter in a book. RASL suffers intensely from this reading experience.”
(I should note that the rest of the review, which focused on the story itself, was very positive and is definitely worth your time if you’re interested in learning more about the book).
Apparently Jeff Smith has heard Reese and other readers who have had similar concerns, so he’s moving the book to a new schedule. Starting with issue five, the book will be fewer pages — 24 versus 32 — and in the fall Smith will publish it bimonthly.
“When I came up with this format, I thought the extra pages would make up for a slower release schedule, but the demand for more issues gets louder every time a new chapter comes out,” he writes on his blog. “I think everyone I heard from liked the extra pages, but they’d rather have less time between issues.”
He also notes that he has a “secret project” he’ll be working on in the late summer timeframe, which is why the bimonthly schedule won’t kick in until October. He also notes that this means he’ll publish more issues of the book, as he still plans for it to be about “350 pages or so.” Click on over to read his full post and to see some work-in-progress blueline images.
- May 8, 2009 @ 04:07 PM by JK Parkin